Q3 2023 Newsletter

As the Summer season comes to an official end with the summer solstice and the turning leaves begin to welcome the Fall season, we would like to take some time to reflect on our work and update all of our supporters. 

Breakfast Fundraiser:

We kicked off our summer with our first Breakfast Fundraiser. A Good Call Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, french toast and an informative conversation about Early Legal Intervention. On May 31st, we hosted a crowd of 100+ attendees, composed of long standing Good Call supporters, as well countless new faces eager to support. During a fireside chat, CEO Jelani Anglin and Tiffany Thompson discussed the importance of Early Legal Intervention and how access to early counsel leads to stronger outcomes for the person being arrested. The Breakfast Fundraiser also featured some notable guest speakers including Good Call Hotline Attorney, Porsha-Sha’Fon Venable, Guisela Marroquin, of the New York City Women’s Foundation and Keynote Speaker, Manhattan Deputy Borough President, Keisha Sutton James. Thanks to everyone’s support, we were able to raise more than $15,000 and develop key connections with other organizations around NYC. 

The event could not have been made possible without the support of Company Ventures and their Senior Manager of Social Impact Portfolio, Mia Manatan who generously provided the amazing space for us and our guests. We would like to give a special thanks to Lyft for sponsoring rides to our event, and New York Women’s Foundation for the unwavering support. 

Check out some of the highlight photos below! 

Youth Empowerment Panel Discussion:

Since its inception in 2017, Good Call's Youth Justice Program has prioritized and maintained its focus on teaching our youth the importance of social justice, civic engagement, and community organizing. This season's cohort and past alumni worked to bring community organizers and New York City Legislators together under one roof for a unique networking event. The youth-led event included a panel discussion centered around the importance of community organizing and staying civically engaged but also the difficulties many organizations are plagued by scarce funding to make their initiatives reality. The panel was moderated by Isaiah Fenichel and consisted of community organizers from New York City with diverse beliefs and organizing tactics. The Keynote speaker, Assemblywoman Latrice Walker gave an unforgettable speech to our guests, calling all of us to action to stay involved in our communities’ future and progress. 

The insightful discussions, engaging questions, and valuable insights shared by the panelists demonstrated a true commitment to empowering and nurturing the potential of our youth. Their contributions enriched the conversation and provided our attendees with a broader perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing young individuals today. Their willingness to share your experiences and expertise undoubtedly left a lasting impact on those who were present. We believe that events like these are essential in fostering a supportive and collaborative community dedicated to empowering our youth. 

Outreach Initiatives 

One of our main priorities is to reach communities that are underrepresented in the criminal justice system. Good Call did just that during NYC Pride Month. From The Bronx to Staten Island, we were able to table in all five boroughs for Pride month, engaging more than 7,000 English and Spanish speakers. 

The LGBTQ+ community is vulnerable to the unfairness of criminal justice system. In 2019, gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals were 2.25 times as likely to be arrested in the past twelve months than heterosexual individuals. Lesbian and bisexual women are 4 times as likely to be arrested than heterosexual women, with an arrest rate of 3,860 per 100,000 compared to 860 per 100,000, while gay and bisexual men are 1.35 times as likely to be arrested than heterosexual men, with an arrest rate of 3,210 arrested per 100,000 vs 2,380 per 100,000. 

As we continue to spread awareness about the hotline, it is important that we reach the most vulnerable communities; the ones that are over policed and yet assailable. Community events like the parades  allow us to reach communities that are ignored and underrepresented when it comes to discussions about the criminal justice system. The outreach team continued our outreach initiative this summer across 21 neighborhoods at 27 different events since the beginning of July. These efforts connected 7,475 New York City residents with our hotline. We tabled at events like Castle Hill Houses Family Day in The Bronx, Youth Resource & Opportunities Fair in Brooklyn, The New York Assembly Speaker Annual BBQ at Haffen Park in The Bronx and many more. 

Good Call in the Media

Good Call was featured on Brooklyn News 12! Check out our CEO Jelani Anglin, along with our Director of Legal, Jason Clark and current Good Call ambassador, Aramis Guzman as they discussed our humble beginnings and how we help the community at large:

https://bronx.news12.com/good-call-hotline-connects-new-york-residents-to-lawyers-for-free  

New Profit:

Congratulations to our CEO Jelani Anglin and Executive Director  Kim Belizaire for joining the New Profit 2023 Unlocked Futures Cohort. 

Unlocked Futures launched in 2017 as a partnership between New Profit and John Legend’s FREEAMERICA with founding support from Bank of America, as part of the latter’s broader focus on removing barriers to success for vulnerable populations. The first cohort showed powerful progress, particularly in spreading the message of hope and humanity about returning citizens. 

Check out the Press Release Here: