On May 6, 2026, the Rise to Resilience (R2R) Coalition gathered in Albany for the Coalition’s third annual Advocacy Day. The day was full of meetings with state legislators to advance critical climate resilience policies and ensure communities across New York are better prepared for increasing flooding and extreme weather.
Rise to Resilience (R2R) is a campaign and coalition, comprised of more than 100 organizations representing residents; leaders in business, labor and justice; volunteers; scientists; environmental advocates; and design professionals collectively calling on our federal, state, and local governments to make climate resilience an urgent priority.
The 2026 R2R Advocacy Day brought together 22 advocates representing organizations from across New York State to speak directly with legislators about the need for dedicated investment and action on resilience. Specifically, it was focused on advancing two legislative priorities from the Coalition’s 2026 Policy Platform: The Rain Ready NY Act (S4071A / A7467A) and the Climate Resilient NY Act (S3590A / A8088A). Together, these bills represent practical, forward-looking measures to help communities address increasing flood risk and strengthen resilience planning statewide.
For the last few years, the Rise to Resilience Coalition has been working to get a memo in support of the Rain Ready NY Act from the New York City Mayor. Just in time for the 2026 Advocacy Day, we received a memo in support from Mayor Zohran Mamdani!
Throughout the day, advocates met with 28 elected officials and legislative offices, including State Senators Michael Gianaris and Robert Jackson, Assembly Members Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Deborah Glick, Jessica González-Rojas, and Michaelle Solages, as well as other legislators serving on the Corporations, Ways & Means, Rules, Finance, and Environmental Conservation Committees.
Advocates and partners also joined State Senator Liu and Assembly Member Shimsky at a press conference at the State Capitol in support of the Rain Ready NY Act. During the press conference, Tyler Taba, Waterfront Alliance’s director of policy and government affairs, highlighted that the legislation “will allow the most flood-vulnerable communities across New York to get ahead of the next major flood, or even just the next heavy rain.” The bill would help communities proactively identify vulnerabilities, strengthen planning efforts, and invest in resilience before disaster strikes.
Across meetings with legislators and staff, Coalition members heard strong recognition of the importance of advancing climate resilience not only in response to emergencies and disasters, but as an essential investment in the everyday wellbeing of New Yorkers. Conversations throughout the day reinforced the growing understanding that climate impacts are already affecting constituents’ homes, livelihoods, infrastructure, and quality of life.
In one meeting, legislative staff described how increasingly frequent and intense rainfall is becoming a material burden on communities across their district. In another, lawmakers emphasized that these bills represent straightforward, achievable first steps toward building greater resilience statewide.
Resilience cannot wait until after disaster strikes: it must be intentionally and strategically built into how New York plans, invests, and governs today.
Coalition members urged legislators to support and co-sponsor both bills and encouraged committee leadership to advance them for a vote before the end of the 2026 legislative session. The day’s conversations reflected a shared understanding that resilience cannot wait until after disaster strikes: it must be intentionally and strategically built into how New York plans, invests, and governs today.
The 2026 R2R Advocacy Day also served as a reminder that meaningful policy progress depends on strong partnerships and collective action. The collaboration and commitment shown by coalition members, legislative champions, and supporters continue to strengthen the growing movement for a more resilient future across New York.
Importantly, the day also demonstrated that advocacy is not reserved for policy experts or professionals: anyone can be an advocate for their community. Among the participants this year were three individuals representing themselves and their neighborhoods, speaking directly with legislators about why flooding and climate resilience matter in their daily lives. Their voices brought lived experience and urgency into conversations in Albany, underscoring that the movement for resilience grows stronger when more people choose to participate.
As climate impacts continue to intensify, the Rise to Resilience Coalition welcomes others to join this effort and help shape a safer, more resilient future for all New Yorkers.
