In February of 2021, the NYC City Council passed laws that will reshape Rikers, the island off the coast of Queens that is a penal colony built on landfill. These bills are part of a campaign called Renewable Rikers, and was years in the making by a coalition that crossed interests and focus areas.  

In this episode, Eva talks with Darren Mack, a co-founder of Freedom Agenda and a survivor of Rikers.  They discuss the historic Renewable Rikers bills, Mack’s foray in activism, and how environmentalism and decarceration are intertwined.

Find out more about Renewable Rikers and Freedom Agenda. 

Additional resources: “A look inside the NYC Correction Budget”