Forum, Wednesday, May 25th: Real Universal Suffrage – Voting Rights for the Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated

Want to really know about restoration of the voting rights that have taken from incarcerated? All of our forum panelists, are well versed in the subject and all, have had first hand experience being among the incarcerated- Names and bios below.

It’s about democracy! That's why Citizens Defending Libraries is participating in bringing you this forum.  It is doing so with the Weaving Social Justice Committee of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Brooklyn (in conjunction with which we have brought you other forums about, voting rights and disenfranchisement, privatization of public assets, and where we get our news and information), and working with New York for Full Restoration of Voting Rights Coalition who is providing the panelists and moderator for this event.  All of the panelists have experienced incarceration.

Here is the information:

* * * *

Virtual Forum – Wednesday, May 25, 2022 – 7:00 PM (on Zoom)
Real Universal Suffrage – Voting Rights for the Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated
Presented by the Weaving Social Justice Committee of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Brooklyn in Conjunction with New York for Full Restoration of Voting Rights Coalition.

Zoom Meeting Information:  To attend the meeting live and perhaps partipate in a Q&A, please email Michael D. D. White at MDDWhite [@] aol.com for a link.  Pleas put in you email: xRequestForumLinkx.

In addition, afterwards, we expect to update this post to include a link recording on of the forum.

(This is a redo of this forum.  We halted our first attempt at this forum when it was Zoom bombed.)

In the 1800s, prior to the emancipation of enslaved people, New York State changed its laws to take away the voting rights of those it incarcerated.

Incarceration has traditionally been used in the US as a means of removing voting rights from a substantial number of American citizens – particularly Black, Latinix and Indigenous people. And with the current state of mass incarceration this disenfranchisement has profound and unconscionable effects of democracy. What can be done to restore voting rights and create greater equity?  

In New York State: What are the current rules for people on parole or released? What are the rules now for people currently in prison? What changes do we want to see? How can this be accomplished? Who is working for change – and how? How can you become involved?

Join us on Wednesday, March 2nd when we will hear from New York for Full Restoration of Voting Rights Coalition -and from the personal experience of those involved in the struggle.

For the Zoom link please contact rpearl112@gmail.com 

“The power to vote is critical for all citizens, but particularly those who are formerly or currently incarcerated, as it: 1) enables participation in our democracy, 2) allows them to stay integrated into society and, 3) reduces recidivism rates. Felony disenfranchisement has been included in New York State law ever since the 1821 NYS Constitution. Two hundred years of this racist law is enough!” (quote from the AFJ-NY website)

Moderator: 

Aqirah Stanley, Deputy Director of Alliance of Families for Justice- Aqirah Stanley, has been an active member of Alliance of Families for Justice since January 2018. She started out as AFJ’s first Shirley Chisholm Fellow, and then became AFJ's Project Manager before stepping into the role as Deputy Director. As a directly impacted person, Aqirah fully understands the trauma and challenges of incarceration on families and children and wholeheartedly supports the use of collective action as a driving force of change, healing, and empowerment. Aqirah has been a passionate visionary and an asset to AFJ since day one, and looks forward to continuing to create opportunities for AFJ to unite and empower directly-impacted families and friends, as well as allies and volunteers.

Panelists (All of the panelists, knowledgeable about the subject of voting rights for the incarcerated, have had the first hand experience of being one of the incarcerated):

Victor Pate, New York Campaign For Alternatives To Isolated Confinement Statewide Campaign Organizer - Victor Pate brings years of organizing experience into his role as a NY statewide organizer and a formerly incarcerated individual. He is a founding member and chairman of the National Action Network NYC Chapter Second Chance Committee, and an active coalition member of several criminal justice, prisoner advocacy and legislative reform organizations. He has and is overcoming the many barriers and hurdles systemically in place that prevent people with current and previous criminal justice involvement from fully and completely reintegrating into society.

