OKAY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, JUST, UH, ANYONE HERE IS, UH, GIVING PUBLIC TESTIMONY. IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP, THERE'S A SIGN IN SHEET AT THE ,UH, NEAR THE ENTRANCE.
UH, YOU'LL BE CALLED ON, UH, IN THE ORDER YOU SIGN UP AND, UH, I'LL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND. I JUST HAVE TO ANNOUNCE A FEW THINGS. UM, SO, UH. GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, MY NAME IS BEN WEBER. I'M THE DISTRICT SIX CITY COUNCILOR AND THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY IS MAY 12TH OR IT'S STILL MAY 12TH, 2026 AND IT IS 2:10
P.M. THE, UH THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT'S ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED@BOSTON.GOV. CITY COUNCIL TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN
CHANNEL 82 AND FINAL CHANNEL 964. UH THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS ENCOMPASSES A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT BEGIN IN APRIL AND RUN THROUGH JUNE. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS
TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD. YOU CAN DO SO IN SEVERAL WAYS. NUMBER ONE, YOU CAN ATTEND A HEARING WHICH LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT MANY PEOPLE WHO'VE ATTENDED
THIS AFTERNOON'S HEARING AND GIVE TESTIMONY IN PERSON. UM UH, AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO TESTIFY IN PERSON PLEASE SIGN UP ON THE SIGN IN SHEET. YOU CAN ALSO ATTEND A HEARING VIRTUALLY AND GIVE TESTIMONY
VIRTUALLY FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY . YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM ON OUR COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT
SQUIRM@BOSTON.GOV OR BY EMAILING OUR UH DIRECTOR OF BUDGET ANALYSIS CHRIS MENTIONED THAT KARISHMA TKO YOU
HAND@BOSTON.GOV. YOU CAN ALSO ATTEND ONE OF OUR PUBLIC TESTIMONY LISTENING SESSIONS. WE WILL HAVE THE FOURTH OF FOUR . THE LAST ONE WILL BE ON THURSDAY MAY 26TH AT 6 P.M. IN
THIS ROOM. EVERYONE WHO COMES HAS A CHANCE TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THERE WITH COUNCILORS LISTENING TO YOU. UH, YOU CAN ALSO, UH, TESTIFY IN PERSON FOR THAT HEARING OR VIRTUALLY.
UM, FOLLOW THE SAME PROCEDURES TO GET A ZOOM LINK FOR THAT. UH, WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. UH, AND YOUR YOU KNOW WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD YOU LIVE IN.
UH, AND IF YOU'RE HERE WITH AN ORGANIZATION, JUST LET US KNOW WHAT ORGANIZATION YOU'RE AFFILIATED WITH. UH, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS TIME TO TESTIFY. WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS TO TWO MINUTES A
PERSON UM, UH, IN LIEU OF TESTIFYING IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY AT THE HEARING. YOU CAN ALSO SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE AT SQUIRM@BOSTON.GOV.
UH YOU CAN OR YOU KNOW I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HERE HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED WRITTEN TESTIMONY IF YOU'RE HERE TO ALSO TESTIFY YOU CAN DO BOTH WHICH IS GREAT. YOU CAN ALSO UM SUBMIT A TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY
THROUGH THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET WEBSITE AT
BOSTON.GOV/COUNCIL-BUDGET. UH SO FOR THIS HEARING IN PERSON PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN FOLLOWING THE FIRST ROUND OF COUNCILOR QUESTIONS. WE CAN HEAR FROM THE PANEL AND THEN WE'LL HAVE UH YOU KNOW,
PROBABLY ABOUT SEVEN EIGHT MINUTES OF QUESTIONS FROM EACH COUNCILOR AND THEN WE'LL CALL ON FOLKS TO COME DOWN AND TESTIFY ONE AT A TIME AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL HAVE OUR SECOND MAYBE THIRD ROUND OF QUESTIONS AFTER THAT.
THIS UM UH YOU KNOW, AGAIN IF YOU IF YOU IF YOU'RE WATCHING ONLINE UH, AND WANT TO TESTIFY YOU CAN UH GET A ZOOM LINK BY
EMAILING CHRIS MITCHELL ON A KRISHNA DARKO H A N@BOSTON.GOV FOR THE ZOOM LINK. THIS AFTERNOON'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 073320740.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 OPERATING BUDGETS FOR THE OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT ,OFFICE OF LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION, ACCESS COMMISSION FOR PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES AND OFFICE OF LGBTQ I.A. TWO S PLUS ADVANCEMENT. THIS IS ONE OF A SERIES OF HEARINGS WILL BE HOLDING ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET. THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY
MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 8TH, 2026. UH, I'VE BEEN JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL . I'M NOT SURE BUT I THINK I
COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR PEPEN. UH, COUNCILOR SANTANA, THEN COUNCILOR CULPEPPER UM UH, I'LL TRY TO KEEP THAT ORDER STRAIGHT
WHEN I CALL ON YOU. UH, WE WAIVE OPENING STATEMENTS AT THESE BUDGET HEARINGS, SO I'M JUST GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR PANELISTS. WE'RE JOINED THIS AFTERNOON, UH ,FOR, UH, SECOND HEARING THE
CHIEF OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, UH, MARY ANGELA SOLIS RIVERA. UH, WE'RE JOINED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF LGBTQIA TO US PLUS ADVANCEMENT JULIANNE LEE. UH, WE'RE JOINED BY THE
COMMISSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES COMMISSIONER CHRIS MCCOSH. UH, WE'RE JOINED BY, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION JENNIFER VIVAR WENT ALONG.
UH AND OUR, UH, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT, COURTNEY WHITE. UH, SO WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO GIVE THE FLOOR TO THE PANELISTS AND UH, IF YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION NOW'S YOUR TIME.
OH, SORRY. I'VE ALSO RECEIVED LETTERS OF ABSENCE FROM UM. UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT WAS BREADON. UM, COUNCILOR JULIA MEJIA AND COUNCILOR SHARON DURKAN.
UM THANK YOU COUNCILOR UH, JUST ONE IN THE SAME VEIN FROM THE FIRST SESSION AT 10 A.M. I JUST WANT TO OPEN UP BY SAYING SOME OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK AND AND GROWTH THAT THIS CABINET HAS HAD IN THE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS. FOUR YEARS AGO WE WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT OUR TEAM BE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH THE AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL AND BUDGET AND WHILE IN THIS MOMENT AND WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE WHO WE
DO INCREDIBLE WORK WITH. WELL IN THIS MOMENT THERE ARE COMPLEXITIES AND THERE ARE SOME BUDGET REDUCTIONS. I WANT TO AFFIRM AT THE TOP OF THIS HEARING THAT OUR
PERSONNEL WILL CONTINUE TO DO ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE AND EVEN MORE SO NOW AS WELL AS THE PROGRAMING THAT IS UNRELATED TO GRANTS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO START BY
JUST GETTING THAT OUT THERE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO THAT OUR TEAM CAN FOCUS ON THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO IN THE NEW IN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR. THANK YOU.
AND UH, JUST FOR OUR PANELISTS ,YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRESS THE BUTTONS FOR YOUR MICROPHONES. THE CENTRAL STAFF WILL HANDLE THAT. UH, I HAND. SOMEONE HAVE A THANK YOU FOR THE BUTTON. YEAH, OKAY. THE REMOTE FOR THE SLIDES. OKAY.
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO GET US STARTED. UM, SO GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILORS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE. UH, MY NAME IS COURTNEY WHITE. I USE SHE HER HER PRONOUNS. UH, REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE
PRESENTING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR AMERICAN ADVANCEMENT FY 27 BUDGET TO YOU ALL. UM, I'M DELIGHTED TO BE SERVING IN THIS ROLE IN THE INTERIM WHILE WE LOOK FOR NEW LEADERSHIP. UM, BUT I'VE BEEN WITH THE
MAYOR TEAM FOR OVER FIVE YEARS SERVING AS DIRECTOR OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES AND OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES MANAGER. UM NEXT SLIDE. SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MOYA. WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 1998 SO
REALLY DEEP ROOTS IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR AMERICAN ADVANCEMENT OUR GOAL IS TO STRENGTHEN THE ABILITY OF IMMIGRANTS TO FULLY AND EQUITABLY PARTICIPATE IN ECONOMIC, CIVIL, SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL LIFE. UH, WE ALSO PROMOTE THE RECOGNITION AND PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMMIGRANTS TO THE CITY AND WE OUR PRIORITIES FOCUS AROUND THE FOLLOWING
AREAS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, YOUTH ADVANCEMENT, IMMIGRATION, LEGAL ACCESS, CONSTITUENT SERVICES AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, POLICY AND ADVOCACY AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. NEXT.
SO WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR? SO IT WAS REALLY ALL ABOUT DEEPENING OUR ONGOING WORK INCLUDING OUTREACH TO AND ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY. WE FINISHED DATA COLLECTION FOR
OUR COMMUNITY WIDE SURVEY AND ANALYZE AND SYNTHESIZE RESULTS FROM 744 IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE BOSTONIANS. AND WE PRESENTED THOSE RESULTS THEN AT OUR SECOND IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT FORUM ATTENDED BY
OVER 150 COMMUNITY LEADERS AND RESIDENTS. AND THERE AT THAT SESSION WE LED MEANING MAKING UM SESSIONS ACROSS THESE DIFFERENT TOPIC AREAS SUCH AS HOUSING, SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND
COMMUNITY SAFETY. UH, WE ENGAGED FURTHER WITH 26 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR FIFTH COHORT OF IMMIGRANTS LEAD BOSTON AND WE ALSO LAUNCHED OUR FIRST SERIES OF COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECTS TO UPLIFT
LEADERSHIP ROOTED IN COMMUNITY AND GROUNDED IN LIVED EXPERIENCE. UM THERE ARE NINE ACTION PROJECTS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY BEING LED BY 22 OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS. UH, WE ALSO CONTINUED INVESTING
IN OUR IMMIGRANT YOUTH THROUGH OUR IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM RUNNING A SUMMER EXPERIENCE PROGRAM UH, LAST SUMMER THAT SERVED 468 YOUNG ADULTS WHILE ALSO BROADENING
EFFORTS TO EXPAND AWARENESS OF THE STATEWIDE TUITION EQUITY LAW, UH, WHICH ALLOWS FOR A PATHWAY TO HIGHER EDUCATION. UM, TO DATE WE'VE PROVIDE 797 INDIVIDUALS WITH FREE
IMMIGRATION CONSULTATIONS HELPED OVER 2000 CONSTITUENTS. UM GAVE OUT APPROXIMATELY 1.8 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING WITH AN ESTIMATED IMPACT OF 7000 PLUS COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY THE
END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. UM, AND ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WE HAD OUR 12TH ANNUAL CITIZENSHIP DAY AT THE REGGIE LEWIS CENTER UM, ALONGSIDE PROJECT CITIZENSHIP. WE HELPED 158 INDIVIDUALS FROM
42 COUNTRIES START THEIR JOURNEY OF BECOMING A U.S. CITIZEN. OH YEAH. SURE. UM, SO WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR WORK BUILDING COMMUNITY AND BELONGING WHICH IS A MASSIVE
PRIORITY FOR OUR OFFICE. UM, SO WE CONTINUED OUR YOU BELONG HERE CAMPAIGN DISTRIBUTING 2638 POSTERS ACROSS THE CITY AND YOU'LL SEE HERE ONE OF OUR BANNERS
DISPLAYING A MESSAGE OF WELCOMING. UM WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS TO MEET COMMUNITY WHERE THEY'RE AT AND GET CITY HALL OUT OF CITY HALL. SO WE CELEBRATED TWO YEARS OF OUR COMMUNITY OFFICE HOURS
AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. UM WE LAUNCHED OFFICE HOURS AT THE COPLEY LIBRARY AND THEN WE HOSTED POP UPS IN HYDE PARK, MATTAPAN AND ROXBURY. UM AND LASTLY, WE'RE EXCITED TO
ANNOUNCE THAT WE WERE AWARDED A $500,000 COMPETITIVE GRANT FROM THE MAYOR'S MIGRATION COUNCIL GLOBAL CITIES FUND FOR MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES WITH THE GOAL OF HELPING CITIES IMPLEMENT BOLD CITY LED
SOLUTIONS FOR ECONOMIC INCLUSION. UM WE WERE ONE OF SIX INAUGURAL SITES FOR THIS GRANT AND THE ONLY BASED IN THE US. AND I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE UM, BUT THE FOCUS WILL BE
ON SUPPORTING, UH, IMMIGRANT LED CO-OPS IN THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR. ALL RIGHT. UM, I WON'T GO TOO MUCH INTO THIS, BUT JUST WANTED TO SHOW THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF OUR IMPACT. UM, THESE ARE OUR COMMUNITY
PARTNERS THAT WE PROVIDED GRANT FUNDING TO. SO THERE WERE 94 GRANTS ACROSS 81 COMMUNITY PARTNERS. BUT THE LIST DOESN'T EXPLAIN THE WHOLE STORY. WE WORK WITH DOZENS OF OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON MAKING
SURE THAT THIS WORK AND INFORMATION ABOUT CITY SERVICES ,UM, GETS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. AND AGAIN, JUST BECAUSE OF TIME I WON'T GO THROUGH THIS SLIDE TOO MUCH BUT I WANTED TO SHARE
SOME STORIES ABOUT PROGRAMMATIC IMPACTS FROM SOME OF OUR PARTICIPANTS FROM IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT IMMIGRANTS LEAD BOSTON UM OUR IMMIGRATION LEGAL ACCESS AND WEAVING WELL-BEING.
SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BE UP TO THIS YEAR? UM, SO WE WILL CONTINUE A DEEPENING OUR WORK FOR IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT. SO WE ARE UNDERWAY AND ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH OUR UM, SUMMER
2026 PROGRAM. WE WILL BE AIMING TO SERVE 500 YOUTH ACROSS 33 PARTNERS. AGAIN CONTINUING OUR PATHWAYS. UM, FOR TUITION EQUITY AND INFORMING YOUTH OF THEIR
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER TECHNICAL AND SECONDARY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND CONTINUING TO DEEPEN OUR COLLABORATION WITH BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. UM, IN THE COMING YEAR WE CONTINUE TO SEE UH, IMMIGRATION
LEGAL ACCESS AS A PRIORITY WORK IN LIGHT OF CONTINUED ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO BE OFFERING THE SAME FREE IMMIGRATION CONSULTATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN OFFERING SINCE 2001.
UM, WE WERE ALSO GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE $400,000 FROM THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS. UM, THAT WILL FOCUS ON GRANT FUNDS, UM, FOR IMMIGRANT YOUTH AND THOSE WHO ARE AT A
HEIGHTENED RISK OF DETENTION AND DEPORTATION. UM, AND THEN WE DO HAVE FUNDING TO CONTINUE OUR CITIZENSHIP WORK. UM, FOR IMMIGRANTS LEAD BOSTON. WE WILL BE LAUNCHING OUR SIXTH MULTILINGUAL COHORT WITH ABOUT
30 PARTICIPANTS DEEPENING OUR ENGAGEMENT ACROSS OUR 100 STRONG ALUMNI COHORT AND EXPANDING THE IMPACT OF THOSE COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECTS. UH, WE'VE BEEN IN A STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORT FOR THE PAST
YEAR OR SO AND SO WE'LL BE UH, RELEASING THE FINDINGS OF THAT AND ALSO LAUNCHING OUR 2527 TO 531 PLAN AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE OUR WORK ALONGSIDE OUR SIBLING DEPARTMENTS IN THE
CABINET FOR UM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CONSULTING. SO WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF BEST PRACTICES TO UH TO SERVE DIVERSE RESIDENTS WORKING ALONGSIDE THE
CABINET FOR THE MI ACADEMY AND PROVIDING INTERNAL CONSTANT CONSULTATIONS ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH. UM FOR COMMUNICATIONS WE WILL UH WILL CONTINUE TO HOST QUARTERLY MULTILINGUAL MEDIA ROUNDTABLES.
UH CONTINUING OUR THIRD YEAR OF YOU BELONG OF THE YOU BELONG HERE POSTER CAMPAIGN. UM AND ENSURING THAT MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN ALL THE LANGUAGES ACROSS THE CITY. UM AND CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE
FOR THAT AT THE CITY LEVEL. ALL RIGHT. AND JUST WANT TO WRAP US UP WITH A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION, UM, ABOUT THE COOPERATING CARE UH, GRANT BECAUSE THIS WILL BE, UM, ANOTHER PRIORITY AREA OF WORK.
UM, FOR THIS SO WE ARE REALLY CLOSE TO ANNOUNCING UM OUR UH, SUB GRANTEE PARTNER WHO WILL BE RECEIVING FUNDING TO MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD. UM, THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RECRUITING UM DIFFERENT
COMMUNITY BASED UH PARTNERS WHO WILL BE COM WORKER COOPERATIVES ,UM WORKER COOPERATIVE OWNERS. UM AND THEY'LL BE TRAINING THOSE FOLKS UP TO BECOME OWNERS AND EXECUTE THIS WORK IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
UM WE WILL BE RETAINING SOME OF THAT FUNDING FOR THE SALARY UM OF SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO EXECUTE THIS WORK, BUT WE ANTICIPATE THE IMPACT AS BEING INCREASING ECONOMIC STABILITY AND JOB QUALITY FOR IMMIGRANT
AND DISPLACED WORKERS. REPLICATING AND SCALING COOPERATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCING ACCESS TO QUALITY CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE HOME CARE SERVICES.
UM AND WITH THAT I THINK WE WILL WRAP UP OUR PRESENTATION BUT JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND. THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCILORS. UH MY NAME IS JENNIFER VERA
WANG AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATIONS ACCESS. UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. UM, SO TO BEGIN, UM, OUR MISSION FOR OUR OFFICE IS TO
ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS OF THE CITY, UH, WE EMPOWER THEM REGARDLESS OF LANGUAGE OR COMMUNICATIONS ABILITY, UH, TO RECEIVE THE FULL SPECTRUM OF SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY AND
PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE DECISION MAKING FOR, UM, EVERYTHING. OF COURSE. UH, OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS IN TERMS OF FISCAL YEAR 26 AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO I WANTED
TO HIGHLIGHT IF YOU ALL REMEMBER FROM LAST BUDGET HEARING WE HIGHLIGHTED THAT WE HAD PUBLISHED 20 DEPARTMENTS OF PLANS. WE ARE ON TRACK TO PUBLISH 14 ADDITIONAL UH DEPARTMENTAL PLANS WHICH OUTLINE WHAT EACH
DEPARTMENT WILL BE DOING IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE ACCESS THROUGHOUT THEIR VITAL DOCUMENTS, PROGRAMING ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES. UH WE ALSO OVERSEE THE LITERACY TASK FORCE AND WE HAVE UH
ACCOMPLISHED UH THE FIRST ROUND OF QUALITATIVE COMMUNITY SURVEYS. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON FINALIZING A DRAFT REPORT. UM, AND I'LL GET INTO WHAT FISCAL YEAR 27 WILL LOOK LIKE FOR THE TASK FORCE IN A MINUTE.
UH, IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT, UH, I KNOW IN THE PAST WE HAVE RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM YOU ALL REGARDING OUR EQUIPMENT AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE DEPARTMENTS WITH HIGH USAGE INTERPRETATION NEEDS IN-HOUSE
EQUIPMENT FOR THEM TO HAVE WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENTS. IN ADDITION TO THE AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS TO, UH, OBTAIN FROM US AS ALONE, WE ALSO HAVE
UH STARTED A PILOTS AROUND OUR I TRANSLATE LIVE DEVICES. UH AND I WILL GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES. I ALSO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DATA UP ON THE SCREEN THAT TALKS ABOUT THE TOTAL AMOUNT
OF ACCOMMODATION SPENDING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN FISCAL YEAR 26 TO DATE. UM, I'LL GO OVER A COUPLE OF FIGURES. UH, THE CITY HAS SPENT OVER $741,000 ON FULFILLING ACCOMMODATIONS.
UM, AND THIS RANGES FROM TRANSLATION REQUESTS, INTERPRETATION REQUESTS, ASL AND CARTS. UM, THE BREAKDOWN IS THERE FOR YOU OUT OF ALL OF THESE REQUESTS, 145 OF THESE REQUESTS
WERE CONSTITUENT MADE. SO THAT MEANS THAT THEY INDICATED TO DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY NEEDED AN ACCOMMODATION UH, WHETHER IT BE TRANSLATION, INTERPRETATION ETC. AND THAT WAS PROVIDED AS WELL.
UH WE ALSO HAVE FIGURES UP THERE REGARDING OUR OVER THE PHONE AND VIDEO REMOTE INTERPRETATION SERVICES AND THAT IS FOR FOLKS WHO WALK IN OR THEY CALL OVER THE PHONE. UH AND THERE WERE AROUND IN
TOTAL 900 HOURS OF INTERPRETATION THAT WAS PROVIDED ACROSS THE STATE. UH, I WENT TO FIVE DEPARTMENTS OF HIGHLIGHTS. UH, SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE ALTHOUGH THERE IS UH,
MANY GREAT EFFORTS BEING DONE ACROSS DEPARTMENTS TO EMBED AND ADVANCE LANGUAGE ACCESS. UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY HAVE JOINED US DURING THE ELECTIONS AT POLLING LOCATIONS. WE UH THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENTS
WORKED EXTREMELY HARD TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE MULTILINGUAL AT SPEAKERS AT POLLING LOCATIONS. WE ALSO DID HAVE THIS YEAR OF ROOM IN CITY HALL THAT HAD UH, FOLKS WHO SPOKE DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES AND ALSO WERE UH, UH, AWARE OF ALL OF THE UM I GUESS LINGO THAT HAPPENS DURING THE ELECTION SEASON WHO WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT ANY ON CALL INTERPRETATION NEEDS.
UH, WE ALSO HAD THIS YEAR THE NEW UH VOTING UH POLL PADS AND THOSE UH VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS WERE AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES FOR CONSTITUENTS PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING THEIR IDEAS AND ACTION PROCESS.
WE UH, WORKED WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT FROM THEIR PHONE TREE TO THE MATERIALS WAS ALL ACCESSIBLE. AND THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN UH, UM LANGUAGE ACCESS, WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY
ENGAGE EAST BOSTON POPULATION AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE UH, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAD THE MOST VOTES. UH AND A PART OF THE PROCESS. UH, WITH YOUTH JOBS AND UH
RESOURCE FAIRS UNDER OE O UH THERE WERE OVER 135 STUDENTS WHO REQUESTED INTERPRETATION AT THIS EVENT AND WE WERE ABLE TO FULFILL INTERPRETATION FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
UM, AS WELL AS I KNOW THAT, UH, OHIO GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ENSURE THAT THEY PARTNER WITH UH, ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAN HOUSE STUDENTS WHO NEED ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE SUPPORT AND MATCHED THEM WITH SUPERVISORS WHO CAN
SUPPORT THEM IN LANGUAGE. UH, IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENT THE BOSTON ENERGY SAVER PROGRAM MYSELF AND AMERICAN ADVANCEMENT SERVED AS UH GUIDANCE UH TO THEM AND ENSURING THAT THERE
WERE MULTILINGUAL ADS UH REGARDING UH DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WHETHER THAT BE SOCIAL MEDIA, MBTA UH BUS STOPS ETC.. UH AND THEY ALSO ARE DOING UH A
LOT OF CARE AND ENSURING THAT THE HANDOFFS THAT THEY DO WITH CONSTITUENTS. WE HAVE STATE PARTNERS WHO ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM UH, USING THEIR LANGUAGE ACCESS RESOURCES, UH, SO THAT CONSTITUENTS DO HAVE THAT WARM
HANDOFF. THE NEXT SLIDE WILL SHOW A COUPLE OF THE IMAGES RELATED TO WHAT I JUST DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF HIGHLIGHTS. SO THAT WILL BE ON THE SCREEN THERE FOR YOU. UM AND YOU'LL SEE THAT ON THE
BOTTOM RIGHT. UH THERE IS A PICTURE FOR PARTICIPANT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING WHERE THERE ARE INTERPRETERS WHO WERE A PART OF THE EVENTS HELPING ENSURE THAT CONSTITUENTS, UH, VOICES
WERE BEING COUNTED. ALL OF THEIR IDEAS AND ACTION VOTING MATERIALS WERE ALSO TRANSLATED IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. ON THE LEFT HAND CORNER YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE IS THE MULTILINGUAL ADS THAT WERE ON
THE TE REGARDING THE ENERGY SAVER PROGRAM. UH AND ABOVE YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE IS UH PHOTOS OF SIGNAGE THAT IS MULTILINGUAL AT VOTING LOCATIONS AS WELL AS THE VIDEO
UH THAT IS AVAILABLE IN OUR THRESHOLD LANGUAGES. UH AND ON THE TOP RIGHT YOU WILL SEE UH, OUR INTERPRETERS UH, WHO ARE READY TO GO SUPPORT STUDENTS UH, DURING THE YOUTH UH, ENGAGEMENT UH, RESOURCE
FAIR. OKAY. IN TERMS OF FISCAL YEAR 27. UH, LIKE. >> I MENTIONED, WE ARE ON TRACK TO PUBLISH 13 ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENT TO PLANS AND THOSE
ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES FOR CONSTITUENTS, UH, TO VIEW. UM, WE ALSO ARE CONTINUING OUR UH PROJECTS REGARDING AI AND LANGUAGE ACCESS IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH DEWIT AND ACROSS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. WE ARE TESTING UH DIFFERENT PILOTS REGARDING AI AND SEEING THE UM I'LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER. UM, AND THEN OUR LITERACY TASK
FORCE WE HOPE TO FINALIZE OUR REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. AND IN TERMS OF DATA WE WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE UM AND TRACK THE DATA REGARDING ACCOMMODATIONS ALTHOUGH THERE
IS A LIVE DASHBOARD ON OUR WEBSITE UH AT BOSTON.GOV/LCA. SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO SEE UH THE DATA THAT I JUST SHOWED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDES ALL UP ON OUR UM OUR WEBSITE.
