Transcript: Mayor Adams Hosts Reception to Celebrate AAPI Heritage

May 13, 2025

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJYCCnlW60g

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Thank you so much, Peter and our whole entire team. Wow, look at you. A beautiful turnout as we celebrate this amazing community. Our AAPI community means so much. And to watch you here. This is the first official event of the summer celebrating this community here at Gracie Mansion. So give yourselves a hand and welcome to Gracie Mansion. 

And we're really proud of all of our honorees that we will announce tonight. And we want to add to what Peter stated, welcome to the people's house, your house. This is a house that has welcomed many groups that have come here for the first time. If you are here for the first time, raise your hand. Look at that. I see some people down front that are second and third and fourth, fifth timers. They spent a lot of time in Gracie. I think they have the keys to Gracie Mansion. They've been here so much. 

And I want to thank my consul generals. Come on, please stand up, consul generals. They provide such an important service. And I just thank you for being here. And as you provide a service for your constituencies, the Asian American and Pacific Islanders community has a long and rich and proud history in our city and country. 

From the arrival of trade delegations from Japan more than 160 years ago, to the founding of Chinatown in the 19th century, their contribution is part of what makes America what it is. From Korea to Bangladesh, to India, to Pakistan, to ASEAN, a group of Asian countries, to all of you that come together. Now we're celebrating you not only here at Gracie Mansion, but we're celebrating you in our schools. 

When we include you and your history and our hidden voices, it allows your voices and your stories to be told. Our early Chinese American that built our transcontinental railroad system that has changed the landscape of America, our early contributors from Pacific Islanders and their contribution, so many have played a vital role. And we acknowledge you in many ways. 

In one way, it is a Diwali public school holiday. We're so proud of being able to get that done under this administration. We have celebrated Eid, Lunar New Year, and other AAPI festivals and traditions right here at Gracie Mansion. We've had our AAPI parade in Midtown and the first AAPI advisory committee and AAPI advisory roundtable to hear from you directly. 

We're making sure AAPI voices are heard, and the AAPI community is also a vital part of our administration. And when you look at who's behind me, from my good friend David Do, to Mir Bashar, to Eva Wong, to Gilbert Hoe, to Dilip Chauhan, and all of them are here. Give these guys a hand. 

And the person that keeps it together, that I believe is really a symbol of the American dream, once a dreamer, came to America with his mom, and now he's in charge of the dreamers, my good friend and commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, Manny Castro. 

And this room reflects the diversity and strength of New York City. Nurses, business owners, artists, activists, and members of our uniformed agencies, I saw men and women from our law enforcement agency. Give our law enforcement agency a hand. They keep us safe every day. 

I want to say together we can make a difference, and we are making a difference. I know the challenges this community faces, and this includes discrimination and hate, but we are saying there's no room for hate, not in our city, nowhere, no time, no how, this is a city where we come together. 

And we're tackling those through our Office of Hate Crimes, and our Breaking Breads, Building Bonds, sitting down at the table and celebrating our diversity together. And in our Office of Small Business Services, it's a huge help as we continue to show you how to start, maintain, and grow your business. 

We help new immigrants to start business, apply to M/WBE programs, job fairs, and so much more. Whatever you need, our city is here for you and always will be here for you. And so, I thank you for being here tonight, and let's receive our honorees and give them thanks for the work that they've done. Congratulations to this community, you're so much part of the American Dream and American Spirit. Thank you so much.

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