Photos:The People’s Plan
New York, NY — Tuesday morning, 80 students from Leaders High School gathered on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse to demand that Mayor Eric Adams reverse harmful budget cuts to critical public services. The rally is part of the FY26 People’s Budget Campaign led by The People’s Plan, calling for a just and equitable city budget that centers communities instead of special interests.
Marely, a student at Leaders High School and the rally’s MC, opened the event with a powerful message:
“My name is Marely, and I’m a student at Leaders High School. Today, I’m proud to stand as your MC and speak on behalf of our school community. Together with the People’s Plan, we’re fighting for affordable futures for families and real public safety for all New Yorkers. We reject the budget cuts and mass deportations happening under both the Trump administration and Mayor Eric Adams. We demand full funding for 3K, CUNY, immigrant protections, and mental health services—because our future depends on it.”
Zara Nasir, Director of The People’s Plan and the People’s Budget Campaign, emphasized the stakes:
“Mayor Adams’ relentless budget cuts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet — they are direct attacks on the futures of immigrant students and families across this city. Slashing funding for education while our communities are already under-resourced is a cruel choice, not a fiscal necessity. As Director of The People’s Plan and the People’s Budget campaign, I stand with young people demanding real investment in their schools, their safety, and their futures. New York must choose care, not cuts.”
The rally featured testimony from students and advocates, and was joined by Council Members Alexa Avilés, Jen Gutiérrez, Shahana Hanif, and allies from the Professional Staff Congress and Alliance for Quality Education.
Leaders High School, a small, project-based public school with a diverse student body—including large immigrant communities from Pakistan, Mexico, Uzbekistan, China, and Russia—is directly impacted by these budget decisions. Students lifted up their lived experiences and called on city leadership to invest in a vision of New York City that prioritizes education from 3K to CUNY, mental health care, immigrant protections, and housing-first strategies as the foundation of true public safety.
This youth-led action builds on five months of advocacy through the People’s Budget Campaign, which is pushing back against an austerity agenda and demanding a budget rooted in #CareNotCuts.
Event Details
📍 Tweed Building Steps, 52 Chambers St, NYC
📅 Tuesday, April 8, 2025
🕚 11:15 AM
Participating Organizations & Officials:
- Students of Leaders High School
- The People’s Plan NYC – People’s Budget Campaign lead
- Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
- Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif
- James Davis, President of Professional Staff Congress (PSC)
- Zakiyah Ansari Alliance for Quality Education (AQE)
