AAF Statement on the Proposed New York City Budget Cuts

The pandemic and the anti-Asian hate have left deep scars on Asian New Yorkers, many of whom continue to struggle to make ends meet in a City where one in six of us live below the poverty line. Now, we face a budget cut that will slash the lifelines that keep us afloat with critical services that Asian New Yorkers rely on for our survival and dignity.

These cuts will hit the most vulnerable among us: children,  women, and elders. We fear that they will also cripple the community-based organizations and their dedicated staff who serve hundreds of thousands of Asian New Yorkers with the services and resources that the government is unable to provide.

While we still do not know about the complete details of these cuts, the Asian American Federation and our member agencies will continue to support Asian New Yorkers with the services they need, from language access to mental health to senior service and after school care. We cannot afford human lives to be compromised for budget savings. We ask our leaders to review the financial numbers and ensure that the cuts do not impact the most vulnerable in our City.