Helping Hands Blog

Freedom Reads: Hope and Dignity in the Prison System A presentation on Freedom Reads and their campaign to transform cellblocks into Freedom Libraries all across the country. Freedom Reads is an organization that has set out to reaffirm the humanity of incarcerated people through books and the building of curated libraries throughout the prison system. David Perez & Nana Kwane Adjei-Brenuah Shaka Shakur Freedom Campaign Shaka Shakur has been imprisoned since 2002, when he wa

Topic: Mutual Aid Speaker: Sam Merkt Topic: Education Committee Speaker: Mary Modica, Mery Mora, Clementine Minter Topic: The Politics of Health Speaker: Dr. Devon John Topic: The Danger of Nuclear Energy Speaker: Jackie Drechsler Topic: Immigration Committee Speaker: Rania Hateb, Justin Hong, Dilcia Suazo Topic: The Legislative Committee Speaker: Debbie Stedge, Roberto Garanchana Announcements End of Meeting

Topic: ERCSD Issues Speakers: Mary Modica, Robin Willner, Carole Anderson, Terry Rodriguez, Mercy Caraballo, Mery Mora Topic: Immigration Issues Speakers: Justin Hong, Rania Hatab, Dilcia Suazo, Maria Javier Topic: Legislative Issues Speaker: Roberto Garanchana, Debbie Stedge Topic: Mutual Aid Issues Speaker: Sam Merkt Topic: Treatment Court Expansion Act Speaker: Casey Dalporto, Stephanie Bazell Topic: Plastics and Environmental Justice Speaker: Suzanne Barclay Discuss

East Ramapo Central School District Issues "Know Your Rights" Immigration Rights & Legal Issues Support for the Frankelstein Memorial Library Rockland County Immigration Issues UpdateRCENJC Committee Updates Announcement

Mutual Aid: Definitions, History, and Working Together in Rockland County Students speak Out from the student walkouts at Ramapo, Spring Valley and Nyack high schools Immigration Issues: Cancasing, Day Workers, Orange County: Chester, New Windsor and Goshen East Ramapo Central School Board Issues Announcements

TOPICS: 1. We Are Revolutionary "We Are Revolutionary" is an organization committed to addressing the underlying causes of adverse childhood experiences, oppression, and violence in our community by repairing families and equipping them with the tools and knowledge necessary to engage in the political process and create positive change. 2. The Damar Fields incident in Peekskill, New York 3. Immigration Issues 4. Taking Care of the Homeless in Rockland 5. ERCSD Issues If yo

January 5, 2026 Monthly Meeting 6 PM Topics 1. Deportation as a Means of Social Control 2. The Treatment Court Expansion Act 3. Immigration Issues 4. Taking Care of the Homeless in Rockland 5. ERCSD Issues

6:30 – 6:40 Welcome & Greetings – Chairperson Claudette Code of Conduct / Stack – Terri Thal Land Acknowledgment – Rev. Dr. Petra Thombs ​ 6:40 – 7:00 Topic: Immigration Injustice Envision Freedom Fund Speakers: Anachristina Fonseca and Katie Johnson-Powers 7:00 – 7:10 Questions/Discussion 7:10 – 7:20 Topic: New York Civil Liberties Union(NYCLU) Legal and Legislative Immigration Priorities Speakers: Mabel Tso and Robin Willner 7:20– 7:25 Questions/Discussion 7:25 – 7:35 RCENJ

Topic:. Dignity Not Detention Act (S316/A4181) This bill would get NY State out of the business of caging immigrants. When immigrants...

6:30 – 6:40 Opening - Chairperson Code of Conduct & Stack – Terri Thal Land Acknowledgment – Petra Language Translation Option – Andres...

Agenda: 6:30 – 6:40 • Opening - Chairperson Code of Conduct & Stack – Terri Thal Land Acknowledgment – Petra Language Translation Option...

6:30 • Opening - Chairperson Code of Conduct & Stack – Terri Thal Land Acknowledgment – Rev. Petra Thombs Language Translation Option –...

6:30-6:40 OPENING-CHAIRPERSON – L’Tanya CODE OF CONDUCT - STACK – Terri Thal Land Acknowledgment – Petra Language Translation Option –...

6:30 • Opening, Code of Conduct, & Land Acknowledgement 6:35 • Dr. Paula Smith: Emotional Health & Social Justice 6:50 • Jamie Surya:...

6:30 • Opening, Code of Conduct, & Land Acknowledgement 6:35 • Katherine Schwarz: Food Insecurity, Cost of Food, and the Farm Bill. 6:55...