Season Two Episode 7

We Take Care of Us: Mutual Aid Support for Unhoused Asylum Seekers

To wrap up our series on homelessness, Carl talks with Ariadna Phillips, founder of South Bronx Mutual Aid, about supporting asylum seekers in New York. Ariadna walks us through the origins of the mutual aid group during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and how this model meets community need when systems continue to fail us – including when asylum seekers were bused to New York this past summer. Ariadna tells us what this action looked like behind the scenes, the ways our government dropped the ball and how we can continue to provide support.

Season Two Episode 5

A Jail(house) Is Not a Home

VOCAL-NY’s Keli Young, a civil rights campaign coordinator, and Celina Trowell, a homeless union organizer, talk with Envision Freedom about the connections between bail reform, pretrial detention, and homelessness. The cycle of destabilization created by pretrial detention and the cash bail system often leads to and is exacerbated by homelessness. Eliminating bail—or even reforming it— interrupts this cycle, but to make it a reality we need reject the acceptance of jails as de facto shelters and invest in remedies like affordable housing rather than disappearing people into jail.

Season Two Episode 5

A Jail(house) Is Not a Home

VOCAL-NY’s Keli Young, a civil rights campaign coordinator, and Celina Trowell, a homeless union organizer, talk with Envision Freedom about the connections between bail reform, pretrial detention, and homelessness. The cycle of destabilization created by pretrial detention and the cash bail system often leads to and is exacerbated by homelessness. Eliminating bail—or even reforming it— interrupts this cycle, but to make it a reality we need reject the acceptance of jails as de facto shelters and invest in remedies like affordable housing rather than disappearing people into jail.

Season Two Episode 3

History & Future of Racialized Surveillance

From a growing culture of deputized surveillance, to shows like “Ring Nation,” surveillance is evolving with us. Carl speaks to Rumsha Sajid and Danny Cendejas, two deeply experienced organizers working at MediaJustice, about the historic roots of present day surveillance—colonialism and slavery—and the continued disproportionate impact that surveillance has on communities of color.

Notes:
Dark Matters: On the Surveillance of Blackness by Simone Browne
Understanding Mass Incarceration: A People’s Guide to the Key Civil Rights Struggle of Our Time, by James Kilgore

Unshackling Freedom Toolkit, https://mediajustice.org/unshackling-freedom/
Find Media Justice’s work at https://mediajustice.org/ and @mediajustice on social.

Season Two Episode 2

Reproductive Surveillance in a Post-Roe World

Rafa Kidvai, the Repro Legal Defense Fund Director at If/When/How (and former legal fellow for Court Watch NYC!) joins Carl to talk about the intersection between reproductive justice, surveillance and criminalization. While we should be wary of new technology that will increase data surveillance, much of this surveillance already exists. Some communities (read: Black and brown people, immigrants, disabled people, Black and trans folks) were living in a “post-Roe reality” long before the overturn went into effect. The path forward? Creating a better system than we had to begin with.

Notes: 

• Euki Period tracker: https://eukiapp.com/  
• The artwork that Rafa referenced is entitled “I Don’t Watch My Neighbors. I See Them.” by Micah Bazant. 
• If you or anyone you know is experiencing state violence, please reach out to: https://reprolegalhelpline.org/ 
• https://reprolegaldefensefund.org/

 

Notes: Find STOP and their work at https://www.stopspying.org/ and on social media @stopspyingny

Season Two Return 

The Tools and Tactics of Reproductive Surveillance

Carl and Albert Fox Cahn, the executive director of STOP (Surveillance Technology Oversight Project) discuss mass surveillance, —particularly of pregnant people or people who can become pregnant— and new technology that is being leveraged to surveil more people with less discretion. And of course, they get into the disproportionate impact these technologies have on communities of color and how we may be creating more inequality by focusing on personal protection, rather than systemic accountability.

 

Notes: Find STOP and their work at https://www.stopspying.org/ and on social media @stopspyingny

Season Two Sneak Peek

Envisioning Black Life with the Envision Freedom Team

Carl is joined by Envision Freedom Fund’s Zoe Adel, Angel Parker, Nicole Triplett, and Salih Israil to discuss the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, the recent outbreak of white supremacist terrorism, and the current state of the social justice movement with regard to racial justice and criminal legal system reform.

Season Two Preview

Coming Soon – Season Two of “Dismantling Injustice”

Carl provides a sneak peek at what’s to come in Season Two of “Dismantling Injustice”: New format, longer episodes, deeper dives!

