THE SHUT DOWN IS OVER - BUT NOT THE HEALTHCARE CRISIS - WE'RE TAKING THE FIGHT TO RG&E - NEW: BOOK OF THE WEEK

Here are Metro Justice news and events for the week of 11/14/25

THE SHUT DOWN IS OVER - BUT NOT THE HEALTHCARE CRISIS

For government employees, food pantries, and all of the people who have been trying to figure out how to eat and pay rent, the end of the government shutdown this week means light at the end of the tunnel. But not for legislators who had taken this desperate tactic to try to stop the huge healthcare cuts in Trump's Big Bill. Those cuts not only make life much harder for people who rely on Medicaid and ACA reimbursements to afford health care. There will be a domino effect on safety net hospitals and practices, some of which will close, and people will lose insurance coverage, ramping up costs for those that remain. This will affect everyone in our failing, for-profit insurance system.

The New York legislature is trying to figure out how to close a $13 billion gap in healthcare - the biggest ever, as Trump would say. As it happens, studies of the New York Health Act have shown that by cutting administrative costs, negotiating down drug and device prices, and covering all necessary provider costs - but not outsized insurance profits, a statewide single payer would save $11-14 billion. So perhaps the one bright spot in our sky is that the federally induced chaos of our "status quo" may finally look, even to previously hesitant swing district legislators, like more of a gamble than taking a bold step in a new direction. Lt. Governor Anthony Delgado led a Town Hall yesterday explaining the New York Health Act and why he himself now fully supports the legislation. As he put it, "This is a time to lead - and to take care of ourselves."

The biggest barrier to passage of this bill, which would cover comprehensive health care for every NY resident at a cost based on income, is that most people have not heard of it. That is changing now, and we in Rochester can do our part, with fliers, town halls, letters to the editor, and on social media, to get the word out more and more. We have started fliering and social media campaigns, and are in the process of setting up visits with all of our local legislators, asking Republicans to cosponsor the bill and Democrats (who already support it) to do even more to convince their colleagues and get word out to constituents. Send an email to Alice if you can help with this work!     

WE'RE TAKING THE FIGHT TO RG&E

It's time to ACT! The stakes are high - RG&E's proposed rate hike would increase costs more than $600/year per household, and  put 50,000 more RG&E customers in energy poverty, in the City with the 3rd highest energy burden in the Country. And with the Energy Assistance (HEAP) funds being delayed and reduced, thousands in our community will face crisis, especially as RG&E already surpassed their record 2024 shut off numbers as of August of 2025.

RSVP here for the action on Dec 6 

Metro Justice is joining with other local organizations - including United Christian Leadership Ministry, DSA, FTP, City-Wide Tenant Union, VOCAL, Being Black in the Burbs, Federation of Social Workers, and RocACTS - to Call for No Rate Hikes, No Shut offs, and Public Power now! on Saturday Dec 6 at noon at the RG&E office they’re proposing to close. Bring along bills or stories (with personal info redacted), or send them to [email protected], to use in the action!

NEW: BOOK OF THE WEEK

For years, Metro Justice has kept a lending library of paper books in its offices. Now we are adding an online library of books, podcasts and other media centered on political education for organizing. We need a volunteer to curate this library and arrange book discussions! If you are interested, or if you have a favorite resource to share, please contact Alice. In the meantime, we will be sharing a an interesting book, site or podcast every week. For this week:

Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care - Kelly Hayes & Mariame Kaba (book, audiobook) 

Titled from the phrase, “let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair,” this book contains reflections on community organizing with a focus on how to work together in uncertain and frightening times. The authors draw on their own experiences working in social justice movements and discuss ways these lessons can be applied by readers to their own activism.

