NYC Identities

I am a restaurant worker, 20 plus years in the industry

I'm a native of Brooklyn and a proud graduate of New York City school system

I'm a New York City resident residing in Kew Gardens Hills, a neighborhood in Central Queens that has been at the forefront of much of today's discussion

I'm a parent member of AQE and Parent Support and Parents New York and I also current serve as the co-president of CEC 30

As an education organizer, I work alongside families navigating racial and institutional harm every day

I am also a mother of two daughters in New York City public schools

I'm a Staff Attorney at Queen's Legal Services, part of Legal Services NYC, a non- profit that has served low-income New York City residents for over 50 years

I am a born and raised New Yorker and I live in Williamsburg

As a young man who has benefited from being able to access a Youth Build program

As a leader in environmental education, we also started our Growing Justice Internship last year where 30 high school students

As a lifelong advocate for older adults, I am deeply concerned about the unacceptable delays in care our older clients face due to a shortage of licensed master's level social workers

I'm also an adjunct instructor at CUNY Brooklyn College where I prepare future music educators and an independent educational consultant

I'm a doctoral student candidate, actually at NYU, studying school safety, specifically here in New York City

I'm a proud union member, Local 79

I'm a clinical psychologist, and I'm also a member of several advocacy organizations that are working on the jail system here. so that's the Halt Solitary Campaign, the Jails Action Coalition

I'm a lifelong resident of Greenpoint

I'm a proud member of Independent Driver Guild, a driver advocate, an FHV driver

I am a District 2 resident, and that's possible only because I live in a three-income household

I've been a Social Studies teacher in the Bronx for 18 years and my students, some of them are here today and they have been to All the Together for Kingsbridge Working Groups

I'm a paramedic for a hospital-based 911 system in the city

I am a born and raised New Yorker of District 2, a proud public school alum

I'm a Senior Staff Attorney in the Education Project at Brooklyn Legal Services, Legal Services NYC

I'm a representative of the Council on American Islamic Relations of New York and our work extends to protecting Muslims everywhere

I am a volunteer docent on the Highline and if there's anything I've known or learned about the Highline is that change is a constant

I've been a resident of Jamaica, Queens for 25 years

I'm an organizer with New Yorkers United for Child Care

As an upper east side resident, I've seen the area change dramatically over the years

I am an advocate for both my father and brother who are buried on Hart Island

As a New Yorker, I had concerns that gentrification might happen if the casino is built

I am a small business owner and I live in Flatbush so I know personally how terrible Thor Equity really is

I'm a member of community organizations in all five boroughs of New York City and for years, I've attended or walked in the Mermaid Parade, ridden the rides, seen the shows

As a father, I know that it means to work long hours to ensure my children have a roof over their heads, food on their tables and the opportunities to dream

I'm an artist, I'm a producer, I'm an audio engineer, I love to play guitar, and I play live shows with my band

I am a frequent user of and volunteer with Friends of the Highline

I'm a former ESL student at Adult Learning Center City Tech CUNY, and I want to share my story too

I'm an English professor at NYU

I'm a Staff Attorney at The Door, a comprehensive youth development organization that has been supporting young people in New York City since 1972

I'm a Workplace Justice Staff Attorney at Make the Road New York

As a homeowner on Seminole Avenue, but as a mother of a small child

I am a current social work student pursuing my master's at NYU Silver

I'm an immigrant and a Senior Policy Strategist at the New York Immigration Coalition

As a researcher and a professor whose taught for eight years on topics of cooperative development

As a rail systems engineer, I must state clearly: this design represents an act of permanent Option Value Destruction for outer-borough infrastructure

As a longtime resident of Greenwich Village, I am frankly appalled that these measures would be advanced by this Council

I'm a volunteer for the largest Open Street here in New York City, it's 26 blocks long, 34th Avenue Open Streets

I'm a representative with the Workers of Local 28 Sheet Metal Workers who understand what this project means

I'm a resident of Astoria, a proud military veteran of the US Navy, and I support this plan

I've been an SLT member involved in my schools PTA

I'm a Yellow Cab driver for— since 2014

I'm a Williamsburg resident since 2020, much better than my hometown of Boston, so happy to be here

As a proud Muslim American and the daughter of immigrants, trust me when I say that this is an important issue to me

I am a Minister of Justice at Hope Astoria Church

As a small business owner, I'm also concerned about the future of small and micro businesses, especially immigrant and family-owned shops that are vital to the identity

I'm a father, I have a seven year old son and every morning at 8:00 in the morning, my son has to get to school

I am the Managing Attorney for the Detained Program at Kids in Need of Defense in the New York office

I am a candidate for New York State Assembly District 50

I am a proud daughter of Mexican immigrants, a recent MSW graduate, and an advocate for Social Workers for Justice

I am a member of Social Workers for Justice

I am a current resident of Williamsburg, and I'm here to support Monitor Point

I'm also a proud member and delegate for CIR, the resident union

I'm also a new mom of a future New York City public school kid, and I'm calling our city to prioritize funding for arts in New York City schools

I'm a lawyer, but I'm really here as a member of the Close Rikers Campaign

As a parent, it is a terrible feeling to know that your child needs a service but that the City is unable to provide it

I'm the priest of the oldest church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Church of the Ascension, founded in 1846

As a case planner in a preventive program in the same neighborhood that raised me

I'm a Union Representative from Laborers Local 1010, pavers and road builders

I am a 22 year old resident in Brooklyn and I oppose this casino being on Coney Island as it stands as more of a means to gain large access money for billionaires

As a long born and bred Brooklynite and New Yorker who deeply values the layered complex and vibrant life of this city

I'm a member of the Hope Tenant Union, as well as part of Housing Justice for All Coalition, and I also one of the 19 authors of the Green Social Housing bill

I am a freshman at SUNY Purchase, and I am also a alum at Theater Arts Production Company and Midori Next Gen Musician Program

I'm a Senior Fellow at the Center for New York City Affairs at the New School

As a lifelong resident of Coney Island and an active community advocate for over five decades

I'm the Senior Pastor of the Center of Hope International

I am a lifelong New Yorker and upper east sider and I'm here to express my strong support for the Streets Plan

I am a library patron and a member of New York City PLAN

I'm a primary care physician at Queens Hospital Center

I am a community member from Red Hook, Brooklyn, where I work with an organization called Brazilian Red Hook that focuses on climate resiliency, working waterfront advocacy, and environmental justice

I am a registered nurse with over 38 years of in hospital based experience

I'm an immigrant from the Philippines and raised in Jackson Heights Queens, and I am a proud product of the magic created at Ballet Tech

As a co-op board member, as we all know it is a volunteer position

As an English teacher in a boys and girls high, I came in and did my five classes and I was very happy to do so

