Podcast appearances and mentions of brooklyn defender services

The Lawyer Stories Podcast Episode 210 features Cary London, Managing Partner at Shulman and Hill in Greater New York City focusing on Civil Rights, Police Brutality, Excessive Force, Wrongful Convictions, and Personal Injury.  Cary is the Chair of the Civil Rights Division of the Brooklyn Bar Association, and a Board Member of the Brooklyn Defender Services.  Cary is also a Founding Member of Lawyer Stories Connect!  Cary's journey as a civil rights lawyer began during his tenure as a Public Defender in Brooklyn. Cary witnessed, firsthand, the systemic injustices prevalent in the criminal justice system. This experience ignited a fire within him to advocate for change and pursue justice for those who have been marginalized or wronged.  One case at a time, Cary is becoming a voice for those in need, consistently striving to create a more equitable society for all.

With each passing day, more Israeli bombs are falling on Gaza, more bodies are being blown apart and buried under the rubble, over a million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes. Over the past month and a half, the world has borne witness to a genocidal military campaign to clear out Gaza once and for all, and every day, every hour, it feels like the chance to stop one of humanity's most inhumane crimes is slipping through our fingers, and the powers that be have shown no interest whatsoever in listening to the thundering calls for a ceasefire coming from governments and mass demonstrations around the world, particularly the Biden administration in the US, the increasingly fascistic Netanyahu government in Israel, and the arms manufacturers and war profiteers who are raking in billions from manufacturing mass death. This is prompting people of conscience around the world, including unions and worker-led groups, to speak out and take action to try to stop the slaughter. One of those unions is the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys – UAW Local 2325 (ALAA), whose members include legal aid workers at over 25 organizations, including the Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service, and the Legal Aid Society of New York City. Last week, ALAA members were preparing to hold a vote on whether or not to approve the union publicly issuing a "Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, an End to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and Support for Workers' Political Speech." In the lead-up to the vote, union members at different legal aid offices reported strong opposition from management. “These statements call for the elimination of the state of Israel and the annihilation of the Jewish people,” Twyla Carter, Chief Executive Officer of the Legal Aid Society, reportedly told staff, expressing concern that certain donors would pull funding from the Legal Aid Society if the union passed the resolution. Then, on Thursday, Nov 16, as Akela Lacy reports at The Intercept, "attorneys at the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County sued in New York State Supreme Court to stop the vote, saying it posed an ethical dilemma for attorneys that would make it “impossible for them to properly do their job as Public Defenders.” Those four attorneys were ALAA bargaining unit members. "On Friday," Lacy continues, "the court granted a temporary restraining order enjoining the vote. Voting had gotten underway at 9 a.m. and only 15 minutes were left on the clock when the injunction was issued. The tally never got underway." In this urgent mini-cast, we speak about this unprecedented attack on union democracy and workers' free speech rights with three ALAA members: Allie Goodman, an attorney in the Family Defense Practice at Bronx Defenders; Michael Letwin, a former public defender at Legal Aid in Brooklyn for 37 years who also served as president of ALAA – UAW Local 2325 for 13 years; and Dany Greene, who has worked as a public defender for six years, four of which were spent at Bronx Defenders, where they helped found and organize the BXD Union, and who now works at an appellate office focusing on criminal appeals. Additional links/info below… Labor for Palestine website and Twitter/X page Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, United Auto Workers Local 2325, "Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, an End to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and Support for Workers' Political Speech" Akela Lacy, The Intercept, "Public Defenders Get Restraining Order to Block Their Own Union from Voting on Gaza Statement" Jake Johnson, Common Dreams, "Bar Association Urged to Fight Censorship of Pro-Palestinian Voices" Permanent links below... Working People Patreon page Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show! Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org) Jules Taylor, "Working People" Theme Song

