MAKE RG&E RATE HIKE UNFEASIBLE - IMMIGRATION DEFENSE - 2026 COUNCIL SLATE

Here are Metro Justice news and events for the week of 12/12/25

CAMPAIGN NEWS

MAKE RG&E RATE HIKE UNFEASIBLE!

Last Saturday's action went well, as beautifully documented in the DSA journal Rochester Red Star. Besides spelling out our top demand on the sidewalk in front of the building, we left a copy of the entire list of demands, including demands of RG&E (abandon hike, stop shutoffs, get less greedy), the Governor (declare a statewide shutoff moratorium this winter) and our city and county legislators (commission the feasibility study we have been asking for), adding a selection of printed ratepayer complaints for good measure. As it happens, during this same week the Hudson Valley Power Authority Campaign released the results of a similar, though smaller feasibility study that they were able to commission with a $100,000 grant. That study showed that buying out Central Hudson, their for-profit utility, would result in a savings of $15.2 million in Year One, including all startup costs, ramping up to $210.5 million by the time the buyout loan is paid of, with a 2.9 billion cumulative savings over 30 years. It is good to see that feasibility studies can be done! Now to get ours done as well.    

UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE

As of today, no bill to renew the federal ACA reimbursements has been passed, and the prospect is dim. More and more, the single payer plan for New York that used to seem like a leap of faith looks like the last remaining hope for New Yorkers to afford to pay for necessary health care. What is needed now is for people to know it exists, and for legislators to know how important this is to us. If you can hang up fliers in your business or neighborhood, We have one in black and white and another in color. You can download them to print at home, or click here to request copies to post! As for legislators, here is (finally!) the correct link for the program to email your legislators about the New York Health Act! We are also setting zoom meetings with legislators in Rochester and Buffalo, starting with Senator Cooney (who needs encouragement), Senator Baskin (a major champion of the bill), and Assembly Members Bronson (whose experience will be helpful), Lunsford (a respected policy wonk) and Peoples-Stokes (the Majority leader - if we can wangle an invitation).

• We are setting up January visits now, and need volunteers: Please click here to get on the list!

ELDER JUSTICE

Next week the EJC will hold a Joint Virtual Meeting of Elder Justice Committee and the Monroe County Contingent of New York State Legislature: We will hear from our Legislators what they have done and will do to see that the NYSDOH provides effective nursing home oversight and enforcement of New York State and Federal laws to ensure that all nursing home residents are provided the care they need and deserve. If you want to give a brief statement for yourself or for a loved one's  poor nursing home care or just to attend the meeting, email us at [email protected] to receive the ZOOM invitation.

IMMIGRATION DEFENSE

The new Sanctuary Committee is collaborating with other immigration defense organizations in Rochester to work toward our Metro Justice goal of facilitating the pro-active interruption of ICE detentions. But the grim reality is that many of these abductions take place from secured offices where legal immigrants are taking part in scheduled meetings required for them to maintain their legal status. Once this happens, part of the followup action must include raising funds to pay for legal assistance and to help the families of abducted breadwinners. This week we feature two such fundraisers, one for Omar Ramos Jimines, family man and co-founder of La Casa restaurant in the South Wedge, and the other for Fang Ye and Bo Xin Chen, a couple who own the Aurora Chinese Restaurant (currently closed due to their abduction) and who have now been sent to separate detention facilities. We need to keep working in every way we can to stop this horrific practice at its source. But in the meantime, let's do what we can to help detainees and their families. 

The third image above relates to a detention by our local law enforcement, but otherwise all too similar. I-V Zorez is a beloved community member who is being detained in a men's jail following a mental health crisis. She has no prior record, has not harmed anyone, and is extremely vulnerable as a trans woman in a men's ward. There will be a peaceful demonstration in her support at the Federal Court building on 100 State Street on Thursday, December 18th at 3:30 PM. We invite everyone able to attend to come support I-V and return her home to her loved ones as soon as possible. Click here to sign up to attend or get more information.

From a post Monday by Larry Knox, a leader in 1199SIEU, “Rochester has always had a long history of Activism. These past few days have showcased our community standing up for itself. They've stood against an Agency terrorizing our neighbors, a company trying to prevent a governmental study to explore if there is a better way to provide energy to our community and those who disagree with the communities will when it comes to Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement. There was a rally on a cold Friday night for Papa Omar who was detained by ICE, a protest the next day outside of RG&E, and today a court hearing about the PAB being able to continue to investigate complaints against the RPD as was voted on by a referendum. "

COUNCIL SLATE FOR 2026

The Metro Justice Council meets once a month, both to make the ongoing decisions that keep our organization on course, and also to discuss the issues that will guide that course. At our Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 31st, Metro Justice members will vote on the slate the Nominations Committee has proposed for the new Council. This year many current members have either reached their term limits or have had to step back due to new obligations in the chaos caused by the subversion and wholesale destruction of the US government and institutions. Here are introductions of members standing for election for 2026: 

