Chair Williams shares personal connection to Harlem and Schomburg
Chair Williams notes this is the first off-site City Council hearing since COVID. She shares her mother's Harlem roots and highlights the Schomburg Center's 100th anniversary and its historic significance.
Finally, I hope this is finally, let me say that it is our great pleasure to be here at the Schomburg Center in the village of Harlem, as they say.
I said that right?
I have to say, fun fact, my mom was raised in Harlem and seen Harlem in the Bronx, even though I'm a Queens girl.
This is our first off-site hearing, which we have not done as a city council since COVID struck our city.
We are especially honored to be just steps from Langston Hughes'lobby with his Rivers Art installation commemorating Hughes'well-known poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers, and under which Hughes'ashes are interred.
We are thrilled to be so close to the reading room where original and memorable paintings of Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas hang overhead into the historic American Negro theater.
which launched the careers of Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, and other acclaimed black actors.
Happy 100 years to this great institution and to its staff members who keep it running for benefit of all New Yorkers.
May you all have 100 more.
Now let me invite Councilmember Aviles to speak about her resolutions.