With each passing day, more Israeli bombs are falling on Gaza, more bodies are being blown apart and buried under the rubble, over a million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes. Over the past month and a half, the world has borne witness to a genocidal military campaign to clear out Gaza once and for all, and every day, every hour, it feels like the chance to stop one of humanity's most inhumane crimes is slipping through our fingers, and the powers that be have shown no interest whatsoever in listening to the thundering calls for a ceasefire coming from governments and mass demonstrations around the world, particularly the Biden administration in the US, the increasingly fascistic Netanyahu government in Israel, and the arms manufacturers and war profiteers who are raking in billions from manufacturing mass death. This is prompting people of conscience around the world, including unions and worker-led groups, to speak out and take action to try to stop the slaughter.One of those unions is the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys – UAW Local 2325 (ALAA), whose members include legal aid workers at over 25 organizations, including the Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service, and the Legal Aid Society of New York City. Last week, ALAA members were preparing to hold a vote on whether or not to approve the union publicly issuing a "Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, an End to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and Support for Workers' Political Speech." In the lead-up to the vote, union members at different legal aid offices reported strong opposition from management. “These statements call for the elimination of the state of Israel and the annihilation of the Jewish people,” Twyla Carter, Chief Executive Officer of the Legal Aid Society, reportedly told staff, expressing concern that certain donors would pull funding from the Legal Aid Society if the union passed the resolution. Then, on Thursday, Nov 16, as Akela Lacy reports at The Intercept, "attorneys at the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County sued in New York State Supreme Court to stop the vote, saying it posed an ethical dilemma for attorneys that would make it “impossible for them to properly do their job as Public Defenders.” Those four attorneys were ALAA bargaining unit members. "On Friday," Lacy continues, "the court granted a temporary restraining order enjoining the vote. Voting had gotten underway at 9 a.m. and only 15 minutes were left on the clock when the injunction was issued. The tally never got underway."In this urgent episode of Working People, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez speaks about this unprecedented attack on union democracy and workers' free speech rights with three ALAA members: Allie Goodman, an attorney in the Family Defense Practice at Bronx Defenders; Michael Letwin, a former public defender at Legal Aid in Brooklyn for 37 years who also served as president of ALAA – UAW Local 2325 for 13 years; and Dany Greene, who has worked as a public defender for six years, four of which were spent at Bronx Defenders, where they helped found and organize the BXD Union, and who now works at an appellate office focusing on criminal appeals.Read the transcript of this podcast here.Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer:Donate: https://therealnews.com/donate-podSign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/newsletter-podLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnewsFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealnews

The trauma of family separations and foster care are well documented, so why is this harm ignored?  In episode 5, we discuss the harms of family separation and the outcomes of family policing involvement for children and parents.  Joyce also shares more about her advocacy for Family Miranda Rights and her personal experiences as a mother impacted by the system.  About Our Guests:  Joyce McMillan is a thought leader, advocate, activist, community organizer, educator, and the Founder and Executive Director of JMACforFamilies (Just Making a Change). Joyce's ultimate goal is to abolish systems of harm – especially the family policing/regulation/destruction system while creating concrete community resources.  Shanta Trivedi is an assistant professor of law and faculty director of the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for families, Children and the Courts at the University of Baltimore School of Law. Prior to joining academia, Trivedi was a staff attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services' Family Defense Practice, representing parents embroiled in the family policing system. Trivedi is a widely published legal scholar and policy advocate in popular media, with a focus on promoting approaches to reduce family separation by the family policing and other legal systems. Episode Notes: Episode Transcript: upendmovement.org/episode1-5 Support the work of upEND: upendmovement.org/donate  Continue learning with additional resources in our syllabus: upendmovement.org/syllabus Read “The Harm of Removal” by Shanta Trivedi. Connect with Joyce McMillan and support JMAC for Families.  Follow Shanta Trivedi's work at the University of Baltimore.

