Actions We Have Taken

Recent Minutes of Conscience and Interim Social Witness Actions by New York Yearly Meeting

Organized in reverse chronological order.
See also links to portal pages for Issues of Sustained Concern, though these are still under development.

Actions We Have Taken

• 2022
  • Letters to faith leaders in Buffalo, NY in response to mass shooting
    • To Pastor Angela Stewart, African Methodist Ministers Alliance
    • To Dr. Stan Bratton, Executive Director of Network of Religious Communities
  • Letters of support sent to Friends in Ukraine and in Russia​
• 2021
  • Approved a Minute in Support of the Truth and Healing Commission for Native Peoples
  • Approved a Minute on release of radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, and suggested Friends write to President Biden about the issue using this sample letter
  • Earthcare minute approved by NYYM and sent to other yearly meetings and Quaker organizations, and sent a letter
  • Signed a petition calling for end to the Korean War.
  • The clerks signed on to a petition protesting New York City’s plan to continue solitary confinement in violation of the HALT Solitary Confinement Act passed by New York State earlier this year.
  • Sent a letter to legislators in support of enacting a carbon tax.
  • Sent a letter to legislators in support of Elder Parole Reform bill.
  • Sent a letter to legislators in support of Fair and Timely Parole bill.
  • Sent a statement to NYYM and other Quaker groups on anti-Asian American violence.
  • Sent a press release condemning anti-Asian American violence.
  • Sent a letter to CT Governor Ned Lamont Opposing Construction of the Killingly Energy Center.
  • Wrote a letter to NY Governor Andrew Cuomo Requesting Early Release of Elderly Incarcerated People and Vaccination Prioritization for Incarcerated People and NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCSS) Staff.
• 2020
  • August 2020, NYYM approved and sent a letter to legislators asking for the removal of a clause in the 13th Amendment that allows slavery for those convicted of a crime.
  • Sent a letter to NY Governor Andrew Cuomo asking for clemency for those eligible for parole and the passing of the HALT Solitary Bill.
  • A Statement on COVID-19 Prevention in Houses of Worship from Religious Leaders of the State of New York. Clerk Jeffrey Aaron and General Secretary Steve Mohlke signed on to a letter sent to the governor of New York on holding religious services, stating that the undersigned religious leaders will observe science-based recommendations before opening their houses of worship
• 2019
  • Statement in support of New York State bail reform bill
  • On behalf of NYYM, clerk Jeffrey Aaron signed on to an amicus brief to the Supreme Court dated October 4, 2019 on behalf of religious organizations from around the country challenging the government’s rescission of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), as was done previously for an amicus brief to the lower courts under the clerkship of Lucinda Antrim.
  • At Fall Sessions 2019, NYYM approved the sending of a letter, dated November 19, 2019, to Friends Fiduciary Corporation (FFC) detailing intentions to move NYYM funds to the Green Fund and asking that FFC divest all funds from fossil fuels and reinvest in green technologies. See minute 2019-11-21, and read the full text of the letter on page 26. More information can be found on the Climate Justice Working Group page.
  • Signed onto a letter to New York Legislative leaders joining with “Faith Leaders Urging New York to Enact HALT Solitary Confinement."
  • Sent a letter to His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop in Sri Lanka, offering condolences for recent terrorist attacks in his country.
  • The clerk and general secretary signed onto a New York State Council of Churches (NYSCOC) petition in support of bail, discovery and speedy trial reform. 
  • In response to the recent massacre in the mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, our clerk and general secretary sent a letter to the Christchurch Monthly Meeting.
• 2018
  • ​The clerk and general secretary signed an amicus brief with other religious organizations (for Case No. 1:18-cv-00068) in support of the continuation of  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”)
  • The clerk and general secretary as individuals, and as one of four institutional signers on behalf of New York Yearly Meeting, signed a NYS Council of Churches amicus brief in support of Ravidath “Ravi” Ragbir’s lawsuit to prevent the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from silencing critics of the government’s immigration policy by deporting him and like-minded activists who have been targeted because of their political advocacy on behalf of immigrant rights.