Angel Solis, is the Project Coordinator for the Youth Empowerment Project at the Alliance of Families for Justice. The Youth Empowerment Project is a youth community leadership training program. Mr. Solis was born and raised in the Bronx and was previously incarcerated for a total of ten years. While in prison, Mr. Solis was fortuitously placed in a prison with a college program and took advantage of a free education. In 2016, Mr. Solis, desirous of a college degree, was released from prison and was accepted at Columbia University. He graduated in 2021 with a B.A. in Sociology. Mr. Solis is a firm believer in the revolutionary power of education and truth and it is because of this belief that he has committed his life to its proliferation

Uwimana Aisha Radellant,  Currently, attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a full-time student in the Public Administration in Public Policy, Master’s Program specializing in Criminal Justice Reform. Began a second specialization in Management and Operations in the fall of 2021, to be completed December of 2022.  David Rockefeller Fund Fellow. Won the Victor Hassine Memorial Award. Mentor at the Institute for Justice and Opportunity, formerly known as the Prison Reentry Institute, and Mentor for both the Justice Institute and College and Community Fellowship. Former participant of the College and Community Fellowship WISH Policy Program. A survivor of the American criminal injustice system. “My traumatic first-hand interactions with the misrepresentation cloaked in the falsehood of American justice infuriated me into action. I felt I had no choice but to dedicate my life’s work to addressing this shameless, unrelenting system of inequality systematically designed to forever suppress and subjugate all people of color. My personal experience of `innocent until proven guilty’ proved this phrase is simply that, nothing but hollow words that only applies to the wealthy.

Elder Louis D. Rodriguez, MPS, A native Brooklynite who served 26 years of a 20 years to life sentence. Past Lead Mentor, Edenwald Arches, FEDCAP Rehabilitation Services, Past vice president of Jefferson & Sons LLC, a real estate management firm, Ruling Elder & Clerk of Session, The Church of Gethsemane, (PCUSA), General Board, New York City Presbytery, Co-Chair, Self-Development of People (SDOP) committee, New York City Presbytery, Lifetime Member, Uptown Democratic Party, New York City Election Poll Worker, New York County Board of Elections

 

Forum, Wednesday, March 2nd: Real Universal Suffrage – Voting Rights for the Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated

Want to really know about restoration of the voting rights that have taken from incarcerated? All of our forum panelists, are well versed in the subject and all, have had first hand experience being among the incarcerated- Names and bios below.

It’s about democracy! That's why Citizens Defending Libraries is participating in bringing you this forum.  It is doing so with the Weaving Social Justice Committee of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Brooklyn (in conjunction with which we have brought you other forums about, voting rights and disenfranchisement, privatization of public assets, and where we get our news and information), and working with New York for Full Restoration of Voting Rights Coalition who is providing the panelists and moderator for this event.  All of the panelists have experienced incarceration.

Here is the information:

* * * *

Virtual Forum – Wednesday, March 2nd 2022 – 7:00 PM (on Zoom)
Real Universal Suffrage – Voting Rights for the Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated
Presented by the Weaving Social Justice Committee of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Brooklyn in Conjunction with New York for Full Restoration of Voting Rights Coalition.

Zoom Meeting Information
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85867660790?pwd=WVBDSnJxalFrU0p4WjBWRmpDZm5pUT09

Meeting ID: 858 6766 0790
Passcode: 939784
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,85867660790#,,,,*939784# US (New York)
+13017158592,,85867660790#,,,,*939784# US (Washington DC)

In the 1800s, prior to the emancipation of enslaved people, New York State changed its laws to take away the voting rights of those it incarcerated.

Incarceration has traditionally been used in the US as a means of removing voting rights from a substantial number of American citizens – particularly Black, Latinix and Indigenous people. And with the current state of mass incarceration this disenfranchisement has profound and unconscionable effects of democracy. What can be done to restore voting rights and create greater equity?  

In New York State: What are the current rules for people on parole or released? What are the rules now for people currently in prison? What changes do we want to see? How can this be accomplished? Who is working for change – and how? How can you become involved?

Join us on Wednesday, March 2nd when we will hear from New York for Full Restoration of Voting Rights Coalition -and from the personal experience of those involved in the struggle.

