NYCCAL is kicking off New York State advocacy for FY 2023 (April 1, 2022-March 31, 2023) with our annual State Advocacy Day on Monday,  February 28. 

Join State Advocacy Day by signing up for virtual meetings with elected officials and joining us on a social media push.

OUR MESSAGE:

• Students in adult education programs have been hit hard by the pandemic: many lost loved ones, jobs and incomes; others have continued sustaining our city as essential workers and parents; and many have been excluded from COVID-19 relief. 
• Since adult literacy providers shifted their classes online last year to protect the health of their community members, these programs continue to be a lifeline for students whose lives and communities have been upended by the pandemic and who need support as the city recovers. 
• NYCCAL thanks the Governor for including $7.8 million in the Executive budget to keep programs whole but more money must be invested in Adult Literacy Education (ALE) programs. 

OUR ASK: 
Invest an additional $15.6 million in FY23 to support the ALE Stabilization and Enhancement Fund to begin to stabilize and enhance ALE programs by increasing the rate per student, allowing providers to better serve the over 5,600 New Yorkers enrolled. This fund would supplement ALE contracts and increase investment in per-student funding in Adult Literacy Education. It will lead to strategic investments in resources, services, and supports, and will lead to greater outcomes and a wider range of impacts for adult literacy students, their families, and their communities. 

JOIN US:
To attend Zoom meetings, all participants (individuals and groups) must fill out the RSVP form and provide contact information by February 22. If you have program participants who want to join our legislative meetings, we welcome them to join us. Simply include their information in this form before February 22.

Meetings may be as short as 15 minutes (they will be scheduled for 30 minutes), and it is likely that not everyone will get to speak beyond introductions. We also anticipate fewer meetings per organization than previous in-person years. 

Lastly, we ask anyone who is interested in participating to keep your schedule flexible the week of Feb 28 and be prepared for last-minute scheduling changes. 

RSVP by 2/22 here for meetings.  Join us on Twitter and Instagram on February 28 by posting why adult education is important to you.  See our hashtags, sample messages, prompts, lists of elected officials, and more in our NYCCAL State Social Media Toolkit.
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​RESOURCES:
NYCCAL State Social Media Toolkit
NYCCAL FY23 State Advocacy One-Pager
State Advocacy Day #LiteracyLiftsNY Image

On Friday May 29, 2020, we ask that you participate in a virtual celebration Mental Health Awareness Week by sending out Tweets and Instagram messages to our elected officials to support funding for Adult Education and show how our programs support students' mental and emotional health.

Sample Tweets 

• Adult Education promotes mental health  and adult literacy for learners. By maintaining classes in remote settings during this crisis, we are providing ways for them to cope and learn. Please restore funding FY2021 #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek2020 
• Mentally healthy parents help their children receive a better education. Support Adult Literacy Programs #LiteracyLiftsNYC #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek2020

Send Tweets mentioning the Mayor (@NYCMayor), Speaker Johnson (@NYCSpeakerCoJo), and your Council Members, and tag NYCCAL (@nyccal).

Instagram Message
See the  Using Instagram for Advocacy Document to see instructions for using Instagram on Friday.  And Prompts for Students for social media photos NYC to develop photos for both Instagram and Twitter 
 
Twitter Message
Send Tweets mentioning the Mayor (@NYCMayor), Speaker Johnson (@NYCSpeakerCoJo), and your Council Members (list of handles below) asking them to include the $12 million in funding for adult literacy education in the FY2021 Adopted Budget. See sample tweets below, but feel free to personalize. Include your borough name and your Council Member Twitter handles. Consider including a photo or a short video. Tweets can contain 280 characters. 
 
Heightened focus on members of the Budget Negotiating Team (BNT): Adams, Cornegy. Constantinides, Cumbo, Deutsch, Dromm, Gibson, Johnson, Koslowitz, Lancman, Levin, Matteo. Menchaca, Moya, Reynoso, Rose, Rosenthal, Salamanca, Van Bramer. 
 
