Press Release

For Immediate Release
#34-19


NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT’S LATEST ‘PREP TALK’ PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS IMMIGRANT HERITAGE WEEK


Special guests discuss the importance of preparing immigrant communities for emergencies


#PrepTalkNYC {Click to listen to episode 30}


April 16, 2019 — In recognition of Immigrant Heritage Week in New York City, April 15 through April 21, the latest “Prep Talk” episode features New York State Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou and Pedro Garcia, manager for staff development for training and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at the Tenement Museum. The special guests discuss the importance of working with the NYC Emergency Management Department, elected officials, and community organizations to prepare immigrants for emergencies.

“Being an immigrant really does shape my view, and I think that lots of times those are the things that drive us to go and make sure that everybody has a voice,” Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou said. “The reason why I’m here is obviously because I want to make sure that my community, all of my community, has a voice.”

In this episode, Mr. Garcia talks about the resources the Tenement Museum provides for the immigrant community, including professional development workshops, English language classes, and tenement apartment tours that provide a glimpse of how immigrants lived in the 19th and 20th centuries.

“There needs to be that connection between the people around us and the museum. The museum tells the stories of people that were not inventors or big war heroes. These were ordinary folks that we talk about, so it makes sense for us to have ordinary folks around the neighborhood, with little means, to come and visit the museum and learn about these stories,” Mr. Garcia said.

You can listen to the latest episode on SoundCloud, iTunes, and Spreaker, and subscribe now to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes.

Profiles:

Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou was elected to serve the 65th Assembly District in 2016. The district represents the Lower East Side, Chinatown, South Street Seaport area, Financial District and Battery Park City.

Assembly Member Niou began working on state policy issues while in college, eventually accepting a position with the Washington State House Health Committee Chair.  She then served as chief of staff for New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim, where, under her leadership, the office assisted thousands of immigrants, small-business owners, teachers, seniors, workers, and students.  In the Assembly, Ms. Niou has pushed to improve financial protections for consumers and worked to secure funding for New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) repairs. Along with her colleagues, she helped form New York State’s first Asian Pacific American Legislative Task Force, which will focus on advancing issues affecting New York’s Asian American community.

Pedro Garcia is the manager for staff development for training and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at the Tenement Museum. He has worked at the Tenement Museum for 13 years, holding multiple roles within the education department. Most recently, he began managing full-time and part-time members of the department. Mr. Garcia grew up in New York City and has lived here for about 31 years, after his family moved from Venezuela. He currently lives in The Bronx.

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