Why We Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day
The terrible violence perpetrated by Trump supporters on the Capitol of the United States which resulted in five deaths caused by protestors carrying American flags and even some Confederate flags is a powerful reminder of why we celebrate Martin…
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
Defund the police or refund the police? That is the question we contemplate on this National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Our police deserve to be celebrated for their every day confrontations of potential life threatening encounters. But while we…
Remembering 9/11 Together, Six Feet Apart
By: Ashley Gadalla Through the fog and smoke, they could not see. There was fire, glass, and piles of debris. With screams and cries, fear ran through the streets. 9/11 should have been a time of defeat. But from…
Support NJ’s Environmental Justice Bill
By: Katie Parrish In a typical year, Communities of Color and low income communities face increased health issues such as asthma because they are overexposed to toxic air pollution. Now, with the added risk of Covid-19, it is…
The Road to Student Press Rights: An Interview
By: Tiffany Osoria The current landscape for student publishing rights in New Jersey is pretty grim. Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, a supreme court case that ruled in favor of administrators having control in approving school publications, has set the norm…
Colleges and Universities Reopening Amidst Health Pandemic
By: Abel P. Morais Jr. On Thursday, July 9th, the New Jersey Assembly Higher Education Committee met with representatives from public and private institutions of higher education from across New Jersey. This meeting allowed for each representative to…
Students at Monmouth University Ignite Change on Campus: Wilson Hall Renamed
By: Brittany Macaluso A few weeks ago, I was excited to receive a text from Jenai Bacote, a friend who I met at a social justice event during the fall semester. In this text she described how she…
Pending Police Reform Laws In New Jersey
By Katelyn Piorkowski NJ residents are demanding systematic change to protect minority communities as they take to the streets in honor of Geroge Floyd and countless other black lives lost to unjust acts of police brutality across the…
Carteret Makes History at My First Protest
By Paige Fleming Growing up in a small town is nothing like how it’s portrayed in movies. No, we don’t know everybody’s names, and we don’t keep our doors unlocked at night. But one thing is for sure:…
The Top 5 Environmental Advocates
By Abel Morais To celebrate Earth Week, I have put together a Top 5 list of environmental advocates whom I personally feel have made an impact on environmental protection through their advocacy. Who am I you may ask?…
The Lemkin Summit To End Genocide and Mass Atrocities
By Abel Morais This is me standing outside of Capitol Hill with the other Kean University Students who had the opportunity to go to the summit! I recently had the opportunity to attend the Lemkin Summit…
STOP the Killing of 272+ Elephants. Embassy of Botswana
On Friday, Feb. 7, our Founder & President, Senator Raymond J. Lesniak recited the following keynote speech in Washington D.C., outside of the Embassy of Botswana Good afternoon, I’m Raymond Lesniak, the former New Jersey State Senator who…
Equality Should Not Be A Partisan Issue
Equality Should Not Be A Partisan Issue. Where Do Key NJ Republicans Stand On It? The House of Representatives passed the Equality Act with 236 votes for and 173 against. Eight Republicans voted in favor of the bill and…
The LGBTQ+ Community & The Equality Act
By: Michael Gonzales, B.A. Political Science The LGBTQ+ Community, also known as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, etc. community, is much more than your average community: It’s a family. It’s a natural unification of similarly oppressed people to…
Changing the Culture of Corrections
The Earn Your Way Out Act (S761/1986) (EWO) – the most significant criminal justice reform proposed in America was signed into law today’ Monday, January 20th, a historic day for criminal justice reform. Two years ago Governor Christie vetoed…
What Happens to Bills That Were Not Passed During the Lame-Duck Session?
The 219th New Jersey Legislature begins its session on January 14, 2020 and with it comes expired proposed legislation, opportunities for new proposals, and new incumbents to contact. The lame-duck session is the period of time when the Legislature…
Sharks Need Their Fins, We Do Not
By: Jamie Zaccaria, Wildlife Conservationist, Burlington, NJ Governor Murphy has taken a huge step to make New Jersey a leader in conservation by signing S2905, which prohibits certain possession, sale, trade, distribution, or offering for sale of shark fins….
My Experience at a State Senate Meeting
Written by: Sabrina Ahmed, Lesniak Institute Intern, Fall 2019 On November 18th, I was given the opportunity to observe a State Senate meeting as a specialist intern for the Lesniak Institute. My superior, Sarah Mack, thoughtfully explained that the…
Desmond’s Bill: Testimonies
On Monday, November 18, 2019, Desmond’s Law was released from The Senate Judiciary Committee, unanimously in an 11/11 vote. Below are the testimonies of those who spoke at the committee meeting. Robin “Zilla” Cannamela, President / Co-Founder Desmond’s Army, Animal…
Earn Your Way Out: Testimony
On Thursday, Nov. 14, The Assembly Appropriations Committee heard testimonies from criminal justice advocates in support of Earn Your Way Out (EWO) S761/A1986 – the most significant criminal justice reform proposed in America. Here are some of those testimonies: …
Adoption Ceremony For Vincent The Miracle Cat
Vincent, the miracle cat, was adopted today after four months in quarantine – a tribute to Sue who saved Vincent, Brenna who adopted Vincent, and my wife Salena who instilled in me her love for animals. When Salena…
Free the Green Amendment from its Cage
My name is Jeremiah LaCon, a twenty year old undergraduate college student who has lived in South Orange, New Jersey since 2000. During the summer of 2017, I was a rising junior at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New…
Happy Kids Heal Faster
A long time friend of mine, Hank Sheinkopf, prominent political advisor to mayors, governors and presidents, called me last year and asked for a favor, “Could you introduce Toys for Hospitalized Children to hospitals in New Jersey?” I responded…
Vincent The Miracle Kitten Needs Your Help
For all of you who have been following Vincent the miracle kitten’s journey to recovery, I’m pleased to report Vincent is recovering well. As you know, Sue risked her well being to save Vincent and the Monmouth County SPCA…
How Legal Sports Betting Came To New Jersey
Speech by Senator Lesniak at NJ Bar Association Sports Betting Conference at Monmouth Park Racetrack: I see today’s agenda focuses on the future impact of sports betting in New Jersey, so I thought I’d spend my few minutes to…
Update: Vincent The Miracle Cat
Sue and I were pleased to toast the successful surgery on Friday for Vincent the Miracle Cat (Can you guess the origin of Vincent’s name? Pretty obvious.) All is well! Vincent’s ear was badly damaged and needed to be…
A Good News Story: Miracle Kitten
On her way to the funeral of Salena Lesniak, Senator Lesniak’s wife who died suddenly last Tuesday, Sue saw an injured cat alongside the roadway. Here’s her story … Driving up Route 9 at approximately 7:15 a.m., I saw…
Remembering Salena Lesniak
Today, we say goodbye to Salena Lesniak, our founder & president, Senator Raymond J. Lesniak’s wife and partner for over 20 years. Salena will be greatly mourned by so many, as she touched the lives of so many people…
Take Action To End The Abuse of Solitary Confinement In New Jersey
The abuse of solitary confinement in prisons is well documented. This abuse was on the brink of ending in New Jersey, but Governor Christie vetoed my legislation ending it. “The move was a blow to civil liberties advocates in…
Juneteenth
We celebrate Juneteenth as a reminder that the Emancipation Proclamation was only the beginning of the end to slavery in America and that the struggle for justice never ends. As Dr. King stated “We shall overcome because the arc…