Office of the Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams
@nycpa
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Official account for the Office of New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. For assistance, call 212-669-7250 or email [email protected].
New York, NY
Joined December 2018
"This list is a way to turn up the heat on bad actors so that we can get real accountability and change.”. Today the Public Advocate revealed the 2024 Worst Landlord Watchlist. Topping the list? Barry Singer and his decades of neglect:. #WorstLandlordsNYC
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As we near the final budget vote, it has become clear that this budget ignores some of the most critical elements of reducing NYPD funding and redefining public safety. Unless it meets those needs, I will use my Charter authority to prevent the budget from being executed. More:
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New Yorkers will not be content with low hanging fruit, when what's needed is to uproot the tree. Without an NYPD hiring freeze and a commitment to a just transition away from the current school safety model, I‘ll use my Charter power to prevent the execution of the budget.
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“In a moment when New Yorkers, with the entire nation, are demanding a reimagining of public safety, a reckoning with systemic injustices and inequities, the city falls far short with a budget that misses the moment of need.”. FULL STATEMENT ON FY2021 BUDGET:
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NEW: A mask mandate has resumed for all 11 NYC public hospitals and @NYCHealthSystem clinics and nursing homes after an increase in COVID-19, flu and RSV cases in NYC. Reminder: Wearing high quality masks in crowded areas is an effective way to stay safe.
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The data we called for & finally got today on #COVID19’s racial impact confirms & reinforces what we've seen over years of systemic inequities. These ingrained injustices have always been there, but the numbers show the bias has a body count. Statement:
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Today we mark a heartbreaking first: New York City's first confirmed #COVID19 case. To the countless New Yorkers who have lost loved ones, you are not alone in your grief. As a city, we mourn those we lost and together, we commit to collective care and well-being. [1/2].
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Bloomberg ads create the image of an ally of teachers, champion of affordable housing & the working class. Take it from someone who lived under, served with, fought against him— behind the curtain, the image begins to melt away. My piece in @USATODAY:.
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"From the moment the President of Columbia—30 hours into a nonviolent protest of students on the lawn—called the NYPD in. that sent reverberations throughout the nation. They escalated every single point of the way.". The public advocate spoke to media about student arrests.
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In New York City, we support our street vendors. Not hate. The Public Advocate visited Q Halal Cart after vendors Sam and Mohamed experienced deplorable, Islamophobic harassment. As we continue to monitor the situation, we urge New Yorkers to show up for our neighbors.
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Last night from Brooklyn to Buffalo, we saw still more instances of New York law enforcement officers aggressively engaging with nonviolent protesters making their voices heard against over-policing. I ask the Mayor, the Governor, have you finally seen what's happening? . (1/2).
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If the Mayor would rather have a legal battle with my office than a meaningful fight to redefine public safety, it's another instance of misplaced priorities for an admin that says we can't afford new nurses, teachers, counselors, but can only afford to hire more police. More:
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This is a shameful tactic, another desperate abuse of power by this administration to try and ignore laws it opposes. Misusing a ‘state of emergency’ is dangerous, especially from a mayor who claims to care about public safety. 1/4.
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Living with COVID doesn’t mean ignoring it. As cases are rising, the city must reinstate a color-coded COVID threat assessment system to better inform and guide people trying to protect themselves and their families amid an ongoing pandemic.
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Law enforcement cannot be the primary decision makers, the first response, in moments of mental health crisis. This is a public health issue, not a criminal one, and as we argued on @CNNThisMorning, working to solve the problem is not the same as working to hide it.
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Every New Yorker lost to #COVID19 was a friend, family member, or neighbor. @THECITYNY's #MissingThem helps us remember: In their memory, we must keep protecting one another by taking precautions, such as masking and testing, because #WeKeepUsSafe. [2/2].
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New Yorkers have a right to shelter. It’s been a moral right throughout our city’s history, and a legal right for over four decades. [1/5].
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We are alarmed by the aggression present in NYPD’s response toward those at yesterday’s longstanding march in Bay Ridge—home to NYC’s largest Palestinian population. Our office will investigate further, but it’s clear this conduct against nonviolent demonstrators is inexcusable.
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Ady Barkan was a hero who inspired us all to try and be one too. He was the model of an unstoppable activist, a tireless advocate, an effective force for good, who used his own experiences to be a groundbreaking organizer. We grieve his passing and are inspired by his legacy.