Episode 46

Just the Facts: Using Immigration Data To Effect Change

Carl is joined by Austin Kocher, a researcher with the Transactional Research Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), an institute at Syracuse University that uses Freedom of Information Act requests to study the federal government. They discuss TRAC’s work on federal immigration data, barriers in access, and how data can be used in the movement for immigrant rights.

Episode 45

ICYMI: E-carceration & Surveillance – Expanding the Detention Walls

In case you missed it, here’s an IGLive conversation between Envision Freedom’s Mustafa Jamale and Freedom to Thrive’s Aje Amaechi that aired last year. Mustafa and Aje discuss the Break the Shackles campaign, the need to pass the Stop Immigration Bond Abuse Act in New York, the exploitative nature of immigration bonds, and the dangers of e-carceration and surveillance. Listen to learn how you can support the campaign!

Episode 44

ICYMI: We Want Dignity Not Detention for Immigrants

Envision Freedom’s Tania Mattos and Mustafa Jumale break down the Dignity Not Detention Act – a bill to end immigration detention in NYS. They discuss the momentum built in New Jersey for the movement, the power and sacrifice of hunger strikes, and what you can do to support the campaign. Click the link below to find your state representatives and ask if they support the Dignity Not Detention Act today! http://nydignitynotdetention.org/take-action/

Episode 43

ICYMI: New York Can Break the Shackles

Envision Freedom’s Mustafa Jumale is joined by Amaha Kassa, Executive Director and Founder of African Communities Together. They discuss the ways private immigration bond companies harm immigrant New Yorkers and how New York State can lead the way forward through the Break the Shackles Campaign.

Episode 42

ICYMI: We Want Community Safety

Envision Freedom’s Zoe Adel and Angel Parker discuss the major failings of NYC Mayor Adams’ “blueprint” for community safety and explore what solutions could make a difference.

Episode 41

NY’s State of Mind on Immigration with Tania Mattos

Carl is joined again by Tania Mattos, Envision Freedom’s Director of Advocacy & Policy to continue their conversation about immigration with a focus on what is happening locally in the NY area.

Episode 40

Biden’s Immigration Report Card with Tania Mattos

Carl is joined by Envision Freedom’s Director of Advocacy & Policy Tania Mattos to talk about where things stand with immigration on the federal level

Episode 39

Incarceration Won’t Make Us Safer with Zoe Adel

Carl is joined by Zoë Adel, Envision Freedom’s criminal legal advocacy manager to discuss NYC’s Mayor Adams public safety strategy, which is aimed at increased punishment.

Episode 38

Envisioning Freedom for 2022

Carl and Salih share which of Envision Freedom’s 2022 goals and initiatives they are most looking forward to seeing implemented in the coming months.

Episode 37

Directly Impacted Perspectives on Immigration Detention Vol. 3

A directly impacted Envision Freedom Fund Community Member sits down with an Envision Freedom Fund Freedom Fellow to discuss the real consequences of the U.S.’s unjust immigration policies and provide a deeper look into the horrible nature and impact of immigration detention.

Episode 36

Directly Impacted Perspectives on Immigration Detention Vol. 2

A directly impacted Envision Freedom Fund Community Member sits down with an Envision Freedom Fund Freedom Fellow to discuss the real consequences of the U.S.’s unjust immigration policies and provide a deeper look into the horrible nature and impact of immigration detention.

Episode 35

Directly Impacted Perspectives on Immigration Detention Vol. 1

A directly impacted Envision Freedom Fund Community Member sits down with an Envision Freedom Fund Freedom Fellow to discuss the real consequences of the U.S.’s unjust immigration policies and provide a deeper look into the horrible nature and impact of immigration detention.

Episode 34

Seeking Asylum at U.S. Border Effectively Suspended

Carl is joined by Sirine Shebaya, Executive Director of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG) to discuss the border crisis and the current status of the U.S.’s asylum process.

Episode 33

Families for Freedom and the Fight for Immigration Rights

Janay Cauthen, the Executive Director of Families for Freedom, joins Carl to share her personal journey as a directly impacted activist for immigration rights.

Episode 32

Freedom Fellowships & Community Engagement

Salih is joined by Envision Freedom Fund’s Community Engagement Coordinator, Anacristina Fonseca to discuss Envision Freedom’s newly established Freedom Fellowship and a series of initiatives aimed at preparing interested directly impacted community members to participate in advocacy and activism efforts.

Episode 31

Envisioning Freedom Past, Present, & Future with BCBF’s founder Peter Goldberg

Carl and Salih are joined by BCBF’s Founder, former Executive Director, and current Senior Advisor, Peter Goldberg to discuss the trajectory from BCBF’s origins to the expansion of it’s mission, theory of change, and it’s rebranding to Envision Freedom Fund.