I have been a social worker, I have been able to facilitate the greatest change within my clients by using my lived experience as a caregiver to my late grandparents

I'm a Youth Guardianship Paralegal at the Children's Law Center, or CLC, a legal services organization in New York City that has represented over 185

I'm a Supervising Attorney with the Legal Aid Society's Community Justice Unit

I'm a Queens Native and a representative from the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council

As a Jewish woman and New Yorker and constituent of Eric Dinowitz, I hereby submit this testimony urging the upcoming buffer zone legislation be rejected

I'm a member of East New York CLT

I am a proud member of the Hunter College Class of 2026

I'm also a pastor at a local church, Wellspring Church, and part of my role as pastor is to listen to the community

I am an Immigration Attorney at Chinese American Planning Council, one of the largest providers of social services to immigrants in New York

I've been a member of the South Brooklyn Local Development Corp that goes back a pretty long time

I'm a homeowner in East Elmhurst and a public school parent

I am a 41-year resident of Chelsea and Vice President of the London Terrace Tenants Association

I'm a member of the Community Engagement Team

As a proud New Yorker and yet another descendant of both Holocaust survivors and victims

I'm a Jail Services Attorney with Brooklyn Defenders

I'm a Morris Park resident speaking in support of Just Home, which will be about just a block away from where I live

I'm a Corona resident and I am in support of Metro Park

I'm a Supervising Attorney in the Right to Counsel practice at the Legal Aid Society's Brooklyn office

I'm a Treasurer and PEP officer with over 20 years of services to New York City, born and raised in the Bronx

As an educator, I'm particularly excited about the projects commitment to creating 23,000 good paying union jobs

I am the Lead Community Organizer at African Communities Together at the New York City chapter

I am a resident of New York City, an immigration attorney who represents low-income New Yorkers from all faiths and walks of life, and the granddaughter of a New York City pastor

I'm the Director of Government and Community Affairs at El Museo del Barrio, a proud member of the CIG and I'm also a proud New Yorker

I'm a founding member of NYCCLI, the New York City Community Land Initiative and have a long history of fighting for housing justice in New York City

I'm a former Special Education teacher, a policy expert on school segregation, a community organizer, and I also was a member of Mayor de Blasio's School Diversity Advisory group between 2017, 2019

I'm a working artist who actually just rushed here after a dress rehearsal of La Traviata at the MET Opera

I am also a minister, a clergy, and I have been the bridge between Just Homes and the community, from the meetings, the rallies, the protests, and everything to get the message out

I'm an active participant in the Citizen Air Complaint program and I can say with confidence that citizen enforcement ensures that last mile delivery cuts down on pollution

I am the landlord of the property, 2119 Starling Avenue

I'm a dancemaker and advocate based in District 10, Inwood

I'm a retired professor of urban planning

I'm an upper east side Native

I have been a CB2 member for over 20 years, and I previously served as Land Use and Community Board Chair

As a long time resident of Corona, I can tell you Roosevelt Avenue is not a vibe

I'm a New York City educator and I'm here today as a member of NYC PLAN, the Public Library Action Network, which is a group of patrons

I'm a Bronx resident, a rent-stabilized tenant, and a tenant advocate

As a parent of two young children at the Neighborhood School, which is part of a progressive consortium of elementary schools in the east village that were founded in the early 1990's

I'm a lifelong New Yorker, a proud member of the city's Jewish community

I'm a lifelong resident of southeast Queens, having grown up on what is now Guy Brewer Boulevard

I'm a grandparent and a parent of two public school teachers

As a former Finance Analyst, I remember seeing the budget decimated, so this is truly historic and a profound moment for us, and I'm glad I'm here to see this symbolic investment

As an artist and a union worker in the entertainment industry

I am an architect and an upper east side resident

I'm a new parent living in Brooklyn

I am the Student Government Association President of LaGuardia Community College and a Senator at the University Student Senate, where I have the honor of representing over 13,000+ degree-seeking students

I'm a woman, an immigrant, and Uber and Lyft driver in New York City

I'm a clinical psychologist, and I sat here all day

I have been a tenant at 109 East 9th Street which is a single-room occupancy building since 1992

I'm a CUNY student, and I'm currently working for a DYOC funded afterschool

As a staff attorney I work primarily on eviction defense in the Bronx through the Right to Counsel program

I'm an educator first and foremost, so I am a student of history and a visionary for a future that we don't have

As a recent member, I have witnessed the inner dynamics of the panel first hand and believe there is a clear path toward meaningful improvement

I'm a proud member of the hotel and gaming trade Council and a resident of Brooklyn

I'm a resident of Bronx County

I'm an educator and Jewish community advocate, and I sit here before you, Councilwoman Vernikov, Councilman Dinowitz, as someone who personally experienced antisemitism right before October 7th

As a staff member at an organization that works with vulnerable youth, I'm here to raise deep concerns regarding proposed bills 1-A and 175-A regarding educational facilities and places of worship

As a principal, a challenge that administrators, teachers, and counselors face across the system, is not that the data exists somewhere, but that the data exists in too many different places

I'm a lifelong housing advocate, environmental justice organizer, and founder of the Social Impact Organization to Lindy

I'm a Senior Staff Attorney at Children's Rights, a member of the New York City Jails Action Coalition

I'm a licensed clinical social worker and also the Senior Vice President for Care Management at Institute for Community Living, which is also known as ICL

I'm also a Queens resident for ten years of immigration experience

I'm a mother of two teenage sons, the President of the Space Block Association on the Lower East Side, a member of Neighbors on Canal

I've been a resident of Williamsburg for 12 years

I am the child of immigrants with strong community ties

I'm a parent, educator, civic leader, and someone who's worked for the education system for 25 years, and the proud granddaughter of two Holocaust survivors

I am a member of a community board, Queens Community Board Two, but speaking on my own behalf

As a former United States Army Reserve and son of a World War II Navy veteran, I am passionate about the United States military history

I'm the Community Organizer at Mixteca, a community-based organization located in Park Slope, Sunset Park, where we provide the immigrant community a different variety of services, including education, mental health

I'm the Music and Model Teacher at PS123K in Bushwick, Brooklyn

I am an organizer with the Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition and a longtime resident of Kingsbridge

I've been a resident of this district, now so ably represented by Council Member Won, for over 55 years

I am a proud lifelong New Yorker, born and raised in Queens– Elmhurst, Queens almost 41 years ago now

As a Black woman descended from enslaved African people, I must highlight that these five proposed bills fail to address the protection that Black people deserve

I am a candidate for Assembly in Astoria District 36, and I'd like to discuss the issues you've brought up today

As a Bronx parent living in the Bronx for 55 years (now it's about 56 years), a mental health advocate, and a counselor

