NY Daily News
"The pain of losing my son has been unimaginable. But it deepens my pain to hear Mayor Adams talking about creating a “Plan B” to closing Rikers, and pointing to shootings like those that killed my son as the reason.” - Peggy Herrera, advocate and member of Freedom AgendaQueens Daily Eagle
“Six more years of humanitarian catastrophe at Rikers Island is unacceptable,” said Edwin Santana, a community organizer with Freedom Agenda."NY Amsterdam News
"Rally speakers included representatives of several organizations involved in the campaign...including Freedom Agenda co-director Darren Mack, who MC’d the demonstration."NY Amsterdam News
"We know that the safest communities are the ones with the most resources, not the most incarceration,” said Darren Mack, co-director of Freedom Agenda at the Urban Justice Center."AM NY
"At the rally, hosted by the criminal justice group Freedom Agenda, the speaker repeated her calls to close Rikers by Aug. 31, 2027 — a date required by the 2019 City Council law that mandates the complex be shutterered."Brownstoner
"Rikers should have been closed decades ago and this administration should be exercising leadership to find every way possible to do it faster,” said Darren Mack, co-director of Freedom Agenda...How many more lives is this mayor willing to see lost or forever damaged in that hellhole?”NY Daily News
"Freedom Agenda co-director Darren Mack agreed with Gerard and urged Adams to immediately take “tangible steps” toward winding down operations on Rikers. “These include permanently closing empty jails on Rikers as mandated by law, starting with the Otis Bantum Correctional Facility."NY Daily News
"We urge the mayor to implement these recommendations, and to follow through on the plan to close Rikers that was shaped by people from the communities most affected by under-investment and over-incarceration." - Op-Ed by Darren Mack, Freedom AgendaNews 12
“This proposed delay is offensive to all of the families,” said Darren Mack, co-director of the Freedom Agenda. “Especially the 20 families who lost their loved ones to the NYC jail system under this administration.”Amsterdam News
"Just as incarcerated people need empathy, our communities most affected by incarceration need support. The mayor frequently says, “If you don’t educate, you will incarcerate,” and I agree." - Lezandre Khadu, Member Advocate with Freedom Agenda.© 2024 Urban Justice Center | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
