Mayor Eric Adams left, lights the Diya, as Meeting MemberJenifer Rajkumar, (partly hidden) CEO, Gracie Mansion Conservancy Rhonda Binda, South Asian Liaison, Neighborhood Affairs Unit, Sookranie Dhanpat, a spiritual chief, and Deputy Commissioner, Mayor’s Workplace of Worldwide Affairs, Dilip Chauhan, look on, on the annual Diwali celebration at Gracie Mansion, on Oct. 24.
Photograph by Tangerine Clarke
On Oct. 24, Mayor Eric Adams welcomed bedazzled Diwali celebrants to Gracie Mansion, noting that he’s honored to have fun the pageant of lights every year. He additionally applauded Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, who was pivotal to laws being handed to make Diwali a faculty vacation in New York Metropolis.
“Our Meeting Member is true. She personifies what it’s to come back to this superb nation and take part in authorities, not just for your entire state however particularly for the group that supported and inspired her to run.”
“When she had the imaginative and prescient of creating certain that Diwali was a acknowledged vacation, they advised her it was not potential. We lobbied, we fought, and as she acknowledged, there’s nothing extra decided than an Indian girl, and he or she confirmed that. And at the moment, we have fun Diwali as a citywide vacation, and it’s one thing that we should always all acknowledge.”
“However greater than that, look what we’ve achieved with Dilip Chauhan and others, and the way it took 110 mayors earlier than we have been capable of have an Indian girl to be a deputy mayor, in Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi.”
“You might be persevering with to see your political energy. You’re persevering with to see what you are able to do. This is among the most well-educated communities and enterprise leaders. What you probably did throughout COVID along with your docs and medical professionals like different immigrant teams, you saved this metropolis going,” stated Mayor Adams, surrounded by members of his administration, together with Guyanese-heritage, NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Tonya Kinsella, and CEO of Gracie Mansion Conservancy, Rhonda Binda.
The politician continued, ” We need to just be sure you not stay within the shadows of the American dream, that you just empower your self to be self-determinant about what the long run holds for this whole metropolis, if not your entire nation.”
“And don’t lose sight that working for president is a girl with Indian and African American background. You might be shifting at a fee that nobody thought was conceivable. You possibly can by no means return. You possibly can by no means end up again within the shadows of the American dream. You have to proceed your progress. As you grace us at the moment right here at Gracie Mansion, we owe you as a lot as you owe this nice nation, we owe one another,” he shared.
“Let’s proceed to develop. Let’s proceed to strengthen ourselves. And I say, as Diwali is the sunshine that strikes out of darkness, let’s displace the hate and the darkness that’s pervasive throughout the globe. It begins right here in New York. It begins right here on Diwali. It begins right here with this nice group. I like this group. Hold doing the nice stuff you’re doing,” stated Mayor Adams whereas thanking the glittering, colourful crowd. He then joined Meeting Member Kumar, Dilip Chauhan, and others to mild the Diya and then current Citations to group leaders.
They’re Vijah Ramjattan, Acharya Leila Gossai, Sarina Jain, and Roni Mazumdar.
In her spirited message to the massive crowd, Meeting Member Jenifer Rajkumar, who has thrown her hat within the ring for the vacant seat of New York Metropolis Comptroller, applauded Mayor Adams for his contribution to the South Asian group and quipped that he was nicknamed the Hindu Mayor. She recalled that she had approached the politician to make Diwali a faculty vacation, and his reply was, “Sure, we are going to, and we should as a result of something is feasible.”
As such, beginning on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, New York will start the yearly faculty closing to commemorate Diwali, a spiritual pageant on the Hindu calendar.
Assemblywoman Rajkumar, wearing a chic, embellished purple robe paired with jewellery, known as on the gathering to increase a spherical of applause for Mayor Eric Adams.
“When there was a hate crime at our beloved Tulsi Mandir, Mayor Adams stood with us. And he made certain the NYPD categorized it as an anti-Hindu hate crime as a result of he’s at all times standing up for our group.”
“Mayor Adams enjoys and loves his job. He focuses on making lives higher right here within the Metropolis of New York. However on this event of Diwali, he additionally reminds us of Ram, who needed to wage an unimaginable battle to defeat evil.” “Ram needed to put every little thing in to attain victory. And on this Diwali, we have fun Ram’s victory when he returns victorious to Ayodhya,“ stated the politician.
“Allow us to all pledge to be the mayor’s Hanuman. He has at all times stood with our group. And that’s the reason on this Diwali, the Competition of Lights, we are going to at all times stand with our one hundred and tenth mayor of New York Metropolis, Eric Adams,” stated the lawmaker.
The attractive annual pageant, organized by Deputy Commissioner, Mayor’s Workplace of Worldwide Affairs Dilip Chauhan, who served as emcee, South Asian Liaison, Neighborhood Affairs Unit Sookranie Dhanpat, and others, showcased a variegated backdrop and enchanting lighting. Energetic dance, accompanied by melodies, entertained the massive crowd that partook in vegetarian Indian meals, consistent with Hinduism.
