Transcript: Mayor Eric Adams Delivers Remarks at Flag-Raising Ceremony for Haiti

May 17, 2023

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/live/9irFajVnHTA?feature=share

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Thank you so much. My relationship, again, with this amazing community goes back from the days of being in the 100 Blacks In Law Enforcement Who Care, fighting on behalf of important issues. That's why Abner Louima reached out when I was running for mayor. He reached out and endorsed me and stated he recalled the days that I was with his family and members of the Haitian communities as we was going through some very difficult and dark periods.

And I want to thank all who are here, who off of the sweat and tears and back and work have become elected officials in this city. From Councilwoman Louis to Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse and our representatives on the state level, we're joined also by Debbie Lewis, who's the Brooklyn representative from the governor's office. And my brother Adou, what he has done throughout so many campaigns as he lifted people into elected office.

As we talk about the dissemination of dollars, we must be clear that one of the most influential persons in my administration that decides and balance over $160 billion budget, Jacques Jiha, is a Haitian. He is my top advisor. He's a person that I have grown to respect and understand his commitment and dedication. Each time another person from the Haitian community rises to a level of prominence it also opened the doors for those who are coming after. And we must do it right. We can help to get it right. It's so important. We will continue to lift that up. One thing I've learned from the Haitian community is how you must have the patience to ignore those that want to be disruptive to what you're trying to do. You cannot turn around anything you are dealing with if you can't stay focused, if you can't stay disciplined and you can't stay encouraged. So we want to make sure that anyone that believes blue and white means one thing, we need to raise the flag and show them anything that blue and white and red stands for as we continue to lift each other up.

Let me say this to all of you, that it is crucial, it is crucial, that we look at the work we have to do. It's crucial that we stay focused on that as we get in this position. We fought to get here. Last year was the first time this flag was raised here. Although you were in this country and building this country as nurses, doctors, professionals, engineers, no one saw it fitting to raise the flag here at Bowling Green until you got a mayor that says, I'm of you, I'm part of you, and your flag will raise here.

And many other firsts, many other groups who have been ignored for years did not have the opportunity to have their flag raised here. We hear it over and over again. After you became mayor, you made a clear comment that we see every community in this city, and we're going to continue to do that not only in the symbolic moments of raising a flag, but we are going to see it in the employments. We're going to see it and how we disseminate tax dollars for goods and procurements of services. We're going to see it in the contracts that we signed to lift up civil servants who are employed, many of the Haitian diaspora. We're going to see it everywhere. I did not come here to leave folks outside. I came here to bring people inside who have been ignored for years.

So thank you. In the spirit of Toussaint Louverture, you brought the spirit and energy of being fighters. That is who you are. That is who you are going to continue to be. And I enjoy being side by side fighting for you to make this city where we know it could be. Thank you so much.

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