Action Alert: Mental Health Awareness Week, Friday, 5/29

#SaveAdultLit Advocacy Week of May 29th 
Social Media Directions for Advocacy Activities Friday, May 29, 2020

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