Hundreds of Volunteers to Make Up 11th annual ‘I Heart New Haven Day’ June 6

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Bridges of Hope is a group of diverse New Haven area churches from across denominational, social, and cultural lines that have agreed to come together as one to serve the New Haven community as members of the community.

This year we are organizing the 11th annual “I Heart New Haven Day” which will take place on June 6, 2026. The goal is to serve the city through over 27 different projects with over 250 volunteers participating from Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church, Church on the Rock, Vox Church, Trinity Baptist Church, Christ Presbyterian Church, All Nations Church, St John’s Episcopal Church, CT Korean
Presbyterian Church, Elm City Vineyard, International Church at Yale and several other churches.

This is the 11th anniversary of coming together to build partnerships, serve immediate needs and give back to the city our volunteers know and love. People know these volunteers as the “blue shirts,” but they are also residents, public servants and leaders in the city. The day will begin at 9am on the New Haven Green with words of encouragement from the pastors of the churches and then the volunteers will be sent off to their projects to serve from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Here is a glimpse of sites we will be serving across the city. A full and comprehensive list can be supplied upon request

Examples of sites this year include:
● Organizing donations at Columbus House
● Landscaping and painting for elderly community members
● Landscaping and painting at local public schools (Hill Central, Fair Haven, Clinton Avenue and more)
● Painting at Loaves & Fishes, Christian Community Action, Amistad Catholic Worker
● Creating Gratitude cards with kids in the neighborhood…and more!

Demonstrate June 5 Against Citizens Bank’s Financing of ICE Detention Centers

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by De-Ice Coalition

Friday, June 5, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.:  Demonstrate outside of Citizens Bank, 39 Church Street in New Haven, CT. Activists in New Haven will join the national movement calling on Citizens Bank to stop financing The GEO Group and CoreCivic, two of the largest private operators of ICE detention centers in the United States- and calling on those who have accounts at Citizens to remove their money unless and until they do this.

Join thousands of people across the country to send Citizens Bank a clear message: financing private prison and immigration detention facility operators The GEO Group and CoreCivic is bad for business, bad for our communities, and unacceptable to Citizens Bank depositors.

Please bring signs specific to this action: De-ICE Citizens Bank; Cages Aren’t Communities; Citizens Bank – Stop Financing ICE Prisons; Citizens Bank + ICE = Human Rights Abuse; ICE Prisons Don’t Strengthen Our Communities; Citizens Bank – Cut Ties With ICE Prisons; etc.

Citizens Bank is bankrolling the country’s two largest prison companies that are earning record profits operating dozens of ICE detention facilities.

While most major banks have cut ties with CoreCivic and The GEO Group, Citizens Bank is deepening its financial support for these companies, which are already holding more than half of the 70,000 immigrants currently in ICE detention centers across the country.

The bank’s capital is supporting a deplorable ICE agenda that aims to fill detention centers with more than 100,000 people by next year.

Even as it publicly touts its commitment to “strengthening our communities,” Citizens Bank has played a key role in helping The GEO Group and CoreCivic access more than $2.5 billion in financing, some of it approved earlier this year. This comes as the companies face a mountain of allegations, including forced labor and wrongful deaths due to understaffing and medical neglect at their facilities.

We won’t quietly stand by as Citizens continues to finance the private prison & ICE detention companies that are harming our communities. The 2019 exodus of banks from the industry in response to activism should be a reminder to us that our voices matter. Now it’s time to use them. Visit www.de-icecitizensbank.org for more information and other actions you can take!

Remember, we want to be in solidarity with workers including bank branch employees. Treat everyone with respect and do not harass or film employees.

A core principle behind all Coalition events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values. We expect hosts to ensure all participants in your event uphold this commitment. We recommend all participants review a safety and security resource before your event, such as https://indivisi.org/safety.

For more information about the campaign in general, go to: https://www.de-icecitizensbank.org/.

Go to https://www.mobilize.us/deicecitizens/event/953363/ to RSVP for this event now. This local action is organized by New Haven Sunday Vigil for Peace and Justice.

Keyla Comes Home

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by Thomas Breen, May 12, 2026, New Haven Independent

A Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) nursing student from Ecuador has returned home to Connecticut after spending more than a month in federal immigration detention, including, most recently, in southern Louisiana.

