Q&A
Additional resources and support needed for DVS to expand arts opportunities
1:04:51
·
4 min
Council Member Holden inquires about additional resources or support that would enable DVS to expand arts and cultural opportunities for veterans. Commissioner Hendon discusses funding priorities and potential legislative actions.
- Hendon emphasizes the importance of funding community organizations serving veterans
- DVS is working to encourage more veteran-serving organizations to apply for council funding
- The commissioner requests increased funding for veteran-serving groups rather than for DVS itself
- Discussion of potential legislative actions, such as reduced museum admission for veterans
- Council Member Holden offers personal support for veterans interested in pursuing arts careers
- Suggestion to explore creative ways to expand arts opportunities for veterans through city museums
Robert Holden
1:04:51
Right.
1:04:53
Just, to piggyback some of that, I'm going to ask you a question here.
1:04:58
And you should say the answer to this question is money or funding.
1:05:04
But what additional resources or support would enable DVS to expand and improve the arts and cultural opportunities offered to veterans?
1:05:15
And how might the city council assist in this effort?
1:05:18
We can we can assist in publicity, like I mentioned, but we could also assist in funding.
1:05:23
But what else could we do?
James Hendon
1:05:25
I wanna flip the money thing.
1:05:26
This is something I've said in prior sessions.
1:05:28
You give us a choice.
1:05:29
If you say James has a dollar, do we give the dollar to the community?
1:05:32
Do we give the dollar to DBS?
1:05:33
I say give it to the community.
1:05:35
Dwyer has gotten us to a place where we believe that we're developing, cultivating muscle memory amongst our veteran serving organizations to apply for money from the city.
1:05:45
So much work was done to get folks to a point where they can go through all the traps to be good with passport and get prequalified for certain things to apply for Dwyer.
1:05:52
You may very well see many of those same institutions taking a shot on goal once February comes and it's time for council discretionary money.
1:05:59
And we're going just like the end of this this testimony, where it took time to say go to nyc.gov/vetcouncilfunding to learn how to do this.
1:06:07
We don't want any organization to say I didn't know and I didn't have help.
1:06:11
We're working to make sure they know and we're working to make sure they have help.
1:06:13
So what we wanna do, I wanna be in a place where we can flood the box with veteran serving entities who are saying we are requesting council funding, mister chair.
1:06:21
So for you, the most important thing that I would ask right now is to try to load up more money in the back of that truck so that we can help our brothers and sisters.
1:06:29
And so I'd say that's the the place we're doing our end.
1:06:32
We will socialize left and right coming into the next discretionary funding deadline to have folks apply.
1:06:38
And we just ask that when that comes, that we have more resources on the council side to receive this.
1:06:43
So that's that's my point.
Robert Holden
1:06:45
So, you know, again, on that on that topic of of what we can do as a city council, do you do you see any legislative actions that we could do to, enable DVS to expand and improve the arts and cultural opportunities in in institutions possibly, like a legislation requiring reduced admission to museums?
James Hendon
1:07:08
I gotta say, it's not that the ideas aren't there.
1:07:10
It's that this is just me speaking.
1:07:12
I feel like I'm so focused on certain things that because the power of the council is it's money and it's legislation.
1:07:19
And for me, I'm focusing on the money as far as that piece.
1:07:23
And right now, because we brainstormed, couldn't think of anything that's substantive, that realistic they can get through right now on the legislative side.
1:07:29
So for me, it's the better ask if there's only one wish I can give to the genie right now, it would be more money on the table for these veteran serving groups.
1:07:38
And we will do what we can to get our community to
Robert Holden
1:07:40
come and take advantage.
1:07:40
That's been missing for years as far as us
James Hendon
1:07:40
applying for council funding.
1:07:40
And advantage.
1:07:44
That's been missing for years as far as us applying for council funding.
1:07:46
I want to change that narrative.
Robert Holden
1:07:48
Right.
1:07:49
So ask.
1:07:49
Ask for some more.
1:07:51
But we should double, triple your budget.
1:07:52
How's that?
James Hendon
1:07:54
We will always accept more.
1:07:55
We will we will never turn down more of this.
Robert Holden
1:07:58
No.
1:07:58
You get $5,000,000 and change now, and it should be $20,000,000.
James Hendon
1:08:02
We will never turn down more.
1:08:03
But to be clear I know.
1:08:04
But you know me, it's always if the dollar if it's a choice between the dollar going to our people
Robert Holden
1:08:08
I know.
1:08:08
I know.
1:08:08
I know.
James Hendon
1:08:09
Give the dollar to the people.
1:08:10
You know, just, you know and I we want to give you and the the committee the leverage to say, hey, look at all these veterans who are now applying.
1:08:19
We have so many folks who are ready to go, who are just knocking on the door.
1:08:22
Give us the resources to fund this.
1:08:23
That's what I'm hoping we can do, Mr.
1:08:24
Chairman.
Robert Holden
1:08:24
So I'm going to challenge Curtis and Ellen.
1:08:27
Certainly, let's come up with some more creative ways in the cultural area that we could expand and serve our veterans as a council.
1:08:36
So if you have, you know I'm offering now.
1:08:38
Here's what I'm going to offer you, Commissioner.
1:08:41
You get somebody that calls DVS and wants to know about going into the arts, you give them my number.
1:08:48
Really.
1:08:48
I'm serious.
1:08:49
Because I could give them enough information that and I'll just do what my teachers did and Curtis could do the same.
1:08:55
Well, how do you motivate someone, to get excited about art?
1:09:00
And how should they proceed?
1:09:03
And that's very important, especially for our Veterans.
1:09:06
And they deserve that.
1:09:07
And they deserve, certainly, consideration and free admission.
1:09:12
That if we can make that with City museums that we have leverage over, yes, I think we should do it.
1:09:22
Okay.
1:09:23
Councilmember Marmarato has
Ellen Greeley
1:09:26
a question.
Robert Holden
1:09:26
Thank you.
Kristy Marmorato
1:09:27
I think this is amazing.
