Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Saeeda Dunston, CEO of Elmcor, on Queen's Future/Metropolitan Park proposal
2:43:54
ยท
148 sec
Saeeda Dunston, CEO of Elmcor, a long-standing black-founded social service organization in Queens, testified in support of the Queen's Future/Metropolitan Park proposal. She emphasized the importance of black representation in the project and addressed concerns about addiction and problem gaming.
- Dunston refuted claims that supporters of color were being paid off, stating that Elmcor's partnership with the Mets is for philanthropic efforts and to address problem gaming.
- She highlighted Elmcor's expertise in addiction treatment and their view of casinos as "safe consumption sites" where people can get connected to care if needed.
- Dunston expressed appreciation for the Mets' outreach and funding, contrasting it with previous leadership that had not engaged with Elmcor despite their long-standing presence in the community.
Saeeda Dunston
2:43:54
Good good afternoon.
2:43:57
Thank you, chair.
2:43:58
Our council member from our district, Francisco Maya, and everyone else at the council's here to talk about this land use.
2:44:04
I will try to keep it super brief.
2:44:06
I am the CEO of Encore.
2:44:08
We are the oldest black founded social service and human justice organization in Queens, possibly in the five boroughs with sixty years this year.
2:44:17
I say that because, one of the things that is very concerning about the opposition, and repeatedly we say this over and over again, there is some tone deafness of telling black folks that they have been paid for.
2:44:31
And I think I wanted to make sure that I put that on the record because we continually say that, that we should we should stop saying that the people who support this project, especially people of color, primarily black folks, are being paid for.
2:44:45
We are an organization.
2:44:46
There was a request to say if we're in business or have received a check.
2:44:51
We are in business with the Mets and Metropolitan Park as a process.
2:44:55
Our partnership is for philanthropic efforts and in a relationship to move forward with the idea of being a partner as a black agency who's been dealing with addiction for sixty years to actually address problem gaming as an issue.
2:45:13
One the things about casinos is we would consider them as bars.
2:45:16
They are safe consumption sites.
2:45:19
They are sites where people can consume whatever their consumptions are and be able to get, connected to care if necessary.
2:45:26
So that is Encore's, paid business because we are in the business of human justice and we're in the business of dealing with people who have issues with addiction.
2:45:36
And we know that addiction will not go away just because we don't build a casino.
2:45:40
But what we want to do is to be in partnership with people who are in need before they end up at the worst end of their times.
2:45:47
And so that's been our relationship with this project.
2:45:50
And we do thank, the Mets who have continued to fund us through this process.
2:45:54
I've said this repeatedly.
2:45:55
Prior to this, leadership at the Mets, Elmcor, who had been a partner in their backyard for decades, had not been reached out to, had not been asked to be a part of any conversations, and have not been allowed to
UNKNOWN
2:46:07
The time we've
Saeeda Dunston
2:46:08
any conversations.
2:46:09
For that reason, I just wanna say this is still a competitive process and we are just asking for an opportunity to participate and to compete.
2:46:17
That is something that black folks have continued to ask for for years and we will continue to ask for.
Shanel Thomas-Henry
2:46:22
Thank you.