We are on the cusp of one of IWIL's most notable programming events of the year, Well-Being Week in Law, and we have a very special guest with us today to talk about one of IWIL's highest priorities. That's Tara Antonipillai, who is serving this year as our Chair of Well-Being Week in Law. — Transcript: Chris Newbold:  Hello and welcome to this special edition of the Path to Well-Being in Law podcast. My name is Chris Newbold and I'm here with my co-host Bree Buchanan. Bree, how's it going?  Bree Buchanan:  Great, Chris. How are you?  Chris Newbold:  Good. I'm actually pretty excited actually because we are on the cusp of one of IWIL's most notable programming events of the year, Well-Being Week in Law, and we have a very special guest with us today to talk about one of IWIL's highest priorities. That's Tara Antonipillai, who is serving this year as our Chair of Well-Being Week in Law. Tara, how's it going?  Tara Antonipillai:  I'm great. Thanks for having me, Chris and Bree. It's nice to be here.  Chris Newbold:  Yeah. So let's first of all get right to the dates. Tara, when are we queued up to go on Well-Being Week in Law for 2023?  Tara Antonipillai:  Well, Well-Being Week in Law is exactly two weeks away. So it's May 1st through the 5th, 2023, Monday through Friday.  Bree Buchanan:  And what amazes me is that this is our fourth annual, boy as time go by. So tell us, Tara, is how this week is structured, how is it set up?  Tara Antonipillai:  Sure. So just a little bit of background. Well-Being Week in Law occurs the first week of May to launch Mental Health Awareness Month. So it is meant to focus on folks in the legal profession who may be struggling with mental health and alcohol use disorders, but also on those that while not dealing with a diagnosable illness, may not be fully thriving in their work in their life. So the aim of this is really to raise awareness about mental health and encourage action and innovation across our profession. So the week is structured in themes. So each day has a theme and as you look through it, you can see Monday is physical wellbeing, Tuesday is spiritual wellbeing, Wednesday is career or work wellbeing. Thursday is social wellbeing and Friday is emotional wellbeing.  Bree Buchanan:  Wonderful.  Chris Newbold:  I was going to say, one of the things that I think is really awesome about this particular week, and I want to give a lot of credit to the founder of this particular week, and that was Anne Bradford back several years ago. She said, "Listen, if we can get a date on the calendar in which we can shine the light on wellbeing as an issue, we can organize around that. We can talk about issues, we can set out the welcome mat, so to speak, to organizations, law firms and individuals to advance the dialogue." And it certainly feels, Tara, like that concept has really worked and worked well. And we continue to see growth in this opportunity.  Tara Antonipillai:  That is definitely true. I mean, we owe a huge debt to Ann for both the idea and also for the structure and many, many of the resources that serve as the foundation for Well-Being Week in Law. She put a tremendous amount of her intellectual capabilities and her really just her hard work into this and so to build it into what it is today. And I think we should be thankful to her and I think she's very happy to see what Well-Being Week in Law has become.  Bree Buchanan:  And Tara, one of the things that is so amazing about this... Well, two things. It's free for everybody, but also the amount of resources that are available on our website, lawyerwellbeing.net. Can you talk a little bit about what some of those resources are and how people can have their own Well-Being Week in Law?  Tara Antonipillai:  Yeah, for sure. So the way that we have set up the website is so that really it's a hub for folks to plan their own Well-Being Week in Law if you happen to be inside an organization or if you are an individual to participate in Well-Being Week in Law using the resources that are there. So each day there is a live event. So we sponsor one live event each day this year. Those are at 1:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time, each day for 60 minutes. And they key to the daily themes. Those webinars are free to participate in, although you do have to just register so that you get the link.  And then we also have daily posts, which are very popular. Those are great for people who might be very busy. They have some really small things that again, are related to the daily themes. So each day there is a read this watch or listen to this and do this item. So those are meant to be small things that you can do to improve that element of wellbeing. And then the other thing that is on the website are a tremendous amount of activity guides and really detailed planning guides for organizations, for bar associations as to how they might go about organizing a Well-Being Week in Law inside their organization.  Bree Buchanan:  So Tara, I was just going to say, what's the first step to get involved? What are we asking folks to do?  Tara Antonipillai:  Yeah. So the best thing that you can do is, you can register as an individual or you can register as an organization. And that allows us to directly funnel the information to you, send all of the webinar information to you and make sure you receive all of the daily posts as well as access to the webinars. And then the other thing is if you'd rather not register, it's not required, it is free, but you can also go ahead and just start to check out the website and see what you find. One of our other really popular resources that's been updated for this year is the Mental Health Awareness Month calendar. And many, many people and organizations have told me that they use that calendar extensively throughout the month of May. It is linked to a lot of our resources. It includes an activity, something small each day that people can do to improve or focus on their mental health and wellbeing. So really that's just another way that you can use what we have available in a way that suits you.  Chris Newbold:  So again, just to reiterate there, all of the resources for Wellbeing and Law Week are on the lawyerwellbeing.net website. I think everything is easily accessible through a click in the upper right-hand corner of that. Tara, I think it's fair to say that once they click on that, there's then a pathway to say, are you an organization? Are you an individual? You pick your journey so to speak. And I think one of the things, and I know that we're still two weeks out, but if memory serves me, we already have a over 150 different organizations who have already come in and registered to participate. That's an incredible number. And again, I think it demonstrates a couple of things. One, how much this issue is being talked about within the legal community. How many different types of organizations and stakeholders ultimately want to get engaged, and how many of them are ultimately coming to IWIL as part of us being able to provide resources to help them structure a very productive week in that first week of May.  Tara Antonipillai:  Yeah, I think that's really true. I have been really floored with how many people have registered. I think right now we have 172 organizations registered as of today. And it's fun to see how people are participating, which actually reminds me, we do have a participation challenge again this year that relies heavily on one of our sponsors, Canyon Ranch, who donates a really great three day prize getaway for anyone who participates. And all you really have to do is fill out a survey that's very easy to access online. You'll see it multiple times on the website that just says, tell us how you're participating in Well-Being Week in Law. And it can be anything from participating in one of our webinars to I've gone for a walk every day at lunch. It can be very simple and that enters you for a chance to win some really great prizes. So it's been very popular in years past and I expect it will be this year as well.  Chris Newbold:  Just give us a brief sampling of, because again, I think when we say organizations that are participating, I got to think that there's a real interesting diversity not just in diverse groups, but diverse stakeholder groups that are opting to participate from, I got to guess, law schools and perhaps regulators, insurance carriers, law firms. I'm guessing it runs the gamut because everybody is looking at the issue just from a different perspective or lens.  Tara Antonipillai:  That I think is very true. So even if you look at the first few on our list, we've got Akin Gump, it's a large law firm, and then we've got the Alabama State Bar Quality of Life and Health Wellness Committee. We have the Aramark Legal Department and then Armstrong Teasdale below them. And then we have the Brooklyn Defender Services and several law schools, the North Dakota State's Association. So just this really wide cross section of organizations that are not only participating but are collaborating with us to get the word out and encourage their members to participate.  Bree Buchanan:  That is really exciting. Tara, one of the things we like to talk with our guests about too is, if you could just tell us what has driven your passion for wellbeing and law? How did you get to working in this space?  Tara Antonipillai:  Well, I was a lawyer. I was a tax lawyer at a large firm in Washington DC. I did mostly nonprofit tax work and I have a lifelong interest in yoga and meditation. So when I stopped practicing law, I found my way, coincidentally back into law firms. My old firm, Arnold & Porter asked me to come back to teach some stress management programs and I just became super interested in it. I never really thinking that it would be a second career for me. Ultimately, I went back to graduate school and to coaching school at Brown and to graduate school at Penn in applied psychology.  So I became really interested in how we could help people and focus on maybe some small changes. My husband was a partner in a law firm and he runs a company now. So I think I really understand that people are very busy and don't always have a lot of extra bandwidth. So in my research and in my work, I really am focused a lot on behavioral economics, behavioral changes, ways that people can harness and use the time that they have and not necessarily trying to find a lot of extra time towards promoting wellbeing. So that's the angle that I come at it from, and really where my passion is, which is that overlap between busy people and wellbeing.  Chris Newbold:  Good. So any last words of advice or counsel? Obviously we want to invite as many listeners and their respective organizations or as individuals to become an active participant in Well-Being Week in Law. I would say probably the easiest thing for folks to do if they're interested, and again, you can do this all the way up until the day before, or you can actually do it during the week of that, I would guess, Tara, advise folks to go to the Well-Being in Law or lawyerwellbeing.net website. So the IWIL website, is that the easiest way to start their journey?  Tara Antonipillai:  Yeah, for sure. The IWIL website is definitely the way to go. And my final words would just be that there's a path for everyone when it comes to Well-Being Week in Law. You can participate as little or as much as you would. So I encourage people to check it out and maybe just lean in just a little bit, try out one or two things and see how it goes. But I hope that you will join us and participate in the way that works for you. It's really a week, a program, a system that's designed for everyone and to be used in multiple ways. So we hope you will join us.  Chris Newbold:  Yeah. And like I said earlier, I mean, this is an offering that you should feel free to take your own journey. As long as you're doing anything in the space of wellness, you can certainly opt into the structure that we can help provide you and the resources and the communication toolkits that are available. But if you want to do one thing during the week or organize something in your respective law firm around wellbeing, I mean, you have the ability to lean in to the greatest extent or the least extent that you want to. We're just here to obviously support you and anything that you want to do to advance the cause of Well-Being Week in Law. Anything else, Bree, that you would mention?  Bree Buchanan:  I think that's it. I think it's time to get out and go take a walk or something from Well-Being.  Chris Newbold:  I do want to give a special shout out to sponsors, upcoming Well-Being Week in Law. One of them has obviously already been mentioned Canyon Ranch. And we're going to be, I think, raffling off a three night all-inclusive pathway experience at Canyon Ranch. And then two other supporting sponsors that I want to give a special shout out to. And that would be Virgin Pulse. And obviously they're doing work in the wellbeing space. And then the good folks over at Unmind who are also providing resources to folks interested in advancing wellness in their particular organizations.  Bree Buchanan:  And we have this a daily sponsor Guide and Thrive as well.  Chris Newbold:  That's right. That's right. Excellent. Well, Tara, thanks for joining us. Again, a very heartfelt thank you for the work that you are investing. Tara is a volunteer with the Institute for Well-Being in Law. She has stepped in as... Anne has taken a little bit of a breather. Tara has stepped up and done so in just a really thoughtful, big time way. And we're really proud of you, Tara, and everything that you've done to advance this particular week, and we're really excited about what lies ahead.  Tara Antonipillai:  Awesome. Thanks for having me. I can't wait.  Bree Buchanan:  Thanks, Tara.  Chris Newbold:  Excellent. Thanks.   