President - Luis Torres

Since joining Metro Justice in 2009, Luis has served as President, Vice-President, Chair of the Social Action Committee and Treasurer.  He looks forward to continuing supporting Metro Justice great work through supporting its members. His experience includes being a labor organizer for workers in hospitality, agriculture, and healthcare.  He was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  

Vice President - Maggie Rex

Maggie has been a Metro Justice member for many years, and has in that time served as an intern working on educational equity, housing, and gender justice, as well as a past council member. Maggie is a sociology Professor at MCC, and has also taught at UB and SUNY Geneseo. She is also the Southern Tier Field Coordinator for the Rochester-Genesee Valley Labor Council, focused on rural union organizing and labor-community solidarity. Maggie has previously worked as the Executive Director of Girls Rock! Rochester, and is a long-time GR! Board member. Born, raised, and educated in Rochester, NY, Maggie is deeply rooted in the community and committed to making it a more just place. 

Secretary - Crescenzo Scipione

Crescenzo Scipione is a lifelong Metro Justice member who got started in the antiwar student movement, was active on the MJ Housing Committee, salted for the Fight for $15, and served on the RED Steering committee for several years. He’s held various staff positions with Metro Justice over the years, and previously served 3 terms as Council Secretary. Crescenzo is a proud member of NALC 210.

Treasurer - Colin O’Malley

Colin is an Organizer with Teamsters Local 118. He served for 5 years as the Chief of Staff for the Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation and was the lead organizer at Metro Justice from 2011-2018. In his time at Metro Justice and since he has helped raise nearly $450,000 from unions to support our work. 

At Large:

Jillian Evans 

Jillian Evans is the organizing chair of her Union, the Federation of Social Workers. She has not been a member or part of Metro Justice in the past, but was recommended by her Union President to be on the Metro Justice Council. Jillian is a social worker with Monroe County Department of Human Services, and has worked for Child Protective Services for 19 years. Jillian has a passion for being a voice for people in our community and wants more of an active role with an organization that wants to support and be a voice in our community.

Kinra Johnson 

I’m Kinra Johnson, a dedicated member of Metro Justice committed to building a more equitable and just Rochester for all. I first got involved because I believed in the power of people coming together to fight for real, lasting systemic, change in our city. I’m grateful for the chance to continue to support this work and stand alongside others who want to build a more just Rochester. 

Graham Hughes 

Graham Hughes has been a member of Metro Justice for several years. He is an active, long time member of the Rochester Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, with whom he has worked on eviction defense, tenant organizing, and political education. Graham works for the Climate Solutions Accelerator and loves camping, fishing, playing soccer, and spending time with his cats.

Ashley Messer 

bio not available

Lyn Parsons 

I was a long-time member of the Peace + Justice Education Center during the time they merged with Metro-Act to become Metro-Justice. I cut my teeth in activism and civil disobedience during the days of the Women’s Peace Encampment. I am currently a Mental Health Counselor specializing in the treatment of OCD and anxiety, and was a teacher of art for many years.

Kelly Cheatle

Kelly Cheatle (she/they) has been a long time member of Metro Justice and enjoys every opportunity to highlight that Bob Duffy makes over $240,000/year to sit on the board of Avangrid. As an artist and community advocate, Kelly uses their visual communication and marketing skills to make complex issues clear and accessible to the public. They were a lead organizer in the fight against a Business Improvement District that would have privatized the heart of downtown and helped build a coalition of more than 30 organizations to stop it...for now. Both lighthearted and lionhearted, Kelly believes democracy works best when everyone knows how to use it, and she’s dedicated to making that knowledge accessible to all.

Gabriel Marcano

Gabriel has dedicated over 10 years to amplifying the voices and championing the rights of marginalized communities. From advocating for migrants and low-income workers to supporting survivors of Human Trafficking, Gabriel has extensive experience working at the intersection of social justice and human rights. Gabriel currently works as the coordinator of the Worker Justice Center’s Anti-Human Trafficking Program.

LEAD ORGANIZER SEARCH

Our search for a Lead Organizer remains open on Indeed, with a deadline for applications of 12/31/25. The work will include meeting with campaign leaders for training and guidance, maintaining good relations with ally organizations, anchoring press contacts, working with Council to maintain our mission and goals, and working with the Fundraising and Membership Coordinator and the Office Manager to keep up with all the details of running a member-driven organization. Candidates must have at least one year of paid or volunteer experience as an organizer. Click here to learn more, and to apply.

