RSVP: Sign-up for 'Yetta Kurland 2009 & 504 Democratic Club - Envisioning Accessibility'

Ability is something that can and does effect all of us; whether we are currently disabled, whether we have loved ones with disabilities, or whether we will or have faced disability at some point in our lives. How do we work to create inclusion of people with disabilities in the political and social fabric of society and what can we do to envision an accessible community?

Yetta Kurland, candidate for City Council in the 3rd District, and her supporters along with the 504 Democratic Club and their members welcome all interested to take part in this Change is Coming event in conjunction with the Obama Biden transition team - Envisioning Accessibility. Come join us as we work together to find innovative solutions and create a broad based coalition of community support for change and inclusiveness. December 19th from 6pm to 9pm at the LGBT Community Center, located on 13th Street between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue.

Time: Friday, December 19 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Host: Yetta Kurland 2009 & 504 Democratic Club

Location: LGBT Community Center (New York, NY)
208 W. 13th Street
between 7th & 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10011

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Last month I had the unforgettable privilege of being in the presence of Odetta when she performed the song Glory, Glory Hallelujah in a small club in the village in what was perhaps one of her last performances.

It was, to be honest, initially just an obligatory stop of many on my evening's itinerary and something I hadn't expected to be moved by. The quintessential New Yorker in a New York moment. But New York is one of those incredible places where you can find yourself suddenly humbled, face to face with greatness without intending it, and Odetta, in every sense, is the embodiment of greatness.

Sitting quietly in her wheelchair, she was in fact, larger than life. Odetta listened patiently to the parade of people singing her praises and thanking her for her contributions to humanity. Then it was Odetta's turn to sing. Quietly, almost humming and then crescendoing, Odetta sang "glory, glory hallelujah, since I lay my burden down." Before beginning this song she acknowledged the profound meaning of Barack Obama having just been elected two days before.

Sitting a little way away from her I could see, hear and feel the incredible strength, beauty and history in this woman dubbed the "Queen of American Folk Music" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I knew that I was watching history.

Born on New Year's Eve in 1930 in Birmingham, Alabama, raised in California and ultimately making her way to New York City, Odetta was known as "the voice of the Civil Rights Movement" and one of those magical souls that the village is blessed with having as part of its history. A great influence in the 60s, 70s and beyond, Odetta will be missed but not forgotten.

I share here with you a clip of her singing "glory, glory" and hope that her burden has been lifted as she journeys to her next home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLfE7p75g2g

In love and deep appreciation,

Yetta

09 Hopefuls Sue CFB (Updated)

December 2, 2008

Three City Council contenders whose 2009 bids were potentially complicated exponentially by the extension of term limits have filed a lawsuit against the Campaign Finance Board, arguing that its advisory opinion to address the change is unfair to non-incumbents.

In the suit, the candidates - Yetta Kurland, Jo Anne Simon and Mel Gagarin - argue that the CFB's plan to essentially hit the re-set button on spending by candidates who had been seeking citywide office but decide instead to run for re-election runs counter to the goal of the public financing system, which is to create as level a playing field as possible for all participants.

The three were also joined in filing the suit by Dan Jacoby, a 26th CD resident, registered Democrat and Daily Gotham blogger who argues he will be "denied the right to vote in a fair election" under the auspices of the CFB's expenditure rules.

"In essence, the CFB's advisory opinion ignores the large amounts of spending that sitting elected officials have spent on their 2009 campaigns, while forcing challengers to abide by the Programs restrictive expenditure limits," the suit, filed this morning in state Supreme Court in New York County, reads.

"This special exception is custom-tailored for incumbents; it is not available to a non-incumbent who under the same fact pattern initially runs for higher office and then decides to run for City Council. There were fairer approaches the CFB could have taken...Instead, the CFB seeks to hand certain incumbents a big advantage over their challengers. In doing so, it is violating the letter and the spirit of the law it is required to administer."

Kurland, who is a candidate in the 3rd CD (currently represented by Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who abandoned her potential bid for the mayor's office not long after Mayor Bloomberg announced his intention to change the limit from two four-year terms to three in order to seek re-election next fall, said the group is "hoping to get the court to tell the CFB to go back to the drawing board and come back with a better solution."

"We understand that it's an unfortunate situation, and we can anticipate that the CFB didn't anticipate it," Kurland said of the term limits extention that got us into this mess in the first place. "But what they came up with doesn't do the job of leveling the playing field and, quite honestly, is more hurting than helpful in some ways."

Simon is a candidate in the 33rd CD, which is currently represented by Councilman David Yassky, who took a lot of heat for his "yes-yes" vote on term limits and so far appears to be sticking with his plan to run for comptroller in 2009.

Gagarin is a candidate in the 29th CD seat now held by Councilwoman Melinda Katz, who also voted "yes" on term limits and is also moving ahead with her comptroller run.

