But for the arbitrary nature of birth and circumstance, any of us could be living in poverty, dependent upon assistance to put food on the table, to take our children to the doctor, and to pull ourselves out of debt. The lack of empathy, the pure callousness on display in this bill, is infuriating.

I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did w/ ICE. This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined. It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.

I understand that the perception of safety doesn't always match the reality, but I sure haven't heard many people talk about the across-the-board decline in crime the past year. It's almost as if some folks prefer the narrative of a big scary city in decline... www.timesunion.com/news/article...

-A living wage -Guaranteed healthcare -The right to join a union -The right to vote -The right to choose when, how, and with whom you start a family -The right for you and your family to live free from gun violence These are the foundations of real freedom.

During a tough week, it's amazing to see these @shelterforce.bsky.social photos from the National Day of Action on Housing 🎉 shelterforce.org/2025/05/22/p...

Looking through my drafts folder, it’s clear there is so much opportunity to create the housing and cities we want. It’s also clear to me, this week in particular, how steep the hill in front of us is. neighboring.substack.com/p/listen-thi...

An estimated 1.2 million residents could see their health coverage slashed and New York’s economy could take an $11 billion hit if a federal spending measure wending through Congress advances, according to projections released this week by New York health officials.

Ash-Lee Henderson: What you can do right now is you can text NOCUTS to 70303...[spread the word] like lives depend on it because they absolutely do. @workingfamilies.org @ashdashlee.bsky.social

Tonight:

"If your household makes over $1 million, you'll get a $90,000 tax break. If you're in the bottom 20% of income-earners, you'll get $90 and have your healthcare and food assistance cut."

About half of Habitat’s newest neighbors over the past 10 years are immigrant families & we are so lucky to have them in our community. Protect immigrant families — pass #NY4All & #DignityNotDetention!

Last week, Newark's mayor was arrested while visiting an ICE facility. Trump is silencing those who hold him accountable. At the same time, Congress is trying to pass a bill that increases ICE's capacity by $175 billion. Hear what we can do to stop it: wfpus.org/fromnewark

doodle. write poems you never show anyone. make banana bread. take pictures of birds. grow a plant. the goal isn’t to build job skills or “become a creative” it’s to just fool around and experience yourself and the world around you

Signed up and really looking forward to this conversation about social housing.

So grateful for the Jane Jacobs Walk Albany. Another beautiful walk with people who love our city and are curious about how to make it even better. Links, photos & such at janejacobswalkalbany.substack.com/p/thank-you-...

A rainy, delightful #JaneJacobsWalk was had today in downtown Albany! We talked about I-787, Albany’s oldest Dutch building, the “parking lot district”, the Empire State Plaza & more. New friends! Old friends! Merriment all around. #JaneJacobsWalkAlbany #JanesWalk

Try volunteering once a month (or once a quarter) at a library, Habitat for Humanity, or a local soup kitchen. You deserve to feel good. Good about yourself, and good about the world around you. What other advice would you give someone trying to fight isolation?

The weather outlook is uncertain, but we’ll still be at Stacks Espresso at 1pm for the Jane Jacobs Walk in downtown Albany! Deets here: janejacobswalkalbany.substack.com/p/weather-up...

Amazing impact from a fairly simple change to the zoning ordinance to allow for more density!

Joined 1k+ folk in Albany rallying to protect unions, public schools, affordable housing, immigrant and worker rights! #MayDayStrong #MayDay2025 #workingfamiliesparty @workingfamilies.org @nywfp.bsky.social

Reading @jennitaur.bsky.social Jenny Odell and fighting back against nostalgia: neighboring.substack.com/p/imagine-th...

My org has hosted dozen of AmeriCorps & we have two alumni on staff. Our last NCCC team joined us in March 2020 & were soon demobilized due to Covid-19. AmeriCorps is a vital program representing the highest virtues of service & community.

Immigrant rights are workers’ rights. And workers’ rights are immigrant rights. Let’s stand together.
Let’s fight together.
Let’s win together. ¡Sí se puede!

May 1 is a day of action. We're coming together in Albany to demand justice, equity, and dignity for all workers. Let's build a future where our families thrive over fortunes. ✊🏾✊🏼✊🏿✊🏻 ALBANY MAY DAY RALLY Thu 5/1 at 5pm by Albany Med: www.mobilize.us/mayday/event... #MayDay2025 #MayDayStrong

Windy but beautiful evening for a spring cleanup in the neighborhood!

