drastic cutbacks is being felt now, so they want the city to reverse the cuts to a program that offers critical opportunities to new york's most vulnerable. joining us this morning, kevin douglas is a co-director of policy and advocacy at united neighborhood houses. our good friend council member carlos menchaca, back here with us once again on "tiempo." and paola ruiz, from the corporation. let me cut to the chase with you, kevin, just to get this started. what will not happen as a result of these cuts? >> students who are looking to better their lives and build stronger communities won't have the opportunity to do so. >> students -- throw some numbers at me. >> this is a significant number. we're talking about over 6,300 new yorkers who had classes in may. they come back in the fall, and they found out their programs are shut down and they're not gonna be able to continue with their education. >> classes such as...? >> adult-literacy classes. we're talking about english for high-school-equivalency preparation for people who want to get their high-school diploma, and basic education -- really, literacy and numeracy skills people need to succeed in new york city's economy. >> i'm sure there were some programs in your district, right, that -- >> hundreds of seats in sunset park alone, and this is 6,000 seats across the entire city. we're feeling that crunch in this fall semester. >> share with me the battle that it was at city council before -- >> we've been fighting for such a long time, and, as a new council member, i have joined the coalition to really make a very clear point -- is that the city is really moving forward for our immigrant and latino families. >> yes. >> but education has to be a cornerstone, not just for upk and our young people but for our parents, who are helping our kids on the ground for school-homework assistance. >> but we're talking adult-literacy courses, right? paola, i mean, tell me about some of the people impacted adultwise. are we talking abuelas, aunts, uncles? >> yeah. so, northern manhattan improvement corporation serves the entire community -- grandma, grandpas, nephews, nieces, moms, and dads -- and this is a critical service that they need. we lost about 215 seats, and we have a waiting list of about 1,000 students, so that means we have to turn away 1,000 students. >> now, kevin mentioned it, and we're talking literacy programs, but boil it down even more. what types of literacy programs? what are you teaching or what are you not teaching now? >> we're teaching them the basic english literacy skills that they need to get out of poverty, to get jobs, to go into college. we have a lot of students between the ages of 17 to 24 that they need their high-school diploma, and we give them that tool to be able to succeed and go to college and get out of poverty and then go to college. >> mm-hmm. let me come back to you, kevin, because, as a result of the cutbacks, have you had to cut back yourself? is the staff size smaller? administratively, have things changed because you just don't have the funding that you used to have? >> for the settlement houses and community centers in new york city, absolutely. they've laid off staff. they've cut hours. they've really had to drastically impact their programming, but more importantly than the staff impact is really the impact on the community and those families who are really looking to build better lives for themselves, learn english, move forward, get jobs, and really realize the vision of opportunity in the city and ending sort of this tale of two cities that we often hear about in new york city. that's gonna continue if these people can't get their english skills. >> carlos, go ahead. >> and it's not all bad news. so, the city council this year put in $1.3 million, and these are funding local community organizations. these are the ones that our abuelitas go to for a whole bunch of other services, and now they can't go get their english literacy classes. >> yeah. why now, paola? i mean, the cuts happened in july. it's after thanksgiving, and we're talking about it now. is it because of the fall and that's when the new programs were started? >> yeah. so, our programs start, generally, end of fall, and we have a line of students wanting to get classes, and we can't give them that. we have to turn them away, and it's heartbreaking. and for them, budget cuts means that they have one more obstacle to overcome poverty. >> mm-hmm. let me ask you, and this as well. is there anywhere else you can go to get the funding that now you're not getting from the paola? kevin? >> well, i mean, we would go to the state, but the state's also been cutting back in recent years, so it's sort of bad news across the board, which is really why we need the city to >> mm-hmm. how do you justify it? i mean, once it's gone -- and it's no chance of getting it repaired this year, but i'm sure the ongoing battle will continue for next year's budget. is it tough, carlos, to bring back something that's already been taken away? >> there's a broad coalition of council members that are gonna be fighting for this in the next budget, which is also why we're starting now, in november, and we're making the case for this next budget, and we want to see some real results. the drop came after daca came in to existence, and we know that education is part of the process for daca, and that disappeared. we want this back. >> you provide a good segue here. we'll go to commercial break, because we do have a response from the mayor's office, talking -- we wanted to know what their thinking was to this. we'll show that to you when we come back here on "tiempo." more to the cuts to new york city adult-literacy programs, impacting so many latino families across the five boroughs. still ahead on "tiempo," there it is -- plaza de las americas, a brand-new pedestrian space now open in washington heights. the ambitious project. s las noticias it's the holidays. and of course, everyone wants to get online at once. to watch things. buy things. but slow internet makes it hard. that's why it's time to get fios. it has the fastest internet and wifi available. with