May 2023

Young People Lead the Way

Late last month, Osborne’s Youth Action Council (YAC) - young people ages 15 to 19 who have been affected by parental incarceration - hosted its annual Advocacy Day.

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Young advocates prepare for a day of meetings.

Late last month, Osborne’s Youth Action Council (YAC) - young people ages 15 to 19 who have been affected by parental incarceration - hosted its annual Advocacy Day. Seven young advocates traveled to Albany to meet with New York State Senators and Assemblymembers to urge them to pass the Protect In-Person Visiting bill (A6488/S3318). I was thrilled to join them, alongside other Osborne staff and members and youth from ally organizations.

Rafiq is a YAC member who was introduced to the program through Osborne’s Family Ties, which aims to support and maintain the mother-child bond during incarceration. Rafiq and his twin sister stayed connected with their mother who was incarcerated at Albion Correctional Facility thanks to Osborne’s free video visiting service. At a meeting with Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Rafiq expressed the meaningful impact of being able to see his mother in-person at Albion after “feeling separated” for two and a half years. “I was so relieved to see my mother laugh and smile … Televisiting is not the same as seeing my mother in-person,” he said.

Assemblymember David Weprin, Assembly sponsor of the Protect In-Person Visiting bill, invited the group to the New York State Assembly Chamber, where they were greeted with a resounding round of applause for their tireless commitment.

The young people later had an insightful conversation with Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs – the first formerly incarcerated person to be elected to the New York State legislature. Jamila, a YAC member making her second trip to Albany, asked AM Gibbs, “Why do you wake up every day to do what you do?” He attributed his new purpose as a public servant to his own experience with incarceration in an honest response, saying, “Being in prison helped me reawaken my dormant feelings about life, about my community, and more importantly, about my family. Instead of repeating the same behavior that got me [in prison], I chose to do something better.” Gibbs concluded the conversation by telling the young changemakers that their unique perspectives are valuable in advocating for and representing system-impacted communities.

YAC members meet with Assembly Majority Leader Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes.

As a result of the YAC’s efforts, eleven additional members of the New York State Assembly have committed their support for the Protect In-Person Visiting bill. More than 105,000 children whose parents are incarcerated in New York and hundreds of thousands of family members are counting on the immediate passage of this bill to protect the critical lifeline to their loved ones.

On the bus trip home, a few members reflected on a productive day rallying support for their bill. “It was so fulfilling. I think it was more than what we actually expected it to be,” said Jamila. Jaiden, making his first trip to Albany, took inspiration from the meeting with Assemblymember Gibbs. “It was a really great story about people coming up from their trauma and upbringing,” he said. Genesis, a long-time YAC member who will attend college upstate this fall, half-jokingly remarked, “If this bill doesn’t get passed, we’re coming right back.”

You can join us tomorrow at YAC’s rally in support of the Protect In-Person Visiting bill, just ahead of Mother’s Day. Learn more here.

Plenary Presentation & Award

Osborne’s New York Initiative for Children of Incarcerated Parents (NYCIP) was invited to provide the plenary panel at last month’s National Children of Incarcerated Parents Conference at Arizona State University’s Center for Child Well-Being. NYCIP Director Allison Hollihan was joined by Anyé Young and DeRonte Craig, young adults who are accomplished public speakers who have experienced parental incarceration, for a session entitled “Sharing Personal Stories with Purpose and Intention.” The plenary is just the beginning of a youth-led effort to develop guiding principles for engaging young people to share their experience, wisdom, and recommendations related to parental incarceration, to be released during SUSU month this October.

In other news from the conference, Tanya Krupat, Osborne’s Vice President of Policy & Advocacy, was recognized as one of two “Champions for Child Well-Being” for her lifelong work advocating for children of incarcerated parents. The award celebrates individuals who “have demonstrated dedication and commitment to ensuring that children are living in safe, supportive, and nurturing communities.” We congratulate Tanya for receiving this honor.

News & Events

Next Avenue, an online venture of Twin Cities PBS focused on older adults, spoke to Osborne’s Laura Roan, Program Director, Newburgh, for a story about starting over after prison. It shares how Osborne’s “approach to elder reentry ... starts while the person is still behind bars.” Laura has led Osborne’s Elder Reentry Initiative team since its creation in 2015. Read the story.

Osborne’s West Harlem Community Restoration and Reentry Project (WHCRRP) has been hosting a series of spring workshops in our Harlem offices. Open to the public, they are focused on topics such as restorative justice, financial literacy, and job readiness. Contact us to learn more. Thanks to the Tayshana Chicken Murphy Foundation for supporting this series.

Save the Date: Osborne’s Annual Benefit will be held Tuesday, October 24th at 583 Park Avenue, with cocktails at 6 pm followed by a 7 pm program. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning TV host Cat Greenleaf, the event will celebrate leaders in criminal justice reform. Learn more on our website.

Join us in our work to build a justice system that promotes healing, safety, accountability, and real opportunities to thrive.

Archana Jayaram
President & CEO

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