Diana I. Ayala
1:46:40
I mean, I just I I'm I'm this is one that I, you know, plan to, like, make a big deal about because of the, you know, the the the need in my in my community.
1:46:51
I have a really good working relationship with both of these organizations and I know how hard they work in our communities to make sure that they're working with, you know, some of the the folks that are, you know, likelier to to get into trouble if they were not engaged in in workforce opportunities.
1:47:08
But it's it's, you know, It's an opportune it's often the case that the neediest of people, like, we have to travel, you know, outside of our communities to receive these services.
1:47:18
We were supposed to get a workforce development site at that was actually promised through the rezoning of East Harlem and were recently told that that was taken away, but that our constituents could go into Harlem workforce and utilize their their resources.
1:47:36
The idea of asking for that as part of a commitment was because there was a there was a need there was a a a huge demand for that that level of service to be provided locally within the community.
1:47:47
So to lose that and to now have to hear that both jobs plus programs will be, you know, leaving as well.
1:47:56
We'll be closing.
1:47:56
We're gonna lose that resource.
1:47:58
It's really quite frankly annoying and heartbreaking because I know how how difficult it is.
1:48:06
Like, I don't think that the city really understands.
1:48:09
Like, how much stress, you know, it is.
1:48:11
It seems like it seems very simplistic to grab a metro card and just get on a train or get on a bus and go you know, from from place to place.
1:48:19
But it's it's it becomes troublesome.
1:48:22
It's it's it's, you know, it's hard.
1:48:24
And these services should be in the communities that need them.
1:48:28
If you have a high you know, the same thing as you have a high rate of evictions, those eviction services, right, prevention eviction services should be in that community.
1:48:36
If there is a huge demand for food, you have, you know, a larger demand, a for applications for food, snack benefits in a specific community, then you should be purposely integrating yourself into that community.
1:48:49
So I I don't support those cuts, and I will not be supporting those cuts.
1:48:54
And I'm hoping to see full restoration because I know that you know, these these programs and services are essential to both the South Banks and East Harlem, and I cannot you know, just allow that to disappear.
1:49:11
So with that, thank you.
