A welcome note.
I’m a longtime organizer working to build people power from the bottom up, mostly in movements to end the drug war and mass incarceration. I’ve cofounded multiple projects and organizations. I’ve trained people throughout the country and beyond. I frequently write and give talks about criminal justice and drug policy, organizing history, and how ordinary people come together to fight for a more just, equitable world. This is my personal site, featuring my published writing, talks and workshops I’ve given over the years, media appearances, and my blog.
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For press inquiries or to request consultation or training, please contact me.
If you’re looking for details about the Katal Center – where I serve as executive director – please visit our website.
Latest Posts
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Three Years, Five Boroughs, 200,000 Doors: A Report on Katal’s #ShutRikers Canvassing Project
Three Years, Five Boroughs, 200,000 Doors: A Report on Katal’s #ShutRikers Canvassing Project, September 2022–December 2025. By Melanie Dominguez and gabriel sayegh, with contributions from Lakenya Smith, Ricky Forde, Aryssa Speirs, Karen Oberlin Hajdu, and Bianca Herrera. June 2026. Katal’s organizing has always included canvassing – handing out flyers, knocking on doors, talking with people…
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Shut Rikers Zine (2nd ed.), 2026
Shut Rikers: A Brief History of Political Graphics in 15 Stickers (2nd Edition). By Josh MacPhee and the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice. Published February 2026. Back in print in a new 2nd Edition with 4 additional pages of material and updated introductions. Part history lesson, part organizing tool, part sticker set, this…
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Rikers Island and Mental Health Report
Rikers Island and Mental Health: Pathways Toward Community-Based Diversion and Jail Population Reduction. By Michael Rempel, Krystal Rodriguez, and Kellyann Bock (Data Collaborative for Justice); Yonah Zeitz, gabriel sayegh, and Melanie Dominguez (Katal Center for Equity, Health, & Justice). November 2025 As New York City works toward its mandate to close Rikers Island, addressing the…
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