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J00773 Summary:

BILL NOJ00773
 
SAME ASNo Same As
 
SPONSORCOMRIE
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSR
 
 
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J00773 Actions:

BILL NOJ00773
 
04/17/2023REFERRED TO FINANCE
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J00773 Committee Votes:

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J00773 Floor Votes:

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J00773 Text:

 
Senate Resolution No. 773
 
BY: Senator COMRIE
 
        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        June 2023, as Caribbean American Heritage  Month  in
        the State of New York
 
  WHEREAS,  It  is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay just tribute to the cultural heritage of  the  ethnic  groups  which
comprise  and  contribute to the richness and diversity of the community
of the State of New York; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and  in  keeping  with  its
time-honored  traditions,  it  is the intent of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim June  2023,  as  Caribbean
American  Heritage  Month  in the State of New York, in conjunction with
the observance of National Caribbean-American Heritage Month; and
 
  WHEREAS, Caribbean-American Heritage Month commemoration was adopted
by the United States House of Representatives in 2005, to recognize  the
significance  of  Caribbean  people and their descendants in the history
and culture of the United States; and
 
  WHEREAS, The resolution passed the Senate in February of  2006,  and
President  George  H.W. Bush issued the proclamation in June of the same
year; and
 
  WHEREAS, The commemoration of Caribbean American Heritage Month aims
to remind Americans that our greatness lies in our diversity;  Caribbean
immigrants  from  founding  father,  Alexander  Hamilton, to journalist,
Malcolm Gladwell, have helped to shape the American dream; and
 
  WHEREAS, The fabric of  our  Nation  has  been  woven  together  and
enriched  by  the  variety  of  our  people;  our  legacy as a Nation of
immigrants is part of what makes America  strong,  and  during  National
Caribbean-American  Heritage  Month,  we  celebrate the rich history and
vibrant culture Caribbean Americans have brought to our shores; and
 
  WHEREAS, Immigrants from Caribbean countries have  come  to  America
for  centuries,  including  from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados,
Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean Netherlands,  also  known  as
the  Kingdom of the Netherlands which includes Aruba, Curacao, and Saint
Maarten, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic,  Grenada,  Haiti,  Jamaica,
St.    Kitts  and  Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Trinidad and Tobago, Anguilla  (UK),  Cayman  Islands  (UK),  Guadeloupe
(France),  Martinique (France), Montserrat (UK), Puerto Rico (US), Saint
Barthelemy (France), Saint Martins (France), Turks  and  Caicos  Islands
(UK),  United  States  Virgin  Islands  (Saint  Croix, Saint John, Saint
Thomas) (US), and immigrants from the mainland continents of  North  and
South  America  and  also  including Guyana, Belize, Honduras, Suriname,
Costa Rica and Panama, which due to  their  close  cultural  connection,
have been accepted as part of the family of Caribbean countries; and
 
  WHEREAS, Immigrants from Caribbean countries came to America through
the  bondage  of  slavery,  while others willfully left behind the world
they knew in search of a better life; regardless of the circumstances of
 
their arrival, they had faith their descendants would have a  chance  to
realize their greatest potential; and
 
  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to memorialize
Governor Kathy Hochul to  proclaim  June  2023,  as  Caribbean  American
Heritage  Month  in  the  State  of  New  York,  in conjunction with the
observance of National Caribbean-American Heritage Month; and
 
  WHEREAS, With the United States  Senate  approval  on  February  14,
2006,  and  a presidential proclamation on June 5, 2006, June has become
National   Caribbean-American   Heritage   Month;   with    this,    the
"colonization"  of  the Caribbean by the United States has been recorded
in American History; this particular legislation,  first  introduced  in
the   House  in  2004  by  Congresswoman  Barbara  Lee,  celebrates  the
contributions of the Caribbean Americans to American life  and  culture;
and
 
  WHEREAS,  People  of  Caribbean ancestry who have become part of New
York State's lasting heritage by fighting against  stereotypes,  racism,
and  insurmountable  obstacles  include,  but are not limited to: Arthur
Alfonso Shomburg, Curator of the New York Public Library's  Division  of
Negro  Literature,  History, and Prints, and dedicated historian, writer
and collector; Malcolm  X,  a  prominent  figure  in  the  black  social
movement  of  the  1960s;  Sidney Poitier, who altered the perception of
race through theater and screen as  an  actor,  producer  and  director;
Colin  Powell,  a  four-star  United  States Army General who eventually
became Secretary of State; Alexander Hamilton, who  was  a  Congressman,
founder  of  the  Bank of New York, first Secretary of the Treasury, and
one of the  first  supporters  of  the  Constitution;  and  Jean  Michel
Basquiat,  who  revolutionized the world of painting and drawing through
the social introduction of  the  urban  black  culture  that  marginally
existed in the 1980s; and
 
  WHEREAS,  New  York State has been, and continues to be, the home to
many distinguished people of Caribbean ancestry who have made their mark
in history as pertinent figures in their field, and who have  succeeded;
these figures include: Shirley A. Chisholm, first African-American woman
elected  to  Congress  who  was  also  the  cofounder  of  the  National
Organization for Women (NOW)  and  a  genuine  activist,  lecturer,  and
political  mentor;  Marcus  Moziah  Garvey, who established, among other
things, the  United  Negro  Improvement  Association  (U.N.I.A.);  Susan
Taylor,  editor-in-chief  of Essence magazine; Harry Belafonte, who used
his fame as an entertainer in the cause for human rights;  Hazel  Scott,
who  achieved acclaimed status for her classical and Jazz technique as a
pianist, and who became the first black woman to have her own television
show; Edwidge Danticat, who  invigorated  the  voices  of  Haitians  and
Haitian-Americans  who  experienced  poverty through her writing; Maryse
Conde, acclaimed international  author,  who  now  teaches  at  Columbia
University  in  New York in the French and Romance Philology Department;
and  Maurice  Ashley,  the  first  African-American  to  win  the  chess
Grandmaster title; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Each  year,  New  York  State proudly celebrates Caribbean
heritage with the West Indian-American Day Carnival, which is a  weekend
of  cultural  activities,  culminating  with  the  Labor Day Parade down
Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Brooklyn; this annual parade  attracts
between  one  and  three  million participants, and spectators along the
parade route; and
 
 
  WHEREAS, The Labor Day Parade is New York City's largest parade, and
is a great contributor to the economy, as it generates over $300 million
in  revenue  to  both State and local government and is among New York's
biggest tourist attractions; and
 
  WHEREAS, Caribbean Americans have prospered in every sector  of  our
society  and  enhanced  our  national  character  while  maintaining the
multi-ethnic and multi-cultural traditions of their homelands; they  are
doctors  and  lawyers,  public servants and scientists, and athletes and
service members; their  successes  inspire  individuals  in  the  United
States  and  abroad,  and  we  take pride in the contributions Caribbean
Americans continue to make to the narrative of  our  Nation's  progress;
their achievements are born of hard work and ambition; and
 
  WHEREAS, During Caribbean American Heritage Month, we also recognize
the  important friendship between the United States and the countries of
the  Caribbean  as  we  expand  our  partnership  to  promote   economic
development,  democratic  governance,  citizen  security,  and  improved
health and education in the region; and
 
  WHEREAS, Additionally, as Haiti continues  to  recover  from  2010's
devastating  earthquake,  we  remain  committed  to  standing beside the
people of Haiti as they rebuild their proud nation, and to working  with
others  in  the  region to bring lasting prosperity and stability to the
country; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim June 2023, as Caribbean
American Heritage Month in the State of New York; and be it further
 
  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York.
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