I WILL JUST HIGHLIGHT UH A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE WAY THAT WE APPROACH LANGUAGE ACCESS AT THE CITY IS THAT IT'S EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS AND THEREFORE OUR TRAINING TEAM,
UM, HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF ENSURING THAT WE ARE EMBEDDED FROM THE BEGINNING, UM TO THE END OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS. UH, WHEN IT COMES TO UH, TRAINING OUR WORKFORCE THAT
INCLUDES UH, ENSURING THAT THERE IS AN AFFIDAVIT OF LANGUAGE ACCESS AND OUR NEW EMPLOYEE HIRING AND ONBOARDING MATERIALS WHICH FLAGS TO OUR WORKFORCE THAT LANGUAGE ACCESS
IS A MANDATE AND THEN, UH, TRIAGING THEM TO OUR OFFICE TO CONTINUE TRAININGS JUST BECAUSE OF TIME AND GOING TO, UH, CONTINUE FORWARD. UH, WE ALSO ARE PILOTING A TRANSLATE LIVE IRELAND PRO
DEVICE PILOT. IT BASICALLY IS TWO TABLETS TOGETHER UH, WHICH ALLOW FOR UH REAL TIME UH TRANSLATION INTERACTION. UH AND THAT CAN BE DONE THROUGH
SPEECH TO TEXT OR TEXT TO SPEECH TEXT TO SPEECH. UH AND WE ARE TESTING THAT WITH UH THE DEPARTMENT'S UP ON THE BOARD REGISTRY ASSESSING COLLECTING STRONG PARKING UH
AND USING THIS AS A TOOL TO AID UH THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES THAT ARE BEING DONE ON THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR. AND THEN AS ALWAYS, WE ARE HAVING, UH, VERY CAREFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH UH, THE FOLKS
WHO PROVIDE LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY. SO YOU WILL SEE ON THE SCREEN A LIST OF NOT ONLY OUR UH, OUR VENDORS BUT ALSO OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIPS WITH DEAF INC. UH, WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH CBOS
WHO PROVIDE CULTURAL TRANSLATION REVIEWS SUCH AS UH THE ACA IF IFRC ACA. UM AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT WE GET UH CREATIVE ABOUT OUR. CONTRACTS TO ENSURE THAT THE LANGUAGE SERVICES COMING OUT
OF OUR OFFICE ARE CULTURALLY COMPETENT. UM, WITH THAT I WILL PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE. THANK YOU JENNIFER AND THANK YOU, COUNCILORS FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK OF MY DEPARTMENT.
I'M KRISTA MCCOSH ON THE DISABILITY COMMISSIONER AND ADA TITLE TWO COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. AS A DISABILITY COMMISSIONER, I LEAD THE CITY'S COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TOWARD EQUITY, EQUITY,
ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AS THE ADA TITLE TWO COORDINATOR. IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THE CITY DOES WHICH IS THE WORK OF ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS IS COMPLIANT WITH THE ADA.
OUR MISSION IS TO FACILITATE FULL AND EQUAL PARTICIPATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BOSTON. WE DO THIS BY REDUCING ARCHITECTURAL, PROGRAMMATIC AND
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS AS WELL AS BY ENSURING ACCESS, INCLUSION AND EQUITY IN ALL CITY PROGRAMS, POLICIES AND IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT MUCH LIKE JENNIFER'S OFFICE. THE MAJORITY OF MY WORK IS
INTERNAL. WE'RE SORT OF INTERNAL CONSULTANTS FOR ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO IS COMPLIANT WITH THE ADA AND THAT FEEDS INTO OUR THEORY OF CHANGE
BY ENSURING THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF THE ADA AND TRAINED IN HOW TO MAKE THINGS ACCESSIBLE. THIS WILL CREATE SYSTEMIC ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION ACROSS THE BOARD. WE ALSO DO THIS BY CONTINUING
TO ENGAGE AND EMPOWER RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND THEN THE MAIN PRIORITIES OF MY OFFICE ARE ADA TITLE TWO COMPLIANCE TRAINING AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS REVIEW ENGAGEMENT AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND EVENTS AND CONSTITUENT SUPPORT AND
INFORMATION AND REFERRAL. I LEAD A TEAM OF NINE DEDICATED CITY EMPLOYEES AND THEY'RE BROKEN OUT INTO TWO AREAS. ONE IS ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS AND ONE IS UH PROGRAMS, CONSTITUENT
SERVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE CAN SKIP THE BUDGET SLIDE. UM, SO THE PROGRESS THAT I'VE MADE IN THE PAST YEAR UM IN ADA TITLE TWO COMPLIANCE. UH, ONE THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS I WORK WITH THE
ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT. UH, LAST NOVEMBER WE DID GET A COMPLAINT FROM A DISABLED RESIDENT ABOUT SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY AND ONE OF THE POLLING PLACES WAS NOT WORKING . SO I WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH, UM
,THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT WE LOOKED AT ALL THE TRAINING MATERIALS WE LOOKED AT, UM, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED. UM, AS JENNIFER SAID, LANGUAGE ACCESS WAS A BIG PIECE OF IT
AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS IS ALWAYS KEY. SO WE DID A LOT OF GOOD WORK WITH THEM AND WE CONTINUE THAT PARTNERSHIP AS WELL. I ALSO HAVE A TRAINING SPECIALIST WHO HAS TRAINED
HUNDREDS OF DEPARTMENT STAFF UM ALREADY THIS YEAR IN ADA TITLE TWO COMPLIANCE. MY ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS STAFF WORKS CLOSELY WITH PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PUBLIC FACILITIES ISD TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE
WORK THEY DO IS NOT ONLY ACCESSIBLE AND MEETING ADA COMPLIANCE BUT GOES BEYOND THAT TO ENSURE FULL INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. ONE EXAMPLE I LIKE TO GIVE IN THIS REALM IS PICTURE UM A
BUILDING LIKE CITY HALL. CITY HALL AND CITY HALL PLAZA. WE USED TO HAVE A SET OF STAIRS AND A RAMP NEXT TO IT, BUT WHEN THEY DO THE RENOVATION NOW IT'S ALL ONE LEVEL UH, ENTRY SO EVERYBODY CAN COME INTO THE
BUILDING TOGETHER. SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF MORE INCLUSION THAN JUST ACCESSIBILITY AS FAR AS UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WE ARE KICKING OFF THIS UM FY 26.
WE KICKED OFF AND CONCLUDED OUR ABLE LAB WHICH STANDS FOR ACCESSIBLE BOSTON UH LEADERSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT. WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR UM, MEETING TONIGHT AND WE FOUND 20
RESIDENTS THAT WE WANT TO EMPOWER ON ALL CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THINGS LIKE TESTIFYING AT CITY COUNCIL, REGISTERING TO VOTE. UM, REALLY GETTING INVOLVED AND SHOWING THE POWER THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
SO WE UM ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT UM, PROGRAM AND WE'LL CONTINUE THAT IN FY 27. THE ONLY SERVICE THAT MY UM, DEPARTMENT REALLY RUNS IS THE ON STREET ACCESSIBLE PARKING PROGRAM.
AND I HAVE A PARKING MANAGER WHO RUNS THIS PROGRAM. IT'S THE, UM THE FORMERLY CALLED HANDICAPPED PARKING. BUT WE GET A LOT OF WORK IN THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF ELDERLY AND DISABLED RESIDENTS IN THE CITY WHO
REALLY COUNT ON THIS PROGRAM. UM, AS FAR AS INFORMATION REFERRAL, AS I SAID, WE DON'T DO DIRECT SERVICES BUT WE DO HAVE A CONSTITUENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST WHO'S A SOCIAL
WORKER AND HAS IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF DISABILITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. SO HE HANDLES ALL THOSE UM, CONSTITUENT ISSUES. AND THEN AS I MENTIONED
ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS REVIEW WE WORK WITH THE PC UM PMD, MOT AND BPL TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THEIR WORK IS ACCESSIBLE AND
INCLUSIVE AND MOVING FORWARD. UH, FOR FY 27 WE PLAN TO EXPAND ADA TITLE TO COMPLIANCE. WE RECENTLY WORKED WITH LCA TO UH PURCHASE UH TRAINING SYSTEM THAT'S A PLATFORM SORT OF LIKE
WHEN WE DO OUR ANNUAL COMPLIANCE PEOPLE CAN GO ON AND TAKE THE TRAININGS UH, ON THEIR OWN TIME AND LEARN ABOUT ADA TITLE TWO. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE HOST A FEW BIG ANNUAL EVENTS
EVERY YEAR. OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY FORUM WAS LAST WEEK AND THAT'S OUR ANNUAL LISTENING SESSION. WE WANT PEOPLE IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND TELL US WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT WORKING. TELL US WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES
ARE SO WE CAN MAP OUT OUR ACCESSIBILITY AGENDA FOR THE COMING YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE ADA DAY EVERY SUMMER UH, TO CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT BUT ALSO
TO, UM, HOST A RESOURCE FAIR. WE HAVE TABLE SET UP AND ORGANIZATIONS OVER 40 ORGANIZATIONS BRING INFORMATION AND MATERIALS TO SHARE ABOUT THE SUPPORT SERVICES THEY HAVE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THEN EVERY OCTOBER WE DO WEBINARS ON FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT FOR NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH. WE HAVE FOUR WEBINARS THAT FOCUS ON ONE'S ON HOUSING, ONE'S ON FINDING A JOB WITH THE
CITY BREAKING DOWN THOSE BARRIERS. OTHER ONES ARE SAVINGS AND BANKING AND UM FINDING HOUSING. THEN UM AS I MENTIONED, OUR
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND EMPOWERMENT IS NOT ONLY THE ABLE AB WHICH WE HAVE TONIGHT BUT WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN THE EQUITY AND INCLUSION DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THEIR CULTURAL LIAISONS. AND WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER
ADVISORY BOARD OF 13 RESIDENTS WHO MEET MONTHLY TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING INSIGHT ON EMERGING ISSUES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. WE'RE LOOKING AT UM
REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES. WE WORK WITH THE STREETS CABINET ON THINGS LIKE BIKE LANES AND PARKING FOR HOME CARE AIDES. WE'RE EXPLORING WHAT POSSIBILITIES THERE MAY BE FOR THAT. WE WORK WITH RESTAURANTS TO
ENSURE THAT THEY KNOW THE RULES AROUND SERVICE ANIMALS THE CAPTIONS ORDINANCE AND COMPLIANT TABLES. AND THEN WE HAVE A STAFF MEMBER WHO'S ON THE ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD AND I MYSELF SIT
ON THE STATE PCA WORKFORCE COUNCIL. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO CALL OUT UH, TWO PROGRAMS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ON WHAT THEY ARE.
SO THE ABL LAB AS I MENTIONED UM, KICKS OFF TONIGHT AND RUNS FOR THE NEXT SIX WEEKS. IT'S A TRAINING PROGRAM ON CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND A PARLIAMENT. WE REALLY WANTED TO LOOK FOR RESIDENTS WHO DON'T REACH OUT TO CITY HALL WHETHER IT'S
BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, CHILDCARE OR WORK HOURS. UM, WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WE DON'T HEAR FROM. SO WE INTENTIONALLY REACHED OUT TO UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR TO ENSURE THAT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE
THE POWER TO IMPACT WHAT HAPPENS IN CITY GOVERNMENT. AND WE WANT TO LET THEM KNOW HOW THEY CAN DO THAT. UH, THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY SPENDING. WE DID HAVE A GRANT LAST YEAR WHICH WE, UH, EXPENDED BUT WE
WILL CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM IN FY 27 WITH MY OWN STAFF. AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANT TO CALL OUT IS OUR ADA TRANSITION PLAN. WHEN THE ADA WAS FIRST PASSED IN 1990. ALL MUNICIPALITIES WERE
REQUIRED TO CREATE A TRANSITION PLAN WHICH WAS BASICALLY AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO TALK ABOUT THE STATE OF ACCESSIBILITY WAS IN IN MAKE PLANS FOR BRINGING IT INTO COMPLIANCE.
SO WHEN WE DID THAT AS A CITY IN 1993, IT WAS A STATIC PDF DOCUMENT WHICH WAS SOMEWHAT HELPFUL. BUT NOW WE KNOW 33 YEARS LATER IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE UPDATED.
SO MY OFFICE IS WORKING ON A DYNAMIC UH, WEB PAGE THAT WILL UM, BRING ALL EXISTING DATA THAT WE HAVE INTO ONE PLACE SO PEOPLE CAN CLICK ON A MAP AND THEY CAN SEE WHERE THE ACCESSIBLE PARKING MAY BE.
THEY CAN CLICK ON A SCHOOL BUILDING AND SEE THE LAST TIME WAS UPDATED. THEY CAN CLICK ON A LIBRARY AND SEE WHAT FEATURES UH IT HAS FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE DID A POSTER SESSION ON IT LAST WEEK AND WE WON UH, ONE OF THE AWARDS FOR THE BEST COLLABORATION AMONG DEPARTMENTS. SO THIS WILL BE UNVEILED AT OUR EDA DAY IN JULY AND WE REALLY THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL FOR RESIDENTS JUST TO PLAN THEIR
DAY. UM, THEY'LL KNOW YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, SCHOOLS AREN'T ONLY USED FOR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION THEY'RE ALSO USED AS UH, POLLING PLACES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES BUT ALSO
FOR HAVING FUN AND ENJOYING THE CITY AND THAT WILL NOT REQUIRE ANY FUNDING BECAUSE WE'RE USING EXISTING DATA SOURCES. SO AGAIN I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A CONTINUED
GREAT IMPACT ON THE CITY UH, IN FY 27. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR TIME AND.
CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP. UH MY NAME IS JULIANNE LEE IU SHE THEY. PRONOUNS AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQIA TO S PLUS ADVANCEMENT.
I ALSO WANTED TO THANK OUR RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LEADERS BEHIND ME WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME OUT OF THEIR DAYS WORK SCHEDULE, PARENTING AND
THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING ONLINE PARTICIPATING IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ESPECIALLY TO OUR YOUTH AND OLDER ADULTS. THANK YOU. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQ
IDEA TO US PLUS ADVANCEMENT EXISTS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES AND REMOVE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS FOR LGBTQIA TO US PLUS RESIDENTS TO
IMPROVE. UM BARRIERS FOR OUR RESIDENTS IN BOSTON. OUR TEAM DOES THIS THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY AND
DEVELOPMENT. WE STRIVE TO MAKE SERVICES MORE ACCESSIBLE, RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FROM OUR COMMUNITY. AS PART OF OUR WORK WE FOCUS ON
POLICIES, INITIATIVES, RESOURCES, PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE THE WELL-BEING AND INCLUSION OF BOSTON'S LGBTQIA TWO S PLUS RESIDENTS.
HERE IS OUR DYNAMIC TEAM WHO DAILY BRINGS THEIR DEDICATION, PASSION, LIVED EXPERIENCES AND INTERSECTIONAL IDENTITIES TO BOTH THE HEART AND HARD WORK.
OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR DENISHA. YANCY. >> OUR DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES KIMBERLY OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST JUSTICE AND VIOLA.
OUR WORK IS GROUNDED IN THREE STRATEGIES POLICY DEVELOPMENT, TARGETED PROGRAMING AND COALITION BUILDING. WE DO THIS WORK ACROSS CITY
DEPARTMENTS AND CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THE GOAL IS SIMPLE TO REMOVE ANY BARRIERS TO LGBTQIA TO US.
PLUS RESIDENTS OF BOSTON AND THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS SERVICES, FEEL SAFE AND THRIVE. YOU CAN SEE HERE.
IN FY 26 WE CONTINUE TO SEE STRONG DEMAND AND GROWTH ACROSS ALL GRANT PROGRAMS. WE AWARDED $275,000 AND BEYOND
GRANT PRIDE GRANTS SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY FOR PROGRAMING AND SERVICES THE HIGHEST AMOUNT TO DATE. OUR IDEA FUND PROVIDED 70,000
AND HIGHEST AMOUNT TO DATE IN SUPPORT OF IDENTITY DOCUMENT CHANGES, WITH APPLICATIONS INCREASINGLY SIGNIFICANTLY OVER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THIS GRANT FUNDING WAS SUPPORTED HAS SUPPORTED MULLER'S NAME CHANGE DOCUMENT ASSISTANCE WORK AND HAS DEEPLY IMPACTFUL FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS .
THIS REMAINS A HIGH IMPACT PROGRAM DIRECTLY SERVING OUR RESIDENTS. SINCE FY 25, SPENDING ON THIS WORK TOTALED APPROXIMATELY
120,000 SUPPORTING 380 RESIDENTS THROUGH GENDER AFFIRMING IDENTITY DOCUMENT ASSISTANCE, MOLA AND THE CITY LEADERSHIP ARE ACTIVELY EXPLORING PATHWAYS TO HELP
SUSTAIN THIS WORK THROUGH EXTERNAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ,COLLABORATIONS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THIS IMPACTFUL WORK CAN CONTINUE
EVEN AMID BROADER FISCAL CONSTRAINTS. WE ARE ALSO THRILLED TO SHARE THAT WE ATTENDED MORE THAN 75 COMMUNITY EVENTS ACROSS BOSTON
AND UH, FULLY ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH VISIBLE AND SENSE OF BELONGING EVENTS INCLUDING SUPPORTING THE MAYOR'S YOUTH SUMMIT AND
PARTNERSHIP WITH OH YEAH. CONSISTENTLY PARKED OR PARTNERING WITH ANY CULTURAL LIAISONS AS WELL AS THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. UH PARTNERSHIPS WE'VE ALSO
EXPLORED WITH PARKING CLERK REGISTRY HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR REGISTER PAUL. WE ALSO EXPANDED PARTNER NETWORK TO OVER 150
ORGANIZATIONS CONVENED SOLELY COALITION WHICH IS STATE OF OUR LGBTQ PLUS YOUTH TO 25 PLUS ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATE ALSO
IN NATIONAL LGBTQIA TO AS PLUS CONFERENCES AND PARTNERSHIPS. AND FINALLY CROSS-AGENCY COLLABORATION AND SYSTEMS CHANGE. WE'RE DOING THAT THROUGH SUPPORTING AND ACADEMY
INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION AND REALLY STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO IMPROVE LGBTQ TO US PLUS ADVANCEMENT AND RESIDENT OUTCOMES.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE RISING DEMAND FOR AFFIRMING SERVICES, PARTICULARLY FOR TRANS AND NON-BINARY RESIDENTS. AND HERE YOU CAN SEE IN THIS
BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW IN FRONT OF YOU OUR PARTNER NETWORK UH, WHICH NOW INCLUDES MORE THAN 150 ORGANIZATIONS FROM ACROSS MANY SECTORS INCLUDING
GOVERNMENT, NONPROFITS, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND SO MANY OTHERS. MOLA IS SEEN EVERYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE WE CAN BE SEEN. WE ARE CONNECTING WITH
RESIDENTS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A DIRECT LINE TO THE SERVICES, PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT OF CITY HALL BASED
ON DATA FOR YOUTH. WE DEEPLY FEEL THE STRENGTH OF ONE AND TEN BOSTONIANS ARE PART OF OUR INTERSECTIONAL COMMUNITIES.
THIS SLIDE OFFERS IN-DEPTH PORTRAYAL OF OUR BUDGETS. UM AND YOU CAN REVIEW THIS MORE IN DETAIL IN THE BUDGET BOOKS. SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FY 27 AND OUR FUTURE PLANS.
WE'VE BROKEN IT DOWN TO THREE MAIN BUCKETS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT VISIBILITY AND BELONGING. IN FY 27 WE'RE CONTINUING TO INVEST IN CONSISTENT VISIBLE
SPACES WHERE OUR COMMUNITY CAN FEEL SEEN AND CONNECTED. THIS INCLUDES INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMING, NEIGHBORHOOD BASED EVENTS AND CULTURAL SPACES THAT
CENTERED JOY AND BELONGING. THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING BELONGING AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN FEEL AND ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR NOT ONLY DURING PRIDE. OUR SECOND BUCKET.
DEEPENING COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. WE ARE FOCUSED ON BUILDING TRUST THROUGH CONSISTENT PRESENCE AND FOLLOW THROUGH. THAT INCLUDES LISTENING SESSIONS, SITE VISITS AND
DIRECT CONSTITUENT ENGAGEMENT. IN FY 27 WE WILL BE LAUNCHING A MOLA ADVISORY COUNCIL AND STEERING COMMITTEE TO FORMALIZE SHARED LEADERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY VOICE IS CENTRAL TO HOW MOLA DESIGNS AND MOVES ITS WORK. AND FINALLY CROSS-AGENCY COLLABORATION AND SYSTEMS CHANGE. WE WILL STRENGTHEN
COLLABORATION AMONG OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO REDUCE BARRIERS AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO SERVICES. THIS ALSO INCLUDES HIGHLIGHTS SUCH AS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION ,BCF, THE LIBRARIES INCLUDING OFFICIAL SYSTEMS OF STRUCTURES THAT IMPROVE COORDINATION, ALIGN ALIGNING RESOURCES AND
SUPPORTING MORE REFERRAL RESPONSE SYSTEMS. WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE FOR THE FIRST TIME HERE TODAY THAT WE WILL BE LAUNCHING
APPLICATIONS FOR THE MOLA ADVISORY COUNCIL AND STEERING COMMITTEE IN MAY, THE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE STEERING COMMITTEE WAS CREATED AND
CODIFIED IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR THANKS TO STRONG ADVOCACY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS INCLUDING GISELLE CASSIDY AND SO MANY OTHERS. COUNCILOR MEJIA AND OUR OFFICE
THE COUNCIL WILL ADVISE ON SERVICE GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND INCLUSIVE AFFIRMING RESOURCES AND WE SO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM.
AND FINALLY, WE JUST WANT TO INVITE ALL FOLKS HERE UH, TO ATTEND OUR MOLA JUNE PROGRAMING. THIS INCLUDES JUNE 1ST, THE
CITY'S OFFICIAL RAINBOW FLAG RAISING AS WELL AS THE LGBTQ PLUS JOB FAIR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LGBTQ MASKED CHARMER
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS WELL AS JUNE 6TH. LOOK OUT FOR US AT THE PRIDE PARADE AND FESTIVAL AND EXCITING AGAIN THIS YEAR. THIS IS A FAN FAVORITE JUNE
27TH. UH, WE'LL BE HOSTING OUR PRIDE CELEBRATION WHICH IS FREE TO ALL RESIDENTS AT THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND WILL ALSO INCLUDE A COMMUNITY AWARD CEREMONY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND HELPING MOVING FORWARD THIS WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. OKAY. >> UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. THAT'S UH THAT'S IT FROM THE PANEL I THINK. UM, OKAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO UH COUNCILORS AND THEN UH, ROUND OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY UH, AFTER THAT AND THEN COME BACK FOR A SECOND ROUND THE COUNCILORS SO UH, WE'RE GOING TO DO UH, SEVEN
MINUTES PER COUNCILOR COUNCILOR FLYNN YOU'RE FIRST. YEAH. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM. I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT I KNOW THERE WAS A DATE OF WHEN
IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT WAS ESTABLISHED BUT IT ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE. THE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS UNIT ACTUALLY STARTED OCTOBER 1ST, 1987.
UM, BY BY MAY. OF FLYNN. SO I DO WANT TO I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. THAT THE WORK MR FLYNN HAS DONE ON SUPPORTING IMMIGRANTS.
IN THE FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROSE. HENRY WHO TEAM MANY OF US KNOW HENRY ROUTINE THAT WAS THE LEGAL COUNCILOR UM FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR A NUMBER
OF YEARS. LET ME LET ME START WITH THE UM WITH. UM COMMISSIONER MCCOSH PROBABLY
PROBABLY IN MY OPINION THE MOST UM, COMPASSIONATE AND EFFECTIVE ADVOCATE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN IN LEADER REALLY ACROSS THE CITY.
SOMEONE I HAVE GREAT. RESPECT FOR THE ADMIRATION FOR FOR THE WAY SHE DOES HER JOB BUT FOR THE THE WAY SHE CONDUCTS HERSELF AND REALLY
ALWAYS ALWAYS SUPPORTING RESIDENTS IN NEED. NEVER GIVING UP. NEVER GIVING UP ON ANYBODY. ALWAYS LISTENING. ALWAYS TRYING TO DO HER BEST TO HELP PEOPLE.
SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ROLE AND THE LEADERSHIP YOU HAVE PLAYED KRISTEN FOR SO MANY FOR SO MANY YEARS. UM I'VE WORKED WITH YOU FOR MANY YEARS ON DIFFERENT ISSUES
. I BELIEVE THE ADA IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL FEDERAL LEGISLATION WE'VE HAD. UM, OR AT LEAST THE TOP FIVE EVER, BUT.
KRISTEN, MY QUESTION IS OUTSIDE OF OUTSIDE OF CITY GOVERNMENT. UM, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF WHAT IS OUR OFFICE'S ROLE IN TERMS
OF ENSURING OUR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND UM, YOU KNOW, NON NONPUBLIC AREAS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES MEANING LIKE NON-GOVERNMENT
OWNERSHIP OF LAND. UM WHAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUR TEAM ENSURING THAT ALL SPACES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES? YEAH IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM BECAUSE WHEN WE TAKE THINGS LIKE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW WHO OWNS WHAT. THEY JUST KNOW IT'S A STREET OR A SIDEWALK. SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE STREETS CABINET TO UM TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY THINGS ARE BECAUSE IF IT'S SOMETHING OWNED BY THE STATE WE LITERALLY CAN'T FIX IT. SO WE REFER IT TO THE UM THE
PROPER PEOPLE AT LIKE MASSDOT OR DCR AND THERE ARE A LOT OF STREETS IN BOSTON THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY OWN. SO WE DO THAT INTERNAL COORDINATION AND IT DOES WORK WELL OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS
MORE WORK TO DO AND WE SEE THAT SOMETIMES AND THINGS LIKE YOU KNOW CURB RAMPS AND UM EVEN SNOW REMOVAL THINGS LIKE THAT THE COMPLAINTS WE GET BUT I THINK THE CITY DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB INTERNALLY AND THEY
ALWAYS PRIORITIZE AREAS THAT I POINT OUT THAT NEED ATTENTION. UM, AS FAR AS OTHER BUSINESSES UH, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT THE CITY DOESN'T OWN. WE DO WORK WITH THE LICENSING BOARD TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON UH,
PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE SOME TEETH. SO THINGS LIKE RESTAURANTS IF SOMEONE DENIES SOMEONE WITH A SERVICE ANIMAL, UM, WE CAN SEND THEM LIKE A LETTER. SEND THE MANAGER LETTER JUST TO LET THEM KNOW THE REQUIREMENTS.
AND YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS COULD HAVE A HEARING WITH THE LICENSING BOARD FOR RESTAURANTS THAT MAY NOT COMPLY. IT'S NEVER GOTTEN TO THAT POINT. BUT WE DO WORK CLOSELY EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER IT. WE DO A LOT OF INTERNAL COLLABORATION TO MAKE SURE
THINGS ARE ACCESSIBLE. THANK YOU KRISTEN. UM THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND LET ME UM I KNOW JULIAN IS HERE AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO JULIANNE.
JULIANNE, UM, WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALSO THE ROLE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS COMMISSIONER PLAYS IS A FRIEND OF MINE, ROB SANTIAGO.
UM, IN SUPPORT OF UM LGBTQ PLUS VETERANS. COMMISSIONER SANTIAGO HAS DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB ON ADVOCATING FOR NOT JUST LGBTQ
VETERANS BUT ALL VETERANS AND WOMEN VETERANS. UM THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY NOT BEEN PART OF UM THE VA HEALTH SYSTEM. SO I JUST WANT TO I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
BUT JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, JULIANNE, FOR SUPPORTING UM, GAY AND LESBIAN VETERANS BUT ALSO FOR YOU WORKING CLOSELY WITH ROB SANTIAGO'S
TEAM UM, ON ON THESE ISSUES CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES. UM, LET ME SAY MY FINAL
QUESTION OR FINAL COMMENT PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST THE SINGLE ISSUE I'VE FOCUSED MOST ON IN EIGHT YEARS PROBABLY IS LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION
ACCESS AND REPRESENT A LARGE CANTONESE SPEAKING COMMUNITY A LARGE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY. UM, NOT JUST IN CHINATOWN OR THE CELLPHONE BUT THROUGHOUT
THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. THROUGHOUT THE CITY REALLY. UM AND WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, JENNIFER. UM, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS.