Sample Tweets 
Adult Education promotes mental health  and adult literacy for learners. By maintaining classes in remote settings during this crisis, we are providing ways for them to cope and learn. Please restore funding FY2021 #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek2020  
 
Mentally healthy parents help their children receive a better education. Support Adult Literacy Programs #LiteracyLiftsNYC #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek2020
 
Thank you to our adult education teachers for being there for our students during COVID-19 and always.  We ask you @NYCMayor and @NYCCAL @[your city council member] to support those needing English classes, adult education, HSE prep by restoring $12m to the NYC budget #LiteracyLiftsNYC
 
Adult Literacy Programs are a lifeline during COVID-19. Support those needing English classes, adult education, HSE prep by restoring $12m to the NYC budget @NYCMayor, #LiteracyLiftsNYC @NYCCAL @[your city council member]
 
More than ever, in this time of COVID-19, 2.2 million New Yorkers need adult education, @NYCMayor. #LiteracyLiftsNYC @NYCCAL @[your city council member]
 
We urge @NYCMayor to restore $12m for Adult Literacy! W/ cuts to this critical funding stream in the Executive Budget, thousands will lose a crucial lifeline during COVID-19! #LiteracyLiftsNYC @NYCCAL @[your city council member]
 
During COVID-19 My [ESOL/ABE/HSE] class has helped me _____________________.  Please give this chance to 2.2 million other NYCers who need adult education.  Restore $12m in funding for adult education in the NYC budget. @[your city council member] #LiteracyLiftsNYC @NYCCAL
 
Hashtags 
NYCCAL will be using new hashtags that reflect the current COVID-19 crisis. In addition to #LiteracyLiftsNYC, we will be tagging our posts with the following: #LiteracyLiftsNYC #SaveAdultLiteracy #AtHomeTogether #AdultEdConnected #AdultEdAtHomeTogether. 
 
Social Media Handles
Find My City Council Member
 
NYCCAL Handle
@NYCCAL
 
Citywide Representatives Handles
Mayor @NYCMayor
Council Speaker @NYCSpeakerCoJo
Public Advocate @JumaaneWilliams
 
Bronx Council Member Twitter handles:
@AndrewCohenNYC
@AndyKingNYC
@MarkGjonajNY
@FCabreraNY
@RitchieTorres
@VanessaLGibson
@SalamancaJr80
@RevRubenDiaz
 
Brooklyn Council Member Twitter handles:
@stephenlevin33
@CmReynoso34
@CMLaurieCumbo
@RobertCornegyJr
@RLEspinal
@CMenchaca
@bradlander
@cmmathieueugene
@AlickaASamuel41
@JustinBrannan
@KalmanYeger
@JumaaneWilliams
@MarkTreyger718
@ChaimDeutsch
 
Manhattan Council Member Twitter handles:
@CM_MargaretChin 
@RosieMendez 
@CoreyinNYC 
@DanGarodnick 
@kallos 
@HelenRosenthal 
@MarkLevineNYC 
@MMViverito 
@IE_Dickens
@ydanis
 
Queens Council Member Twitter handles:
@Costa4NY
@JimmyVanBramer
@Dromm25
@CMKoslowitz
@FranciscoMoyaNY
@CMPeterKoo
@PaulVallone
@RoryLancman
@IDaneekMiller
@AdrienneEAdams
@BarryGrodenchik
@eric_ulrich
@DRichards13
 
Staten Island Council Member Twitter handles:
@CMDebiRose
@StevenMatteo
@nyccborelli

Instructions for students to prepare and record video (thank you to Jeff of CPC for sharing the guide & Chinese translations!). Edit the instructions to you see fit your program and students:

