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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jimena Martinez, Executive Director of CUMBE, Center for African and Diaspora Dance
5:17:39
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152 sec
Jimena Martinez, Executive Director of CUMBE, testifies about the importance of cultural funding for smaller arts organizations, particularly those serving communities of color. She emphasizes the challenges faced by these organizations and the transformative power of their programs.
- CUMBE engages 7,500 preschoolers, public school students, and adults annually through classes, performances, and cultural partnerships.
- The organization is struggling to sustain donation-based and free programming while providing adequate compensation for staff and artists.
- Martinez requests an additional $30 million be added to the baseline funding to support cultural institutions and enable transformative experiences for New Yorkers.
Jimena Martinez
5:17:39
Good afternoon.
5:17:40
My name is Jimena Martinez, and I'm the Executive Director of CUMBE, Center for African and Diceworker Dance.
5:17:49
Thanks so much for this opportunity to speak today.
5:17:52
Through year round classes, performances and cultural partnerships with community organizations, each year, Kumba engages 7,500 preschoolers, public school students, adults, including older adults in the transformative power of Africa.
5:18:14
I'm giving this the members of the council my sincere thanks.
5:18:18
Funding from the New York City Council and the Department of Cultural Affairs has been incredibly important to Kumbay.
5:18:26
Without it, we wouldn't be able to serve thousands of New Yorkers ages three to 99 each year.
5:18:33
And yet I add my voice to those of my colleagues that we've heard today.
5:18:38
This is an extremely challenging time for smaller arts organizations.
5:18:42
We're struggling to sustain donation based and free programming while providing adequate compensation for our staff and artists.
5:18:50
And like many of our fellow organizations, Coomba's two thousand twenty five grants from the National Endowment from the Arts and Humanities New York whose own funding from the National Endowment from the Humanities was cut have been withdrawn.
5:19:05
So now more than ever, we need New York City to support cultural institutions, particularly those who serve residents of color and, smaller ones.
5:19:22
At a time when our communities are exhausted, the selection are at a high, Dance invites people back into their bodies and into meaningful connection.
5:19:34
And I'll end by sharing this story that my studio manager told me just this morning.
5:19:39
Last year, a bedside resident would stand
UNKNOWN
5:19:43
Thank you.
5:19:43
Time has expired.
Jimena Martinez
5:19:45
And cry, saying, I don't really want to be alive.
5:19:50
Our staff encouraged her to keep coming and listening to those drums.
5:19:55
And a year later, she now takes two classes a week and is looking lighter and happier.
5:20:01
Cultural funding, the $30,000,000 we are asking be added to the baseline, makes these transformations possible.
5:20:10
Thank you for your leadership.