VOCAL-NY’s 2023 Justice, Compassion & Love Awards Gala

Neil Berry

Neil is a longtime community advocate and leader across many of VOCAL-NY’s unions. He represents Staten Island and has lived experience with the War on Drugs, mass incarceration, and homelessness. Neil has been on the front lines of our work in each of these areas, lobbying and leading actions to pass Daniel’s Law, Parole Reforms, and the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act, as well as supporting our Users Union in the fight to expand Overdose Prevention Centers through the Safer Consumption Services Act and working with our Homeless Union on our response to the death of Jordan Neely. 

Nan Goldin & P.A.I.N.

Nan Goldin is an internationally recognized photographer, whose work has centered on giving visibility to the queer community for over 50 years. In 1988 she curated the first exhibition about AIDS. In 2017 the artist founded the group PAIN, which targets the pharmaceutical companies that profit off the overdose crisis. PAIN fights against the Drug War by advocating for decriminalization of drugs and, life saving treatments for drug users. Goldin’s life is the subject of Laura Poitras’ film All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, now on HBO. The film focuses on Goldin’s lifelong work to de-stigmatize mental illness, AIDS, and drug use. 

Photo credit: Norman Jean Roy

Tony Newman

For more than 20 years, Tony Newman has played a pivotal role in shifting the narrative around drug policy in the US. He was one of the first employees at the Drug Policy Alliance and has been central to designing winning public relations strategies that have changed the way people think about drugs and drug user health. His work helped lay the groundwork for historic victories on marijuana legalization, the repeal of the Rockefeller drug laws, harm reduction expansion, and more.