Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kayt Tiskus, Principal at Collective Public Affairs
2:21:34
·
136 sec
Kayt Tiskus from Collective Public Affairs testified in support of funding for transgender healthcare, homeless LGBTQ+ youth, and sexual assault survivors. She emphasized the importance of the City Council's efforts to protect vulnerable populations in the face of federal funding cuts and policy changes targeting transgender individuals.
- Advocated for $15 million to support healthcare providers offering gender-affirming care
- Requested $10 million for the Trans Equity Discretionary Fund and $10 million for homeless trans and queer youth
- Called for an increase to $2.5 million for sexual assault survivor support and training programs
Kayt Tiskus
2:21:34
Thank you chairs Brennan and chair Narcisse.
2:21:37
Thanks council member Rivera for being here.
2:21:39
Thanks for this morning's hearing and thanks to all of you and to the folks who testified and for New York City generally for trying to push back against some of the terrible things that are happening right now.
2:21:53
It makes me really proud to live here as much as I'm very frightened.
2:21:57
My name is Kate Tiscus.
2:21:59
I work with Collective Public Affairs and two of the initiatives that I work with are trans equity and the sexual assault initiative and that's why I'm here today.
2:22:09
I don't need to tell you because everybody has been telling you all morning how the administration took aim straight at the head of trans people very first day in office and really regards all healthcare for anyone who's gender non conforming as gender affirming and is trying very hard to make it impossible to access.
2:22:26
We were here to really support the city council's courageous decision to put in their executive budget response $15,000,000 to support healthcare providers who are providing that gender affirming care and about to lose a lot of federal funding for doing so.
2:22:42
$10,000,000 for runaway homeless trans and queer youth who are going to sort of need additional support because their healthcare access is going to get even shakier which tends to leave a lot of people without housing.
2:22:56
And $10,000,000 to the trans equity Discretionary Fund which helps get people into institutions, non profits, care to try to sort of stem some of the bleeding.
2:23:05
I also want to note that the only part of sexual assault funding that comes the only people who do sexual assault training, the only people who do survivor support, that funding all comes from the city council.
2:23:21
It doesn't come from the state, it doesn't come from the mayor's side.
2:23:24
I'm looking for an increase to two and a half million to sort of stem the gap for folks who are survivors who are also going to lose coverage.
2:23:33
We're in the middle of a moral emergency, and I really appreciate that this council is almost unique among government bodies stepping up to try to answer it.
2:23:43
I think these hospital funding priorities will literally save lives.
2:23:48
So thank you for being here today.