The statewide immigrant-advocacy group CT Students for a Dream announced that news in a Tuesday afternoon press release.

That press release states that Keyla Vasquez-Zuniga was granted a $15,000 bond and released from the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, La., on Saturday, May 9.

Her release came less than a week after an immigration judge granted Vasquez-Zuniga a $15,000 bond, and two days after CT Students for a Dream stepped up its fundraising to help secure her release, cover her legal costs, and help her travel back from Louisiana to Connecticut.

“I’m really thankful for all of the help and support I received from everyone. Your kindness, encouragement, and patience truly meant the world to me. I honestly couldn’t have gotten through everything without the people who stood by my side and believed in me even during this difficult period,” Vasquez-Zuniga is quoted as saying in Tuesday’s press release.

“Every message, and every little act of support made a bigger difference than you probably realize. I’ve learned so much from this experience, and I’ll always be grateful for the love and positivity I was surrounded by. Thank you for always being there for me, for lifting me up when I needed it most, and for reminding me that I’m never alone. I appreciate each and every one of you more than words can explain.”

[To read this article in its entirety, please go to bit.ly/3PBwhjG]

Major Immigrant Protection Bill Signed into Law

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by Joelle Fishman, May 10, 2026, People’s World

The successful, hard-fought campaign to expand protections for immigrants in Connecticut was celebrated at the bill signing of SB 397 outside the State Supreme Court. Written following wanton ICE violence in Minnesota and other communities, the bill was championed by New Haven state senator Gary Winfield, chair of the Judiciary Committee.

In a contentious two-day House debate, Connecticut stories of ICE kidnapping immigrant students and parents were shared. “This is a very measured response to federal overreach and a way to protect people living here in the state of Connecticut from, frankly, a lawless and out-of-control ICE,” said Bridgeport state representative Steven Stafstrom.

The omnibus bill creates ‘protected areas’ from immigration enforcement, including schools, hospitals, social service agencies, and houses of worship. It bans agents from wearing masks, allows citizens to sue for constitutional violations, and limits use of automated license plate readers. It prohibits state or local police departments from hiring former federal law enforcement officers found guilty of misconduct, and requires 480 hours of training before officers can be hired by state agencies.

It also gives the state inspector general the right to investigate the use of deadly force by federal agents, and removes immunity from officers who arrest or assault someone taking photos or videotaping their actions.

After passing the Senate, the bill was debated in the House for two days before passing 91-57 along party lines. No Republicans voted in favor.

“Many thanks to everyone who made this possible by testifying, showing up, and spreading the word,” said Tabitha Sookdeo, naming “CT For All organizations that worked tirelessly, members and staff at CT Students for a Dream, ACLU of CT, Husky for Immigrants, Hartford Deportation Defense, Make the Road CT, NHFT, 32 BJ SEIU, SEIU 1199 NE, CT AFL-CIO, GHIAA, and more.”

The Connecticut AFL-CIO joined in support of the rights of immigrant workers. “This bill is a vital step in ensuring that ICE is held accountable to Connecticut’s laws,” said president Ed Hawthorne. “It serves as a reminder that when we raise our voices against injustice, we create real change.”

Hundreds Protest Trump in New London Leading into Coast Guard Commencement

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by Mirmina, N. Rosenberg,May 20, 2026, Stamford Advocate

Janet Bannister held a series of hand-drawn emoji signs at McKinley Park on Wednesday, each one reflecting a different emotion she said has defined the Trump administration for her.

“It’s hard to choose between being angry and being sad and being outraged,” said Bannister, a 54-year-old Mansfield resident.

Similar feelings of frustration surfaced throughout the park, where hundreds of other protesters gathered ahead of President Donald Trump’s commencement address to the Coast Guard Academy, which was closed to the public.

The New London protests were the latest outcry from Connecticut residents over Trump’s second-term agenda.

Since Trump took office in January 2025, tens of thousands of demonstrators across the state have rallied against the administration’s immigration crackdown, federal spending cuts and foreign policy decisions while also warning that Trump’s expanding use of executive power threatens democratic norms.

Kirsten Peru, a 21-year-old military spouse from Groton whose family immigrated from Mexico, stood near the park entrance holding a Mexican flag.

Peru, who said it was her first protest, described immigration enforcement as her top concern. The issue is deeply personal for her. She said her mother was deported roughly 20 years ago after coming to the U.S. and giving birth to her.

