Hudson Mohawk Magazine

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine,

We begin by speaking with Michael Gattine-Suarez of the Clean Slate Coalition about housing by Mark Dunlea

Then, Elizabeth Press reports on the approved purchase of military-style crowd-control tools for the Troy Police Department with Melanie Trimble

Later on, Steve Pierce speaks with Tom Roe of WGXC, our partner station down in Columbia and Greene County

After that, we head into NATURE Lab to learn about the process of testing soil for heavy metal contaminants by Sina Basila Hickey

Finally, Andrea Cunliffe reports on the Tuesday evening event, the Common-Unity-Banners Block Party in Schenectady, which will celebrate the first phase of the Craig-Main Connection

We head to NATURE Lab where Uptown Summer youth worked with the Our Soil project to test soil from their neighborhood to determine if it was contaminated with lead. In this segment, you will hear instruction by Dan Walls of Our Soil as well as from his colleague, Abby Kinchy. You will also hear from other Sanctuary voices and from the youth doing the testing: Jeffery, Josh, Jayden, and Jevon. HMM's Sina Basila Hickey reports.

photo by Tara Bryan

Common-Unity-Banners Block Party celebrating the first phase of the Craig-Main Connection in Schenectady NY on August 31, 2021. William Rivas talks about the community that has come together to implement this project that will change the bridge from a place of isolation to a place of inspiration. Here he speaks with HMM's Andrea Cunliffe about using Artists and community youths to build an Artistic and a social corridor from the underpass of Craig and Main.

August 31 st Tuesday from 4 to 7 on the Craig-Main Bridge in Schenectady New York . For more information: www.craig-main-connection.com

With state and federal moratoriums on housing evictions due to the COVID crisis ending, lawmakers are discussing coming back to Albany to deal with the matter. Michael Gattine-Suarez of the Clean Slate coalition discusses why the legislature should also pass the bill to remove the criminal records of those who have served their time in order to eliminate a barrier to individuals obtaining housing and employment. With Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Radio Network.

Magazine Network Roaming Labor Correspondent Willie Terry spoke to Organizer Debra Garrett of the Troy Coalition of Black Leaders at a "Mother Talk to Your Son" event about stopping gun violence. In this Labor Talk segment, he spoke to Debra about her views on pressing issues in the Troy community.

Laura Rose, Founder of the South End Butterfly Garden, spoke to our Hudson Mohawk Magazine hosts about the monarch butterfly, the importance of shared green spaces in cities, and about the first annual Pollinator Day Celebration on August 31st, 5:30 to about 6:30, at the corner of Eagle and Morton Streets in Albany. Interviewers: Dulcinea Diggs & Brea Barthel.

For more information visit their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SEBSofAlbanyNY

Melanie Trimble, the Regional Director for the NYCLU Capital Region office, wrote an Op Ed in the Times Union last week on the approved purchase of military-style crowd-control tools for the Troy Police Department. Sound cannons are included in the purchase list. Trimble spoke to Hudson Mohawk Magazine producer Elizabeth Press about the approved-purchase items, the impact this can have on free speech, and what people can still do.

If you missed Melanie Trimble's piece in the Times Union, you can read it here. https://tinyurl.com/TroyPDSoundCannon

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine,

We begin with reflections on the Afghanistan situation from Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin.

Then, we hear about an upcoming memorial of the 8th anniversary of Darryl Mount’s death following an encounter with Saratoga police

Later on, we have a report on a vigil by a group called “Say No to Hate Upstate” opposed to an event featuring a member of a notorious anti-Muslim group.

After that, Jade Warrick talks about the project she leads, Amplified Voice

Finally, we end with a live interview with Laura Rose, who is organizing a South End Pollinators Day event on Tuesday featuring the release of monarch butterflies.

Artist, Activists and Educator Jade Warrick is in conversation with HMM's Andrea Cunliffe, here they discuss the mural and performance series "Branching Out: Amplified Voices". The artist collective Amplified Voices partnered with the Albany Library create this work of youth expression with the intention of addressing systemic racism and uplifting BIPOC artists. This traveling mural will be accompanied with live performances and travel to multiple Albany Public Library branches, Troy and Schenectady library over the next several months.

Branching Out: Amplified Voices Mural Unveiling and performance series begins Tuesday August 31 5:30 to 9PM outside at the Albany Public library - Delaware Branch.

On Wednesday, the group Say No to Hate Upstate held a vigil to express their opposition to an event endorsed by local representative Elise Stefanik that included Scott Presler, a member of a notorious anti-muslim hate group. Moses Nagel reports on the aims of the vigil.