I spent time yesterday with @momsdemand.bsky.social & @marchforourlives.bsky.social to advocate for commonsense gun safety laws in NY. What an honor to watch high schoolers in action to prevent gun violence and making such passionate and eloquent cases to our lawmakers.

I'm looking forward to tonight's book talk with @liztheoharis.kairoscenter.org: "This book offers not only a powerful examination of the past, but a roadmap for how we ignite a new era of movement-building and democratic awakening." www.eventbrite.com/e/albany-ny-...

One week away from our 2025 Jane Jacobs Walk in downtown Albany, NY! Join us Sun 5/4 for a community-led walking conversation. #janejacobswalkalbany #janejacobswalk #janeswalk #albanyny janejacobswalkalbany.substack.com/p/one-week-a...

CBO research just found that Trump's tax cuts would LOWER incomes by $4,400 per person by 2055. Meanwhile, the richest 10% get a trillion-dollar payday. This is literally not how you fix an economy.

Happy Peak Magnolia Earth Week to all who celebrate.

Join us for a Jane Jacobs Walk in downtown Albany! 🗓️ Sunday 5/4 🕐 1 - 2:30pm 📍 Stacks Espresso, 433 Broadway We’ll meet at Stacks & then head out together for a community-led walking conversation 💜 janejacobswalkalbany.substack.com/p/jane-jacob... #janejacobswalk #janeswalk #janejacobswalkalbany

LINKS: 🔴 May Day events: maydaystrong.org 🚨 Kilmar Abrego Garcia petition: wearecasa.org/updates/dema... 📢 Recess actions: indivisible.org/muskorus ☎️ Recess phonebanks: www.mobilize.us/wfpower/even... ✊ Medicaid Union: communitychangeaction.org/medicaidunion

I'm on this call and dropping links on behalf of WFP in the YouTube chat tonight. Come find me and learn what's next! Text HANDSOFF to 70303 to stay in the loop.

I was on a call today about Habitat for Humanity's work to improve housing in refugee camps in Jordan, to secure land access for families in Malawi & implement sanitation projects in Ugandan informal settlements. A nice reminder of the good work that neighbors are doing around the globe 💙

Housing justice for Albany-area renters 👏🏻

Republicans have started the process to cut Medicaid, SNAP, and education to fund tax breaks for the rich. But they still have to write the bill. That means we have time to make this an impossible vote for them to take. It's time to tell everyone you know about this tax scam.

On the small, sweet community gatherings I crave: “Give me the humble grassroots meeting of five people sharing a casserole or tray of oatmeal cookies. There’s nothing better.” neighboring.substack.com/p/small-comm...

remindderrrrrrr you have a few days left to get your no one likes a billionaire sticker and support the building of a third party for the people

"Hope is hard, hope is cringe, hope leaves you open for critique from somebody cooler and more jaded. It’s easier to proclaim that none of this will amount to anything, that we aren’t made of sufficiently dictator-toppling stuff."

Listen, I have had "embarrassingly sincere" in my bio for 10+ years, I could not agree more. Love stuff. Show you love it.

"But it turns out families talk about more at the kitchen table than the price of groceries. They talk about what kind of state, and what kind of nation, they want to live in." www.thebulwark.com/p/wakeup-cal...

And for developers of affordable homes - like Habitat for Humanity - this cost increase spells disaster, because they can't (& wouldn't!) pass that cost onto the buyer. At my Habitat affiliate, we're subsidizing ~$150k to close the gap between the cost to build and an affordable purchase price.

Outstanding. That's how you run a ground game and connect with actual voters on issues that matter to them. 👏👏👏

What happened in Wisconsin is an example of what is most feared: That in a true democracy regular people have more power than a billionaire, that all the money in the world doesn’t change one person one vote.

My highly satisfying finished embroidery stitch sampler book, made as part of a Creativebug.com daily practice. Small joys 🪡

Amazing energy, incredible impact in a close race. Feels good to DO SOMETHING, you know?

We had 125 people on our WI @workingfamilies.org phone bank last night: “I’m so glad to see us working together. This is what democracy looks like!” “Thank you WFP - training was excellent. Support was excellent. So good to support democracy this way!”