LET ME ASK A QUESTION. UM, WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS OR DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THE CITY,
HOW DO YOU KEEP UP WITH, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS UPDATING YOUR SERVICES TO, UM, A NEW A NEW GROUP THAT YOU MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY HAVE, UM.
THOUGHT OF THAT. THAT NEEDS LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS. UM SUPPORT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. UM, SO WE HAVE A PROCESS. UH, WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE.
UH. >> DEMOGRAPHIC DATA REPORTS AND IT'S A. COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS THAT INCLUDES UH, LOOKING AT UH, THE CENSUS, UH, DATA AND THERE'S A
QUESTION ON THE CENSUS, UH, THAT INDICATES THAT BASICALLY ASKS, UH, FOR SOMEONE TO SELF-IDENTIFY THEIR UH, LEVEL OF ENGLISH. AND SO THAT'S THE FIRST LAYER OF DATA THAT WE USE TO IDENTIFY
WHAT ARE THE THRESHOLD LANGUAGES FOR THE CITY IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING NEW LANGUAGES. IN THE PAST WE HAVE WORKED WITH FOR EXAMPLE, UH, IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT THAT WHEN THERE WAS A SURGE OF MIGRANTS COMING INTO
BOSTON TO IDENTIFY WHAT ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES WE MIGHT NEED TO PIVOT AND CREATE NEW RESOURCES FOR UM BUT TRULY WE WORK UH, WE HAVE A COMPLIANCE TEAM, UH, WHICH IS MADE UP
OF OUR COMPLIANCE MANAGER AND SPECIALISTS AND THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO DEPARTMENTS AND THEY CHECK IN WITH THE DEPARTMENTS ON A MONTHLY OR BI MONTHLY BASIS AND WE WORK WITH
THEM TO RAISE TO US ANY ADDITIONAL UH, LANGUAGES REQUESTS THAT THEY ARE SEEING. WE ALSO USE DATA FOR EXAMPLE FROM UH OUR ON DEMAND INTERPRETATION WHERE WE CAN SEE
THE TRENDS OF LANGUAGES THAT ARE UH BEING CALLED INTO AND THOSE ARE WALK INS TOO AS WELL. UH AND THEN WE ALSO WORK UH WITH SPEECH A AND B C TO TO KEEP TRACK OF THE TRENDS THAT
THEY ARE SEEING UM IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE NEEDS UM I AM HAPPY TO GO INTO FURTHER DEPTH AS NEEDED. NO THANK THANK YOU JENNIFER UM I'M OUT OF TIME. UH, WANT TO SAY.
THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE. UM. >> ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILOR. SANTANA AND COUNCILOR. MARIA THAT HAVE DONE EXCELLENT WORK UH, WORKING. >> WITH NOT JUST COMMISSIONER. SANTIAGO AND. >> SUPPORTING LGBTQ VETERANS.
BUT, UM. SUPPORTING SO MANY RESIDENTS IN NEED AS WELL. UM, AND I DO WANT TO. APOLOGIZE TO. UM. >> THE PUBLIC. I USUALLY STAY FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I DO HAVE A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT, UH.
>> THAT I WILL BE LEAVING. UM. >> GOING TO SHORTLY. SO I DO APOLOGIZE, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILORS LOUIJEUNE FITZGERALD AND MORRELL. JUST THE ORDER I HAVE, UH,
COUNCILOR MURPHY, THEN COUNCILOR PEPEN, COUNCILOR SANTANA, COUNCILOR CULPEPER, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR WORRELL. FIVE MADE IT TO EVERYONE SO COUNCILOR MURPHY UH SEVEN
MINUTES. UM THANK YOU UM. TO THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP EVERY DAY FOR. >> OUR RESIDENTS IN THE CITY AND THANK. YOU TO THE RESIDENTS.
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT WHEN THE CHAIRS ARE FULL AND YOU'RE HERE TO, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATE AND STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU KNOW MATTERS HERE IN THE CITY. YOU KNOW, WE ARE A CITY RIGHT
WHERE BOSTON IS WELCOMING BUT WHEN WE HAVE TOUGH DECISIONS AND BUDGET CUTS I THINK IT'S. PROBABLY YOU KNOW, NEEDED EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE BUT IT'S REALLY FORCING US NOT JUST HERE ON THE
COUNCIL BUT EVERY DEPARTMENT AND RESIDENTS TO SEE ALSO HOW WE REALLY DO RELY ON GRANT FUNDING AND OUTSIDE SOURCES TO DELIVER WHAT WE DO SHOW UP
EVERY DAY FAR ACROSS, YOU KNOW ,THE RESIDENTS AND THE CITY. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO BE CREATIVE AND FIND DIFFERENT WAYS WHICH I. KNOW IT'S IT'S GOOD TO STAY
POSITIVE BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE SOME LIKE HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE SO WE CAN SAY LIKE EARLIER THERE WERE THE 10:00 HEARING THERE ARE SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE LOSING ALL OF THEIR GRANTS.
SO HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK IF THERE'S NO GRANT. FUNDING ATTACHED TO IT? BUT THAT BEING SAID UM, KRISTEN AND JENNIFER I THINK ALL
DEPARTMENTS BUT YOUR DEPARTMENTS DEFINITELY WORK ALONGSIDE OR EVERY DEPARTMENT IS REACHING OUT TO YOUR OFFICES FOR SUPPORT.
COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN. HOW YOU FUND AND. STAFF THAT KNOWING THAT YOU KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE. RELYING ON. YOU TO DELIVER YOU KNOW WHAT
THEIR OFFICE MAY BE ABLE TO WHEN IF THERE'S SOME SORT OF SHARING OF. FUNDING AND OTHER THINGS BECAUSE OFTENTIMES YOU KNOW THEY'RE JUST ASK MAYBE LIKE REACHING. OUT SAYING LIKE. YOU NEED. HELP, HELP US WITH THIS OR.
YOU COULD JUST TALK ME THROUGH THAT. YEAH I CAN JUST START BY SAYING UM, WE DO COLLABORATE FREQUENTLY ON THINGS LIKE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS AND CART SERVICES
WHICH ARE LIKE THE OPEN CAPTIONS YOU SEE AT MEETINGS. UM, WE HAVE IT BUDGETED IN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET EVERY YEAR FOR THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES, BUT LCA DOES AND I BELIEVE LCA GIVES ALL DEPARTMENTS A BUDGET.
BUT I'LL LET JENNIFER TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT UM YEAH IT'S PART OF OUR STANDARD BUDGETING EVERY YEAR WE PLAN AHEAD FOR IT. OUR DEPARTMENT PLANS PROBABLY MORE SO THAN OTHER DEPARTMENTS FOR COMMUNICATION ACCESS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S OUR
POPULATION. BUT I'LL TURN TO JENNIFER FOR MORE DETAILS. THANK YOU. >> THAT IS CORRECT. SO OUR OFFICE. UM, FUNDS. >> THE MAJORITY OF LANGUAGE ACCESS ACCOMMODATIONS ACROSS THE CITY. UH, AND HOWEVER THAT BEING
SAID, THE WHOLE CITY AS A WHOLE IS LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE TO FULFILL CONSTITUENT REQUESTS. FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAVE AN ASL REQUEST, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHO FUNDS IT, WE AS A CITY ARE
RESPONSIBLE AND UM, IN TERMS OF UH THE WAY THAT WE SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS, IT'S IT'S I FEEL LIKE I SAY EVERYTHING IS COMPLEX IN OUR OFFICE BUT WE UM ,HAVE A TEAM WHICH IS OUR
COMPLIANCE TEAM. UM, AND THEY THERE'S THREE SPECIALISTS SO WE HAVE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WHO ARE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, UH, WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO DEPARTMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S ONE ASSIGNED TO BOSTON POLICE AND
THEY WILL CHECK IN WITH BOSTON POLICE. THEY HAVE A DEPARTMENT TO PLAN AND WE ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS COMING UP IN THE FISCAL YEAR AND ENSURING THAT WE ALLOCATE
ENOUGH FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE REOCCURRING ACCESSIBILITY THAT HAPPENS ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS. UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT WE ARE ALSO THE CENTRAL HOLDERS OF THE UH CITYWIDE CONTRACTS FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS.
SO WHILE WE ARE THE CENTRAL FUNDERS, OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE ABLE TO TAP INTO THAT CONTRACT SIMILAR TO HOW FOLKS, UH, LEVERAGE THE MASON CONTRACT FOR SUPPLIES AND THEY'RE ABLE TO
USE THEIR FUNDING AS WELL TO PAY FOR SERVICES. THE ONE CENTRALIZED SERVICE THAT WE PAY FOR THE ENTIRE CITY IS OUR ON DEMAND INTERPRETATION SERVICE. OKAY. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I JUST LIKE TO ADD I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE ARE
THINKING INTERNALLY ABOUT HOW WE CAN STREAMLINE A LOT OF THIS WORK IS COLLABORATION WITH DEPARTMENTS LIKE LCA. UH, MOYA HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK TO SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY IN COMMUNITY
OUTREACH. UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT MATERIALS ARE TRANSLATED. BUT THEN HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH METHODS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY GO THROUGH, GO TO AND I THINK
JENNIFER'S EXAMPLE OF THE ENERGY SAVER PROGRAM IS A REALLY WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF THAT PARTNERSHIP, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR. CAN I ADD ONE OTHER THING TO UM COUNCILOR FLYNN ASKED ABOUT OUR
REACH OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. UM, ONE THING THAT MY OFFICE WORKED ON WAS A CAPTIONS ORDINANCE. SO ALL TVS NOW OUT IN THE PUBLIC HAVE TO HAVE CAPTIONS ON. SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN DO THINGS THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY PAY FOR.
BUT WE HAVE INFLUENCE ACROSS THE CITY TO COMMIT TO UM CREATE COMMUNICATION ACCESS. BY SOME GREAT UM. I HAVE. >> A. MOYER QUESTION UM YOUTH SUMMER
JOBS ARE FULLY FUNDED FOR THE SUMMER. UM AND I KNOW THAT AND I'VE CONNECTED A FEW I HAD A VISIT TO PINKER AND A FEW YOU KNOW STUDENTS CAME UP ASKING SO ARE WE CONTINUING AND. >> HOW MANY.
SUMMER JOBS ARE WE ABLE TO OFFER STUDENTS THAT AREN'T? YEAH. SO OUR GOAL FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 26 RUNNING KIND OF INTO 27 UM, GIVEN THE KIND OF OVERLAP
UM OUR GOAL IS AROUND 500 STUDENTS ACROSS 33 PARTNER SITES. UM, AND SO WE'RE ONGOING AS WELL THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND THEN INTO THE CALENDAR YEAR THINKING WITH SOME OF THESE YOUTH AROUND HOW DO WE SUPPORT
THEM AND TAKING THOSE NEXT STEPS WHETHER THAT LOOKS LIKE UM CAREER PATHWAYS, TECHNICAL PATHWAYS, UM OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND HAVE. >> YOU FILLED ALL THE 500 YET OR THEY'RE STILL.
UH WE JUST UM ACTUALLY MY COLLEAGUE VANYA HAD OUR UM, ONBOARDING SESSION TODAY SO I BELIEVE THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING. TO FILL THOSE SPOTS AND ARE WORKING WITH, UM, PEDRO AND HIS TEAM ON, UM, GETTING FOLKS
SIGNED UP. SO WE CAN STILL SEND SOME KIDS YOUR WAY. KNOW? YES. >> OKAY. >> WE'RE GETTING THE THUMBS UP FROM MY COLLEAGUE. YES, PLEASE. OKAY. AWESOME. THANK. UM, AND. JULIAN, ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC
GRANTS THAT WERE CUT FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT OR IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK TO THOSE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. UM, SO OUR GRANTS WERE. >> CUT 100%. UM, UM, AND SO I CAN KIND OF GO
INTO MORE DEPTH UM, BUT UM, OUT OF OUR CONTRACTED KIND OF SERVICES WHICH INCLUDE THE GRANTS UM, YES. THAT THOSE WERE WERE CUT AND I ALSO JUST WANTED TO UM, GIVE AN
ANSWER AS WELL. UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES WERE SAYING IS WE'RE REALLY WORKING WITH SIBLING DEPARTMENTS, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK THAT THEY ARE
PROVIDING AND THE RESOURCES AND CONSTITUENT SERVICES THEY ARE PROVIDING UM, UH, THEY'RE LISTENING TO OUR DEPARTMENT AS A TECH ADVISOR, UM, AND AS
CONSULTING SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE CITY SERVICES THAT REACH ALL BOSTONIANS IN A WELCOMING AND AFFIRMING WAY. THANK YOU. >> THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO. UH, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEPEN . YOU'RE UP SEVEN MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I JUST WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING ALL OF YOU FOR FOR THE WORK YOU DO FOR FOR BEING HERE ALSO FOR ALWAYS BEING A PLACE WHERE MY OFFICE COULD REACH OUT TO FOR ASSISTANCE WHENEVER WE
WE ARE SEEKING THAT FOR OUR RESIDENTS. UM, ALSO EXTENDING MY GRACE TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO IS LITERALLY UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AND UM, I JUST THINK THAT LEARNING HAS SO MUCH MORE PRESSURE TO TO YOU AND TO THE WORKLOAD THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR. >> WHAT YOU DO. UM, WANTED TO PICK YOUR BRAINS
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ESPECIALLY, UH, MOYA BUT THE UPTICK OF RESIDENTS THAT MAY BE REACHING OUT TO YOUR OFFICE I WANT TO KNOW. UM. >> DO YOU KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY RESIDENTS REACH OUT TO YOU FOR ASSISTANCE? HOW HOW DO YOU GUYS BREAK THAT
DOWN? UM, HOW MANY CASE WORK? AH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL THEM THAT THEY'RE CASEWORKERS. UM, WHAT'S THE RIGHT TITLE? I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THAT. AND THEN, UM UM HOW MANY.
HOW MANY CASES ARE THEY WORKING ON? OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE THE MUST BE OVERWORKED. I WANT TO KNOW HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH SO MUCH OF IT? YEAH. >> YOU ASKED THE RIGHT PERSON. UM, AS FORMERLY DIRECTOR OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES I SHOULD HOPEFULLY HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS FOR YOU.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN GRATEFUL, UM, ACROSS THE PAST FEW YEARS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET, UM, CONTINUED FUNDING AND INVESTMENT IN STAFFING. UM, SO WE HAVE ABOUT SIX FOLKS ON OUR TEAM THAT ARE SUPPORTING WITH CONSTITUENT SERVICES,
MYSELF INCLUDED. UM WE HAVE CAPACITY UM ON STAFF FOR HAITIAN CREOLE. WE MADE A REALLY INTENTIONAL MOVE TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY IN THAT PARTICULAR LANGUAGE AS WE SAW MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
UM, COMING FROM HAITI. UM, AND THEN SO WE UM CALL OUR FOLKS CONSTITUENT SERVICES. WE HAVE A MANAGER A LEGAL ACCESS PROJECT MANAGER, UM, WHO SUPPORTS WITH OUR SCHEDULING ALL OF OUR ONE ON ONE
IMMIGRATION CONSULTATIONS AND THEN WE HAVE IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION SPECIALISTS BUT THEY ALL SERVE ON OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES TEAM. UM. >> SO TODAY IT'S BEEN JUST UNDER I WOULD SAY 2500 FOLKS THAT WE HAVE DIRECTLY UM,
SUPPORTED WITH ASSISTANCE. SO JUST. >> THIS. YEAR JUST THIS THIS FISCAL YEAR THIS FISCAL YEAR, YES, THIS FISCAL YEAR. UM AND SO THAT'S THAT'S NOT THE FULL NUMBER OF HOW MANY FOLKS HAVE REACHED OUT TO US. I CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
WE HAVE A POLICY OF GETTING BACK TO EVERYONE NO MATTER UM IF WE GET A MISSED CALL FROM THEM. SO THAT NUMBER IS ACTUALLY MUCH HIGHER IN TERMS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE REACH OUT TO US. BUT WE HAVE DIRECTLY SUPPORTED
2005 HUNDRED FOLKS. UM, WHETHER THAT IS REFERRING THEM TO OUR ONE ON ONE FREE IMMIGRATION CONSULTATIONS, CONNECTING THEM WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS OR CONNECTING THEM WITH COMMUNITY BASED RESOURCES . OKAY. >> YEAH.
>> AND I THINK THAT VERY LAST THING YOU SAID UM, IT WAS ME PERFECTLY FOR MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION WHICH IS IN MY DISTRICT I HAVE AMAZING IMMIGRANT SUPPORT SERVICES LIKE FC LIKE RISE RAISING THOSE FOR
EVERYONE. UM, I KNOW IN HIGH PARK THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD SOME MORE OF A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT. HOW DO YOU HOW DOES YOUR OFFICE PARTNER WITH THOSE TYPE OF GROUPS ACROSS THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT UM, IF THEY
DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS THEY CAN WORK WITH YOU OR VICE VERSA? YEAH. >> SO WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THE WORK THAT WE DO WITHOUT COMMUNITY. THEY ARE THE TRUSTED MESSENGERS . UM THEY HAVE BUILT TRUST WITH COMMUNITY AND SO WE REALLY UM
WORK CLOSELY WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS FC UM I WOULD SAY CASSERLY HOUSE AND ROSLINDALE. RIGHT UM OF MAKING THAT ONE ON ONE CONNECTION. UM AND SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE LEARN FROM THEM, UM,
WHAT THEY'RE SEEING ON THE GROUND AND HOW THAT CAN INFORM OUR STRATEGY. AND SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, AT OUR IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT FARM, WE REALLY MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS
WERE PRESENT TO INFORM US OF WHAT CHANGES THEY MIGHT BE SEEN, UM, WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. SO PART OF THAT IS GRANT FUNDING THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE UM TO OFFER UH, LEGAL SERVICES AND SO ON AND SO
FORTH. UM BUT WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT OUR THAT OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE AWARE OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE PROVIDE SO THAT THEY KNOW, UM, THEY CAN REFER SOMEONE TO US FOR ONE ON ONE CONSULTATIONS BUT ALSO RESOURCES ACROSS THE
CITY. OFTEN OUR IMMIGRANTS ARE THE LAST TO KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING AND SO NOT ONLY IS IT OUR SERVICES BUT OTHER CITY SERVICES THAT WE WORK TO UM CLOSE THAT GAP. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM I DO SEE HOW VALUABLE THAT CONNECTION IS WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ORGANIZATION THAT EXISTS IN MY DISTRICT AT LEAST. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. UM, AND I KNOW THAT THEY ALSO FEEL THE SUPPORT. YEAH. >> UM, AND JUST IF FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN REACHING OUT TO
US, YOU OBVIOUSLY CAN REFER THEM DIRECTLY TO OUR OFFICE. UM, WE HAVE AS I MENTIONED ON OUR SLIDES REALLY TRYING TO GET CITY HALL OUT OF CITY HALL. UM, AND SO HOPEFULLY ROSLINDALE WILL BE ON ONE OF OUR POP UP SHOPS UH, STOPS FOR UM OUR
OFFICE HOURS BUT PEOPLE CAN FIND US IN EAST BOSTON AND COPLEY ON A MONTHLY BASIS. PERFECT. >> THANK YOU. UM, JULIE, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR IN YOUR PREVIOUS ANSWERS I WAS THAT YOU LOST 100% OF OF
FUNDING FOR FOR GRANTS, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. >> UH. WE LOST 100% OF THE GRANTS CUT. SO WHEN LOOKING AT THE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES LINE WHICH IS GRANTS PROGRAMING AND EVENTS
BUDGET THAT WAS CUT BY 87%. UM AND SO I CAN KIND OF GO INTO MORE DETAILS OF THAT INCLUDES OUR BEYOND PRIDE GENDER AFFIRMING IDEA GRANT AND FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL LEGAL SUPPORT
GRANTS WERE CUT. HOW ARE HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT UM ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE THAT ARE SEEKING SUPPORT ESPECIALLY WITH PRIDE MONTH COMING DOWN THE LINE?
UM, OBVIOUSLY PRIDE MONTH IS EVERY EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR BUT IT'S JUST I FEEL LIKE IT'S MORE OF A THERE'S MORE OF A SPOTLIGHT COMING UP SOON. UM, ARE YOU PARTNERING WITH OUTSIDE INSTITUTIONS? WHAT ARE WHAT'S THE STRATEGY
MOVING FORWARD? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. UM AND THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING PRIDE IS 365 AND NOT JUST IN JUNE. UM BLACK PRIDE IS IN JULY.
UM, SO FOR OUR GENDER AFFIRMING IDEA GRANT, UM OUR CURRENT STRATEGY IS HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUTSIDE FUNDERS FOR OUR OTHER GRANTS.
UH, WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO UH, FOLKS FROM THE PARTNERSHIP OFFICE WHO ARE EXPLORING WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS THROUGH LIKE CREATIVE THINKING AS FAR AS UM, OUR TEAM IS ALSO
GETTING CREATIVE AND SCRAPPY AROUND HOW TO PROVIDE OUR UH, COMMUNITY TECHNICAL. ASSISTANCE AND. OTHER SUPPORTS UM, UH, KIND OF SHIFTING OUR INTERNAL
STRATEGY TO FOCUS ON COMMUNITY RECOGNITION. OPPORTUNITIES. >> ADVISORY STRUCTURES, UM AND EVEN OUTSIDE OF DIRECT FUNDING ,UH, RELATIONSHIPS WE REMAIN
COMMITTED AS FAR AS OUR OUR PLAN AND STRATEGY TO UM CREATE INTENTIONAL TOUCH POINTS FOR COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION,
UM AND CONNECTION AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY'S NEEDS ARE, YOU KNOW, PROPERLY ASSESSED AND UM, THAT UH WE ARE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THOSE
COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE IN ROOMS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ADVOCATE. ABSOLUTELY. >> AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENTS LIKE YOURS YOU'RE. FEELING IT YOU'RE FEELING. THOSE THAT THOSE CUTS ARE FELT THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FEEL
IT. SO UM WE'LL HAVE TO JUST IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN SUPPORT OBVIOUSLY LET US KNOW. UM, ALL RIGHT, BEFORE I FINISH MY REMARKS, JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO KIRSTEN.
I SEE HER IN THE BACK. UM, JUST WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU FROM AT THE PRIDE IN HYDE PARK AND I KNOW I'M PERSON GOING TO BE THERE WITH I THINK COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE TEAM UM AT
THE END OF THE MONTH FOR OR YEAH THE END OF THIS MONTH FOR A BEAUTIFUL EVENT AND UM JUST GOING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING EVERYTHING AND AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ALL DO. THAT SIDEWALK IS LOOKING GORGEOUS. >> OH YEAH WE WORKED ON THAT.
OKAY THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU'RE UP NEXT. UH, SEVEN MINUTES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW, UM, YOU'VE ALL BEEN HERE ALL DAY, SO, UM, REALLY
APPRECIATE IT. UM, I DO WANT TO START OFF JUST BY THANKING, UM, MONIQUE. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK SHE WAS JUST SUCH AN INCREDIBLE, UH, LEADER. UM, THE CITY IS GOING TO MISS
HER AND, UM, JUST VERY THANKFUL FOR HER SERVICE TO OUR CITY TO OUR AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. UM, SHE SHE WAS SHE'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE AND, UM, I KNOW WE'RE REALLY GOING TO MISS HER. UM, AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.
UM, OKAY. I DON'T THINK I HAVE, SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE I THINK COMMISSIONER BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN I KNOW WE'VE DONE TOURS AND VISITS TOGETHER AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR LEADERSHIP
. UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST JUST IT'S AMAZING WORK FROM YOU AND YOUR TEAM. UM, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM ,THE WORK AHEAD.
UM, AND I THINK I MENTIONED IT EARLIER TODAY UM, JUST IN TERMS OF LIKE I KNOW THE MOMENT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW LIKE I THINK ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES KNOW UM, BUT
YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH ESPECIALLY JUST WITH UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WITH IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT AND OUR LGBTQ TOWARDS PLUS. OFFICE I MEAN IT IS TO
COMMUNITIES AS OUR COMMUNITIES THAT MY OFFICE AND EVERYONE MY. ACROSS THE CITY AND EVERYWHERE HOW DOES THAT DEFINE AS OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE BEING ATTACKED BY OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? AND ALTHOUGH I CAN APPRECIATE
YOU KNOW, I THINK UH, CHIEF, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER AND TODAY LIKE THE WORK THAT WE THE CITY OF BOSTON UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP UNDER THIS CABINET, YOU KNOW, SINCE 2022 TO NOW LIKE IT'S
AMAZING. UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE IN A MOMENT RIGHT NOW WHERE IT'S IT'S LITERALLY LIFE AND DEATH FOR SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. RIGHT. UM, ESPECIALLY OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY OUR
LGBTQ I TO US PLUS COMMUNITY AND I HAVE A HARD TIME JUST COMING ACROSS LIKE LIKE WHY ARE THESE GRANTS, UM, WHO SUPPORT AMAZING ORGANIZATIONS, UM, AND
AMAZING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE THEY THE FIRST TO BE CUT AND I DON'T YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT QUESTION OR IF THE DIRECTORS WANT TO TAKE THAT. UM, AND THIS IS NO LIKE I KNOW
THE PEOPLE HERE. I KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE IN YOUR OFFICE. UH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU WANT THESE GRANTS. I KNOW YOU THAT'S ALL YOU KNOW IT'S OWN TO TO ANY OF YOU. BUT THERE'S REAL CONSEQUENCES TO THIS, RIGHT?
WE HAVE A ROOM HERE PACKED WITH PEOPLE. UM, AND, UH, ON A TUESDAY AFTERNOON I'M SURE PEOPLE HAVE WORK AND OTHER STUFF TO DO AS WELL WHERE THEY HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR VERY LIMITED GRANTS.
THESE ARE NOT HUGE GRANTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT GRANTS THAT ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE WORK THAT THEY DO. SO YOU KNOW WHY WHY IS THIS THE FIRST STEP OF UH OF THE CUTS?
THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR UM, YOU KNOW, I FULLY KNOW THAT YOU ARE A PARTNER. WE OUR TEAMS WORK A LOT WITH ALL OF YOU. REALLY? UM, BECAUSE YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE OUR CONSTITUENTS AND WE AND
A LOT OF OUR STAFF REPRESENTS THE CONSTITUENCY THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE HERE TO, UM, WORK WITH AND FOR, UM, I WOULD. TO SO THIS IS A.
