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CNY Solidarity & Indivisible Onondaga County

Thank you everyone for showing up to say No Kings in America this past weekend! Our community came together, 11,000 strong and rose up against this administration to protest the infringement of our free speech, immigration raids and the rise of white supremacy.

“Change is possible. We can reclaim our democracy.” Dick Kornbluth, a coordinating committee member of CNY Solidarity, said. “Rallies don’t change things by themselves, but what they do is they give people optimism and hope.”

New to CNY Solidarity & Indivisible Onondaga County? Welcome! We provide a weekly newsletter sent every Tuesday full of calls to action, news articles and community events. Our newsletter is also available on our website, www.cnysolidarity.org. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Blue Sky. If you don’t want to receive our emails you can unsubscribe here. 

We currently meet once a month. Our next meeting is 2pm on Sunday, November 9th at All Saints Parish Center, 1342 Lancaster Ave, Syracuse. Indivisible Onondaga County is our sister organization that is affiliated with the national Indivisible organization. IOC meets at our monthly meetings and organizes protests, supports candidates running for office and builds engagement with our elected officials. Follow IOC on Facebook and Blue Sky.   

What’s Next After No Kings? 

Every action you can take adds up. 

• Vote In Every Election – Visit Vote411.org to find out what is on your ballot and make your plan to vote on November 4th and bring your family, friends and neighbors to the polls. Visit our website for a list of candidates & proposition information.  

• Stay Vocal – Use your platforms. Talk to friends, share posts, push back against misinformation. Silence is compliance. 

• Call Congress (202) 244-3121 – This is the U.S Capital switchboard and your direct line to every member of Congress. Call your representatives and share your thoughts. They need to hear from you. 

• Join A Local Group – There is power in community. Join our next meeting in person or by zoom. Or find an organization that aligns with your issues and see how you can help. 

• Every Dollar You Spend Is A Vote – Support progressive makers, artists and small businesses. Here are some directories of companies to support at B Corporations & Little Blue Cart (where is this list has been adapted from)

• Support Journalists & Independent Media – Follow, subscribe and share work from trusted independent news sources. Amplify voices doing the hard work of accountability and fact-checking

• Rest Is Resistance – Rest is how we sustain this movement. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Upcoming CNY Solidarity Coalition & IOC Meetings:

November 9th & December 14th at a NEW TIME 2:00pm – 4:00pm

October Events by the Onondaga County Democratic Committee (OCDC)

Meet local Democrat candidates running for local office, support candidates at upcoming fundraisers and get involved with a campaign you support.

See the OCDC October Calendar of Events

Economic Power – Boycott X (formerly known as Twitter)   

Where we choose to spend our money is one of our greatest collective strengths. Every purchase we make is an opportunity to support companies and products that align with our values and progressive ideals for human rights, labor rights, social justice, and environmental protection.  

We believe in the right of all human beings to live in a safe environment with fair access to opportunity within an inclusive economy. Each week we will highlight one company or product that does NOT align with our shared values and ideals.

More Information about Boycotting  X (formerly known as Twitter)

Click here to research other companies or brands

Donate to World Central Kitchen

WCK has served more than 145 million meals in Gaza. Our teams are cooking about 500,000 daily, but cooking has been greatly reduced this year as food supplies have been halted or constrained. WCK is seeking to rapidly scale up production to an unprecedented one million hot meals a day.

The ambitious plan requires an increase to five high-capacity field kitchens and enough supplies to outfit scores of smaller community kitchens at the neighborhood level throughout Gaza. WCK will also need extended supply chain access through multiple entry points and the ability to send in more than 100 trucks daily, as well as permission to directly import fuel.

Donate here

Letters to the Editor

CNY Solidarity Coalition encourages letters to the editor regarding issues affecting us locally and nationwide. We also recommend that letters are written in response to recent articles or other letters; these are more likely to get published. Links to these articles will be included each week.

If you’re looking for a subject to write about, here are this week’s suggestions:

• Term limits, longer terms will make Onondaga County government worse

Guidelines for writing Letters to the Editor, with a link to previously submitted letters, can be found on our website.

If you’ve written a Letter to the Editor, whether it’s been published or not, consider  forwarding  a copy to cnysolnews@gmail.com, so that it can be added to our website’s “Opinion” section.

