On May 5, the CIANA team joined members of the 18 Percent and Growing Campaign, representing over 40 different Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) nonprofits across the five boroughs of NYC on the steps of City Hall to call for this year's City budget to reflect the needs of New York's growing AAPI community.
Comprising 18 percent of New York City's entire population, AAPI communities have not received sufficient funding for social and economic advancement for far too long. They have additionally experienced a disproportionate impact of the pandemic, and have seen a sharp rise in hate crimes.
To resolve these longstanding inequities, the 18 Percent and Coalition is requesting that the City Council allot $6 million- 18 percent of its budget- to the long-underserved AAPI community.
Funding will go towards pandemic recovery, and to support Asian American-serving nonprofits to increase language and culturally competent services and address critical needs- community safety; food, legal, and economic insecurity; housing and rental evictions; loss of employment; healthcare; and comprehensive family supports.
A number of elected officials have already pledged support for AAPI budget equity, including Asian American community members themselves. Brooklyn Council Member Shahana Hanif (pictured left), Chair of the Council Immigration Committee, stressed the importance of including Bangladeshi communities, an often-overlooked demographic within the broader AAPI population, in our budget advocacy efforts.
We hope all our elected officials will join us in supporting budget equity for AAPI New Yorkers so we can begin to resolve the many challenges impacting New York's diverse AAPI community.
CIANA staff with Council Members Tiffany Cabán of Astoria (left) and Shekar Krishnan of Jackson Heights (right), both of whom have pledged support for budget equity for AAPI communities.