Central New York Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union - NYCLU

04/18/2026

Friends of the NYCLU,

Many of us are sick of the delays by local and state officials in taking bold action to protect the rights and the health of all residents. Here are two links provided by the New York State Civil Liberties Union to help enable our demands to be heard:

Sign this petition to tell elected officials to force Syracuse to follow the law and tackle the lead water crisis:
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/demand-syracuse-finally-address-its-lead-water-crisis

Governor Hochul is attempting to enact several unpopular and destructive policies through the secretive and undemocratic budget process. These items would weaken our historic Climate and Community Protection Act, fail to protect New Yorkers against the unlawful actions of ICE, threaten protest rights, and stall universal childcare. Learn more and tell the governor to stop legislating in our budget:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXO5tK8DxOk/?igsh=NXk3cnFqcjRiaHM1

We encourage you to take action today and share these links with your networks!

04/08/2026

https://www.wrvo.org/wrvo-presents-a-live-taping-of-the-big-dig-podcast

WRVO welcomes WGBH-Boston’s Ian Coss, host of the Peabody Award-winning podcast "The Big Dig," for a panel discussion about Syracuse’s own attempts to solve the infrastructure puzzle and undo the harms of the past.

Coss will be joined on stage by local advocates and policymakers to discuss the historic effort to remove I-81 and the ongoing questions around the project’s future:

Joe Driscoll, Interstate 81 Project Director

Marie Therese Dominguez, New York State DOT Commissioner

Lanessa Owens-Chaplin, NYCLU Racial Justice Center Director

Join WRVO at the MOST on April 8 for a special evening with host Ian Coss. We’ll explore Syracuse’s historic effort to remove the viaduct and undo the harms of the past.

03/25/2026

Allowing greenhouse gases to remain at levels higher than the law intended will directly harm communities on the front lines of climate change. And while the Governor’s has not proposed watering down the parts of the CLPCA that directly address environmental racism, any re-opening of the law to negotiation with the legislature puts these protections at risk.

Read more here:

Mar 25, 2026 Commentary New York Passed a Historic Climate Justice Bill. Now Hochul Wants to Water it Down The Climate Leadership and Community Protection law impacts much more than your electricity bill. Environmental Justice Mike Groll / Office of Governor Kathy Hochul Share: By: Lanessa Owens-Cha...

03/19/2026

Join us March 28th nationwide for !! ❌👑

HOST a protest: bit.ly/nokingshost

FIND a protest: bit.ly/nokings328

Download the NO KINGS stencil: bit.ly/328stencil

03/17/2026

On March 28th, the New York Civil Liberties Union will join Indivisible and CNY Solidarity for the No Kings national day of action to protest against the Trump‘s administration’s fascist attacks on democracy, immigrant families, and free speech. Together, we will show that the power of the people is stronger than the people in power.

Join us to make your voice heard. No kings. No thrones.

RSVP here:  https://secure.ngpvan.com/pYTZrUJL2kqXsnr0r1aQQA2

03/17/2026

When ICE agents tear apart our communities, we take to the streets.

When the Trump administration tries to silence dissent, we just get louder.

Join us for No Kings in NYC on 3/28:
https://www.nyclu.org/event/no-kings-nyc

03/10/2026

Friends of the NYCLU,

We are excited to announce the next community meeting in Syracuse around lead. Lead is dangerous neurotoxin. In children, it can lead to developmental delays, hearing loss, behavioral issues, and, in severe cases, seizures or comas. In adults, long-term exposure can cause heart disease and cancer.

In Syracuse, over 25 percent of households have extremely high levels of lead in their water. In Onondaga county, Black children are almost six times as likely as white children to have elevated levels of lead in their blood. We need urgent action to ensure safe drinking water for ALL residents.

Join us on March 24th to learn what we are doing about it and how you can contribute. RSVP here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/y99roNIwV0qhOAoTUC3EeA2

02/05/2026

Friends of the NYCLU,

We shattered a glass ceiling with the historic election of Syracuse’s first Black Mayor. This year's theme at NYS Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus, "Legacy Forward: Transforming Tomorrow Together," feels very fitting for this moment.

As the work carries on, we must continue to advocate for safe drinking water in Syracuse. If you’ll already be in Albany for The New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus, The NYCLU will be hosting a workshop on Friday 13th, At the Hilton, Conference Room: Governor C at 4:00pm. Come learn about the statewide push to pass a bill that will not only help Syracuse’s lead water crises- but the entire state of NY.

You will learn firsthand accounts of how cities across New York State like Syracuse serve as a stark warning of the impacts of lead in drinking water. With more than 14,000 homes served by lead service lines, deep racial disparities in exposure exist. With an average of 600 children being poisoned each year, and Black children are 12 times more likely to be poisoned by lead due to years of regulatory failure.

The panel will feature a parent impacted by lead poisoning, Oceanna Fair, Families for Lead Freedom Now, Staff Associate, Nicholas Loh, Earthjustice, Director of Clean Water, Rob Hayes from Environmental Advocates NY, and Director of the Racial Justice Center, Lanessa Owens-Chaplin from New York Civil Liberties Union, hosted by Assemblymember Pamela J. Hunter. We’ll focus on the statewide framework needed to ensure full lead service line replacement—covering equity-driven prioritization, renter protections, funding, and accountability under the Lead Pipe Replacement Act (A.7878/S.6892).

The panel will use those lessons to examine how New York can adopt a uniform, enforceable statewide approach that prevents similar crises elsewhere.

Hope to see you there, and please feel free to share with coalition partners and staff.

01/24/2026

01/21/2026

Friends of the NYCLU,

For more than 2 years, advocates have been sounding the alarm about dangerous levels of lead in the city's drinking water. City officials continuously dismissed clear evidence and now the Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed what residents have known: there is a serious lead water problem and Syracuse is ignoring it. This is a public health crisis and we must demand action.

On February 4th, 2026, at the Salt City Market Community Room at 5:30pm, NYCLU will hold a community meeting with Families for Lead Freedom to discuss the lead crisis, and what we are doing about it.

RSVP today: https://secure.ngpvan.com/UIKmOeHFX0uCVHcS37K78g2?contactdata=%7B%7BContactData%7D%7D&emci=7b7069b7-ddef-f011-8194-000d3a11f903&emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&ceid=%7B%7BContactsEmailID%7D%7D

Take it one step further and join us to canvass our communities and spread the word.

To sign up for canvassing, please RSVP below.
https://secure.ngpvan.com/6RQzC9pLpEakQQ9kGOJTBQ2?contactdata={{ContactData}}&emci=7b7069b7-ddef-f011-8194-000d3a11f903&emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&ceid={{ContactsEmailID}}

First time canvassing? We will be holding a prep meeting before canvassing TODAY (January 20th) at 4:30 pm. Teams link here: You're invited to Canvass Prep Meeting
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
4:30 pm - 5:20 pm (EST)
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MjcxMDBiNDQtYjk4Ny00MTkwLWEyOWQtNmIyMmU3OTAwZjJm%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22735676e9-2494-4a0f-bf31-4bdea1e91986%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%224d17f4ef-654d-4018-ac77-7d76a37629a9%22%7d
Tap on the link or paste it in a browser to join.

01/20/2026