For the Zoom link please contact rpearl112@gmail.com 

“The power to vote is critical for all citizens, but particularly those who are formerly or currently incarcerated, as it: 1) enables participation in our democracy, 2) allows them to stay integrated into society and, 3) reduces recidivism rates. Felony disenfranchisement has been included in New York State law ever since the 1821 NYS Constitution. Two hundred years of this racist law is enough!” (quote from the AFJ-NY website)

Moderator: 

Aqirah Stanley, Deputy Director of Alliance of Families for Justice- Aqirah Stanley, has been an active member of Alliance of Families for Justice since January 2018. She started out as AFJ’s first Shirley Chisholm Fellow, and then became AFJ's Project Manager before stepping into the role as Deputy Director. As a directly impacted person, Aqirah fully understands the trauma and challenges of incarceration on families and children and wholeheartedly supports the use of collective action as a driving force of change, healing, and empowerment. Aqirah has been a passionate visionary and an asset to AFJ since day one, and looks forward to continuing to create opportunities for AFJ to unite and empower directly-impacted families and friends, as well as allies and volunteers.

Panelists (All of the panelists, knowledgeable about the subject of voting rights for the incarcerated, have had the first hand experience of being one of the incarcerated):

Victor Pate, New York Campaign For Alternatives To Isolated Confinement Statewide Campaign Organizer - Victor Pate brings years of organizing experience into his role as a NY statewide organizer and a formerly incarcerated individual. He is a founding member and chairman of the National Action Network NYC Chapter Second Chance Committee, and an active coalition member of several criminal justice, prisoner advocacy and legislative reform organizations. He has and is overcoming the many barriers and hurdles systemically in place that prevent people with current and previous criminal justice involvement from fully and completely reintegrating into society.

Angel Solis, is the Project Coordinator for the Youth Empowerment Project at the Alliance of Families for Justice. The Youth Empowerment Project is a youth community leadership training program. Mr. Solis was born and raised in the Bronx and was previously incarcerated for a total of ten years. While in prison, Mr. Solis was fortuitously placed in a prison with a college program and took advantage of a free education. In 2016, Mr. Solis, desirous of a college degree, was released from prison and was accepted at Columbia University. He graduated in 2021 with a B.A. in Sociology. Mr. Solis is a firm believer in the revolutionary power of education and truth and it is because of this belief that he has committed his life to its proliferation

Uwimana Aisha Radellant,  Currently, attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a full-time student in the Public Administration in Public Policy, Master’s Program specializing in Criminal Justice Reform. Began a second specialization in Management and Operations in the fall of 2021, to be completed December of 2022.  David Rockefeller Fund Fellow. Won the Victor Hassine Memorial Award. Mentor at the Institute for Justice and Opportunity, formerly known as the Prison Reentry Institute, and Mentor for both the Justice Institute and College and Community Fellowship. Former participant of the College and Community Fellowship WISH Policy Program. A survivor of the American criminal injustice system. “My traumatic first-hand interactions with the misrepresentation cloaked in the falsehood of American justice infuriated me into action. I felt I had no choice but to dedicate my life’s work to addressing this shameless, unrelenting system of inequality systematically designed to forever suppress and subjugate all people of color. My personal experience of `innocent until proven guilty’ proved this phrase is simply that, nothing but hollow words that only applies to the wealthy.

Elder Louis D. Rodriguez, MPS, A native Brooklynite who served 26 years of a 20 years to life sentence. Past Lead Mentor, Edenwald Arches, FEDCAP Rehabilitation Services, Past vice president of Jefferson & Sons LLC, a real estate management firm, Ruling Elder & Clerk of Session, The Church of Gethsemane, (PCUSA), General Board, New York City Presbytery, Co-Chair, Self-Development of People (SDOP) committee, New York City Presbytery, Lifetime Member, Uptown Democratic Party, New York City Election Poll Worker, New York County Board of Elections

Oct. 7th (1:00 PM) Voter Disenfranchisement Forum!

Preservation of our libraries is a need that's fundamental to the structural underpinnings of our democracy.  Something else that is a structural necessity for a working democracy is whether the public will be able to vote and have their votes counted.  There is also a link between how we get our information and the nano-targeting of voters to disenfranchise them in various ways, including through precision gerrymandering and other forms of voter nullification and suppression.

Citizens Defending Libraries will be participating in the following October 7th forum that may well be of interest to all those interested in defending our libraries, how we get our information and our freedom to vote and have our votes counted.