YOU ALL HAVE I'M SURE LOOKED AT THE HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF THE BUDGET BOOK. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ITEM THAT WAS CUT OUT OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET BOOK. SOMETHING THAT I SAID IN THE MORNING THAT I DO WANT TO
REITERATE TO YOU ALL AS MY COLLEAGUES IN THE CITY COUNCIL IS THERE ARE OTHER PLACES THAT WE NEED TO PUT OUR ATTENTION TO SO THAT WE COULD
ENSURE THAT DOLLARS ARE GOING OUT INTO COMMUNITY FOR THE SERVICES THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING. SO WHAT I SAID EARLIER WAS I AM WORKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES. WE'RE LOOKING INTO BPD.
AND OTHER OPTIONS SO THAT THOSE GRANTS WHICH ARE MUCH BIGGER THAN THE ONES IN EQUITY AND INCLUSION ARE CONSIDERED RIGHT . LIKE WE ARE ABLE TO TO BE A PART OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE
ETC. SO THAT YES WE CAN HAVE THE CONVERSATION OF WHY NOW IN FY 27 AND WE CAN ALSO REALLOCATE OUR STRATEGIES TOWARDS A BIGGER DOLLARS. THAT'S ONE THING THAT I WANT TO JUST LIKE NAME AND I WILL NEED
YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT. THERE'S A SECOND PIECE OF UM YOU KNOW WHEN WE HAD THE FUNDING WE USED THE FUNDING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE MADE A CHOICE NOT TO BRING
IN THOSE SERVICES IN-HOUSE AND INSTEAD PUT THE DOLLARS OUT INTO COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE WORK WAS HAPPENING AND WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT FISCAL ENVIRONMENT
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT WE HAD TO MAKE. AND IN SPANISH WE SAY IN LA LA LA AND I WISH THIS WAS NOT ONE OF THE MALAS WHERE WE HAD TO BE TOGETHER IN THE GOOD AND THE BAD.
AND SO THIS IS A MOMENT THAT WE ARE UM COLLECTIVELY STRUGGLING THROUGH. AND I UNDERSTAND AND I APPRECIATE THAT, CHIEF. I WAS LIKE I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT FROM THE OTHER SIDE AGAIN IT'S IT'S FROM SOME
OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS IT'S LIFE OR DEATH RIGHT NOW ESPECIALLY UNDER THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WHICH I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR RIGHT LIKE SO UM AND I KNOW SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID I THINK YOU KNOW, COUNSELOR
PEPPER HAD MENTIONED LIKE OH, LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN SUPPORT WELL, I'M GOING TO LET MY COLLEAGUES DOWN TO THE WAY THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THIS IS THAT WE CAN DO IT. WE CAN WRITE AMENDMENTS AND PASS AMENDMENTS THIS UPCOMING BUDGET CYCLE TO RESTORE UM,
SOME OF THESE UH UH SOME OF THESE GRANTS AND I UNDERSTAND AGAIN THE. UH THE THE DIFFICULT. MOMENT WE'RE IN BUT I ALSO LIKE UNDERSTAND LIKE IF WE'RE GOING
TO BE A SANCTUARY CITY AND WE'RE GOING TO BE A SANCTUARY CITY FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND WE'RE GOING TO BE A SANCTUARY CITY FOR LGBTQ TOWARDS FOR COMMUNITY. UM, THESE ARE THE CUTS I DON'T WANT TO SEE AND I KNOW THAT YOU
KNOW I KNOW I'M BIG ON YOU ON ON ON SUMMER YOUTH JOBS AND URBAN JOBS AND THAT'S GOING TO YOU KNOW I'VE I'VE STATED THAT'S GOING TO BE MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY BUT I'M REALLY GOING TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO TRY TO SEE HOW WE CAN RESTORE THESE GRANTS.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITIES ARE ASKING FOR AND WHAT IT'S NEEDED UM, ESPECIALLY IN THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW. SO UM, I DON'T FEEL YOU KNOW, I DON'T FEEL WELL KNOWING THAT
SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS OR ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS OR SOME INSTANCES WON'T RECEIVE. UM AND I'M GOING TO REPEAT WHAT I SAID EARLIER TODAY IS THAT THERE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHERE I KNOW THAT THE GRANTS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED. UM, AND I THINK SOME OF THOSE
UH, DEPARTMENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO FIND OTHER MEASURES OF FUNDING. I THINK OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES ARE HOW SHOULD BE COMMITTED MANY THEY ARE NOT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO RECEIVE ANY HELP FROM THIS FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION. WE CAN COUNT ON THAT. RIGHT. SO UM I REALLY ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES, UM, TO PUT FORWARD AMENDMENTS UM, AND SPECIFICALLY
AND TO UM UH LGBTQ. TOWARDS PLUS ADVANCEMENT. OFFICE AND UH MY IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT OFFICE AND SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE GRANTS SO THAT SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND UH, SOME
OF THESE LEADERS AND OUR COMMUNITY CAN CONTINUE DOING THE PROGRAMING THAT THEY DO. UM, BECAUSE IT'S ABSOLUTELY NEEDED RIGHT NOW. SO UM, THAT'S GOING TO BE A PRIORITY OF MINE MOVING FORWARD .
UM, AGAIN, I DO APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TEAMS ARE DOING AMAZING WORK, I THINK VERY REFLECTIVE OF THE CITY THAT WE HAVE. UM, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. UM, BUT THAT'S ALSO WHERE MY
PRIORITIES ARE GOING TO BE AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO BE FIGHTING FOR IT. AND I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES, UM, TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THAT. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
YOU'RE UP SEVEN MINUTES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK. >> YOU FOR THIS HEARING. AND THANK. >> YOU FOR THE PANEL. FOR COMING. TO TALK. WITH US ABOUT. THESE BUDGETS, BUDGET CUTS TODAY.
AND WE HAD AN EARLIER PANEL, UH . INCLUSION PANELS. THEY TOO HAD BUDGET CUTS.
I LOOK AT THESE BUDGET CUTS HERE. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE WHAT WE'RE DOING. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCLUSION.
AND WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT INCLUSION WHILE AT THE SAME TIME EXCLUDING THE DOLLARS AS SUPPORT TO INCLUSION PROGRAMS. AND I KNOW THE CHIEFS SAID THAT
THEY'RE LOOKING ELSEWHERE FOR FUNDS AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE THAT COME THROUGH FOR US AND THE BUDGETS ARE GETTING CUT. EVERYONE'S LOOKING ELSEWHERE
FOR FUNDS AND SO IF EVERYONE'S LOOKING ELSEWHERE FOR FUNDS, SOMEBODY IS NOT GOING TO HAVE THE BUDGET FUNDING THAT THEY NEED TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE OFFICE FOR ADVANCEMENT LOOKING 42.8%. LOOK AT THE NON PERSONNEL FUNDING FROM 2.5 MILLION DOWN
TO 802 MILLION AND I LOOK AT THESE GRANT PROGRAMS AND I LOOK AT THE YOUTH AND THE FAMILIES THAT DEPEND ON THESE. WHAT HAPPENS FOR THE FAMILIES
THAT DEPEND ON THESE THAT YOU DON'T FIND MONEY FOR? WHAT HAPPENS TO. AND PLEASE NO GO ON.
UM, YES. SO I THINK SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE USING ARE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN EXPAND OUR FREE IMMIGRATION CONSULTATIONS PROGRAM. UM, THAT HAS BEEN A VALUABLE.
LIFELINE FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS SINCE 2001. WE KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH. AND SO THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TRIED TO REALLY BROADEN OUR STRATEGY TO HELP ENSURE THAT
FOLKS NOT ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO LEGAL COUNCILOR, UM, BUT ALSO UM HAVE THE INFORMATION TO PREPARE UM THEMSELVES IF THEY WERE TO BE FACED WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
SO WORKING UM INTERNALLY AS WELL AS ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS A BROAD BASED UM KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND FAMILY PREPAREDNESS PLANNING EFFORTS, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW A LOT OF OUR IMPACTED COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WILL NEED TO EXERCISE THOSE RIGHTS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY DO HAVE A PATHWAY TO FORMAL STATUS OR NOT . UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL ALTHOUGH, UH, WE DID EXPERIENCE SOME BUDGET CUTS.
I THINK THIS REALLY SPEAKS TO THE POWER OF COMMUNITY. YOU CAN SEE COMMUNITY HERE UM, REALLY RALLYING AND VOTING UM FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING TO ENSURE THAT SOME OF THIS GRANT FUNDING REMAINS WITH OUR OFFICE
. UM SO AND WE WILL BE. PARTICULARLY FOCUSING AND LEANING IN ON COMMUNITY NEEDS WITH THIS $400,000 OF FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES, YOUTH
AND INDIVIDUALS MOST AT RISK DO CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS TO SERVICES. UH, WE KNOW THAT IT WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH FUNDING. UM, BUT WE HOPE THAT THINKING ABOUT THIS STRATEGY AND BUILDING OUT AN ECOSYSTEM WITH
ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT. MEASURES UM WILL SUPPORT COMMUNITY MEMBERS. CAN YOU GIVE US A LIST OF THE. UH. >> GRANTS THAT ARE BEING ELIMINATED SO THAT WE CAN LOOK TO SEE WHAT GRANTS OF BEING
ELIMINATED AS WE LOOK AT WHAT MAY BE ABLE TO BE RESTORED OR UH, THROUGH THE AMENDMENT PROCESS SO THAT WE'LL HAVE THEM ALL UH, AND THEN IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS WE CAN
ALWAYS COME BACK BUT IT WILL BE HELPFUL THROUGH THE CHAIR. UH, MR CHAIR, JUST LIKE I DID EARLIER, A LIST OF THE SPECIFIC GRANTS AND THE ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE ACTUALLY BEING CUT. AND WHAT ABOUT THE YOUTH BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE YOUTH. UH. >> ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THESE PROGRAMS. HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK WITH
THE YOUTH THAT ARE IMPACTED AND YOU DON'T FIND. THE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THEM? UM, SO I'M GOING TO START WITH THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION.
UM, SO UH THE GRANTS THAT UM HAVE RECEIVED CUTS ARE RECEIVING WELLBEING UH NON-CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM UM UH ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES UM
OUR MUTUAL AID GRANT PROGRAM UM CALLED STRENGTHENING BOSTON'S DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS UM AS WELL AS THE ACADEMIC YEAR UM IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM AND THEN AGAIN UM FUNDING FOR IMMIGRATION LEGAL
ACCESS WHICH WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING THROUGH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. UM TO YOUR SECOND POINT, I WOULD SAY THAT'S WHY WE'RE THINKING OF DIVERSIFYING OUR STRATEGY.
UM, WE KNOW THAT UM, WORK EXPERIENCES ARE NOT UH. THIS OPPORTUNITY IS NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL FOR OUR IMMIGRANT YOUTH. UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE REALLY TRY TO DIVERSIFY THE PARTNERS
THAT WE DO WORK WITH DURING THE SUMMER TO ENSURE THAT OUR YOUTH ARE GETTING, UM, ACCESS TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF OPPORTUNITY WHETHER THAT LOOKS LIKE GOING TO COLLEGE, WHETHER THAT LOOKS LIKE ENTERING THE WORKFORCE.
UM, AND SO REALLY WORKING CLOSELY THIS YEAR WITH BOSTON. PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE RAISE AWARENESS OF THESE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS FOR
FOLKS AND SO THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE APPROACH YOUTH IN THE SCHOOL, HOW DO WE WORK ALONGSIDE THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY UM, CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SUPPORT IN DETERMINING WHAT THAT PATHWAY LOOKS LIKE FOR THEM?
SO YOU SUPPORT. UH. >> US THE MANY IN THIS BUDGET DON'T YOU? SO WE COULD ALWAYS OF COURSE. DO YOU KNOW MORE WORK WITH MORE FUNDING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
I WANT TO, UH, MOVE TO JULIANNE FOR A MINUTE WITH REGARD TO YOUR CONCERN. JULIANNE, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO GIVE ME A SPECIFIC LIST OF WHAT COMMUNITY
GROUPS ARE LOSING THEIR GRANTS. I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO THE SAME THING THROUGH THE CHAIR SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE GROUPS THAT ARE ALSO LOSING THAT FUND AS WE GO THROUGH THE UM
AMENDMENT PROCESS AND WITH REGARD TO NON PERSONNEL FUNDING ,I'D SAY IT'S DROPPING FROM $343,600 TO 50,432.
WHAT A BIG CLIP THAT IS. AND SO HOW WILL. YOU THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU SUPPORT NOW THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP HOW WILL YOU
WITHOUT THAT FUNDING SUPPORT THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AS A RESULT OF THIS AND DEBT REDUCTION WHAT WILL YOU DO DIFFERENT? YEAH THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. UM COUNSELOR.
SO ONE THING I CAN SAY IS HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT LIST AND SUBMIT IT UM AFTER THE THE TESTIMONY UM, BUT WE CAN SAY IT'S OVER UM, UH, 40 FROM THIS
YEAR. UM AND SO ALSO JUST WANTED TO SAY ONGOING ENGAGEMENT UM CAN CONTINUE CREATING PATHWAYS FOR US TO STAY CONNECTED TO EMERGING LEADERS. WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
YOUTH UM, ALSO GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND LONG TIME COMMUNITY PARTNERS UM I ALSO WILL LIFT UP THAT OUR ADVISORY ARE NOW PARTNER NETWORK AND
SOON TO BE ADVISORY COUNCIL STEERING COMMITTEE HAVE DEEP CONNECTIONS. >> AND COMMUNITY. UM AND WITH THEY ALSO OVERLAP WITH FORMER GRANTEES WHO BUILT CONNECTIONS UH TO OUR OFFICE
INITIALLY THROUGH THE GRANTS UM BUT THEY'RE NOW UM EMBEDDED IN OUR OFFICES PARTNERSHIPS AND THEN JUST TO FINALLY SAY UM, THE ADVOCATES IN OUR LGBTQ TO
US PLUS COMMUNITIES IN BOSTON AND MANY OF WHICH WHO ARE SITTING BEHIND ME, UM, THEY HAVE FOUGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS AND BELONGINGS LONG BEFORE OUR OFFICE EXISTED AND THAT PROCESS
DOESN'T GET UNDONE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND BY THEM AND DO THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO AS AN OFFICE. YEAH, I THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. IT'S THE END OF THE FIRST ROUND. WE NEED TO GET THROUGH EVERYONE.
YOU KNOW A LOT OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH I APPRECIATE IT. UM, SO JUST, UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO COUNSELOR LOUIJEUNE IF ANYONE'S HERE TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP
AT THE ON THE SHEET DOWN THERE, PLEASE DO. SO, UH, WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS, WE'VE GOT THREE FOUR MORE COUNSELORS TO GO AND THEN WE'LL ,UH, CALL ON PEOPLE.
UM, SO NEXT UP IS, UH, COUNSELOR LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU. >> AND COUNSELOR COPE. I WAS DOING A LOT BETTER WITH THE TIMER, SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A NO NO, YOU'RE DOING A LOT BETTER. DON'T DON'T DON'T PUT IT ON BUT JUST WANT TO. HE WAS OKAY.
UM, UH, I JUST, UH OKAY. I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THE. INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU DO. UM, THE WORK OF EQUITY IS. DEEPLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR GROUPS THAT HAVE LONG BEEN
OVERLOOKED, SIDELINED, MARGINALIZED. INTENTIONALLY EXCLUDED. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE ADVOCATING COMMUNITY. SEE SOME OF MY PEOPLE. KIKI, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> WITH US.
UM CURTIS SO MANY OTHERS I'M GOING TO STOP CALLING PEOPLE OUT. OKAY. UM I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. UH, LAST YEAR THE CITY CONSTRUCTED, UH, 1723 COMPLIANT
PEDESTRIAN CURB RAMPS WHICH EXCEEDED THE ANNUAL CONSENT DECREE AMOUNT OF 1600. WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS STILL HAVE THE LARGEST BACKLOG OF INACCESSIBLE INTERSECTIONS
AND HOW ARE THOSE LOCATIONS BEING PRIORITIZED IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR THEN THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY AFTER WE SAW THE SNOW STORMS AND THE ISSUES THAT WE SAW WITH THE CURB CUT. SO JUST WANT TO LIKE WATCH WHICH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST.
UM I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT. UM I KNOW THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS AN ADA COORDINATOR, UH, WHO OVERSEES THE COMPLIANT RAMP CONSTRUCTION, BUT AS FAR AS WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS UM, THEY'RE
PRIORITIZING I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION NOW, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO GET BACK TO YOU. ARE THERE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU HEAR COMPLAINTS FROM ABOUT MORE THAN OTHERS? UM, OFFHAND I CAN'T THINK OF ANY UM, PARTICULARLY OKAY.
UM AND I WAS GLAD TO HEAR. ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE THE WORK ON THE CAPTIONING. I WAS GLAD TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THAT ORDINANCE. HOW IS THAT ACTUALLY WORKING? WHAT ARE YOU HEARING? WHAT IS THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'RE GETTING? YEAH. >> SO, UM, WE WE DID JUST SEE AN ARTICLE IN UM ON AXIOS THAT
TALKED ABOUT THE CAPTIONS ORDINANCE UH REPORTED DID SOME INVESTIGATION AND FOUND THAT ONLY ABOUT 40% OF THE RESTAURANTS WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH IT. SO UM, WE DID SOME INTERNAL STRATEGIZING IN MY OFFICE AND
WE ARE GOING TO PRIORITIZE THAT THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE DID A BIG PUSH WHEN IT WAS FIRST UM PASSED 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO. BUT NOW THIS SUMMER WITH ALL THE EVENTS COMING UP WITH SAIL BOSTON AND FIFA FIFA UM WE WE
WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER PUSH TO GET THEIR WORD OUT THERE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNICATION ACCESS. >> IT IS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MCCOSH FOR ALL YOU DO. UH, NEXT. QUESTIONS ARE FOR MULLER. UM THANK YOU, UH, JULIAN, FOR
BEING HERE AND FOR ALL THE WAY THE OFFICE DOES. UM, WANT TO ECHO THE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE EXPRESSED UM, UM, SORT OF SEEING THE UH, YOU
KNOW, THE DECREASE IN GRANT FUNDING AS ALSO MEANS A DECREASE IN WELL, YOU CAN PUSH IT BACK AGAINST ME IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH THIS BUT UH, DECREASE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY.
UM, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE WAY IN WHICH WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP IS VIA GRANTS, UM, THE NON PERSONNEL BUDGET DROPS FROM ABOUT 343,600
TO ABOUT 50,000. UM AND WE ARE SEEING THIS TREND ACROSS DEPARTMENTS THAT LIKE THEIR PERSONNEL SLIGHTLY INCREASES. UM BUT YOU SEE THE GRANT CAPACITIES UM BASICALLY COMPLETELY DECIMATED WHICH WORK
IS BEING PRESERVED THROUGH STAFF CAPACITY THAT UH WAS BEING PRIOR TO THAT WAS BEING USED FOR UH MAYBE GRANTS WERE HELPING TO SUPPORT THAT WORK IN WHICH COMMUNITY FACING GRANTS, CONTRACT SERVICES OR.
EVENTS UM ARE BEING REDUCED BECAUSE OFFICE HAS FEW FEWER FLEXIBLE DOLLARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, COUNSELOR. UM, I WOULD SAY THAT OUR WORK
IS ALWAYS CENTERED CELEBRATING OUR LGBTQ TO US PLUS BOSTONIANS. UM 365 UM SO I THINK THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT OUR FY 27
BUDGET THAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED ON HOW WE CAN USE THAT. >> TO. MOST EFFECTIVELY AND KIND OF CREATIVELY SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS. UM, WE ALSO SPECIFICALLY LOOK
FORWARD TO THE GUIDANCE OF OUR NEWLY ESTABLISHED MOLA ADVISORY COUNCIL AND STEERING COMMITTEE ON HOW WE WILL BE USING THOSE REMAINING FUNDS THAT WILL BE
THE MOST IMPACTFUL. UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT UH 10 TO 15,000 UH FOCUSING ON PUBLIC FACING COMMUNITY EVENTS SUCH AS THE
FLAG RAISING TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, UH DAY OF VISIBILITY, UH YOUTH SUMMITS UM AND THEN TRULY THE REMAINING FUNDS BEING GUIDED BY THE INPUT OF THAT ADVISORY COUNCIL AND
STEERING COMMITTEE UM WHICH WILL FOCUS ON FUNDING UM UH, RESPONSIVE COMMUNITY INFORMED PROGRAMING AND RESOURCES THAT WILL TRULY STRENGTHEN
CONNECTION VISIBILITY. UM OUR PERSONNEL IS NOT BEING DECREASED. UM, SO. IS IT IN ANY WAY BEING INCREASED? IT IS NOT BEING. INCREASED OKAY OKAY I
UNDERSTAND OKAY I JUST BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO BUZZ ME OUT AND I GOT I GOT A LOT MORE PEOPLE TO ASK QUESTIONS TOO BUT JUST WANT TO YOU KNOW UM HIGHLIGHT THAT I THINK ESPECIALLY THE BEYOND PRIDE THE MINI GRANTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THOSE WERE
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITY AND JUST UM I THINK THAT IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO WALK HAND IN HAND WITH COMMUNITY AND THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT, ONE OF THE MAJOR WAYS
THAT WE DO THAT IS VIA THESE GRANTS, UM, LANGUAGE ACCESS UM, I WAS NOT IN THE CHAMBERS OF MY TEAM WAS TELLING ME ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU DO JENNIFER IN THE OFFICE IS DOING AROUND ELECTIONS AND THAT'S ONE THAT WE DEEPLY CARE ABOUT.
UM, IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT VOTING IS ACCESSIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE OF ALL LANGUAGES, WHAT MORE CAN WE BE DOING AS A CITY AROUND LANGUAGE ACCESS WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE VOTING?
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. UM, I YOU KNOW, I THINK I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT WHO HAS BEEN DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. >> AT. SITTING DOWN WITH US EVERY
YEAR, UM, AND REALLY MAPPING OUT WHAT IS THEIR COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN GOING TO BE WHAT IS. UH THE ON THE GROUND EFFORTS? I THINK EVERY YEAR WE FIND NEW WAYS TO INNOVATE.
SO I THINK REALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THAT QUESTION WE WE LOOK. TOWARDS UM YOU ALL AS PARTNERS TO HELP US IDENTIFY ALSO TO WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ELECTIONS. BUT I THINK EVEN THIS YEAR WE HAD THE INTERPRETATION. ROOM THAT WAS LOCAL AND CITY
HALL WHICH WAS A NEW UH INVENTIVE IDEA. UH AND SO I THINK WE'RE. UM ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO PARTNER WITH MOYA TO SEE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE INCREASING EFFORTS. BUT I THINK IN TERMS
OF LANGUAGE ACCESS, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO KIND OF FILL IN ANY GAPS AS LONG AS UH ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT HAS NEW IDEAS. AWESOME. >> AND WE HAVE SOME IDEAS TOO AND WE'D LOVE TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU ALL IN ELECTIONS TO SORT OF TEE SOME OF THOSE OUT. SO OKAY.
MOYA. >> YOU COULD HAVE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS UM, LIKE FOR REAL COURTNEY ENTIRE TEAM WANT TO THANK EVERYONE. I MEAN MONIQUE DESERVED A RED CARPET SEND OUT FOR ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT SHE HAS CARRIED.
SO JUST WANT TO THANK MONIQUE FOR. HER LEADERSHIP. >> OF MOYA. UM, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL SAY AGAIN THAT YOU KNOW, IN BACK IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR MY OFFICE THAT ARE WORKING ON THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE BOSTON
FOUNDATION, THE UNITED WAY NEEDS TO MAKE OTHER FOUNDATIONS TO SUPPORT JUST WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN MINNEAPOLIS. WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO TPS FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE WANT IT TO BE READY. UM, AND THAT THAT PRIVATE
PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP WAS BORN. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY IN NO WAY TO SUPPLANT WHAT I THINK IS THE IMPORTANT CITY DOLLARS TO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY AND IN NO WAY KNOWING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY ENTITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEPEND ON THESE GRANTS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO SERVE THE MOST VULNERABLE AND ALSO ABSENT ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL FUNDING WE
EVEN WHILE BEING LEGAL ACCESS ESL MUTUAL AID GRANTS WILL ALL WIND DOWN. WE KNOW THAT THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY TO MAKE THIS WORK FOR NOT JUST FOR MOYA BUT FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE DOING
THIS WORK WITH OR WITHOUT GOVERNMENT HELP AND WE NEED TO BE THERE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THAT THIS AFFIRMATION THE SENSE OF LIKE WE ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO ENSURE THAT THAT'S STILL HAPPENING? YEAH.
>> UM JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. UM, I'M SURE MONIQUE IS LISTENING IN, SO THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS. UM AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND PARTNERSHIP AND MAKING THAT COLLABORATION POSSIBLE. UM, I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY
NIMBLE TEAM THAT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THESE CHALLENGES UM, AND THINKING THROUGH HOW DO WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY SINCE BEFORE WE HAD GRANT FUNDING? UM THE GRANT FUNDING HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE TO ENSURE
THAT COMMUNITIES ARE HONORED, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR THEM. SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT INTERNALLY HOW DO WE BECOME CREATIVE? HOW DO WE PARTNER WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS LIKE THE HEALTH COMMISSION FOR EXAMPLE, UM, TO EXECUTE MORE WORK UM ON WEAVING WELL-BEING THAT STILL REMAINS CENTERED ON HONORING UH LIVED EXPERIENCES, COMMUNITY BASED SUPPORT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, IMMIGRATION LEGAL ACCESS WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE WITH OUR FUNDING PARTNERS. WE KNOW THAT IS A PRIMARY PRIORITY FOR US TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR UM WITH FUNDING PARTNERS.
UM, WE UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT LEGALLY DO THAT WORK INTERNALLY AS A CITY. UM BUT WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT FOLKS STILL HAVE ACCESS TO OUR FREE IMMIGRATION CONSULTATIONS AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR OUR OFFICE AS
WELL. UM, BUT WE WELCOME, YOU KNOW, CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE CONSTITUENTS THAT YOU CONNECT WITH US. UM, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR ADVOCACY. THANK. >> OKAY. >> NO PROBLEM.
COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE WE JUST TAKE THE TIME OUT OF COUNCIL CULPEPER. SO UH. SO. >> UM OKAY. UH, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YOUR NEXT AND THEN COUNCIL WILL UH AND THEN UH, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GET TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. UH THANK YOU CHAIR. APPRECIATE THAT. UM, A LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS I HAD WERE ASKED ALREADY. UH, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. TYPICALLY I'VE STARTED OFF EVERY DEPARTMENT WITH SAYING LIKE WE'RE ALL TAKING A
HAIRCUT. WE KNOW, UH, THAT IT'S TOUGH TIMES FOR ALL. UM, I GUESS ONE QUESTION I ASK IS IS UH AND YOU GUYS HAVE ALLUDED TO IT BRIEFLY SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIVE AS DEEP
AGAIN BUT UH, IN WHERE WE'RE TAKING THE CUTS, WHICH ONES ARE YOU FEELING THE MOST? FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT'S THE GRANTS REALLY THAT WE'RE LOSING OVER PERSONNEL. SAME AS THIS MORNING'S, UH, MEETING.
