Over 70 advocates, service providers and community members gathered in Bensonhurst Park on Tuesday to rally for equitable funding for Brooklyn's diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.
City Council Members Alexa Avilés and Susan Zhuang joined the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families's 18% and Growing campaign, which was founded nearly 20 years ago to advocate for budget equity in New York City.
Rallygoers in attendance included representatives and community members from Apna Brooklyn Community Center, Arab-American Family Support Center, Homecrest Community Services, United Chinese Association of Brooklyn and Women’s Empowerment Coalition of NYC.
“At a time when so many New Yorkers are worried about the future of the programs and social services they rely on, it’s more important than ever for New York City Council to invest in initiatives that uplift the needs of every day people,” said Anita Gundanna and Vanessa Leung, co-executive directors of CACF.
Members of the organizations are asking for more funding for the AAPI Community Support Initiative, which helps Asian New Yorkers access social service programs; Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund, which supports Black, Latinx and AAPI-led community-based organizations; and Access Health NYC Initiative, to provide education, outreach, and assistance to marginalized New Yorkers on how to access health care and coverage.
“The AAPI community is the fastest growing community and we cannot be ignored," said Zhuang. "In the last budget, the city invested less than 6% in AAPI communities. That is one third of what every other New Yorker is receiving."
This underinvestment has hindered public safety, community health, and quality of life in neighborhoods like Sunset Park, said Avilés.
