PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Joshua Sooklal, Student at John Jay and Nonprofit Worker from Hope for the Warriors and Veterans Advisory Board
1:05:42
·
68 sec
Joshua Sooklal, a student and nonprofit worker, addresses the committee on increasing civic engagement for veterans. He emphasizes the lack of veteran representation in the city council and highlights the need for more support from the city for veterans.
- Sooklal works for Hope for the Warriors and is on the Veterans Advisory Board
- He points out that the Department of Veterans' Services is the least funded city agency
- Sooklal expresses frustration with the lack of support for veterans from the city despite their significance
Joshua Sooklal
1:05:42
Good morning, committee.
1:05:43
Good morning to your holding.
1:05:44
My name is Joshua Sukhan.
1:05:46
I am a student at John Jay.
1:05:48
I work for a nonprofit hope for the warriors.
1:05:51
And I'm on the Veterans Advisory Board.
1:05:53
I'm here to address increasing civic engagement.
1:05:56
Like you said earlier, Cheryl Holden, there is not a veteran on the city council, but there is one veteran running that I know of.
1:06:04
And he's a good friend of mine.
1:06:07
In the end, I think in order to increase civic engagement, well, we need the support.
1:06:12
And as you can see right here, you we have the support.
1:06:15
What we don't have is the support of the city.
1:06:18
And that's unfortunate.
1:06:19
I go through day in, day out, schools, homeless shelters.
1:06:23
You name it.
1:06:23
I'm in it.
1:06:24
When I'm speaking to a veteran and they are telling me the atrocities that are happening, I just can't help but Well, call the commissioner because he picks up his phone.
1:06:34
But for them being the least funded city agency, I feel like that's that's a downfall.
1:06:41
If you can't support veterans, then who else can you support?
1:06:45
We mean something.
1:06:46
They're my family.
1:06:48
Thank you, Trey.
1:06:49
Thank you.
