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NDS’ Helen Montalvan on Racism in the Family Regulation System
New York City Council's Committee on General Welfare hosted a hearing on "Racism in the Child Welfare System." NDS' Helen Montalvan testified on the white supremacist roots of the system, and why the title of "child welfare system" obfuscates the function and history of ACS and other agencies.
As Contact Tracing is Rolled Out Across NY, Advocates Raise the Alarm About the Weaponization of Intimate Health Information By Police and ICE
Contact: Katie Schaffer, Center for Community Alternatives, kschaffer@communityalternatives.org Sam McCann, Neighborhood Defender Service, smccann@ndsny.org At Press Conference, Civil Rights Groups, Health Advocates and Public Defenders Urge Passage of Bill Protecting Confidentiality of Contact Tracing Data NEW YORK—Today, local and national civil rights groups, public health officials and [...]
America on Fire
Dear Partners and Supporters, The murder of George Floyd was unconscionable. So were the murders of Breonna Taylor, of Tony McDade, of Ahmaud Arbery, of Trayvon Martin, of Sandra Bland, of Philando Castile, of Kalief Browder, of Eric Garner and of Malice Green. So were the murders of thousands [...]
Joint NYC Defender Statement On Efforts to Circumvent Law and Detain Protestors
Daniel Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services, dball@bds.org Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org Redmond Haskins, The Legal Aid Society, RHaskins@legal-aid.org Sam McCann, The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, SMccann@ndsny.org Hettie Powell, Queens Defenders, hpowell@queensdefenders.org Lupe Todd-Medina, New York County Defender Services, LToddmedina@nycds.org (NEW YORK, NY) – Brooklyn Defender [...]
Joint Wayne County Defense Community Standing with Protectors of Black Lives
Sam McCann, Neighborhood Defender Service, (703) 867-1972, (SMccann@ndsny.org) Lillian Diallo, Wayne County Criminal Defense Bar Association, (313) 719-8899 Casey Rocheteau, Detroit Justice Center, (313) 499-0826, (crocheteau@detroitjustice.org) Desiree M. Ferguson, National Conference of Black Lawyers, (313) 319-8259, (dferguson@detroitjustice.org) Cait De Mott Grady, National Lawyers Guild Michigan, (607) 216-2043 (caitdg@gmail.com) [...]
Joint NYC Defender Statement On NYPD Brutality
Brooklyn Defender Services, The Bronx Defenders, The Legal Aid Society, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, Queens Defenders, and New York County Defender Services issued the following statement on New York City Police Department (NYPD) brutality
NDS Harlem Managing Director Alice Fontier Address Joint Session of NY State Legislature on the Disparate Impact of COVID-19
This week, NDS Managing Director addressed a joint session of the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate about how COVID-19 compounds the injustices our neighbors and clients in upper Manhattan face every single day.
NDS Harlem Managing Director Alice Fontier on How Communities of Color Are Particularly Vulnerable to COVID-19
This March, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem welcomed Managing Director Alice Fontier to helm our office. In her first weeks on the job, she worked across our practices to fight for justice for our clients who were under extreme threat. In doing so, she witnessed firsthand the immense disparity [...]
Victories in the Fight for Justice During COVID-19
All of our communities face this same elevated threat, and NDS has fought for justice in every forum. Our family defense practice has left no stone unturned in its efforts to reunite families during this already stressful time, when they need each other more than ever. Our immigration defense team has sought to stand in the way of a deportation machine that seeks to churn on amid a pandemic. And our civil team has fought to keep our clients and their families safely housed.
Support Heroic Work on #GivingTuesdayNow: A Letter from the Executive Director
On Tuesday, May 5, Neighborhood Defender Service is participating in #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving to meet the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19. Our clients are vulnerable in the best of times; facing a crisis, they need us more than ever. And we need you. Give to NDS today and make our indispensable work possible.
Coronavirus policy must account for those in Michigan jails and prisons
By Chantá Parker, Amanda Alexander and Jonathan Sacks Originally published in Detroit Free Press Tens of thousands of people are held in Michigan jails and prisons that leave them particularly vulnerable to public health crises. Every day that passes during the COVID-19 outbreak puts them at heightened risk — [...]