As the calls continue to close the city’s massive jails complex on Rikers Island, most New Yorkers are unaware of the history – and sometimes horrors – of the infamous correctional institution. The country’s largest detention complex, Rikers is now overseen by a federal monitor after years of mismanagement, violence, and dysfunction.

A new book, “Rikers: An Oral History," by  journalists Graham Rayman and Reuven Blau, pulls back the curtain and goes behind the bars to look at life in the notorious facility. The authors joined Errol to talk about the book and why they chose the oral history format. They also traced the ugly history of the island and its possible future.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message.

The housing crisis in New York has now reached epic proportions.

In her State of the State address, Gov. Kathy Hochul vowed affordable housing would be a top priority as she aims to build over 800,000 new homes over the next decade.

Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams has stated he’s looking to expand affordable housing through incentives for developers and preserving existing below-market units. 

Cea Weaver, who co-founded the Housing Justice for All coalition, joined Errol to talk through the different ways of tackling the current crisis in New York. Their conversation covered Cea’s experience living both upstate and downstate and how it’s important for both regions of New York to be understood and properly represented in the housing debate.

They also discussed Hochul’s new housing initiative and the ideas behind the so-called good cause eviction protections. Additionally, they both weighed in on the concept of non-reformist reform.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message.

Rep. George Santos started his first term in Congress representing parts of Long Island and Queens with a resume which has been proven to be a series of lies. While his fellow Republicans in Congress have avoided criticizing his, Santos is now being attacked by some of his fellow New York Republicans.

Meanwhile, Santos’ presence on Capitol Hill has also been the subject political drama and he's been pursued daily by reporters who want answers.

Errol sat down with NY1 political reporter Emily Ngo and NY1 Washington correspondent Kevin Frey in an attempt to make sense of this unprecedented situation. 

After that, Errol talked to Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman, who along with Rep. Richie Torres, recently filed an official complaint with the House Ethics Committee about Santos. Goldman explained the investigation is necessary because Republicans have remained so quiet about the extensive allegations against Santos. 

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to [email protected].

To call 2022 an eventful year in New York politics is an understatement. NY1’s “You Decide” was there for all of it. This week, Errol Louis selected some of his favorite episodes of the podcast from the past 12 months, and discussed why he found each conversation so memorable.

He revisited his interviews with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration Anne Milgram, city Comptroller Brad Lander, Mayor Eric Adams and many others in an attempt to make sense of a year that was full of surprises.

This is part two of “You Decide: The Year in Review — 2022.”

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to [email protected].

To call 2022 an eventful year in New York politics is an understatement. NY1’s “You Decide” was there for all of it. This week, Errol Louis selected some of his favorite episodes of the podcast from the past 12 months, and discussed why he found each conversation so memorable. He revisited his interviews with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, the city’s Comptroller Brad Lander, Mayor Eric Adams and many others in an attempt to make sense of a year that was full of surprises.

This is part one of “You Decide: The Year in Review - 2022.” The second part will be published next Thursday.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to [email protected].

Over the last year, Venezuelans have been crossing the Texas border into the United States in record numbers. Because of Texas Gov. Greg Abbot’s controversial busing plan, many of those asylum seekers have arrived here in New York City.

Why are Venezuelans fleeing at such a record pace?

Journalist William Neuman tackles the issue in his fascinating book “Things Are Never So Bad That They Can't Get Worse: Inside the Collapse of Venezuela.":

Neuman recently joined Errol for a candid discussion about the ongoing migration crisis. Their conversation touched on the economic collapse of Venezuela, the failure of U.S. sanctions to improve the situation as well as the inability for the homeless shelter system in New York to be the receiving center for this influx of asylum seekers.

They also looked at Hugo Chavez’s years ruling Venezuela, and assessed if the country can recover from its economic collapse and once again be home to the seven million people who eventually may want to return.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to [email protected].

Just a few weeks ago, former President Donald Trump announced he’d be running for president again in 2024, despite many critics feeling he was responsible for the Republicans’ overall poor performance in the midterm elections.

Acclaimed journalist Maggie Haberman has covered Trump more closely than anyone, and examines the former president in a new book, "Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America." 

She recently returned to You Decide and discussed the book with Errol, as well as the ongoing investigations into Trump’s political and business activities. The conversation also covered how rare it is to have a president from New York, how his father, Fred Trump, influenced the former president and Trump’s role in the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

They also touched on Maggie’s large social media presence and how she is able to withstand the criticism she often receives from both sides of the aisle. Finally, Maggie shares her thoughts on President Joe Biden’s chances of running again.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to [email protected].

“Loudmouth” is a brand new documentary about the life and career of The Rev. Al Sharpton. The retrospective focuses on the Brooklyn-born Baptist minister's origins and takes a detailed look at Sharpton’s journey from his early days as an activist fighting for justice around the 1986 murder of Michael Griffith in Howard Beach to his role in the George Floyd protests.

Sharpton returned to “You Decide” to discuss the documentary’s approach to chronicling his life and how the movie came to fruition. 

Along the way, the conversation moved to Sharpton's thoughts on how racism affected Donald Trump’s Queens upbringing and what he hopes to accomplish in the years ahead.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to [email protected].

More than 37 million Americans are living with diabetes; another 96 million are pre-diabetic, making it among the most widespread health conditions in the U.S. It can also be among the most debilitating — when not well-managed, it can cause heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and even lower limb amputation. However, for the millions dealing with type 2 diabetes, it is also one of the most treatable chronic diseases.

In an effort to raise awareness around the issue, Spectrum News National Health Reporter Erin Billups joined Errol Louis to talk about their new collaborative special report “USA1C: Fighting the Rise of Diabetes,” which is currently airing on Spectrum News nationally.

The conversation covered “the social determinants of health” — a recognition that income and education levels and where people live are just as important as genetics. They also discussed Erin’s trip to the diabetes belt that stretches along the Mississippi Delta, where she met Dr. Faluso Fakorede, a leading advocate in the fight against diabetes. And they weighed in on their experiences here in New York where Mayor Eric Adams has advocated for systemic change in health care.

After their conversation, you can listen to the special in its entirety.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to [email protected].

Crime and public safety were some of the top issues that New York voters were concerned about during the election cycle and major talking points in the race for governor. Even with the election mostly in the rear-view mirror, the issue of crime will continue to be a focus in New York as Mayor Eric Adams calls for changes to the state’s bail laws and other reforms.

Errol talked it over with Scott Hechinger, a former public defender in Brooklyn and the founder of Zealous, a national criminal justice nonprofit. He sat down with Errol for a lengthy discussion about the recent gubernatorial election in New York and what the results indicate about the emerging narrative around bail reform.

They also touched on the power and importance of Twitter as a tool for social justice. They also looked at the impact that storytelling and the media can have compared to data, and examined the misconception that public defenders don't care about public safety.

Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to [email protected].