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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 103-04
May 3, 2004

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES THE RESIGNATION OF IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER SAYU V. BHOJWANI

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the resignation of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Sayu V. Bhojwani.  Commissioner Bhojwani, who departs in late May, is moving to London. Commissioner Bhojwani was appointed in April 2002 and is the City's first Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs.  The Office of Immigrant Affairs was created by City Charter referendum in 2001.

"Sayu Bhojwani has been instrumental in raising the level of awareness of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs within both City government and immigrant communities throughout the City," said Mayor Bloomberg.  "As an immigrant, Sayu knows first hand the challenges that our immigrant community faces and has tirelessly advocated for them and their needs. We will truly miss her and wish her well in all her future endeavors."

"Working with this Administration has been a great opportunity to serve the City's immigrant population during a two-year period of unprecedented policymaking and community outreach," said Commissioner Bhojwani.  "In the past year, the Administration has enacted groundbreaking policies that protect the rights of domestic workers, ensure the access of limited English proficient New Yorkers to City services and enable immigrants to seek out services for which they are eligible without fear of being reported to federal immigration authorities." 

For the first time, the contributions of immigrants to our City were formally celebrated when the Mayor declared Immigrant History Week earlier this month, an effort lead by Commissioner Bhojwani and her agency.  Prior to joining the Administration, Commissioner Bhojwani was a recipient of the Charles H. Revson Fellowship on the Future of the City of New York. She also founded and was Executive Director of South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!) in Elmhurst, Queens from 1997-2001.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Edward Skyler / Silvia Alvarez   (212) 788-2958




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