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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Gonzalo Casals, Interim Chief Operating Officer of El Museo del Barrio
4:01:22
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152 sec
Gonzalo Casals, Interim COO of El Museo del Barrio, testified about the need for increased funding for cultural organizations, particularly Latinx and BIPOC institutions. He emphasized that while the proposed baseline increase is welcome, it does not address growth needs or longstanding inequities in the sector.
- Highlighted the disproportionate impact of federal funding cuts on Latinx and BIPOC organizations
- Stressed the importance of equitable distribution of city resources to address disparities in funding
- Supported the sector's call for an additional $30 million baseline increase
Gonzalo Casals
4:01:22
Thank you, David.
4:01:24
Dear Chair Rivera, Chair Brennan, and members of the committee, thank you so much for allowing me to testify today.
4:01:29
Gonzalo Casals.
4:01:31
I'm the co director of the Culture and Arts Policy Institute, but also I am currently the interim chief operating officer of El Muso del Barrio.
4:01:39
I want to acknowledge the administration's listening to our calls for historic baselining.
4:01:46
But as my colleagues have said, and you're gonna hear over and over again, that is long overdue stability, but it does not bring growth.
4:01:54
And I'm gonna go a little off the script of the written testimony that I present.
4:01:58
Because I think I should be speaking not only about the work of El Museo, but the work of the whole sector.
4:02:05
In particular El Museo is part of the Latinx network.
4:02:08
50 plus Latinx organizations in the city.
4:02:12
Probably we're the largest one.
4:02:13
And because we're the largest one, I feel the responsibility to advocate for all Latinx organizations and BIPOC organizations.
4:02:21
And of the many different aspects of this perfect storm in which we're suffering the cultural sector, the loss of $32,000,000 in federal support has deepening longstanding inequities in the sector.
4:02:37
Latinx and BIPOC organizations that are rooted and accountable to their communities have historically received 50% to 60% less money from individual donor contributions compared to what we call predominantly white institutions.
4:02:53
And this apparently reflects the systemic inequities in philanthropy giving, with wealth and networks being racialized.
4:03:01
As a result of these, many organizations depend almost entirely, if not exclusively, in government funding.
4:03:08
So when you remove 25%, thirty % of all government funding available through the city, the state, and the federal government, that gap deepens.
4:03:21
And I want to be clear that just depends because you only relied on one source of revenue.
4:03:28
And I want to be clear, all cultural organizations in the sector are hurting, and I'm finishing with this, every single one.
4:03:34
That said, as the city steps in with support, it's critical that the resource is distributed equitably.
4:03:41
Taking in account the disparate impact that the withdrawal of federal funding has across the sector.
4:03:45
I support the extra 30,000,000 baseline as that the sector has.
4:03:50
And I thank you for all your support to the cultural sector.