1.) How are you connected to this movement?  

I initially got connected through my boyfriend who was housed on Rikers Island. And since visiting, I did meet a lot of other people that like myself had to deal with the horrors of visiting, and also the horrors of having to watch our loved ones be treated terribly. So combined with that I decided to try to find ways to help and be part of a movement to have a better system. And that is how I initially got connected to Freedom Agenda. And once I did get connected, it became not only about the people I knew, but everyone within the community and anyone who has crossed paths with incarcerated individuals - just coming together and being a supportive pillar for them. 

2.) Why should Rikers close?  

Rikers should close because this is a huge humanitarian crisis. And this is just one step of us, as a community, saying that we need the justice system to change. We need communities to change. We need our future to change, and also ways to help with the past as well. Just having Rikers closed down would be a huge relief for everyone, both past who had to go through this and the future of our community, knowing that this will be something that we don't ever have to deal with again, and knowing that we don't have the space to constantly just incarcerate anyone that the officers see fit. We’ll have no choice but to use that money in the communities and find other ways to help the community before it comes down to incarceration. 

3.) What is your vision for a more just and equitable post-Rikers New York City?  

My vision would really be getting to people from the roots and not having things go so far. We'd be able to help the youth who feel like they have parents who are struggling, or anyone who needs help. We’ll be able to provide jobs. We’ll have counseling, especially for men and women who come from backgrounds where they feel like counseling is not normal or they're just forced to silence their pain. We’d have room in the community for growth, to develop people so they do see a way out from their circumstances. For the children, even for the adults who’ve had to grow up with Rikers and with how we had society before, just helping them heal and being pillars of strength for them. So really just starting in the community and putting forth something positive, so that we can all move past this and start toward a better future.