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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Adama Bah, Founder and Executive Director of Afrikana, on Resources for Immigrant Youth
0:39:26
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4 min
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Adama Bah, Founder and Executive Director of Afrikana, testified about the urgent need for better support and resources for unaccompanied immigrant minors in New York City. She highlighted the vulnerabilities these children face, including risks of trafficking, assault, and mental health issues, and called for immediate action from the city government.
- Emphasized the need for culturally competent and language-appropriate services
- Requested the creation of a 24-hour DYCD drop-in center for unaccompanied minors
- Expressed concerns about contacting embassies for documents, which could put children at risk
- Highlighted the issue of age verification and the need for more beds for 18-24 year olds in DYCD facilities
Adama Bah
0:39:26
Thank you so much for having this hearing.
0:39:28
My name is Adam Ababa, Founder and Executive Director of Aficana.
0:39:32
The arrival of miners to New York City is not a new thing, but what is alignment is how the current administration has chosen to ignore the growing need for proper support over the past 2 years.
0:39:42
Personally, I have welcomed thousands of these miners, and I'm deeply grateful to people like Jamie.
0:39:46
Who have consistently supported us.
0:39:49
Many of these miners that I've encountered come from the African continent and some from South And Central America, Turkish, and and and Afghanistan's, while others are Chinese nationals who crossed the border undetect them.
0:40:00
These are vulnerable children, and we've been raising concerns about their cases since they arrived.
0:40:04
Yet, grassroot organizations like Africa have been overwhelmed by the lack of governmental action to address these needs.
0:40:10
We need urgent action now.
0:40:14
I fear the day when I receive a call informing me that one of these children have taken their own life due to the lack of mental health support.
0:40:22
These children are risk of being trafficked, assaulted, or even disappearing without a trace.
0:40:28
The charm of they are endured is unimaginable, and yet we are failing them.
0:40:32
We are missing critical language access and cultural competencies to guide them through their adjustment to life here.
0:40:38
These children are our future leaders, but we have left them in crisis.
0:40:42
I have personally stepped in countless times to translate for these children.
0:40:46
One question that always breaks my heart is when they ask them what they want to be, they respond, I've never been asked, whatever you think is best for me, I'll do.
0:40:55
These are children who have witnessed genocide, rape, persecution, and government corruption.
0:41:00
Yet
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0:41:01
they
Adama Bah
0:41:01
are living in some of the most vulnerable corners of our city and visible to most.
0:41:05
I have found minors in mosque blended with worshippers just so no one would notice their age.
0:41:11
I beg you.
0:41:12
Do not let these shoulders slip through the cracks any longer.
0:41:16
I cannot describe the pain of holding a young girl who trembles with fear after being raped by soldiers in her home country with nowhere safe to go.
0:41:24
Fortunately, that young girl has been reunited with her family, but not all children are lucky.
0:41:29
Many would prefer to be in a care of ACS sheltered and building rather than left to survive in a cold.
0:41:34
It has been 2 years.
0:41:36
We cannot wait any longer.
0:41:37
I also want to thank the aycd staff who have gone above and beyond excites, cooking culturally sensitive food, learning the children's languages, and connected to community support like Africa.
0:41:48
For the last 2 years, we've been asking city hall to create a 24 hour aycd drop in center for unaccompanied minors and reward them of the increasing numbers of arrival in NYC.
0:41:59
Africa has created safe space for these children without any funding, and we've lost count of how many unaccompanied minors have shown up at our doors seeking out.
0:42:07
Our office remains open 7 days a week will volunteer staff trained to support unaccompanied minors, but we cannot do this alone.
0:42:15
I must reiterate our request for a 24 hour drop in sight that welcomes unaccompanied minors with staff who are native speakers of their languages and culturally competent.
0:42:25
Lastly, I want to address the involvement of the mayor's office international affairs in contact and embassies to obtain documents for un accompanying youth.
0:42:32
This is concerning for the children here and for the families they left behind.
0:42:36
We do not know the horrors he showed them fled from, and alerting embassy's risk exposing them to harm.
0:42:42
In one case, client b, and a minor who's 15, African citizen, the fine the family of the minor, extorted him from money in exchange for his original document.
0:42:52
We were able to secure documents he needed without revealing his whereabouts, and he is now safe.
0:42:57
We risk international complications if Embassy seek to return their nationals as we saw in the Cuban National in 2000 Ilian Gonzales who was eventually extradited back to Cuba.
0:43:08
The city government needs to work with organization in a US and a board to address these issues.
0:43:13
These are all there are also thousands of miners and her core in fact show them.
0:43:18
Their smugglers altered their passports to help them escape their countries Some of these children are young as thirteen years old, and this and despite undergoing bone density tests, tests are present in other documents to prove their age, city agencies do not believe them.
0:43:32
We have left them to survive on their own We need more beds at eighteen to twenty four years old in d y c d as d y c d has been the best at addressing these needs, providing culturally sensitive food and then enrolling them in school and sending them to us for additional emotional support.
0:43:47
Thank you.