Mamdani hosts first Caribbean heritage reception at Gracie Mansion as mayor
Wearing a 2007 West Indies Cricket World Cup jersey, the New York mayor praised Caribbean solidarity and pointed to the fear caused by the end of Haitian protected status.
NEW YORK, United States. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted his first Caribbean American Heritage celebration as mayor at Gracie Mansion on August 27, walking out to the music of Jamaican artist Sean Paul and wearing a 2007 West Indies Cricket World Cup jersey under his suit jacket.
"It is an honor to welcome you to Gracie Mansion as we celebrate our Caribbean community right here in New York City," the mayor said.
He recognised members of his administration, including Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Renita Francois, Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels and City Sheriff Edwin Raymond, as well as Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and State Senator Jabari Brisport.
Cricket and solidarity
Mamdani recalled attending the 2007 Cricket World Cup with his family at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, and later co-founding his school's cricket team.
He said he grew up hearing about West Indies greats such as Clive Lloyd of Guyana, Viv Richards and Curtly Ambrose of Antigua, Michael Holding of Jamaica and Malcolm Marshall of Barbados.
"It's a story of solidarity," he said. "Together as the West Indies, this was a team that went 15 years without losing to any of them."
Haitian protected status
The mayor said the community's resilience was being tested by the federal government's revocation of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, which he said had plunged many Caribbean New Yorkers into fear.
He said Caribbean New Yorkers had responded as they had for decades, by founding benevolent associations and supporting one another. City Hall wanted to learn from that legacy, he said, through sanctuary city policies, the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, and its hotline and clinics.
Samuels, the city's Jamaican-born schools chancellor, recalled being homesick when he moved to New York at 16. "After my family settled in the Bronx, I realized that Jamaicans had not only come to build a better life, but to build a better city," he said.
Williams, who displayed his Grenadian flag, said he was excited to celebrate with the Caribbean community.
"We are going to have a safe and fun Labor Day. When we come back we have a lot of work to do. Immigration is under attack; the Haitian community is under attack. One Caribbean, One New York," he said.