UPDATE: CFB Executive Director Amy Loprest sent over a comment, which appears after the jump.
Continue reading '09 Hopefuls Sue CFB (Updated).

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As most of you know, yesterday the City Council voted to extend term limits without voter approval, and in direct conflict with two prior votes of New Yorkers. In a dark moment for this City, the Council ignored recent polls showing that 89% of New Yorkers wanted to decide this by referendum.

This certainly sends a chilling message to all of us about what the future could hold if we do not stand up to those intent on putting self interest before democracy.

No elected official is indispensable. Rather, it is the process of democracy that is indispensable.

While I am greatly disheartened by this decision, I believe, especially at historic moments like this, we have the choice to rise above.

I have spent my adult life empowering those around me, and standing up for our right to express ourselves and to be ourselves.

I believe in this City and I believe in democracy. I ask for each of you to make sure we do not forget this, ignore this, or try to just live with this

I have been running a campaign for City Council for the last six months and I intend to continue. I will not be dissuaded by the Mayor’s efforts to tell us that our votes don’t count.

I hope you will join me and look forward to the opportunity to restore the voice of the people to our local government.

Yetta

I ask you to do the following before October 23rd;

1) go to www.itsourdecision.org and sign the petition
2) call your council member and tell them "it's our decision"
3) send this public service message to as many people as you know.

As reported in the New York Times:

“There is no reason to cut the public out of the decision on something as important to our democratic process as the decision to extend term limits."

“The bill [proposed by Mayor Bloomberg]doesn’t create choices, it extinguishes them.”

The issue here is not whether we support or oppose term limits, not whether we support or oppose the Mayor running for a third term. It is not even about what is legally allowable. It is about what is right.

I have respectfully listened to the arguments, and I still don't understand the reasons for doing something so drastic as ignoring two referendums which make clear New Yorkers want term limits.

The Mayor has said that he merely wants to give the people of New York a choice. But what choice are you giving when you knock out qualified and competent opponents who simply cannot compete with $80 million and an incumbent billionaire when there are only 11 months left in the race? This doesn't create choices, it extinguishes them.

The Mayor's Counsel in his testimony today in support of proposition 845a sited concern for candidates who, he claimed, would be inconvenienced by the long time they would have to wait if a referendum was to occur in early Spring. Well on behalf of the many many candidates, a caucus of which are coming together this Saturday, let me say that we don't mind and we are much more concerned about the threat to democracy this poses to say nothing of being unable to run or being forced to run against incumbents who have been able to raise millions and spend thousands beyond what the campaign finance board allows.

It is also said that because of the financial turmoil going on it is important for Mayor Bloomberg to be a consistent force in our leadership through these trying times. Well, Mayor Bloomberg, even with term limits, is in office until January 2010... rather than wasting time with an aggressive $80 million re-election campaign, why not spend the time left in his second term doing whatever he feels he is so uniquely qualified to do for this City, and if it is so compelling let him make his case to voters.

We have time to listen to the voters and we have an obligation to listen to the voters.

New York, New York. September 11, 2008, Yetta Kurland announced today plans to create The Healing Project, a community based effort to provide services for first responders and bring awareness to the fact that many are still dealing with health problems as a result of their work during the September 11th attacks.

Chelsea Now photos by Jefferson Siegel

Attendees of the rally hold signs at the Saturday afternoon event.

Chelsea team of rivals rallies to save Ninth Avenue shops

By Chris Lombardi

Storeowner Brian Reid stood in the Ninth Ave. bike lane near 17th St. on Saturday and blinked into the noonday sun. His voice was full of passion as he cried, “Don’t take away my American dream!”

Reid was speaking at a rally called to help save his store, Chelsea Liquors, and the adjacent shops lining that block just north of the Maritime Hotel. The stores—including a Chinese takeout, a barbershop and a candy store—now face possible eviction after a massive property purchase threatens to force them out.

I believe that promoting the humane treatment of animals is a priority for the New York City Council for many reasons.

One reason is, on a procedural level, New York City Council is the governmental body responsible for enacting local laws. The Council is the sole legislative body for the City of New York and has full power over the municipal budget. Its committees are charged with a variety of aspects of local governance that address the lives of New Yorkers and include areas such as General Welfare, Health, and Public Safety.

Good afternoon, my name is Yetta Kurland. I am an activist and a civil rights attorney.

I want to first thank the New York City Alliance against Sexual Assault for organizing this wonderful event. I also want to thank all of you for being here to share your stories and words of support to the many who have experienced sexual violence in New York City.

Today, I would like to talk to you about at an issue that often does not get the attention it deserves, even by those of us committed to addressing bias violence and sexual harassment. I would like to talk to you about street harassment.