UH, BUT THE CONFIDENCE YOU HAVE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO STRETCH AND COVER. I GUESS IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WITH THE GRANTS. IT'S, UH IT'S HARDER. I MEAN, WE GOT TO LOOK TO OUTSIDE PHILANTHROPY OR OTHER MEANS TO COVER IT, SO, UM,
THERE MIGHT NOT BE MUCH MORE THAT YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY SAID. I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO REPEAT THEMSELVES, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ABOUT THE CONFIDENCE LEVEL OF SORT OF HOW TO BACKFILL SOME OF THIS STUFF
UM, OR IDEAS THAT YOU GUYS ARE HAVING AND HOW WE COULD BE HELPFUL. UM, HAPPY TO HEAR ANY OF THOSE IDEAS FROM ANY DEPARTMENT. YEAH, YOU GUYS HAVE ANSWERED IT.
IT'S FAIR ENOUGH. I JUST HAD TO I'VE ASKED THAT OF EVERY DEPARTMENT SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I STAY CONSISTENT. UM. >> I CAN START I THINK OUR OFFICE IS VERY FORTUNATE WHERE, UH, A LOT OF OUR FUNDING, UH, REMAINS IN OUR BUDGET. UM, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE
DID RECEIVE CUTS, UM, WHICH WE IDENTIFIED WOULD STILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE OUR OPERATIONS AND THAT IS OUR EQUIPMENT LINE. UH, AND THAT IS UM, FOR COUNCILORS WHO WERE HERE BEFORE AND HAD SUPPORTED AMENDMENTS.
THAT IS A DECISION THAT WE MADE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE ARE STILL PILOTS THAT ARE OCCURRING AND THAT WE DID NOT THINK WE'RE GOING TO, UH, FINALIZE IN TIME FOR US TO PURCHASE NEW EQUIPMENT IN THE
UPCOMING YEAR. AND THAT IS WHERE THE MAJOR OF OUR CUTS, UH, DID HAPPEN. >> FOR US. GREAT. >> THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK JUST CONTINUED AREAS OF. VISIBILITY. >> UM, AND UPLIFTING OUR FORMER
GRANTEES. UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN LGBTQ TO US PLUS AFFIRMING, UH, JOB FAIR HAPPENING ON JUNE 1ST IN
CONNECTION WITH OUR FLAG RAISING. SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE PARTNERS, UM, AND GRANTEES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING A CALL OF ANY JOB OPENINGS, YOU KNOW, JOB OPENINGS AND THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO TO HAVE
VISIBILITY. UM, AND I WOULD SAY UH, REALLY KIND OF FIGURE OUT WAYS TO UPLIFT AND HIGHLIGHT UM, SO WE ARE SHIFTING OUR UM, ANNUAL
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE PRIDE CELEBRATION THAT'S HAPPENING ON JUNE 27TH THIS YEAR AND ADDING A WHOLE COMMUNITY AWARDS CEREMONY. SO TRYING TO GET CREATIVE AS
FAR AS UPLIFTING AND UM, ACKNOWLEDGING BUT ALSO PROVIDING A SPOTLIGHT FOR THOSE FOLKS AS THEY ARE SEEKING OUT THEIR FUNDING. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UM, AND I'LL JUST ADD I THINK WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS IN
TWO. DIFFERENT WAYS ONE UM, FOR SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE CAN DO INTERNALLY I'VE REFERENCED UM WEAVING WELLBEING SO MENTAL HEALTH UM WORK AS WELL AS OUR IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT UM
REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE PARTNER WITH OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS AM I QUASI UM VFC BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO DEEPEN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO KIND OF ENSURE THAT, UM, THIS
LEGACY THAT HAS BEEN BUILT, UM ,CONTINUES ON AND THINKING ABOUT WAYS THAT WE AS EXPERTS IN THIS WORK AS WELL ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH THAT EXPERTISE CAN UH, MOVE FORWARD THIS WORK JUST MAYBE IN A
DIFFERENT WAY. UM, I THINK AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, LEGAL ACCESS. UM IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL NATURE OF IT. >> AND I WOULD. >> JUST ADD, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MADE HISTORIC INVESTMENTS UM,
IN IMMIGRATION LEGAL ACCESS THANKS IN PART TO PREVIOUS AMENDMENTS UM, FROM THE CITY COUNCIL. UM BUT EVEN WITH ALL THE FUNDING IN THE WORLD THE DEMAND IS UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, GOING TO ALWAYS BE HIGHER UM
THAN THE FUNDING AVAILABLE. SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN THINK IN THE LONG TERM TO UM, ENSURE THAT FOLKS GET TRAINED UP IN THE COMMUNITY TO BECOME DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVES. UM, SO THINKING STRATEGICALLY AROUND HOW WE CAN PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FOR MAYBE A MORE LONG TERM STRATEGY. GREAT. >> THANK YOU. UM, ON THE FREE IMMIGRATION
CONSULTATIONS, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO INCREASE THAT? I KNOW YOU GUYS MEET TWICE A MONTH NOW. I MEAN IS THAT IS THAT MORE IS IT MORE MONEY. >> THAT IT WOULD. >> TAKE TO INCREASE IT OR IS IT JUST LIKE. DIVERTING EFFORTS IN TIMES AND GET PEOPLE SCHEDULES TO TO
ALLOW FOR MORE OF THEM TO OCCUR AND. YEAH SO UM I THINK THE SO THESE ARE ALL VOLUNTEER IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS THAT DEVOTE THEIR TIME UM TO US. SO I THINK THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE IN THE FIELD IS
JUST UM THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH FOLKS THAT ARE GOING INTO IMMIGRATION LAW. UM AND WE ARE SEEING CHALLENGES WITH UM THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT THAT A LOT OF FOLKS ARE ALSO DEVOTING MORE TIME TO THEIR
PRIVATE PRACTICE, UM, AS A RESULT OF FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT MEASURES, UM, AND FOLKS NEEDING TO SEEK SUPPORT FOR UM IMMIGRATION RELIEF. BUT WE HAVE A LEGAL ACCESS UH, PROJECT MANAGER WHO IS ACTIVELY
RECRUITING NEW VOLUNTEERS UM EVERY WEEK. SO IF YOU ARE AWARE OF ANY IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS THAT WANT TO. SUPPORT WITH THIS PRO-BONO. EFFORT, UM, YOU CAN CONTACT OUR OFFICE. GREAT. THANK YOU. >> UH. >> THE MENTAL HEALTH MINI
GRANTS. UH, THOSE STILL ARE THOSE ARE THOSE BEING KIND OF THERE WAS 70,000 TO 7 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. UH, IS THAT 70,000 GONE OR IS
THAT STILL HAPPENING AND IF SO, WHAT DID THOSE GRANTS SORT OF. ANY SPECIFICS OF. WHAT THAT THOSE MANY GRANTS ACTUALLY TURNED INTO LIKE WHAT WHAT WERE THEY SUPPORTING? YEAH. >> SO UM THIS YEAR WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF ACTUALLY
PROVIDING I BELIEVE IT WAS AROUND 230,000 UM IN FUNDING RANGING FROM AROUND 4000 UM FOR THE SMALLEST GRANTEE UP TO 15,000 UM AND THESE UH WE WILL
BE EXPERIENCING A CUT IN THAT PROGRAM BUT UM WE'RE FORTUNATE FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION I MEET WITH FOLKS THERE ON A MONTHLY BASIS UM, TO COLLABORATE, LEARN ABOUT MORE
OPPORTUNITIES, THINK ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES EXIST, UM, WHETHER THAT'S. TO SUPPORT US. OR DIRECT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO UM BUT FOLKS, REALLY THIS IS A UH THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR
FIVE YEARS AND SO FOLKS HAVE REALLY BUILT UP ECOSYSTEMS TO UM, YOU KNOW, SUSTAIN THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING EVEN AFTER THE GRANT FUNDING ENDS. SO WE HAVE FOLKS RUNNING GROUP CIRCLES.
WE HAVE UM, REIKI STOPPED BY THE EAST BOSTON FARMERS MARKET AND GET SOME, YOU KNOW, REIKI UM, WE ALSO HAVE FOLKS OFFERING YOGA IN THE PARK. SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE ROOTED IN COMMUNITY.
GREAT. >> YEAH. THANK YOU. UH, I KNOW I'M SHORT ON TIME. UM. THE RAINBOW CROSSWALKS. RIGHT. >> TRYING TO GET I DON'T KNOW ARE YOU GUYS WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS AT BTD TO DO THAT
AND IF SO, WHAT IS YOUR LATEST UNDERSTANDING? I'M TRYING TO GET ONE UP IN THIS PARK IN THE SOUTH END FOR FOR A YEAR TO. REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE. UM, SO WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH STREETS CABINET ON THAT AS
SORT OF A CASE BY CASE. UM, WHAT IT ENTAILS IS MAKING SURE THAT ADA ACCESSIBILITY COMMUNITY BY IN UM AWARENESS THINGS LIKE THAT THERE'S A THERE'S MULTIPLE STEPS WE ALSO
UM STREETS WORKS WITH DIRECTLY WITH UM OWNS NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH THE DIFFERENT THINGS. EVERYONE'S BEEN SUPER SUPPORTIVE UM STREETS HAS BEEN A GREAT ALLY NO PUN INTENDED ON
THIS AND UM BUT FEEL FREE ANYONE CAN REACH OUT TO US AT LGBTQ@BOSTON.GOV UM AND WE CAN CONNECT THEM WITH STREETS OR REACH OUT TO THE STREETS IN 311
UM AND YES HAPPY TO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR INCREASED VISIBILITY ON OUR STREETS. I APPRECIATE THAT TOO AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO EVERYBODY THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL WILL SEVEN MINUTES. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ON THIS PANEL FOR YOUR SERVICE. UH. >> START WITH UH. UH LKE. THE PURCHASE.
OF ELR PRO DEVICES I KNOW THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON PAUSE. UM. >> TO STUDY THE USES DATA. UM, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR IN THE DATA TO I GUESS EXPAND. OR GROW OR STOP.
>> THE PILOT. I APOLOGIZE I THINK I MISSPOKE WE DID PURCHASE THEM SO WE DID 14 I ACTUALLY HAVE ONE BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO BE HERE AND. >> I CAN SHOW. >> IT TO YOU LATER. UM SO WE PURCHASED 14 UM AND WE
ARE PILOTING IT CURRENTLY WITH DEPARTMENTS UM AND THAT INCLUDES LIKE THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR FOLKS UM THE WHAT WE ARE STUDYING THROUGH THE PILOT HOWEVER IS WE DO
UNDERSTAND THAT INCORPORATING AI INTO LANGUAGE ACCESS IS A BIG DECISION AND IF WE WERE TO DO THAT ON A CITYWIDE SCALE, WE HAVE BEEN UH, REALLY HONING IN ON THE RISK FACTORS THE CASE BY
CASE USAGE AND SHARING QUALITY, UH CONTROL. AND WE ALSO KNOW THROUGH A LOT OF. UM, OUR. INVOLVEMENT IN SAFETY AI TASK FORCE ETC. THAT THE AND I'M
SURE YOU'RE A NERD ABOUT THIS IS I AM BUT THE THE ACTUAL TECHNOLOGY REALLY DEPENDS ON THE DATA THAT IS FED THROUGH IT AND A LOT OF THAT IS AVAILABLE ONLINE. AND SO OUR CONCERN IS MAINLY FOR LANGUAGES THAT ARE NOT THAT
COMMON. UM YOU KNOW HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT WE ARE ROLLING THIS OUT IN A WAY THAT'S UH SENSITIVE TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THE WORKFORCE
THAT IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE IMPACTED AND WE'RE WORKING WITH RTA AND OTHER FOLKS THERE AS WELL. >> I THINK YOU ANSWERED LIKE 2 OR 3 OF MY QUESTIONS IN RESPONSE. TO UM, UH, THIS. >> QUESTION. FROM A. >> GREAT ADVANCEMENT. UM, THE COUNCIL. AMENDMENT. >> UM. >> THAT SUPPORTED. >> THE.
ESOL PARENT CLASSES AND UH LEGAL SUPPORT. CAPACITY IF THOSE. DOLLARS ARE NOT RESTORED. ,I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE UM SPOKE ALREADY AROUND THE LEGAL
SUPPORT CAPACITY PORTION OF IT. SO THIS MORE SO CENTERED AROUND THE ESL PARENT CLASSES THOSE DOLLARS AND NIGHT AND. RESTORED WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS LANGUAGES SCHOOL COMMUNITIES UH WILL BE MOST IMPACTED.
YES. >> SO WE UM UH WE HAVE SOME OF THE FINDINGS FROM UH PREVIOUS FUNDING YEARS AND I CAN CERTAINLY UM, SHARE MORE OF THAT WITH YOU AFTER I UNFORTUNATELY DON'T HAVE THAT UM, AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW. AWESOME, AWESOME.
UH, THROUGH THE CHAIR IF I COULD GET THAT AND THEN YOU ARE PROJECTED YOU PROJECTED TO CONTINUE UH, FY 27 SERVICE LEVELS AROUND 500 YOUTH OVER 2000 CONSTITUENT INQUIRIES.
YES, UM, 600 FREE IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT CONSULTATIONS. UM. >> WHILE STILL CUTTING UH, YOUR BUDGET. UM, WHAT WORK IS BEING SHIFTED FROM COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO STAFF OR IS THIS ALL ALREADY BEING DONE INTERNALLY? UH, YEAH. >> SO UH, OUR FREE IMMIGRATION CONSULTATIONS ARE INTERNAL. UM SO AND WE'VE ACTUALLY AS YOU SAW, FAR SURPASS THAT NUMBER
ALREADY UM, WITH ABOUT 700 UH, FOLKS THAT HAVE RECEIVED CONSULTATIONS ALREADY UM, IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT WE UM DO HAVE FUNDING FOR THE SUMMER PROGRAMING AND WE HAVE STAFF UM
OUR IMMIGRANT YOUTH ORGANIZER WHO IS WORKING WITH BP'S UM AND PARTNERS ON HOW DO WE CONTINUE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR OUR YOUTH. UM, SO A LOT OF THE WORK UM, WE ARE ABLE TO DO INTERNALLY AND
THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE SHIFT THAT WORK AS WELL. AWESOME. >> THANK YOU. UM, MUELLER. AND HIS QUESTIONS FOR YOU. CONTRACTOR SERVICES ARE DROPPING FROM AROUND 340,000 UH
TO 40,000. IS THIS ALL GRANTS OR IS THIS GRANT AND OTHER SERVICES LIKE CONSULTING COMMUNITY EVENTS OR THIS IS OF OUR GRANTS? YEAH ABSOLUTELY.
SO MUELLER'S. OVERALL BUDGET IN. TOTAL WAS CUT BY 30% CONTRACTED SERVICES WHICH INCLUDES GRANTS
UH PROGRAMING AND EVENTS BUDGET WERE CUT BY 87% MEANING THAT ALL THREE GRANTS WERE CUT BY 100%. GOT IT.
UM AND THEN WE HAVE 45,000 REMAINING. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> FOR FY 27. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A EXTERNAL GRANT WITH THIS A THIS
IS A, UH, INTERNAL GRANT THE IDEA GRANT UM PROVIDED 70 K FOR GENDER AFFIRMING IDENTITY DOCUMENTS AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. UM, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT
GRANT FOR FY 27. AND IF THAT IF WE. >> DON'T RECEIVE THAT GRANT WHERE WHERE ARE WE DIRECTING CONSTITUENTS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. UM SO THAT GRANT HAS BEEN CUT UM FOR FY 20. THAT WAS AN.
>> EXTERNAL IT WAS THAT WAS AN INTERNAL. GRANT THAT WAS OUR MOLAR GRANT BEING GIVEN TO EXTERNAL UM COMMUNITY. SO UH OVERALL THAT GRANT WAS UM
RECEIVED TWICE THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. >> TWICE. THE AMOUNT YOU GIVE ME LIKE UH UH I. FIGURE UM I CAN I YES, I CAN GET THAT NUMBER FOR YOU AND MY
INCREDIBLE TEAM UP IN THE BALCONY HERE CAN HELP GET THAT TO ME. UM, SO $70,000 WAS GIVEN OUT, UM, TO KEY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH
AS UM NTPC EMERGENCY TRANSGENDER EMERGENCY FUND AND UH BLUE UM WITH UH LIFTING UP NTPC MASSACHUSETTS TRANS
POLITICAL COALITION DOING REALLY THE ONLY WORK OF ITS KIND UM AND SO UH THROUGH THIS A NUMBER OF BOSTON RESIDENTS
WERE ASSISTED WITH SPECIFIC NAME CHANGE SERVICES AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ADVOCATES UH BEING TRAINED TO PROVIDE THAT IN FACT
LIKE A TRAIN THE TRAINER UM SO IT WENT SPECIFICALLY SPECIFICALLY TO UH DOCUMENT CHANGE ASSISTANCE UM WHICH STILL REMAINS A VERY HIGH
IMPACT PROGRAM, UM, ENSURING THAT THESE RESIDENTS CAN UM REALLY AFFIRM AND SAFELY CHANGE THOSE UM IDENTITIES, WHICH IS IMPACTFUL.
WE KNOW AS FAR AS. UM. >> YOU KNOW, UH, EVERYTHING FROM HEALTH APPOINTMENTS TO TRAVELING THIS YEAR'S GRANT CYCLE WAS MORE EXCEPTIONALLY COMPETITIVE. UM, SO AGAIN, I HAD MENTIONED
WE WE RECEIVED MORE THAN TWICE THE NUMBER. SO REQUESTS IN GENERAL UM FOR THESE APPLICATIONS UH WERE CLOSE TO A HALF A MILLION.
SO FOR 69 UM THOUSAND UH THE OFFICE. UH INITIALLY HAD JUST 50,000 BUDGETED FOR THE AWARDS AND THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF EQUITY. INCLUSION. >> UM, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING
THAT UP TO THE 70 UH, WHICH REALLY UM. UH. >> HELPED MEET THAT. GAP IN THAT NEED. YES. >> AND AND YOU KNOW, CUTTING THOSE GRANTS UH, SINCE AGAIN, I'D SAY THIS IN THE 10 A.M.
HEARING IT SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY UH ,WHEN YOU SEE ONE POINT AND NEARLY $1.8 MILLION, UH, BEING CUT FROM IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT,
HALF A MILLION BEING CUT FROM. BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT, UH 400 CLOSE TO $400,000 FROM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION THE OFFICE OF EQUITY TAKEN 360 CLOSE TO
360,000 UH CUT UM OFFICER LGBTQ I I HATE TO PLUS TAKEN 283 UH A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN $283,000
WOMEN ADVANCEMENT 157,000 FOR HOUSING AND EQUITY $112,000 CUT OFFICE OF LANGUAGE COMMUNITY
ACCESS LCA $100,000 IN CUTS AND THEN IT JUST YOU SIT BACK AND YOU LOOK AT IT AND IT'S LIKE WHAT IS EQUITABLE ABOUT THESE
CUTS? THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WORRELL. UM SO I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. THEN AGAIN IF YOU'RE HERE TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PLEASE SIGN IN ON THE SHEET BY THE
ENTRANCE. UM, AFTER I SPEAK THEN UH, WE'LL WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THEN TO ANOTHER ROUND OF QUESTIONS FOR MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE, UH, HERE, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, SPEAKING TO FOLKS WHO SHOWED UP TODAY. UM, YEAH, I WAS I WAS IN THE
BOSTON HERALD THIS MORNING. UH UH, SOME THE HEADLINE WAS SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF UH, YOU KNOW, BOSTON CITY COUNCIL BUDGET CHAIR FLOATS
DEFUNDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO FUND VETERANS. UH, WHICH IS OVERSTATING IT. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING WE'VE GOT A $750,000 CUT TO VETERANS SERVICES.
WE HAD A COUPLE COUNCILORS WHO FLOATED A RESOLUTION WHICH WE PASSED TO TRY TO PRIORITIZE FUNDING VETERANS SERVICES. BUT YOU KNOW, IN THIS UNIVERSE OF OUR CITY BUDGET, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY HAS TO COME FROM
SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, THERE ARE YOU KNOW, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET $336 MILLION IS GOING UP 2.5%. UNLIKE, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENTS WE SEE BEFORE US
TODAY AND THERE'S ITEMS LIKE, UH, MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES WHERE THEY BUDGET 3.8 MILLION A YEAR AND THEY UNDERSPEND BY 900,000. WE COULD FUND THE VETERANS AND STILL HAVE 150,000 LEFT OVER
THAT THEY WON'T SPEND. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HEARD THAT PEOPLE YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO FUND UH, YOU KNOW, UH, VETERANS SERVICES OFF THE BACKS OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND.
BUT AS WE'RE TALKING TODAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING IT OFF THE BACKS OF OUR YOU KNOW, OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, OUR
YOUTH. SO WE ALL HAVE REALLY HARD CHOICES TO MAKE IN THIS BUDGET. THIS IS A FINITE AMOUNT OF MONEY. WE ALREADY COLLECT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAXES THAT
WE CAN'T PROP TWO AND A HALF. WE COLLECT THE MAXIMUM EVERY TIME THE TAX BILLS GOES OUT. WE WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THAT FROM THE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND RIGHTLY SO. PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAXES. SO ONE THING I'LL FLAG FOR
FOLKS HERE THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED THE TRANSFER FEE YOU KNOW, WHICH THIS COUNCIL HAS SUPPORTED AND WHICH THE MAYOR HAS SUPPORTED WHICH IS TO COLLECT 2% ON PROPERTY SALES
OVER $2 MILLION AND NOT OVER THE WHOLE THING, JUST 2% ON THE WHATEVER IS OVER $2 MILLION WHICH WOULD RESULT IN THE CITY COLLECTING AROUND $160 MILLION
EXTRA A YEAR WHICH WOULD PREVENT US FROM HAVING TO DECIDE YOU KNOW, KIND OF ARE WE HELPING FIREFIGHTERS ARE HELPING YOUTH, UH, AND MAKE THESE CHOICES AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW,
EVERYONE WE'VE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HEARINGS LIKE THIS ARTS AND CULTURE, YOUTH JOBS, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, LGBTQ COMMUNITY IMMIGRANTS AND
AND FOLKS ARE ARE TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, FIND THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. THERE IS A SOURCE OUT THERE THAT IS IN THE STATEHOUSE JUST DOWN THE ROAD. I HOPE WE HAVE THE SAME ENERGY
LOOKING FOR THOSE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYONE HERE TO 2% ON PROPERTY SALES OVER $2 MILLION IF WE CAN'T COLLECT THAT MONEY YOU KNOW REALLY WHAT WHAT CAN WE DO
FOR OUR COMMUNITIES? I JUST UM SO WE'VE WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF SO, UH, HOW ARE THESE CUTS IMPACTING SUICIDE PREVENTION? AND IF YOU MENTION THAT I KNOW
UH, WE HAVE WORKED ON THAT IN THE PAST THROUGH MOLLA. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM FOR YOUR QUESTION.
UM, AND SORT OF LIFTING IT UP, UM, IN A WAY THAT HELPS INCREASE VISIBILITY. I'M USING THIS PLATFORM ON THAT PIECE. UM, SO OUR BEYOND PRIDE GRANT
ALLOWS, UH, ORGANIZATIONS TO APPLY ACROSS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT UM, ASPECTS. UM, THE WE HOLD A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT UH, IN THE
FALL AND THROUGH THAT THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED UM SEVERAL DIFFERENT UH, SPECIFIC PRIORITY AREAS UH, HOUSING CRISIS RESPONSE, UM LEGAL ASSISTANCE
AND THEN SPECIFICALLY WELL-BEING, MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. UM SO MANY OF THESE CONTRIBUTE TO UM MENTAL HEALTH.
UM I WILL ALSO SAY THAT OUR TEAM UM OVER THE PAST YEAR HAS WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH BPH
SEE UM UM AND THE CENTER THERE UH, REALLY KIND OF ASSESSING HOW WE'RE WANTING TO MOVE COLLECTIVELY AND TOGETHER UM, UH SPECIFICALLY HAVE A DEEPENED
CONNECTION AGAIN WITH THE CENTER FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, UH, THROUGH STANDING COORDINATION MEETINGS, UH, FOCUSING ON SERVICE NAVIGATION, RAPID RESPONSE,
COMMUNITY BASED SUPPORT. UM AND THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS REALLY SPECIFICALLY CREATED UM MORE AFFIRMING PATHWAYS FOR RESIDENTS TO SEEK UM HEALTH AND
WELLNESS RESOURCES. UM WHAT I WILL SAY IS UM BASED ON NATIONAL DATA THAT THE RATES
UM TO SUICIDE HOTLINE UM AND OTHER NUMBERS ARE GOING UP AND HAVE GONE UP STEADILY OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. OKAY. >> WELL YEAH I, I WANT TO GET TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY JUST YOU
KNOW, I UH I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID ABOUT HOW PAINFUL THE CUTS TO, YOU KNOW, TO MOLAR NOYA ARE UH, AND THE CUTS WE HEARD ABOUT
THIS MORNING AND AND UM. YOU KNOW. >> I THINK WE'LL BE WORKING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO RESTORE THE, UH, IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO FORWARD. BUT, UH, SO, UH, I'M JUST GOING
TO SEE THE REST OF MY TIME. I'M GOING TO START CALLING ON FOLKS ON THE SIGN IN SHEET. UM, I'LL CALL OUT THE FIRST FIVE PEOPLE. I'M GOING TO APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE, UH, FOR UM,
MISPRONOUNCING NAMES OR MISREADING THEM. DON'T PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. UH UH, AISHA GASKINS, YOU'RE HERE THIS MORNING AND THEN SEAN CAHILL.
TANYA, UM, AND UH, I THINK I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT SAYS. UH, THERE'S TANYA FROM MASS EQUALITY. I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TRY AND THEN NINA.
UM, SO SOLVEIG MAYBE, UH. AND TREY ANDRE UH, FROM MJ. PC SO LET'S START THERE. SO TWO MINUTES. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS TO GET THROUGH.
UM, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY WHEN YOU HEAR THE BUZZER, PLEASE WRAP IT UP. AT LEAST MAKE EYE CONTACT TO ME THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR TIME IS UP. I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, PLAY PEOPLE OFF THE STAGE BUT,
UM, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TO TALK. UH, PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE ELSE HERE. MAKE SURE THEY GET HEARD. UH, AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE BUZZER, PLEASE TRY TO WRAP IT UP AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU
HEARD THE BUZZER. OTHERWISE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CHIME IN. SO, UH, MISS GASKINS. THANK YOU. TO CITY COUNCIL MINNESOTA COAL PEPPER.
MENARD COAL PEPPER. MISS GASKINS, YOU JUST LEAN CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE. I THINK I'LL PICK YOU UP BETTER. CITY COUNCIL MENARD COAL PEPPER YOUNG YOUTH. THIS IS FROM YOUNG YOUTH AND WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT ASIA.
GASKINS I'M ROXBURY, DORCHESTER MASSACHUSETTS I AM AN EMPATH AND WHICH MEANS THAT I HEAR AUDITORY VOICES. THAT ARE NOT PRESENT. SO I HAVE A DISABILITY.
