Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you so much. And it is really great to have you here as we honor two members of your community. But we all know that New York City is the Warsaw of America. We have a large Polish population here. And my relationship with the Polish community goes back long before being mayor, before being borough president, before being state senator. I served in the 94 Precinct as a platoon commander.
And I watched the community long before Starbucks and others decided to reach and live in Greenpoint– [showing] how this Polish community was there to build up that community and invest to make sure it became a mainstay. Long before the fancy cafes, you were there and believed in what that community can do. And as you spread out throughout the entire city, we owe you a debt of gratitude for what you do and how you encourage your young men and women to join the New York City Police Department to keep our city safe.
And we should give them an applause [for] those who are here right now. You believe in what many of our ethnic groups believe in. You believe in family, you believe in faith, you believe in education, you believe in small business, and most important, you believe in public safety. When I came into office, I had a clear message. We cannot have a city that does not acknowledge and bring the entire diversity of this city into focus. That's why you're here tonight.
This is the second way we celebrated your culture here at Gracie Mansion. You graced us with your presence. But we also did our flag raising at Bowling Green when we raised your flag for the first time. It took 110 mayors before we understood how important [it was] to raise the flag at Bowling Green to celebrate this community and what this community has to offer.
We know that many of us don't realize that every day we cross over the Kosciuszko Bridge, a bridge that's named after one of your most famous commanders that contributes to the vibrancy of our country. But that bridge is only a symbol of the bridges that you build every day to make this city the greatest city on the globe. And I thank you as I conclude my term as the mayor of the City of New York.
You have played such a vital role in the recovery of our city. We recovered through COVID. We recovered through the migrants and asylum seekers. We recovered through the public safety. We recovered through the economic downturn. The city is back, is vibrant, and is moving in the right direction. And we're going to continue to allow it to do so. Thank you so much.
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