June 4, 2024 NYC Office of the Mayor
Mayor Eric Adams: Viva Puerto Rico. Really proud day. When you sit behind and you see all of the clear representation of the administration and the leadership from the Puerto Rican community that are really dealing with the on the ground issues and the success that we've had, those who are in government and out, my long friendship and relationship with brother Adam Clayton Powell, who's here as well.
I want to thank Commissioner Molina and the long relationship I had with Commissioner Cortéz-Vásquez and what she's doing for many aging New Yorkers. Last month really was proud to join the 152nd cultural festivities that took place. We are going to turn Gracie Mansion into the San Juan of America in a few days. We want the party to be so loud that they need to call the police.
Every year when we host, it just means so much. This is a powerful community, gives back in so many ways on so many levels. Every time that we host this event, it shows the diversity of this city and what it represents. We're not a monolithic city. When I went to Puerto Rico during Hurricane Fiona and saw the energy and the spirit of the people there and the resiliency and spoke with the electeds and you see that rich and real partnership that we have.
Raising this flag is part of an important part of being a mayor. Mayor is substantive, bringing down crime, bringing jobs and all that good stuff. It's symbolic also. Symbolism is just as important as the substance of being a mayor of this city. When we raise the flag, we raise the spirit. We say that we recognize your history in this city. We recognize the role you played in making this city what it is. It's a combination of your forefathers, the early arrivals of the Puerto Ricans here and some of the great warriors like the Young Lords, like Juan González, Pablo Guzmán, fighting for liberation and strength.
We don't always get it right, but there's always been throughout the years, if you look closely connected to the evolution of the city, the Puerto Rican experience and you see their contributions. I know that. I understand that. Every time I see my Puerto Rican nephews and see how important it is to them and what their family mean to our family, we are one.
We want to raise this flag, raise our spirits, raise our commitment and dedication. It's a renewal when we march this weekend and celebrate the Puerto Rican community. It's a renewal of our determination. We would never give up, never surrender, never let anyone think that this is not the greatest combination of people on the globe here in New York City. We're number one and we're number one because we're made up of the best stuff on earth and that's the men and women of our Puerto Rican community. Thank you so much.
Commissioner Lorraine Cortéz-Vásquez, Department for the Aging: I need a little instruction here, I'm getting a little long on the tooth. The mayor is honoring special, outstanding puertorriqueños because, as he said, the strength of this city is the diversity of the city. The one person he's going to honor is someone that I'm so proud of as ex-president of the Hispanic Federation, its current president of the Hispanic Federation, who's doing an outstanding job, Frankie Miranda.
Mayor Adams: The federation is doing some amazing work throughout the years and really want to lift you up, brother, and thank you so much for what you're doing, Frankie.
Frankie Miranda, President, Hispanic Federation: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Lorraine. I'm going to be very brief. I just want to say that more than two decades ago, when I came from Puerto Rico to Alta Puerto Rico, there was a leader, a Puerto Rican leader that saw something in this jibarito, potential in this jibarito. That was Lorraine Cortéz-Vásquez, Commissioner Cortéz-Vásquez, who gave me the opportunity and showed me the way, like many Puerto Ricans that had been here for many years, opening the doors for other generations of Puerto Ricans and other Latinos. I am here representing not only that legacy, but also as the first queer leader of the Hispanic Federation, also recognizing all those queer Puerto Rican leaders that also are being celebrated during this month. Thank you so much. Thank you, Lorraine. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Commissioner Cortéz-Vásquez: Now, this is a special award because you cannot have this city and not have someone who has been a boricua, but a unifier, a man who bridges two communities with excellence. I am so proud. I'm going to be emotional. I am so proud that the mayor has recognized him for all of his contributions. That's none other than our own Arnie Segarra.
Mayor Adams: Come on up, Arnie. We spent, we spent so many… I cannot tell you what this brother means to David Dinkins, John Lindsay and me. We spent so many days at the Waverly Street Diner of just getting the, just the knowledge. This brother has been around from so many mayoralties and administrations, unselfish with his commitment and dedication. To the young people who are here, you're not going to find his history on tweets. You're going to find it in the streets. This is a solid brother. I just love this brother so much. Thank you, man.
Arnaldo Segarra, Former Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights: Thank you, Eric. I've known you since you was a little boy. This is very emotional for me because when I look back at the appointments that you have made, many of them were like my little boys. They all make me so proud. Also when I look out and I see all these beautiful faces, I just want to thank Eric for making so many great appointments. I'm not a public speaker, but I remember back in 1967, when I walked into the City Hall, there were maybe two of us. Now I look back, Eric. Thank you so much.
Commissioner Cortéz-Vásquez: There are some people that are the behind the scenes, but who are always mobilizing and building community and that is the honor that this mayor is giving to this next young man, who whenever you need to say get me a crowd of people because we want to send the message, help us build a community because we believe in housing and we believe in construction workers of all colors and that must be card-carrying members and representing us. And with that the mayor is choosing to give an award to Vinny Torres for all of his work.
Vincent Torres, Executive Director, Positive Workforce: Thank you, commissioner and thank you, Mr. Mayor, for this esteemed honor. Positive Workforce is an organization that has been in the frontlines and in the battlefields fighting the discrimination in the construction industry. This organization, founded by three Puerto Ricans, we stand proud here today in this flag-raising ceremony. The organization has provided over 30,000 job opportunities for the most disenfranchised communities in New York City and we want to thank the city specifically under Mayor Adams for continuing to work and support this organization. The administration's support has continued and has now yielded an additional 2,000 jobs that we foresee in the next five years for our members and we couldn't be more thankful. So thank you for the honor.
Commissioner Cortéz-Vásquez: And if you want to get something done, ask a woman to do it. The next award goes to a woman who has taken an organization, a Puerto Rican organization, has grown it into one of the largest Puerto Rican organizations in the country. But she is also a master in building and building in communities of color, and she also builds in Puerto Rico for older adults which I'm very happy for. But she's an extraordinary leader and she is also an extraordinary teacher. For those of you women in this audience, follow her, talk to her, get some advice from her. None other than Lymaris Albors.
Lymaris Albors, CEO, Acacia Network: Que Viva Puerto Rico. Que Viva Puerto Rico. Now we're talking. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. It is an honor to receive this recognition and it is an honor to be the first Puerto Rican woman at the helm of the largest Puerto Rican-led, Puerto Rican-founded organization. And what we do at Acacia, we preserve the organizations that were built by many pioneers mainly in the Bronx because we're not going to let anybody rewrite our history. We were there first, we built schools, we built primary care clinics, we were there for the city when they needed shelters and we said yes because our organization is the nonprofit that say yes to the city every single day. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
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