Click to enlarge flyer

Here is the information (also in a flyer above)- 

Oct. 7th (1:00 PM) Voter Disenfranchisement Forum!

First Unitarian Universalist Congregation Chapel
119-121 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, New York  11201

Acting locally in New York we could lead the way for changes nationally to bring important structurally changes to our politics.  Prodded by candidate Cynthia Nixon, Gov. Cuomo restored voting rights to re-enfranchise NY parolees. But New York should go further. It should grab national headlines by joining Maine and Vermont (plus most other countries in the world) in letting prison inmates vote.

Letting all citizens vote, whether or not they are convicted of crimes (often discriminatorily and because they are poor or people of color) would re-enfranchise over 6 million citizens!  It would also spell consistently different results in elections in the key state of Florida, where about 10% of adults, 1 in 5 black adults, 1.5 million people in all are disenfranchised.

The re-enfranchisement of all U.S. citizens voting should also be fought on multiple other fronts. Evidence that electeds don’t follow the popular will is ample, with the majority of Americans wanting but not getting:

     • medicare for all; •  protection of women’s reproductive rights; •  stricter gun control laws; • stricter regulations on and breaking up of the big banks; • more environmental regulation; • equal pay for women; • easier, less restrictive immigration; • less surveillance of American citizens; • less military spending and a pull back from the U.S.’s endless and ceaseless military interventions (wars); • net neutrality; • continued support for traditional public schools, and free college; • more restrictions on money in politics.

Let’s discuss the other ways citizens’ votes are blocked, neutralized or diluted including the following:

    •    Voter suppression surgically targeted against specific groups (including purges by Crosscheck and the Board of Elections).
    •    Voting machines that can be hacked to not count votes (thus not match exits polls)
    •    Democratic party “superdelgates.”
    •    Gerrymandering.
    •    Courts that block or don’t count votes (Bush v. Gore)
    •    The electoral college gives less representation to those in big and urban states.
    •    Rejiggering the census to undercount certain populations.
    •    Money that votes multiple times for multiple candidates, while voters vote once, restricted to those designated to represent them.

As for New York State?  The evidence is that NYS voters feel that (because of corruption, the influence of money and/or other reasons) their vote doesn’t count: Election data experts rank New York state near the bottom of states for voter turnout.  That is even though, as Martin Luther King impressed on us: The right to vote and have our vote counted is the one right that makes all other rights possible!

Click to enlarge (or print)- This is a good size for printing andistribution

Restoring the voting rights of people who are inmates or incarcerated was one of the ten demands of the huge (but under-reported) national prison strike:

The voting rights of all confined citizens serving prison sentences, pretrial detainees, and so-called “ex-felons” must be counted. Representation is demanded. All voices count.

To see all ten of the strike demands, learn more about the strike and learn how to about actions you can take to support these requested reforms see the website of the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee.  Another thought to put this in context: One seventh of all the people incarcerated in the world, one out of seven individuals incarcerated worldwide, are black people incarcerated in the United States prisons (where with 4.4% of the world's population, our country incarcerates about 22% of all the prisoners in the world)—  Another thought: Shouldn't inmates be entitled to free speech rights, to read what they want and think and communicate the thoughts they want (those rights are in jeopardy too)?  We think so; aren't voting rights just an extension of that?

NOTES:  First, on the list of things that a majority of Americans definitely want, but elected officials are not supplying, we added "net neutrality," which we should have thought to included earlier.

Second, in thinking about the way that the votes of voters are reined in, made less effective in getting voters the representation and results they actually want when they vote, we should probably also think about they way the duopoly of the Republican and the Democratic parties constrains voter choice.  People  fearful of figuratively "wasting" their votes if they vote for third parties (fearful that these candidates may not believe have as good a chance of getting elected), sometimes think of themselves as voting for the "lesser of two evils" for this reason.  This is something that could be addressed, and they wouldn't have to if we had a system of "instant run-off voting" (also known as "ranked choice voting").  This would strengthen third parties (and what they stand for) and ensure there is no "risk" of "wasting" a vote when voting for them.  .  .

And another form of election vote counting that can help in certain environments (like formulating the composition of city councils) to properly represent the wishes of voters and also strengthen additional parties outside the Republican/Democratic party duopoly is proportional representation.