1. Write one paragraph about yourself and your English studies. Try to give specific examples (for example, instead of “better job,” write what kind of job you want in the future)
   写一段关于你和你的英文学习。试一下写详细的例子，比如不知写更好的工作，写你将来想要什们养的工作）。
   Escriba un párrafo sobre usted mismo y sus estudios de inglés. Trate de dar ejemplos específicos (por ejemplo, en lugar de "un mejor trabajo," escriba que tipo de trabajo quiere en el futuro.)
2. Send your paragraph to your teacher. Your teacher will help you make your writing clearer.
   把写好的一段发给你的老师，你的老师会帮你修改，想法表达得很清楚。
   Envíe su párrafo a su profesor. Su maestro le ayudará a hacer su escrito más entendible.
3. Make a short video (up to 1 minute). Read your paragraph.
   做一个短的视频（1分钟一下），读你写的一段。
   Haga un video corto (menos de 1 minuto). Lea su párrafo en voz alta.
4. Send the video: 发视频： Envíe el video:
   Send an email to (designated person who will be submitting video and/or tweeting)
   发一个电子邮件给 (designated person who will be submitting video and/or tweeting)
   Envíe un correo a (designated person who will be submitting video and/or tweeting)

 
Script/Example paragraph （例段）(ejemplo):
My name is ______________, and I am an English student at (organization name). I have been studying English for ___________months/years. I want to learn English because ______________________________________________________________________________________. In the future, I want to__________________________________________________________. So, I am asking the government to continue funding adult English programs.
 
Twitter Mentions and Sample Tweets (link to Social Media directions and CM Twitter handles):
Tag the Mayor (@NYCMayor), Speaker Corey Johnson (@NYCSpeakerCoJo), and your own Council Members to include $12 million in funding for adult literacy education, include the hashtags #LiteracyLiftsNYC, #SaveAdultLit #AtHomeTogether #AdultEdConnected #AdultEdAtHomeTogether . Note: 280 Character Limit and personalize your message if you can.
 
Students:
During COVID-19, I’m studying (English/ESOL/HSE/ABE) online at home. There are 2.2 million other NYCers also who need adult education. Please restore $12m for adult literacy education in the NYC Budget @[YourCityCouncilMember] @NYCMayor #LiteracyLiftsNYC @NYCCAL
 
Teachers:
I teach (English/ESOL/HSE/ABE) online at home. My #AdultEdu students need the support of Adult Literacy Programs in this time of COVID-19 to make sure NYC is prepared and ready to reopen 100%! Support $12m to #SaveAdultLit @NYCMayor @[YourCityCouncilMember] @NYCCAL
 
Providers and all:
Now more than ever, 2.2 million New Yorkers like me cannot afford to lose the critical lifeline that adult education funding provides. We urge @NYCMayor @NYCSpeakerCoJo, @[YourCityCouncilMember] to restore $12m to #SaveAdultLiteracy! #LiteracyLiftsNYC @NYCCAL
 
More than half of NYC #COVID19 frontline workers are immigrants. Give them what they need to continue working safely, and access to essential services and info via education! Support $12m for Adult Education, @NYCCouncil, @[YourCityCouncilMember]! #LiteracyLiftsNYC @NYCCAL

Refer to  NYCCAL's FY2020 City One-Pager.

We are continuing our Virtual Advocacy Rallies every Friday for the next few weeks.

On Friday May 15, 2020, we ask that you participate in a virtual celebration of Mother’s Day by sending out Tweets and Instagram messages to our elected officials to support funding for Adult Education.

Sample Tweets 

• Adult Education educates parents! Help parents support their children- restore $12m for Adult Literacy! #LiteracyLiftsNYC #MothersDay
• Educated parents help their children receive a better education. Support Adult Literacy Programs #LiteracyLiftsNYC #MothersDay

Send Tweets mentioning the Mayor (@NYCMayor), Speaker Johnson (@NYCSpeakerCoJo), and your Council Members, and tag NYCCAL (@nyccal).

Read More for Sample Messages, Hashtags, More Social Media Handles of City Council Members...