Adhikaar’s third quarterly newsletter, January – April 2023

The total number of individuals who received direct services from Adhikaar’s Nail Salon and Youth program.

1. Nail Salon Program: #AllHandsIn for a Just and Equitable Industry

Advocacy:

In April, nail techs from across New York rallied in the State Capitol to demand lawmakers pass the Nail Salon Minimum Standards Council Act – a landmark legislation to protect New York’s nail salon workers. Our long-term member leader Maya Bhusal Basnet spoke at the press conference where she shared her struggles with poor working conditions and no fixed working hours. She also highlighted how important it is to win the #AllHandsIn campaign to address these issues and help raise the overall industry safety standards. Following the presser, we went to meet with electeds and their office staff to advocate and urge them to support the #AllHandsIn campaign.

CALL TO ACTION: We cannot wait any longer; it’s time for us to have a true voice in raising pay, health, and safety standards across our industry! Join us today and sign this petition (click here) to show your support.

Organizing:

We closed out Women’s History Month by organizing the “NYC Worker Women’s March” in support of women’s rights, reproductive and occupational health. Throughout the march from Bryant Park to Union Square, nail salon workers, along with other worker rights allies and union partners, took over the streets as a rallying cry for the #AllHandsIn campaign. Our nail salon fellow Sabita Lama kicked off the march with a rally at Bryant Park and our main leader Kalpana Sunar led the march all the way down to Union Square with other nail techs from partner organizations NYCOSH and Mekong NYC.

This event was a proud moment for us as our member leader took the lead in recruiting members to join the rally and march. We also saw new members share their stories, connect with other workers, chant slogans, and lead the march. Our leaders took the lead from planning to executing the plans for the march. 

The march was organized by Adhikaar as part of the New York Healthy Nail Salon Coalition, joined by member organizations and allies.

Service:

Our NY Beauty School’s NY State 26 hours nail salon licensing courses is in full swing! Our nail salon fellows are taking full responsibility and leading the practical portion of the training at our community and worker center in Woodside, Queens.

Along with the licensing course, we also offer on-the-job training which has helped our members secure 100% work placement at various nail salons in NYC.

2. Community safety: Our Organization-wide initiative to create a Safe space

Since the height of anti-AAPI violence, we have been organizing self-care programs such as aerobics exercises and yoga classes for our members, and incorporating breathing techniques to relieve stress across all programs.

Together we have been organizing self-defense and bystander training for our members and actions to take over public spaces to combat fear. We will be continuously providing biweekly self-defense training for our community members until June. Please call us at (718) 937-1117, DM us on our socials, or email info@adhikaar.org to join our next training!