Press Room

"Midwin Charles was a brilliant legal mind, and a vital voice in our national conversation on so many critical issues. She was committed to standing up against injustice and on behalf of people and communities being wronged. It was a privilege to have been able to speak with and at times work alongside her. A first generation American, a true New Yorker and Brooklynite, she used her success to advance and uplift her community, whether in her regular appearance on news programs, through her work with the Haitian Roundtable and the Caribbean diaspora, her speaking with local schools, her dedication to supporting women in entertainment, or her creation of opportunities for fellow lawyers to connect with and learn from each other.

"As a practicing attorney, an analyst, a writer, educator, speaker, she brought expertise and empathy to systems and struggles across the country. In court, she fought for and advanced the cause of justice, and on our screens she connected millions of Americans to that fight. Her tragic, sudden passing is heartbreaking, and I offer my prayers for peace, comfort, and condolence to her family and all who knew her best."

"For a recovery that is just and equitable, one that both meets the moment and moves us forward, we need a Renewed Deal for New York. It seems that when the role of this Governor who has long obstructed progress on key issues is diminished, the deal we can get is strong, progressive, and while imperfect, represents a vital victory for New Yorkers.

"In a process driven by community advocates in partnership with bold legislators, Albany has delivered a budget that centers New Yorkers most harmed by the pandemic while raising revenue from the people who have profited throughout it. The excluded workers fund, the first of its kind in the nation, will help to alleviate the pain felt by New Yorkers barred from aid for the last year. Rent relief and homeowner aid will help to keep thousands of New Yorkers in their homes after a year of uncertainty. Grants and credits for small businesses will help to rebuild the backbone of our economy. And after years of defensiveness and delay, the state will fully fund Foundation Aid, a long overdue investment in our schools and students.

"Finally, after years of organizing and advocacy by a statewide coalition of working New Yorkers, new tax rates and tax brackets will raise crucial revenue from the wealthiest multimillionaires and billionaires in New York - a matter of civic responsibility to do what we can, with what we have, where we are. While there are more measures in the Invest in Our New York platform that we must continue to fight for, fairness fees that should be assessed, this is vital to creating a just recovery and just economy - we just needed political courage. 

"This is a recovery budget, but the recovery from this pandemic, and the underlying crises that predated it, will take years. This budget cannot be a one-time document. It must be the start of  a governing principle- one that is committed to addressing injustices and inequities, that recognizes the way forward is not austerity but investment, that embodies the courage and competence we need to renew New York. One that I will continue to fight for."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams called for expanded access to mental health services for underserved communities, particularly communities of more color, at today's City Council hearing of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction. He highlighted the mental health toll of the ongoing pandemic compounded with the collective trauma of racial injustices like the killing of George Floyd. Given these factors and longstanding inequities, he argued that a commitment in the coming budget to funding services that address rather than perpetuate trauma, together with building new infrastructure like respite centers, is needed as part of a Renewed Deal for New York.

"While the NYPD's budget will be slightly increasing, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's budget is going in the wrong direction. Mental health cannot be just seen again as a simple policing issue. It's not a simple issue at all. But we know we can't fix it by decreasing the agencies that are mandated to try to provide the services needed," said Public Advocate Williams. "Early last month, my Office released a report titled A Renewed Deal for New York City that highlights some solutions that the administration should explore. The upcoming budget should ensure $7 million for two new Respite Centers and $20 million for four new Support and Connection Centers. The latest federal stimulus should help fund this small ask."

The Public Advocate also discussed the stigma around mental health in the Black community, including his own experience, saying, "I am not okay. Those words resonated with a lot of folks last year when I first said them. They understood that what was happening then was too much. In communities of more color, many people still feel that way...These feelings are real, and there needs to be space for us to talk about how we are feeling when overwhelmed." He continues, "When I said those four words last year, I meant them. The raw emotion exists in communities of more color. At the same time, there can be a stigma when discussing how to manage those emotions. Asking for help too often can be seen as weakness. We need to make sure that there is courage and strength to ask a person for help."

Read the full statement from the Public Advocate for today's hearing below.

