12% and Growing City Advocacy Day

Posted Wednesday April 22, 2009

KALCA participated in the City Advocacy Day as part of the 12% and Growing Coalition.  The City Advocacy Day consisted of a rally, press conference, and legislative visits to urge the State and City governments to protect the most vulnerable community members during this time of economic downturn.

For Immediate Release
April 16, 2009
 
CONTACT: Wayne Ho
 
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN COMMUNITY DEMANDS CITY TO PROTECT VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
 
Over 30 Community Organizations United to Protest Proposed Cuts to City Budget
 
WHAT: United as the 12% and Growing Coalition: Asian Pacific American Community Fighting for a Fair Budget, over 30 Asian-led or serving community-based organizations will hold a City Advocacy Day to call for a stop to the City budget cuts. The City Advocacy Day will consist of a rally, press conference, and legislative visits.  During this economic downturn, the 12% and Growing Coalition urge the State and City governments to:
•    Protect the most vulnerable community members
•    Invest in services and programs that ensure economic vitality
•    Support small, community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve emerging immigrant communities

Asian Pacific Americans are the fastest growing group in New York City, nearly 12% of the City population, and numbering at close to 1 million. Largely foreign born (73%), Asian Pacific Americans have the highest rate (28%) of linguistic isolation and the second highest rate of poverty (25.9%).  Despite these needs, the Asian Pacific American community receives only 0.24% of the City's social service contract dollars and only 0.38% of the City's foundation grant dollars.  So any cuts to the City budget will have a direct and disproportionate impact on Asian Pacific Americans.
 
WHEN: Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at 10 AM
 
WHERE: Steps of City Hall
 
WHO: A representative sampling of the over 40 Asian Pacific American ethnic groups will be present, including East Asian (Chinese, Korean), Southeast Asian (Vietnamese, Filipino), and South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi).
•    The press conference will feature service providers, advocates, youth, parents, and seniors.
•    Speakers, banners, and multilingual signs will depict the diversity of the Asian Pacific American community.

WHY: The needs of the community - in education, health care, employment, civic  participation, etc. - are critical barriers in preventing Asian Pacific American community members from becoming full contributing members of this City and State. The steep proposed City budget cuts will exacerbate the economic downturn and harm the most vulnerable, including recently arrived immigrants, low-income, limited English proficient, children, and seniors. The 12% and Growing Coalitioncalls upon our City's elected officials to restore funding to much needed programs.
 
12% and Growing Coalition Members: APEX ▪ Asian Americans for Equality ▪ Asian American Federation▪ Asian Outreach Clinic, Child Center of New York ▪ Asian & Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS ▪ Asian Youth Center of NY ▪ Chinatown Manpower Project ▪ Chinese-American Planning Council ▪ Chinese Progressive Association ▪ Coalition for Asian American Children & Families ▪ Damayan Migrant Workers Association ▪ Family Health Project ▪ Filipino American Human Services, Inc. ▪ Greater Chinatown Community Association ▪ Hamilton Madison House ▪ Indochina Sino-American Community Center ▪ Immigrant Social Services ▪ Kalusugan Coalition, Inc. ▪ Korean American Family Service Center ▪ Korean American League for Civic Action ▪ Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc. ▪ Korean Family Counseling and Research Center ▪ MAAWS for Global Welfare, Inc. ▪ New York Asian Women's Center ▪ New York Coalition for Asian American Mental Health ▪ NYU South Asian Health Initiative ▪ SAKHI for South Asian Women ▪ South Asian Council for Social Services ▪ South Asian Youth Action ▪ United Chinese Association of Brooklyn ▪ YKASEC