I'm the attorney in charge of the Education Advocacy Project at the Legal Aid Society, and I want to thank you, Chair Joseph, for having this hearing

I am a white person with brown hair and a brown sweater on a background that shows the logo for my production company Indivisible Entertainment but my side name is Kiah

As a high school English teacher at various Title I schools, I saw firsthand the detrimental effects that decreasing school budget has on our students

I am the Immigration Attorney for New York Lawyers for the Public Interest Health Justice Program

I'm a second-year student in the master of science in nutrition education program at Teachers College, Columbia University

I am a proud CUNY graduate and currently a public school teacher

I am a staff attorney in the Right to Counsel Unit of Brooklyn Legal Services, part of LSNYC

I'm a food delivery worker, among many others in the City of New York

I'm a 19-year-old student at NYU testifying on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget

I'm a resident of the Columbia Waterfront for the last 30 years

I'm the Attorney-in-Charge of the Citywide Housing Practice at the Legal Aid Society

As a parent of a student in MS 177, I've been deeply troubled by the organization behind awarding our afterschool contract to a new provider after having Manhattan Youth work with us

I'm a Board Member at Brooklyn Community Board 13 and a board member of the Neighborhood Advisory Board for Brooklyn 13 speaking on behalf of myself

I am the community organizer at Mixteca, a community- based organization in Sunset Park, Brooklyn

I'm a Queens College student, and I'm also a board member for, NYPIRG, New York Public Interest Research Group

I am an architect and I'm a member of Community Board 8 and I have – I also served on the Borough Presidents Taskforce in 2019-2020

As an international student, balancing academics with the career and the social life can be extremely difficult, not to mention living so far away from close friends and family

I am a White woman with long brown hair, wearing a black shirt

I'm the Rabbi of West Side Institutional Synagogue and West Side Sephardic in the Upper West Side

I am a 20 year rent stabilized resident of Columbia Waterfront

I am the Senior Community Organizer with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

As an active community member and engaged and passionate about helping folks

I'm a 35-year resident and owner in Long Island City speaking on behalf of the LIC Coalition, along with other local organizations that oppose the OneLIC Plan as it stands

As a citizen, as someone who loves democracy and our government here, this is a challenge for us

I'm a Program Officer at Enterprise Community Partners

I have been a resident of Queens since 1963

I'm a member of the MET Council on Housing, the New York State Tenant Block, and Caring Majority Rising

I'm an organizer with Food and Water Watch which is a national environmental group, and we are in coalition with New York Communities for Change, We Act, Triage, the Central Labor Council

I am the parent of a seventh-grade student in the New York City Public Schools

As a former educator, a union member and advocate, an organizer and a parent and my perspective is shaped by 20 years of working in and alongside New York City Public Schools

I am currently a Long Island City resident for over five years now, and I am a lifelong Queens resident

I'm a current Board Member with Metro Athletic Dragons, Dragon Boat Team

I'm a proud New York City public school parent and a public education advocate

I am a longtime resident of Queens, and I currently live in Sunnyside

I am a Civil Rights Attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights

I am a member of the public

I am a visual artist, and as a Haitian, I've been part of the Haiti Cultural Exchange, and I co-work with the Haitian Parade Heritage, Inc., here in Brooklyn

I'm also a lifelong Queens resident now raising my family there as well and our volunteer driven group fights for dignified affordable housing and against displacement while providing mutual aid in our community

As a mother, not being able to communicate made it hard for me to support my children in some things like reading, helping with homework, connecting with teachers

I'm a Jewish New Yorker and a union organizer at UAW

I'm the only attorney that represents these kids with the help of my two paralegals

I'm an English professor at CUNY, a U.S. veteran, and a refugee from the former Soviet Union

I'm a paramedic born and raised in Queens

I am a member of Freedom Agenda and a mental health clinician

I have been a resident of the upper east side for the past 21 years

As a lifetime New Yorker, I am appalled that it has come to this, that legislation is needed just to ensure that people can attend religious services

I'm a 20-plus-year resident of Fort Greene and the founder of The Lay Out, a Brooklyn- based community platform that celebrates black joy, creativity, and culture

I'm an Attorney at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund

I am a resident of Greenwich Village

I'm a former family child care educator of 16 years in the Bronx

I'm a lifelong resident of Carey Gardens, a former resident leader

I serve as the Senior Pastor of the New Greater Bethel Ministries and the Chair of the Art Community Development Faith-based Organizations that have faithfully served the southeast Queens for over 50 years

I'm a licensed clinical social worker

I'm an Educator and Cultural Programmer at the Brooklyn Museum, a proud member of DC 37, Local 1502 for almost five years and I'm also an artist

I've been a TLC rideshare driver for a little bit over 10 years

I'm an older New Yorker living on the Lower East Side

I'm a lifelong New Yorker and a descendant of Holocaust survivors

As a faith leader who cares for and nurtures a faith community, and also as a faith leader who finds her home in organizing

I'm also a Professor of Urban Planning at Hunter College

I'm a five-year resident of Greenpoint, where I live with my partner, who is a 5th generation resident

I've been a lead assistant principal of eight school sites, special ed supervisor of five school sites, master teacher, community volunteer for over 30 years to Pueblos, NAM, a whole bunch of organizations

I'm a lifelong resident of the Bronx

I'm an immigrant from the Dominican Republic that came here 14 years old with my mom looking for a better future like everybody else that has spoken here

I am a resident of Astoria, and I am in the neighborhood regularly, and I fully support the Monitor Point project

As an adult basic education tutor at the Rush Dale Village Library

I am a proud board member of the ADL New York, New Jersey, and the JCC of Manhattan, as well as a public interest attorney and Co-Founder

I'm an attendant physician at Sydenham with Gotham Health Center

I'm a lifelong resident of Flushing and I'm testifying against the Queens Futures proposal today

I'm a theater historian and documentarian

As an instructor for the museum's roadshow school program

As a government teacher in the age of social media, fake news, increased polarization, and parallel web universes, digital literacy is obviously a critical skill for our students

I'm a Supervising Attorney with the Cop Accountability Project at the Legal Aid Society

I am a qualified person as I walk onto a job site and they have to listen to me

I am an artist, a part of the DC 37 Union, the Family Programs Coordinator for the Brooklyn Museum, a Board Member of the New York City Museum Educators Roundtable

I'm a teaching artist working with institutions such as the Department of Education (DOE), Jazzmobile, Joffrey Ballet School, Lincoln Center, the National Jazz Museum of Harlem, YAFFA Arts, Harlem One Stop

I am an app-based delivery worker, and I have worked for Grubhub and Uber Eats since 2019, primarily in Lower Manhattan

I am the father of two young kids, ages two and five

As a native New Yorker, I've observed the real-life implications of housing policies on the city's most vulnerable populations

