. My vision for Albany is a City whose top priority is a fervent commitment to support, strengthen, and empower all families, whatever their composition. Every family needs to be able to nurture, love, educate, protect, support, and teach moral values and individual responsibility to its members so that they become positive participants and partners in our communities. When families fail, so do we.

(Alice's son with friends)

When families are strong, communities are strong and safe. There are no short cuts or quick-fix solutions. The major issues that need to be addressed revolve around the fact that our families are hurting and many of them are fleeing from the city for relief. I place the major source of their discontent into 6 building blocks that must be effectively addressed if we are to serve the needs of our families and keep them in our city.

Because we have not paid adequate attention to thise forces, individuals and families are frightened and leaving. Recently, two school board members and several other leading citizens left the city reportedly because of housing, schools, and the fear of crime. Since 2000, the population of the City of Albany has dropped from 101,000 to 96,000. At that rate, by the year 2010, we will have lost 10% of our population. A loss we can ill afford. We must do something other than shore up our infrastructure to support families.

My vision includes six (6) building blocks that offer my perspective and a set of values that I believe can promote and guide community discussions of issues, concerns, and approaches to what must be done to support and strengthen families and solve difficult community problems.

Building Blocks for Strong Families, Strong Communities

1. Healthy environment - “Get the lead out”. All people, particularly children, need to be loved, breathe clean air, eat safe nutritious foods, live in a toxin-free environment and have access to adequate preventive and medical care. We need to “green” the city of Albany on issues such as air quality, transportation, bike paths, open space, community gardens, solar and energy conservation, composting and recycling. See Green City

2. Education for Tomorrow - “Quality education for success”. All our children are entitled to an excellent education that will prepare them to be constructive members of a rapidly changing world. 3. Affordable Housing - “Everybody needs a home”. Each member of a community is entitled to safe, adequate, and affordable housing. Developers should pay a fee of 3% on all housing projects to the city to fund an affordable housing trust program. We need to take foreclosed and abandoned housing and give it to low and moderate income families as “sweat equity” – if they keep the home up for a year, the first year rent is turned into a downpayment.

(Alice Green Joins with Russell Ziemba and Ralph Nader to oppose $200 million convention center)

4. Safe Communities  - “Safe neighborhoods”. Safe communities are just communities committed to full employment.  They are where residents live free of fear and the threat of harm and violence. In addition to community control of the police, we need the policy to be part of the community.

5. Embracing Diversity - “Everyone matters”. Each human life must be valued and respected and all individuals must have access to  opportunities, goods and services without bigotry, sexism, and institutional racism. 

6. Full Democratic Process - “It’s your city hall, isn’t it”. In a true democracy everyone can be heard and allowed to participate in matters and decisions that affect their lives.  Their government is an open body that serves their needs. Residents must have a direct say over what happens in their neighborhood and city.

Dr. Alice Green

Dr. Green is co-founder and Executive Director of The Center for Law and Justice, a non-profit community organization that monitors criminal justice activities, provides legal assistance and criminal justice advocacy, organizes efforts to change social policy and empowers poor people and people of color.

Prior to the creation of The Center for Law and Justice, Dr. Green was Legislative Director for the New York Civil Liberties Union.  In 1986, Governor Cuomo appointed her to the position of Deputy Commissioner for the New York State Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives.

From 1975 through 1979, Dr. Green served as the Executive Director of Trinity Institution, a youth and family services center in Albany's South End neighborhood. During her time as director, she founded the South End Scene in 1977, one of the longest-running African American newspapers in Albany.

Dr. Green earned a BA in Social Science Education followed by an MA in Secondary Education of Social Sciences and English from the University at Albany, SUNY in 1967. She earned a Master's of Social Work from the University at Albany, SUNY in 1973. In 1979, she received an MA in Criminal Justice and she earned her Ph. D. from the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany in 1983.

Dr. Green was the Green Party candidate for Lt. Governor in 1998, running with Al Lewis for Governor. The ticket received more than 50,000 votes, establishing the Green Party as an official party in New York State.

Campaign Announcement

For 40 years, I have lived, raised a family, and worked in the City of Albany, a place that I love. During this time, much of my life has been devoted to making Albany an even better place to live, not only for my family, but for all families. To achieve that goal, I have worked hard to listen to people, identity problems, seek solutions, and give voice to those who could not be heard.

In that effort, I worked with young people in some of our most troubled neighborhoods and schools; and organized community residents to demand adequate health care, affordable housing, a living wage, early childhood education, youth employment, and equal treatment in the civil and criminal justice systems. My commitment often called upon me to directly confront political and community leaders about the urgency of serving the needs and respecting the rights of all our people. I have used every mechanism at my disposal to plead for peace and social justice.

I believe that we accomplished much and positive changes have been made in our city. Yet, I am reminded daily of what is left to do when I witness evidence of the pain, suffering, and injustices that too many of our neighbors across the City continue to bear. Many of them are deemed invisible. There are children and families still deeply troubled in their relationship to each other; there are those without jobs and those who do not receive adequate education and training for tomorrow's advancing technological world; there are those harmed immeasurably by bigotry and racism; there are those still living in poverty and substandard housing; there are those who are homeless, there are those who do not find justice in our courts; there are too many who live in fear of violence and are victimized by crime; and there are those in need of support and assistance as they struggle with severe physical and mental health problems and developmental disabilities.

At this point in my life I look for better ways to promote a new vision for social change that will make Albany a stronger, safer, and more democratic and compassionate city. I also seek better ways to listen and give voice to those who are not heard.

After much thought and soul searching, I am announcing today that I intend to run for the office of Mayor of the City of Albany. I am doing this because of the rare opportunity it will provide to put forward a new vision for Albany for the 21st Century and to listen and give voice to those who are not heard. I will proudly run as a Green Party Candidate.

Please join the Alice Green for Mayor Campaign for an intimate evening of food and music with legendary folk musician Peter Yarrow on Tuesday October 18th.

More recently, their individual and collective efforts have focused on such crucial issues as gun violence against children, the rights and organizing efforts of strawberry pickers in California, homelessness and world hunger

While in Albany, Peter will also promote Operation Respect (http://www.dontlaugh.org/) a non-profit organization he founded to transform schools, camps and organizations focused on children and youth, into more compassionate, safe and respectful environments.  It is a unique organization that provides a gateway to broad scale adoption of school-based character education as well as social and emotional learning (SEL) programs.

The suggested donation for the evening with Peter Yarrow is $60. Donations should be made out to Friends of Alice Green, PO Box 8481, Albany NY 12208. There are a limited number of spaces for this special evening. To make a reservation, call 482-0952.