Demonstrators Rally Against Pataki’s Welfare Reform Impacting Southeast Asian Communities

Demonstrators Rally Against Pataki’s Welfare Reform Impacting Southeast Asian Communities

As Governor Pataki headed to an Asian-American Heritage Month celebration in midtown, 80 protesters gathered nearby to voice their concerns. Organized by the Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAAV), the protest highlighted the detrimental impact of Pataki’s federal welfare reform on Southeast Asians in New York. The reform threatens to cut Supplemental Security Income and Food Stamps, while imposing workfare jobs, affecting over 90% of the non-English-speaking Southeast Asian community in the Bronx who rely on public assistance. The demonstrators called for the hiring of Khmer and Vietnamese-speaking social workers, continued food aid, educational programs, and state cash assistance, chanting, "Pataki don’t care 'cause he ain’t on welfare," as they stood outside the ABC studios. Unfortunately, Governor Pataki arrived after most protesters had dispersed.

Demonstrators hold signs that read, "Stop Attacks On Southeast Asian Communities" and "Elderly Needs."

Source: https://citylimits.org/1997/05/26/george-ducks-angry-asians/

May 1997

Cynthia Zhang

Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities.

Photograph

Photo1001