CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance

For the past 75 years, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) has been a guide for international leaders in their pursuit of human rights and dignity. While many acknowledge the role of our national leaders to support the protection of our human rights, we also think this obligation lies with our state and local elected officials. These local elected officials are the closest to the people they represent and advocate for, meaning they uniquely understand the distinct needs within their communities. In turn, state and local governments are positioned to have a profound impact on the day-to-day lives of their constituents. For #HumanRightsDay, we’re highlighting a few examples where state and local governments rethought systems, forged partnerships, and developed solutions to alleviate barriers to the protection of human rights. Read the blog from Alisa Orlowsky on our site: https://bit.ly/3VvGtde

A reminder that on Tuesday, December 10th at 10am Vital City and Columbia University - Graduate School of Journalism will be hosting a virtual forum to talk about the interplay between prosecutors who investigate public officials and reporters in search of headlines. Jelani Cobb, Ph.D. will open the event, Errol Louis will moderate, and our panel will include: Rose Gill, William K. Rashbaum, Mimi Rocah, and Greg B Smith. You can register at the link here: https://lnkd.in/efzAseeR

Are you a business owner in NYC? We need your voice! We’re conducting a survey to gather experiences and insights on what it’s like doing business or attempting to do business with the City of New York, its prime contractors/vendors, and private sector entities. This survey is part of our partnership with NYC Department of Small Business Services, which aims to understand the experience of doing business with the City, how any barriers present themselves, and how they might be overcome. The survey is open to all business owners and decision-makers and is expected to take roughly 10 minutes of your time. Get more info and complete the quick survey: https://bit.ly/4eGScxf

We want to understand the challenges that survivors of gender-based violence with criminal legal contact face in accessing NYC services. With a better understanding, we aim to make recommendations to government and service providers that’ll improve this community’s access to critical services. To accomplish this, we’re interviewing survivors about the challenges they’ve faced accessing services around the city. If you or someone you know meets the interview criteria, please reach out to get connected to our Gender-Based Violence Project. Get all the details here: https://bit.ly/3YABU2a

ICYMI: The latest edition of Institute Intelligence is now up! And we've pivoted from quarterly to monthly - with so much happening across our projects, it only seemed right to keep you better up-to-date on our work making public institutions, state and local governments, and nonprofits work more effectively, efficiently, and in the interest of all communities. This month's snapshot includes a recap of the first-ever #SJC Research Symposium and a debut of our work supporting survivors of gender-based violence. Dig in & sign up to get it in your inbox: https://bit.ly/4g5pZQS

Survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) who’ve also had contact with the criminal legal system: we want to interview you and hear about your experience accessing a range of services – from housing needs to job training – in New York City. If you or someone you know meets the interview criteria, please reach out to get connected to our Gender-Based Violence Project. We’re interviewing survivors to better understand their needs and to provide recommendations for improved practices to government agencies and service providers, so your voice is crucial. Express interest and learn more: https://bit.ly/3YABU2a

We're #hiring for our next Policy Analyst! This is a great opportunity for an early career professional looking to gain hands-on experience supporting a range of programs. This Policy Analyst will help support a portfolio of programs building safety, justice, and equity. We will be accepting applications for this position through the end of the day on Wednesday, December 4th. See our Careers page to learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/3LI4CWK

Your voice has the power to create transformative change. If you’re a survivor of gender-based violence (GBV) who’s also had contact with the criminal legal system, your voice matters. The Gender-Based Violence Project at CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance is seeking individuals willing to share their experiences accessing services in New York City. The goal? To uncover the barriers survivors face and deliver actionable recommendations to government agencies and service providers. Your experience could be the key to driving real, systemic change. Want to learn more? Link is in the comments ⤵ . Together, we can create a system that genuinely supports survivors. P.S. Sharing this could help us reach someone whose voice needs to be heard.

Last week, our 16 Community-Based Restorative Justice grantees - nonprofits of all sizes from across the five boroughs - met at our office. They discussed ideas, roadblocks, and potential solutions to making their restorative justice programming, training, and fellowship ideas into reality. The grantees voiced interest in learning more about data collection, risk management, sustainability, and more; ISLG staff will use these insights to inform tailored training and technical assistance (TTA) offerings in the coming months. These organizations will also have the chance to engage in one-on-one trainings designed for each grantee, as well as peer learning groups, where organizations can learn from each other. We're excited and ready to support the work of these innovative organizations! Read more about them here: https://bit.ly/3YXCqYf DREAM DARE TO REVITALIZE EDUCATION THRU ARTS & MEDIATION INC Getting Out and Staying Out Center for Justice Innovation Make the Road New York Violence Intervention Program We Build The Block Common Justice Erika Sasson Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility Restorative Justice Initiative (NYC) Change Impact Kingsbridge Heights Community Center Radical Health NYC Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice

How often do we hear about survivors of gender-based violence struggling to access the support they deserve? Too often. I’m proud to be working with ISLG on this powerful initiative to better understand the needs of GBV survivors, especially those who’ve also navigated the criminal legal system. By amplifying their voices, we’re aiming to improve how services are delivered and ensure no one is left behind. If this resonates with you—or you know someone who may want to share their experiences—I’d love to connect. Let’s work together to make a real impact!