New York City

ICE Raids Compromise the Court System and Threaten Public Safety
In the Zeitgeist

ICE Raids Compromise the Court System and Threaten Public Safety

A young man and his mother had just left Brooklyn Criminal Court. A mere block from the courthouse, two plain-clothed Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers appeared out of nowhere, grabbed the man, and dragged him to an unmarked vehicle. The mother thought that her son was being kidnapped. Neither officer would answer her simple question: “Who are you?” As the mother cried for help, a third officer appeared, shoved her against a wall, and repeatedly told her to “shut up.” The vehicle drove off and the mother was left sobbing on the street. She didn’t know what had happened until her son called from an ICE processing facility the following day.

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May 20, 2019
We Need to Discuss Bail Reform
In the Zeitgeist

We Need to Discuss Bail Reform

Photo courtesy of the New York Post The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a ‘budget’ as “a plan for the coordination of resources and expenditures.” Unfortunately, New York…

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April 17, 2019
The Fight For Universal Rent Control is Heating Up in New York State
In the Zeitgeist

The Fight For Universal Rent Control is Heating Up in New York State

The First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn Heights opened their doors this past Saturday, March 23 for a tenant town hall meeting discussing universal rent control. The meeting, organized by the Housing Justice For All coalition, outlined nine points they want state legislators to pay attention to come June 15 when the state’s current rent laws are set to expire.

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March 26, 2019
Fighting Against Amazon, Poverty, and Gentrification: A Conversation With Jonathan Westin
In the Zeitgeist

Fighting Against Amazon, Poverty, and Gentrification: A Conversation With Jonathan Westin

Valentine’s Day fell on a Thursday this year. Although most New Yorkers had plans to celebrate after work, a conference room in Downtown Brooklyn was buzzing with excitement and it was barely two o’clock in the afternoon. A staff member of New York Communities for Change had just interrupted an ordinary meeting to inform everyone that Amazon was pulling out of the deal to bring half of their second headquarters to Long Island City, Queens. The news broke on Twitter, but soon all the major media platforms had confirmed the news. This was an enormous victory for NYCC, one of the grassroots organisations that vehemently opposed the deal. It was also a victory for Jonathan Westin, NYCC’s executive director, who stood among his staff smiling, in disbelief.

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March 5, 2019
NYC Mayor de Blasio Should Not Run For President
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio arrives to join a gathering in response to attacks in Paris, at Washington Square Park in the Manhattan borough of New York November 14, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson - RTS732I
In the Zeitgeist

NYC Mayor de Blasio Should Not Run For President

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio made a recent trip to Iowa, signaling that the two-term mayor is inching closer to a potential, and long-speculated presidential run in 2020. If he ends up entering the race, he will be the second New Yorker (excluding President Donald Trump) in the running, following the state’s junior U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

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March 5, 2019