Episode 30

Court Watch NYC Returns

Salih is joined by Envision Freedom’s Court Watch NYC Program Coordinator, Angel Parker to discuss the purpose, goals, and impact of court watching and Court Watch NYC’s return to in-person court watching.

Episode 29

Conditions at Rikers (convo between SI & CHL)

Salih and Carl discuss the state of affairs at Rikers’ Island, theories behind what’s driving all of the attention, and what advocates get wrong about the fight to improve conditions.

Episode 28

Fighting for Dignity, Not Detention with Tania Mattos, Envision Freedom’s Director of Advocacy & Policy

Tania Mattos of Envision Freedom discusses how she got into movement work and provides updates on detention closures and the Dignity Not Detention campaign.

Episode 27

A Special Announcement

Carl makes a special announcement about the future of Brooklyn Community Bail Fund.

Episode 26

The Haitian Migrant Crisis

BCBF offers a primer for listeners on the crisis facing Haitian migrants at the U.S./Mexico border and what you can do to support them.

Episode 25

Changing the Narrative Around Pretrial Detention with Julie Mente

Julie Mente, BCBF’s Communications Manager joins the podcast to discuss the current discourse around violence and “safety,” how it criminalizes our communities, and how we can push back against these problematic narratives.

Episode 24

Parole Justice Redux

Salih and Carl discuss parole reform, why it still hasn’t passed despite promising movement this year, and Salih’s experience with parole.

Episode 23

Prison Conditions vs Abolition

Salih & Carl discuss conditions at Rikers and prisons in NYS, why we should fight to improve conditions, and how such reforms help or hurt the abolitionist cause. For more info: https://www.thecity.nyc/2021/8/1/22605140/rikers-island-horrible-conditions-jail-deaths

Episode 22

The Moremi Initiative’s Quest for Decarceration

Salih talks with Senora Bolarinwa, Founder/Director of the Moremi Initiative, about her decarceration work and commitment to liberating those with convictions based solely on the testimony of “junk science” expert witnesses and her quest to reduce the harmful effects of the child support system’s arrears policy for returning citizens.

Episode 21

A New Vision for BCBF

Salih and Carl, BCBF’s newly appointed Executive Director, discuss Carl’s vision for the organization and hint at more changes looming on the horizon.

Episode 20

Reflections on BCBF’s 2020 Regrant Project to Support Black-Led Social Change

Carl and Salih reflect on BCBF’s $2.3 million regrant initiative to support Black-Led Social Change, which was launched during the uprisings and protests in response to George Floyd’s murder.

Episode 19

Looking back at Bail Reform with Michael Rempel, Director of Jail Reform at Center for Court Innovation

Carl is joined by Michael Rempel, Director of Jail Reform at Center for Court Innovation, to discuss the impact of the bail reform laws passed in 2019.

Episode 18

Immigration Policy Updates with Mustafa Jumale, BCBF’s Immigration Policy Manager

Carl is joined by Mustafa Jumale, BCBF’s Immigration Policy Manager, for an update on the implementation and impact of the Biden Administration’s immigration policies.

Episode 17

What Role Should Corporations Play Supporting Social Justice Movement?

Carl and Salih discuss the role corporations should play supporting the social justice movement.

Episode 15

Winning a People’s Stimulus in NY with Anu Joshi, New York Immigration Coalition

We have a conversation with Anu Joshi, Vice President of Policy at New York Immigration Coalition, about New York State’s $2.1 billion Excluded Workers Fund, which provides cash assistance to workers ineligible for unemployment assistance or Federal COVID-related income relief.

Episode 14

COVID-19 and its Aftermath with Salih and Carl

Carl and Salih discuss the impact of COVID-19 and its aftermath with a focus on the conditions it has created for incarcerated people.

Episode 13

The Power of the Prosecutor with Zoe Adel, Brooklyn Community Bail Fund

With NYC’s Manhattan DA election quickly approaching, BCBF’S Carl Hamad-Lipscombe and Zoë Adel discuss the power of the Manhattan DA and highlight some of the issues and policies hinging on the upcoming election.

Episode 12

Breaking the Shackles with Amaha Kassa

We interview Amaha Kassa, Executive Director of African Communities Together (ACT) about New York’s Break the Shackles Campaign, the problem with predatory immigration bond companies and ACT’s work to uplift working class African immigrant communities nationwide.

Episode 11

Revolution in the Air? Not So Fast

Carl Hamad-Lipscombe, BCBF’s director of advocacy & policy, and Salih Israil, BCBF’s director of special initiatives, discuss the potential impact of several bills passed recently in N.Y., including the HALT Solitary Confinement Act, the Decriminalization of Marijuana, and the failure of Bail Reform.

