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
The Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Relations met to hear and vote on three symbolic resolutions: Resolution 184 (Council Member Farías) declaring October 3 annually as Korean Cultural Awareness Day in New York City, Resolution 606 (Council Member Stevens) declaring Black Pride Month in New York City, and a resolution sponsored by Council Member Stevens declaring African Immigrant Heritage Month (referred to in the transcript as both Resolution 600 and 607). Council Member Stevens delivered remarks on her two resolutions, highlighting the Bronx roots of the Black Pride movement and the roughly 167,000 African immigrants in New York City, about 60,000 of whom live in the Bronx. One member of the public, the chair of the African Advisory Council, testified in support of the African Immigrant Heritage Month resolution. The committee then voted, adopting all three items by a vote of six in the affirmative, zero in the negative, with no abstentions.
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