Dear friends,
I spent an exhilarating day in Albany yesterday, singing, chanting, and praying to get Governor Hochul to support Fair Pay for Home Care. Yes, I said praying.
I am a spiritual person with absolutely no faith in a power higher than collective action AND I was tremendously moved by the faith portion of the day’s events. Rabbi Ellen Lippman, familiar to me from the Brooklyn Ba’ Mitzvahs of children I love, and Rabbi Mira Rivera presided over this part of the action.
The gathering was treated to some passages of the bible that I’ve certainly never heard before (in spite of too much Hebrew school and two Bat Mitzvahs of my own):
Rabbi Mira shared this:
All our faith traditions call out to you, Governor Hochul. In Deuteronomy 24:15, God urges: “You must pay out the wages due on the same day, before the sun sets, for the worker is needy and urgently depends on it; else a cry to יהוה will be issued against you and you will incur guilt.”
Vincent Calabrese, a student rabbi, spoke powerfully:
On the Jewish fast days we pray: “Do not cast us away in our old age, when our strength fails do not abandon us.” But our society abandons the elderly, those with disabilities, and those who do the holy work of caring for them. Governor Hochul, do your part in making our state a place where those who need care can get it and those who care for others are honored as they deserve.
Another speaker (whose name I missed) said:
The Prophet Muhammad [peace and blessings of God be upon him], said, “I will be the opponent of three types of people on the Day of Judgment,” and he listed one of them as “one who hires a worker, but does not pay him his right wages owed to him after fulfilling his work.”
Amen to all of that. Thanks to Rabbi Ellen for sharing the texts above. She’s my rabbi now; luckily, this will not require synagogue attendance, since she’s ‘retired’ like me.
Ana Maria Archila, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, was also at the gathering. She was not just passing through. She spoke, she quietly held the scroll of names of people who cannot find home care workers because of the acute labor shortage that has resulted from inadequate wages.
And when a member of the public wandered over to the gathering, visibly upset and screaming, it was Archila who quietly detached from the group to engage them in quiet conversation — to listen to them. We need leaders like Ana Maria Archila.
Contact Daniel Coates at coates@anamariaforny.com if you want to collect signatures to get Ana Maria Archila on the ballot. Please donate to her campaign, too.
NYC Public Advocate (and next NYS gov?) Jumaane Williams addressing activists in the Care Room at the Capitol. In the foreground is my favorite sign, on the back of Cara’s chair.
We spent much of the afternoon in the so-called War Room, which we re-christened the Care Room. The ugly ceiling murals depict, among other things, colonizers battling Indigenous people; the room needs new art, perhaps by Molly Crabapple.
There was powerful storytelling by people who described the rock-and-a-hard-place choices they face when there is no caregiver available to help them get out their wheelchairs or bathe themselves; of young adults putting their education and careers on hold to care for family members.
Cliff Perez, a charismatic advocate with the NYS Independent Living Council, schooled us about the Olmstead decision, the 1999 Supreme Court ruling that says that institutionalizing people with disabilities violates the ADA when it is not justified:
First, "institutional placement of persons who can handle and benefit from community settings perpetuates unwarranted assumptions that persons so isolated are incapable of or unworthy of participating in community life." Second, "confinement in an institution severely diminishes the everyday life activities of individuals, including family relations, social contacts, work options, economic independence, educational advancement, and cultural enrichment."
Perez talked about the paradigm shift that we need so that instead of abiding the imperatives of capitalism, we abide those of caring connection. He noted that without a living wage, the labor shortage will persist, and some people with disabilities will be forced into the false choice of institutionalization or death. This, he pointed out, violates the law.
And so I call on the higher power of collective action:
Call the governor at 1-518-474-8390; press 3 and then 2 to speak to a person. Tell the staffer what Perez said OR quote Muhammad or Deuteronomy 24:15 OR complain about the stupid stadium.
This next action is related to housing, a topic I do not devote enough time to.
One of the budget items needing a push is the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). There’s a bill would allow tenants the first right of refusal to collectively buy their building. Tenants will need support to purchase their buildings, so part of the push is for funding for creating collectively-owned housing and to create community land trusts, to foster
non-speculative housing models that promote development of housing and neighborhoods for and with community members not served by the private market.
Contact your state delegation to call for $50 million for community land trusts, passage of TOPA, and $1 billion for TOPA purchases.
The budget negotiations have dominated discussion in Albany this week AND it’s important to remind legislators that retreating on bail reform should not be under consideration.
Contact your state legislators to let them know that bail reform has made New York City safer. This is a 1-minute ready-made action.
I know you’re not too busy for climate action:
Tell your representatives in Albany that we need $15 billion in climate investments and we need it now. This is a 15-second (!) action from NY Renews.
Here’s your second shot to submit this week’s comment on the proposed scoping plan from New York State’s Climate Action Plan. The focus is on waste management, including calls for extended polluter responsibility legislation, organics composting, improved recycling, and waste reduction.
Submit a comment calling for a comprehensive waste management plan This 15-second (!) action is from NY Renews.
Have a great day!
with love,
L
Two Rabbis and an Imam walked into a workers' right protest . . .