Queens Eagle

“I think it's fair to say that since Molina was commissioner, he worked hard to stifle transparency  at DOC and hide the abuses as well,” said Darren Mack, the co-director of Freedom Agenda."

Queens Eagle

"The most important tangible step Mayor Adams can take to show his commitment to closing Rikers is to finally make this month’s land transfer deadline and start the process of closing jails like [the Anna M. Kross Center] that are not in current use...” [said] Darren Mack, the co-director of Freedom Agenda."

The Root

"Brandon Rodriguez died by suicide at Rikers island in 2021. Last year, his mother, [Freedom Agenda member] Tamara Carter, testified in support of the [solitary confinement] ban at a City Council hearing last year."

NY Times

"[Freedom Agenda member] Tamara Carter, whose son Brandon Rodriguez died by suicide at Rikers in 2021, testified in support of the ban [on solitary confinement] at a City Council hearing last year."

Gothamist

"Darren Mack, cofounder of Freedom Agenda, a nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated people and their communities, said Adams could show he’s serious about closing Rikers by meeting this month’s land-transfer deadline under the 2021 Renewable Rikers Act."

Gothamist

"Darren Mack, the co-director of criminal justice reform organization Freedom Agenda, said Rikers was irredeemable “no matter who is running it.”

News 12

“The public health aspect is people with mental health conditions are not getting adequate care, especially in prison you're not gonna get that so we're trying to change that whole system,” said Marco Barrios, a representative from the Urban Justice Center Mental Health Project."

Riverdale Press

“I know there are lots of people in the community that already care about these issues,” said Ryan Acquaotta, the campaign coordinator for the Freedom Agenda..."It’s not just demanding more police, more weapons, more surveillance, more cages. We also need more housing, more treatment, more jobs, more health care and education.”

Reinvent Albany

"Darren Mack, co-Director of Freedom Agenda, a project of the Urban Justice Center: “New York’s courts, like Rikers Island, live largely out of sight and out of mind for most New Yorkers. And when the people don’t know what’s going on, there can be no accountability."