REMARKS
Chair Williams introduces bills addressing slavery's legacy in NYC
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Council Member Nantasha M. Williams, chair of the Committee on Civil and Human Rights, opens the meeting by introducing four bills aimed at addressing the legacy of slavery in New York City.
She emphasizes the importance of these bills in rectifying long-standing negative impacts of slavery and racism on descendants of slaves.
- The bills include studying slavery's impacts, creating a truth and reconciliation process, marking the site of NYC's first slave market, and establishing a Freedom Trail task force.
- Williams acknowledges the long process to bring these bills to a vote and thanks her colleagues and staff for their hard work.
- She introduces the sponsors of each bill before turning the floor over to them for remarks.
Nantasha M. Williams
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Good morning, everyone.
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My name is Natasha Williams, and I am chair of the Committee on Civil And Human Rights.
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I want to start off by thanking everyone joining us for this early morning vote.
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This legislation we are voting on today has been to put it simply a long time coming.
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Not only because these bills were first introduced and heard last session, but because the issues that we are intending to help remedy are ones that have afflicted our city since its founding due to Century's long practice of slavery.
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While slavery has been outlawed in the United States for a 164 years and even longer in New York state, its legacy lives on in the systematic racism and any in equity that still affects black Americans today.
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It is my hope that the bill is being voted on today, one of which I am the proud sponsor of, will strengthen ongoing efforts to a tone for the atrocities committed during slavery and will help to rectify the long standing negative impact the institution of slavery and racism has had on descendants of slaves.
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This morning, we will be voting on intro 279 a sponsored by council member, Farrah Lewis, in relation to studying the impacts of slavery, and its legacies in New York City and recommending potential reparative measures for resulting harms.
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Intro242 a sponsored by council member Crystal Crystal Hudson in relations to the creation of a true feeling and reconciliation process.
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Intro 833A sponsored by the public advocate, Jimani Williams, in relations to requiring the installation and maintenance of an informational sign at the Intersection of Wall And Pearl Streets in Manhattan to mark the site of New York's first slave market And lastly, my bill previously sponsored by council member Chris Martin, who's been a long advocate of the Freedom Trail, and intro 471a will establish a New York City freak Freedom Trail task force.
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I'd like to thank my colleagues for being here and both my staff and committee staff, Jessica, most importantly, who worked really hard.
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She was here many late nights negotiating with the admin to make sure that these these bills advance.
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So thank you so much.
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And, of course, Liam, I'll now turn it over to my fellow sponsors for some remarks on their respective bills, starting with Council member Lewis.