ArtRage and Central Current will host a panel discussions Oct. 15th exploring urban environmental challenges and inequalities relating to the removal and replacement of the I-81 viaduct.

Use this link to get your free ticket

ArtRage Gallery and Central Current are partnering to host a panel conversation exploring urban environmental challenges and inequalities here in Syracuse. The discussion will be centered around lead exposure and air quality as the Interstate 81 viaduct is removed and replaced.

The event will be held on Wednesday, October 15th from 5:30 to 7 pm at the ArtRage Gallery, located at 505 Hawley Ave. Admission is free, and drinks and appetizers will be served.

Drawing on similar themes, the exhibit currently on display at ArtRage is Najee Dorsey’s Poor People’s Campaign — described as “a powerful collection of work grounded in the environmental struggles of today’s impoverished communities.” More information about the exhibit and the artist can be found on the ArtRage website.

The panel will be moderated by Central Current reporters Debadrita Sur and Eddie Velazquez.

Featured Panelists:

Lanessa Owens-Chaplin, Director of the Racial Justice Center, New York Civil Liberties Union

Lanessa Owens-Chaplin is an experienced civil rights lawyer with over 10 years of public service experience. As the Director of the Racial Justice Center, she leads the effort to restore, uplift, and work alongside Black, Indigenous, and people of color through traditional and movement lawyering. Lanessa joined the NYCLU in 2018 as a member of the Education Policy Center, where she was instrumental in the education equity campaign and led the environmental racism campaign, including the I-81 Project. Lanessa’s docket prioritizes the intersections of racial justice, infrastructure equity, land use laws, restorative principles such as reparations, impacts on education, and Indigenous rights.

Oceanna Fair, Chair of Families for Lead Freedom Now!

Oceanna Fair is a passionate civic leader and lifelong resident of Syracuse’s Southside. As Chair of Families for Lead Freedom Now!, she leads a grassroots coalition of families directly impacted by childhood lead poisoning, advocating for justice, accountability, and systemic change. A retired nurse, devoted mother, and proud grandmother, Mrs. Fair brings both personal and professional insight to her advocacy. Her own family’s experience with lead poisoning fuels her unwavering commitment to ending this preventable crisis and protecting future generations. Mrs. Fair serves on several boards and committees, including the Governor’s Lead Advisory Council, the Greater Syracuse Land Bank Board, and the I-81 Big Table’s Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Committee.

Darlene Medley, organizing member of Families for Lead Freedom Now!

Darlene Medley is a Syracuse, NY, advocate for children’s health and safety, with a specific focus on lead poisoning prevention. Her advocacy work began after her twin sons, Rashad and Devon, were diagnosed with elevated lead levels in their blood at age two. This personal experience led her to become a prominent voice in the fight against lead contamination in homes and schools. Medley is a co-founder of the organization Families for Lead Freedom Now, where she has served as the West Branch leader. Through this group, she has organized protests, spoken at school board and city council meetings, and testified before the New York State Senate, calling for greater accountability from city officials and landlords. Medley’s efforts have focused on several key areas: Awareness and Education; Policy and Legislative Change as well as Housing Solutions. Medley has worked to provide safe housing for families displaced by lead hazards and has personally worked to rehabilitate a donated home to serve as a “lead shelter” for families in need. This initiative, which she has called ‘Uniquely Free To Be Lead Free’, aims to provide a safe place for families while their homes are being remediated or while they search for new housing. Medley’s advocacy is rooted in her family’s experience and her determination to prevent other children from suffering the same fate as her sons. She has become a powerful figure in the Syracuse community, advocating tirelessly for the protection of children and demanding that city leaders take decisive action to address the ongoing lead crisis.

What are Current Conversations?

When we started Central Current in 2022, we made it part of our mission to engage with our local community. We’ve always focused our reporting on what matters most to Central New Yorkers. As we continue to grow our staff and our coverage, we’re also working to create new ways for our readers to connect with our team. We want to better understand which topics interest you and what information you need to know, so we can publish more meaningful stories.

To that end, Current Conversations brings you face-to-face with the people and issues shaping our city and region. These ongoing events are an opportunity to:

• Hear from local guest speakers
• Connect with other readers
• Engage with our journalists
• Learn about our reporting process

Can’t make it? A video recording of the event will be made available on our website.