Madison Mountie (Simon Wiesenthal Center) testifies on digital literacy education

And now we have the third panel.

Madison Mountie and Marissa Barak.

And we also have on Zoom Leslie Claire Allen.

And thank you.

You may begin in any order you like.

You each have three minutes.

Good afternoon, Chair Salam and members of the committee.

Thank you for convening this critical hearing.

My name is Madison Mountie, and I am the Director of Government Relations and Advocacy for the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

For decades, the SWC has fought anti-Semitism, hate, and bias by focusing on the most powerful tool for long-term prevention, education.

We are at a defining moment in New York City.

The data shows a sobering, persistent rise in identity-based harassment and hate crimes.

While reactive measures are necessary, true safety begins with proactive community prevention.

We must reach people before bias takes root, especially our youth.

I'm here to highlight the important work that we are doing locally across the five boroughs through two vital community-based initiatives.

First are Combating Hate in Digital Spaces workshops.

In longstanding partnership with the City Council, SWC and our team of experienced educators have reached thousands of New York City public school students through our educational workshops.

Combating Hate in Digital Spaces

is a learning experience designed for grades 7 through 12 and offered in classrooms across the five boroughs.

With a focus on digital identity, AI, and civic responsibility, these workshops provide students with an identity Venn diagram that supports reflection on how their digital selves are shaped,

as well as the responsibilities and real-world consequences that accompany their online presence.

Learners explore the...

formation of online identities and examine how the algorithm influences and manipulates individual actions in digital spaces.

Second, our mobile museums of tolerance.

We know that access to high quality immersive education shouldn't depend on a school's budget or zip code.

Our MMOTs are a state of the art traveling classroom that brings world class human rights and anti-bias education directly to New York City neighborhoods through the support of New York State.

Our two MMOTs bring immersive tolerance education directly to schools and communities across New York.

We use cutting-edge digital storytelling to engage audiences in learning about the Holocaust, civil rights movement, digital literacy, anti-Semitism, racism, bullying, and social justice.

These programs are not just concepts.

They are operational blueprints for community-based prevention that build empathy and resilience directly inside our neighborhoods.

To scale these efforts and meet the current and growing need, we cannot do it alone.

We urge the City Council to prioritize sustained investments in mobile accessible education and SWC's digital literacy workshops so we can reach every public school and community center in this city.

Safety and dignity cannot be selective.

We must protect every single New Yorker.

We applaud this committee's ongoing leadership and stand ready to partner with you to expand these vital educational resources.

Thank you.

Thank you.