AMERICA IS AT WAR WITH FOREIGN NATIONS. YOUNG YOUTH AND WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN SEARCHING FOR GRANTS AND FUNDING TO INVEST IN OUR YOUTH WHICH WE HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH
ISSUE THE IMMIGRANTS ARE VERY RUDE, AGGRESSIVE AND VIOLENT. THE CITY IS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR ADVANCEMENT WHEN THEY ARE THE ONE WHO ARE CREATING WORLD
WAR THREE QUESTION WHICH CONDITION CREATED THEM TO FLEE FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRY AND WHAT POLITICS HAVE THEY BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT THE AMERICAN RIGHTS ISSUE WHILE CONDUCTING
BUSINESS AND FILLING OUT AMERICAN FORUMS I CONTINUOUSLY ASSOCIATE WITH FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS WHO SPEAK THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, WHICH IS VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND FROM THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR ACCENT
QUESTION HOW WERE THEY TAUGHT TO READ ENGLISH AND WRITE ENGLISH? AND THEY ASSUME THAT THE AMERICANS DO NOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH? COMMENT AMERICANS DOESN'T
REQUIRE GREEK LANGUAGE THE FIRST BIBLICAL LANGUAGE TAUGHT TO EVERYONE. WHY IS THE SPANISH ISSUE THE IMMIGRANTS FOREIGNERS HAVE MORE ACCESS TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
DOCUMENTS THAN ANY BLACK AMERICAN THAT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR AMERICA SINCE THEY EXISTED AND THEIR FAMILIES EXIST. THE QUESTION WHY ARE THE IMMIGRANTS FOREIGNERS HIRED FOR GOVERNMENT POSITIONS BEFORE
BLACK AMERICANS ISSUE COMMISSIONS FOR DISABILITIES ARE STRUGGLING TO APPROVE FOR FUNDING FOR THEIR DISABILITY, AMERICANS HAVE MADE A PROMISE TO HELP THE LOW INCOME
RESTRICTED INCOME AND DISABLED NO MATTER COLOR, CREED OR RELIGION. QUESTION WHY IS THERE TO LITTLE TO NO HELP WITH BLACK AMERICANS WHO ARE DISABLED? WHY IS THERE LITTLE TO NO HELP
FOR OUR GROWING. SORRY CAN YOU WRAP UP? YES, I'M WRAPPING UP OUR GROWING FAMILIES. WE ARE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND IN GOD WE TRUST.
AND LAST QUESTION HOW ARE THE LGBTQ IA2F COMMUNITY ABLE TO BUILD THEIR FAMILIES AND HAVE CHILDREN WHILE BLACK AMERICANS HAVE DEPLETED TO HAVE CHILDREN?
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ADVANCEMENT IS CONDONED FOSTER AND CHILDREN AND HAVING FAMILIES WHILE THE BLACK AMERICAN IS SUFFERING AND NOT REPLENISHING THEIR YOUTH? I HAVE CONCLUDED MY CONCERNS
AND QUESTIONS FOR TODAY ALL RESPECTS TO MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. OKAY. >> UH SO SEAN CAHILL THEN TANYA, NINA AND TREY ANDRE.
OKAY. >> SEAN CAHILL HAD TO LEAVE. OKAY. >> UH, SURE. AND AGAIN, UH, JUST SAY YOUR NAME UH, ORGANIZATION UH, WHERE YOU'RE FROM. MY NAME IS TANYA LOUIJEUNE.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. OF MASS EQUALITY. I AM HERE TODAY TO. URGE YOU TO PROTECT FUNDING. FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF. LGBTQ PLUS. ADVANCEMENT AND. ALL OF THE OTHER. EQUITY CABINET DEPARTMENTS IN
THE CITY OF BOSTON. BUDGET FOR. ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS. THESE COMMUNITY GRANTS ARE NOT SYMBOLIC INVESTMENTS. THEY HAVE DIRECT IMPACT ON BOSTONIANS IN NEED OF SUPPORT.
FUNDING FROM MOLA ALLOWED OUR ORGANIZATION TO HOST COMMUNITY PROGRAMING AND REACH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE TOO OFTEN LEFT OUT OF TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS OF CARE AND SUPPORT. THESE PROGRAMS HAVE ENABLED US
TO REGISTER FIRST TIME VOTERS, EDUCATE PEOPLE FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY ON HOW TO ENGAGE IN ADVOCACY AND PROVIDE ARTS PROGRAMING REFLECTIVE OF THE IDENTITIES OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO DON'T OFTEN SEE THEMSELVES
REPRESENTED. THE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TANGIBLE THROUGH. >> THIS. FUNDING, LGBTQ PLUS RESIDENTS IN BOSTON HAVE HAD ACCESS TO SAFER SPACES, CULTURALLY COMPETENT SERVICES, MENTAL
HEALTH SUPPORT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION DURING A TIME WHEN ANTI LGBTQ+ RHETORIC AND DISCRIMINATION ARE DECREASING AND AT AN ALL TIME HIGH ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THESE GRANTS HELPED ENSURE THAT MARGINALIZED RESIDENTS PARTICULARLY TRANSGENDER PEOPLE WERE NOT FACING THESE CHALLENGES ALONE. IF THESE BUDGET CUTS MOVE FORWARD IN A COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING IS ELIMINATED.
THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE IMMEDIATE AND HARMFUL. COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ALREADY FACE DISPROPORTIONATE BARRIERS WILL LOSE RESOURCES AT THE EXACT TIME THEY ARE NEEDED THE
MOST. THE EQUITY CABINETS ARE SIMPLY NOT EQUIPPED TO DELIVER THE PROGRAMING THAT OUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE DELIVERING TO CITY RESIDENTS AND PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY THEY DO NOT HAVE THE DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SEEK TO SERVE. BEYOND THAT, WHEN ONLY $0.20 OF EVERY 100 PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS IS GOING TO LGBTQ PLUS
NONPROFITS, WE SIMPLY CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN THE POSITION WITH COMPETING WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR FUNDING. IT BENEFITS A CITY TO PARTNER WITH TRUSTED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS BY NOT ONLY
ENABLING OUR SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED RESIDENTS. I'M SORRY I'M WRAPPING UP UM, BUT ALSO BY HELPING TO FOSTER TRUST AND DEVELOP AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THOSE
COMMUNITIES AND THOSE IN CITY GOVERNMENT. WE ASK THE CITY TO REJECT CUTS THAT WOULD ELIMINATE COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING. BUDGETS ARE VALUE STATEMENTS
AND 30% CUT TO MOMA'S BUDGET, WHICH RESULTED IN AN 87% CUT TO THEIR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AND A COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF GRANT FUNDING, WHICH IS A KEY COMPONENT OF MULLER'S MISSION DEMONSTRATES A LACK OF CONCERN
FOR THE COMMUNITIES WHICH YOU SEEK TO SERVE. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU I GET TO BE ON TIME AND TIMING SO LET'S TRY TO KEEP IT TO TWO MINUTES. UH EVERYONE AND UM OKAY.
UH SO YES. UH, NINA. YES. >> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WHO ARE STILL HERE. UM, MY NAME IS NINA SILVER JOE. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GREATER BOSTON FLAG AND A
HYDE PARK RESIDENT. GREATER BOSTON FLAG SUPPORTS FAMILIES, SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS AND CREATING SAFER AND MORE AFFIRMING SPACES FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE AND THOSE WHO LOVE THEM.
I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO PROTECT FUNDING FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQ ADVANCEMENT AND THE EQUITY CABINET DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND KEEP THE PROGRAMING IN THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN DOING IT FOR DECADES NOW. AND UM, WE ARE THE EXPERTS, WE HAVE THE CONTENT AND WE HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS. OUR ORGANIZATION SERVES HUNDREDS OF LGBTQ YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON, AND WE STRONGLY
SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF THESE COMMUNITY GRANTS IN THE FY 27 BUDGET. EVERY WEEK WE HEAR FROM FAMILIES NAVIGATING SYSTEMS THAT WERE NOT BUILT WITH LGBTQ PEOPLE IN MIND SCHOOLS WITHOUT
CLEAR POLICIES FOR INCLUSION, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS UNFAMILIAR WITH GENDER DIVERSE CARE AND UM YOUNG PEOPLE WHO FEAR THAT THEY'RE BEING TARGETED SIMPLY FOR BEING THEMSELVES.
ACCORDING TO THE TREVOR PROJECT YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT SUICIDE. WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK AND AN INCREASE UM, IN ANY PLACE WHERE ANTI LGBTQ LAWS OR POLICIES ARE
PASSED AND 90% OF LGBTQ, LGBTQ YOUTH SAY RECENT LAWS AND POLITICAL DEBATES ABOUT THE VERY EXISTENCE OF LGBTQ PEOPLE NEGATIVELY IMPACTS OUR YOUTH MENTAL.
HEALTH AT A TIME WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL UNSAFE, UNSAFE AND UNSUPPORTED. BOSTON SHOULD CONTINUE TO SHOW LEADERSHIP AND WE SHOULD COMMIT VERBALLY, ON PAPER AND FINANCIALLY TO DOING WHAT IT TAKES TO CREATE INCLUSIVE
SPACES. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS WE'VE RECEIVED A MODEST GRANT FROM MILA THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO PROVIDE FREE TRAINING TO UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS STAFF AND
CAREGIVERS, HELPING TO BUILD SAFER ENVIRONMENTS ACROSS THE CITY. BOSTON HAS LONG POSITIONED ITSELF AS A LEADER IN EQUITY AND INCLUSION PRESERVING FUNDING FORMULA, AND THE EQUITY CABINET IS CLEAR AND NECESSARY
COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, COMMUNITY SAFETY AND BELONGING . WE URGE YOU TO REJECT THESE CUTS AND FULLY SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE THIS WORK POSSIBLE. BUDGETS TELL A STORY NOT ONLY
OF YOUR PRIORITIES BUT WHO THE PRIORITIES ARE IN THE CITY. OUR COMMUNITIES NEED SUSTAINED INVESTMENT NOT DIVESTMENT AT A TIME OF GROWING NEED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, SO I'VE UH FOR ANYONE
WAITING ONLINE WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THE UH, IN PERSON TESTIMONY AND THEN GET TO YOU UH, MAYBE THERE'S ABOUT 20 OR SO FOLKS, UH, AHEAD OF YOU IN MIND.
SO TREY ANDRE THEN THERE'S JEFF WALKER, THERE'S ALSO JEFF WALKER ONLINE SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S THE SAME PERSON. UH, SORELLA UH, LYMAN COHEN, CAROLYN CRONIN AND CLAUDIA
GREEN. SO, UH, TREY ANDRE GOOD. AFTERNOON, CHAIR. >> PERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS TREY ANDRE VALENTINE . I'M A JP RESIDENT AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS TRANSGENDER POLITICAL COALITION, THE OLDEST ACTIVE TRANSGENDER ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY. I'M HERE TODAY URGING THE COUNCIL TO RESTORE FUNDING TO THE COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAMS
WITHIN THE EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET, INCLUDING THE GRANTS ADMINISTERED THROUGH MOLA. LAST MARCH, THIS COUNCIL VOTED 12 TO 1 TO MAKE BOSTON A SANCTUARY CITY FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE.
THAT VOTE MATTERED DEEPLY TO OUR COMMUNITY AT A TIME WHEN TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE FACING ESCALATING POLITICAL ATTACKS, IT SENT A MESSAGE THAT BOSTON WOULD STAND WITH US, PROTECT US AND INVEST
IN OUR SAFETY AND DIGNITY. A SANCTUARY CITY CANNOT EXIST IN NAME ONLY SANCTUARY REQUIRES ACTION. IT REQUIRES RESOURCES AND IT REQUIRES MEANINGFUL INVESTMENT IN THE ORGANIZATIONS DOING THE
DAY TO DAY WORK OF SUPPORTING THE VERY COMMUNITIES THE CITY SAYS IT WANTS TO PROTECT. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, MTC HAS PARTNERED WITH THE CITY THROUGH MOLA FUNDING TO PROVIDE
DIRECT SUPPORT TO TRANS AND NON-BINARY BOSTON RESIDENTS. MORE THAN 60% OF THESE FUNDS WENT DIRECTLY TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR NAME CHANGES RENT, FOOD, BASIC NEEDS UH THESE
PARTNERSHIPS MATTER BECAUSE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MTC ARE OFTEN THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE CITY AND COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN MARGINALIZED, CRIMINALIZED OR EXCLUDED FROM SYSTEMS OF POWER.
WITHOUT TRUSTED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, THE CITY LOSES ONE OF ITS MOST IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS TO THE VERY PEOPLE IT CLAIMS IT WANTS TO PROTECT. THESE GRANTS ARE NOT SYMBOLIC AND THEY DO NOT JUST FUND
PROGRAMS THEY BUILD TRUST, RELATIONSHIPS AND ACCESS AT A MOMENT WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND EXTREMIST MOVEMENTS ARE TARGETING TRANSGENDER PEOPLE WITH INCREASING HOSTILITY NOW IT'S NOT THE TIME FOR BOSTON TO
RETREAT FROM ITS COMMITMENTS. DEFUNDING THESE PROGRAMS UNDERMINES THE VERY PROMISE THIS COUNCIL MADE WHEN IT DECLARED BOSTON A SANCTUARY CITY. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO RESTORE THESE FUNDS AND DEMONSTRATE
THAT BOSTON'S COMMITMENT TO TRANSGENDER RESIDENTS IS NOT JUST RHETORICAL BUT REAL. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU A+ ON TIMING. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, SO JEFF WALKER UH AND UH,
SORELLA UH, LYMAN COHEN, CAROLYN CRONIN AND CLAUDIA GREEN. HI. >> UM, I AM ALSO THE JEFF WALKER ONLINE SO YOU CAN, UM, REMOVE HER IN PERSON. GREAT. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRPERSON
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THANK YOU ALL. UM, I HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH INCREDIBLE WORK WAS HAPPENING IN THIS CITY BY YOUR ESTEEMED LEADER, SO THANK YOU. UM, AGAIN, I'M JEFF WALKER.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF LGBTQ SENIOR HOUSING IN HYDE PARK. UM, I URGE YOU TO PROTECT THE FUNDING FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQ PLUS ADVANCEMENT MOLA AND ALL OTHER EQUITY AND
INCLUSION DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON FUNDING FOR A MODEL THAT ALLOWED OUR ORGANIZATION TO HOST COMMUNITY PROGRAMING AND PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO LGBTQ
ELDERS IN INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSING AND KEEP THEM SAFELY AND SECURELY HOUSED. THIS FUNDING ENABLED US TO REACH NEARLY 3000 INDIVIDUALS
LAST YEAR INCLUDING LGBTQ, TRANSGENDER ADULTS AND YOUTH RESIDENTS, BOSTON AREA SENIORS AND BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE TOO OFTEN LEFT OUT OF TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS OF CARE
AND SUPPORT. THROUGH THIS FUNDING, LGBTQ PLUS RESIDENTS IN BOSTON HAD ACCESS TO OVER 300 PROGRAMS LAST YEAR. IF THE BUDGET CUTS ARE ENACTED, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL LOSE
AFFIRMING SPACES AND TRUSTED RESOURCES AT THE EXACT MOMENT THEY ARE NEEDED MOST. WE ASK THAT COUNCIL. WE ASK THE COUNCIL TO REJECT CUTS THAT WOULD ELIMINATE COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING AND
INSTEAD FULLY FUND THE EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET DEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE THIS WORK POSSIBLE. OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE SUSTAINED INVESTMENT, NOT
DISINVESTMENT DURING MOMENTS OF GROWING NEED. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. ANOTHER A-PLUS. UH OKAY. SORELLA AND THEN CAROLYN, CLAUDIA GREEN AND AUDREY
MARTINEZ. UH, GOOD TO COME. GOOD AFTERNOON. CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS. >> OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME. >> IS SORELLA LYMAN. COHEN AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE. DIRECTOR OF COMMUNIST NEVER. EXPERIENCING SHAME AND TRAUMA.
Q NEST IS. >> A YOUNG NONPROFIT THAT BENEFITED. FROM A BEYOND. PRIDE GRANT WHICH PROVIDED THE INITIAL FUNDED NEEDING. >> TO LAUNCH A PEER. SUPPORT GROUP FOR. LGBTQ PLUS. >> YOUTH. . >> SINCE RECEIVING THIS.
SUPPORT THE PROMPTING THE PROGRAM HAS EXPANDED FROM ONE GROUP TO MULTIPLE. GROUPS ACROSS THE CITY. WHAT BEGAN. WITH ONLY A HANDFUL OF. PARTICIPANTS HAS NOW SERVED MORE THAN 25.
YOUNG PEOPLE, HELPING THEM FEEL SEEN, SUPPORTED AND SAFE. THIS WORK WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT WE RECEIVED FROM I KNOW KUNIS IS NOT ALONE.
MANY LGBTQ PLUS NONPROFITS ACROSS BOSTON WORK EVERY DAY TO FILL CRITICAL GAPS AND SUPPORT COMMUNITIES WHOSE NEEDS MIGHT OTHERWISE GO UNMET.
THESE PARTNERSHIPS ALLOW THE CITY TO EXTEND ITS REACH AND IMPACT IN MEANINGFUL AND COST EFFECTIVE WAYS. I URGE. >> YOU TO PROTECT FUNDING FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQ TO
US PLUS ADVANCEMENT IN OTHER EQUITY CABINET DEPARTMENTS SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND CONSIDERATION. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UM OKAY. CAROLYN CRONIN, CLAUDIA GREEN,
AUDREY UH, MARTINEZ AND MERCEDES, UH, LOVING UH, MANLY. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRPERSON AND. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UM. >> MY NAME. >> IS CAROLYN CRONIN.
I'M A RESIDENT AT 55 HARVARD AVENUE IN THE HYDE PARK A BUILDING KNOWN AS THE PRIDE. WHICH IS AN. AN INCOME RESTRICTED BUILDING
THAT IS AFFIRMING TO LGBTQ. PLUS UM ELDERS OVER 62 PROGRAMING THERE IS PROVIDED
THROUGH LGBT SENIOR HOUSING A NONPROFIT THAT WAS ITS MISSION IS TO END SHELTER ISOLATION AMONG OTHER THINGS AND PROVIDE SAFE HOUSING. SO I. >> SPEAK TO YOU NOT AS AN
EXPERT BUT AS A RECEIVER OF THEIR SERVICES AND WE'RE HEARING ABOUT. LACK OF MONEY. WE KNOW THERE IS A LACK OF MONEY, BUT THERE IS ALSO IN
TERMS OF WHERE DO MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES LIKE THE LGBT COMMUNITY FIND MONEY UM, AND WHERE ELSE BUT GOVERNMENT FUNDING IS MOST CRITICAL HERE.
WE KNOW UM. THAT IT. >> JUST DOES NOT COME FROM THE GENERAL POPULATION. SO I ASK YOU UM, ALL TO YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR
WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DONE BUT WHAT IS BEING DONE BY LGBT SENIOR HOUSING IS KEEPING ELDERS SAFE, SAFELY HOUSED, FULLY ENGAGED AND FEELING
WELCOME IN BOSTON HAS A REPUTATION TO BE WELCOMING TO THE LGBT COMMUNITY BUT WITHOUT FUNDING IT'S KIND OF A PROMISE THAT ISN'T KEPT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM OKAY CAROLYN I KNOW SO THAT WAS CAROLYN, UH, CLAUDIA GREEN NEXT. UM. >> ACTUALLY I'M KIRSTEN KEELS. UM, CLAUDIA HAS SO GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED ME TO. SKIP AHEAD JUST A BIT. UM, OKAY.
YEAH. >> IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH. THAT TO TO TOTALLY FINE GO TO THE CODE THING. >> I WAS LIKE, I GOT A RED. >> SOX GAME TO CATCH. MY FIRST. OKAY. >> I KNOW. >> GO SOX. YEAH OKAY. NO PANDERING. NO PANDERING.
UNDERSTOOD. KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL. UM OKAY GOOD. AFTERNOON CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF. CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS KIRSTEN KEELS AND I AM SPEAKING. ON BEHALF. >> OF. LGBTQ SENIOR HOUSING IN HYDE
PARK. I URGE YOU TO. PROTECT FUNDING FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF. LGBTQ PLUS ADVANCEMENT MOLA. AND OTHER EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. FUNDING FOR MOLA ALLOWED OUR
ORGANIZATION TO HOST COMMUNITY PROGRAMING AND PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR. LGBTQ ELDERS IN INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSING AND KEEP THEM SAFELY AND SECURELY HOUSED TO WITNESS OUR. ELDERS THE MOST VULNERABLE
OF US. FINALLY EXPERIENCE BELONGING, COMMUNITY AND. ACCEPTANCE AFTER. DECADES OF. SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PERSECUTION HAS BEEN LIFE CHANGING TO. SEE AS. >> A YOUNGER PERSON.
THE ELDERS I WORK WITH. ARE A PART OF OUR CITY'S LIVING HISTORY THAT DESERVES TO BE HEARD AND RESPECTED. IN PRACTICE. AND IN POLICY. AS THE ONLY MULTI-GENERATIONAL. LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY CENTER IN
BOSTON, WE EXIST AT THE FOREFRONT OF INTERSECTIONAL COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. THIS FUNDING. ENABLED US TO REACH NEARLY 3000 INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING LGBTQ, TRANSGENDER ADULTS AND.
YOUTH RESIDENTS, BOSTON AREA SENIORS AND THE BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS. >> WHO. ARE OFTEN. LEFT OUT OF. TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS OF CARE AND SUPPORT. . >> THROUGH THIS FUNDING, LGBTQ. PLUS RESIDENTS IN BOSTON HAD ACCESS TO OVER 300 PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES A YEAR. IF THE BUDGET CUTS ARE ENACTED. COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL LOSE AFFIRMING SPACES AND TRUSTED RESOURCES AT THE EXACT MOMENT THEY ARE NEEDED MOST. AS A NATION TENDS FURTHER TOWARDS FASCISM AND. AMPLIFIED FOR.
>> AMPLIFIED DEMONIZATION OF OUR COMMUNITY. ALONGSIDE FUNDING. ALREADY BEING SLASHED FROM CITY SUPPORTS LIKE THE STRONG COMMISSION, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY OUR DUTY TO STAND FIRM AGAINST IF ACTIONS
SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS THAN THE ACTION OF PROPOSING EXTREME CUTS TO. ESSENTIAL FUNDING FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY SPEAKS VOLUMES. IS BOSTON ONLY A CITY FOR THE STRAIGHT. THE WHITE. THE GENDER CONFORMING AND
ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 55? PERSONALLY THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE BOSTON I FALLEN IN LOVE WITH. NOR CITY I WOULD BE PROUD TO CALL. >> MY. HOME LAST THING. WE ASK THE COUNCIL TO REJECT CUTS THAT WOULD ELIMINATE COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING AND. >> INSTEAD.
FULLY FUND THE. EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET DEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE THIS WORK POSSIBLE. OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE SUSTAINED INVESTMENT, NOT. DIVESTMENT DURING. MOMENTS OF GROWING NEED. WE'RE HERE. WE'RE AND BOSTON IS BETTER FOR
IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH GOOD LUCK AT THE GAME TO EVERYONE. UM, CLAUDIA GREEN. ,ENJOY THE GAME.
UH. >> IS IT RAINING OUTSIDE? I DON'T KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE ALL DAY. IT'S APPARENTLY NICE TO HAVE. SOME SORT OF. ORB OF LIGHT COMING THROUGH THE CLOUDS. OKAY, GO. UM, HELLO. >> MY NAME IS. CLAUDIA GREEN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF ENGLISH FOR NEW BOSTONIANS, THE CITY'S PARTNER FOR 25 YEARS. AND IN FACT WE WERE FOUNDED OUT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF NEW BOSTONIANS, WHICH TODAY IS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT. THANK YOU FOR. >> HAVING US HERE. UM.
>> I, UM I'M HERE TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO SUBMIT AN AMENDMENT TO MAYOR WAS BUDGET FOR. >> THE LEVEL. FUNDING AT 500,000 FOR PARENT ENGLISH CLASSES ACROSS. BOSTON SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMING YEAR.
PARENTS INVOLVEMENT IS THE SINGLE MOST CRITICAL. FACTOR IN DETERMINING CHILDREN'S SUCCESS AT SCHOOL. IT'S MORE THAN SOCIOECONOMICS, MORE THAN STUDENT BACKGROUND OR THE TYPE. >> OF SCHOOL. THAT A. >> CHILD ATTENDS.
TO FULLY SUPPORT. CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC SUCCESS, IMMIGRANT PARENTS NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND SCHOOLS. NEED TO. COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS. ENGLISH SKILLS.
HELP IMMIGRANT PARENTS TO. >> BE ABLE TO SELECT THE SCHOOLS. >> THAT ARE RIGHT FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO HELP THEIR KIDS LEARN AT HOME AND TO. USE THEIR VOICE TO. ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S INTERESTS. UH AND UNIQUE NEEDS.
TO BE CLEAR, WE. FULLY APPRECIATE. THE SITUATION OF THE CITY'S BUDGET AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE FEAR AND UNCERTAINTIES FACING IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, THE NEED IS GREATER NOW THAN EVER.
IN THIS HELLISH YEAR. ENGLISH CLASSES ARE A LIFELINE . >> THEY'RE A PLACE OF. COMMUNITY AND INFORMATION AND A PATH FORWARD FOR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. IT'S WHERE. >> THEY GET INFORMATION ON A LOT OF THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT. TODAY LEGAL RESOURCES.
INFORMATION ABOUT. HOUSING, FOOD, ETC.. UM, AND IT'S ALSO A WAY FOR PARENTS FOR TO HOLD ON TO AND FAMILY PROGRAMING AND STAY IN TOUCH WITH IMMIGRANT FAMILIES.
THE COUNCIL VOTED 11. TWO TWO YEARS AGO AND. UNANIMOUSLY LAST JUNE TO SUPPORT PARENT ENGLISH CLASSES AND I. HOPE THAT YOU WILL AGAIN TODAY I WANT TO SHARE WITH. YOU THE. IMPACT THAT YOUR VOTE HAD.
THE TWO OF. >> YOU THAT ARE HERE AND THE REST OF. YOU UM AND WELCOME TO. UH COUNCILOR CULPEPER UM. THIS YEAR IN. FY 26 AND BE APPLIED. >> FOR. AND RECEIVED SUPPORT FOR OUR. S OR OUR ESL FOR PARENTS
INITIATIVE AND MOYA APPROVED OUR MOVE. >> THE RFP PROCESS. EFFICIENTLY AND COMMITTED THE FUNDS TO ALIGN WITH THE REGULAR ESL PROGRAM. >> HERE AND IT WORKED GREAT. WITH AN ADDITIONAL 250,000 THIS YEAR. ENGLISH FOR NEW BOSTONIANS.
SUPPORTED PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. PLANNING AND. IMPLEMENTATION AND I WANT TO. >> BE. CLEAR THAT AS PER ENGLISH FOR NEW. BOSTONIANS MODEL, WE SPREAD THE FUNDS. ACROSS TEN.
COMMUNITY SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS. WE LAUNCHED SIX NEW CLASSES 666 NEW CLASSES AT AT UM SIX NEW SITES AND WE SUSTAINED. UH TEN EXISTING CLASSES AND.