I am the Lead Business Representative for the Theatrical Wardrobe Union, which is Local 764 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees

I'm a staff attorney at New York Legal Assistance Group in the Tenants' Rights Unit

I'm a Senior Staff attorney at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

I'm a Tenant Advocate and Community Outreach Specialist at Mobilization for Justice

I have been a restaurant worker since I was 14-years-old

I am a student of the City College of New York

I am an immigrant artist and the Executive Director of ID Studio Theater in the South Bronx

As a high school student from 1995 to 1999, and today I sit before you as not only the SAPIS Chair, but a 10-year SAPIS counselor

I am a proud daughter of two Holocaust survivors

As a mom, I have to quit my job because I couldn't afford child care as I said before, a choice nobody should have to make

I'm also a rent-stabilized tenant in New York City

I'm a professional performance artist with over 25 years of experience in New York City and I'm the Artistic Director of Ballet Tech Foundation

I'm a paralegal at The Door's Legal Services Center working with our detained minors project

I am a Senior Advocacy Advisor at the International Rescue Committee and a Brooklyn resident

I'm a member of the NAACP, National Action Network, Democratic Socialist, and the Working Families Party

As a Jewish New Yorker, I care deeply about Jewish safety and thus I know that it is inextricable from the safety of my Muslim

As a daughter of immigrant parents and someone raised in a low-income household, programs like CFL were my only outlet to express myself creatively through dance, singing and community

I'm a long term resident of New York City, excuse me a lifelong and I'm also an Advocacy Coordinator at Take Root Justice along with Pillar

As an employer or as a parent, but also as the daughter of a former domestic worker

I'm a Forensic Social Worker at New York County Defender Services

I'm a daughter of Harlem, a first-generation northerner and a daughter of the second migration

I'm a resident of Elmhurst, Queens

I'm a neighbor who often works in and frequents the neighborhood of the Western Railyards

I've been a resident near Long Island City for almost 10 years

I am a proud member of the Delta Nu Sigma Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sovereignty Incorporated, servicing Mount Vernon, New York, and Lower Westchester for over 50 years

As a mother as well, I do not want a casino at close proximity of our children, my daughter

I'm a Bronx parent living in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx and the Director of the New Settlement Parent Action Committee

As an educator, how this budget affects my work and how the museum's financial situation impacts the communities we serve

I'm a City employee and a volunteer for the QueensLink

I have been a community member, resident over 50 years

I'm a member of the West 47th, 48th Street Blocks Association and a Hell's Kitchen resident for 25 years

I am also the mother of a fourth grader at that school

I'm a recent college graduate, and I'm speaking in regard to QueensWay and the departments of Parks and Budget

I am a proud member of Kappa Sigma chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated

As a mother of four who left the workplace working in finance to take care of my children

I'm a proud member of Local 79 and 32BJ

I'm also a part of an alliance of resident councils in south Queens

As a former criminal defense attorney, generally we don't receive any information

As a resident, there are so many great parts of Long Island City, and I've seen so many benefits of the rezoning over the past few decades

As a special ed teacher at three different school buildings in the Bronx, and until I became a librarian myself, I had not worked in a school that had a functional library

I'm a librarian here in New York City and Executive Director of Urban Librarians Unite, an organization that focuses on supporting library workers in cities across The U.S

I'm the planner who has been helping neighbors on this application

I'm a parent of a six-year-old who's going to first grade at PS 20 in Brooklyn, and a nine-month-old who I'm hoping will go to 2K after that

I'm a lifelong New Yorker and resident of Sunny Side Queens

I'm a Community Organizer in Ridgewood

I am a Resident Physician here in New York City and a member of my union, the Committee of Interns and Residents or CIR

I am an Associate Attorney with Earth Justice, a national nonprofit law organization and a member of Electrify New York and the Last Mile Coalition

I'm also a volunteer of the Highline and I wanted to get to the first two points that were very stark to me

I am an educational organizer with New Settlement and Parent Action Committee in the Bronx, the Great Boogie Down, and I'm also here with many colleagues for educational rights

I'm a native New Yorker, okay, from Brooklyn

I am a proud 4th generation New Yorker who works at the Brooklyn Museum as the curatorial assistant for photography, fashion, and material culture

I'm a volunteer member of the board of directors of Power of Two, a nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of the foundational parent-child bond to help children thrive and lead healthy

As an immigrant myself and a former vendor, I know first hand the risk

I'm a Queens resident and Vice Chair of the all-volunteer 31st Avenue Open Street Collective, which has operated the Open Street on 31st Ave. since 2020

I'm a student at CUNY proud granddaughter of immigrants, and I'm here from New York City DSA and more than 12 other youth organizations in the Livable Future Coalition, Council Members

I'm a longtime resident of Brooklyn and I love Coney Island so much that I showed up to speak in person

I'm a lifelong member of Coney Island

As a member of the Language Justice Collaborative

I am a staff attorney at CJU, and I'm really lucky to have my job because I really think that this is the only path forward to invest in our communities

As a tenant organizer in the west side of Manhattan

I am also a member of a 30-year-old 501c3 working for monetary reform, the American Monetary Institute

I'm a resident of New York City

I am the Director and Founder of Sim Friend Academy, and I'm also a certified teacher from birth to second— sixth grade

I am the Managing Attorney for the Immigration Defense Team at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, the public defender office for upper Manhattan

I'm a long time citizen, first time testifier and I come to you as a government liaison from Japan Society

As a taxpaying citizen, I am astounded by the fact that we are paying a little over $500,000 per year to house one individual on Rikers Island

I am a resident of Queensbridge, and I have been here since the beginning of Gantry Park for 25 years

I'm a TLC driver and FHV driver since 2017

I'm a senior attorney in residence at CUNY Law's Community and Economic Development Clinic, or we CED Clinic in short

As a person who have lived here over 40 years, some of our families have been here 70 years

As a proudly visible Jew, the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, and someone who regularly walks to synagogue with my family

I'm a professor at Columbia University School of Arts, and I'm also one of the initiators of Fall of Freedom

I'm a business agent for Teamsters Local 804

As a public school parent in this city, my child was promised and received a pizza party when I participated in the school survey

I'm a retired professional social worker who has worked in the psychiatric departments of Harlem Hospital and Kings County Hospital and in numerous other social work jobs

I am a proud first-generation daughter of Columbian-American parents born and raised in Brooklyn

I am a six-year resident of Long Island City

I am a member and organizer with WE ACT for Environmental Justice and also a coalition organizer at the Climate Justice Coalition, New York Renews

I'm a health and fitness educator for 40 years, a former adjunct lecturer at New York University, former instructor at Fashion Institute of Technology, and at the American Red Cross

I'm a Community Organizer, an advocate and a concerns New Yorker urging the full abolition of NYPD's Gang Database

