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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Rita Zimmer, Co-chair of Women's Community Justice Association, on Closing Rikers Island and Community-Based Programs
4:13:14
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117 sec
Rita Zimmer, Co-chair of the Women's Community Justice Association, testifies about the success of community-based programs for women coming from Rikers Island. She shares a success story of a woman named Sofia who has regained custody of her children and is moving into permanent housing. Zimmer emphasizes the importance of closing Rikers Island and implementing effective community-based alternatives.
- Zimmer introduces Sofia, a program participant who is moving into permanent housing with her four children after being in Rikers Island and the Justice Works program.
- She reminds the council of their 2017 vote to close Rikers Island and urges them to follow through on this decision.
- Zimmer mentions a housing project with 30 units for women from Rikers Island, highlighting the potential of community-based solutions.
Rita Zimmer
4:13:14
Your new neighbor, she's gonna live at 365 Shepherd in your district, and she's one of the women who was in our traditional our Justice Works program for women coming off Rikers Island.
4:13:28
And so I thought you'd like to meet your new neighbor.
4:13:30
She's here.
4:13:31
And she her name is Sophia.
4:13:33
And she had four children.
4:13:34
She never thought she'd be able to see them ever again.
4:13:37
Her husband told his older children that his mother had that she had died.
4:13:41
She was in a mental hospital.
4:13:43
She was in shelters.
4:13:44
She ended up at Rikers Island, and she ended up at Justice Works.
4:13:48
And she's now going to move into permanent housing with her four children.
4:13:51
She's got regained custody in the last year and a half.
4:13:54
And so it's a it's a great story.
4:13:57
There's so many wonderful stories you've been hearing here all day, and I think it's just really important to hear all the stories.
4:14:02
I'm also the co chair of the Women's Community Justice Association, and on behalf of Sharon White Harrigan, I'm gonna submit this testimony as well.
4:14:11
But, you know, I was here probably 02/2007 02/2019, October '17, we closed you voted to close Rikers.
4:14:18
The city council did.
4:14:20
Adrienne Adams, who was a city council member at the time, she ran the land use committee.
4:14:25
And there were we were this place was just filled with people clapping and cheering that we're gonna close Rikers.
4:14:31
And it's really is really time to do it.
4:14:33
And we know there are many community based programs that work and we have I think you've heard about them today.
4:14:39
And I hope we can just keep talking about it and really make it happen.
4:14:43
So I'll give my time to somebody else if they'd like it.
Sandy Nurse
4:14:48
Thank you so much.
4:14:49
And I'd love to meet what was her name again?
4:14:52
Pardon me?
4:14:53
The individual that you mentioned?
Rita Zimmer
4:14:55
The lady the woman?
4:14:57
Yes.
4:14:58
Sofia.
4:14:58
Sofia.
4:14:59
She's going to live at 365 Shepherd Street.
Sandy Nurse
4:15:01
She's down the street tomorrow.
Rita Zimmer
4:15:02
We're the co we're the not for profit developer with the project.
4:15:07
There'll be 30 units for women from Briker's Island who'll be living in permitted
Sandy Nurse
4:15:11
housing.