>> TO ANSWER UM UH COUNCILOR WARHOL'S. QUESTION THE NEW CLASS THE CLASSES ARE IN. DORCHESTER, MATTAPAN, ROXBURY, JAMAICA PLAIN. EAST BOSTON, BRIGHTON, CHINATOWN UH AND ROSLINDALE.
UM AND THAT WAS 400. AND TO PARENTS OVER. >> THE LAST. TWO YEARS. . >> UM SO. YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE NEXT PERSON TESTIFYING AUDREY MARTINEZ GO TO PACK FROM PARENTS THEM. THROUGH HER. FROM PARENTS THEMSELVES.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK. YOU AGAIN. >> TO PLEASE HELP CONTINUE BUILDING RATHER. THAN WASTING. TWO YEARS OF HARD WORK. AND TO HELP US TO BE THE BOSTON THAT WE WANT TO BE BY INVESTING IN IMMIGRANT. CHILDREN AND. >> FAMILIES BY.
SUPPORTING PARENT ENGLISH CLASSES. >> THANK YOU. OKAY THANK YOU GREAT WORK D MINUS ON TIME MANAGEMENT BUT UH THANK YOU. UH I'M WORKING ON IT. OKAY. UH IT'S MARTINEZ. HI. >> UM, COUNSELORS.
SO AS A FORMER TEACHER AND EDUCATION RESEARCHER, I KNOW PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN A CHILD'S EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WAY TO ENSURE CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC SUCCESS. THAT'S WHY AS A PARENT, I GOT
INVOLVED IN MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL WHILE WORKING WITH OTHER MULTILINGUAL PARENTS. I LEARNED THAT ACCESS TO ENGLISH CLASSES WAS THEIR TOP PRIORITY SO THEY COULD HELP THEIR CHILDREN AT SCHOOL.
WITH DOCTORS TO GET BETTER JOBS AND BETTER HOUSING. THAT'S WHY I HELPED CREATE A PARTNERSHIP WITH ENGLISH FOR NEW BOSTONIANS FOUR YEARS AGO AT THE WINSHIP SCHOOL.
IT'S VERY SCARY FOR PARENTS TO LEAVE THEIR CHILDREN WITH STRANGERS THEY CAN'T FULLY COMMUNICATE WITH FOR SO MANY HOURS. IT'S EVEN MORE PAINFUL WHEN THEY CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN ABOUT WHAT
THEY ARE LEARNING AT SCHOOL. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A CHILD IS DOING SCIENCE PROJECTS ABOUT THE. SOLAR SYSTEM OR GEOLOGY, HOW CAN THE CHILD TALK ABOUT THIS WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW THE SCIENTIFIC TERMS IN THEIR
NATIVE LANGUAGE? HOW CAN A PARENT HELP THEIR CHILD WHEN THEY ARE SEEING THEM STRUGGLE WITH HOMEWORK LIKE READING AND MATH, THE ENGLISH FOR NEW BOSTONIANS CURRICULUM
HELPS TO CLOSE THAT GAP. N.B. HELPS PARENTS UNDERSTAND REPORT CARDS WHAT IS A PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE? HOW TO USE LIBRARIES, THE VALUE
OF READING WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND ALSO COMMUNICATES WITH THEM ABOUT VITAL COMMUNITY COMMUNITY RESOURCES. THE LETTERS I HAVE HERE ARE FROM 22 PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN ATTENDING SCHOOLS IN
BOSTON. UM MOST OF THEM COULD NOT COME BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK SCHEDULES OR BECAUSE THEY WERE FEARFUL. UM FOR EXAMPLE WHEN WHEN A PARENT ENGLISH CLASSES HELPS MY
CHILD AND ME SHARE SCHOOL AND INTERESTING STORIES AT. SCHOOL UH, A QUINCY SCHOOL PARENT SAID BEFORE I TOOK THIS CLASS I WAS AFRAID TO TALK TO TEACHERS BECAUSE I COULD NOT
UNDERSTAND OR ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS. UH, ANOTHER PARENT FROM THE CURTIS GUILD. NOW I CAN COMMUNICATE CONFIDENTLY WITH MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL AND HAVE THE TOOLS AND
SUPPORT I NEED TO PURSUE MY DREAMS. SO WE HAVE EXTREMELY TALENTED FAMILIES WHO HAVE SO MUCH TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN. AND NOW WITH BUDGET CUTS IN SCHOOLS WE DESPERATELY NEED
THEIR PARTNERSHIP FOR OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH CLAUDIA. TAKE NOTES. UH UH OKAY. UH, MERCEDES THAT ANDREW. UH, CHO MATISSE DUPONT.
ELIJAH IAN NOUGAT AND UH, RAINBOW. GOOD AFTERNOON. CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MERCEDES LOVING MANLEY AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF PRIDE EXTENDED
INCORPORATED, A COMMUNITY DRIVEN PLATFORM FOR RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION, HEALING AND ADVOCACY WITH HEIGHTENED URGENCY ON BLACK AND TRANSGENDER POPULATIONS. I URGE YOU TO PROTECT FUNDING
FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQ PLUS ADVANCEMENT, MOLA AND OTHER EQUITY CABINET DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. FUNDING FROM OLA ALLOWED OUR ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS CRUCIAL TO SUSTAINING
THE SECURITY AND WELL-BEING OF THOSE WE SERVE. THIS FUNDING AND HELP ENABLED US TO REDISTRIBUTE OVER $10,000 ANNUALLY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OFTEN LEFT OUT OF TRADITIONAL
SYSTEMS OF CARE AND SUPPORT. OUR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, ALONG WITH THE HELP OF THIS FUNDING HAS PROVIDED LGBTQ PLUS RESIDENTS IN BOSTON ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD, SAFE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION AND
MEDICAL SUPPORT. FURTHER, THESE GRANTS HELP ENSURE THAT THE CITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP BUILD TRUST BETWEEN THE CABINETS AND THE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THAT THEY REPRESENT. THESE GRANTS ARE NOT ONLY TANGIBLE RESOURCE, BUT THEY
SERVE AS BRIDGES BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS CITY WHAT IT IS. IT'S THROUGH THESE GRANTS THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS LIKE MYSELF HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MEET FOLKS WHERE THEY ARE, WHICH IS A QUESTION THAT.
HAS BEEN. TOSSED AROUND TODAY IF THESE BUDGET CUTS MOVE FORWARD AND COMMUNITY GRANTS FUNDING IS LIMITED, THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE IMMEDIATE AND HARMFUL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS WILL BE
FORCED TO REDUCE PROGRAMS, SERVE FEWER PEOPLE OR ELIMINATE CRITICAL SERVICES ALTOGETHER. COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL LOSE AFFIRMING SPACES AND TRUSTED RESOURCES AT THE EXACT MOMENT THAT THEY'RE NEEDED MOST.
THE DECISION TO DEFUND LGBTQ PLUS PROGRAMING DURING THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT FEELS LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE TO ORGANIZERS LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE CALLED IN YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT FOR PHOTO
OPS AND PUBLIC AGENDAS THE TIME FOR ACTUALLY SHOWING UP AND PUTTING MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTHS ARE FOR THE SAKE OF ALL OF OUR WELL-BEING AND SECURITY IS NOW TRANS YOUTH IN PARTICULAR WHO FACE HEIGHTENED RISK
OF CRIMINALIZATION HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED CUTS TO THEIR GENDER AFFIRMING CARE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUTH AGES 17 AND UNDER FROM KEY MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE. NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR DIVESTMENT.
NOW IS THE TIME TO PROMOTE SAFE SPACES AND INVEST IN THEM FOR BLACK FOLKS, BROWN FOLKS, POOR DISABLED, IMMIGRANT, TRANSGENDER WOMEN ALL OF OUR LIVES DEPEND ON IT.
LASTLY, LAST YEAR MAYOR WU PUBLICLY AND NOTABLY SPOKE IN OPPOSITION TO FEDERAL OFFICIALS WHO WERE QUOTE, ATTACKING COMMUNITIES THAT EMBODY DIVERSITY, CREATIVITY AND MORAL FLAHERTY.
TODAY IN THIS MOMENT, I'D LIKE TO REMIND MAYOR WU THAT YOU DO NOT GET TO REPRESENT US WITHOUT ACTUALIZING THE DIVERSITY AND MORAL FLAHERTY THAT YOU SPEAK OF. WE ASK THE COUNCIL TO REJECT CUTS THAT WOULD ELIMINATE
COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING AND INSTEAD FULLY FUND THE EQUITY CABINET DEPARTMENT AND MAYBE EVEN GIVE SOME MORE. MONEY TO EQUITY CABINET. THAT MAKES THIS WORK POSSIBLE. OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE SUSTAINED INVESTMENT NOT
DIVESTMENT DURING MOMENTS OF GROWING NEED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY THANK YOU AGAIN. IF YOU HEAR THE BEEP PLEASE JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'RE OVER TIME AND I REALLY DON'T
WANT TO CUT PEOPLE OFF BUT UH WE'VE GOT A WAYS TO GO HERE SO THANK YOU. MERCEDES. UH, ANDREW. UH, CHO UH, METIS DUPONT ELIJAH OR NEW GUY AND THEN RAINBOW.
UH GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, MY NAME IS ANDREW CHO. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC AND OPERATIONS AT. ABILITY STANDS. >> IN BOSTON. I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE FOUNDER OF THE ORGANIZATION, ELISE PATTERSON AND THE
ORGANIZATION OVERALL AND SUPPORT OF THESE DEPARTMENTS, UH, THAT HAVE SUPPORTED OUR WORK AND ALLOWED US TO REACH THE MULTIPLE UH, MARGINALIZED IN OUR COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE GRANTS THAT PROVIDED FREE MOVEMENT CLASSES ON SITE AT SIX DIFFERENT BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY LOCATIONS WHERE
ATTENDANCE WAS 90% IMMIGRANTS. THEY SELF REPORTED RECEIVING LESS THAN $10,000 ANNUALLY AND WITHOUT OUR FREE ONSITE SERVICES THEY COULD NOT ACCESS PROGRAMING AND WITH OUR
PROGRAMING THEY SELF-REPORTED A WIDER RANGE UH WIDE, A WIDER MOVEMENT RANGE, INCREASED SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND OTHER FACTORS THAT LED TO GREATER PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS.
WITH THIS CUT IN FUNDING WE WILL HAVE TO DECREASE OUR OFFERINGS WHICH WILL ONLY LEAD TO INCREASED ISOLATION TO OUR MARGINALIZED STUDENTS AS WELL AS REDUCED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR DIVERSE
AND DISABLED TEACHING STAFF. LEADING THIS WORK IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OFFICE OF LGBTQIA TO S PLUS ADVANCEMENT, WE ARE EXPLORING HOW FUNDING CAN SUPPORT OUR
LARGELY AND TRANS STAFF WHO IN TURN SUPPORT OUR AND TRANS PRODUCTIONS AND STUDENTS AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR IDENTITIES ACROSS OUR PROGRAMING. THEIR OFFICE HAS BEEN HELPFUL AND AMPLIFYING OUR WORK AND THE
WORK OF OUR COLLEAGUES TO ENSURE OUR LGBTQIA TWO S PLUS COMMUNITY FEEL SUPPORTED IN THIS TIME. THESE CUTS WILL DRASTICALLY, UH ,NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR
ORGANIZATION AND WHAT WE PROVIDE FOR THE CITY. THEY NEED. >> TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THE RIPPLE EFFECTS WILL BE SEVERE FOR THE CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THE MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE SERVE SUCH AS BRIGHTON, BACK BAY
SOUTH AND DORCHESTER AND MORE. UM, THANK. >> YOU. FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. UH, OKAY. UM, MATTIS HI. UM HELLO. MY NAME IS MATTHIAS DUPONT. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF
HISTORY BOSTON, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY ARCHIVES DOCUMENTING LESBIAN, GAY, TRANSGENDER, . INTERSEX. >> ASEXUAL TWO SPIRIT AND MORE HISTORY OF BOSTON, NEW ENGLAND I URGE YOU TO PROTECT COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF.
LGBTQ PLUS ADVANCEMENT AND EQUITY INCLUSION CABINET AT LARGE. THESE GRANTS HAVE HELPED BUILD TRUST BETWEEN THE UM, THE CABINET AND THE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THEY REPRESENT AND TRUST TAKES YEARS TO BUILD AND
CAN BE LOST IN A SINGLE BUDGET CYCLE IF CAUGHT AND HISTORY TELLS US IF FUNDING IS CUT IT OFTEN DOES NOT GET RESTORED. AND MAY 1981 DURING BUDGET CUTS DRIVEN BY PROPOSITION TWO AND A HALF, MAYOR KEVIN WHITE
ELIMINATED THE POSITION OF MAYORAL LIAISON TO THE LESBIAN AND GAY COMMUNITY. IT WAS. >> A SHORTER NAME BACK THEN. THERE'S MORE OF US NOW UM THE ONLY SUCH POSITION IN THE COUNTRY AT THE TIME 1981 HELD BY ROBIN MCCORMICK. THE LIAISON POSITION HAD HELPED
COORDINATE WITH THE BPD DURING A TIME OF RISING VIOLENCE AGAINST THE COMMUNITY, EDUCATED CITY OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY NEEDS AND SERVED AS A TRUSTED CONDUIT BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND CITY HALL. MCCORMICK'S POSITION, COSTING ONLY $14,000 FOR THE CITY, WAS
A FRACTION OF THE COMPARABLE POSITIONS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE VERY MUCH LIKE THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE AT STAKE TODAY. COMMITTEE MEMBERS CALLED IT WHAT IT WAS NOT A FINANCIAL NECESSITY BUT A POLITICAL
CHOICE ON JUNE 16TH 1981 LIAISONS LAST DAY APPROXIMATELY 100 PEOPLE GATHER AT CITY HALL . THEY MARCHED TO THE PARKMAN HOUSE AND SHOWERED THE STEPS. WITH TEA BAGS, INVOKING THE SAME PRINCIPLE THAT DEFINED THE
CITY NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION THEY CALLED IT THE TEA PARTY TWO AND A HALF AFTER THE NAME OF THAT BUDGET THAT YEAR, UH, THE CITY PROMISED TO REINSTATE THE POSITION AND IT DID NOT. THE BROKEN PROMISES ECHOED
FOUGHT OF UM WHAT IS PROPOSED TODAY ELIMINATING COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING THROUGH REMOVAL AND EQUITY CABINET IS NOT THE ELIMINATION OF STAFF POSITIONS. IT'S NOT THE SAME THING BUT IT CARRIES THE SAME MESSAGE THAT LGBTQ PLUS RESIDENTS AND OTHER MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES ARE
FIRST TO BE CUT IN THE LAST TO BE RESTORED. OUR ORGANIZATION EXISTS IN PART TO ENSURE THAT THE HISTORY LIKE THIS IS NOT FORGOTTEN AND WE ARE ASKING YOU NOT TO REPEAT IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APOLOGIZE I DIDN'T START THE
CLOCK SO I HAD TO ESTIMATE THE FIRST MINUTE I'M SORRY I HOPEFULLY I DIDN'T CUT YOU OFF. DOUBLE THE FUNDING. THANK YOU OKAY. OKAY THANK YOU I WILL SAY THE
BEST ADVICE I GOT AS A LAWYER WAS FROM A, UH, A BOSS ONE TIME BOSS OF MINE AND HE SAID LEAD WITH YOUR BEST SHOT. SO YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK IT DEFINITELY IS PUBLIC SPEAKING.
IT HELPS AND I DON'T ALWAYS FOLLOW THAT ADVICE. UH, OKAY. SO, UH, ELIJAH, UH, IF YOU'RE HERE. YES. AND THEN RAINBOW AND THEN, UH,
MICKEY JONES. RIGHT. >> UM, UM GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRPERSON AND. MEMBERS OF. >> THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ELIJAH. YENAGOA AND I AM SPEAKING. >> ON BEHALF OF SAVE OURSELVES.
I URGE YOU TO PROTECT. FUNDING FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQ PLUS ADVANCEMENT AND OTHER EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE THIS VITAL FUNDING SUPPORTS THE WORK THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON
CANNOT DO ON ITS OWN. SAVE OURSELVES OR S.O.S. IS A BUST THE BASE OF PEER LED INITIATIVE LED BY VELLA RILEY AND S.O.S. AIMS TO FILL THE UM
THE GAP THAT SOCIETY HAS LEFT BE UM LEFT AS THE UM TRAGEDY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY TARGETED IN THIS COUNTRY. TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS CONTINUE TO FACE SYSTEMIC CRISIS ACROSS ALL MAJOR SECTORS
OF PUBLIC LIFE, CATEGORIZED BY A STAGGERING FOURFOLD INCREASE AND THE RISK OF HOMELESSNESS AND A VIOLENT VICTIMIZATION COMPARED TO THE GENERAL POPULATION IN THE WORKPLACE AND IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS. OVER HALF OF THE COMMUNITY
REPORTS EXPERIENCING DISCRIMINATION OR MISTREATMENT. FORCING MANY TO POSTPONE LIFESAVING CARE OR IN HOSTILE PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, 26% OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE REPORTED EXPERIENCING ANTI-TRANSGENDER VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE AND THIS TYPE OF VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO RISE ANNUALLY AND 10% REPORTED BEING FIRED BECAUSE OF THEIR
TRANSGENDER IDENTITY. THESE COMPOUNDING DISPARITIES UM, CREATE A CYCLE OF ECONOMIC INSTABILITY AND PHYSICAL DANGER THAT THAT SEES URGENT COMPREHENSIVE LEGISLATIVE PROTECTION AND FUNDING FOR
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE WITHOUT IT HOW ARE TRANS PEOPLE UM, TRANS PEOPLE MEANT TO WORK AND LIVE WITHIN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COMES SAVE
OURSELVES COMES IN TO FILL THIS DISPARITY. SAVE OURSELVES OR S.O.S. AIMS TO MAKE A LIVING POSSIBLE. THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF BOSTON BASED PEER LED INITIATIVE LED BY VILLA RILEY. WE SUPPORT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
ESPECIALLY CURRENT AND FORMER TRANS SEX WORKERS AND OTHERS NAVIGATING HOUSING INSTABILITY ,HIV SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY AND SYSTEMIC EXCLUSION UM TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN
SOCIETY AGAIN. WHAT MAKES S.O.S DIFFERENT IS THAT UM WHAT MAKES IT SO DIFFERENT IS THAT IT IS FUNDED BY US AND FOR US SO ADDRESS IS UM, CIRCUMSTANCES THAT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE HAVE TO FACE.
THE CITY OF BOSTON CANNOT DO THESE UM DO THESE DO THINGS UM DO THESE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY AND THOSE WHO SERVE THEM UNDER UM LEADERSHIP AS
WELL AS HELPING CURRENT AND FORMER TRANSGENDER SEX WORKERS MOVE FROM ISOLATION AND CRISIS TO A STABILITY, HEALING AND SELF-DETERMINATION PERSPECTIVE . PROTECTING THIS FUNDING MEANS PROTECTING PEER LED, LIFE SAVING WORK THAT HAS
TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF MANY TRANSGENDER PEOPLE. SO ONCE AGAIN I URGE THE COUNCIL TO RESTORE FUNDING TO ALL EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET DEPARTMENTS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE FUNDING THE COMMUNITY ROOTED WORK THAT THAT IS THE
HEARTBEAT OF THIS CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. OKAY THANK YOU. SO WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM RAINBOW AND MICKEY JONES AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SHORT BATHROOM BREAK THAT.
OKAY I. OKAY WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIRPERSON AND. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS RAINBOW AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SAVE OURSELVES.
I WANT TO SAY HOW FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE BECAUSE OF MY LESBIAN PRIDE GRANT. AND SO AS HAS BEEN A SAFE AND LIFE CHANGING SPACE FOR TRANS
WOMEN LIKE ME IN BOSTON, THROUGH THE SUPPORT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET HELP WITH CLOTHING, TRANSPORTATION, FOOD STIPENDS, BASIC NECESSITIES AND CONNECTIONS TO PUBLIC SERVICES .
BUT MORE THAN THAT AS WELL AS GAVE ME A SENSE OF SAFETY, BELONGING AND COMMUNITY BEFORE THAT. SO AS I OFTEN DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE LEAVING MY HOUSE OR ASKING FOR HELP TO THIS
PROGRAM, I FOUND A PLACE WHERE I COULD BE MYSELF WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING DISRESPECTED THAT HAS MEANT SO MUCH TO ME. PROGRAMS LIKE SO AS DO MORE THAN PROVIDE SERVICES THEY BUILD TRUST, CONNECTIONS AND
HOPE. I URGE YOU TO CONTINUE FUNDING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQ ADVANCEMENT OF ALL OTHER EQUITY AND INCLUSIVE DEPARTMENTS
OF THE CITY OF BOSTON, SO PROGRAMS LIKE THIS CAN. KEEP SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM MOST. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK. >> YOU. VERY MUCH. OKAY. UH, OKAY.
VICKI JONES IS RIGHT. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIRPERSON AND. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MICKEY GILES AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE LGBTQ I A. PLUS IT MAKES ME I AM.
>> HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO PROTECT THE FUNDING FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQ PLUS ADVANCEMENT AND EQUALITY CABINET DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THROUGH THIS FUNDING, RESIDENTS
AND MYSELF AND BOSTON HAVE GAINED ACCESS TO CRITICAL SERVICES INCLUDING. MENTAL HEALTH, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, FOOD. AND TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES, EDUCATION SERVICES. AND ALSO ESSENTIAL.
PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE AND COMMUNITY. I AM STANDING HERE EVER LIVING WITNESS OF BOSTON BEING SANCTIONED THROUGH THESE THROUGH THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND THESE NONPROFITS.
AS FAR AS THIS BEING SAID, I'M STANDING HERE AGAIN AND LIVING EXPERIENCE UH, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HOW THESE WORDS CONTRIBUTE TO THE LGBTQ PLUS I COMMUNITY AS BEING A
RESIDENT SINCE 2016. ORIGINALLY FROM ALABAMA I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT AS FAR AS I HAVE NOW WITHOUT THESE ORGS AS FAR AS HOUSING, AS FAR AS TRANSPORTATION, AS FAR AS LIVING, AS FAR AS MENTAL
HEALTH, AS FAR AS BEING FELT LIKE BOSTON IS A SANCTIONED STATE WHICH MAYOR WILL PROMISE THAT WE WORK. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF WE . RESPECTFULLY IF. >> COUNCIL RESPECTFULLY REJECTS ANY. CASE THAT WILL ELIMINATE
COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING INSTEAD . OF FULLY INSTEAD OF FULLY FUNDING IT EQUALLY. CABINET DEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE WORK POSSIBLE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES WE DESERVE
STABILITY. I AM A WITNESS IF WE HAVE THESE CUTS, THESE. CUTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE. SO IT'S NOT GOING TO OBJECTIVELY SAY THAT BOSTON. >> IS. A FUNCTIONING STATE. THE ORGS WILL.
LOSE AND WE WON'T HAVE NOWHERE TO GO. AND I AM A PRODUCT. OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS. I HAVE MOVED HERE AND BECAME VERY SUCCESSFUL. I HAVE MOVED HERE AND GAINED
OCCUPATIONS. I HAVE MOVED HERE AND GAINED AN EDUCATION. I HAVE MOVED AND GAINED COMMUNITY NO FAMILY, NO FRIENDS OR ANYTHING. THE LGBTQ I A PLUS ADVANCEMENT
WAS WHAT SAVED MY LIFE HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS. SO IF MAYOR WHO WANTS TO SAY THAT WHEREVER SANCTION FROM MASSACHUSETTS. >> I AM LIVING. >> PROOF THAT IF THESE CUTS CONTINUE WE'RE NOT SANCTIONED.
THANK YOU. SO JUST THE FIVE MINUTE RECESS AND COME BACK WE'VE GOT ABOUT TEN MORE FOLKS HERE TO GIVE TESTIMONY. UH, DON'T DON'T GO TOO FAR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE HEARING IS, UH, GOING BACK ON THE RECORD. UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S STILL HERE, BUT I HAVE SAL. FROM CAMBRIDGE.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S OKAY. UM, AND JAY LAMB, LIAM CARNAHAN
UH, I THINK IT'S LIL, UH, NGUYEN AND SAM SCHWARTZ. UH, IF ANYBODY IS. HERE JUST SO I'M HOPING TO GET A COUPLE MORE PANELISTS BACK.
BUT IF I'VE CALLED YOUR NAME OR I'VE GOTTEN CLOSE TO CALLING YOUR NAME BECAUSE I COULDN'T READ THE. >> YOUR. YOUR HANDWRITING, UM, JUST LINE UP, UH, AT EITHER MIKE AND
WE'LL BE STARTED IN ONE SECOND. OKAY, SO WE ARE BACK ON THE RECORD NOW. SAL, ARE YOU. WAITING FOR WATER? THERE IS NO WATER SO I MEAN
IT'S FINE. I CAN, UM GO AHEAD IF YOU. >> IF YOU SAL IF YOU WANT IF YOU WANT TO WAIT ANOTHER 30S. OKAY, SO WE. GOT IT. >> DO YOU NEED WATER? OKAY. SORRY. UH, YEAH.
JUST TAKE YOUR TIME. SO WE CAN HEAR FROM SAL. UH, JAY? LIAM I THINK IT'S LILA AND SAM SCHWARTZ. UH, THERE'S ANOTHER SAM LATER
IN THE PROGRAM. UM, SO. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. PANELISTS. YOU'RE BACK WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. HI, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS SOUTH ON. I USE ALL NEW PRONOUNS.