Press Coverage, Videos & Photos from No Kings Syracuse

• Thousands rally against Trump in DeWitt, join ‘No Kings’ protests across U.S. – Daily Orange 

• Thousands participate in ‘No Kings’ rally in Syracuse – WRVO 

• Second No Kings rally in Syracuse draws thousands in protest of President Donald Trump – WAER

• See Videos on YouTube 

• See drone video of ‘No Kings’ protest in DeWitt – Syracuse.com 

• More than 6,000 rally in DeWitt for ‘No Kings’ protest against Trump – Syracuse.com

• See photos & more videos on our Facebook page.

Hochul seeks to water down NY prison oversight bill, advocates say

Gov. Kathy Hochul is trying to water down legislation that would bulk up oversight of New York’s corrections system, advocates said, just as three correction officers stand trial for the beating death of a prisoner.

Read Article on WAER

Eyes in the sky and fines for lead: Onondaga County Leg approves $1.6B budget for 2026. Here’s what’s in it

The Onondaga County Legislature last Tuesday afternoon passed the county’s 2026 budget in a 12 to 4 vote along party lines this afternoon.

While Republicans praised the $1.6 billion budget for its low property taxes, Democrats said that the budget did not do enough to address the needs of the people. 

Read on Central Current

Halting misinformation in its tracks

For a long time, Donald Trump’s truth-bending propensities were treated as a mere P.T. Barnum-esque degree of showmanship. With the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol by Trump supporters, and in the years that followed, we saw Trump using the “big lie” of election fraud to draw a line in the sand with his loyal supporters. You either buy into his reality or you are attacked. Now we are seeing a full-scale attack on the foundations of truth and information, with Trump’s egoistic worldview spreading like a fast contagion in order to justify his whims and legal immunity.

Read on Waging NonViolence

Hochul Vetoes Public Records Bill, Leaving ‘New Era of Transparency’ Still Pending

Hochul has pursued some transparency initiatives, — but still hasn’t come through on her promise to expedite New York’s notoriously slow FOIL system. This year, the state legislature tried to pick up the slack, passing a bill that would tighten the deadlines that agencies must meet in responding to FOIL requests — but this month, Hochul vetoed it.

Read on NYSFocus

Energy Literacy Workshops

Numerous Dates and Locations

EnergySmartCNY is organizing a series of workshops on energy efficiency – what it means, and how you can achieve it (for both renters and owners).  Participants receive free Energy Kits (worth $40) and are taught how to use the items in them. The presentation also covers home improvement and energy efficiency programs that can help all income levels. Our team can help participants apply to NYSERDA’s EmPower+ and Comfort Home weatherization programs. The workshops are roughly 90 minutes long, with time for discussion as well as a light meal.

Dates and Locations 

Abolish ICE Rally

Every Tuesday 5:00 – 6:00pm

232 Washington Blvd Oswego, NY

Six Scoops le Cream Intersection

Join Organize Oswego WEEKLY to protest the ongoing ICE attacks on our communities. We stand in solidarity with immigrants being harassed by IcE and police, those held in detention centers, and those being deported.

Bring signs, wear a mask, and we will have extra supplies for you if you can just show up!

Don’t Panic. No Human Being is Illegal.

Why Kids Are Struggling With Their Mental Health

Tuesday, October 21, 7:30-8:30 pm

Red, Wine & Blue Zoom event

It’s no secret that kids today are facing a mental health crisis. From the fear of gun violence and the stress of poverty to the lasting impact of trauma and the lack of access to care, young people are growing up under immense pressure. Join us for an important and eye opening conversation with psychiatrist Mathilde Ross about why so many kids are struggling right now and what we can do to help. We’ll learn about the biggest factors impacting youth mental health and explore what families, schools, and communities can do to create a stronger foundation of support. We will discuss what steps we can take to help the kids in our lives each and every day.

Register

Lead 101 – Lead Lunch & Learn

Wednesday, October 22 at 12:00pm On Zoom & In person

Syracuse Community Health, 930 S. Salina St, 1st Floor Conference Room

This free event will break down the basics of lead, how it affects your home, your family’s health, and what resources are available to keep your space safe. Let’s eat, learn, and protect our communities one lead-safe home at a time!

Hosted by: LeadSafe CNY Coalition’s Education, Engagement and Testing Committee.

Learn More & RSVP Here

“Leading on Lead” information session

Wednesday, October 22, 4-6pm

Nedrow Fire House, 6505 S Salina St, Syracuse, NY

Lead paint in older homes is the most common cause of high lead levels in children? Lead can cause serious growth, learning, and behavioral problems. Protecting children from lead is critical for their lifelong good health.