speeds from 50 to 500 megs. and right now, you'll get 50 meg fios internet, tv and phone for 79.99 a month online for your first year. and with a 2 year agreement, we'll give you all the premium movie channels for a year. plus, 400 dollars back. so go online or call now. >> welcome back to "tiempo." we've been discussing the drastic cuts to new york city's adult-literacy programs, and here with us, kevin douglas, co-director of policy & advocacy at united neighborhood houses, council member carlos menchaca, and paola ruiz, from the northern manhattan improvement corporation. we did ask for the mayor's office to provide us with a response to the cuts, and this to us. how does that make you feel? is that, in any way, justification for the actions that were taken in cutting these funds? >> i think it's problematic for a couple of reasons. >> why so? >> the word "redirect." you know, we have a city that's over 1/3 immigrant. there's hardly any investment in community-based literacy services, and we're talking about redirecting that somewhere else, so that's the first problem. we need to actually expand our investment in these programs. >> second issue? >> the second issue was the mention that there's gonna be adult-literacy investments. first, we've heard of it, but it's great news, so we want to be partners to the city. there are lots of students who, for months, were wondering, "what's happening to my program?" and had no communication from the city, so if there were plans to really roll out adult-literacy program, it would have been great to communicate, and we'd love to make sure that that happens as soon as possible. >> any insight on what they were talking about with the investments? >> yeah, and what we need to do is also look at the need here, so we are clocking this at 1.7 million new yorkers are in need of adult education. this includes immigrants, as well -- the daca population, et cetera. also making sure that the relationship stays strong with the organizations that are making these programs happen in our local communities -- for our abuelitas to be able to walk down the street and get that education. >> yes. >> that's what we're talking about here. and so this redirection is really not where we want to end, and what we want to do is make sure these organizations are getting what they need. >> mm-hmm. do you have any insight what they're talking about when he says, "investment to adult-literacy programs"? >> so, we are also thankful that the innovation around their preparation for executive action that hopefully will come down from the supreme court, but what we're not sure is how they're gonna actually integrate into our local cbos. so, these are open questions, and we'll go in to the next budget season with a real need, and it's gonna be greater than whatever they've already kind of alluded to today. >> paola, explanation or not, the reality is the money that you had once before, you don't have now. >> absolutely. >> and the need is still there. >> and the need is still there. and we want to urge mayor de blasio that if he really wants to bridge the gap between two cities, then he must restore funding back into literacy. >> mm-hmm. and you say that the need -- you know, you throw out numbers, 1.7 million new yorkers who are in need of this. i would assume that that number grows by the day as more and more new yorkers, as more and more latinos, come to enjoy our great city, to use the services. that's why they come here. in fact, that's one of the reasons -- our services are not like these -- that are often an attraction to people to say, "listen, new york can provide you the help that you need to succeed." >> that's absolutely true, and, you know, it's really important to stress that the administration has been a partner to the new york community 'cause it's such a -- the immigrant community is what drives new york city, and it is growing, as you suggest, every day. and all we're saying is, "let's support that growth. immigrants are the economic and social drivers of this community. they're gonna continue to be an important part of the city. let's invest in their educational obtainment." >> go ahead. >> and here's the bottom line. upk was such a huge success. >> upk being...? >> universal pre-k program now that every child can get. there are parents who are not able to help their kids at home. we're talking to our latino community right now. and i grew up -- >> particularly in the realm of education and teaching. >> absolutely. yeah. didn't learn english until head start. mom had a 3rd-grade education, only espaol, and that was a >> yeah. >> that can be a problem for our new yorkers if our new yorkers are gonna grow and shorten the gap of inequality. >> ah! i want to get back to what you just said, because, yes, the city has demonstrated that they want to be partners in other areas and in other realms, and then this happens. what does that say to you -- that perhaps that commitment isn't what it used to be or it's not as strong? i mean, what was your reaction, other than flummoxed, when you said, "all right. they were leading us down this road for so long. we thought we had a partner, and, suddenly, our funding is cut." >> i think the reaction that really is the one that matters is from the students, and students are really disheartened. they were crying. they were going to programs -- paola's and others -- and they were told, "sorry. no can do." and so we have seen that commitment in many areas. this is just an area where there's been a stumble, and we're really encouraging the administration to work with us. reinvest in the literacy services. let's be partners, and let's invest in this community that is really responsible for the growth and vibrancy of new york. >> i want to get to paola. i would assume that had to be one of the hardest things you'd ever done -- to say to students who were once students, "i'm sorry. we can't keep teaching you." >> it's heartbreaking to turn these students away because they really want an opportunity to be active in the political system. they want to go to school. they want to get better jobs. and it's heartbreaking when i have to