I am a professor at New York Law School where I direct the New York Election census and Redistricting Institute where we do training, education and public information on an ongoing basis

I am a resident of both Brooklyn and New York City

I'm a North Brooklyn resident and Local 79 laborer

I'm the managing attorney for Partnership and Advocacy at Safe Passage Project

I'm a Senior Campaign Organizer at ANHD

I'm a campaign organizer at the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development

I am a tax-paying Queens resident on behalf of EMS

I'm a UPK teacher also in Staten Island

I'm a Q-UP member and I oppose Intro

I'm a founding member of Cooper Square Housing Association, and Cooper Square Community Land Trust

I am a home owner in Elmhurst Queens, a voter, educator and director of public programs and partnerships at a Corona cultural institution

I'm a member of the public and uhm I have eight years of experience working as a librarian in public libraries as well

I'm an organizer with the People's Plan NYC, a grassroots coalition that represents working class and poor New Yorkers and New Yorkers of color

I'm a Jackson Heights parent of two children who are in school three and seven years old and I'm also a secretary of Community Education Council District 30

I am a volunteer at La Nacional Spanish Fenevolence Society

As an adult leader of an organization that prepares young people to take their rightful place in government and in community

I'm a proud member of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council

I am a resident of District 1, and I'm very grateful to be here today

I'm also a resident of the Lower East Side

I'm a co-owner of Guerra Paint and Pigment Corp, a small business founded 40 years ago in the East Village and now located in Maspeth, Queens

I am the sole owner of the Worlds Borough Bookshop that is located in the Worlds Borough, which is Queens It is a bookstore that amplifies BIPOC voices

I'm a former driving instructor in the City of New York

I am also a resident of Seeley Street

I'm a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society's Housing Justice Group Advocacy Unit

I am a Senior Supervising Attorney in the Mental Health Representation Team of the Criminal Defense Practice at Brooklyn Defender Services

I've been a resident of Coney Island for 60 years

As a person of color, as an indigenous member of this country

I am a student in City Tech and I work part time with this program

I'm a parent and former NYC DOE teacher here to oppose Intros 1-A and 175

I am a graduate of the YouthBuild program

I'm a professor of computer science and Data Science at NYU and the founding director of the Center for Responsible AI

I'm a resident of Kensington in Brooklyn, and I'm a member of the House the Future Campaign

I'm a Local 79 organizer and most importantly, I'm a mother of two

I'm a former elementary school teacher and now a current education professor and parent of three children in DOE schools

I'm a Community Educator and Organizer with the Abolition and Education Justice Collective and member of Dignity in Schools Coalition, and also a former teacher at PS 146 in East Harlem

As a long-time department of education vendor, we serve students from 3K through 12th grade in styles ranging from modern and valet to hiphop, Latin, African, Hollywood and musical theater

I am an economist at the Institute for Justice

I am a Senior Staff Attorney in TakeRoot Justice's Equitable Neighborhoods Unit

I am a third-generation resident of the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan and grew up across the street from the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses public housing complex

I'm a Staff Attorney at the Legal Aid Society, and we're here today on behalf of our union, the Legal Aid Society Attorney United Chapter

I'm a resident of Hudson Yards and a local business owner

I'm a proud member of Local 3 International Brotherhood of electrical workers and I'm here in support of this project

I am a graduate, Bronx Community College, and Lehman College together

I am simply a concerned citizen that is deeply troubled by this bill, and I strongly oppose this

I'm a Trustee and Constitutional Officer elected union-wide by the workers of the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys, United Auto Workers Local 2325 which represents over 3

I am a corporate business developer at Sunset Park, Central for Family Business

I am a lifelong New Yorker and an urban planning graduate

I'm a Jewish New Yorker and member of the New York City chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, a grassroots organization representing thousands of Jewish New Yorkers

As a representative of the Combat Antisemitism movement

I'm a Lawyer with the National Employment Law Project, NELP

As a child librarian, I had the privilege of connecting with many of them

I'm an attorney with over 30 years of experience countering religious discrimination

I am a lifelong New Yorker and a proud graduate of New York Public Schools and a resident of Forest Hills, Queens, where I live with my wife and our two children

I am a proud New York Zionist Jew

I am a makeup artist in Local 798 and I wanted to say that I'm completely in support of any efforts for affordable housing in New York City, specifically for artists

I'm also a proud Head Start graduate, a social worker, and a former 5th grade public school teacher

I'm a social worker with the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, working on the ACS founded Family Enrichment Center, FEC Project

As a proud member of the Kingsbridge Together Working Group, KHCC strongly supports both the Kingsbridge Armory project as well as a robust

I'm a volunteer at the Highline and I wanted to first talk about the small business impacts

I'm also a woman of color and a small business owner

I'm a member of the new Beta Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated, where I serve as First Anti-Basileus

I am a Taxi Alliance Member and since 2019, we've been fighting for the debt forgiveness

I'm a New York City resident, a mother, and a member of the Jewish community

I'm also a musician, so I put it into a song

I am a Vice President of a Board 370 Riverside Drive at West 109th Street and as the Vice President of the Board, I am also a member of the Finance Committee

I'm an Associate Professor in the Political Science Department at City University of New York

I'm a resident leader, Gravesend Houses New York City Housing Authority, NYCHA and I want to say we are the least in the community to get anything that comes into our community

I'm a housing attorney for the New York Legal Assistance Group, specifically within our Public Housing Justice Project

I'm a Jewish woman born and raised in this city, a former youth group president who has passed many a treasured hour within the walls of my synagogue

As a realtor but also as a mother of twins in college

I am a local resident and I fully support

As a steward and representative of folks in the community

I am a native Jewish New Yorker, a psychologist, and a parent from a family that includes Holocaust refugees and survivors of pogroms, people that did not survive those incidents

I am a proud and eternally grateful granddaughter to both my sets of grandparents who came through Ellis Island and became naturalized citizens

As an international student myself, I understand what it means to navigate higher education while balancing financial pressure, uncertainty, and limited access to opportunities

As a former bilingual teacher, social worker, and principal of the International High School of Prospect Heights and Internationals Network School

As a dancer but there's a way to think about capital renovation and access separately

I am a community organizer with the East New York Coalition for Community Advancement, an organization dedicated to fighting against gentrification and the erosion of affordable housing in East New York

I'm a Latino person and I know that arts and culture and entertainment is a place where we find home and we find good jobs

As a parent of a former Education Council Member and the liaison for the American Sign Language School, where I gave ample time, more than the two weeks required

I am a New Yorker born and raised and I am a member of the New York City Public Library Action Network

I am a member of Families for Safe Streets

I am the mother of two children who graduated from New York City public schools and are now in their early early 20s

