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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Marsha Jean Charles, Director of Organizing at Brotherhood Sister Soul
5:28:46
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113 sec
Marsha Jean Charles from Brotherhood Sister Soul testified on the need for increased funding and support for youth programs in New York City, emphasizing the importance of restorative justice, mental health support, and social-emotional learning in schools. She urged the city council to prioritize specific budget allocations to support these initiatives.
- Called for $880 million investment in hiring school-based restorative justice coordinators in 500 schools
- Advocated for protecting and baselining critical programs, including $12 million for restorative justice, $5 million for mental health continuum, and $5 million for immigrant families communications and outreach
- Stressed the need for continued investment in programs like the Young Women's Initiative and Summer Youth Employment Programming
Marsha Jean Charles
5:28:46
Good afternoon members of the committees on finance and children and youth.
5:28:50
My name is Marcia Jean Charles and I work at the Brotherhood Sisters Soul.
5:28:54
Thank you chairs Brendan and Stevens for the opportunity to testify For over thirty years, the Brotherhood Sister Soul or BroSys has been at the forefront of social justice educating, organizing, and training to challenge inequity and champion opportunity for all.
5:29:08
All youth deserve high quality, holistic, positively transformative educational experiences.
5:29:14
If we believe in equity and want to create the futures all New Yorkers deserve, we must build within our school systems of accountability, restorative justice, and behavioral management that do not include the NYPD and holistically support student success.
5:29:28
Faced with mental health crises, lonely or the crisis of loneliness and homelessness, poly crises if you will, that many people before me have already explained.
5:29:37
Now, more than ever, our youth need city officials to do more.
5:29:41
The city council should prioritize the following in budget negotiations.
5:29:45
Expand school based restorative justice and social emotional supports including investing $880,000,000 in hiring school based restorative justice coordinators in 500 schools.
5:29:56
Protect and baseline critical programs currently funded with expiring city dollars including 12,000,000 for restorative justice, five million for mental health continuum, and 5,000,000 for immigrant families communications and outreach.
5:30:09
Redirect money away from school policing and surveillance and protect the safety of immigrant students and parents.
5:30:16
Furthermore, we need continued investment in our young people both in schools and in the broader community.
5:30:21
Funding like the young women's initiative, summer youth employment programming and more need to continue and expand.
5:30:27
To advance and protect our city and this next generation, we must provide them with the academic, social and life skills necessary to be engaged and innovative world citizens.
5:30:37
We need you all to do more.
5:30:39
Thank you.