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Education and earning a degree from Adelphi offered a lifeline to Serena Martin ’05. As executive director for New Hour, she now leads efforts to support incarcerated women and promote policy reform in New York state.

This special International Women’s Day episode delves into the heart-wrenching reality faced by the approximately 2 million incarcerated women in the United States.

Serena Martin-Liguori, executive director of Long Island-based nonprofit New Hour for Women and Children, speaks to media with supporters of the bill, including Assemblyperson Anna Kelles (D-125th District) and State Senator Julia Salazar (D-18th District

I work with currently and formerly incarcerated women to assist in helping them regain their lives. I focus on offering specialized support and education for women whose pathways to prison or jail are often tied to domestic violence or substance abuse. Through education and wellness programs during and after incarceration, I provide the tools needed for them to become powerful change agents for themselves, their communities, and their children. Many aspects of my life occurring throughout my life have drawn me to this work that I do every day with passion and with a deep sense of purpose.

In this episode Elesha interviews Serena Martin-Liguori, Executive Director of New Hour, about her personal story of both incarceration and co-founding an organization that supports impacted women and children, our deeply flawed systems, human rights standards for pregnant women, and collective community.

The legislation cites multiple New York Focus investigations in its attempt to safeguard the rights of incarcerated people.

Commentary: Researchers asked the formerly incarcerated what they need to get back on their feet. Here's how they answered.

“Women continue to suffer deep neglect behind bars and a resoundingly clear example of this is DOC’s admission of its lack of distribution of menstrual products,” Serena Martin-Liguori, New Hour executive director, told City & State. “It takes so little effort to afford women access to tampons and yet even this need went largely overlooked for years by DOCS. Leaving DOC to the task of care, custody and control seems very much beyond their capacity, especially when it means support for women.”

"Others see that as part of the problem. “This entrenched, maybe even inappropriate cross-family connection is frankly alarming,” said Serena Martin-Liguori, a former associate director at the Correctional Association and now executive director of New Hour, a support organization for women and children impacted by incarceration."

As this past legislative session drew to a close the long-awaited Clean Slate At passed in both the Senate and Assembly in New York State - Pg 14

Being Deaf in Prison

In the face of the unjust healthcare, housing, and food program cuts proposed by House Republicans, justice-seekers came together in New York on May 22 to continue NETWORK’s Thriving Communities Campaign and demand a moral budget that protects all our neighbors! Almost 100 Sisters, clergy, partners, and advocates turned out to oppose these cuts and defend food, housing, and healthcare programs.

Amid the migrant crisis in New York City, Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar declared a state of emergency and signed an executive order banning hotels and other facilities from accepting migrants. NewsdayTV’s Cecilia Dowd reports.

New Hour Executive Director Serena Martin-Liguori writes a guest essay in Newsday to describe the importance of the Clean Slate Act and explain how it's key to building renewable energy in New York.

New York’s Adult Survivors Act briefly waives the statute of limitations to file sexual abuse lawsuits. Some of New York’s imprisoned women are risking retaliation from guards in order to file cases alleging horrific treatment at the hands of the state

Former Rikers Island inmates, family members and politicians gathered in Foley Square in Manhattan on April 13, 2023, to rally around protecting bail reform. Step into the rally through photos.

State budget negotiations have stalled with bail reform being one of the most debated topics.

Suffolk County has raised its starting pay for Child Protective Service workers and reduced the number of cases they handle in an effort to improve the department, but there is still progress to be made, the county's head of social services said Tuesday

Bail reform continues to be divisive issue for state legislators Legislators in New York are renewing their debate over bail reform. In Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State address, the governor called for changes in bail reform.

New Hour Executive Director Serena Liguori says the program has helps roughly 1,200 women a year on Long Island.

A new state policy says families of inmates in state prisons cannot bring them food anymore, provoking protests among relatives and advocates who say it is denying them a basic right.

A demonstration was held Monday outside of Nassau Courthouse in Mineola to call for better conditions at state prisons.

New restrictions have made it harder to send food to incarcerated people. Advocates say the policy is doing disproportionate harm inside women's prisons, and to women on the outside who often serve as caretakers.

Data from the NCPD shows that 87 percent of people arrested last quarter were released without bail. But few went on to commit more crimes.

Looking both inward and outward, the 16 congregations that make up the family of St. Joseph in the United States recently gathered in St. Louis to reflect on the future — their own and that of the society and world in which they live out their charism of unifying love.

Titled "Radically Transforming Community" and sponsored by the Federation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Event 2022, held July 8-10, brought to the city some 450 sisters and federation members — an extended family of associates, agrègées (permanently vowed lay members), St. Joseph Workers, partners in mission, students and friends. Another 600-plus joined virtually.

Monday was the first time Juneteenth was celebrated as a federal holiday. The actual holiday was on Sunday but was observed on June 20 with a huge celebration in Suffolk.

What does it look like to belong to a diverse, compassionate and engaged community in the spirit of unifying love?

Body cameras will hold officers accountable, shield cops from false complaints of misconduct, and build public trust in Suffolk police, County Executive Steve Bellone said while announcing the rollout of a key element of the department’s reform plan on Thursday, calling it a “win-win-win scenario.”

The murder of George Floyd prompted sweeping police reforms, and now Suffolk County is following other major police forces rolling out body cameras for its officers.

It Is What It Is - Season 1, Episode 6 "From Prison to Productive - It’s The New HOUR For Women And Children!". On this episode of “It Is What It Is”, Cindy will be chatting with two fabulously inspiring women - Serena Liguori, Executive Director and Anitria Blue, Community Ambassador Liaison, both representing New HOUR for Women and Children on Long Island.

It is hard to imagine a scenario more chilling than being accused, then convicted, of a crime you did not commit.

At a rally this month, family members and friends of Valerie Gaiter, widely known as Val, as well as campaigners gathered to demand better medical care for those incarcerated and more parole opportunities, especially for elderly populations.

Gaiter was the longest-serving woman in the New York state prison system until her death in 2019 from cancer at the age of 61. She spent 40 years behind bars, many at the Bedford Hills correctional facility, about 42 miles north of New York City and the largest women’s prison in the state.

One year after Nassau and Suffolk counties submitted sweeping police reform plans ordered by former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo after George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis police custody, county officials and community activists are split over how much progress has been made.

"Join a the CSSJ Family for a presentation and a moderated panel where participants will learn about cash bail, pretrial detention and reform, and sentencing - with a focus on women's and juveniles' experiences.

Panelists include Serena Martin-Liguori, Executive Director, New Hour for Women & Children & - Anitria Blue, Community Ambassador Liaison, New Hour for Women & Children "

WHRU's Yaw Bonsu speaks with New Hour's Executive Director Serena Liguori about the story of New Hour and how the organization is making a positive impact across Long Island.

During her time in prison, Liguori found that resources were scarce concerning women's health care, mental health, and support services.

Liguori resolved that no other woman or child affected by the criminal justice system would feel like she did when she was released.

Since there are no other agencies dedicated to empowering women and children impacted by incarceration on Long Island, Liguori created the nonprofit New Hour in 2015.

Serena Liguori, the executive director of New Hour, a non-profit that focuses on women and children impacted by the justice system, spoke on Monday about the $50,000 grant from a California organization she is counting on to help launch an initiative to house women after they are released from prison.