Monday, September 28, 2026, 11 a.m. (New York City time), The New York Public Library at 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037 (135th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard)
Committee: Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Relations
0:10 I know good morning and
0:10 welcome in today's New York
0:12 City Council vote for the
0:14 committee on cultural affairs
0:15 libraries and international
0:17 intergroup relations at this
0:19 time we please ask you to
0:20 silence all electronic devices
0:22 at no point in time as anyone
0:24 to approach the front desk
0:26 chair you begin good morning I
0:30 am deputy speaker natasha
0:31 Williams chair of the
0:33 committee on cultural affairs
0:34 libraries and international
0:36 relations today the committee
0:37 will hear and vote on three
0:40 resolutions resolution number
0:42 hundred 84 sponsored by
0:42 Council Member Farías which
0:44 would declare October 3 a
0:46 skorean cultural awareness day
0:47 annually in the City of New
0:48 York to commemorate the
0:51 mythological beginning of the
0:52 korean people and to celebrate
0:53 their continued pride and
0:56 their shared ancestry
0:56 resolution number 606
0:58 sponsored by Council Member
1:00 Althea Stevens which would
1:01 declare the month of is black
1:02 pride month in the City of New
1:04 York recognizing the legacy of
1:05 New York City black pride
1:06 movement of uplifting the
1:09 black lgbt era a plus
1:11 community and its oh what's
1:12 that the letter oh and it's
1:16 continuing contributions t
1:17 ocreating a more equitable in
1:18 New York City and resolution
1:20 number 600 and also sponsored
1:23 by council Stevens which would
1:26 declare as african immigrant
1:28 heritage month in the City of
1:29 New York to celebrate the
1:31 contributions made by african
1:33 immigrants to New York City
1:33 and the united states a very
1:36 black day mixed with some
1:38 korean culture we love it okay
1:41 now hell yeah the gays too we
1:42 love the gays okay.
1:44 Now councilman for Stevens
1:46 would like to deliver some
1:47 remarks on her resolutions
1:50 thank you um deputy speaker
1:53 Williams and all of my
1:55 colleagues for recognizing the
1:56 importance of two resolutions
1:58 and for understanding that
2:01 recognized recognize recognize y
2:03 about placing a name on a
2:04 calendar it is about honoring
2:06 his culture and the people who
2:08 have helped shape New York
2:09 City
2:10 . First I am proud to support
2:11 resolution 606 declaring as
2:13 black pride month in New York
2:15 City as a representative of
2:16 the west bronx is resolution
2:18 carries a particularly meaning
2:20 for me black pride has a
2:21 history that is deeply
2:22 connected to New York City the
2:24 first New York City black
2:25 pride of it was organized by
2:27 James sanders in of 97
2:30 creating space where black
2:33 lgbtq I a plus New York er's
2:34 could celebrate their identity d
2:37 resilience and that history
2:38 continues to have a strong
2:41 bronx connection.
2:42 Soldiers a black a bronx
2:44 native later founded in New
2:44 York City for black pride
2:47 which was continue organizing
2:49 black pride celebrations we
2:50 are recognizing a movement in
2:51 a community that has helped
2:53 expand what inclusion an arm
2:56 visibility and belonging looks
2:58 like in our City.
2:59 That she we are proud t
3:00 obring the celebration of black
3:02 pride through its inaugural
3:05 black pride celebration that
3:06 we held in the
3:07 . Bronx that was a powerful
3:08 reminder that the borough is
3:10 not only a part of this
3:11 history but continues to hel
3:12 pshape the future I was was
3:13 celebrate black pride and sole a
3:18 I'm really excited that we're
3:20 passing this today
3:21 . I'm also so proud to support
3:22 resolution 607 declaring as
3:25 african immigrant heritage
3:26 month New York City is home of
3:30 approximately 170 67000
3:34 african immigrants
3:35 approximately 60000 african
3:36 immigrants living in the bronx e
3:39 west bronx I must say
3:41 . There contributions in our
3:42 neighborhood businesses health
3:44 care systems cultural civic
3:46 life and economics are part of
3:47 the fabric of our City those
3:50 resolutions remind us that our
3:51 history is the strongest when
3:52 we make room to recognize the
3:54 communities whose stories have
3:56 too often been overlooked I
3:57 want to thank my colleagues
3:59 for supporting both
4:00 resolutions.
4:00 And I look forward to
4:02 continuing to celebrate the
4:03 rich cultural history and
4:05 contributions that makes New
4:07 York City great thank you
4:09 . Thank you so much
4:11 councilmember Stevens I would
4:12 like to thank my staff and
4:13 committee staff who worked on
4:15 preparing for today including
4:20 alejandro regina who drafted
4:22 one of the resolutions in our
4:24 outstanding summer intern
4:25 stephen who is now a sophomore
4:26 at columbia and juilliard o
4:30 hhe's both.
