Albany was great! The area around this is very different from around the Bronx. It's more about business than fun. We were there to support our after school program. We weren't the only group there to defend the after schools. Other after school programs were there supporting their programs to try to keep the after schools open - also to get these people to notice what after school means to us and how important it is to us. At first, we had entered an auditorium and we met with all the other after school programs and there they performed a couple of plays, dances and steps. We had also learned a couple of changes. After that meeting, we walked over to the state building cheering chants. Some just looked proud of being there for this reason. While walking inside the building we saw so many well worked people there. After seeing all these people walk by us, we went to have lunch. After lunch we went around the building enjoying how beautiful it was, myself especially. While walking around, I bumped into my uncle, Ruben Diaz Jr. He is a senator. He works for us. He tries his best to keep us children safe. In other words, he knows what it's like to have the difficulties we have now in this program. So he tries his best to help after school programs get what they need and as soon as possible. It was a great thing that this happened. Now we will have him come to the after school program and speak to the children. He will speak to the children of this after school program and tell us all about what he does and represents.

- Melany Rodriguez