New York City Mayor Honors Three Caribbean Nationals
Caribbean-American Heritage Month
Former Grenada United Nations ambassador Eugene Pursoo lifts proclamation while giving acceptance speech
New York City Mayor Eric Adams Honors Three Caribbean Nationals
New York City Mayor Eric Adams honored three Caribbean nationals during a ceremony on Sunday, marking the closure of Caribbean-American Heritage Month.
Adams, the city’s second Black mayor, honored, with proclamations, former Grenada ambassador to the United Nations Eugene Pursoo; the Guyanese founder of the Queens, New York Book Fair and Literary Festival Dr. Dhanpaul Narine; and Jamaican Dr. Melony Samuels, chief executive officer of the New York-based Campaign Against Hunger.
Pursoo’s Acceptance Speech
Pursoo, the current president and founder of the newly established Caribbean Diaspora United, Inc., said he accepted the honor “with gratitude” on behalf of many others who “maybe even more deserving, but whose names never get called.”
He dedicated the proclamation to “the many women across the world, some as single mothers, who against severe odds succeed in raising progressive families – the basic building blocks of progressive societies.”
Narine’s Acceptance Speech
Dr. Narine also said the award was for “the education system in New York City.
“ This award is for all the educators in New York City, including the principals, assistant principals, teachers, related service personnel, and assistant teachers.
“We have in our mayor, Mayor Eric Adams, an education mayor. He is committed to education, so please applaud him. He will do wonders for education.
“This is a great honor for me, my family, and everyone else, but also for the power of education. According to Nelson Mandela, you can only change society if you do so through education. Education is the greatest weapon we all have. Let us treasure it,” Dr. Arine said.
Samuels’ Acceptance Speech
Dr. Samuels said she accepted the award “on behalf of the family of the Campaign Against Hunger and 14,000 families that we serve every week.
“We appreciate Mayor Adams and Ingrid for this wonderful award,” she said, referring to Ingrid Lewis-Martin, chief advisor to Mayor Adams, who traces her roots to Barbados and Panama.
Conclusion
The ceremony marked the closure of Caribbean-American Heritage Month, a celebration of the rich cultural heritage and contributions of Caribbean people to the United States. The honorees accepted their awards with gratitude and humility, dedicating their recognition to the many individuals and organizations that work tirelessly to promote education, family, and community development.
FAQs
* Who were the three Caribbean nationals honored by New York City Mayor Eric Adams?
+ Eugene Pursoo, former Grenada ambassador to the United Nations; Dr. Dhanpaul Narine, Guyanese founder of the Queens, New York Book Fair and Literary Festival; and Dr. Melony Samuels, Jamaican chief executive officer of the New York-based Campaign Against Hunger.
* What was the occasion for the ceremony?
+ The closure of Caribbean-American Heritage Month.
* What did the honorees dedicate their awards to?
+ Eugene Pursoo dedicated his award to the many women across the world who succeed in raising progressive families; Dr. Narine dedicated his award to the education system in New York City; and Dr. Samuels dedicated her award to the family of the Campaign Against Hunger and 14,000 families that they serve every week.