Today, Hunter spoke with Sharone Mitchell Jr., Chief Public Defender in Cook County about a few extremely timely topics: Guns and Bail Reform.   Born and raised in Chicago, Sharone understands the needs of his community and you can easily see how his experience helps to inform the way he pushes for and speaks about reform in Cook County. At the center of those pushes are tackling the issue of gun violence in the city without feeding America's addiction to mass incarceration. Hunter really enjoyed the nuanced conversation about the ways in which gun violence and possession can be addressed without further harming poor Black and Hispanic communities in the city.   Lastly, Hunter and Sharone took a deep dive on the newest massive criminal justice reform legislation in Illinois, the Pre Trial Fairness Act, what it does, how it helps, and how people are already blaming it for everything before the Act even goes into effect.   Guests: Sharone Mitchell Jr., Chief Public Defender, Cook County   Key Topics and Takeaways: From Growing up in Chicago to Being the Chief Defender [5:30] What People Misunderstand About Those in the Legal System [9:00] Why Sharone Wanted to Be a Public Defender [11:00] Differences and Similarities Between Cook County Public Defense and the Rest of the State [16:05] The Nuance of the Gun Control Debate [24:00] The Realities of Gun Restrictions in Cook County [29:00] Why it is So Difficult to Fight the Status Quo on Gun Possession [38:00] The Details of the Illinois Pre-Trial Fairness Act [46:50] Resources:    NYSRPA v Bruen   BRIEF OF THE BLACK ATTORNEYS OF LEGAL AID, THE BRONX DEFENDERS, BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES   6th Amendment Center Report on Illinois   Sharone's Piece in the Nation on the impact of Gun Laws   Sharone on First Person podcast   Recent Op-ed pieceby two Cook County Assistant Public Defenders   Recent Block Club Chicago storyon some of the issues   Recent Injustice Watch storyon even more issues with gun possession charges   Here is a basic overview of the Pretrial Fairness Act. The state is ending money bond on Jan. 1, but there are other important reforms. Follow the Cook County PD Office on Twitter    Follow Sharone on Twitter    Contact Hunter Parnell:   hwparnell@publicdefenseless.com   Instagram   Twitter   www.publicdefenseless.com

