Dear Activist,
Happy Halloween and Happy Bones Weekend! Have you heard about bones and the pug phenomenon sweeping TikTok? Our team here at Citizen Action is smitten with Noodle, a 13-year-old pug who wakes up every morning and lets us know if it’s a “Bones Day” or a “No Bones Day.”
On Bones Days, we’re encouraged to tackle the challenges we face boldly, take chances, and go big! On No Bones Days, Noodle reminds us that it’s more than okay to stay in our soft pants, take it easy, and be gentle with ourselves and others around us. I hope you go big into this Halloweekend and enjoy some solid Tricks and/or Treats! (And who knows, maybe Noodle could make a great last-minute Halloween costume! 
)
Around The State
Albany Proposal 7 Press Conference
On Tuesday, October 26, Citizen Action members, community advocates, and Albany Common Council members gathered at City Hall to continue the push to pass Albany Ballot Proposal 7, which would give the Community Police Review Board the authority to conduct independent investigations into allegations of police misconduct, strengthening and ensuring police accountability to keep our communities safer.
Read more about the importance of passing Proposal 7 in this op-ed from Albany Common Council candidate Gabriella A. Romero, and chair of the Albany Community Police Review Board, Nairobi Vives. Proposal 7 is on the ballot this Tuesday, November 2, in the City of Albany — don’t forget to flip your ballot and Vote Yes!
You can also find more information on the Vote Yes on Prop 7 Coalition’s effort and get involved here.
Phoenix Awards
On Tuesday, October 26, our Southern Tier chapter gathered for the 2021 Phoenix Awards. The Phoenix Awards honors individuals and organizations in our community who have demonstrated an active commitment to social justice and progressive values. It is our way of honoring the unsung heroes who go above and beyond the call of duty to make our communities a better place.
The 2021 honorees included Cynthia Kirk of the Broome County NAACP; Dara Silberstein, Associate Research Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Binghamton University; and DAROC (Divestment, Accountability, and Reinvestment in Our Community) Broome County, a coalition of Broome County organizations working to divest from the carceral state, reinvest in the community, and hold police accountable.
NYS Child Care Tour Stops in Long Island
On Wednesday, October 27, State Sen. Jabari Brisport’s Child Care Listening Tour hit Long Island to hear from child care providers and parents about their experiences with our state’s child care system.
The current reality of our government treating family and child care as a privately funded luxury instead of a vital public good has left our system broken, overstretched, and often, the workers who do provide the limited care available, especially women and women of color, are drastically underpaid. When we prioritize investing in children and families, everyone is better off with safer communities, healthier families, and a stronger economy.
As the tour continues, Sen. Brisport and other local elected officials will hear directly from communities in-person, through Zoom forums the evening of each visit, and through ongoing, open, online surveys, available for parents and providers in both English (parents | providers) and Spanish (parents | providers.)
Stay Connected
Tweet us! For live updates, follow our statewide Twitter page. And if you’re looking for cool articles, memes, and a little conversation, like us on Facebook here.
In Solidarity,
April