This information session will be hosted by Onondaga County Executive McMahon and 11th District Legislator Richard McCarron.

More Information

Syracuse Mayoral Debates

Wednesday, October 22, 7-8pm

WSYR-TV and also stream on localsyr.com and WSYR+

Thursday, October 23, 6-8pm

Everson Museum’s Hosmer Auditorium, 401 Harrison St, Syracuse, NY 13202

Town of Cicero Budget Public Hearing

Wednesday, October 22 at 6:30pm

Cicero Town Hall, 8226 Brewertown Rd, Cicero

The Cicero Town Board has received the 2026 Tentative Budget and has called for a Public Hearing to hear any persons for or against the proposed 2026 Preliminary Town Budget, which is available for inspection in the office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours, and pursuant to Section 108 of the Town Law, the following are proposed yearly salaries of the Town Officials of the Town of Cicero: Supervisor $68,140.00/yr. Town Board Councilors (4) $11,783.00 /yr. each Town Clerk $72,828.00/yr. Receiver of Taxes $55,000.00/yr. Highway Superintendent $94,554.00/yr

Review the 2026 Budget Here

Envisioning An Afrofuturist Future In Najee Dorsey’s Art

Wednesday, October 22, 7-9pm

ArtRage Gallery, 505 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13203

Afrofuturism is a look to the future where African-Americans are re-imagining, reinterpreting, and reclaiming the past and present for a liberated future. It is an expression of Black identity through activism, art, and creativity to reach a utopia. 

Dr. Isiah Lavender III is among the leading Afrofuturists and the newest University Professor at Syracuse University. He is the author/editor of 7 books and 2 special issues of journals, his forthcoming book Race, Law, and Speculative Fiction: Future Pasts will appear from the University of Pennsylvania Press next June. His current research agenda concerns Afrofuturist tropes in the novels of John A. Williams, a Syracuse University alumnus.

More Information

From Protest To The Polls

Wednesday, October 22, 7:30-8:30 pm

Red, Wine & Blue Zoom event

Looking to cut through the chaos and actually make a difference this year? Want to connect with other badass women who are ready to take action? Join Red Wine & Blue to learn why stopping extremism starts in our own backyards and why local elections are where we have the power. Friend to friend organizing is one of our most powerful tools and we will share how you can use it to win important races in your community. We’ll give you the training and resources you need to make a huge impact in your local races while building power for the future. This is how we fight back!

Register

Senior Resource Fair sponsored by Senator Rachel May

Thursday, October 23rd, 11am-4pm

Salt City Market, 484 S Salina St, Syracuse, NY 13202

Senator Rachel May is sponsoring a one-stop shop of helpful information for seniors. This will be a face-to-face opportunity with representatives from several organizations that provide services and support for older adults, including meals, mobility, mental health, legal assistance, veteran issues, health, and recreation. They’ll provide immediate answers to questions, help fill out complicated forms, give details about available programs, and much more.

FREE workshop on socially responsible investing

Thursday, Oct 23, 5:30-7:00 Pm

All Saints Church, 1340 Lancaster Ave, Syracuse, NY 13210

Hosted by Syracuse Peace Council & Hansen’s Advisory Services, Co-hosted by Sage Upstate & All Saints Church.

Want to learn how you can align your investment choices with your personal values?  Join us for a Free Workshop on Socially Responsible Investing, entitled:  IMPACT Investing 101.  Light refreshments will be served. 

RSVP

“The Encampments” Film Screening 

Thursday, October 23, 6:30-8:30pm

ArtRage Gallery, 505 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13203

“The Encampments” offers an urgent, intimate portrait of America’s student movement, ignited at Columbia University as students protested their universities’ ties to the war on Gaza. Their actions sparked a nationwide uprising, with encampments spreading across hundreds of campuses. Featuring detained activist Mahmoud Khalil, alongside professors, whistleblowers, and organizers, the film captures the deeper stakes of a historic moment that continues to reverberate across the globe.

More Information

Town of Elbridge – Budget Public Hearing

Thursday, October 23 at 7:00pm

Town Municipal Building, 5 Rt 31, Jordan

The Elbridge Town Board has received the 2026 Tentative Budget and has called for a Public Hearing to be held on October 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM at the Town Municipal Building, 5 Route 31, Jordan to hear any persons for or against the proposed 2026 Preliminary Town Budget, which is available for inspection in the office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours, and pursuant to Section 108 of the Town Law, the following are proposed yearly salaries of the Town Officials of the Town of Elbridge: Supervisor, $13,000; Highway Superintendent $77,280; Councilors (4) $7,825, Town Clerk $50,000, Town Justice (2) $19,000.

