Council Member Hanks on Intro 220A documenting African American burial sites
Kamillah Hanks speaks on her bill Intro 220A, thanking scholars, advocates, and descendants who pushed for the legislation, and describing it as an important step to ensure the city's history is not buried or erased.
So, Majority Web Hanks.
Thank you, Mr.
Majority Leader.
Today I am proud to pass my bill, Intro 220A, which is on today's agenda.
It has been a long time coming, and I want to thank the scholars, the advocates, the descendants, the community leaders, and everyone whose knowledge and persistence brought this forward.
Heather Quinlan, Benjamin Prine, family, and all the advocates throughout the five boroughs that never rest until New York can tell its complete story of the people that remain unseen.
Intro 220 gives the city the responsibility to locate, document, protect, recognize sites guided by scholarship, oral histories, and community knowledge.
This bill is not at the end of that work.
It is an important step that our history is not buried.
At the time, we will not erase a New Yorker from our shared memory.
Today, we take a step together forward.
We will continue this work until every part of our history is seen, honored, and never forgotten.
I want to thank Speaker Menon and everyone who helped make this happen.
I encourage my colleagues to vote.
On intro 220.
Thank you, Mr.
Majority Leader.
Thank you.