TESTIMONY OF PUBLIC ADVOCATE JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS TO THE COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH, DISABILITIES, AND ADDICTION - OVERSIGHT HEARING

APRIL 6, 2021

Good morning,

Thank you, Chair Louis. As was mentioned, my name is Jumaane D. Williams, and I am the Public Advocate for the City of New York. I again want to thank Chair Louis for holding this very important hearing today and for giving me the opportunity to speak. We know that mental health affects us all. I want to make sure I make that clear. I want to also lift up Deputy Inspector Denis Mullaney, who took his life yesterday, showing that this mental health is very real, across all lines. And I pray for his family, his friends. Even with that being true, it is right to hold a hearing on the impacts in the Black and Brown people of color community.

We've seen, from infection to injection, how much more these communities are affected, and that includes mental health, and that includes sometimes trying to self-medicate to deal with the pain. I have been very open about my own mental health and the services I've received and therapy for at least the past 5 years and the impact that that's had on me in being able to finally have a long, strong, healthy relationship. And I can't imagine trying to go through the times that we're going through now without having access to those services. And I'm saddened for those who do not.

I am not okay. Those words resonated with a lot of folks last year when I first said them. They understood that what was happening then was too much. In communities of more color, many people still feel that way. It is too much when a family member or friend passes away from a virus, again and again. It is too much when people watch videos of death. These feelings are real, and there needs to be space for us to talk about how we are feeling when overwhelmed. I have still have not looked at the video of George Floyd. I can only take a few minutes at a time on CNN when they speak of what's happening in the courtroom.

When I said those four words last year, I meant them. The raw emotion exists in communities of more color. At the same time, there can be a stigma when discussing how to manage those emotions. Asking for help too often can be seen as weakness. We need to make sure that there is courage and strength to ask a person for help. People do not need to suffer. When you are not okay, we need to make sure someone is there to help. And as the Chair mentioned, even unfortunately if you have gotten the coverage and strength to reach out, you sadly may not have the resources to access the help that's needed.

That is why upcoming budget negotiations are important, and why I keep pointing out we have to send a better message of how we're trying to keep people safe and healthy. While the NYPD's budget will be slightly increasing, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's budget is going in the wrong direction. Mental health cannot be just seen again as a simple policing issue. It's not a simple issue at all. But we know we can't fix it by decreasing the agencies that are mandated to try to provide the services needed. We do not simply just need more money for NYPD. We need more money for all of these agencies. We need actual investment for communities of more color that is designed to address, not perpetuate, trauma.

Frankly, communities of more color have struggled with mental health at disproportionate rates. For example, nationally, Black individuals are 20 percent more likely than others to experience serious mental health problems, according to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.

The pandemic has only amplified mental health issues. A New York State Health Foundation report found that 42 percent of Latinx and 39 percent of Black New Yorkers reported anxiety or depressive symptoms in October 2020. Clearly, it is difficult for people of more color to deal with the constant threat of the virus, lack of stable job opportunities, rising costs, and so many other concerns.

We should also be mindful of the number of mental health facilities that the Chair mentioned in proximity to communities of more color. There are hundreds of mental health facilities across the City with the most found in Manhattan. Notably, there are some neighborhoods in the City, such as in southeast Queens or northeast Bronx, without a nearby mental health facility at all. That highlights the challenge of accessibility to mental health facilities for so many in New York City.

This is the right opportunity to propose solutions. Early last month, my Office released a report titled A Renewed Deal for New York City that highlights some solutions that the administration should explore. The upcoming budget should ensure $7 million for two new Respite Centers and $20 million for four new Support and Connection Centers. The latest federal stimulus should help fund this small ask.

Finally, we cannot forget about the young people who are also struggling during the pandemic. The budget needs to account for more counselors and mental health staff in schools; not simply again additional funding for NYPD. Universal mental health screening is also needed, especially for students affected by the pandemic. We need to lift up our youth who have been historically marginalized, and the budget should reflect that. I appreciate today's hearing as mental health can still act as a stigma for far too many in communities of more color, communities who need their assistance the most. Genuine investment is needed to make sure we can reduce the stigma and offer help to people of more color who need it. I thank the Chair for allowing me to speak, I look forward to today's testimony. And as we redefine what public safety is, what public health is, I hope our dollars show it, where our priorities are. Thank you.