She attended Wednesday’s protest to “speak up for those who can’t use their voice.” [Full article at bit.ly/4usp8kW]

Death Penalty Abolition Actions

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by Scott Langley, Death Penalty Action

[Note to our readers: Connecticut abolished the death penalty in 2012. The struggle to end this barbaric practice continues on in other states.]

For the 33rd consecutive year, from June 29 to July 2, death penalty abolitionists from around the country will gather at the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. to call for an end to capital punishment for four days through vigiling, tabling, petition signature gathering, teach-ins, flyering, and fasting. (Fasting is always optional and up to the individual about what works for them.) It is an energizing week of training, advocacy, action, community, reflection and education.

The event is organized by the Abolitionist Action Committee, which is an ad-hoc group of over 50 sponsoring individuals and organizations committed to highly visible and effective public education for alternatives to the death penalty.

During the event, tens of thousands of tourists and locals, from all over the U.S. and throughout the world, pass by our vigil and table, so the opportunity for dialogue and discussion at a real grass-roots level is invaluable to the movement. Additionally, each evening we hear stories from murder victim family members, death row exonerees, death row families and leaders in the national abolition movement.

2026 also marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing executions to resume in the Gregg v. Georgia decision of 1976. So this year there will be a special rally on July 2 at 6 p.m. to say “50 Years of Executions: Not in Our Names!”

We hope you will consider joining anti-death penalty activists who come regularly from all across the United States from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in-between.

Learn more and register today at abolition.org.

The central organization that puts on this event is Death Penalty Action, a national non-profit working to stop executions and abolish the death penalty through advocacy, education, and action. Check out DeathPenaltyAction.org to learn more about other ways you can get involved in the movement – including signing petitions for every scheduled execution in the United States.

America 250: Democracy at a Crossroads

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International Festival of Arts and Ideas event

Come to the New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave., on Sunday, June 7!

From 1-2 p.m., hear an eye-opening conversation about democracy, power, and resilience. Democracy Under Pressure: What History Tells Us. What does history actually tell us about the moment we’re living in? Join three of America’s most compelling historians: Elizabeth Hinton, Joanne Freeman, and Beverly Gage — for an eye-opening conversation about democracy, power, and resilience. Reserve a seat at https://www.artidea.org/event/2026/5859.

Then from 2:15-3:15 p.m., you can take part in the workshop Your Voice Belongs Here: How Everyday People Make Change, led by Connecticut lobbyist and former legislative staffer Aurora Melita. In a moment when many people feel concerned about the future of democracy, this interactive Civic 101 workshop offers a practical and empowering starting point. This session breaks down how the legislative process works at the state level — and where everyday voices meaningfully influence public decision-making.  Drawing from her work inside the Connecticut legislature and on state elections, Aurora translates complex systems into clear, conversational explanations that help people feel confident navigating and participating in civic life. Reserve a seat at https://www.artidea.org/event/2026/5860.

From 3:30-4:30 p.m., consider UnCivil Uprising: Can a General Strike Save Democracy. Jack Hitt and Chenjerai Kumanyika, the hosts of the Peabody Award-winning podcast Uncivil ask the question nobody in power wants you to consider:  Can a general strike save  American  democracy?  The most powerful weapon against fascism might be the one we’ve nearly forgotten. To reserve a seat, go to https://www.artidea.org/event/2026/5861. See more Arts and Ideas events at https://www.artidea.org/calendar.

The New Haven Museum is wheelchair-accessible.

West River Peace Garden News

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by Friends of the West River Peace Garden

The West River Peace Garden hosted a special gathering and planting on May 9, the day before Mother’s Day, to pay homage to mothers who have passed on. You can read about it here: bit.ly/4f63Bde.

We are planning to have another gathering on August 6 by the Gingko tree in our garden to commemorate the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to remember the victims, and to publicly call for peace, an end to all war, and for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Email us at friendsofwestriverpeacegarden@gmail.com for updates on this gathering, or check our Facebook page Friends of the West River Peace Garden or our website westriverpeacegarden.org.

Interested in volunteering in the garden? Email us with the time and day you’d like to join us each week, and we’ll schedule a volunteer shift for others to join you then!

The West River Peace Garden is by Ella Grasso Blvd. between Legion Ave. and MLK Blvd.

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