The Public Advocate speaks at the rally.

Next up, @advocate.nyc.gov calls on the Council to pass these bills to give folks the ability to exercise their fundamental right to vote. We need a polling site on Rikers and in all NYC jails.

Lawyer from Latino Justice speaking at the rally

Now, @latinojustice.bsky.social discusses how for decades legally innocent people have had their vote to taken from them while their incarcerated pretrial at Rikers.

Our community organizer Lakenya speaking at the rally.

Next, our community organizer Lakenya reads testimony from our member Jeffrey Davis about the need to create polling sites in NYC jails and shut down Rikers. #ShutRikers

Anthony from the Legal Aid Society

Now, the @legalaidnyc.bsky.social discusses how Black and Latinx New Yorkers have been systemically denied their voting rights. The Board of Elections must approve a polling site on Rikers. Every votes counts.

CM Gale Brewer Speaking

Next, Council Member @galebrewernyc.bsky.social discuss how only 8% of the people incarcerated at Rikers voted in 2024. Rikers needs a polling site now.

Victor Pate speaking at the rally

Kicking off the rally is Victor Pate from @haltsolitary.bsky.social & the Vote in NYC Jails Coalitions. For too long, incarcerated people have been disenfranchised and denied their right to vote.

Flyer for today’s NYC Jails Rally

We’re here at City Hall for the Vote in NYC Jails Coalitions rally demanding a polling site at Rikers ahead of today’s @council.nyc.gov hearing on voting access in NYC jails

Katal New York Update - April 10, 2026 - Katal Center In this issue: - Katal in Albany for SCOC Monthly Meeting & New York for All - SCOC Complaint Portal and Upcoming Info Session - Deaths at Rikers and Bellevue Beds Opening - April Statewide Criminal J...

Check out our most recent bi-weekly New York Update.

Here's what's included:

◾Katal in Albany for SCOC Monthly Meeting & New York for All

◾SCOC Complaint Portal and Upcoming Info Session

◾Deaths at Rikers and Bellevue Beds Opening

and more!

katalcenter.org/2026/04/kata...

Pass #NY4ALL now! #ImmigrantJustice

While @governor.ny.gov is proposing cutting funding to CANY, an independent prison oversight org, the state spent $709 million in overtime spending for DOCCS in 2025. They can no longer excessively fund DOCCS while failing to fund greater oversight and accountability.
gothamist.com/news/ny-pris...

Thank you everyone for joining our April Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call today.

Please register for the next Statewide Call on Thursday, May 14th from 12-1pm!

RSVP: katal.info/newyork

Our final speaker, Lisa Zucker from the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, discussed the 13th Forward Campaign’s push to pass the No Slavery in NY Act this session.

Our third speaker, Justin Harrison with Naila Awan from NYCLU, discussed pushing back against Gov. Hochul's buffer zone proposal.

Our second speaker, Christina Ozual from New York Immigration Coalition, discussed the New York for All Act and the current budget negotiations between NY4ALL and Gov.Hochul "Local Cops, Local Crime" bill.

Our first speaker, Artie Malkin from Malkin & Ross gave us an update on the once again late New York State Budget.

Correction officer found guilty of manslaughter in prison beating death of Messiah Nantwi An Oneida County jury convicted former correction officer Jonah Levi last week for participating in the deadly beating of Messiah Nantwi.

The brutal murder of Messiah Nantwi highlights how the State Commission of Correction has utterly failed at its oversight responsibilities. @governor.ny.gov must complete the work started last year to overhaul the SCOC by appointing reform-oriented commissioners. amsterdamnews.com/news/2026/04...

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Monthly NY Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. The goals of the monthly NY Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call are: - Share and highlight issues, campaigns, and projects that groups are working on to advance statewide reform; - Identify ways to align, coordinate, and support each other in the work to end mass incarceration; - Strengthen organizing and advocacy across issues and build movement in New York. Hosted by the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice. For more information about our calls, please reach out to Yonah Zeitz at yonah@katalcenter.org

Join us for today’s #NYCJReformCall at noon!

We'll hear from:
◾Artie Malkin, Malkin & Ross
◾Christina Ozual, @thenyic.bsky.social
◾Naila Awan & Justin Harrison, @nyclu.org
◾Lisa Zucker, National Center for Law and Economic Justice

and more!

RSVP: katal.info/newyork

NY Statewide CJ Reform Call April Graphic in Orange

‪Join us tomorrow, April 9th at 12pm for our monthly NY Criminal Justice Reform Call.

On tomorrow's call, speakers will provide updates on the state budget, #NewYorkforAll, the End Slavery in NY Act, rejecting Hochul's buffer zone proposal, and more. #NYCJReformCall

RSVP here: katal.info/newyork

City to open long-delayed Bellevue jail ward as Rikers closure effort restarts — Queens Daily Eagle The city on Wednesday will welcome patients to a long-delayed jail ward at Bellevue Hospital, finally putting to use a 104-bed unit that has sat unused since early 2025.

