Bill Text: NY K00761 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim February 2020, as African Diaspora Month in the State of New York

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 33-12)

Status: (Passed) 2020-02-12 - adopted [K00761 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00761-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 761

BY: M. of A. Fall

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        February  2020,  as  African  Diaspora  Month in the
        State of New York

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to  recognize  and
pay  just  tribute  to  the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups which
comprise and contribute to the richness and diversity of  the  community
of the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and  in  keeping  with  its
time-honored traditions, it is the intent of this  Legislative  Body  to
applaud  and  commemorate events which foster ethnic pride and exemplify
the cultural diversity that represents and strengthens the spirit of the
people and the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS, This  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to  memorialize
Governor  Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim February 2020, as African Diaspora
Month in the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS, The African diaspora consists of the  worldwide  collection
of  communities  descended  from  native  Africans  or Africa's peoples,
predominantly in the Americas; and

  WHEREAS, Throughout history, people from Africa have migrated to new
areas, been transported without consent, and  relocated  for  new  lives
elsewhere  around  the  world; people who have been living in Africa for
decades now are also in the diaspora and helping expand  their  cultural
heritage in increasingly more areas; and

  WHEREAS,  African  diaspora  consists  of  Africans located in other
countries outside of Africa, including Spain, 690,291 Africans; Germany,
817,150 Africans; Mexico, 1,386,556 Africans; Peru, 1,200,000  Africans;
most other countries contribute to the African diaspora; and

  WHEREAS,  The  real African Diaspora includes people from Africa who
are living outside of Africa who are positively impacting the continent;
this powerful group is often working  for  the  development  of  African
cities  and  other  undeveloped  areas  on  the  continent, creating the
African Union for a greater Africa; and

  WHEREAS, Historically, much of the African diaspora population began
in the Americas, Europe and  later,  expanded  in  Asia;  a  significant
reason  for this occurred during the slave trade era across the Arab and
Atlantic Ocean; and

  WHEREAS, Scholars believe this was the origins of the concept of the
African diaspora, which occurred during the  16th  and  19th  Centuries;
these centuries were periods when people from many areas of the Americas
were selling slaves to other regions of the United States; and

  WHEREAS,  The  massive  scale  of  the  slave  trade  is  how  large
populations of Africans began to rise in these locations; it lead to the

future generations continuing to stay in  these  locations  and  calling
them home; and

  WHEREAS,  In  times of freedom, Africans began to realize a new life
in these foreign countries, and over time, African populations grew; and

  WHEREAS, Today, the current African diaspora is  happily  living  in
the  Americas  and  other  parts  of  the world, and have maintained and
passed down many  of  their  traditions  as  a  way  to  preserve  their
heritage;  Africans  always try their best to introduce these traditions
to the world by showcasing their  native  culture  even  while  residing
abroad; and

  WHEREAS,  People  of  African  descent  can  be found all around the
world, although some people may not  primarily  identify  themselves  as
being  African;  the  African  diaspora  consists  of  people in Europe,
America, Asia, and everywhere in between; most  Africans  are  proud  of
their  heritage  and  background and when asked, would quickly say their
origin country in Africa as their home.

  WHEREAS, The African Diaspora is a perfect example of  the  strength
and  resilience  of  the African nation; from a dark past, Africans have
turned this negative situation into one of new opportunity, and  as  the
African Diaspora continues to grow, this national pride will be found in
even more places around the world; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M.  Cuomo  to  proclaim  February  2020,  as
African Diaspora Month in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the  State  of
New York.