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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Rugia Tubaugh, High School Senior from Bronx Collegiate Academy
8:01:51
ยท
129 sec
Rugia Tubaugh, a high school senior from Bronx Collegiate Academy, testifies about the importance of funding mental health nonprofits for youth. She shares her personal experience of finding support through programs like Armory College Prep and STAR CGI, emphasizing how these organizations provide platforms for young people to be heard and valued.
- Highlights the significance of investing in mental health services through nonprofits, especially for teenagers during transformative periods of their lives
- Urges the council to prioritize funding for mental health nonprofits, arguing it's an investment in healthier, more engaged citizens and stronger communities
- Emphasizes that supporting these programs allows teens to express themselves and contribute to society
High School Senior
8:01:51
Is this on?
8:01:52
Okay.
8:01:54
Chair Lee, chair Shulman, and esteemed committee council.
8:01:57
Good evening.
8:01:58
My name is Rugia Tubaugh.
8:02:00
I use sheher pronouns, and I'm a high school senior attending the Bronx Collegiate Academy that's proud and more than honored to serve as a voice for our community.
8:02:08
On the topic of community, as we all have come to acknowledge, the city is known for being diverse and full of a plethora of ideas, yet with so many bustling voices, not everyone has a platform to be heard.
8:02:20
Throughout the first bouts of my high school journey, I didn't really understand where I belonged or even if I belonged somewhere to begin with.
8:02:27
There was nothing presented to me besides my studies, and while I could try to find the threads of my identity within the narratives of my English class or find my true values with the problem sets of my algebra homework, nothing brought me content.
8:02:40
This toll can this can take a toll on a teenager's mental health, especially during one of the most transformative periods of their life and is very significant.
8:02:49
Luckily, in my case, I found the Armory College Prep program and STAR CGI where I had a chance at both higher opportunities and a platform to learn from my closest peers no matter what we wanted to share with one another.
8:03:02
This experience has shown me vital importance of investing in mental health through nonprofit organizations where they create spaces where every voice can be heard and valued.
8:03:11
No matter if you're 58 years young or like me, 17 years old, you can agree that by funding such nonprofits, we're not just investing in mental health services, we're investing in the future of our communities.
8:03:23
We're giving people, especially young people, the tools and support they need to thrive, contribute, and become active members of our society.
8:03:31
I urge this council to prioritize funding for mental health nonprofits.
8:03:34
It's an investment that will yield returns in healthier, more engaged citizens and stronger communities.
8:03:39
With all I shared, I hope that both the committee and audience remember that teenage minds aren't blind.
8:03:45
Instead, they are kind to change, to hope, and to the safety provided by nonprofits.
8:03:50
Sure, we may live in the Big Apple, but are you, the committee, going to support teens in bearing the and expressing the fruits of our knowledge?
8:03:58
Thank you for your time.