• Read: Check Library Availability
• Listen: Audiobook free to borrow on Hoopla 
• Keywords: organizing, mental health, community

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Saturday, November 15, 6 pm at the Dryden Theatre, 900 East Avenue, Metro Justice is co-sponsoring a screening of Once Upon a Time in Gaza at the Witness Palestine Film Fest. Join us at Dryden Theater, and Metro Justice will be tabling along with Witness before and after the film!
• Saturday November 15 10-11 am or 11:30-12:30 at 600 Lake Road, Onatario NY, share a walk and Indigenous stories of this land with Trish Corcoran and the Genesee Land Trust (free, registration required)
• Sunday, November 16th 1-4 pm Rochester Grants Pass Resistance is partnering with the Trans Alliance of Greater Rochester for an Outreach Day: training, outreach in teams, debrief
• Monday, November 17th, 11 am at Genesee Co-op FCU, 395 Gregory St.  Climate Solutions press conference about the "100 foot rule," requiring that ratepayers subsidize new gas lines. New analysis from Public Utility Law Project shows the 100-Foot Rule cost gas utility ratepayers across the state about $600 million in 2021 – three times higher than our previous estimate.
• Monday, November 17th 7-9 pm Metro Justice Council meets, on zoom or at the MJ office
• Wednesday, November 19th 5:30-8:30 pm 389 Gregory St Unit A Phone bank to get the word out about opposition to RG&E's rate hikes and shut-offs. There will be pizza! Bring a laptop or tablet, phone and charger (and headphones/headset if wanted)
• Thursday, November 20th 1 pm at Pittsford Library and on zoom, the Elder Justice Committee meets to plan further action toward the goal of quality nursing home care in NY. For more info, [email protected] 
• Thursday, November 20 6-8 pm MLK Park Broad and Chestnut Streets Rochester Trans Day of Remembrance 2025. This year’s TDOR is more than a vigil — it’s a call to stand in love, solidarity, and remembrance.
• Friday, November 21, 6 pm at YogaVibe 585, Village Gate A300, 247 N. Goodman, Dance party to benefit the Rapid Response Network. Enter at the door by Lento and take the elevator to the 3rd floor - signs for Sustainable Wellness. $10-25 come and have some fun!
• Saturday, November 22 at 5 pm, Workers Assembly of Rochester presents a public panel discussion featuring Labor Leaders across multiple industries exploring the impacts of fascist creep in America and how unions should be fighting back. 
• Saturday November 29 11-5 4th Annual Native Made Market at Eisenhart Auditorium at the Rochester Museum and Science Center, 657 East Avenue.
• Tuesday, December 2 is Roc the Day, Rochester's own Giving Tuesday, an on-line opportunity to give tangible thanks to organizations, including Metro Justice, whose work you appreciate and wish to support.
• Saturday, December 6, noon Coalition action at RG&E, 180 S. Clinton, against the rate hikes
• Wednesday, December 10 6-8 Rochester for Energy Democracy (RED) Committee Meeting at Metro Justice, 389 Gregory St.
• Saturday, January 31, 2026 Metro Justice Annual Meeting.
• t's always a good time to check your membership status in our new portal as well! You should be able to log in and see your donation and dues history at the link here. (But please let us know if you have trouble!) 

DESKTOP ACTIONS: 

• Metro Justice supports The New York Immigration Coalition's call for the New York For All Act, ending collusion between local and state agencies and federal immigration enforcement. Please sign the petition at the link!
• Repost/tweet the New York Health posts at the Campaign for New York Health Facebook page every Tuesday and Thursday noon
• After the 231st anniversary of the Canandaigua Treaty this week, Tell Governor Kathy Hochul: no more direct or indirect subsidies to prop up the failing boondoggle that is the STAMP mega industrial site. No more state permits or approvals to a destructive project that violates the Nation’s treaty rights to free use and enjoyment of their homelands.Click here for the statement, or keep scrolling. Then, click here to send Governor Hochul an email. 
• November 20 from 6-8pm: Register for our ATSN Monthly Campaign Call on zoom. We will share campaign updates and ways to take action.  
• November 24 from 6-8pm: Join us in Buffalo and on zoom for our Data Centers and Environmental Justice Teach-in with our friends at the Clean Air Coalition of WNY. 
• Get a "Replace RGE" yard sign! Be the envy of your neighbors!  
• Join Metro Justice or renew your membership - in these dark times we need to stick together, and to plan to support ourselves as much as possible.