The Policy Center Collective Advocates for the Fortune Community

The Policy Center Collective Advocates for the Fortune Community

01/29/2025

At The Fortune Society, the Policy Center Collective (PCC) unites individuals in our community to advocate for essential legislation. As a collective of staff and participants, they focus on promoting legislation that directly affects system-impacted people in collaboration with the David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy (DRCPP) 

At the beginning of each year, PCC meets to discuss the group’s priorities, which in the past have included campaigns like Clean Slate, #CloseRikers, Fair Chance for Housing and ending solitary confinement. While these priorities align with DRCPP’s legislative and policy priorities for the year, PCC members can spearhead advocacy projects they are passionate about.  

Lymus, a New York County Reentry Task Force Coordinator and a member of PCC, explained that the collective functions like a democracy. Members decide together what their goals are each year. 

“PCC is a culture of love and positivity,” Lymus shared. “We all come from different locations at Fortune, but we do great work together. We make sure people feel heard and comfortable sharing their thoughts, and we decide together what we want to prioritize as a group.” 

Lymus has remained a dedicated PCC member for several years. He first learned about the collective when he signed up to attend an Advocacy Day. Joined by Fortune staff, participants and other community members, he traveled to Albany to lobby to end solitary confinement.  

Throughout the legislative session, Fortune joins partner organizations like Communities Not Cages for Advocacy Days at the New York State Capital. Together, we rally, attend press conferences and meet with lawmakers to support transformative legislation like the Second Look Act and the Earned Time Act. 

“Through that experience, I learned that our voices matter,” Lymus shared. “I had an opportunity to make a difference and stand for legislation that impacted my community. I got involved because I wanted to learn and exercise my voice as someone who, at times, felt like no one was listening or that no one understood what I was going through.”

Francisco, a case manager and group facilitator, joined PCC to get more involved at Fortune and learn how to better stand with and advocate for the community. While advocacy work plays a central role in PCC, he also wanted to learn more about how policy practices can impact his role as a case manager and how he interacts with participants 

“PCC has shown me the different ways we can impact people and promote change,” Francisco said. “From a services standpoint, I was thinking about how we can actively advocate for change in our community and the people we serve. This is something that guides my work at Fortune every day.”

Francisco often shares upcoming events and opportunities with participants. He encourages them to be active in advocacy work and to share their stories and experiences. 

“The PCC is a great asset because of how we utilize and involve participants,” Francisco explained. “This is an opportunity to be heard and part of something you are proud of. We aren’t just talking about change; we are in the community, providing services and doing the work by going to Albany and having these important conversations.” 

The Policy Center Collective welcomes any interested individuals to join! To learn more about how to get involved, reach out to Shereemer Chevannes, Senior Policy Associate with the DRCPP. 

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