With the State government cutting expenditures at every turn, waves of protest have been rising from all quarters of society. In addition to cuts in funding for public schools, the Adult Literacy Education (ALE) program was hit with two budget cuts last year, first for $612,000 and then for a whopping $2 million. If last year's figures are any indication, this year's State budget cuts could leave the adult literacy program with only 60 percent of its original funding. 

Over 100 students and teachers from NYC community colleges were joined by elected officials yesterday in a gathering in front of City Hall to protest the impending budget cuts. The protestors called on the State to preserve funding for adult literacy programs and help New York's immigrants take a step toward fulfilling the American dream. 

Numerous Chinese immigrants were present at yesterday's protest; they agreed that in times of economic distress and rising unemployment, losing the opportunity to take English classes could well shatter one's hopes of achieving the American dream, as only immigrants proficient in English can assimilate into American society and build good lives for themselves. 

Anthony Ng, deputy director of Policy and Advocacy at United Neighborhood House, said that every person has the right to pursue the American dream, and that language is a necessary foundation without which immigrants are unable to assimilate, preventing them from creating new lives for themselves. "Without help overcoming the language barrier, many new immigrants may give up hope," Ng said. 

Among the protesters were a group of almost two dozen Chinese immigrants studying English through classes at University Settlement in the Lower East Side, led by the center's Family Literacy Director Michael Hunter. Hunter said that the program's night classes attract many new immigrants who are working and studying English simultaneously, and that ninety percent of the students are Chinese. If the government were to cut another $2 million from its adult literacy funding, the program would lose its night classes, and force a cut back in its day classes as well, which would be disappointing news for immigrants.  

One Mr. Zhang, a resident of Brooklyn who emigrated two years ago from Jiangmen, Guangdong, began taking adult English classes at University Settlement three months ago. Zhang works during the day as a visiting nurse and attends English class in the evening. He hopes that by studying English he can someday get a better job.  

When asked about the prospect of the classes being cancelled, Zhang broke out in tears. "I've missed too many opportunities because I can't speak English," he said.