4:30 Oh that's cool and who
4:31 drafted to of the resolutions
4:35 I now open the hearing for
4:37 public testimony I remind
4:38 members of the public that
4:39 this is a formal government
4:41 proceeding and that decorum
4:42 shall be observed at all times e
4:45 public shall remain silent at
4:46 all times the witness table is
4:48 reserved for people who wish
4:49 to testify no video recording
4:51 or photography is loud is
4:54 allowed from the witness table
4:55 further members of the public
4:58 not present audio or video
4:59 recordings as testimony but
5:00 made submit transcripts of
5:01 such recordings to the
5:02 sergeant at arms for inclusion
5:04 in the hearing record if you
5:06 wish to speak today at today's
5:08 hearing please fill out an
5:09 appearance card with the
5:09 sergeant at arms and wait t
5:11 obe recognized wouldn't
5:12 recognize you will have two
5:13 minutes to speak on today's
5:14 hearing topic which is the
5:16 legislation I have just
5:18 outlined you have written
5:21 statement or additional
5:21 written additional written
5:22 testimony you wish to submit
5:23 for the record please provide
5:24 a copy of that testimony t
5:25 othe sergeant at arms I will
5:27 now call the witness and we
5:29 have a witness siddiqui did I
5:30 say that correctly oh siddiqui e
5:35 african advisory council yea
5:39 we never have testimony for
5:40 our resolutions this is fine
5:46 oh no ah good morning ah cheer e
5:51 New York City Council uh my
5:54 name is siddiqui I'm Ana
5:57 appeared before you today has
5:58 a chair of the african council
6:02 and has a community leader
6:03 representing african immigrant
6:05 criminality I'm near to the t
6:07 ospeak in strong support of the
6:12 resolution 0 7 declaring in as
6:16 african immigrant heritage
6:20 months um for many of us there
6:22 is more than our resolutions
6:24 there is a recognitions and
6:27 representations wishes wishes
6:28 wishes to stick me african
6:31 immigrants are important and
6:33 part of history of of New York
6:36 City african immigrant come
6:38 from many different countries
6:39 speak many different languages
6:41 and represent diverse culture
6:44 and traditions but we share
6:46 something very important we
6:48 have come to New York City t
6:50 obuild to contribute to raise
6:53 our families and to be part of
6:55 this City to this day the
6:58 african immigrants are nurses
7:01 doctors teach us summer
7:04 business taxi drivers livery
7:08 drivers engineers workers
7:10 faith leaders students
7:12 entrepreneurs public servants
7:13 and community organizer we are
7:17 contributing to the economy
7:19 strain in neighbor wood caring
7:22 for families educating our
7:23 children and happy to make New
7:25 York a diverse that is today
7:29 the resolution before you're
7:32 recognized the contributions
7:34 the council resolutions know
7:36 that I personally hundred 6
7:40 067000 african immigrants live
7:41 in New York City representing
7:43 above 5.4% of the City foreign
7:47 City foreign born populations
7:49 and that is the bronze is the
7:51 whom to approach make this
7:55 60000 african immigrants but
7:58 number cannot tell of a whole
8:00 series behind every numbers
8:01 there's a family behind every
8:04 business there's a dream
8:06 behind every student has a
8:09 feature and behind every
8:10 immigrant there's a story of
8:12 courage sacrifice and hope.
8:15 Has the cheer of the african
8:19 advisory council I have had
8:20 the privilege of working with
8:21 humility across the african
8:26 continent we have seen
8:27 firsthand and incredible
8:29 talent resilience and
8:30 commitment that african
8:31 immigrants bring to the bronx
8:32 and the City of New York the
8:36 claim has african immigrant
8:39 heritage month gave our
8:41 children an opportunity t
8:43 olearn that their heritage
8:45 belongs in the City of New
8:48 York it gives him a commodity
8:51 an opportunity to celebrate
8:54 our culture why also opening
8:56 our doors water to the rest of
8:57 New York residents and it gave
9:01 the City opportunity t
9:03 orecognize african
9:03 . Immigrants and not simply
9:05 has newcomers but has New
9:07 yorker who are helping t
9:08 oshape the future of this City
9:12 I wonder 10 Council Member
9:14 attea stevenson for
9:16 introducing this resolutions
9:17 and all of the sponsors are
9:18 also want to recognize the
9:20 bronze barber price City
9:22 venezia ad gibson and the
9:23 office was supporting this
9:25 effort has reflected in the
9:28 resolution on beyond the
9:29 african advisory council and
9:31 the african immigrant
9:33 community we represent I mean
9:35 we represent thank you for
9:37 listening to our voices and
9:40 organizing our contributions
9:41 will look forward to working
9:43 . With the City Council and
9:45 the borough presidents the
9:48 community organizer community
9:49 organization schools cultural
9:51 institutions and our young
9:52 people to make african
9:54 immigrant heritage man a
9:56 meaningful celebration for our
9:59 culture history achievement
10:00 education and unity satya
10:05 macho remind every New yorker
10:06 that african immigrant history
10:08 is New York history I want t
10:11 osay thank you for the
10:12 opportunity to testify today I
10:14 am respectfully asking the
10:15 here today thank youhis
10:22 . Thank you for your testimonyy
10:28 . What oh does anybody else
10:30 have anything or anyone on the
10:34 zoom okay great so I believe
10:35 we are ready to vote thank you n
10:40 committee clerk roll call vote
10:41 committee on cultural affairs
10:43 libraries and international
10:45 relations all three items are
10:48 a couple Williams.
10:49 Proudly vote aye lewis
10:52 . Aye on all congratulations
10:56 . Hudson
10:56 . I and thank you to council
10:57 stephens for being such a
10:59 great ally.
11:00 O se stephens I and all am
11:10 very excited for all the
11:11 resolutions being passed today
11:14 on I uh molony I vote aye and
11:21 congratulations with a vote of
11:22 six in the affirmative zero in
11:23 the negative and no
11:25 abstentions all items have
11:26 been adopted by the committee
11:35 . Ah oh okay I have to muc
11:38 hfun in my