Dromm, Koo Support More Asian Pacific American City Funding
City Council Members Daniel Dromm (D- East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights) and Peter Koo (D-Bayside, College Point, Flushing, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Fresh Meadows, Whitestone) this week joined nearly 300 community members, service providers, advocates, and elected allies on Wednesday to demand equitable city funding for the growing Asian Pacific American (APA).
The Coalition for Asian American Children & Families (CACF) community, which unites over 45 Asian-led and serving organizations in the city advocating for fairer funding is dubbed the 15% & Growing Campaign, reflecting the growing demographics of Pacific Asian Americans in the city.
Despite its growth, the APA community does not receive sufficient resources. In FY 2018, APA organizations received only 4.06% of all discretionary funding despite the communities’ growth and vast needs. This lack of resources serve as barriers to education, health care, employment, civic participation, and other factors critical for the APA community to become fully contributing members of the city.
“NYC’s Asian Pacific American community is one of the fastest growing in our city and it needs additional resources,” said Dromm. “APAs have contributed so much to the fabric of our society and deserve our support. I am proud to have successfully fought for increased funding for APA-led service providers over the years. While I celebrate this progress, there is much more work to be done. Many are still significantly underfunded. I will continue to stand with the 15% and Growing Campaign to advocate for more dollars for APA organizations.”
NYC Council Member Peter Koo said, “Every day, APA immigrants facing language and cultural barriers come into my office in search of basic assistance because they don’t know where to turn. Many in this community live with the highest poverty and linguistic isolation rate across all ethnic groups in New York City,” said Koo.
“As this population continues to grow, so must the support structures that ensure they have access to better opportunities in life. Thank you CACF and the 15% & Growing Campaign for taking the lead in advocating for more resources for this underserved group,” he added.
Gillibrand Decries Trump’s Ban On Transgender Service Members
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, yesterday led a bipartisan group of 49 Senators in a letter to Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis opposing the Trump Administration’s ban on transgender service members and decrying the Secretary’s implementation recommendations for the ban.
The Senators’ letter follows statements by the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force and commandant of the Marine Corps asserting that open transgender service has had no negative effect on unit cohesion, discipline, or morale. The statements were made in response to Senator Gillibrand’s questions at four recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearings.
“The recommendations and report break faith with the men and women serving in our military by establishing a new “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” for transgender service members, permitting them to serve only if they are willing to forego any chance of living as their true selves,” the Senators wrote. “Just as our mistaken policy regarding lesbian, gay and bisexual service members harmed readiness and ultimately was repealed, the implementation of your recommendations will also harm our nation’s military. Accordingly, we are opposed to the implementation of this discriminatory policy.”
Addabbo, Miller Co-Host Recycling Event
State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth, parts of South Ozone Park, Ridgewood, Woodside and The Rockaways) and Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven, Ridgewood, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, Glendale) will co-host their annual Spring Recycling event this Sunday.
Residents are invited to bring their old electronics — including small appliances and kitchenware — paper for shredding, clothes and shoe donations, as well as toys, bikes, small furniture, and more to be recycled.
Past recycling events have collected more than 4 tons of paper and nearly 20 tons of electronics that were shredded and recycled, and two truckloads of household items for donation, since Addabbo began hosting this event.
“I look forward to co-hosting this recycling event each year with Assemblyman Miller because it gives constituents a chance to recycle some items that they might not get to otherwise — especially electronics since they cannot be put out on the curb for regular collection,” Addabbo said. “Not only is this a great way for people to get rid of some clutter in their home, but it helps protect our environment by not dumping these items into landfills. I hope to see another great turnout at this event.”
The event is slated for between 10 a.m.-2 p.m., this Sunday April 29 at the Forest Park Bandshell on Forest Park Drive in Woodhaven.
