200,000 Voices in 2000
Earlier this year, the National Coalition for Haitian Rights
teamed up with other immigrant organizations in New York State to encourage at
least 200,000 new citizens and their families who are eligible to vote to become
educated on the many issues that are vital to their communities and to the
future of New York State, and to cast informed votes in the November 7, 2000
national, state and local elections. Christened 200,000 in 2000, the campaign
has been coordinated by the New York Immigration Coalition.
Why 200,000 in 2000?
The vitality of New York State in the 21st century is tied to
the vitality and well-being of its newcomer communities. These communities
have been battered in recent years by unjust policies that deprive them of their
rights and of access to services that their tax dollars help support for others.
While many immigrant families have specific concerns about policies such as
these, they also share concerns of other New Yorkers when it comes to issues
like the quality of public schools, the availability of good jobs, and the
quality and affordability of health care and housing. By becoming more deeply
informed about these issues and how they are affected by decisions made at the
different levels of government, and by joining forces across diverse ethnic and
nationality groups, newcomer communities will be positioned to use the
democratic process to make government more responsive to the needs of all New
Yorkers. The potential benefits of a successful 200,000 in 2000
Campaign -- just immigrations policies, better jobs, good schools, affordable
health care, clean and safe neighborhoods -- will be enjoyed for years to come,
not only by immigrant communities but by everyone in New York State.
Forums
NCHR has coordinated five community education forums on topics
such as: Introduction to U.S. Democracy, Public Education Reform, Health Care
Access, Housing Issues and Immigration Law. These forums will enable the
Haitian community to understand how their involvement in civic affairs can
strengthen life in our communities.
Pledging
When Naturalized citizens and their family members pledge,
they make a commitment to:
- learn about the political process and the offices up for
elections.
- learn about key issues facing their community.
- learn about the positions of the different parties and
candidates.
- register to vote, if eligible, and to
- vote on November 7, 2000.
Policies Which Affect Immigrants
English for Speakers of Others Languages (ESOL) is
a funded program funded by the government to teach immigrants to speak English.
Learning English is the key to immigrant advancement. As the number of
immigrants entering New York grows, the current funding is not enough.
Many immigrants' desire to learn English is stifled by the shortage of classes
due to lack of funding. Current levels of ESOL funding reach less than 15%
of the needy populations.
Family Health Plus and Medicaid
are programs for families who have low income or are poor. Prior to
welfare reform legislation in 1996, all legal immigrants who had low income or
were poor were eligible for full Medicaid coverage like all other New York
residents. The 1996 federal welfare law changed the rules and limited free
health care to only emergency care for newly arriving legal immigrants.
Legal immigrants who have resettled in New York since August 1996 cannot receive
Medicaid coverage or Family Health Plus until they become citizens.
Immigrants work hard and pay taxes like all Americans. Just like other
Americans, immigrants also get sick. Immigrants deserve health care like
all other Americans.
New York's new school standards
creates an opportunity to improve the education of immigrant children,
particularly for those children learning to speak English. However, New
York State requires that in order for immigrant and refugee students to graduate
high school they must pass the English Language Arts Regents Exam, even if they
have only been learning English for a short period of time. Too many of
these students have not gotten the help they need from their schools to pass the
English Regents Exam and because of this will not graduate. The state
needs to provide more funding to schools so that these students get the
additional help that was promised to them by the State Education Department when
the new standards were adopted.
For additional information, contact:
Martine Caze
Project Leader
(212) 337-0005 ext. 10
|