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New York City Council
Declaring October 3 as Korean Cultural Awareness Day annually in the City of New York
Read summaries and jump into the video at the segment start.
Council Staff opens the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Relations hearing, asks attendees to silence electronic devices, warns against approaching the front desk, and invites Chair Nantasha Williams to begin.
Chair Nantasha M. Williams convenes the hearing and outlines three resolutions: Res 0184-2026 declaring October 3 Korean Cultural Awareness Day, Res 0606-2026 declaring August Black Pride Month, and Res 0607-2026 declaring September African Immigrant Heritage Month. She notes sponsors Council Members Farias and Althea Stevens and comments on the significance of the resolutions.
Council Member Althea V. Stevens thanks Deputy Speaker Williams and colleagues, then speaks in support of Resolution 606 declaring August Black Pride Month. She traces New York City Black Pride to James Sanders in August 1997, notes the Bronx connection through Lee Soldiers and the inaugural Bronx Black Pride celebration, and shares a personal connection through her late uncle.
Stevens speaks in support of Resolution 607 declaring September African Immigrant Heritage Month, citing approximately 167,000 African immigrants in New York City and 60,000 in the Bronx. She highlights their contributions to businesses, healthcare, culture, civic life, and the economy, and thanks colleagues for supporting both resolutions.
Chair Williams thanks committee staff who prepared for the hearing, including Alejandro and Regina, and recognizes summer intern Stephen, now a sophomore at Columbia and Juilliard, who drafted two of the resolutions.
Chair Williams opens the public testimony portion and lays out hearing rules: decorum must be observed, the witness table is for testifiers, no video or photography from the table, appearance cards are required, and speakers have two minutes. She also explains how to submit written testimony for the record.
Chair Williams calls up Siddiqui Danzo from the African Advisory Council to testify. She notes that the committee rarely receives testimony on resolutions and welcomes the witness.
Siddiqui Danzo introduces themselves as Chair of the African Advisory Council and a community leader representing African immigrants. They testify in strong support of Resolution 0607 declaring September African Immigrant Heritage Month, calling it recognition, representation, and an end to stigma.
Danzo describes African immigrants as coming from many countries, languages, cultures, and traditions, united by building lives in New York City. They list the roles they fill—nurses, doctors, teachers, small business owners, drivers, engineers, social workers, faith leaders, students, entrepreneurs, public servants, and organizers—and their economic and neighborhood contributions.
Danzo cites the resolution's statistics: about 167,000 African immigrants in New York City, roughly 5.4% of the foreign-born population, and about 60,000 in the Bronx. Danzo says numbers cannot tell the whole story, pointing to families, dreams, students, and stories of courage, sacrifice, and hope behind each figure.
Danzo describes the African Advisory Council's work with communities across the African continent and the talent and resilience African immigrants bring to the Bronx and New York City. They say African Immigrant Heritage Month lets children learn their heritage belongs in New York, lets the community celebrate openly, and shows the city that African immigrants are New Yorkers shaping its future.
Danzo thanks Council Member Althea Stevens for introducing the resolutions, all sponsors, and Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson's office for support. They ask the Council to pass the resolution and commit to working with the city, schools, cultural institutions, and young people to make African Immigrant Heritage Month meaningful, saying African immigrant history is New York history.
Chair Williams thanks Danzo for the testimony and asks whether anyone else wishes to speak or is on Zoom. Hearing no additional witnesses, the committee proceeds.
Chair Williams says she believes the committee is ready to vote on the three resolutions.
Committee Clerk William Martin conducts a roll call vote with all three items coupled. Chair Williams, Council Members Lewis, Hudson, Stevens, and Maloney voice support, and the clerk ultimately records six affirmative votes.
The clerk announces the vote: six in the affirmative, zero in the negative, and no abstentions. All three resolutions are adopted by the committee.
Chair Williams thanks members, jokes that she has too much fun in hearings, and adjourns. She notes the next hearing is scheduled.