Hi all, this is Ady’s wife, Rachael. I’m devastated to share the news that Ady has died from complications of ALS. You probably knew Ady as a healthcare activist. But more importantly he was a wonderful dad and my life partner for 18 years. [1/4]
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"Militarizing the subway with the National Guard and suggesting a wholesale ban on individuals from accessing public transportation are dangerous misuses of resources which could be better spent addressing these issues at their root.". Full statement:
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We agree with @nycHealthy: In NYC, we know that by masking, we can help keep ourselves and each other safe. In this current #COVID19 surge, wearing a high-quality mask, like an N95, KN95 or KF94, in crowded indoor settings is an important part of the toolkit for staying safe.
Here in NYC we know that wearing a high-quality mask can help protect you and others from COVID-19. 😷. With cases and hospitalizations on the rise this summer, New Yorkers should wear a mask in crowded indoor settings to protect themselves and others:
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@gradepending_ Hello Jonathan, if possible, please send your preferred phone number via private message so that a member of our team may reach out to you. You may also contact us at 212-669-7250 or gethelp@advocate.nyc.gov. Thank you.
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We’re on the steps of City Hall unveiling our new legislation to ban solitary confinement in NYC. Solitary is torture. It’s long past time to end it.
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As we wait for more information on today’s mass shooting, what we do know is that our city is strong. We must at once treat the trauma that this shooting has caused while also refusing to let fear keep us from moving forward in solidarity, in safety, and on the subways.
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For many of us, Ryan Carson was a friend, mentor, and ally, and we're devastated by his murder. We send peace, love, and light to his family, his @NYPIRG colleagues, and his advocates-in-arms in higher education, harm reduction, and environmental justice.
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New Yorkers deserve an answer as to why NYPD and @NYCParks attempted to tackle a 12-year-old to the ground and place a child in cuffs. This is why advocates have been fighting hard for years to decriminalize the response to street vending. And New York City has not delivered.
Video: Parks Department employee, handcuffed girl struggle in NYC's Battery Park.
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Masks help keep us safe. New Yorkers who wish to testify about reinstating mask mandates on subways, busses & Access-A-Ride can join @BrooklynBCID in-person or virtually at @MTA's board meeting on 9/21: 9 AM,📍 2 Broadway. More: .
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There is no clearer example of the need for bail reform than the fact that Harvey Weinstein is here on his own money and power and Kalief Browder died because he had none. We can’t allow fear-mongering and misinformation to lead to this progress being clawed back.
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Antisemitism has no place in New York City. While we're not aware of credible threats for tomorrow’s “National Day of Hate” planned by neo-nazi extremists, we stand firmly with our Jewish neighbors. NYC, let's look out for one another. #ShabbatOfPeaceNotHate #HavdalahAgainstHate.
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Eric Garner was murdered. The DOJ, and before them the grand jury, would like us to believe his death happened without a perpetrator. But we all saw it. #FirePantaleo. Full statement:
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Racial healthcare disparities are manifesting in #COVID19 response and vaccine rollout. This is an emergency. Today we recognize Doctors @oni_blackstock and @uche_blackstock for their work to dismantle bias in healthcare and center anti-racism. #BlackHistoryMonth #BHMakers
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Representing at the #WorldsBigSleepOut in Times Square as hundreds spend the night in solidarity with the homeless individuals in NYC. It’s not about one night, but the movement going forward to fight the affordable housing and homelessness crisis.
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In two separate videos this weekend, we saw instances where officers on the subway, trained to de-escalate, instead punched multiple young men in the face & tackled another to the floor. We need more funding put into the subway, not more officers w/o body cameras.
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Nearly 60 years ago Dr. King spoke on these steps about the necessity of jobs, the demand for justice. Today we’re still here to fight the same problems and demand change. The moral arc is long, but we are bending it toward justice. #CommitmentMarch #MarchOnWashington2020
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This is a result of having police respond whenever, wherever issues arise. NYC has said police shouldn’t enforce against street vendors, creating a new office to prevent it. Maria should be able to feed her neighbors & support her family—on Mothers Day!—without fear of police.
Horrific treatment of Maria, a mother, immigrant entrepreneur & her *daughter* who filmed. Earlier this week, Maria was arrested for selling mangoes & kiwis to customers she's served for 10+ yrs. Shame on our city for choosing cruelty, instead of supporting hardworking mothers
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“An indefinite pause on congestion pricing will do irreparable harm to the city while undermining public confidence in the program and its purpose.". Read the Public Advocate's statement on Governor Hochul's 'Indefinite Pause' of Congestion Pricing:
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Tonight's #curfew—from 11 PM to 5 AM—is another example of black and brown communities asking for aid and receiving an escalated police presence. We are offering guidance on four ways to file a police complaint or begin the process: [1/2]
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While I understand the potential benefits of a curfew, this is neither the right moment nor the right process for imposing one and adding an additional 4,000 officers to our streets. At this moment and in this way it could escalate tension, not alleviate them. (1/3).