Today, Tes talks with Shijuade Kadree. Shijuade is the Director of Diversity for Snap, Inc, the parent company of SnapChat. Prior to joining SnapChat, she was the Chief Advocacy Officer for The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, as well as a legislative counsel for the New York City Council. An alumna of Emory University, Shijuade graduated with a joint degree from the Schools of Law and Public Health. A former defense attorney with Brooklyn Defender Services, Shijuade has significant government relations, policy, strategic planning and stakeholder cultivation and engagement experience. In addition to being the Director of Diversity for Snap, Inc, Shijuade is the Founder of Compass Strategies Consulting, which partners with organizations and community leaders to create effective management practices and powerful strategies for transformation. She has legislative and organizational policy drafting experience, and leadership and executive coaching practice, across multiple interests and sectors, which informs how she tailors her guidance and approach for each client. Shijuade has worked with all levels of government, for-profit and nonprofit sectors, striving to ensure that the work being done is thoughtful, innovative, and inclusive, with an explicitly intersectional lens. She centers her work from a black, queer, feminist perspective, believing that when all of those needs are engaged and addressed, all will benefit from the outcome. A recipient of multiple awards for her work, she is also a sought after speaker, panelist and moderator. Shijuade resides in Atlanta with her wife and children.

  For nearly a decade, Scott Hechinger served as a public defender in Brooklyn, representing people charged with crimes who couldn’t afford an attorney, but also long shared his perspective as a public defender outside of court in a variety of media to shift the narrative and drive systemic change. After years serving as Director of Policy at Brooklyn Defender Services, Scott is now focusing all of his time directing Zealous. Scott co-founded the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund and has designed multiple new media advocacy films and campaigns. Scott speaks widely, guest lectures at law schools and universities, including Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, and NYU, and his work and commentary are regularly featured in a range of outlets. Scott has advised on major criminal justice media projects and campaigns for Global Citizen, Vera Institute of Justice, Brennan Center, Pew Trusts, Represent Justice, and This American Life. Todd Miller has researched and written about border issues for more than 15 years, the last eight as an independent journalist and writer. He resides in Tucson, Arizona, but also has spent many years living and working in Oaxaca, Mexico. His work has appeared in the New York Times, TomDispatch, The Nation, San Francisco Chronicle, In These Times, Guernica, and Al Jazeera English, among other places. Miller has authored four books: Build Bridges, Not Walls: A Journey to a World Without Borders (City Lights, 2021)  Empire of Borders: The Expansion of the U.S. Border Around the World (Verso, 2019),  Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security (City Lights, 2017), and Border Patrol Nation: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Homeland Security (City Lights, 2014). He’s a contributing editor on border and immigration issues for NACLA Report on the Americas and its column “Border Wars”. Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page

