Onondaga Votes!, comprised of numerous groups interested in increasing voter turnout, has been active in the South Side since 2017. Meetings are open to all and residents are encouraged to attend to help brainstorm ways of communicating and supporting greater civic engagement in the upcoming primary elections and general elections. The next meeting will be held from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 8, via Zoom. Leave
your email or contact information at: onondagavotes@gmail.com if you wish to
be part of the Zoom call.

The 2021 Financial Empowerment Summit will be held virtually due to the ongoing pandemic and vaccination rollout. Sessions will be pre-recorded, and a digital conference booklet will be provided.
The VIP Reception sponsored by M&T Bank will be held “live” virtually beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 9.

The Greater Syracuse Land Bank Virtual Buyers' Workshop will begin 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, virtually. Attendees will learn about the Land Bank buying process and how to use its property website. This workshop is intended for all levels -- first-time homebuyers to investors. 

In order to stay safe during this difficult time, Thursday Morning Roundtable will continue to be held in a virtual format over Zoom. Syracuse City Schools Superintendent Jaime Alicea will speak about his work with the school district and how it has adapted to meet changing public health guidelines. This session is a collaboration with FOCUS Greater Syracuse. Following presenters, a facilitated Q&A will be held. All attendees are required to pre-register. After registering, a confirmation email will be sent containing information about joining the virtual meeting.

Onondaga County Office for Aging will offer a class presented by Morgan R. Thurston, Esq., for those who currently care for older or disabled persons or may become caregivers in the future. This live, video presentation is open to the public and will cover the major changes in Medicaid taking place in 2021. Basic questions answered include: How is Medicaid different from Medicare? Am I, or my loved one, eligible for Medicaid? Community or Chronic Care Medicaid: What are the big differences? and How do I apply for Medicaid? To register, visit http://www.ongov.net/aging/caregiver.html or contact Kimberly Connell, caregiver support specialist, at (315) 435-2362 ext. 4693 or kconnell@cnyservices.org.

This two-day conversation will discuss issues of race, disability and justice in the policing of bodies in communities and schools. Presented by The Lender Center for Social Justice, The Center on Disability and Inclusion and The Landscape of Urban Education Lecture Series, this event brings together national experts, community activists and local stakeholders, this event centers transformational, citizen-led reform of policing and public safety through critical dialogue and practice.

Friday's keynote will feature Monique W. Morris, an award-winning author and social justice scholar with three decades of experience in the areas of education, civil rights, juvenile and social justice.

Several additional sessions are also offered. These sessions are free and open to the public; registration required. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) live captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided. If you have additional accommodation requests, email asdevoe@syr.edu.

To register, visit https://soe.syr.edu/event/policed-bodies/

Joined Artists, Musicians & Singers, Inc. (JAMS) is organizing a cleanup around the 1400 block of South Avenue April 17. This area was specifically chosen because many of JAMS’ members have participated in Southwest Showcase Sundays, an annual summertime concert series held at the Spirit of Jubilee Park located amid the blocks. Organizer of the event Hollis Mathis, JAMS vice president who is also a singer and lives nearby, is a known advocate for keeping the neighborhood clean and can often be seen doing it on his own.

JAMS will meet at The Spirit of Jubilee Park starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 17. Organizers encourage other community members to participate. Anyone who is interested needs only to show up at that time. The trash bags, gloves and pickers will be handed out along with bottled water and other tokens of appreciation.

In addition to being an effort to clean and beautify the neighborhood, JAMS also intends to use the event as a platform to help raise awareness about its intent to build a permanent performance stage at the park.

Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse (ACTS) 2021 Spring Virtual Event Series "Seize The New Day for Social Justice" will be held April 19. Guest Speaker is the Rev. Kevin Agee,  presiding elder at Philadelphia District and at Washington-Virginia District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; former pastor at Hopps Memorial CME Church ,and past president of ACTS. Gospel Music will be performed by New Life Temple of Praise group, directed by Brian Moore. Presentation of The Rev. Dr. Nebraski Carter Clergy Leadership Award will go to Bishop Colette Carter-Mathews, Zion Hill World Harvest Baptist Church and past co-chair ACTS Clergy Caucus. Then, ACTS Program Report on the De-Incarceration Project will be given by DeWayne Comer, community organizer. Ticketing options range from free to $40. Zoom link to the event will be sent within 24 hours of the event. If you are registering for a congregation with multiple individuals or if you prefer to register offline, contact ACTS at officemanager.acts@gmail.com.

Onondaga Votes, a coalition interested in increasing voter turnout and voter participation within the South Side of Syracuse, will hold a meetings on civic engagement from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 22, over Zoom. To receive the Zoom information, email onondagavotes@gmail.com.

The Syracuse Poster Project will hold the public unveiling of this year's posters online. Tune in at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 22, on the group's YouTube channel to see the combined work of local poets and artists come to life.