Brooklyn District Lawyer, Eric Gonzalez, second from left, joins honorees Senior Priest – Non secular Chief Bhuvaneshwar Mandir, Inc, Acharya Arun Gossai, Appearing Justice, Supreme Courtroom, Hon. Raja Rajeswari, Govt Director, Sakhi for South Asian Survivors, Kavita Mehra, and company lighting the Diya to commemorate the Second Diwali occasion organized by the DA’s workplace on Oct. 23, at NYC Faculty of Expertise, in Brooklyn.
Photograph by Tangerine Clarke
District Lawyer Eric Gonzalez joined colorfully dressed celebrants to mark his workplace’s Second Diwali commemoration below the theme “Celebrating Pioneers of Progress. The blissfully occasion within the auditorium of NYC Faculty of Expertise, on Oct. 23, got here alive with music, dance, and the weather of fine over evil.
Gonzalez, the primary Latino to carry the distinguished place in Brooklyn, offered Proclamations to Appearing Justice, Supreme Courtroom Raja Rajeswari, Govt Director Sakhi for South Asian Survivors, Senior Priest – Non secular Chief, Acharya Arun Gossai, Bhauvaneshwar Mandir, Inc. and Worldwide Dancer Zaman, Zamandari LLC. A particular Proclamation honor was additionally prolonged to Guyanese-heritage, CBS TV Reporter Jennifer Bisram, who served as emcee.
“I’m delighted to welcome you to the Brooklyn District Lawyer’s Workplace annual Diwali celebration,” mentioned Gonzalez.
“This night we have fun the wealthy and numerous cultural heritage of the South Asian group, which has performed a significant function in shaping our borough, metropolis, and nation,” added DA Gonzalez.
In recognizing the numerous contributions and accomplishments of People of South Asian descent, DA Gonzalez applauded the professionals whose dedication and achievements, “encourage us all.”
“This celebration is a vital means of reaching out to the group and reflecting on the message of hope and unity and triumph of goodness over evil. We battle for victims and survivors of crime however on the similar time, when individuals stray off the course, we attempt to get them again onto the trail of goodness. We work collectively day-after-day so we are able to have a safer and fairer justice system,” mentioned Gonzalez, who joined the honorees on stage to gentle the symbolic Diya.
“I’m grateful to all of the honorees. Let’s proceed to construct unity collectively. Due to everybody for popping out, to tonight’s celebration,” he added.
The observance of the wealthy Indian cultural heritage, commenced with a reception within the lobby, the place cultural fare was served to a various group of celebrants.
In her inspiring keynote speech, Decide Raja Rajeswari, who was born in Chennai, South India and migrated to America at age sixteen, the primary South Asian lady to change into a decide in New York spoke passionately of being among the many pioneers of progress who have been honored, noting the significance of variety, fairness, and inclusion, not solely within the workplace of DA Gonzalez, however in Brooklyn.
The Justice, calling Brooklyn an exquisite borough the place she grew up, and was a classical Indian dancer alongside her mom, thanked DA Gonzalez for highlighting the unbelievable pageant of Diwali, of music, dance, artistry, tradition and meals, the viewers loved, she described because the sweets and sounds of the pageant, of lights and data.
The honors graduate, who served as Deputy Bureau Chief of Intercourse Crimes Particular Victims Bureau, and the primary Indian American lady to be appointed to Legal Courtroom within the historical past of NY, a most cancers survivor, and a sufferer of home violence, stood sturdy as an excellent human being, deserving of the consideration she obtained.
“New York Metropolis is without doubt one of the most wonderful cities on the planet. As a younger little one from India, I all the time dreamed of coming to New York Metropolis. New York has opened its coronary heart, and residential to a younger immigrant like me and paved the best way for a lot of others to make our goals come by way of, so after I grew to become a decide, my first initiative was to ensure we enhance language entry for all immigrants, in New York Metropolis, no matter their monetary standing, mentioned the skilled, who has labored with the employees of the DA’s workplace on how they need to deal with inequality, they’re the pioneers,” mentioned Rajeswari.
“It’s a journey from darkness to gentle, from ignorance to illumination, the extra you recognize, the much less you hate, emphasised the performing Justice of the Supreme Courtroom, who serves as chair of the NYC Legal Courtroom Equal Justice Committee,” she added.
The excellent commemoration that opening with remraks remarks from ADA Prabhalya Pulin, and deliberate by Senior Operations Officer of Public Engagement, Karen Crawford, and others, showcased the flexibility of the boundless Indian tradition, in opposition to the backdrop of an image of an illuminate Diya.
The colorfully dressed little dancers of the Anja Dance Firm placed on fairly a present. Their efficiency made means for the Ashok’s group Narakasura Vadha (Victory over Good over Evil) Telugu Group of New York & Lengthy Island, who placed on a spirited choreography and Skit.
Honoree, Zaman the Worldwide Dancer, elegantly wearing a blue sequined Indian outfit, together with dancers, introduced the viewers to its toes, with an thrilling fusion of conventional Indian motion.
The closing remarks by ADA Pious Ahajua, summed up the night of riveting tradition, unity, and the image of Diwali, that comes from the Sanskrit phrase Deepavali, that means row of lights. It marks the triumph of sunshine over darkness, of fine over evil, celebrated on the Hindu calendar.
Others in attendance, have been Japneet Singh, workplace of Public Advocate, Jumaane Williams, Jennifer Viechweg Horsford, workplace of Senator Roxanne Persaud, 19th Senatorial District, and Non secular leaders who issued a Hindu prayer to bless the proceedings.