Gittel Follman - Social Worker, Mom, Wife, Kagan - Sounds like a superhero? Yup she wears a cape when no one is lookingSeven questions to remarkable people who have each trudged their own unique road toward self discovery and mastery. Today we have Gittel (Kagan) Follman. Gittel is the Associate Director of The Living Room and also Director of social work services for Brooklyn Defender Services. Gittel is wife to Mo and mom to Nash and Leora, but has also has spent a professional lifetime as a true social worker, in the trenches helping people of all flavors and backgrounds have a second chance at life. She is an unsung and often unrecognized superhero for those most in need in the Jewish community and beyond. Look out for Consciously, a Mosaica Press work, on line and in Jewish bookstores.Mosaica's Websitehttps://mosaicapress.com/product/consciously/Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Consciously-Steps-Living-Vibrantly-Creator/dp/1952370094/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2YEA1PWGEJMKL&dchild=1&keywords=menachem+poznanski&qid=1604345602&sprefix=Menachem+poz%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-2Conscious(ly) is a media publishing platform which hopes to build a community of regular people seeking spiritual growth.We welcome your feedback and questions and hope to utilize those questions for future episodes.EmailConsciouslyThePodcast@gmail.comFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/Conscious-ly-102949811230486/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/consciously_62/The Conscious(ly) teamHost: Menachem PoznanskiCo-producer emeritus: Chaim KohnAssistant to the Regional Co-Host: Shmaya HonickmanArtwork: Tani PoznanskiSocial Media: Zoe PoznanskiMusic: Music by Eitan Katz F/t Zusha

From an early age Hemangi knew that she wanted to devote her life to empowering marginalized people.  Growing up in Ohio, Hemangi often felt her minority voice was overlooked and ignored. Hoping to assist others who shared her minority experiences, she majored in pre- law at the University of Toledo with the intent of becoming a civil rights attorney.  While at Toledo, Pai worked closely with professors to create Law and Social Thought, an interdisciplinary program centered on the relationship between law, morality and power.  Based on her studies, she became interested in criminal law. Following her undergraduate studies, Hemangi attended Northeastern Law School focusing her attention on race and criminal law.  After graduating from law school, Hemangi worked as a Staff Attorney at the Committee for Public Counsel Services, Public Defender Division, in Springfield, Massachusetts.  She took a holistic approach to lawyering by building relationships with her clients based on trust and support that went beyond the courtroom.  Hemangi worked closely with key players in the criminal justice system, including probation officers, community organizations and even judges, to find alternative resolutions to incarceration. In 2007, Hemangi moved to New York to pursue her academic interests and attended the New School for Social Research, focusing her studies on race and crime.  Shortly after, Hemangi realized her purpose was advocacy and she was better suited for the courtroom. She returned to practicing law in 2009 when she began working as an Agency Attorney for the Administration for Children's Services.  In 2011, Hemangi returned to criminal defense and began working at Brooklyn Defender Services.  She is currently a Senior Trial Attorney in the Homicide/Serious Crimes Unit. Prior to her work in this unit, Pai worked as a Senior Trial Attorney on the Brooklyn Adolescent Representation Team at BDS, where she exclusively represented youth, ages 14-24, charged with serious felonies. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. Hemangi is a proud member of the Kingsboro Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church where she serves on the AY Committee. She is also a member of Spartan Sundays and Spartan Sundays running club. With the help of her Spartan family, Hemangi has completed 13 spartan races, a tough mudder, dozens of NYRR races and 2 NYC marathons! She and husband Sean Thomas live in Brooklyn with their amazing 5 year old daughter, Sonali. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bemoretoday/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bemoretoday/support

Producer/Host: Steve Wessler -The Nabka led to Palestinians being expelled or fleeing from safety from Palestine. Many are still refugees. -Some Jewish settlers in the West Bank engage in serious harassment of Palestinians. -There are ongoing efforts in the USA to silence the voices of Palestinians. Guests: Diala Shamas, staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, where she works on challenging government and law enforcement abuses perpetrated under the guise of national security, both in the U.S. and abroad. She regularly advises human rights advocates as they come under attack by state and private actors. Prior to joining the Center for Constitutional Rights, Diala was a Clinical Supervising Attorney and Lecturer in Law at Stanford Law School, and a Senior Staff Attorney supervising the CLEAR (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility) project at CUNY School of Law. She’s a Palestinian native of Jerusalem. View a video of her work documenting harassment and violence toward Palestinians in the West Bank here Tarek Ismail, Associate Professor of Law at the City University of New York School of Law where he co-directs the Family Law Practice Clinic and is counsel to the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CLEAR) project. His clinical work and scholarship focuses on the surveillance, profiling, punishment, and separation of families. Prior to joining the faculty at CUNY Law, Tarek was a Senior Staff Attorney at the CLEAR Project, staff attorney in the Family Defense Practice at the Brooklyn Defender Services, and a Fellow at Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute. About the host: Steve Wessler will soon will be starting his 28th year of working on human right issues. He founded the Civil Rights Unit in the Maine Attorney’s Office in 1992 and led the Unit for 7 years. In 1999 he left the formal practice of law and founded the Center for the Prevention of Hate. The Center worked in Maine and across the USA. He and his colleagues worked to reduce bias and harassment in schools, in communities, in health care organization through workshops and conflict resolution. The Center closed in 2011 and Steve began a consulting on human rights issues. For the next 5 years much of his work was in Europe, developing and implementing training curricular for police, working in communities to reduce the risk of hate crimes, conflict resolution between police and youth. He has worked in over 20 countries. In late 2016 he began to work more in Maine, with a focus on reducing anti-immigrant bias. He continues to work in schools to reduce bias and harassment. Wessler teaches courses on human rights issues at the College of the Atlantic, the University of Maine at Augusta and at the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in northern Virginia.