  • NYYM, through its clerk and general secretary, signed onto a further amicus curiae (“Friend of the Court”) brief in support of Ravidath “Ravi” Ragbir.
  • The clerk and general secretary sent a letter asking Comptroller DiNapoli (New York) to divest NY State’s pension fund from fossil fuels.
  • The clerk and general secretary sent a letter to the CEO and COO of FedEx, asking them to discontinue their practice of offering discounts to National Rifle Association members.
  • Case against Department of Corrections re: Green Haven Quarterly Meetings:
    • Fall 2018 update
    • Legal filing
    • NYYM agreed to join Nine Partners Quarterly Meeting in its suit against Dept of Corrections; see minute 2018-07-46.
• 2017
  • NYYM's Response to domestic terrorism in Charlottesville, Virginia
  • NYYM issued a press release rejecting the politics of division
  • Sent a letter to NY Governor Cuomo calling on him to withdraw a proposal to drastically cut the number of visiting days at New York State maximum-security prisons. 
  • Interim Actions
    • On behalf of NYYM, Clerk Lucinda Antrim and General Secretary Christopher Sammond added their names to a “Faith Leader Letter: Welcome Refugees of all Nationalities & Religions”
    • On behalf of NYYM, Clerk Lucinda Antrim and General Secretary Christopher Sammond submitted a comment to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, after consultation with the clerk of the Witness Coordinating Committee.
    • NYYM clerk Lucinda Antrim and general secretary Christopher Sammond wrote a letter to Britain Yearly Meeting on the occasion of terror attacks in Britain.
• 2016
  • Statement of support for the Standing Rock Sioux protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline
    • Press release with the statement.
  • Letter to Friends in Orlando after the Orlando shooting deaths
  • Letter to Friends in Baton Rouge, Dallas, and the Twin Cities after shootings in those cities
• 2015 • 
  • Global Frackdown Sign-on Letter—At Fall Sessions, the meeting directed the clerk and general secretary to sign on to a letter written by Global Frackdown to Paris, to be sent to the the participants in the upcoming UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Paris this November and December.
  • Doctrine of Discovery—Letter to Pope Francis asking him to repudicate the Doctrine and rescind the papal bulls upon which it is based, plus the associated press release and 2012 NYYM minute on the Doctrine of Discovery. See, also, the 2012 entry below.
  • Against Solitary Confinement—Friends asked Governor Cuomo of New York State to support the Humane Alternatives to Long Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act, Bill #A4401/S2659, an effort to reform the practice.
  • Read the minute recording the Yearly Meeting's decision to support HALT>
  • Read the letter to elected officials communicating our stand against solitary confinement and in favor of HALT's passage.
  • Download an information sheet on HALT with New York Yearly Meeting endorsement.
  • Support of the 2016 White Privilege Conference—New York Yearly Meeting approved sending Friends to serve on the Conference's host committee and providing some funding. The 2016 Conference will be held in Philadelphia, PA.
  • Creation of an ad hoc White Privilege Conference Task Group.
  • Endorsement of Peace & Planet: Mobilization for a Nuclear-Free, Peaceful, Just, and Sustainable World, to be held in New York City on April 24 - 26, 2015.
  •   Letter to Pope Francis asking him to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and rescind the papal bulls upon which it is based.
  • Website on the Doctrine of Discovery
  • NYYM Factsheet on the Doctrine of Discovery
  • Article from Indian Country Today
  • Interim action: The Clerk and the General Secretary issued a statement entitled “Black Lives Matter,“ which was widely distributed and is available on the NYYM website under the heading Social Witness.
• 2014  
  • Letter for Leonard Peltier's release from prison—A letter to President Obama and cc'ing others asking the Presidetn to allow Peltier "to rejoin his family and live his last days in peace."