.@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's opening of the hospital-based therapeutic beds at Bellevue is a critical step to getting incarcerated people the care they deserve, stopping preventable deaths, and advancing the closure of Rikers. #ShutRikers
queenseagle.com/all/2026/4/7...

Safety means being able to ask for help without fear of deportation. Period‼️

#NewYorkforAll protects survivors and their lives. 📣 Pass it now!

https://ow.ly/JXl450YFQbO

Mayor Mamdani steps back from pledge on total elimination of NYPD gang database The mayor on the campaign trail called the database a “vast dragnet” and said his administration wouldn’t use the database. But he has moderated that position since taking office.

NYC must eliminate the gang database. @mayor.nyc.gov must fulfill his campaign promise to end this database that is used to target, surveil, harass, and criminalize the association of young Black and Latinx people.
www.nydailynews.com/2026/04/06/m...

Delayed Bellevue Jail Unit to Open as Rikers Med Facility is Shut City plans to close aging jail hospital as long-delayed $241 million replacement launches.

NYC will close the North Infirmary Command on Rikers, which has been a "pseudo-solitary area" where incarcerated people have faced deplorable conditions & abuse. This is an important step to #ShutRikers. @thecity.nyc @reuvenblau.bsky.social @haltsolitary.bsky.social
www.thecity.nyc/2026/04/06/r...

RELEASE: Today, @mayor.nyc.gov announced the opening of 104 hospital-based therapeutic beds at Bellevue Hospital. As a part of this announcement, the Mamdani administration will also close the North Infirmary Command at Rikers. #ShutRikers

See our statement here: katalcenter.org/2026/04/mayo...

More Than 40k 311 Calls From Rikers Go Into a Black Hole Every Year Detainees and families dial 311 to report freezing cells, hallucinations and denied medical care. Many complaints are routed as "customer comments" and vanish without action.

In 2025, over 40,000 complaints were logged on NYC’s 311 hotline about conditions at Rikers, & most went unaddressed. This underscores the need for the SCOC to address grievances from community members about the dangerous & deadly conditions at Rikers. #ShutRikers
www.thecity.nyc/2026/03/31/r...

A former New York prison guard is found guilty of manslaughter in an inmate’s fatal beating A former corrections officer has been found guilty of manslaughter in the fatal beating of an inmate at Mid-State Correctional Facility in upstate New York.

A former CO was found guilty of manslaughter for the brutal murder of Messiah Nantwi.

NY needs a well-functioning independent watchdog to protect incarcerated people & hold DOCCS accountable. @governor.ny.gov must appointment reform-oriented commissioners to the SCOC.
apnews.com/article/ny-i...

Join us next Thursday, April 9th, 12pm, for our monthly NY Criminal Justice Reform Call.

RSVP here: katal.info/newyork

On the call, we’ll spend time discussing the late state budget, hear from organizers & advocates working on campaigns to reform NY criminal legal system and more!
#NYCJReformCall

Katal New York Update - March 26, 2026 - Katal Center In this issue: - Organizing to Overhaul SCOC - No ICE on Rikers - Weekly Pro-Democracy Phone Zaps - Statewide CJ Reform Call

Check out our most recent bi-weekly New York Update.

Here's what's included:

◾Saturday, March 28th: No Kings March

◾1st Death at Rikers under Mamdani & City Council Preliminary Budget Hearing for the DOC

◾Recapping Our Shut Rikers Zine Event

and more!

katalcenter.org/2026/03/kata...

Katal Team Attending the Monthly SCOC Meeting

Our members & staff attended today’s monthly meeting in Albany & got to see first-hand how this morbid commission is utterly failing at its responsibility to keep incarcerated people safe.

@governor.ny.gov must appoint reform-oriented commissioners to ensure the commission fulfills its mandate.

RELEASE: Today, the SCOC held its March monthly meeting. The public portion of the meeting lasted less than 4 minutes, and the Commission failed to address the crisis unfolding at Rikers Island and other jails and prisons across NY.

See our press release: katalcenter.org/2026/03/stat...

Another detainee death at Rikers marks second in less than a week — Queens Daily Eagle A 49-year-old man from Queens awaiting trial on Rikers Island died on Sunday, becoming the second detainee in the troubled jail complex to die in the last week.

“The mayor's words must be followed by actions, otherwise the death toll will continue to rise just as it did under the previous administration," said @melaniedominguez.bsky.social in Queens Daily Eagle piece about Rikers deaths by @jacob-kaye.bsky.social. #ShutRikers
queenseagle.com/all/2026/3/3...