After a lengthy debate about how to return to play, NHL summer training camps have kicked off! Carolyn is sick to her stomach, Merrin is infuriated by the Avengers, Tyler Seguin's perfect (or not) and Roman Polak is no longer with us. How will the Stars fare to close out 2020? We don't know! All we can do is focus on personal growth.  If you'd like to donate to any of the charities mentioned on today's episode, they can be found at the following links: Brooklyn Defender Services: bit.ly/hotonrikers The Okra Project: www.theokraproject.com Local Food Banks can be found best by googling "food bank" and your zip code National Bail Out: www.nationalbailout.org Texas Civil Rights Project: www.txcivilrights.org

Today, we discuss immigration raids. We're joined by Dr William D. Lopez, from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and Dr Nicole L. Novak, from the University of Iowa College of Public Health. Among other topics, we discuss new research published by the Immigration Initiative at Harvard, 'An Unnatural Disaster: The Impact of Immigration Raids on Latino Communities'. This is available to download in English and Spanish on our website. We also hear from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)and Brooklyn Defender Services, Know Your Rights Campaign. In this series, we bring you fresh knowledge and insight from the team at the Immigration Initiative at Harvard, led by our Director, Professor Roberto G. Gonzales, and featuring voices from the field. Join us as we get to know our neighbors through their stories. This podcast is hosted by Dr Jennifer Allsopp and produced by Xiren Wang and Dr Jennifer Allsopp.

What are our rights when it comes to protesting? How do we protest safely and effectively during a pandemic? We answer these questions and more this week with help from activists L.A. Kauffman and Charlene Carruthers. L.A. is a veteran grassroots organizer with over 35 years of experience in political activism, and has written two books on the topic including her most recent, How to Read a Protest: The Art of Organizing and Resistance. Charlene was a founding national director of the Black Youth Project 100, and is now a part of the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL). She is also the author of Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements. We also speak with Maryanne Kaishian, Senior Staff Attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services, about knowing our rights, and how to protect yourself legally in case of arrest.Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scott Hechinger is a public defender, advocate and activist in Brooklyn, NY. He graced us with his inside knowledge of our broken and corrupt criminal justice system. We talk about the perils of getting trapped in the system, rehumanizing "criminals", racist fear mongering, Bloomberg's horrendous record as Mayor, stop and frisk, bail reform, restorative justice, prison abolition and much more. Enjoy! Subscribe on iTunes: goo.gl/Ytp3nx -For more on bail reform check out www.justicenotfear.org - Sign up to Court Watch and hold prosecutors accountable at: courtwatchnyc.org - Visit www.bds.org for more about Brooklyn Defender Services work in and outside of court, representing low income people in criminal, civil, family, housing and immigration matters. Follow Scott on twitter @ScottHech Follow Sean on twitter and IG @SeanVeryApe Follow Very Ape on twitter and IG @VeryApeTV Recorded 2/12/20 Brooklyn, NY veryape.tv