I'm a born and bred New Yorker, and I love New York City, and I dislike what's going on in New York City with the streets here

I'm a 46 year resident of Hell's Kitchen, Executive Director of Clinton Housing, a not-for-profit housing developer

I'm a resident of Jackson Heights Queens

I am a member of the Safety Net Activists, part of the Safety Net Project through Urban Justice Center

I'm an Equal Justice Fellow with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

I'm a Senior Staff Attorney at TakeRoot Justice

I am the supervisor of the tenant organizing program at Catholic Migration Services

I'm an outgoing student at the CUNY School of Law

I am a Brooklyn resident and performer

As a Black independent journalist, I find it deeply jarring that this bill could strip reporters of their press freedom and place us at risk of policing

I'm the Economic Empowerment Community Organizer at the Asian American Federation where we represent a collective of 70+ member nonprofit organizations serving 1.5 million Asian New Yorkers

I'm a mom, an early childhood educator, small business owner and veteran and most of all, I'm a lover of my Queens community

I've been a resident of New York City for nearly 20 years now

I'm a father, a lifelong New Yorker, and a Jewish member of JVP, Jewish Voice for Peace

I am a proud social worker and a graduate of Hunter College School of Social Work, where I majored in Community Organizing

As a Native of Astoria, I'm here today to express my strong support for Metropolitan Park and their plan to turn the empty parking lots into actual public parks around City Field

I am a member of the City and State Bars Co-Op and Condo Committee

I'm the mother of four children that are school-aged, and I'm a former board member of a Jewish day school

I'm a working delivery cyclist speaking on behalf of Los Deliveristas UNIDOs and the New York City Bike Messenger Association

I'm an old man with graying brown hair, brown glasses, wearing a green suit, and a lavender shirt

As an Amazon delivery driver who spends most of his day in environmental justice neighborhoods

As an Amazon driver and a teamster

I'm a community health worker, supervisor at Make the Road New York

As an interpreter of a native language of Latin America as I am a speaker of the Me'phaa language, which comes from the town of El Chirimoyo in the state of Guerrero

I've been an employee at the Brooklyn Museum for almost seven years

I'm a lifelong Bronx resident and a proud member of Local 79 Labor Union

I'm an Episcopal priest in District 39 in Cobble Hill

I'm the Managing Attorney for the Workers Rights program at Catholic Migration Services

I'm a board member, vice president and Chair holder of 4077 Owners Corp on the west side

I'm an EMT, and I've worked in private EMS in New York City for approximately 8 years

I'm a former New York City Public School student also in the 1900's, when there were 32 school boards

I'm a decades-long resident of Fort Greene

I'm also a local resident and a part of the Latino community in Queens, Astoria

I'm a representative of LiUNA Local 79, and I live in Brooklyn

As a sales clerk at Bloomingdale's selling designer handbags to tourists and wealthy upper east siders

I've been a Chelsea resident for the past 30 years

I'm also a neighbor living nine blocks away

I'm also a resident of Long Island City, Court Square area, not a real estate developer, so I've been paying market-rate rent for the last three years

I'm a United States Marine Corps veteran, and I served during the global war on terrorism from 2003 to 2008

I'm a pediatric resident doctor at Jacobi Hospital, and I'm also a Regional Vice President of my union, the Committee of Interns and Residents

As a father, a provider, and a human being asking for dignity

I'm also a proud Jewish American and an active member in a wide range of congregations and other forms of New York City-based Jewish life

I'm a Public Health Policy student and researcher from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health

I am a nurse at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx

I am a full-time CUNY staff member, a member of the PSC-CUNY Union, a researcher at the CUNY Research Foundation, and a CUNY alum

I'm a resident of Brooklyn New York and a parent to two children in the New York City Public School system at PS261 in Brooklyn

I am an active resident at Penn South Community, which is the largest affordable co-op apartment complex on the west side

I am an emergency medicine physician currently Elmhurst Hospital, previously at Woodhull in my early career. part of the Elmhurst Bargaining Committee for this current contract

As a religious leader, I definitely appreciate when politicians are working towards the freedom of religion, but I want to make clear that attacking a shul

I'm a proud Local 79 member

I'm a resident of Astoria, Queens

I am also a proud member of Christian Cultural Center

I am a 35-year resident of the West Village and I have experienced the impact of the outdoor dining program firsthand

As a concerned scholar, a New Yorker, and a proud mom of a CUNY Hunter College student and a New York City public high schooler

I'm currently a CB8 member though I speak individually

I'm a Principal at Type A Projects, the lead developer at River Commons and Type A is a proud WBE developer

I'm a resident of Morris Park

As a principal, it's my responsibility to assist teachers in identifying children who may need help and guide the parents to seek the services to help them participate in class and succeed

I'm a senior staff attorney with the Employment Law Project at the New York Legal Assistance Group

I serve as a principal of SAR in Riverdale

I'm an organizer representing WE ACT for Environmental Justice speaking in favor of Community Opportunity to Purchase, Tenant Opportunity to Purchase, and Public Land for Public Good

I am a volunteer with several rescue organizations and work with several independent rescuers, and I want to emphasize that I'm a volunteer, like all the rescuers I know

I'm a Supervising Attorney with the Immigration Legal Program at the Lutheran Social Services of New York, and I'm here to testify in support of funding for immigration legal services

I'm a doctoral researcher studying Public Voice and Urban Organics Management

I am the paralegal supervisor at the Children's Law Center, CLC

As a board member and currently serve as the board secretary of a modest 26 unit co-op on the upper west side

I'm a member of the Executive Board of the Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated

I have been a member of First Presbyterian Church for 51 years

As a Play Fair member, we will continue to push the coalitions goal of a $79.7 million restoration in FY26 and that would restore 795 critical New York City Parks positions

I'm a resident of Astoria and member of Western Queens Community Land Trust, submitting testimony here in favor of the Community Land Act, and in particular, Public Land for Public Good

I'm a Jewish New Yorker and a member of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, here to voice my strong opposition to the Perimeter Bills

I am a senior citizen, and I'm going to remind people that there was a time when being Jewish in the city meant strength, belonging, and safety, safety in numbers

As a female driver, we face constant difficulties when it comes to using the restrooms while working

I'm a day laborer, construction worker and carpenter by trade

I am a former New York City resident

I'm a supervising attorney in the Immigrant Protection Unit at the New York Legal Assistance Group

I am also a proud member of the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy, or NYCCAL

I'm a tenant organizer at Catholic Migration Services and a proud member of the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys

I'm a parent of two young children in Long Island City and a proud member of Community Education Council 30

I'm the Managing Attorney for the Housing Defense Team at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem

I am a second generation street vendor who have been actively advocating for our street vendors and I feel like it's tiring that we have to come here all the time