I'M A FORMER RESIDENT OF BOSTON ,UM, NEIGHBORHOOD DORCHESTER. I'M A CURRENT RESIDENT OF CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AND A FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UH NEWCOMERS IS A GRASSROOTS LGBTQ PLUS MIGRANT JUSTICE
ORGANIZATION SERVING LOW INCOME AND AT-RISK LGBTQ ASYLUM SEEKERS, REFUGEES, EXILES, IMMIGRANTS AT ACROSS GREATER BOSTON. AS A FORMER JOURNALIST AND AN OPENLY CAREER ACTIVIST FROM PAKISTAN, I WAS FORCED TO SEEK
A POLITICAL ASYLUM IN THE US IN 2019 DUE TO RISING STATE SPONSORED AND RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS, DISSIDENTS AND LGBTQ ACTIVISTS. WHEN I ARRIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS,
IMMIGRANT AND LGBTQ PLUS UH FOCUSED NONPROFITS BECAME A LIFELINE FOR MY SURVIVAL AND ALLOWED ME TO CONTINUE MY ADVOCACY WORK, WHICH WAS ESSENTIAL AND UM, LED TO THE CREATION OF OUR NEWCOMERS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO STRONGLY OPPOSE THE PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS TARGETING EQUITY CENTER PROGRAMING AND GRANT FUNDING SUPPORTING LGBTQ PLUS MIGRANT, DISABLED AND HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN THE
CITY OF BOSTON. ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS OPERATE WITH EXTREMELY LIMITED RESOURCES WHILE FILLING CRITICAL GAPS LARGER SYSTEMS OFTEN FAIL TO ADDRESS AS MANY
OF US DO NOT QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL BENEFITS OR EVEN STATE BENEFITS. OUR NEWCOMERS IS TRYING TO PROVIDE IMMIGRANTS WHO SUPPORT IMMIGRATION, LEGAL AND HOUSING REFERRALS, WELLNESS PROGRAMING AND SAFER SPACES FOR LGBTQ
MIGRANTS FLEEING PERSECUTION, VIOLENCE, DETENTION AND DISPLACEMENT ONLY TO THRIVE IN AMERICA. SEEING THE RISING HOSTILITIES AND THREATS AGAINST US FOR MANY LGBTQ MIGRANTS, DEPORTATION HOURS IS NOT A LEGAL OUTCOME
IT'S A DEATH SENTENCE. IN RECENT WEEKS OUR ORGANIZATION FACED AN AND LEADERSHIP FACED POLITICALLY MOTIVATED MISINFORMATION AND CAMPAIGNS WHICH LED TO US UM
FORFEITING UH GRANT UH PROVIDED THAT MOYA BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS WE WERE FORCED TO RETURN UM SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALREADY OPERATING UNDER IMMENSE
PRESSURE, FEAR AND BURNOUT. THESE ORGANIZED THESE SERVICES ARE NOT OPTIONAL. MANY UM LGBTQ MIGRANTS FACE HOMELESSNESS A REJECTION FROM THEIR OWN CULTURAL COMMUNITIES . I URGE THE CITY OF UH CITY
COUNCIL TO PROTECT AND RESTORE FUNDING FOR LGBTQ MIGRANTS UM AND DISABILITY JUSTICE CITY OF BOSTON CANNOT CLAIM TO VALUE EQUITY AND INCLUSION WITH THIS FORM OF FISCAL FASCISM AND EVEN
CLAIM TO CALL ITSELF A SANCTUARY CITY FOR IMMIGRANT AND LGBTQ COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SIMULTANEOUSLY DISMANTLING THE VERY GRANTS AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT KEEP US ALIVE AND SAFE.
THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, JAY LAMB, LIAM CARNAHAN AND UH, AGAIN I APOLOGIZE UH, LILA AND WIND.
UM, HELLO. BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JAY. I USE HIM PRONOUNS AND I AM FROM THE MEDFORD SOMERVILLE AREA. I AM GAY. AND PART OF THE. LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY. .
>> LGBTQ PLUS. UM RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS WHERE PEOPLE OF ANY GENDER, ANY RACE, ANY COLOR, ANY AGE, ANY ABILITY AND OF ANY MARGINALIZED IDENTITIES OR OTHERWISE IN
GENERAL BY DISTRIBUTING UM BUDGET TOWARDS LGBTQ IDEAS TO PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THEIR COMMUNITY RESOURCES HEALTH CARE, HOUSING, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND PREVENT SUICIDE AND THE LOSS OF LIVES
FROM DISCRIMINATION OR LACK OF RESOURCES. AND WE ARE A COMMUNITY UNDER ATTACK FROM FROM OUR OWN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE NEED A SAFE HAVEN FOR FOR
THE LGBTQ TO US PLUS COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY. FUNDING GENDER AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE AND LEGAL SERVICES IS BUILDING AND SUPPORT AND IMPROVING UM THEIR QUALITY
OF LIFE. AND TRANS PEOPLE HAVE FACED DISCRIMINATION FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SUCH AS PREVENTING INDIVIDUALS FROM CHANGING THEIR GENDER MARKER ON THEIR PASSPORTS OR UM
TRANSGENDER YOUTH BEING UNABLE TO RECEIVE GENDER AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE. UM PEOPLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO LIVE AS WHO THEY ARE, WHO THEY IDENTIFY AS AND LIVE HAPPILY ESPECIALLY BECAUSE BOSTON IS A
SANCTUARY CITY. CAN WE REALLY TALK ABOUT INCLUSION AND COMMUNITY WHEN WE'RE CUTTING BUDGET FUNDS FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS IOWA, US COMMUNITY, THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, THE DISABLED
COMMUNITY? UM, DO WE REALLY DESERVE HAVING OUR ASSISTANCE, OUR IDENTITIES OF JUST BEING WHO WE ARE BEING TURNED INTO A POLITICAL FOOTBALL? BEING THROWN AROUND REMOVING THESE FINANCIAL RESOURCES FROM
ANY OF THESE GROUPS AS TO EXCLUDE THEM FROM OUR OVERALL BOSTONIAN COMMUNITY AND EXCLUDING THEM IS TO PROMOTE THESE SYSTEMATIC BARRIERS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD TO OVERCOME AND PUSH. BOSTON NEEDS TO BE THERE FOR US
PEOPLE AND WE ALL BELONG AND DESERVE TO BE HERE. UM WE NEED TO SUPPORT AND LOVE EACH OTHER AND CUTTING THE BUDGET IS NOT THE WAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM. UH.
OKAY. LIAM CARNAHAN, UH, LILA NGUYEN, SAM SCHWARTZ.
OKAY. UH, JAY JOHNSON, MAX EVANS AND THEN I NEED THE OTHER SHEET. UH, NO. OKAY.
UH, I GUESS, UH. SAM. ARE YOU COMING DOWN TO TESTIFY? UH, SAM PIERCE.
WILL DO SO, PEOPLE. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU. UM, MEMBERS OF THE EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET. I ACTUALLY RISE TODAY, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THE EQUITY AND
INCLUSION CABINET IN ITS ENTIRETY. I THINK THAT THEY DO WONDERFUL WORK. UM, SO SHOUT OUT TO YOU, MARIANGELA AND YOUR TEAM. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US REALLY
FOCUS ON IS NOT CREATING FALSE NARRATIVES. I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE LANGUAGE ACCESS AND THAT IS WHAT THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT I FEEL LIKE IS FOR. AND I THINK THAT NOW THAT THE
U.S. SUPREME COURT HAS REMOVED THE RIGHT TO VOTE, WE ARE REMINDED OF MRS. DWYER WHO WAS HANGED IN THE BOSTON COMMON FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS, WHO WAS A QUAKER.
AND I SAY ALL THIS BECAUSE YOUNG ADULTS BUT IN ADULT ENGLISH CLASSES AS WELL AS IMMERSIVE FRENCH, HAITIAN CREOLE, VIETNAMESE, CHINESE AND SPANISH CLASSES SHOULD ALSO
EXTEND TO BALLOT ACCESS AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR $100 MILLION THAT CAN BE FLOATED AT $10 FOR EVERY $1, UH ,INVESTED TO CREATE A NEW CITY
OF BOSTON PENNY SAVINGS BANK THE CITY OF BOSTON USED TO HAVE A CITY OF BOSTON BANK AND UM, NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE START TO REALLY INVEST IN OUR
DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS THAT USED TO BE A SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMISSION THAT USED TO BE A HOUSING COMMISSION, A SCHOOL COMMISSION THAT SUPPOSED TO BE A REPARATIONS COMMISSION AND A BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION,
LGB IQ COMMISSION. AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY SEEING IS THAT WE DON'T WANT IT TO FEEL LIKE DUCKTALES OR BUGS BUNNY AND DAFFY DUCK WHERE A LOT OF THE
MONEY IS MOVED THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ALLOCATED TO CERTAIN EXPENSES. AND I BRING EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL BUDGET AND OUR REGULAR SCHOOL BUDGET. I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER
INTENDED THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS WOULD TAKE UP 10% OF OUR BUDGET AND NOW BEING $300 MILLION WHEN WE HAVE A BUDGET OF $3 BILLION FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
AND SO I REALLY WANT TO GET US BACK ON TRACK AND FOCUSED ON REALIZING THAT THIS IS NOT THE UNITED NATIONS, IT'S THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD SOLVE ALL THE WORLD'S
PROBLEMS, BUT WE HAVE TO REALLY FOCUS ON BOSTON RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE AND UH, DEPARTMENTS OF THIS CITY. SO I REALLY WANT TO BRING US BACK I THINK THAT WE HAVE $5
BILLION AS A WHOLE FOR THE BUDGET AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A CAPITAL BUDGET. I LIKE TO SEE WAYS THAT WE CAN GET MORE DIVERSITY AS FAR AS UM
OUR HIRING AND OUR RETENTION SO THAT MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS CAN BE RESOLVED THROUGH A JOB AND A HOUSE THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, I'M SORRY IF RICK BOYD IF I
HADN'T CALLED EMORY KENYON JAMES CURTIS SANTOS I DID YOU I THINK. OKAY, YEAH. OKAY, GREAT. SO MAX, YOU'RE UP GREAT.
HI. >> MY NAME IS MAX EVANS. AS A PART OF TRANS RESISTANCE MASSACHUSETTS, I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT MOLLY'S BUDGET AS TRANS RESISTANCE MASSACHUSETTS. WE PROVIDE MUTUAL AID, SELF-CARE RESISTANCE AND MORE
TO THE TRANS COMMUNITY. WHILE I'M A MEMBER OF TRANS RESISTANCE MASSACHUSETTS, I MAKE THIS STATEMENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND WHAT I SAY MAY NOT REFLECT ALL OF TRANS RESISTANCE VIEWS. I AM A CERTIFIED PRACTITIONER
ACCESSIBILITY CORE COMPETENCIES AN MIT ALUM AND A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER WITH OVER SEVEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. IF YOUR STEAM DEPARTMENT IS CONSIDERING USING AN AI OR LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL PLATFORMS OR TRANSLATION SERVICES, I
HIGHLY RECOMMEND LOOKING ELSEWHERE FOR AUTOMATED TRANSLATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE VOICE. VOICE OFF LINE SPEECH KIT IS AN OPEN SOURCE FREE MODEL THAT RESPECTS USERS PRIVACY. ELLA LEMS HAVE A HUGE
ENVIRONMENTAL COST THAT HURTS THE COMMUNITIES THAT TRANSLATIONS WOULD BENEFIT THE MOST. ADDITIONALLY, AS ONE MEMBER SAID YOUR MODEL IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE DATA YOU FEED INTO IT. LAMBS ARE FED ON A LARGE AMOUNT
OF DATA ACROSS THE INTERNET AND HARD TO FINE TUNED TO SPECIFIC LANGUAGE TRANSLATION TASKS. AND MIT RELEASED A STUDY SHOWING THAT 90% OF LLN BASED EFFORTS FAIL. THE MODELS OFTEN MAKE FALSE AND
INCORRECT STATEMENTS PUBLICLY KNOWN AS HALLUCINATIONS, BUT I PREFER TO CALL THEM STATEMENTS WITHOUT REGARD TO THE TRUTH FOR ACCESSIBILITY REASONS. ADDITIONALLY, MANY AVAILABLE LMS ARE LIKELY TO INCREASE THEIR PRICES IN THE COMING
YEARS AS THEY NEED TO SHOW PROFIT TO BECOME PUBLIC TO THE STOCK MARKET. GITHUB COPILOT JUST SWITCHED FROM A SUBSCRIPTION MODEL TO A USAGE BASED MODEL THIS MONTH AS AN EXAMPLE THE TIME, ENERGY RESOURCES AND FUNDING PUT
TOWARDS MAKING A TRANSLATION SERVICE MAY ONLY INCREASE OVER TIME AND WILL HARM MANY OF THE COMMUNITIES WHO ARE REPRESENTED TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'VE GOT, UH, KENYON JAMES AND CURTIS SANTOS AND THEN IF YOU
HAVEN'T HEARD YOUR NAME, UH, READ OUT AND YOU'RE HERE TO TESTIFY PUBLICLY. PLEASE JUST, UH, GET IN LINE. OKAY. HELLO? >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, YEAH. JUST DO YOU WANT TO GET CLOSE TO THE MIC? I'M KIND OF. TALL, YOU KNOW?
>> YEAH, THAT ONE'S TALLER FOR SOME REASON. OR IS IT? YEAH. WE SHOULD JUST SAY SHORT AND TALL. TALL. THANK YOU FOR BEING SO ACCOMMODATING. YEAH, SURE. UH.
>> FIRST THINGS FIRST. MY NAME IS KING. JAMES AND I'M THE EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE BLACK A PROPER ORG. THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL AND REPRESENTATIVE AND REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE ME FOR THEIR WORDS AND EFFORTS. I'M HERE ON BOTH ON BEHALF
OF BOTH BLACK AND COMMUNITIES. TBI STANDS AT THE INTERSECTION OF BLACKNESS AND QUEERNESS. IN ADDITION TO CURATING BALLROOM EVENTS, I SERVE MY COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL CULTURAL WORKSHOPS INCLUDING BORROWING ONE ON ONE
UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND SAFE SEX CLASSES . WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER SO BY CREATING SPACES FOR OUR PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE IN CONJUNCTION WITH EDUCATION, EDUCATING THEIR MINDS AND PROVIDING THE FUNDS
TO DO SO, WE CAN CULTIVATE SUCCESSFUL BLACK, ,LGBT AND LGBTQ SOCIETIES AND ECONOMIES. AS WE'VE LEARNED, AS WE'VE LEARNED AND SEEN TODAY, EDUCATION AND CONNECTION IS A NEED AND FOR PEOPLE OF BLACK
AND COMMUNITIES OF BOSTON. SO I URGE AND ALL OF ALL EMPOWER TO PROTECT THE FUNDS IT TAKES TO HELP OUR COMMUNITIES THRIVE. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE?
OH, I'M SORRY I HAD, UH, CURTIS SANTOS. I THINK REQUEST FOR I'LL BE I'LL BE OKAY. YEAH. >> JUST MAKE SURE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, UH. AND GO AHEAD. THANK YOU TO THE. THANK YOU TO THE ESTEEMED CHAIR
AND. MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR DOING THE DIFFICULT AND IMPORTANT WORK OF THIS COUNCIL IN THIS CHAMBER . MY NAME IS RICK BOYD. UH, I PREFER HE SERIES PRONOUNS
AND I AM AN EIGHT YEAR RESIDENT OF AUSTIN. I'M SPEAKING AS A MEMBER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL AND AS THE FOUNDER OF THE GREATER BOSTON LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY CENTER PROJECT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO STATE MY FIRM OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS SPECIFICALLY TARGETING EXISTING GRANT FUNDING FROM SOLAR AND OTHER EQUITY SERVICES BY CHOOSING TO CUT THESE GRANTS.
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE TO ME THAT MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MY NEIGHBORS ACROSS BOSTON, PARTICULARLY OUR TRANS AND NON-BINARY SIBLINGS, OUR BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORS, YOUTH AND
ELDERS ARE NEGOTIABLE AND NOT VALUED EQUALLY. THESE GRASSROOTS GROUPS ARE OFTEN WORKING, INTERSECTIONAL AND MANY OF THESE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OVERLAP. FOR SOME THESE RESOURCES ARE
THE THESE RESOURCES ARE THE ONLY REASON MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND MOST HISTORICALLY IGNORED NEIGHBORS HAVE A PLACE TO TERM THAT REPRESENTS THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES AND DEFENDS THEM AGAINST FURTHER MARGINALIZED
MARCH GELATINIZATION. THESE COMMUNITIES, THESE COMMUNITIES AND OTHERS CONTINUE TO BEAR THE BURDEN AND SACRIFICES NEEDED TO RECONCILE THE BUDGET FOR A CITY THAT DOESN'T REPRESENT US EQUITABLE EQUITABLY.
THE BUDGET AS IT STOOD WAS A PROMISE TO THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THESE CUTS UNDERMINE AND INVALIDATE THAT PROMISE AS YOUR NEIGHBOR. I URGE YOU TO RESTORE GRANT FUNDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS
SERVING LGBTQIA PLUS IMMIGRANT AND DISABLED COMMUNITIES. BOSTON IS WATCHING. I EXPECT THE COUNCIL TO BE BRAVE AND STAND BETWEEN THESE DIVISIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE CUTS
AND THE MARGINALIZED PEOPLE WHO WILL BE HARMED BY THEM. YOU AND YOU ALONE WILL SET THE STANDARD TODAY. SHOW US THAT OUR VALUE AS HUMANS, CONTRIBUTIONS AS NEIGHBORS AND OUR TAX DOLLARS
AS CITIZENS ARE FOR US TO DETERMINE BY US AND FOR US AND ARE NOT UP FOR DEBATE. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, NEXT. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, MY. >> NAME IS CURTIS ANTOS.
I SERVE. >> AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BOSTON LESBIAN GAY URBAN FOUNDATION. ALSO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF BOSTON BLACK PRIDE. UM, I AM HERE TODAY IN OPPOSITION OF THE BUDGET THAT WAS THAT WAS SENT TO THE, UH
THAT WAS. SENT IN. UM, I STAND BEFORE YOU AS AN ADVOCATE. UM, I STAND BEFORE YOU AS A RESIDENT OF BOSTON. UH, LONG, LONG, LONG TIME RESIDENT OF BOSTON. ROXBURY SPECIFICALLY.
UM, I STAND AND I HEARD EVERYONE SAY THE SAME THING I'M GOING TO SAY AROUND IT BEING A SANCTUARY CITY. UM, AND I THINK I TAKE THAT REALLY HEAVY THAT WE HAVE AN INFLUX OF INDIVIDUALS COMING TO
OUR CITY BECAUSE WE MADE IT KNOWN THAT WE ARE PROTECTED HERE. AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT LIVING THROUGH THAT PROTECTION AND WE'RE BEING DISINVESTMENT IS BEING GIVEN TO OUR COMMUNITY TELLS US THAT WHAT'S COME OUT
OF PEOPLE'S MOUTHS NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEIR BOND IS. AND SO I STAND BEFORE YOU AND ASK YOU TO PLEASE REINSTATE THE BUDGET THAT IS GOING TO BE CUT FROM THE OFFICE AND I THANK THEM FOR THEIR TRUE, UH,
PARTNERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT VISIBILITY UM, JOY AND BELONGING IS NUMBER ONE AND HOW WE SHOW UP WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND I BROUGHT MY UM YOUNG PERSON HERE, ONE OF OUR MENTEES
IN OUR PROGRAM AS PROOF OF WHAT THE OFFICE FUNDING HAS DONE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY FOUND MORE SOLIDARITY BY BEING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'LL GIVE HER A. >> FEW WORDS IF. >> YOU LIKE. >> TO SPEAK. OF COURSE. HELLO EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME AND. THANK YOU CHRIS. FOR THE ENVIRONMENT YOU CONTINUE TO HARBOR FOR. YOUTH AND ELDERS OF THE COMMUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WITH THE. BUDGET CUTS.
IT AFFECTS LIVES LIKE MYSELF DEEPLY NOT ONLY IN MY CAREER PERSON BUT I'M ALSO BLACK IN DCF YOUTH. I'VE BEEN IN OTHER GROUP HOMES THAT HAVE SHUT DOWN DUE TO THESE BUDGET CUTS. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE THE BLUE
FOUNDATION AS UH. >> A HOME PLACE. I WILL SAY WITH THE BUDGET CUTS IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT. NEGOTIATING WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT MONEY, UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU POUR IT INTO OUR CUPS WE POUR BACK IN
TWO HOURS. I THINK YOU OKAY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, OKAY. I THINK THAT'S IT FOR IN-PERSON TESTIMONY. UH, YEAH, WE HAVE IF YOU, UH IF YOU WANT TO COME AROUND AND
LEAVE WRITTEN TESTIMONY. UH, IF YOU JUST LEAVE IT OVER WHERE THE SIGN IN SHEET IS, UH, WE'LL JUST CENTRAL PICK IT UP. IS OKAY. SO, UH, I THINK WE HAVE TWO
PEOPLE WAITING ON LINE. GISELLE BIRD. UH, GISELLE, CAN YOU HEAR?
YES, I CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY, GREAT. WE CAN HEAR YOU. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, I'LL START THE CLOCK. AMAZING. >> THANK YOU. UM GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING SO DILIGENT TODAY.
UM. GISELLE BIRD SHE HER EXECUTIVE AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AT THE THEATER OFFENSIVE AND STATE COMMISSIONER ON THE MASS COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN.
UM, A NEWER BOSTON RESIDENT. UM, AND I HAVE SEEN SO MUCH OF WHAT THIS CITY CAN DO WHEN IT IS FULLY SUPPORTED. I READ IN THE MEDIA BACK IN
FEBRUARY THAT A BEACON THAT ONLY SHINES FOR SOME IS NO BEACON AT ALL. IT'S JUST A SPOTLIGHT THAT WAS SPOKEN BY OUR MAYOR MICHELLE WU
IN FEBRUARY 2026 AND IT APPEARS THAT SINCE THEN THAT SPOTLIGHT HAS BEEN BLOWN OUT. IT'S ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT THIS SANCTUARY CITY IS ON FIRE AND IT SEEMS THAT NO ONE WANTS TO
EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. WHEN YOU EXTINGUISH EQUITY, YOU EXTINGUISH PEOPLE. YOU ELIMINATE COMMUNITIES, YOU . DEPLETE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT. AND SO I COME HERE TODAY
VIRTUALLY IN THIS SPACE ALONG WITH MY SIBLINGS IN LAW HEARD FROM IN PERSON TO SPEAK IN DEEP, DEEP, DEEP OPPOSITION AGAINST THESE BUDGET CUTS
ACROSS ALL OF THESE ADVANCEMENT EQUITY OFFICES. THIS RECOMMENDED BUDGET HAS DEVASTATING CUTS ACROSS MANY
DIFFERENT SECTORS, ALL OF WHICH MAKE BOSTON THE PLACE OF POSSIBILITY THAT IT AIMS TO BE. OUR SANCTUARY IS BROKEN AND WE
MUST RECOGNIZE THAT NOW IF THIS RECOMMENDED BUDGET IS PASSED THERE WILL BE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS AND MAYBE THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHERE BOSTON STANDS FOR.
WE LET THE DEATH OF CHRISTMAS ADDICTS CREATE A REVOLUTION AND EVEN NOW THE LIFE EXPECTANCY BETWEEN SOMEONE IN ROXBURY AND BACK BAY IS 23 YEARS. IF WE ARE GOING TO GET THE
SPOTLIGHT BACK ON THAT MEANS INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE WHO GIVE THEIR LIVES TO MAKE THIS SANCTUARY GLOW AND WE MUST REINSTATE THIS FUNDING ACROSS ALL OF THESE OFFICES.
AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM MANY TODAY, THEIR WORK IS WHAT IS KEEPING THIS CITY IN MOTION AND ALIVE AND KEEPING IT AFLOAT.
YOU CANNOT FORSAKE THE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE THE PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS ALWAYS DEMANDED SIMPLY A BEAUTIFUL QUALITY OF LIFE.
DON'T DEPRIVE THEM OF THAT. RECONSIDER THIS BUDGET. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU GISELLE. AND, UH, WE HAVE SHIRLEY. UH, RIGA.
IF YOU CAN HEAR ME. SHIRLEY, CAN YOU HEAR US? I AM HERE. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, I'M HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE
HEARING YOU, BUT, UH, HE SPEAK JUST AS THE TEST. UM, I AM OKAY HERE. OKAY. >> WE'RE GOOD. UH, SO WHENEVER YOU'RE READY TO START, I'LL, UH, START THE TIME. OKAY. >> WELL. THANK YOU. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG WAIT, BUT
IT'S WORTH IT FOR ME. UM, MY NAME IS SHIRLEY RIGA AND I LIVE AT THE PRIDE OF HYDE PARK. UNIQUE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY FOR LGBTQ SENIORS AND
ALLIES 62 AND OVER. I AM A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND HAVE LIVED IN MASSACHUSETTS ALL MY LIFE. I HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS AS A PROFESSIONAL FREELANCE
COURT REPORTER AND YET BECAUSE OF MY LIFESTYLE CHOICES I AM MARGINALIZED. I URGE YOU TO PROTECT FUNDING FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LGBTQ ADVANCEMENT AND ALL OTHER
EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I'D LIKE TO SHARE AN EXCERPT FROM A POEM ENTITLED PLACE OF PRIDE WRITTEN BY MY WIFE, THE LIBERAL THAT NOW HANGS
PROUDLY DISPLAYED IN BOSTON CITY HALL, SIXTH FLOOR SOUTH QUOTE. WE'VE LIVED THROUGH ACCIDENTS, ASSASSINATIONS, WARS, PROTESTS
,TEAR GAS, SIT INS, PLAGUES, DEATHS, TERRORIST ATTACKS, FIRES, PANDEMICS. AND INSTEAD OF BEING STEALTH BOLD PEOPLE GROVELING FOR A SPOT, BOSTON MENTORS US TOWARDS
HOPE AND THE GOODNESS OF NEIGHBORS WHO PICK UP TRASH IS THREATENED. FUNDING ALLOWS US TO EXPERIENCE PROGRAMS LIKE INTERGENERATIONAL LGBTQ GATHERINGS.
IT HELPS US EXPERIENCE NATURE, PROVIDES US CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES, GIVES US THE ABILITY TO EXPLORE ARTS AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE ON
THEIR PEERS AND COMMUNITY. IT ALLOWS PEOPLE LIKE AN ACUPUNCTURIST TO OFFER US HEALTH SERVICES, WIDENS ACCESS TO WELLNESS SUMMITS AND END OF LIFE PLANNING EDUCATION.
THE LIST GOES ON. THIS FUNDING HELPS REACH THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING LGBTQ, TRANSGENDER ADULTS AND YOUTH RESIDENTS,
BOSTON AREA SENIORS, BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE OFTEN LEFT OUT OF THE SYSTEM OF TRADITIONAL CARE AND SUPPORT. IF THESE BUDGET CUTS MOVE FORWARD AND COMMUNITY GRANT
FUNDING IS ELIMINATED, THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE IMMEDIATE ,HARMFUL AND PERSONAL. COMMUNITY MEMBERS LIKE ME WILL LOSE AFFIRMING SPACES AND TRUSTED RESOURCES THAT ARE SO NEEDED.
AND SO WE ASK YOU TO REJECT THE CUTS THAT WOULD ELIMINATE COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDING AND INSTEAD FULLY FUND THE EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET DEPARTMENTS. THAT MAKES THE WORK POSSIBLE.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SHIRLEY. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, MORE MORE POEMS. UH, YEAH. CITY COUNCIL. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. UH, OKAY. THANK YOU.
UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, ALL MY, UH MY COLLEAGUES WHO CAME TODAY. I WANT TO THANK THE PANELISTS. I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE CHIEF WHO'S BEEN HERE SINCE
10:00 IN THE MORNING AND, UH, UH, HAVE BEEN HERE WITH YOU AND ,UH, I AGAIN, UM I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE BUDGET ANYONE WANTS
TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, BRING. UH, WE JUST WE HAVE A LOT OF TOUGH CHOICES TO MAKE AND, UH, WE HAVE MORE TOUGH CHOICES AHEAD OF US BEFORE WE GET TO THE BUDGET APPROVAL, UH, IN JUNE.
AND SO AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND ALL THE GREAT THINGS YOU'RE DELIVERING FOR PEOPLE WHO WHO NEED IT IN BOSTON. AND WITH THAT SAID, I I'M GOING TO, UH, ADJOURN THIS HEARING
FOR.