City looks to end pandemic-era protections for older and some medically vulnerable homeless people

2022-06-13T14:02:16-04:00June 2nd, 2022|News|

Gotham Gazette

“In addition to removing protections for older adults, the information we've received indicates this is going to affect at least hundreds and probably thousands of people with a wide range of chronic health conditions,” said Helen Strom, director of benefits and homeless advocacy at the Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project."

20-Year-Old Emanuel Sullivan Becomes 22nd Rikers Island Prisoner to Die Since 2021

2022-06-13T13:56:34-04:00May 31st, 2022|News|

Democracy Now!

"In response, [Freedom Agenda] community organizer and Rikers survivor Edwin Santana said in a statement, “This tragedy should show every judge, prosecutor, and elected official who has ignored this truth before — Rikers is a death sentence."

NYC mulls new recommendations to help street vendors obtain licenses and permits

2022-06-13T14:51:12-04:00May 27th, 2022|News|

NEws 12: The Bronx

“The Street Vendor Project [of the Urban Justice Center], an advocacy group, says permits for mobile food vendors have remained capped for the past 40 years, which has made it virtually impossible to get.”

Closing the Pipeline that Feeds the Disaster of Rikers

2022-06-13T13:36:40-04:00May 26th, 2022|News|

Gotham Gazette

"History shows that we cannot arrest and incarcerate our way to public safety. We can no longer tolerate a city budget that reflects this false notion. With the release of the mayor’s executive budget proposal, it is clear that we have work to do before this year’s budget deadline to move in the right direction." [Op-Ed by Darren Mack of Freedom Agenda and Rev. Wendy Brown]

Mayor Adams Announces Steps to Reform and Modernize Vending Regulations, Expanding Legal Opportunities for Street Vendors While Remaining Committed to Managing Public Space

2022-05-31T19:53:21-04:00May 25th, 2022|News|

NYC Gov

“‘For centuries, street vendors have been an essential part of the fabric of New York City. From the Bronx to Queens, street vendors ensure under-resourced communities have access to fresh, affordable food, commercial corridors have diversity of business, and tourists get the iconic New York City experience. And now, for the first time ever, street vendors are stakeholders in deciding the future of the industry,’ said Mohamed Attia, managing director, of Urban Justice Center’s Street Vendor Project."

Americans Welcome Ukrainians, But America Doesn’t

2022-06-13T13:17:30-04:00May 25th, 2022|News|

Bloomberg

The solution: The U.S. must urgently reform its immigration system, so that quickly and efficiently providing refuge and work authorization to the most vulnerable migrants becomes the norm, not something special. [op-ed by DVP Supervising Immigration Attorney, Joy Ziegeweid]

Rikers Island crisis: Formerly incarcerated leaders and allies demand urgent humanitarian action in facility

2022-06-13T13:42:22-04:00May 24th, 2022|News|

AM NY

“A receiver may be able to cut through some of the dysfunction accumulated from decades of political cowardice, appeasement of COBA, and disregard for incarcerated people, but Rikers cannot be fixed,” said Darren Mack, Co-Director of Freedom Agenda [at UJC]. “It must be closed, and the Mayor should be taking every opportunity to expedite those plans.” 

The Status of Street Vendors in NYC: Background and Overview

2022-05-31T19:57:41-04:00May 23rd, 2022|News|

Hunter College

"In 2009, the Street Vendor Project and the Center for Urban Pedagogy created a special issue of Making Policy Public (The Center for Urban Pedagogy’s informational poster series) titled Vendor Power! that ‘decode[s] the rules and regulations for New York’s 10,000 street vendors so they can understand their rights and avoid unnecessary fines.’"