I am a CUNY political science student at Baruch College, a recent graduate of New York City Public Schools, and a youth leader as Citizens Committee for Children of New York

I'm a local resident here in Williamsburg

I'm a proud card-carrying member of Local 79

I'm a Labor Economist by trade, and I study the city's labor market broadly and the child care sector specifically

I'm a Persian-American Jew born to Iranian and Israeli parents

As a high school special education teacher in Flatbush

I'm also a New York City Public Schools parent

I am a comic book writer, uh, and also a New York City resident

I'm a resident of Southern Brooklyn

I'm the parent of a first-grader at PS261 in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, and activist with the Public School Parent Campaign, Librarians Equal Literacy

I'm a resident of Forest Hills, Queens, and a mother of two children, ages 11 and 9

I'm a parent at PS 184 in Manhattan, not too far from here in, um, uh, the, uh, District 1, I think

I am also a mother to two teenage daughters as well as a native New Yorker

I'm a tenant and a member with Jorge, the Upper Manhattan Tenants Union

As a local resident, I see the expansion of the parks as an improvement to the neighborhood, not hindering housing, which, let's be honest, is barely considered what we call affordable

I'm the Senior Litigation Counsel at the National Jewish Advocacy Center

I am a Native New Yorker, taxi driver owner operator

I'm a resident of Sunnyside with strong ties in Long Island City

I am also a member of BSGE's Parent Teacher Association, representing parents, teachers, and students who strive every day to ensure that our school has the resources it needs to succeed

I'm an alumni of a New York City public high school, and I'm a current graduate student at the City University of New York

I'm a for-hire vehicle driver and organizer with Independent Drivers Guild

I am the Supervising Attorney of the Collateral Consequences Unit at New York County Defender Services

As a public school teacher in Brooklyn, I had students who lived in family shelters learning alongside students who lived in waterfront penthouses

I am a student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a senator within the CUNY University Student Senate

I've been a social worker for 52 years—former Dean at Hunter and Dean and Professor Emeritus at Stony Brook University

I'm a resident of Hell's Kitchen

I am the Community Organizer for the Alliance for Quality Education

I am a mother of four children

I am a Social Worker with the Center for Family Representation where we work to keep families together

I am a resident of Brooklyn, New York

I am a Staff Attorney with the Microenterprise Project at Volunteers of Legal Service

I am the attorney in charge of criminal defense at the Center for Family Representation

I'm a former teacher, so education is the way I believe movements are made

I am a graduate of New York City Public Schools

I am a lifelong resident with my family coming to the borough of Queens from the south, as many African-Americans did during the Great Migration in the 1950s

As an immigrant, I have seen how fear and vulnerability are often used against people

I'm the Reverend James Duckett, Senior Pastor of the Fort Mott Baptist Church in the Bronx New York and also a member of Impact New York Network

As a member of LiveOn New York, we support a 2.3 billion investment, 500 million to improve nutrition, including more frequent meals like breakfast at older adult centers

I am an immigrant mother, and I arrived in New York last year

I'm the owner of Shanghai MKS, a company located at 78 Jerry Street, Brooklyn, New York

I am a community advocate at Mixteca

I'm a Board Member of Prospect Farm, and I want to thank Council Member Hanif a lot and her staff for their support

I've been a lifelong resident of Corona East Elmhurst, right next to this project site

I'm the Supervising Attorney of the Immigration Law Project at Mobilization for Justice

I'm a proud hospitality worker and a member of the hotel and gaming trade council

I am a member of Tenants and Neighbors, CASA, Med Council, and Our Bronx

I'm a CUNY undergraduate student who just founded a human rights club on campus at John Jay

I am the President of Doctors Council SEIU, and I am a practicing primary care doctor at Gotham sites

As a business owner and as a person who has a family business on Mermaid Avenue, I can tell you when the boardwalk or Surf Avenue has events, we do well

As a New Yorker who believes deeply in the promise of opportunity

I'm a small business owner, a Native New Yorker and my business is in Chelsea New York

I am also a proud member of the Bronx and a resident of District 11

I am a resident of the Court Square area, directly adjacent to where the project area would be for OneLIC

I'm a third generation New Yorker

I've been a food vendor since 2008 and I started my own business in 2009

I'm an economist and I support One Fair Wage

I'm the Housing Managing Attorney at Catholic Migration Services

I'm a resident of Sunnyside and a member of Community Board Two

I'm a proud Brooklyn boy and CUNY student

I'm a community garden member at El Sol Brillante and Down to Earth Community Garden

I am a Master of Social Work graduate, and I am in support of the Social Work Workforce Act, Resolution 362-A

I am a lifelong Bronx resident, and I have seen lots of growth, expansion, and change within my community over the years

I am a student in City Tech adult learner

I'm an EMT for the fire department

As a social worker to serving the communities here in New York City

As a board member of the Jewish Community Relations Council, the Queen Jewish Community Council, and many other civic and Jewish organization

I'm a gardener and my passion are native flowers that are both healing to people and to insects and birds

I'm the attorney in charge of the Immigration Law Unit at the Legal Aid Society

I'm a Greenpoint resident and a lifelong New Yorker

I'm a parent of two former public school students, and I previously served on a community education council

I'm a single mom from Brooklyn

I'm a community activist advocate that works with the Campaign for New York Health Coalition for the New York Health Act

I'm a resident of Manhattan Community Board 4

I am also a member of the Chelsea Council Block Associations

I am the parent of three students who have attended New York City Public Schools

I'm a Community Organizer with the Legal Aid Society Community Justice Unit

I'm a freelance creative professional and the parent of a New York City student

I'm a staff attorney with Advocates for Children, also known as AFC, and we're also members of the Dignity in Schools of New York

I'm a resident of Beverley Square West

I'm a housing attorney a Make the Road, a community-based organization representing tenants in Brooklyn and Queens

I have been an active parent at PS 11 for over a decade and I am the head of the Chelsea Green Park Friends of Chelsea Green Park

I'm the Aging Friendly community organizer with Encore Community Services

I'm an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at City College's Worker for Education, just half a mile down Broadway

I'm a physician and a lifelong resident of Coney Island, a small business owner in a community of the hardest workers, the disenfranchised

I'm the Housing and Health Community Organizer

I'm an economic development professional and a member of the Board of Directors at the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation

As a volunteer in the English Express program helping and bringing support to people like me when they came here for the first time

I am a resident of Queens and a long time lover of the library

I'm a professor at City College of New York where I lead the Community Change Studies Program which introduces students to community organizing around the city

I'm the son of Doctor Henry Heimlich, the inventor of the Heimlich maneuver

I am a senior citizen and I represent single Jews who are scattered around New York and live in different places, especially in the public housing

I am the senior campaigner for land use at the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, or ANHD, for short

