Carlina Rivera
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I'm council member Carlina Rivera, chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations.
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Welcome to our oversight hearing supporting the arts, culture, and history of indigenous peoples in New York City.
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First, let me say that our hearing today is taking place on the unseated ancestral homeland of the Lenape people.
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And as a sign of respect to the Lenape nation past, present, and future, we acknowledge the importance of actively addressing our past and the pervasive legacy of colonialism, exclusion, and erasure by amplifying indigenous voices, narratives, and works.
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This committee has long dedicated itself to uplifting the voices of marginalized communities.
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For centuries, indigenous communities have faced profound harm.
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The loss of their land, culture, and traditions, yet their vibrant communities continue in bettering our society.
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Indigenous arts and culture represents so much more than just creative self expression.
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They serve as a powerful mechanism for preserving their heritage.
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We must present indigenous voices to all New Yorkers so that we can gain a deeper understanding of their lived experience and struggles.
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Without proper support from the city, indigenous arts, culture, and history can be further marginalized creating still more challenges in gaining the recognition they so deeply deserve.
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I'm looking forward to discussing the ongoing efforts of both our libraries and arts and cultural organizations to support this community.
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Our 3 public library systems also play a crucial role in educating the public and creating space for indigenous voices.
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And through lectures, poetry, discussions, arts workshops, book recommendations, and exhibitions, our libraries highlight indigenous stories offering both cultural enrichment and historical reflection.
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I'm eager to hear more about the role that DCLA plays in supporting organizations that are led by indigenous peoples and that can bring their talents to all New Yorkers with this support.
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And while November is recognized as National Native American Heritage Month, I hope to hear more details on how the libraries and DCLA work to support indigenous arts and culture all year round.
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Now I wanna acknowledge my colleagues on the committee who are present, Jose Hudson Carr and Ng.
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Thank you for being here.
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I would like to thank the committee staff who put together this hearing, Christina Yelamati, the committee's counsel, Regina Paul, the committee's policy analyst, and Sandra Gray, the committee's finance analyst.
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And I'd like to thank my staff, Katie Loeb, my chief of staff, and Eddie Amador, my director of legislation.
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I would also like to remind everyone who wishes to testify in person today that you must fill out the white appearance card, the little slip of paper which is located on the desk of the sergeant at arms near the entrance of this room.
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Even if you have already registered in advance, you will be test that you will be testifying in person today, please fill that out.
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And I'm gonna ask my colleagues to limit any questions and comments they have to 5 minutes, and as a reminder to all our witnesses, please state your name prior to your testimony for the record.
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We're ready to start with the panel of representatives from DCLA.