In this episode, I have an energetic dialogue with Shijuade Kadree, Chief Advocacy Officer for The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center). An alumna of Emory University, Shijuade graduated with a joint degree from the Schools of Law and Public Health. A former defense attorney with Brooklyn Defender Services, Shijuade has significant government relations, policy, strategic planning, and stakeholder cultivation and engagement experience. Early in the episode, you will be taken by Shijuade's story of how she turned curiosity about disparities she saw into discovery and discovery into a rich and varied career path serving communities in need.Shijuade talks in great detail about how race is a powerful lens through which to examine many disparities in our world- not least those within the LGBTQA+ community. Most revelatory was her retelling of the moment she realized the painful irony that leadership at the highest echelons of the LGBTQA+ advocacy space often failed to reflect the diversity of the people who powered the movement. Within this same vein, Shijuade excavates the duality of significance and impact of the Marriage Equality Act, which on one hand marked a hugely positive shift in our nation’s recognition of the LGBTQA+ community's right to marry- and on the other hand, was driven by a largely homogenous power structure.Shijuade struck a nerve when she enumerated the impacts of the tacit invisibility black women experience in the workplace. We then get into seeming perpetual power of divisive rhetoric and how we can help move the public from cynicism to apathy, and from apathy to action. We also get a sobering lesson about the tragic after-effects of the black community’s miseducation about trans women and how many trans women of color are dying at the hands of black male partners. Shijuade talks about the work she's doing now to help heal with dialogue, education, and relationship building.Shijuade helps us gain a vital understanding of the distinctions between sexual identity and gender identity and how the synergies they share also surface some tensions within the LGBTQA space; especially when members of the trans community are seen as a part of a monolith- their needs going unrecognized and unmet. She ends with an assertion that we need to reconceptualize our notions of what it means to be a nonprofit professional. Shijuade firmly believes that a career in this broad field is often a selection into a life of struggle- but this setting can change once non-profits at all levels embrace a philosophy of abundance.This episode is sure to leave you feeling challenged, incredibly well informed, and invigorated! Many thanks to Shijuade Kadree for joining me on the podcast!Please check out Shijuade's consulting firm- Comp Strat Consulting Comp Strat Consultinghttps://compstratconsulting.comhello@compstratconsulting.comBook recommendations: The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Tableby Minda Harts

Gittel Follman shares some of her experiences as a single girl in the big city, her journey and work as a social worker, self care, and family life. Gittel Follman is the wife of Moe Follman and the mother of two wonderful children, Nash and Leora. Gittel is the Director of Social Work at Brooklyn Defender Services, where she has worked for the past 20 years. She also serves as the Associate Director of The Living Room NY, since 2003.Intro Music: Hey Zhankoye https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-0JGDM7pAIOutro Music: A Meidl In Di Yorenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwsKOf3ofZ4Questions/comments & sponsorship:extrasaucepodcast@gmail.comThe Facebooks:https://www.facebook.com/extrasaucepodcast/

You hear a knock at the door. They demand that you open up. When you ask who it is, they say it’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

If you’re not following Scott Hechinger on Twitter, you’re missing something important. A public defender and the director of policy at Brooklyn Defender Services, Hechinger is a fantastic explainer and participant-witness at the frontlines of the justice system. In May 2018, he joined our series on prosecutors, outlining how prosecutor power is exerted at key … Continue reading Prosecutor Power: Scott Hechinger on the Urgency of Reform →

Max Rose’s victory over incumbent Dan Donavan means NYC no longer has a Republican in the House of Representatives. To talk about the win and her Times article titled “What Max Rose can Teach Democrats about Beating Republicans,” Ginia Bellafante phones in. Then, Lisa Schreibersdorf, executive director of Brooklyn Defender Services, talks about criminal justice reform, the possibility of closing Rikers Island, and how to hold Democrats accountable to the promises they made during the Midterms.  

To close out season one, we invited two legal experts, Christina Swarns, President and Attorney-in-Charge of the Office of the Appellate Defender in New York and Scott Hechinger, Senior Staff Attorney & Dir. of Policy at the Brooklyn Defender Services, to look at what it would mean for the United States to provide financial reparations for individuals who have spent most of their lives behind bars. Moderated by 70 Million’s creator and executive producer, Juleyka Lantigua-Williams, the discussion considers current and plausible pathways to bring reparations, restitution, and other types of restorative justice to the formerly incarcerated.    

As part of our series on prosecutor power, Scott Hechinger of Brooklyn Defender Services offers a view from the other side of the adversarial process, discussing prosecutors’ impact at key decision-points in his clients’ cases and weighing the prospects for reform in a time of increasing scrutiny of prosecutorial discretion. (Episode chosen as ‘Best of … Continue reading Prosecutor Power #2: A Public Defender on the Urgency of Reform →

Scott Hechinger is a public defender in Brooklyn, NY. He graced The Space Team with his inside knowledge of a broken and corrupt criminal justice system. He tells us what it is like to be a marginalized person accused of a crime in this country. We also talk about cannabis legalization, ICE, prison abolition and much more. Enjoy! Subscribe on iTunes: goo.gl/Ytp3nx - For more info of the power of prosecutors and voting in DA elections this year, see this project that Brooklyn defender services created with ACLU: ACLU.org/prosecutors   - Sign up to Court Watch and hold prosecutors accountable at: courtwatchnyc.org - Visit bds.org for more about Brooklyn Defender Services work in and outside of court, representing low income people in criminal, civil, family, housing and immigration matters. Follow Scott on twitter @ScottHech Follow Sean on twitter and IG @SeanVeryApe Follow Very Ape on twitter and IG @VeryApeTV Recorded 4/27/18 Brooklyn, NY veryape.tv

Brooklyn Defender Services provides legal representation to those unable to afford an attorney. The Family Defense Practice, part of BDS, founded and directed by Lauren Shapiro, works to keep the family together and children out of foster care.