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams called on the state government today to make its COVID-19 websites, including those used for booking vaccination appointments, accessible for visually impaired individuals. The websites have not been optimized for use with screen readers, which provide visually impaired individuals with technological access. Roughly 3.5 million New Yorkers over the age of 40 live with visual impairments.

In a letter to State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, the Public Advocate said that 81 of the 94 state webpages offering information and providers of the vaccine feature technological barriers, and that "New registration sites suffer from low-contrast coloring, supplemental electronic forms that must be filled out, and minimal text options such as having to find a vaccination site on a map versus textually listed locations... The lack of vision accessibility creates the potential for significant disparities in our efforts to vaccinate the population."

He also noted the legal obligation to be accessible under the ADA, and called for the state to begin "working in tandem with disability advocates to redesign websites to ensure their compatibility with screen reader software, adding higher contrast coloring, and offering text only lists of vaccine information and providers as opposed to maps that are incompatible with screen reader technology."

The Public Advocate introduced city legislation in 2020 aimed at expanding, updating and enforcing digital accessibility for New York City agencies, and has previously highlighted additional technological barriers with vaccination websites.

The full letter to the Commissioner is below, and can be downloaded here.

Dear Commissioner Zucker:

I write to you today concerning the lack of accessibility that people with vision impairment are experiencing with websites containing information and resources regarding the COVID-19 vaccination. Websites intended for booking COVID-19 vaccination appointments are not optimized for use with commonly used screen readers that give technological access to those with vision impairments. New registration sites suffer from low-contrast coloring, supplemental electronic forms that must be filled out, and minimal text options such as having to find a vaccination site on a map versus textually listed locations. Recent surveys found technological barriers on 81 of the 94 state websites offering information and providers of the vaccine.

About 3.5 million New Yorkers over the age of 40 live with visual impairments. The lack of vision accessibility creates the potential for significant disparities in our efforts to vaccinate the population. It is critical we make all efforts to adhere to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or we run the risk of leaving vision-impaired New Yorkers behind in the fight against this pandemic.

All New York City and State websites offering resources on the COVID-19 vaccine must adhere to the Americans With Disabilities Act by establishing accessibility to those with visual impairments. This can be achieved by working in tandem with disability advocates to redesign websites to ensure their compatibility with screen reader software, adding higher contrast coloring, and offering text only lists of vaccine information and providers as opposed to maps that are incompatible with screen reader technology.

I look forward to receiving a timely response from your agency. For further discussion, please contact First Deputy Public Advocate Nick E. Smith at nsmith@advocate.nyc.gov and Deputy Public Advocate for Justice, Health Equity & Safety Rama Issa-Ibrahim at rissa-ibrahim@advocate.nyc.gov. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jumaane D. Williams

Public Advocate for the City of New York

"Chag Kasher V'Sameach, a happy and Kosher holiday, to all in the Jewish community  celebrating as Passover begins tomorrow evening.

"As we are set to begin the second commemoration of Passover since the onset of the pandemic, I want to remind everyone that the danger has not passed. The public health crisis that has gripped our city and the globe is not over. I urge all to celebrate safely, in our homes and with our immediate families. I know that however each person honors this holy time in their home, it will be deeply meaningful.

"In celebrating Passover, in observing sacred traditions, we hear a story of the Israelites coming through a prolonged period of suffering, hardship, and deep pain. I know that these feelings resonate today, over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and I know too that we will come through it. That in the spirit of Passover,  any obstacle can be overcome - with hope and resolve in equal measure. United and committed to one another even while apart, we await the miracle of redemption - ever progressing, moving forward, pursuing deliverance from our bonds and our trauma.

"I wish a peaceful, reflective, and safe Passover to all, and look to a future when we can once again gather in celebration next year. Chag Sameach."

"This deal is the result of not months, but years of work by legislators, and years more by advocates. Now, it appears that we may finally overcome the well-documented reluctance of the Governor and the disingenuous opposition from people and industries who benefit from the criminalization of communities of more color. As we await the final bill language, the legalization agreement as described reflects a commitment to addressing and undoing that harm by investing revenue from the new industry into the communities disproportionately impacted by decades of disparate policing, and expunging the records of those whose lives were ruined by a marijuana-related conviction.

"With the final budget deadline looming, this is not a time to relax or back down. We must continue to push to ensure that when the final passage is complete, and as the law is implemented, marijuana legalization means true marijuana justice."