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Council Member Farah N. Louis introduces resolutions on burial costs and CUNY apprenticeship data
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Council Member Farah N. Louis introduces two resolutions: one calling for an increase in the funeral cost limit for low-income residents, and another urging CUNY to collect and report data on its associate degree apprenticeship program. She emphasizes the importance of dignified burial services and equitable access to career opportunities.
- Resolution 775 aims to raise the funeral cost limit for low-income residents from $3,400 to $6,000.
- Resolution 776 focuses on transparency in CUNY's apprenticeship program data, broken down by gender, age, ethnicity, and income.
- Louis also expresses support for Joy Ann Reid and criticizes federal policies affecting marginalized communities.
Farah N. Louis
0:56:35
Thank you madam majority leader.
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Today I'm proud to introduce two critical resolutions, resolution seven seven five and seven seven six focused on dignity and burial and equity and education.
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Reso seven seven five calls on New York State to raise the funeral cost limit for low income residents from 3,400 to 6,000.
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In this day and age, families already struggling financially are left without the means to provide a dignified burial for their loved ones.
0:57:02
This issue became painfully clear in the wake of the two twenty twenty four West Indian American Day Carnival Parade when Denzel Chan, a resident of Council District 45 was tragically killed by gun violence.
0:57:15
His family already grieving the loss of their loved one was denied full burial assistance because their funeral expenses exceeded the current cap.
0:57:24
Despite months of effort to secure support, they were left struggling to cover the basic cost of laying him to rest.
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No family should have to choose between honoring their loved one and financial ruin.
0:57:36
By increasing this limit, we can ensure that all New Yorkers regardless of income have access to the dignified borough services they deserve.
0:57:44
Reso seven seventy six urges CUNY to collect publicly report data on its associate degree apprenticeship program broken down by gender, age, ethnicity and income.
0:57:54
Apprenticeships are proven pathways to stable careers but must ensure that access is equitable.
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Women, students of color, and low income students deserve the same opportunities to build meaningful careers in growing industries.
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Transparency is the first step in closing these gaps.
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As we push for these changes, we must also fight back against the dangerous ideologies being forced upon our communities by the federal administration with whether it's dismantling DEI initiatives that help level the playing field for marginalized groups or stripping education, the rights of freedoms of immigrants or communities of color.
0:58:32
So I urge my colleagues to support RESOs seven seven five and seven seven six.
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I also wanna give a shout out to Joy Ann Reid, the first black woman to anchor prime time TV news on a major cable network who was removed and we stand with her.
0:58:46
Thank you.