turn a student away and tell them, "we don't have any more seats." >> if you know off the top of your head, real quickly, what were you able to provide with the funding, in terms of numbers, and what are you doing now, just to show me the difference? >> so, we were offering -- at some point, we were offering about 35 classes. right now we're down to 11 classes. so, there's a real need for these literacy services to our community, and, as kevin said, our population is growing more and more each day, so we need to fill that void. >> and how many were in each class, roughly? >> we had about 25 to 30 students in each class. >> you can do the math there. that's a significant number. i hope you guys had a wonderful thanksgiving. thank you for being here on "tiempo." keep up the good fight, and when it changes, you'll come back and tell us, i'm sure. >> absolutely. >> okay. thank you, guys. >> thank you. >> coming up next on "tiempo," a new pedestrian space, plaza de las americas, in the heart of washington heights. it just opened. the project next on "tiempo." meet the moore's! we're the moore family, and as you can see, we need an internet that can do more. we do more games, and more streaming. so we need more speed. that's why we switched to time warner cable. you can too. call now. now we can connect more devices, at the same time. the wifi in this house is amazing. so is my guacamole. hi grandma and grandpa! ha, look at that! [laughs] time warner cable even has an internet plan for us. get the internet speed that's right for you. from 3 megs to ultra fast 300 megs they even made it easy to switch why settle for less, when you can get more! get 50 meg internet for $39.99 per month. call now. you could get free installation, no data cap, and access to over 400,000 twc wifi hotspots with select plans. >> less than a year ago, a project to create a new public pedestrian space in washington heights got under way. plaza de las americas is now a reality. joining us here to talk more about the space, dennis reeder, executive director of the washington heights & inwood development corporation, michael hurwitz, director of the greenmarket program, and sergio nolasco, a farmer, also with grownyc. i would assume -- and tell me if i'm reading too much in to this. did yo ulook at the caribbean -- puerto rico, the dominican republic, cuba -- where plazas are essential to everyday life, incorporate some of that into a largely dominican community, and take what the have there and put it in northern manhattan? >> absolutely. the aesthetics of the squares, the fact that they're used not only for recreation but for selling things is very important to take into consideration. >> and it's not a refurbishment. this is new. >> no, it's brand-new. before, it was a street that we had to close every day. now it's a real plaza. the street's permanently closed. it's great. >> walk me through just some of the amenities that people will find in the plaza. i think it's just fabulous. >> we have probably the first public pay toilet north of 42nd street in manhattan. >> all right! [ chuckles ] >> we will have an information kiosk. we have a sculpture that reflects latino culture in the americas. we have decorative pavement, trees, benches, lighting... >> just fabulous. >> ...you know, and access to water that the vendors never had before. >> yeah. i mean, i would assume you guys haven't been there, right, since the ribbon cutting, 'cause the market closed, michael, when? >> last thursday was our last day for 2015. >> and it reopens again when? >> it will be there next june, and very excited. >> i was just gonna say, "i bet you can't wait, right?" >> well, i mean, this plaza -- the department of transportation and the department of design and construction actually included us and talked to us. "what type of amenities would make this better for your >> yes. >> "...and for the community?" >> and among the things on the list that you gave them were...? >> dennis just named some of those things, from water to access to electricity, if necessary, but also now being able to block the street off officially and no longer having to park a van along broadway so >> mm-hmm. user-friendly. thursdays. there are thousands of people that come and shop there for their families for the week. >> what will you be able to do now that you couldn't do before because of the layout? >> i think our community programming will be significantly better. >> community program that offers programs such as...? >> we do cooking demonstrations. we do nutritional education. we could have any community-program organization that wants to come in and host their own programming. this really opens up a new level, a new opportunity. >> possibilities are almost endless. >> endless. >> sergio, you're a farmer. >> yes. >> where? >> i'm growing everything in andover, new jersey. >> andover, new jersey? >> yeah. we grow more than 50 vegetables -- i mean, varieties of vegetables -- from hispanic to, like, really american, like kale and bunch of lettuce. >> and you supply to vendors in the market? >> we do the farmers' markets. we grow and we sell myself. >> oh. so, you have your own stand in the market? wow. >> right. >> are you excited about this? >> of course! >> [ laughs ] look at the big smile on his face. i would assume that's across the board when you cut the ribbon on this, correct -- that everybody was just elated to see this? >> yes, and our vendors start tomorrow, on monday. >> what is your hope and dream that, ultimately, this will become -- a centerpiece of washington heights? >> i think it will be the centerpiece of washington heights. it's giving a focus to our community that we never had before. we finally have a central plaza, just like they have in any town in the caribbean or south or latin america. you know, it's fantastic. >> it'll be the place to be. >> yes. >> are we stretching it when we say that the plaza will help generate income? >> it will. it will attract more people, both residents and tourists, and with more people, you have more business, and our vendors should be able to take advantage of that. >> roughly how many vendors do you