By Shane O’Brien, Published on July 3, 2025

Queens Council Members Shekar Krishnan, Linda Lee, Sandra Ung and Julie Won gathered on the steps of City Hall Wednesday afternoon alongside Manhattan Council Member Carlina Rivera to celebrate the “historic” $2.5 million budget investment to support the implementation of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history curriculum in NYC schools.

The elected officials were joined by representatives from a number of AAPI and immigrant groups on the steps of City Hall, including the Chinese American Planning Council, Korean Community Services, South Asian Youth Action (SAYA), Asian American / Asian Research Institute (AAARI), Asian American Education Project (AAEP).

Advocates celebrated the inclusion of the Education Equity Action Plan in the recently-passed FY2026 budget, which allocates $2.5 million to advance the AAPI studies curriculum in public schools across the city. The City Council voted unanimously to approve the $116 billion budget Monday.

A number of elected officials celebrated the inclusion of the Education Equity Action Plan in the budget, including Krishnan, who described the measure as an “important step” in ensuring all history is “taught in our classrooms.”

“I understand firsthand the importance of this curriculum,” Krishnan stated, adding that the budget also delivered “big wins” for families, schools and immigrant communities by providing funding for expanded services in city libraries alongside funding for a “historic” universal child care pilot program.

Won, meanwhile, said the AAPI curriculum represents a “meaningful step” toward enriching public school education in New York City.

“This initiative will supplement the existing Black and Latino studies curricula, offering students a more inclusive and accurate understanding of our city’s rich and diverse history. Every child deserves to learn about the communities that have shaped New York City, and how our histories are deeply connected,” Won said in a statement.

Read more: https://qns.com/2025/07/aapi-curriculum-queens-council-members/