Organizers, Sherry Williams, and Trudy King, joined honorees, (no specific order) Israel Gonzalez, Gabriel Espinal, Marie Durand, Zahid Razak, Norman Fraser, Shivani Collado, and Xavier Rodrigues. and legislators, Dorothy L. Goosby, fifth from left, (for which the Plaza was named), seventh from left, City Clerk Kater Murray, and Zahid Syed, at finish, on the Hempstead City Board & the Division of Neighborhood Affairs Caribbean Heritage Month Celebration on Could 6, 2025.
Photograph by Tangerine Clarke
The Hempstead City Board and the Division of Neighborhood Affairs hosted their annual Caribbean Heritage Month celebration and awards presentation on June 6 at Senior Councilwoman Dorothy L. Goosby Plaza of the municipal constructing.
In the course of the spirited and patriotic commemoration, City Clerk Kate Murray introduced Proclamations to nationals from Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad &Tobago, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. They’re Israel Gonzalez, Gabriel Espinal, Marie Durand, Zahid Razak, Norman Fraser, Shivani Collado, and Xavier Rodrigues.
Murray, the primary lady and legal professional to grow to be Hempstead City Clerk, congratulated the trailblazers by saying. “We’re delighted that all of you has come. Clearly, you might be displaying the delight of your house nation. At any time when I consider the Caribbean area, I consider its stunning panorama. The waters, the pleasant folks in energy, and our professor who has simply spoken. Thanks a lot, professor. I liked your speech concerning the 26 islands that make up the Caribbean. And as you stated, you convey spice to America that has been very a lot spiced up by all our immigrants from the Caribbean and past.”
“We thanks. We’re right here in America’s largest and most various Township, and for the final 25 years, I’ve been proudly representing my workplace in numerous types and different titles of the City of Hempstead,” stated Murray.
“I’ve all the time identified that variety is absolutely the energy of our Township. Whether or not you arrived final Tuesday or 200 years in the past, we deal with you equally. We deal with you respectfully, and we need to make it possible for every one that comes by means of these doorways to do enterprise with the city authorities feels revered, seen, and comforted as a result of that’s our primary mission,” she stated.
“We’re very proud to sponsor these completely different ethnic nights as a result of we need to make it possible for everyone right here is fortunate sufficient to dwell within the City of Hempstead and feels revered and seen and liked. I need to thank everybody for bringing your items, your skills, and your religion right here to the Dorothy L. Goosby Plaza,” she concluded.
Visitor Speaker, Monroe College Adjunct Professor Ameil Stoley thanked Supervisor Don X. Clavin and the City of Hempstead Board for “your continued assist of this neighborhood and for this occasion on the Senior Council Member Dorothy Goosby Plaza, and fellow council members Trudy King and Sherry Williams, and your complete workforce.
“It’s essential that you’re doing good work. We thanks, and congratulations to all who had been acknowledged as we speak. I’m impressed by you. You signify the perfect of our fantastic, vibrant, stunning neighborhood. Thanks for taking the time to rejoice our neighborhood. Thanks for extending the invitation.”
Professor Stoley glorified the 26 Caribbean Islands as stunning and referred to as on the nationals to take delight of their homelands. She dissuades them from rumour about what “immigrant communities appear like and what we do. I would like you to know that we’re greater than that. An immigrant leaves their house nation to make a house someplace else. Many people have executed that for generations. Our households have executed it, which suggests we perceive what it’s like to go away the place we love and the folks we love.”
“We have now made superb strides and contributions to this world, she stated and shared that it was a Jamaican pharmacologist who found marijuana for medicinal profit, including, additionally, that the primary search engine was created by a Barbadian.”
“We needs to be pleased with the place we got here from. I applaud you. You may see the fruits of your labor. Stand tall in your “Caribbeaness” and improve the flavour of each neighborhood that you simply go into. Each room that you simply enter will be enhanced by your presence. We consider you convey taste to America and in all places we go. We enhance effectivity virtually in all places we go,” she stated.
“What we all know to be true is that given the proper alternatives, immigrants will outwork their counterparts each step of the best way. As well as, we are going to attain again into our communities and construct one another up. It’s best to stand firmly proud, figuring out that you simply stand on the shoulders of extraordinarily proud, good, upstanding, forward-thinking folks, and it’s best to by no means permit us to be separated. Thanks all very a lot and benefit from the occasion,” stated Professor Stoley.
In opposition to an brisk backdrop of Caribbean Deejay music, Alana Mah-Shakeer carried out a classical Indian dance, which was adopted by an African/Caribbean fusion dance by a Youth and Teen Arts Group of Hempstead.
The Uniondale Excessive Faculty Haitian American Pupil Affiliation decked out in pink and blue costumes, wowed the viewers with a “Folklorica.” On the similar time, the Dominican Republic Hempstead Excessive Faculty dancers introduced salsa rhythms to the plaza and acquired the viewers on its ft.
To not be outdone, Trinidad performer Akeil Benn raised the group with a “Reward the Lord” name earlier than the leisure continued with a gospel track by Min. Croswell Daley and a poem by Janet Mclaren-Wade, who garnered laughter after a fiery efficiency with a poem titled “Jamaican.”
Widespread Guyanese musical group Rick Dalgetty – CARAMENT closed the jubilant celebration by protecting the group energetic with a medley of folksongs as nationals danced on the plaza.
Due to the emcee, Zahid Syed, govt director of neighborhood affairs, and co-emcees Trudy King and Sherry Williams for the well-organized occasion.
The committee additionally thanked supporters, 270Deli, Collectively We Serve, Palm Island Ridgewood Financial savings Financial institution, All From 1 Provider, Tower Islands Restaurant, and others.
