Beloved Syracuse Beacon
“A child without education is like a bird without wings."
Tibetan Proverb
ARCHIVE ENTRY: July 11, 2017
Action Alerts
This week in our work to transform Syracuse, eliminate poverty, and create equality:
School Board Candidate Forum THIS Thursday
July 13, 2017
Thursday, July 13th, from 7:00-9:00 pm, at Roberts School, 715 Glenwood Ave, Syracuse, NY 13207
ACTS and its partners will host a Candidate Forum for the upcoming Syracuse School Board Election. As we see our schools faced with many challenges, the role the Syracuse School Board plays becomes greater than ever. Recently, it was reported that Syracuse City Schools accomplished a graduation rate of 60% for the first time in over a decade. By playing an active role in our children’s education, we ensure this positive trend continues. Listening to the viewpoints of school board candidates, likewise, will give community members a direct interaction with those who will soon help guide our schools.
Unity Day: Community Engagement
July 14, 2017
When: Friday, June 14th, from 3-7 pm Where: Kirk Park Address: 1101 South Ave, Syracuse, NY 13207
The “Unity Day: Community Engagement” is an event for everyone to learn about Trauma, Gun Violence, and Health and Education. Sponsored by the Snug and Soy Program, the Unity Day event on July 14th is meant to build friendships between people who value social justice and the well-being of Syracuse. There will be free food and a DJ Showcase at the event, along with a kickball tournament for some friendly competition. With all the demanding work done by the ACTS Community, a day filled with fun and relaxation is more than deserved. Let’s get out and enjoy the Summer heat while it lasts! For more information call 315-415-0995.
HELP NEEDED: For those who want to undertake an active role in the event, we have an opportunity for you! ACTS has had a table for each of the previous “Unity Day” events this summer, and will reserve a table once again for this Friday. Volunteers are needed to man this table, and will engage with the grassroots community about the importance of voter registration. Among other things, table volunteers will survey residents from the South Side of Syracuse to discover which issues affect them most. Voter registration forms will be provided, and the goal will be to get more of our neighbors involved in the political discussions of this city. For inquiries or information, email ACTS President Dave Babcock at: dave.babcock21@gmail.com
Reminder for Registered Members: AVP Training is from this Friday-Sunday
July 14, 2017
Where: Dunbar Center, 1453 South State Street, Syracuse NY 13205, FROM JULY 14th-16th
For those who have registered for the “Alternatives to Violence Project” (AVP) training this Friday-Sunday, remember that attendance for all three days is mandatory. By completing the program, each participant will receive a special certificate which displays their knowledge of conflict management.
For those who did not register for the AVP training, stay tuned for future opportunities!
This training is intended as one of the first steps to bringing a robust AVP program to Syracuse.
The Alternatives to Violence Project is an international, life-changing program which teaches people to transform conflict through methods of non-violence. AVP’s participants often include inmates, gang members, social workers, and activists. Many of today’s AVP leaders began as participants of the program, meaning that “tomorrow’s” leaders could also be from Syracuse. Click the button below to read more about AVP and ACTS.
Spirit of America: Liberty. Diversity. Dignity.
June 30, 2017
When: June 30th-September 4th
"As the United States prepares to observe Independence Day, InterFaith Works of Central New York invites the public, organizations and faith communities to participate in its Spirit of America: Liberty, Diversity, Dignity project to celebrate the diversity of our country. The project will kick off the weekend of Friday, June 30 through Sunday, July 2; however, organizations that are unable to celebrate the Spirit of America that weekend may participate until Labor Day"~InterFaith Works
Weekly Community Events
If you are an ACTS Member Organization and have an upcoming social justice event please email Ryan Ivers at rivers2@oswego.edu
7-11-17
Weekly Stories
Together we came closer to our goals. Let's reflect on the vital work we have done:
Temple Concord Assists ACTS with Communication Needs
Since our former office manager moved down to North Carolina, ACTS has decided to consolidate its administrative communication duties. We are now sharing staff with Temple Concord, a long time ACTS member organization. For many years, the ACTS office has been located at Temple Concord, a building with remarkable history and beautiful architecture. Temple Concord is located on 910 Madison Street, up by Syracuse University, and is the home to the ninth oldest Jewish congregation in the United States.
The shared staff at Temple Concord is responsible for answering the ACTS office phone, handling general ACTS emails, sorting through post-mail, greeting visitors looking for ACTS, and providing clerical services as needed and requested. The primary ACTS staff member at the Temple is Erica Webber, who receives assistance from Jessica Pitcher. Together, they are ready to assist us in our social justice mission. Contact information for ACTS remains the same as before, which is listed below:
Phone: 315 - 416 - 6363
Email: officemanager.acts@gmail.com
Address: 910 Madison Street, Syracuse, NY 13210
ACTS and Allies Score Major Victory Against Youth Solitary Confinement
ACTS and its allies at the New York Civil Liberties Union and Legal Services of CNY recently announced a settlement with the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office that ends the routine practice of 23-hour-a-day isolation of youth at the Syracuse Justice Center. The settlement is the accumulation of two years’ worth of work by ACTS and its allies against the abhorrently unjust system of youth solitary confinement.
Activists in the Grace Episcopal Church, an ACTS Member Organization, alerted ACTS in 2015 that youth were being held in solitary confinement for weeks at a time. This practice first was noticed in the Onondaga County Justice Center and the Jamesville Corrections Facility, but transferred with the youth to the Syracuse Justice Center. The landmark settlement obtained recently does not end solitary confinement, even within the Syracuse Justice Center, but it does drastically limit its usage in terms of 16 and 17-year-old youth. This is another important step in our mission to end the inhumane practice of solitary confinement, and to dismantle Mass Incarceration in all its forms. To learn more, click the button below and read the press release from the New York Civil Liberties Union:
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