PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jennifer Jones Austin, Former Chair of the Racial Justice Commission and CEO of Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA), on Implementation of Racial Equity Charter Amendments
2:26:05
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10 min
Jennifer Jones Austin, former Chair of the Racial Justice Commission and CEO of FPWA, testified on the implementation of NYC's 2022 charter amendments to promote racial equity. She emphasized the importance of vigilance in racial equity work, commended the City Council's efforts, and expressed concerns about the development of a true cost of living measure.
- Austin stressed the need for a comprehensive true cost of living measure that captures both present-day costs and future savings for low and middle-income New Yorkers.
- She highlighted the work of FPWA and the Urban Institute in developing a national true cost of living measure that could benefit New York City.
- Austin called for urgent and loyal implementation of the charter revisions, while acknowledging the complexity of building new infrastructure for racial equity efforts.
Jennifer Jones Austin
2:26:05
Good good good to noon.
2:26:07
Good morning.
2:26:08
Not quite sure what time of date is, but it is good to be with you.
2:26:12
Sheryl Williams and those committee members who were here, other distinguished members of the council, really appreciate the opportunity to testify at this counsel hearing in first and foremost, I just wanna thank you for taking the time and giving attention to this critical issue.
2:26:29
If we do not stay evovigilant and engaged in this work, we know that it will not happen.
2:26:36
I had the pleasure of serving as chair of the racial justice commission.
2:26:41
It was a privilege.
2:26:42
It was a pleasure for the most part.
2:26:44
It was a daunting task.
2:26:46
But I'm glad that we got through it.
2:26:47
And serving as chair, I had the privilege 1 day of talking with the former Council to the South African Tooth And Reconciliation Commission.
2:26:59
The former council said to me, very sage advisors, sage words, he said, always remember throughout your deliberations that those who created the system created it to persist.
2:27:12
And I think we're seeing around the country right now, since I think I know we're seeing.
2:27:17
What that means, what that looks like with the erosion of so many advancements that have been made over the course of the past 60 plus years.
2:27:24
We're seeing them fall to the wayside if you will.
2:27:27
But New York is differently positioned because we have these measures now made law and in the New York City charter.
2:27:36
The New Yorkers have spoken and have said, we believe equity, racial equity, should be the foundational law for this city.
2:27:43
So we're in a better place and that gives me hope.
2:27:46
I want to commend the city council for doing its part.
2:27:50
The city administration is responsible for implementing the racial measures that were passed by the city of New York, but the city council has stepped up too.
2:27:58
This hearing is an indication the early indication hearing that you held, Sheryl Williams, but also the passage of those of those pieces of legislation to provide to acquire that city employees and human service workers under contract with the city of New York received annual anti racism and biased training if they are going to work on behalf and in behalf of New Yorkers, especially those who've been made vulnerable.
2:28:24
That legislation providing for training requirements is critical to ensure that they're showing up with the competency and the and the sincerity to do the work in ways that do not perpetuate harm.
2:28:37
So I appreciate you all for stepping up and doing that work.
2:28:41
I'll tell you that since the The commission did its work pursuant to the laws of the city of New York.
2:28:48
The commission no longer ceased to exist.
2:28:50
However, I am privileged to serve along with 14 other persons, 4 of whom in addition to myself were commissioners on the mayor's racial equity, racial justice advisory board.
2:29:04
And serving on the board, I I can attest that the City is working diligently to implement the measures that were passed.
2:29:13
We are beyond beyond or behind, behind, I should say, the timelines that were set.
2:29:20
Those timelines were set with a sense of urgency that something had to be done and quickly to get things going.
2:29:27
But I appreciate that they're building a new infrastructure.
2:29:30
They're resetting the foundation.
2:29:32
And frankly, I'd rather than move slowly and cautious sleep, then move with haste to meet a timeline, and then not get it right.
2:29:41
So I commend them for the work that they're doing.
2:29:44
What I'll tell you is that at this stage of the implementation, even with the timelines extended well beyond the chart and mandated timelines, by as many as 18 months.
2:29:55
As chair of the racial justice commission, I'm most concerned, most concerned about the city's adherence, to the charter mandate for a true cost of living measure.
2:30:05
Specifically, I'm most concerned about what cost the measure will include.
2:30:11
During the RJC's community outreach phase, my fellow commissioners and I heard repeatedly from everyday New Yorkers, mostly persons of color.