I'm a small business owner and I run a business that connects artists, think painters, sculptors with opportunities in real estate

I'm a street vendor, a community chef, a community gardener, and I'm here to share that street vendors need your support

As an organizer of CUNY students across the city, the message I hear is consistent

I'm also a journalist who reports from the occupied West Bank

I'm a resident of Red Hook

I'm a business owner here in Chelsea myself and a Native New Yorker and it's just the expansion and there's going to be a casino in New York

I serve as the Community Outreach Advocate for the Korean American Family Service Center

As a resident of this extremely diverse community and a senior, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges that many older adults face, particularly when it comes to housing and social isolation

I am a lifelong resident of Mars Park

I am also an employee of the New York City Housing Authority

I serve as the founding Rabbi of Romemu community in Manhattan and Brooklyn and as a Rabbi at the 92nd Street Y

I am a Sunset Park Resident and born and raised and I also work in climate change and climate space

I am also a makeup artist and Local 798 along with Andrew who pretty much summed up everything that I wanted to say

I'm a life long resident of the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood and current advisory board member of the Street Vendor Project

I'm also a volunteer gardener at the Bushwick Inlet Park

I'm a member of CASA, but I'm a member of many different communities

I'm a fourth-generation New Yorker, born and raised in Williamsburg

I am also a father of two, here to speak about Bushwick City Farm, which is still under threat of closure, where I volunteered for the past 15 years

I am a co-op owner here in New York, and I just want to share what the rollout of this tax meant to me personally

I'm a lifelong New Yorker and a proud resident of Hudson Yards

I'm a proud graduate of Harvest Collegiate High School, a school that valued restorative circles and creative expression

I'm a graduate student at Columbia University

I'm a 12-year Long Island City resident, a designer and a pre-K parent with a corporate background managing strict product compliance and an early career in affordable housing operations

I'm a woman of a certain age, so you are talking to a senior when you talk to me

I am a homeowner in Long Island City, Queens, and a steering committee member of the Western Queens Community Land Trust

I'm a Research Analyst at United Neighborhood Houses, a policy and social change organization representing neighborhood settlement houses that reach over 800,000 New Yorkers

I work as a security officer in the City's shelter system

I'm also a graduate of SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler in the Bronx and for the past 10 years I teach there, admiralty and international law

I am a parent leader and education advocate representing families in East Elmhurst

I am a member of the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors

I'm a Pro Bono Scholar at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

As a CEC member, I have sent multiple Resolutions to the Department of Education and only have received communication from Deputy Chancellors or the head of the policy team

I'm a native New Yorker, and for the record, I have no phobias

I'm a proud Jewish grandchild of Holocaust survivors, all were New Yorkers

I'm also a student in the MATI program in CUNY Hunter College

I'm a business owner and homeowner for over four decades

I'm a constituent of Chair Rita Joseph's district, and I'm also the daughter of an educator and a librarian, so I'm very pleased to be here

I'm a 24-year resident of Greenpoint who lives 10 minutes from Bushwick Inlet Park in the 40 Quay site

I am the Scholar and Resident of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice on behalf of whom I'm testifying

I'm a Staff Attorney with the Legal Aid Society

I'm a Manhattan-born student at Northeastern University in support of QueensLink

I am an advocate for seniors in Bensonhurst and Bath Beach, Brooklyn, as well as being a senior myself

As a father and a congregational rabbi, I know how special it is to walk our children to school and how meaningful it is to bring our families to prayer

I'm also a Colombian-born Washington Heights resident living on a graduate student budget, working multiple jobs, and even then, after paying rent and basic expenses, there's not a lot of money left

I have been a resident here for 42 years and have worked in its warehouses for 30

I have been a neighbor of Coney Island for 15 years and I'm here just to show support for our neighbors in Coney Island

As a resident of the neighborhood, I want to see this area redeveloped for the benefit of myself, my children, and the entire community

I am the Mental Health Clinician Supervisor at the Arab American Family Support Center, also known as AAFSC

I'm a Jewish New Yorker here in strong support of Intros 1 and 175 of 2026, introduced by Council Speaker Menin

As a former afterschool educator myself, I still serve as a citywide consultant for nonprofits on the social-emotional stakes of these kinds of programmatic collaborations

I'm a theater artist, I'm a Guest Curator of Art and Technology at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and I'm one of the organizers of Fall of Freedom

I'm a lifelong resident of the Queensbridge Houses

As a Jewish New Yorker, I encourage our City Council Members to vote no against this dangerous and unnecessary bill that does not keep Jews safe and instead criminalizes free speech

I am a member of the National Task Force of Deans working to eliminate this exam

I'm a lifelong resident of Jamaica, Queens

As a member of the Coalition of the Theaters of Color and the Cultural Equity Coalition

I'm a Civil Rights Attorney and Senior Counsel at the Lawfare Project

I'm a Chef and a Pastry Chef by trade but I left the industry to pursue my art and music endeavors because the industry was so unfair

I'm the senior fellow for Climate and Opportunity at Center for an Urban Future, an independent research organization focused on building a stronger and more equitable New York City

I'm a community organizer for Malikah Safety Center, a Queens-based anti-violence non-profit

As a parent of two, I want to highlight that Long Island City is a great place for kids

I'm a member of the community garden at 461 Franklin Street

I'm a mother of two and I'm speaking on behalf of Jackson Heights indivisible

I am a New York City non-profit leader and a proud Jewish person

I'm a founding member of Breadfruit Co-op, a worker-owned cooperative focused on woodworking and other indigenous maker practices

I am a older New Yorker living in Brooklyn

I'm the owner and operator of Dickson's Farms and Meats, the butcher shop and restaurant in Chelsea Market

I'm a professor and researcher at the Gordon Institute at Teacher's College Columbia University, as well as the Co-Director of the Latinidad Curriculum Initiative

As a dues paying union member

I'm the Managing Attorney of the Immigration Unit at Catholic Migration Services, or CMS for short

As an advocate and as a business owner

I'm a Brooklyn native and Jewish New Yorker

I am a Brooklyn resident and a student at Pacific College

I'm a Brooklynite, Brooklyn native, and a proud 32BJ member for the last 16 years

I am a history teacher and I'm also becoming a local historian, so that is why I'm here

I am a member of several national organizations that support the Social Work Workforce Act—the National Association of Social Workers

I'm a proud UPK 4 teacher at Stepping Stones Preschool in Staten Island, New York

As a Jewish New Yorker, I care deeply about my community's safety, but I do not believe these bills will make us safer

I'm a Senior Fellow at the Education Law and Policy Institute at New York Law School's Legal Services and a private special education attorney advocate

I'm a business owner for a business that's established in Manhattan and does work in and around the area of the Hudson Yards