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STATEMENT: The Public Advocate calls for charges in Jordan Neely's killing. "Justice must be done. more broadly, we must address the city’s homeless and mental health crises with an approach that centers compassion and support– treating people as people, not as problems." [1/2]
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We need #CongestionPricingNow so that New Yorkers won’t be deprived of the subway and bus service they need. We stood with @NYCComptroller, plaintiffs, and disability rights and transit advocates who all agree: The governor must reverse her indefinite hold on #CongestionPricing.
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The city has hundreds of thousands of vaccines going to waste rather than those in need. @NYCMayor should immediately direct @NYCHealthSystem to distribute these lifesaving doses to the vulnerable populations next in line, regardless of state approval.
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@_Chancelllor Hello, thank you for your question and for clarifying. This post refers to the anniversary of the first confirmed case in NYC on March 1, 2020.
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The administration stalled to deliver racial enforcement data, and now we know why. This virus has disproportionately claimed thousands of black and brown bodies, and now, in response, it is black and brown bodies facing the kind of over-policing never seen in other communities.
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TONIGHT: We are devastated but never defeated. NYC, stand up for #ReproductiveRights:. 6:30 PM: Washington Square Park (Rally & March).8 PM: Union Square (Care & Community) . 📷: May 3 #BansOffOurBodies Rally. #AbortionIsHealthCare #RoeVWade #AbortionIsEssential #ReproJustice
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These conversations coming to light confirms what we have long known: systemic bias and abuse of power endanger New Yorkers. Our office is investigating the alarms raised in the recordings captured by Jonathan Wohl. Discriminatory exchanges like these demand answers. [1/3].
When Jonathan Wohl staged a one-man protest, the NYPD arrested him and seized his phone while it was recording. It captured conversations among dozens of cops for hours. They talk of plans to "run some time" and call detainees names like “liberal c--t.”.
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UPDATE: @HealthNYGov has announced that all low-income immigrants—regardless of status—have access to COVID-19 testing, evaluation, and treatment as services covered by Emergency Medicaid. More #COVID19 resources for immigrants from @thenyic.
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Feeling grateful and hopeful after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine today. It’s critical for ourselves, our families, our fellow New Yorkers that we all get the vaccine once eligible, whichever is available. We can beat this virus and save lives if we all do our part.
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As the COVID-19 threat became clear, our office immediately shifted to remote, encouraging other city offices to follow suit. Now the threat is not only present, but elevated by Delta. The Mayor shouldn’t be forcing a full return to the office for city workers by Monday. [1/3].
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Every worker deserves a union, and Starbucks workers are no exception. Thank you to Cassie for your tireless organizing and to Starbucks employees across the country fighting for their right to unionize.
Today, Cassie Fleischer was fired -- on the same day the story profiling her organizing contributions ran in the print Washington Post. Starbucks has always allowed part-time partners before. Why are union activists suddenly being told they "don't meet the needs of the business"?
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A fare hike is unconscionable when half of New Yorkers can't afford to live here. The new fare, in effect on August 20, presents yet another barrier to low-income and working class New Yorkers, already struggling to get to work or keep up with the costs of their education.
The price of a single fare will increase 15 cents, to $2.90. The cost of a seven-day unlimited MetroCard will increase by a dollar, to $34, and the cost of a a 30-day unlimited MetroCard will increase by $5 to $132.
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"I don’t know the reason for the warrants and searches of several top Adams administration officials. I do know that these repeated instances– at higher and higher levels– affect New Yorkers’ confidence in government. "
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No matter how hard they try to escape accountability, how many reports they bury or people they bully, Governor Cuomo & his admin have to answer to New Yorkers –. The people who lost family deserve to know the truth. Thank you to @rontkim for continuing to demand transparency.
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New Yorkers — please continue to mask up in public spaces where not everyone is vaccinated. Businesses, please keep mask guidelines in place for the next month, until we know more and we’ve protected more people. We have a civic & moral responsibility to each other’s well being.
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It’s clear this is a time to invest in a new vision of public safety. It’s encouraging to see the Biden admin acknowledge the crucial role of community violence intervention—now with @SenSchumer, it’s time to go further to provide people doing the work with resources they need.
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The images are unavoidable, as is the reality. Only immediate de-escalation, allowing people their voice, and imminent systemic change, will prevent these incidents from continuing. Only by denying their severity, or existence, can you continue this failure & inaction. (2/2).
