TESTIMONY
Testimony: Yesenia Mata, Executive Director of La Colmena, on Empowering Immigrant Women Workers
1:35:53
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109 sec
Isenia Mata, Executive Director of La Colmena, testifies on the organization's pivotal role in empowering immigrant women workers on Staten Island. Through education, culture, organizing, and economic development, Lacomina focuses on the rights and health of new arrivals, despite facing anti-immigrant hostility. Mata stresses the importance of informing women about their rights, such as those outlined in the domestic worker bill of rights and safe workplace practices, drawing from personal motivation linked to her mother's immigrant experience.
Speaker 15
1:35:53
Thank you, Chairwoman Lewis, and council members on the committee for allowing Lacomina to speak today.
1:35:59
My name is Isenia Mata, and I am the executive director, Lacomina.
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An immigrant and worker rights organization based on Staten Island.
1:36:06
Through our work, we have been able to be in the forefront of supporting new arrivals, which includes women and teaching them about the rights at work, and as well as and as well as, you know, organizing on Staten Island for immigrant rights is not easy.
1:36:19
As it is known to be one of the most hostile worlds for immigrants.
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But despite the threats that our center gets from those that are anti immigrant, we stay focused on our mission, which to empower the immigrant worker through education culture, organizing economic development.
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We are proud to say that through our work, we have been able to empower woman, immigrant woman that every day wake up to head to work to provide for their families.
1:36:41
And whether they have been here a long time or recently, we remind them that they have rights We remind them that they have rights such as through the domestic worker bill of rights paid safe and sick leave, and keep reminding them that they should not be opposed to harmful chemicals at work when cleaning.
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This issue is important to me on a personal level as a daughter of an amazing immigrant woman who came here to work a domestic worker to pursue the American dream.
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This is why we are proud to say that we recently became members of the domestic worker initiative, which includes the National Domestic Workers Alliance Atacar Carole Gardens Association, and Hand in Hand, which together we support over 8000 domestic workers.
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We hope that this year just as we continue fighting for immigrant domestic workers for the rights, which includes their health that we can count on your support.
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I'm fighting for this initiative that support many immigrant domestic workers and reminds them about the rights.
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So I thank you for your time in leadership chairwoman.
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The health of immigrant woman is a 5 for women rights.
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Thank you.
Speaker 1
1:37:41
Thank you.