2:30:20
About their lived experiences, about how the measure that if it's not capturing what they need, will ensure that they can they'll continue to struggle to get by and get ahead in a city where they can't even begin to plan for tomorrow.
2:30:37
Because they're financially challenged to get through today.
2:30:40
Their ability to live, to thrive, live with dignity, to be economically secure is getting harder and harder even with college and graduate degrees.
2:30:51
The commission appreciated that existing measures such as the official and supplemental poverty measures and the self sufficiency standard are tied to acute deprivation and basic needs and do not capture adequately and accurately all costs necessary for individuals and families classified as low and middle income New Yorkers to get by, get ahead, and stay ahead.
2:31:17
We proposed to require the city to do something never done.
2:31:21
The commission envisioned a 1st in nation true cost of living measure that captures what it truly cost for individuals and families to live here in New York City and adequately meet their basic daily needs, plan for their futures, and save for rainy days.
2:31:39
The ballot abstracts tech states that the new measurement is intended to focus on dignity rather than poverty.
2:31:47
Reflecting the intention to root in it economic security, what it costs to get by, get ahead, and stay ahead.
2:31:55
Existing measures, including those aimed at providing a more accurate accounting of basic needs such as the self sufficiency standard.
2:32:04
Which I have worked with for more than 15 years while a senior leader at the universe at the United Way of New York City and still today at F PWA are not.
2:32:14
They are not true cost of living measures, but rather measures centered in economic deprivation.
2:32:21
Acute economic deprivation.
2:32:23
The commission understood this, and that's why we proposed the creation and utilization of a new measure, 1 that would capture the 2 costs of living today and for tomorrow, and that would have the greatest potential in aiding in the undoing of structural economic deprivation.
2:32:43
The danger of measures that only track basic needs is that they have the effect of disproportionately harming both low and middle income New Yorkers who have lower income and less assets due to structural racism.
2:32:57
When government only tracks basic needs, it inhibits an individual and family's ability to build wealth and achieve economic security by disregarding the cost of the many forms of debt and the costs associated with retirement family needs beyond child care and emergent costs.
2:33:15
For New Yorkers working to get ahead, especially those whose opportunities have been diminished, by structural and institutional racism.
2:33:23
The city must select as its 2 cost of living measure, a new measure that captures both present day daily costs, including debt of different types, especially for those classified as poor and middle income, and costs associated with saving for tomorrow and building wealth.
2:33:42
This would allow our city to see and understand the full complex financial picture of New Yorkers who are struggling to move beyond basic needs, doing anything less than a true cost of living measure undercuts not only the intent of the past measure in its in the of the past measure in its design, but also in its results.
2:34:05
I implore the mayor and the city council to do nothing less than effect a fully realized true cost of living measure, which to date, has not been put forward, has not been offered up by any city or nonprofit organization here in New York City despite what you may have heard.
2:34:25
Fortunately, New Yorkers passage of the 2 cost of living measure with a whopping 81% of the electorate voting in favor created the spark that ignited a conversation about what it truly caused to live and to measure.
2:34:41
Economic security and financial resiliency for Americans classified as low income and also as middle income.
2:34:49
Who may be comfortable from day to day, but still are financial precarious because they can save and plan for the expected and the unexpected.
2:34:59
What happened?
2:35:00
In 2023, my organization, the organization I lead F PWA, and the Community Service Society launched a nationwide coalition to effect a national too cost of living measure.
2:35:13
And we commissioned the renowned Urban Institute to create the measure.
2:35:19
The Urban Institute is in the final stages of developing a measure that will calculate the true cost of living, both county by county.
2:35:28
That means here in New York City, burrow by burrow.
2:35:31
And then for the country, overall.
2:35:35
New York can learn and benefit directly from the Urban Institute's work, which is unprecedented.
2:35:42
And justice was the case with the racial justice commission, be the vanguard for the nation in calculating the true cost of living securely and with dignity.
2:35:54
I do commend the promise of the Adams administration.
2:35:57
In working towards fulfilling the charter revisions.
2:36:00
But I also exhort the administration to act with both a sense of urgency spurred by the chart and post timelines, and a sense of loyalty to the desires of all New York City citizens.
2:36:14
And their families who are seeking a more equitable and inclusive and secure life as their boats demonstrated.
2:36:22
The system may have been created to persist, but with the implementation of these charter revisions, in the right way, dare I say the righteous way.
2:36:34
New Yorkers have instructed their government to push back in this moment.
2:36:39
And forevermore.
2:36:40
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.