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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Andrew Sta. Ana, Interim Co-Executive Director of Asian American Federation, on Federal Funding Cuts Impact
1:16:54
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3 min
Andrew Sta. Ana, representing the Asian American Federation, testified about the impact of federal funding cuts on the Asian American community in New York City. He highlighted the unique challenges faced by Asian Americans, including poverty, language barriers, and vulnerability to violence, emphasizing the critical role of community organizations in providing essential services.
- Sta. Ana stressed that Asian Americans face a "trifecta of crises": anti-immigrant policies, economic instability, and federal funding cuts.
- He provided statistics on poverty rates, limited English proficiency, and domestic violence in the Asian American community.
- The testimony called for protecting federal funding and strengthening partnerships with Asian-led and Asian-serving nonprofits to address long-term community needs.
Andrew Sta. Ana
1:16:54
Shall I start?
1:16:55
Okay.
1:16:57
Great.
1:16:58
Thank you, chair, wrestler, and Brennan, and members of the city council for holding this important and timely testimony on preparing New York City for changes in federal funding.
1:17:06
My name is Andrew Santa Ana, and I'm the interim co executive director at the Asian American Federation, representing the collective voice of over 70 member nonprofits serving 1,500,000 Asian New Yorkers.
1:17:17
We're here today because New York's Asian community faces a trifecta of crisis crises that signal the brewing of, as y'all mentioned, a coming storm.
1:17:24
A sharp rise in anti immigrant policies, wild swings in the economy from job losses to tariffs, and of course, draconian cuts in federal funding.
1:17:33
And while our member organizations continue to exhibit resilience and extraordinary courage in this unstable climate to serve, house, feed, educate, and protect low income Asian New Yorkers, our community is signaling that the clouds are gathering and the sky is darkening.
1:17:48
Indeed, despite the model minority stereotype surrounding Asian Americans as wealthy and successful, our community faces significant hardship.
1:17:55
Two thirds of our community are foreign born, 20% of our community are non citizens.
1:18:00
And while we have grown 35% in the lap from 2010 to 2020, '1 in '3 Asian residents lives in low income households, and we are twice as likely to experience poverty compared to white New Yorkers.
1:18:11
Forty eight percent of our community is limited English proficient and 42% of older adults are low income, many of them living in poverty.
1:18:20
In addition, through the cuts of federal funding, there are devastating impacts on domestic violence.
1:18:26
According to the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender Based Violence, up to fifty five percent of Asian women in The United States have experienced some form of physical violence or sexual violence in their lifetime.
1:18:35
So as we say, our member organizations provide a critical service critical service bridge and human connection to our community that is experiencing hunger, fear, poverty, isolation, and hate violence.
1:18:46
In addition, we know that across the city that our community members are hesitant to access services because of fears of unwarranted ICE raids.
1:18:54
They are disenrolling from benefits, avoiding seeking medical care from hospitals, and disengaging from the community.
1:18:59
And so on top of that, we know that the cuts of federal funding affects our community through food insecurity for older adults, through TFAP and the emergency food assistance shelter program.
1:19:09
Our our member and partner organizations rely on SNAP and food pantries.
1:19:15
We rely on funding from the Office of Violence Against Women to protect survivors of domestic and sexual violence and through head start programs to educate low income youth and early high childhood development.
1:19:25
The Asian American Federation believes it is more critical than ever that the city reinforce its support for addressing these interconnected issues by supporting the community based organizations that provide these services.
1:19:35
Indeed, from the turmoil and tragedy of 09/11 through the two thousand eight financial crisis, through the COVID nineteen pandemic, and the resurgence once again of anti Asian violence, our member organizations have protected our community and provided a critical critical lifeline.
1:19:49
Our recommendations are simple.
1:19:51
Of course, protect this funding and strengthen partnerships with Asian led and Asian serving nonprofits that understand the needs of their communities to address these long term needs.
1:20:00
These challenges are complex and we recognize that there are no easy answers.
1:20:03
We thank you for your vital and courageous leadership at this time and please hold the line for all New Yorkers.
1:20:08
Thank you.