Episode 10

Police, Violence & Black Lives

Carl Hamad-Lipscombe, BCBF’s director of advocacy & policy, and Salih Israil, BCBF’s director of special initiatives, discuss the murder of Daunte Wright, Derek Chauvin’s trial, and the state of Black Lives.

Episode 9

So You Wanna Be An Organizer with Carlene Pinto of NYC Action Lab

People have marched in the streets and called their representatives, but what else can we do to move toward solutions to problems like policing, mass criminalization, and under-resourced communities? Organizing! Carlene Pinto, founder of the NYC Action Lab, talks to BCBF’s Carl Hamad-Lipscombe about how effective organizing intentionally centers people directly impacted by issues in their communities, builds connections, and shares resources to develop community-based solutions. Learn more about NYC Action Lab at www.nycactionlab.com.

Episode 8

Abolition 101 with BCBF’s Angel Parker

People do not belong in cages. BCBF’s belief that freedom is a human right has always been a guiding principle for our work. But what is abolition exactly and how do we get there? Angel Parker, coordinator of BCBF’s Court Watch NYC program, has been involved in abolitionist organizing for years. She joins BCBF’s Carl Hamad-Lipscombe to talk abolition 101, the importance of centering the needs of survivors, organizing strategies, and how folks can get involved in the movement toward abolition. Learn more about BCBF and Court Watch NYC at brookylnbailfund.org and courtwatchnyc.org.

Episode 7

The Movement for Parole Justice with Jose Saldaña of RAPP

Every year the New York State Parole Board denies freedom to thousands of people caged in prisons, punishing them, their families and communities for years and decades beyond their minimum sentence. Jose Saldaña, the director of Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP), talks with BCBF about the fight for parole reform in New York State, the innovative organizing being done by formerly incarcerated and other directly impacted folks, and the likelihood that they will successfully transform parole in the state. Learn more about RAPP at rappcampaign.com.

Episode 6

A New Way Forward with Benita Jain of the Immigrant Defense Project

Congress is considering a group of immigration bills right now, but will they deliver a fair and just immigration system? Podcast guest Benita Jain, a supervising attorney from Immigrant Defense Project (IDP), and BCBF’s Carl Hamad-Lipscombe discuss the ways these proposed policies continue to criminalize Black and brown immigrants, the New Way Forward Act, and other ways we can mitigate some of the harms of our racist immigration system. Learn more about IDP at www.immigrantdefenseproject.org.

Episode 5

The Invisible Victims of Immigration Enforcement with Nana Gyamfi of BAJI

Who gets left out and left behind when the racist, unjust immigration system gets reformed instead of dismantled? BCBF’s Carl Hamad-Lipscombe and Nana Gyamfi, the executive director of Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), discuss the deportations of hundreds of Haitian immigrants under the Biden administration and what demands we should be making to push back against ICE. Learn more about BAJI at www.baji.org

Episode 4

The Roadmap to Justice with Katie Schaffer of Center for Community Alternatives

The Justice Roadmap is a bold legislative agenda that can help deliver community safety for New York State and restore freedom and dignity for New Yorkers who are unjustly terrorized and targeted by the criminal legal and immigration systems. Katie Schaffer, the director of advocacy and organizing at Center for Community Alternatives, and BCBF’s Carl Hamad-Lipscombe discuss how to get policymakers on board with vital policies that decriminalize and decarcerate. Get the latest updates about the Justice Roadmap at www.justiceroadmapny.org  Learn more about Center for Community Alternatives at www.communityalternatives.org

Episode 3

Breaking Down Biden’s Immigration Agenda

A fast and furious recap of the Biden administration’s actions on immigration legislation, enforcement, and deportation. BCBF Director of Advocacy & Policy Carl Hamad-Lipscombe explains the implications for the people most vulnerable to the criminal legal and immigration systems.

Episode 2

The State of Immigrants in Detention with Rosa Santana of BCBF

Carl Hamad-Lipscombe, BCBF’s director of advocacy & policy, is joined by the director of BCBF’s immigration bond program, Rosa Santana, to take a look at immigration detention from the perspective of those currently in detention.

Episode 1

Manhattan DA’s Race and the Role of Prosecutors

The Brooklyn Community Bail Fund’s director of advocacy & policy, Carl Hamad-Lipscombe, is joined by Zoë Adel, BCBF’s advocacy manager, and Salih Israil, BCBF’s director of special initiatives, to discuss the importance of the upcoming Manhattan DA election and the role/impact of prosecutors in New York City and the nation. They also share their takeaways from January 27th’s Manhattan DA Candidate Forum, which BCBF helped put together and Salih co-moderated.