Visit Town of Elbridge’s Website Here

Leaving Maga: Why We Left And How To Help Others

Thursday, October 23, 7:30-8:30 pm

Red, Wine & Blue Zoom event

Join us for a candid conversation with three people who changed their minds, left the movement behind, and are now helping others do the same through their organization, Leaving MAGA. They’ll share what first drew them in, what moments of doubt made them start to question things, what it’s really like to walk away from a community that once felt like home, and their advice on how to reach MAGA supporters in your own life. Whether you have friends or family who are deep in MAGA or you simply want to better understand how change happens, this conversation will offer valuable insight, compassion, and practical advice for connecting across divides.

Register

FOCUS Forum – Onondaga Nation Land Rights Act

Friday, October 24 at 12-1pm

Central New York Philanthropy Center, 431 E Fayette St, Syracuse, NY 13202

This HYBRID Forum will feature a presentation from Joseph J. Heath, Esq., Onondaga Nation General Counsel and Adjunct Professor at Cornell Law School, as he delves into the ongoing legal efforts to reclaim ancestral lands. This presentation will explore the historical context of the Onondaga Nation’s Land Rights Act, the legal challenges faced in U.S. courts, and the role of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in advancing the Nation’s case.

Register

A Staged Reading Of Spell : A Play With Music By Joseph L. Edwards

Friday & Saturday, October 24-25, 7:30-9pm

Community Folk Art Center, 805 E Genesee St, Syracuse, NY 13210

Spell follows the spellbound love of a princess and a warrior, ancient souls reincarnated in the modern world – only now, they stand on opposing sides of a heated social justice battle.

Tickets & More Information

Third Annual Food Justice Gathering

Saturday, October 25, 9am-5pm

Art & Home Center, NY State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY

The Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance’s Food Justice Gathering is a day-long, annual convening of anyone who eats, grows, loves or works with food in Syracuse, Onondaga County, and Onondaga Nation. The Gathering aims to highlight the amazing work that has been done and is being done by individuals, communities, and organizations throughout the region.

Each Food Justice Gathering is jam packed with speakers, panels, activities, and community resources.

More Information

Honoring the Resisters: A Celebration of Syracuse Activists

Saturday, October 25, 7-9pm

2013 E Genesee St, Syracuse, NY 13210

Join Unchained and The Workers’ Center of CNY for an evening of celebration and fundraising for the Center for Peace and Social Justice! Featuring music by Colleen Kattau, we will be honoring local activists who have had incredible impacts on the Syracuse community and beyond. Suggested donation $20.

More Information

Horror to Hope – Closing Reception

Monday, October 27, 7-9pm

Nancy Cantor Warehouse, 350 W Fayette St, Syracuse, NY

Horror and Hope” recalls the devastation wrought by dropping atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The exhibit chronicles the ongoing movement for a world free from nuclear weapons. The selections from The A-Bomb and Humanity, include drawings, photos, and stories of the Nihon Hidankyo, Japanese survivors of the nuclear attacks, who received the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. Also included on display are photos and archival materials representing the decades-long work of CNY anti-nuclear activist organizations.

More Information

Town of DeWitt – Budget Public Hearing

Monday, October 27 at 6:00pm

DeWitt Town Hall, 5400 Butternut Drive, DeWitt

The DeWitt Town Board has received the 2026 Tentative Budget and has called for a Public Hearing to hear any persons for or against the proposed 2026 Preliminary Town Budget, which is available for inspection in the office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours, and pursuant to Section 108 of the Town Law, the following are proposed yearly salaries of the Town Officials of the Town of DeWitt: Town Supervisor $ 63,800.00 Councilors 6 (each) $ 20,900.00 Deputy Supervisor $ 3,300.00 Town Clerk $ 73,736.00 Town Highway Superintendent $107,350.00 Judge 2 (each) $ 48,950.00

Review 2026 Budget Here

Town of Salina – Budget Public Hearing

Monday, October 27th at 6:30pm

Salina Community Center, 2601 Brewerton Rd, Mattydale

A Public Hearing will be held by the Town of Salina Town Board on Monday, October 27, 2025 at 6:30 pm at the Salina Community Center, to hear public comment on the 2026 Preliminary Budget for Special Improvement Districts, General, Part Town, and Highway Funds; and that the salaries proposed to be paid to elected officers from the General Fund are as follows: Town Supervisor, $74,556.00; four Town Councilors, $12,619.15 each; Two Justices, $57,868.95 each. The 2026 Budget decreases the tax rate by 12% from $4.40 in 2025 to $3.87 in 2026.

