Chair invites Council Member Salaam; Salaam welcomes to Harlem
Chair Williams invites Council Member Yusef Salaam to offer welcoming remarks. Salaam welcomes attendees to the Schomburg Center and Harlem, noting the center's Puerto Rican roots through Arturo Schomburg.
And finally, I will invite Councilmember Salam to offer some welcoming remarks to his district, of which he is justifiably very proud.
Thank you, Deputy Speaker.
First, may I say may the peace, mercy, and blessings from the owner of all peace, mercy, and blessings be upon each and every one of you and your families.
You know, it's so dope to be here in the village of Harlem at the Schomburg.
All of the members who are on the dais have their passports stamped forever.
Move throughout the city, of course.
It is really a special place.
Welcome to the historic Arturo Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and welcome to Harlem.
It's especially meaningful to have this hearing in a place dedicated to preserving the stories, the histories, and the experiences of Black communities and the African diaspora.
The Arturo Schomburg Center
itself has a deep Puerto Rican roots through its namesake, Arturo Schomburg, who was born in Puerto Rico and devoted his life to documenting the history and contributions of people of African descent.
That makes today's hearing
about more than just preserving the past, it's also about understanding the policies that shape the lives of our residents today.
The resolutions before us concerning Puerto Rico speak directly to the experiences of many Puerto Rican New Yorkers in our city
and how decisions made in Puerto Rico can have very, very real consequences for families and for communities here in New York City.