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We stand in solidarity with @nynurses as they strike for better wages, staffing ratios, and working conditions. A victory for nurses is a victory for patients, especially as NYC battles ongoing and overlapping public health emergencies.
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The Columbia protest on-campus formed as a nonviolent, but disruptive–as most protests are–movement. What should have remained largely peaceful was escalated by arrests, then corrupted as some have tried to seize the spotlight to spew antisemitism. 1/5.
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Extreme heat, poor air quality, and traffic violence are too much of a daily reality for New Yorkers. Yet the governor chose to stall congestion pricing, a policy with clear climate justice and traffic safety benefits. Our team is rallying for #CongestionPricingNow.
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At this Williamsburg store, Lysol is being sold for $12.99. Today we joined @BPEricAdams to say price gouging is illegal & unethical. Full stop. It puts personal greed over public good. If you believe it’s going on in your neighborhood, report it to gethelp@advocate.nyc.gov
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NYC, help us find Jordan Taylor, organizer and law student, last seen in Queens on Jan. 6. If you have information, contact:.🔹Jordan's brother Al Taylor: 845-596-7350 or altaylor1991@gmail.com.🔹 @BAM_FI: (877) 97-BAMFI or #HelpUsFindUs #MissingPerson
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.@DRichards13 and I were frustrated & insulted by the implication that we, and others pushing for transformational change on behalf of NYers, 'don't understand the reality of New York City.'. The reality is plain for those who can look past their privilege to acknowledge it. 1/6.
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ICYMI: The Public Advocate was joined by @celinegounder, @bradlander, and @MarkLevineNYC to call for an indoor mask mandate in NYC. We cannot repeat the same mistakes over and over again throughout this pandemic —leaders are moving too slowly while Delta does anything but.
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On the way to services for a child shot and killed in the Bronx, during a vigil for ten people shot and killed in Buffalo, days before a man was shot and killed on the train, news of another mass shooting breaks, along with the hearts of families in Texas and across the country.
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The right to shelter has been in place over 40 years, and that right does not simply expire after 60 days in the face of a crisis. While the challenges of meeting this emergency are immense, so is our obligation to do all we can for the tired, the poor, the huddled masses. [1/3].
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NEW: The Public Advocate has released a plan for a municipal grid to bring #PublicPower to New York City. Read the plan:.
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Humbled to begin this term, and gratified that New Yorkers have appreciated and affirmed the efforts of our office for the last two years. This office is the voice of the people, and particularly now, as we confront so many challenges, New Yorkers have much more to say. [1/4]
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We are in solidarity with our South Asian colleagues @ZohranKMamdani, @CMShahanaHanif and @CMShekarK and all New Yorkers mobilizing in opposition to Prime Minister Modi's visit. Modi's track record of human rights abuses and religious repression conflicts with our city's values.
As three of the first South Asians ever elected to New York City and State government, @voteshekar, @ShahanaFromBK and I are appalled by the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to our city. Our statement:
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The right to shelter, a right codified by my Homeless Bill of Rights which passed last month, has been our legal and moral obligation for decades. [1/5].
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While Orchard Beach was a particularly poor location for a tent shelter given its history of flooding and other factors, a tent shelter anywhere in this city cannot be used to circumvent the right-to-shelter mandate.
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Citi doesn’t represent the values of Mets fans or NYC. If they refuse to end their toxic relationship with fossil fuels, the Mets should end their partnership with Citi. We can aim to both win the World Series and protect the world's climate at the same time. #LGM #MetsDropCiti
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TODAY! NYC makes history, with key protections for delivery workers in effect. The Public Advocate proudly served as a co-prime sponsor for @CMCarlinaRivera's legislation to promote worker dignity, and this weekend, we celebrated with #LosDeliveristasUnidos and @workersjusticep!
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As we saw with GrubHub this week, there's no such thing as a "FREELUNCH," no matter what a promo code says. Small businesses were caught off guard, and delivery workers were overwhelmed in a system that undervalues them. Our office has a plan to protect gig workers:.
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It's critically important that NYC find the best strategy to #CloseNYCSchools so that we prevent the spread of #COVID19 to students & teachers, while also addressing the potential impact of closure.