think -- put it this way. how many vendors did you get before? how many do you think you'll be able to get in now? >> there i think we have about 12 to 14, depending on the time of year. >> okay. >> i think we're probably set, but perhaps this will give us an opportunity to go longer into the year. talk about generating economic activity. >> yeah. >> the day that we're there, the supermarket that's on the corner has its highest volume in sales 'cause we're bringing people to make it a destination and a food destination. >> so, i guess that answers the question about generating income. >> absolutely. >> absolutely. guys, sit tight. i got a few more questions to talk to you about, because this is great. when we heard about this, we had to have you on the show. more on the >> welcome back to "tiempo." we have been discussing this morning the brand-new plaza de las americas in washington heights, and joining us to tell us a little bit more about it, dennis reeder, executive director of the washington heights & inwood development corporation. michael hurwitz is the director of greenmarket program, and sergio nolasco is a farmer, also with grownyc. is it you guys who determine which vendors get in to the market or get in to the plaza? because i would assume that now, when it's gonna take off, the list of people is going to grow substantially. >> yes, it will grow. we have 30 to 40 vendors we already work with. we work with the washington heights street vendors association. >> yes. based through interviews and, you know, who's selling what, why, and... >> what are the qualifications, if any? >> you have to be a legitimate business. you have to be registered with the city, have a sales-tax certificate. >> right. >> you need a department of consumer affairs permit, which we help them get. >> and do you try and vary it so that it's not all vegetables or not all fruits? >> yes. we have -- ours is a general market. they sell anything from tube socks to vegetables to used televisions, tools, you name it. >> and who doesn't need tube socks? you guys have been there since -- did you say 1980? >> since 1980. >> so, this is overdue. [ chuckles ] >> absolutely, but we're nimble. we set up on the street, and we're gone at night. we have 54 locations throughout the five boroughs. this is one of our oldest, one of our more successful. >> and i just want to give people a scope of how widespread your organization is. you've got vendors and farmers coming in from all across the area. we have 240 producers, 250 miles to the north and 170 miles east and west. >> wow. >> you have to grow it to bring it, so we are a producer-only marketplace. our farmers are there. our bakers are required to use local grain, and our fish is coming from these waters. >> say that again. you have to grow it to sell it, right? >> that's right. >> you got to sell your own stuff. >> sell your own stuff. >> sergio, i just want you to tell me what we were talking about in the break to illustrate to people the impact that this market has on you and your family. it is the main source of income for you, is it not? >> yes. yes. so, i mean, 80% of my income comes from that market, so it's really good to keep working together, you know? >> so, it really does put food on your table... >> of course. >> ...and takes care of the house and the bills... >> right. >> ...everything that happens at the market there. >> yep. >> okay. so, you must be triply excited about the potential, correct... >> of course. >> ...about what can happen here? >> yep. >> this is just fabulous news. do you have to worry a little bit about "maybe this will be too successful"? you know, "we might have to redirect traffic here." >> well, we're not gonna worry about that till it happens, but we'll be happy to worry about that. >> yes. and in choosing the vendors, that's an art form in itself, is it? >> yes, absolutely. >> yes. "let's all play together nicely." water -- i couldn't believe what i heard, that there wasn't access to water at the market. >> our farmers would bring it -- bring it in themselves. ice they would cart in themselves. everything that -- all the infrastructure that markets have, we truck in. >> yes. >> we supply by vans. >> so, do they now not have to carry water with them? >> no. >> no? >> they actually now do not have to add that burden. >> does that translate that they can bring more to sell and, therefore, make more money? >> no question -- and focus more of their time on what's important, and that's selling and interacting with the public. >> and we've got about 30 seconds left. i'm trying to envision how 30 different vendors access -- is it one source of water? is it spigots in several locations? >> they actually designed it as part of the sculptures, is my understanding. >> really? >> building in a spigot so that we actually can use it and not plaza. it's brilliant. >> yeah. but what was brilliant was what you said before -- that they asked the people who used the market to give us input in what to go in the market, and i think that's essential. >> the department of transportation has been fantastic. >> home run. continued success. thank you guys very much, and way to go. this is just fabulous news. plaza de las americas -- go there when it opens up soon and go there now. before we go, a quick look at the "tiempo" community calendar for this week. two great latin jazz events are happening this evening in manhattan. the new school afro cuban jazz band with bobby sanabria -- he's been a guest here on "tiempo." they'll be performing at the nuyorican poets cafe, located at 236 east 3rd street in lower manhattan. that gets under way at 7:30. always a good show. make time for that. the 92nd street y presents arturo sandoval, one of the world's leading jazz trumpeters. that show starts at 8:00 p.m. the 92nd street y is located at 1395 lexington avenue, 92nd street. much^simas gracias. thanks for spending part of your sunday with us. do not forget -- if you missed any part of our show, you can watch it at abc7ny on the web, on your tablet, or even, in this day and age, on your smartphone. that wraps up another edition of "tiempo." i'm joe torres.