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:

Beautiful Trouble 

Here is a sort of Christmas box of wonderful things to come back to and explore! It's a website outlining many different tools and tactics used by liberatory movements worldwide. Two pages of particular interest are 

• https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/tool/smart-objectives
• https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/tool/dont-expect-a-concrete-outcome-from-a-symbolic-action 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Saturday, December 13, 9-1 This will be the final day the City of Rochester Public Market will distribute $20 New York State FreshConnect Emergency Checks (not tokens) for SNAP Recipients and Other Food-Insecure Community Members. Checks will be distributed at a special tent in the Market's D-Shed, and the white Token Booth for current SNAP recipients. One check per person in need present at the market. The checks must be spent by 12/31/25; after that they will not be honored 
• Saturday, December 13, 11-4 East High School auditorium, Citizen Action is holding Roc the Block Party 2, a jolly event with free food, music, clothing giveaway, raffle, vendors and tabling
• Saturday, December 13, 2 pm screening of Remaining Native at the Seneca Art & Culture Center at Ganondagan State Historic Site, 7000 County Road 41 (Boughton Hill Road) Victor
• Sunday, December 14th, 3-5 at the Islamic Center, 727 Westfall Road, Human Rights Conference sponsored by the Greater Rochester Community of Churches 
• Sunday, December 14th, 4:30 pm Screening of July '64, with discussion with the film's director, Carvin Eison, at the Citizen Action office, 1392 Culver Road
• Monday, December 15, 4 pm Building Dual Power: Global Lessons for Local Transformation. This is the final session for 2025 of the Municipalism Learning Series, and is about "the revolutionary concept of 'building a new society within the shell of the old'." The facilitator, Anastasia Wilson, lives and teaches in our area.
• Monday, December 15, 7 pm New York Health Act 101, a statewide information session on zoom about the bill that would make comprehensive heatlhcare affordable for every New Yorker. Sponsored by the Campaign for New York Health
• Monday, December 15, 7 pm Virtual launch of Deadline Hochul, a new campaign from a statewide coalition of organizations now including Metro Justice, building a mass response to the Governor doing the bidding of Trump and the gas and oil lobby, instead of building the clean energy economy New York needs.  
• Tuesday, December 16, 1pm The Long Term Care Community Coalition is hosting a FREE webinar, The Expanding Role of Big Finance in Long-Term Care: What It Says About Profitability and Resident Well-Being.
• Thursday, December 18, 2 pm Joint Virtual Meeting of Elder Justice Committee and the Monroe County Contingent of New York State Legislature: We will hear from our Legislators what they have done and will do to see that the NYSDOH provides effective nursing home oversight and enforcement of New York State and Federal laws to ensure that all nursing home residents are provided the care they need and deserve. If you want to give a brief statement for yourself or for a loved one's  poor nursing home care or just to attend the meeting, email us at [email protected] to receive the ZOOM invitation.
• Thursday, December 18, 3:30 pm demonstration in support of I-V Zorez at the Federal Court building on 100 State Street
• Saturday, January 31, 2026 Metro Justice Annual Meeting.
• Saturday May 9, 2026 Metro Justice Annual Dinner
• It'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!) 

Do you have an event or desktop action to share? Click here! The deadline for our Friday newsletter is Wednesday afternoon each week.

DESKTOP ACTIONS: 

• Urgent National call - Stop the SPEED ACT (HR 4776), a bill that would gut bedrock environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NYPIRG is asking us to call our US congressional representatives using their sample script, then report the call to NYPIRG. The bill has not yet been voted on, so there is still time to take action.
• At the state level, legislature has passed a bill to repeal the old "100-foot rule" that makes all ratepayers share the cost of connecting new gas lines ($600 million/year, as of 2021). Now the Governor needs to sign it into law - or veto it - in the next 10 days. Let her know we want to save money AND our climate.

1. 1. Email Governor Hochul with this online form

   2. Call Governor Hochul at 518-474-8390  (dial 1 right away to leave a voicemail.)

      Sample script: "Hello, I’m _____ and my zip code is _____. The legislature passed A.8888/S.8417, a bill that repeals the 100-foot rule. I'm calling to ask Governor Hochul (HOH-kull) to sign this bill into law before the end of the year. New Yorkers shouldn't be charged for gas pipes we don’t need! I'm asking the Governor deliver on her promise to save us money and hold the utilities accountable! Thanks!"

• The Monroe County legislature just voted 20-8 to opt out of a highly recommended NY state registry of short term rental properties - using language developed for the AirBNB lobby by Nick Morelle. Learn more here (Rachel Barnhart's remarks during the vote) and here (a great infographic shared by Kelly Cheatle). Legislators can still opt in later - please email them and ask them when they plan bringing it up for a vote.  
• Finally, the correct link to let your NY state Senator and Assembly Member know that you want them to pass the New York Health Act, so that all of us in NY can have health care we can afford, with monthly payments based on income and no other out of pocket cost.
• Check out the UN Declaration of Human Rights, adopted December 10th, 1948. This week is Human rights Week worldwide.
• Please join this sign-on letter to urge Governor Hochul to help protect New York's school kids from being exposed to lead in K-12 educational settings. NYPIRG is urging that a "Filter First" approach be taken in order to remove lead from schools' drinking water.
• 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
• 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. Then, click here to send Governor Hochul an email. 
• 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.