REMARKS
Alexa Avilés discusses the NYC City Council's efforts to maintain and increase funding for adult literacy and services for immigrants
3:40:40
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3 min
Alexa Avilés discusses the NYC City Council's efforts to maintain and increase funding for adult literacy and services for immigrants.
- Alexa Avilés commends the community organizations' work and acknowledges the need for better funding.
- She highlights partnerships with CUNY, Make the Road, and Catholic Charities, emphasizing their significant contributions to the community.
- Avilés criticizes budget cuts and scapegoating of migrants, advocating for more resources to be allocated for immigrants.
- She points out the disproportionate budget allocation for immigrant services in a city where 40% of the population are immigrants.
- Avilés commits to fighting for budget justice for immigrant communities in partnership with various organizations.
Alexa Avilés
3:40:40
Just to note, we will be having a conversation with within the preliminary budget where aycd will be specifically on the adult literacy contract and the other problems that are emerging there.
3:40:54
So you you have our our commitment as we've been working with the election and other council members to to do better, not only to maintain the funding, but to actually increase the funding.
3:41:09
So we are working hard on that.
3:41:12
You know, I guess, I I wanted to say to all of you, you know, thank you for the work that we know you are not being paid for, even when you're getting paid on time.
3:41:23
From the city, we know every agency.
3:41:26
Has historically been front and center to community needs.
3:41:31
So I wanna personally thank you for that work.
3:41:35
Our office has certainly benefited in partnership with with CUNY.
3:41:39
Certainly in partnership with make the road and Catholic charities, a long long track record heard in this area.
3:41:45
So I know you'll be sticking with us through this.
3:41:50
And, yes, the cuts and the the face of not being necessary or particularly egregious, and we agree with you.
3:42:00
That this is not the place to cut services, particularly when you have a surplus.
3:42:07
And navigating collectively, we're navigating this continued scapegoating that is happening.
3:42:13
And it says we're being benevolent at the same time, blaming everyone for everything.
3:42:18
Or blaming migrants, you know, arrivals for everything, and and the unsafe conditions that that creates in communities that we all know because we see it.
3:42:27
On a day to day basis.
3:42:29
So I wanna thank you for bringing insanity and leadership and services.
3:42:36
To vulnerable people who are just on their pathway to a healthy and dignified life.
3:42:42
And so I wanna thank you, and we'll continue to do that.
3:42:46
Work together.
3:42:48
And I just lastly have to point out, I'm preaching to the choir here, is the reason why I said 40% of New York cities, immigrants over and over again.
3:42:57
The budget of Moya is under a $1,000,000, the budget of Awasso.
3:43:03
Is $1,200,000.
3:43:05
When we have a city budget, yes, there are additional services there that we all know about.
3:43:10
Nevertheless, collectively, we have a budget of a $109,600,000,000 when 40% of our population or immigrants and could use a wide range of these services, it is grotesque that we have not figured out.
3:43:28
How to service people with dignity and to do a better job.
3:43:33
Clearly, no one picked up on that in the prior panel.
3:43:37
But I thank you, and we'll continue to fight for budget justice for our communities.
3:43:43
I appreciate it.
3:43:44
Thank you.