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We celebrate the people who are making Black history today!. Dr. @AmmahStarr is an HIV primary care physician who co-founded @votehealth2020 to help turn out the vote and who works to end workplace discrimination in medicine with @EquityNowSinai. #BlackHistoryMonth #BHMakers
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Brooklyn is PROUD!. #BrooklynPride was electric! Thank you to everyone who came out to revel in the joy of #Pride, honoring Brooklyn's past, present, and future of LGBTQ+ activism and community. #PrideMonth #Pride2023 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
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We demand the Governor resume #24HourSubways!. The closures leave 20,000 essential workers stranded between 1 AM and 5 AM, they do not save money, and they deprive individuals experiencing homelessness of a source of emergency shelter during a storm.
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The Public Advocate’s Statement on the Indictment of Mayor Adams:. “I feel the same disbelief and indignation that I know many New Yorkers feel, upset that this is where our city is in this moment.".
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Solitary confinement is torture, and punitive segregation as it has been defined by the city is solitary confinement by another name. This is a moment when we need to move forward; we cannot and will not go back. Full statement:
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Yet again, Southeast Queens, the Rockaways, and surrounding areas have undergone horrible yet entirely foreseeable mass flooding.
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As we come to grips with the disproportionate impact of #COVID19 on communities of more color, the work of @DrOniBee and @uche_blackstock, on the frontlines and at the policy level, is inspirational.
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Eid-Al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, reminds us to give back to the less fortunate, count our blessings & to enjoy this amazing day with our neighbors, friends and family. To all of our Muslim brothers and sisters celebrating around our city and around the world, #EidMubarak!.
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IMPORTANT: We are aware of irregularities with voting with today’s primary election and are closely monitoring the situation. If you experience any issues at your poll site, please contact us at 212-669-7250, gethelp@advocate.nyc.gov, or [1/2].
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Thank you to @NewYorkStateAG and all who came together today to help #ProtectOurHomes and our neighbors from deed theft and bad actors — we win this fight with information and engagement.
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The body camera footage released today by @NewYorkStateAG James is incredibly disturbing and confirms what we knew—the NYPD responded to a call for mental health help from Win Rozario with immediate escalation and deadly force. 🧵 [1/4].
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Deflection is not a plan. It's the mayor’s obligation to prove to New Yorkers that there is a real plan to govern the city effectively and regain trust, and his time to show that plan is rapidly running out. The Public Advocate on @MSNBC's @WagnerTonight:.
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When we fight, we win! Congratulations to the frontline workers of @TeamstersJC16 for winning the largest pay increase in their history. Through solidarity and determination, all workers can win the contracts and benefits they deserve. #HuntsPointStrike.
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We've lost 25 cyclists this year & the city is part of the cause. NYC is overdue for an infrastructure overhaul and a shift in priorities on the road. Thanks to groups like @TransAlt & congrats @NYCSpeakerCoJo and @NYCCouncil for passing street safety laws we need to save lives.
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The Public Advocate announced today that he is nominating @CeaWeaver, campaign coordinator for @housing4allNY and prominent progressive activist, to serve on the City Planning Commission and bring progressive change to NYC’s growth and development. More:
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"I am here because I know what all New Yorkers know: access to housing is public safety.". The Public Advocate and advocates have been arrested protesting @REBNY's campaign to harm tenants. State lawmakers must reject big real estate’s influence and pass tenant protections now.
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Landlords warehousing apartments rob New Yorkers of a place to live and directly exacerbate the housing and homelessness crisis. With NYC in a housing emergency, we must do more to ensure rent-stabilized units aren’t left vacant or Frankensteined to massively increase rents.
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The AG’s report confirmed what we've known since the first courageous women came forward. The Governor, with intent & without care for the pain he caused or concern for consequences, sexually harassed multiple women, violating the law & the standards which we must demand. More:
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Bike parking is the "most ignored issue in the transportation landscape." — @ShabazzStuart of @ooneepod . Cycling is sustainable, socially-distanced, and on the rise. But insufficient parking disproportionately hurts low-income New Yorkers of color.
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Today, @MarkTreyger718 and Public Advocate Williams will introduce legislation to require @NYCSchools to release data breaking down remote learning attendance by students’ school, race, disability, and other metrics.
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The mass shooting that took ten lives in Buffalo, one year ago, was yet another instance of violence inflicted on the Black community, a pattern that persists across our country and history. As we stand against gun violence, we stand against the hate that too often catalyzes it.
Buffalo prepares to mark 1 year since 10 people died in mass shooting
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The Public Advocate will be addressing last night’s protests, the NYPD response, and how to move forward, momentariy outside Barclays Center. WATCH LIVE:
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Another school year is about to begin and again, the administration is taking unnecessary risks. With a more contagious variant and more crowded classrooms, it’s critical that the city provide a remote option and sufficient plans before classrooms reopen in less than a week
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