Beloved Syracuse Beacon
"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future."
Franklin D. Roosevelt
ARCHIVE ENTRY: March 27th, 2017
Action Alerts
This week in our work to transform Syracuse, eliminate poverty, and create equality:
Training to Save Syracuse Youth: Criminal Justice Task Force
Grace Episcopal Church, 819 Madison St, Syracuse, NY 13210, at 5:00 p.m.
March 28, 2017
At 5:00 pm on Tuesday, March 28th, the ACTS Criminal Justice Task Force will train activists in preparation for meetings with the Onondaga County Legislatures in April. All are encouraged to receive this training at the Grace Episcopal Church. The seminar will feature interactive demonstrations on how to advocate for the end of Youth Solitary Confinement in Syracuse. Syracuse youth are still regularly sentenced to Solitary Confinement at the Justice Center. Legal Services of CNY implored us to enlighten lawmakers on these injustices.Together, we will train our activists to answer the call to action.
ACTS Youth Council Accepting Applications
Temple Concord (Frensdorf room) on April 1st at 5:00 p.m., and April 20th at 6:00
April 01, 2017
The ACTS Youth Council has opened its doors for new members. All students from the ages of 14-18 are encouraged to apply, with members being accepted before the Youth Council’s upcoming meetings. On April 1st at 5 p.m., and on April 20th at 6 p.m., the Youth Council will hold meetings to organize their next major projects. These projects include their campaign to improve school nutrition and student health, and their commitment to assist the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) arriving to Syracuse through ACTS. We urge ACTS members to inform motivated youth of this opportunity.
I-81 Impact on the Southern End Neighborhoods
South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S Salina St, Syracuse, NY 13205, at 6:00 p.m.
April 06, 2017
At 6 o’clock on Thursday, April 6th the South Side Innovation Center will be the setting for a panel about the future of I-81, and by extension, the future of the Southside and Valley areas of Syracuse. All are encouraged to attend. As I-81 reaches the end of its “functional life” in 2017 a replacement plan will fall in line. Regardless of the final selection, extensive impacts will be felt by The Southside and Valley neighborhoods within our community. Whether these impacts will be positive or negative depends on both our vigilance and capacity to unite as a community. The panel will be presented by Mark Frechette, the I-81 Project Director at the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT). Peter Sarver, the ACTS Convener of Moving People Transportation Coalition, will help represent our vision of a united Syracuse as an expert panelist. Among the remaining DOT proposals are the Community Grid or the enlargement of the I-81 overpass.
Weekly Member Organization Events
If you are an ACTS Member Organization and have an upcoming social justice event please email Ryan Ivers at rivers2@oswego.edu
Weekly Victories
Together we came closer to our goals. Let's reflect on the vital work we did last week:
Syracuse's March for Education Justice
March 04, 2017
Despite the wind-chill and brutal cold, crowds of activists marched from Hannover Square, in downtown Syracuse, to the New York State Office Building on Washington Street. At noon on March 4th, students, teachers, parents, children, and people of all backgrounds united to protect public education....In conjunction with the Alliance for Quality Education (AQE), ACTS organized the Syracuse People’s March for Education Justice....In response to the recent New York State educational budget, which would deny billions more dollars from public schools, Syracusans echoed the chant "Not on our watch!"
The Path Ahead: Follow-up to the Leadership Council Meeting
March 21, 2017
As the policy-making body of ACTS, the Leadership Council makes important decisions for the future of ACTS. On Tuesday, March 21st at 7:00 p.m. we gathered at the University United Methodists Church and reaffirmed our commitment to various ACTS projects. We confirmed a new “Voter Engagement” campaign for this year, as well as the promise to help organize public candidate forums for the upcoming elections. The conference room at the Church was packed with people from the ACTS Membership Community and beyond. Vito Sciscioli, a longtime Syracuse civic leader, made an important statement on the Consensus Commission issue and urged us to make it a priority. Four mayoral candidates from both sides of the aisle also attended, and witnessed the ACTS Community come together....
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