  • Black Lives Matter . . . All Lives Matter—A message from the clerk and general secretary responding to the failure in December 2014 of grand juries to indict the police officers involved in the homicides of unarmed African American men in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City.
  • People's Climate March—New York Yearly Meeting is a participating organization in the March.
  • Interim Actions
    • February—Signed an amicus curiae brief filed on behalf of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and New York Yearly Meeting by the Religious Liberty Clinic of the Stanford Law School on the appeal of a case regarding an Orthodox Jewish community in Teaneck, New Jersey.
    • September—Signed a shared statement by Quaker groups titled “Facing the Challenge of Climate Change.” 
• 2013 
  •  Apology to Afro-Descendants—A public apology to the descendants of African American slaves for Quaker participation in and profit from slavery.
  • Next Steps—Queries about the Apology for Friends and Meetings to consider.
  • Introduction to the Apology from Ministry Coordinating Committee
  • Background information on the Apology
  • Interview with NYYM clerk Jeffrey L. Hitchcock  about the Apology on AllBlackRadio.
  • Interim Action - January—Signed onto letter to Governor Cuomo from many organizations applauding his commitment to address climate change after hurricane Sandy, and challenging his ongoing support for hydrofracking as being inconsistent with that stance, due to its large impact of greenhouse gas emissions.
• 2012  
  • Summary of Peace and Social Concerns Activities
  • Minute on Hydrofracking in New York State and Beyond
  •  Minute on the Doctrine of Discovery
• 2012 • Interim Actions
  • June—Subscribed to New Yorkers Against Fracking coalition’s endorsement of a ban on hydraulic fracturing in NY.
  • August—signed an Interfaith Resolution Concerning the Dangers of High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing in advance of an interfaith service “Blessing of the Waters” held on September 6 at Cooperstown.
  • November—signed onto a statement from Britain Yearly Meeting and AFSC calling for the end of the use of force in Gaza.
  • December—signed on at the request of the NYYM COPW Committee as official co-sponsors of the next International Conference of War Tax Resisters and Peace Tax Campaigns.
  • December—signed onto a letter from FCNL for The Climate Summit 2013 coalition, of which FCNL is a charter member, supporting President Obama in following through on his commitment in hosting a national summit on climate change. The President was particularly looking for religious groups to show support for this initiative.
• 2011 •  Minute on 10th Anniversary of 9/11
• 2011 • Interim Actions
  • March—Sent letter of sympathy and support to Japan Yearly Meeting after the earthquake and tsunami.
  • Summer—Signed a letter from Food & Water Watch to New York governor Andrew Cuomo urging rejection of the recommendations from the Department of Environmental Conservation to allow hydraulic fracturing outside the watersheds for New York City and Syracuse.
  • Summer—Signed a letter from a group of human rights defenders to the World Council of Churches thanking them for taking up the conscientious objection to paying taxes for war.
  • Summer—Signed a letter from heads of U.S.-based religious institutions and faith- based organizations to US President Barack Obama opposing prospective federal budget cuts affecting the poor and most vulnerable in our country.
  • October—signed a statement from Occupy Faith NYC in support of Occupy Wall Street.
  • November—signed an Interfaith Network letter to Janet Napolitano, secretary of Homeland Security.
  • December—signed an Occupy Faith letter to Governor Cuomo urging the extension of the “millionaires tax”.
• 2010 • (August) Issued a joint statement with American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), “A Call to Understanding and Peace,” in response to the proposed Islamic Center in Lower Manhattan. It was sent by AFSC to the White House in September, in response to a request for statements on the proposed mass burning of the Qur’an in Florida.
• 2009 • Minute on Healthcare
• 2009 • Minute on Race & Racism
• 2008 • Minute on Torture
• 2007 • Minute on Refraining from War with Iran
• 2007 • Eco-Spirituality and Action Minute
• 2006 • Minute on Conscientious Objection to Paying for War
• 2002 • Gospel of Peace Minute