Edward Funches testifies on unemployment, housing, and Inclusion company

Hello, I want to thank you all for allowing me and us to have this opportunity to speak with y'all.

I want to speak about unemployment.

The disability community has the highest unemployment rate in any community.

And this is why we have individuals in bad situations of housing.

I came home from doing some time, and I was told I couldn't go back to any housing because of the charges that I had, which was drug charges.

I was fortunate enough to get some assistance from the late Charlie Rangel, which helped me out a great deal.

So I created the company 12 years ago called Inclusion,

provide job opportunities for the disadvantaged community, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated individuals, people experiencing homelessness, and veterans.

And I think if we start right there, helping individuals out, the problem, another one of the problems that we have is people are in those positions.

I want to tell you about...

A former deputy mayor.

I happened to see him in front of City Hall.

He said on his statements, he had, when the city becomes fairer and more inclusive, we all benefit.

I believe that then and I believe it now.

However, he didn't believe that.

I seen him in front of City Hall and I approached him to tell him how much I appreciated those words.

Before I could say anything else, he said to me, I don't have any change.

And this is the problem that we have right now.

People in those positions are not really giving us the assistance that we need.

So I'm thankful that we're having this meeting right here.

And we need to have more of these meetings and put people in positions that can help individuals.

I created this company and we've been doing extremely well.

But we need to partner with agencies or with city elected officials that believe in making a change for these communities.

That's all I have to say.

Thank you very much.