ASAAL Leaders Met NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams & Raised Concerns Regarding Lack Of City Services For South Asian Communities

UsaNewsOnline.Com, New York : ASAAL National President Maf. Misbah Uddin and National Secretary Mohammed Karim Chowdhury met NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams yesterday ( Oct. 8, 2019) evening at his office. We informed him about some serious issues our communities are facing in NYC that include lack of cultural friendly domestic violence shelters, foster care houses and senior centers for South Asian communities in New York City. 

We suggested his office to consider policy modification as necessary to accommodate religious and cultural needs for South Asians in domestic violence shelters, foster care houses and senior centers in the city. He immediately ordered his director of policy Veronica Aveis to look into this matter. 

We also informed him about 400 plus senior centers serving our seniors in the city but none of them offers halal foods to accommodate our huge Muslim population in the city. 

We also talked about South Asian representation in city agencies. Mr. Jumaane Williams ordered his deputies and director of policy to follow up with us on issues we raised during this meeting. 

‘We are demanding fairness in city services. We want your office/ PA to take lead in policy modifications reflecting our city’s demographic data. City services must be inclusive and accommodating to all major ethnic groups living in this city’ said ASAAL National President Maf. Misbah Uddin. 

’City has been depriving South Asians and other ethnic groups from legitimate & well deserved public benefits by deploying standard policies that technically exclude South Asians and many other ethnic groups from availing their well deserved city services. City must stop these discriminatory policies and adopt policies that accommodate South Asians and other ethnic groups to avail city services they qualify for’ said ASAAL National Secretary Mohammed Karim Chowdhury.

ASAAL leaders informed PA regarding its ambitious program to maximize the participation of South Asians in upcoming census. 

Deputy Public Advocate Kashif Hussain, Rama Issa- Ibrahim & Xamayla Rose participated in this meeting.