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TESTIMONY

Testimony by Nick Aquino, Staff Attorney at The Microenterprise Project of Volunteers of Legal Service

2:10:38

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Nick Aquino discusses the importance of the Microenterprise Project in providing free legal services to small business owners in New York City. He emphasizes the project's role in supporting entrepreneurship in underresourced communities and its partnership with the city, particularly SBS. Additional points include:

• The project has been helping small business owners for over 20 years • MWE certified clients benefit from SBS's procurement opportunities • City services and discretionary funding are crucial for making small business ownership accessible to underresourced entrepreneurs

Nick Aquino

2:10:38

Good afternoon.

2:10:39

My name is Nikikino, and I'm a staff attorney with a microenterprise project.

2:10:44

Of volunteers of legal service.

2:10:46

For over 20 years, the Vault's Microenterprise project has helped small business owners access free legal services.

2:10:54

We partner with the city particularly SBS to connect with clients.

2:10:59

For many New Yorkers and under resource communities, entrepreneurship provides an opportunity to build wealth for themselves in future generations.

2:11:07

A thriving small business ecosystem also strike strengthens the local community.

2:11:13

Many of our clients operate neighborhood institutions like delis, cafes, and barbershops that serve the dual purpose, as a community space that can't easily be replicated.

2:11:23

While we strive to provide free legal services for as many new workers as possible, We cannot solve this problem alone.

2:11:31

Leveraging City Resources is essential.

2:11:34

For example, on February 28th, Valles launched its partnership with SBS's Black Entrepreneurs And MIC program.

2:11:41

And there, Vale's facilitator presentation on business legal considerations to an audience of black entrepreneurs, a community that is vastly underrepresented in New York City's business owner community.

2:11:54

We rely on essential SBS and other city programs to connect our clients with non legal support For example, SBS's financing assistance programming offers our clients a necessary lifeline.

2:12:07

Similarly, without well resourced social networks due to historic discrimination.

2:12:12

Our MWE certified clients benefit greatly from SBS's procurement opportunities.

2:12:19

In some, without city services to reduce the barrier to entry of under resource entrepreneurs, the dream of small business ownership would be the exclusive purview of wealthy and well of the wealthy and well resource.

2:12:32

Also, without your support in the form of discretion ordinary funding, Falls wouldn't be able to to bring free legal services to New York City entrepreneurs.

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Testimony by Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez, Deputy Director of The Street Vendor Project on Small Business Empowerment Program

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Testimony by Kayt Tiskus, Principal of Collective Public Affairs, on City Council Initiatives and SBS Budget Cuts