View Town of Salina’s Budget Here

Friends of Dorothy Benefit Dinner

Wednesday, October 29th, 5 – 7 pm

All Saints Parish Center, 1342 Lancaster Ave, Syracuse
Friends of Dorothy is our initiative to be supportive of people with AIDS. Since October of 1992 we have offered home-based care to people with AIDS in a variety of ways, including recuperative or hospice care, supportive housing and emergency assistance.

Details on Facebook

Emma’s Revolution Concert with Special Guest Colleen Kattau

Thursday, October 30, 7pm

May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society, 3800 E Genesee St, Syracuse NY

We’re excited to return for the justice-loving community of May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society! Special guest Colleen Kattau. Food donations for the Gethsemene United Methodist Church Food Pantry will be gratefully received. Lentils, white rice, cereal, spaghetti, canned peaches most welcomed and food is food, so any donation is a blessing.

Tickets

Electronics Recycling Event

Saturday, November 1, 9am-12:30pm

East Syracuse Minoa High School, 6400 Fremont Rd, East Syracuse, NY 13057

Bring your unused, unwanted, or outdated electronics for responsible recycling and secure data destruction.

Acceptable Items

Día De Los Muertos Champurrado & Painting Celebration

Sunday, November 2nd, 3-6pm

The Workers’ Center, 2013 E. Genesee St. Syracuse, NY

Celebrate our resilience through art while remembering those we’ve lost and those torn from us through detention or deportation. All funds will continue our work of community organizing and membership support.

We will offer traditional foods, drinks and crafts from Latin America. Proceeds will benefit members of the Workers’ Center and their families.

Tickets

Syracuse Street Heat is just one, very unencumbered way to work for peace and social justice. We’re part of a decades-long grassroots tradition here, in Ithaca and elsewhere. We stand out and stand up for what we stand for. 

A handful of us stand at busy intersections, for 45 minutes at rush hour, pivoting to the traffic with hand-held signs. We want to get the public thinking about issues often underrepresented in the media. We’re there weekly in almost all of Syracuse’s weather (we seldom cancel). Bring your own sign – or use one of ours. No meetings or committees, so participation time is minimal (yay!) Our Team:  Ann, Dick, Ed, Geoff, Jim, Julienne, Les, Leslie, Peter…. 

To learn more, call Ann or Ed: (315) 478 4571.      

2025 Spring, Summer, And Fall Schedule

Year round: Every  Friday afternoon. 4   to 4:45 pm   justice for Palestine; no more U.S.  funding Israeli genocide;  U.S.: stop terrorizing  families in Gaza; and so on.

West sidewalk of the intersection of Erie Blvd. East Genesee St, Dewitt (across from the Fire Dept.)

Beginning first Saturday in April: 4/5/25

Every Saturday 9 to 9:45 am with a variety of issues : anti-militarism, racism, Palestine genocide, Anti-nuke, climate disaster, etc.

Across from the main entrance to the Syracuse regional market, 2100 park st    

Stay in touch for anti-killer drone actions at Hancock National Guard Base

upstatedroneaction.com                           spc@peacecouncil.Net 

Watch past meetings about Micron, Good Jobs Town Hall, Rallies and more on our YouTube Channel.

Donate to the CNY Solidarity Coalition

CNY Solidarity Coalition contributes regularly to local progressive organizations: Syracuse Peace Council, National Action Network, & Urban Jobs Coalition. We also make occasional donations as needed to other local groups. We depend on your donations for this. Please note donations are not tax deductible.

Donate Online through PayPal

Mail donations to:

CNY Solidarity Coalition

P.O. Box 6137, Teall Post Office, 226 Teall Ave., Syracuse NY 13217

Our Committees

To sign up for each of the committee mailing lists, contact the person listed. 

Indivisible Onondaga County: Contact: Tom Keck

Climate Justice: Contact: Dick Kornbluth

SLAT (State/Local Action Team) Contact: Peter McCarthy  

Beyond War and Militarism: A joint committee of CNY Solidarity Coalition and the Syracuse Peace Council. Contact: Ron Van Norstrand

Elaine Denton

Peter McCarthy

Coordinating Committee

CNY Solidarity Coalition