01 Feb NYSCASA Monthly Digest – February 2021

Do you have announcements that you would like NYSCASA to share in our Monthly Digest? Email submissions with “Newsletter” in the subject line to cmiller@nyscasa.org.

 

NYSCASA Honors Black History Month 2021: Every Day Should Be a Celebration of Black History

Black History Month begins today, February 1. A tradition founded by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Black History Month honors the contributions of Black people, specifically Black Americans. Black History Month was meant to correct the absence of Black people in the nation’s education curricula, to encourage the public to extend their study of the past to include Black histories.

This is especially important for the movement to end sexual violence. The history of the anti-rape movement in the United States is also a history of the struggle of Black women and Black people of other marginalized genders against systemic racism and patriarchal violence, including the historical and ongoing threat of racialized sexual violence.

We acknowledge and pay homage to Black history makers who have led this work in the past and present, including but not limited to: Sojourner Truth, Harriet Ann Jacobs, Ida B. Wells, Mary McLeod Bethune, Recy Taylor, Rosa Parks, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Anita Hill, Loretta Ross, Mariame Kaba, Beth Richie, Andrea Ritchie, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Donna Hylton, Farah Tanis, Karma Cottman, Tarana Burke, Wagatwe Wanjuki, and many more who are not listed here.

NYSCASA believes that every day should be a celebration of Black history. We commit to centering the experiences of those who are most marginalized by white supremacy, anti-Black racism, and patriarchal violence. We commit to using our platform to amplify Black voices in the movements to end sexual violence and systemic racism. Every day, we affirm that Black histories matter—and, most importantly, Black lives matter.

Visit our blog to learn about upcoming events and access resources about Black History Month and the critical role of Black women and people of marginalized genders in the movement to end sexual violence: www.nyscasa.org/black-history-month-2021

NYSCASA and NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault Provide Testimony to NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board

Last month, NYSCASA and the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault (the Alliance) submitted testimony to the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) to express support for changes to Chapter 18-A § 440 of the New York City Charter, expanding the CCRB’s authority to encompass police sexual misconduct.

“Without independent oversight, police perpetrators often evade accountability. Internal reporting systems that represent law enforcement value internal, political and reputational protection and close cases above safeguarding the fundamental human rights of survivors,” wrote the Alliance and NYSCASA in our joint testimony.

Read more on our blog: www.nyscasa.org/2021-ccrb

NYSCASA Joins Lawmakers and Advocates in Support of the People’s Campaign for Parole Justice

On January 14, NYSCASA participated in a virtual press conference hosted by a coalition of more than 25 New York lawmakers and 250 of the state’s criminal and social justice reform groups to announce the launch of a project called the People’s Campaign for Parole Justice.

“The New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault supports efforts for meaningful parole reform. Each of us is more than the worst action we have committed in our lives. We call on the legislature to pass Elder Parole and the Fair and Timely Parole Act,” says Chrys Ballerano, Senior Director of Collaboration and Training.

On January 27, NYSCASA participated in the People’s Campaign for Parole Justice Legislative Advocacy Day, which included providing a statement during the press conference.

“NYSCASA believes that prison justice is survivor justice. Meaningful parole reform could provide an important opportunity for incarcerated and criminalized survivors to access healing justice and community supports that are not available to them in New York’s prisons and jails,” says Chel Miller, Communications Director.

Read more on our blog: www.nyscasa.org/peoples-campaign-for-parole-justice

All New Yorkers Encouraged to Support Survivors During COVID-19 Crisis

We are still experiencing a pandemic. During this time of crisis, sexual violence, domestic violence, and child abuse will continue to occur – most likely at increased rates than ever before. The New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Seven Dancers Coalition, and Prevent Child Abuse New York encourage New Yorkers to support their friends, family members, or colleagues whenever they seek help.

Read our joint statement and learn about available resources here: www.nyscasa.org/support-survivors-during-covid

Announcing the NYSCASA Sexual Assault Demonstration Initiative (SADI): Cohort Period 1 Applications Due February 10, 2021

NYSCASA and OPDV to Host Virtual Informational Session Detailing OPDV Expansion and New Office on February 9

Governor Cuomo put forth a proposal in his Executive Budget and the State of the State Book (pg. 238) that expands the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence’s role to include issues of sexual assault and creates a new Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. Details about the expansion can be found in Part B of the Public Protection and General Government component of the Executive Budget. NYSCASA will be offering a virtual meeting space where OPDV will share additional details about this expansion and answer questions that arise.

• When: February 9, 2021, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM ET
• Where: Zoom Webinar
• Registration: Click here to register.

Ending Violence Without Violence: 2020-2021 Virtual Training Series

NYSCASA, Seven Dancers Coalition, and Interrupting Criminalization: Research in Action are pleased to announce the continuation of our 2020-2021 virtual training series, Ending Violence Without Violence.

A Little Piece of Light: A Memoir of Hope, Prison, and a Life Unbound with Donna Hylton

Thursday, February 11, 2021, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM ET

Donna Hylton, author of A Little Piece of Light: A Memoir of Hope, Prison, and a Life Unbound, will discuss her life, and how her early trauma impacted her life, later traumas including incarceration, and her connection to other victimized women and advocates doing the work to end sexual trauma and domestic violence.

This webinar will also support Donna’s work with young women by highlighting her story and her book to folks who may not have accessed it yet from NYSCASA. (NYSCASA member programs each received 1 copy of the book during previous resource mailings.)

Click here to register for this webinar.

De-Criminalizing Our Youth with Donna Hylton

Friday, February 12, 2021, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM ET

Donna Hylton will discuss systemic oppression through foster care, educational, child protective and other institutions where racism, oppressive practices, cultural incompetence, and lack of trauma-informed perspectives that set up youth for involvement with the criminal legal system.

Click here to register for this webinar.

Confirmed Spring 2021 speakers and workshop facilitators include:

• Andrea J. Ritchie (Police misconduct attorney, organizer, and author of Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color)
• Richard Smith (National Director of the Common Justice learning collaborative, HealingWorks)
• Mimi Kim (Executive Director and founder of Creative Interventions and Associate Professor of Social Work at California State University Long Beach)
• Mariame Kaba (Founder and director of Project NIA, co-founder and co-organizer with Survived and Punished, and a Researcher in Residence at the Barnard Center for Research on Women)
• Donna Jenson (Founder of Time To Tell™, author of Healing My Life from Incest to Joy, and playwright/performer of What She Knows: One Woman’s Way through Incest to Joy)
• Spring Up (Multimedia artist collective and social enterprise building an alternative vision of our world rooted in ongoing consent, liberation, community accountability and care)

Click here to see the full schedule, read more about the series, and access resources: www.endviolence2020.com.

Stay tuned for announcements about upcoming webinars and virtual learning opportunities! Click here to sign up for our Ending Violence Without Violence mailing list.

Peer Support Calls for BIPOC in NYS Victim Services

NYS-based victim services staff/volunteers who identify as Black, Indigenous, or otherwise as People of Color (BIPOC), are invited to participate in NYSCASA’s upcoming peer support calls for BIPOC at victim services programs. These informal conversations will be facilitated by NYSCASA staff.

The group will meet on the second Wednesday of the month from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM ET.

Registration is required. Register at the links below:

• Click here to register for the February 10 session.
• Click here to register for the March 10 session.
• Click here to register for the April 14 session.

Please contact Articia Hill (ahill@nyscasa.org) if you have questions or require assistance with registration.