 Good morning everyone and thanks to all of you for joining us here today to help celebrate International Women's Day My name is Maria Torres Springer. I'm the deputy mayor for economic and workforce development and let me tell you I have the wild fortune of walking into this building every day and really getting to work with some of the most Amazing people and women of this city the other deputy mayors are here our chief advisor our chief of staff We have the great honor of serving this city. We are women We are women of color and we represent I believe all that is good and great about New York City and if you just look right behind me We are an extraordinary company the company of really incredible women Leading the Adams administration and I know they are grateful for all of the courageous women Who came before us for those who pushed open the door for our generation and are? Extremely committed to making sure that we make it easier for those who will come after us and So today on International Women's Day We also have the opportunity to consider this year's theme of embracing equity And this is of course a mission that we take so seriously in this administration And we work hard towards every day to create better opportunities and outcomes for the women in our great city And we have no better person to Champion the work of the people right behind me the work of all of the incredible women across the administration Than our 110th mayor who I have the great pleasure of introducing Mayor Eric Adams I want to really thank the deputy mayor For her powerful words deputy mayor Maria Torres Springer and the entire team You know, I think that this flag this artistic expression of womanhood in an international Year of the woman I would like to say It's a real reflection because it's there's a message in that and that and the flag the flag is representative of a Washcloth a dish dish Claw for dish towel You know something that means so much to many of us, you know mom used to hang it over the stove And I could see the different stains from the different sources and foods That she would draw her hands on and it was really a symbol of the struggle that she went through to try to feed of six children and the challenges and how often she would use that rag not only to Wipe her hands after cooking a meal, but she would use it to wipe her eyes To hide her tears of the uncertainty of the next day where she have a roof over the head for her children To hide the tears of the domestic abuse that she experienced As a woman growing up during that time to hide the tears of trying to figure out why son couldn't learn in school And she had to continue to inspire her and at that watch That towel that dish towel I'm pretty sure if you go into every Neighborhood every community and you speak to every one of the women behind me They can tell you the towel of that their mothers have used during the times of their upbringing So this flag is significant because there's also since another message That oftentimes we list up lift up of those women who had prominent notable roles in our society And we ignored the fact that behind Thurgood Marshall. There was a mom Behind David Dinkins. There was a mom Behind some of the great men who participated in the things that they have done they had great moms that inspired them I say it often and as many times as possible because I don't want people to get it twisted I am who I am because of Dorothy Adams. That's why I am the mayor of the city of new york And we lose those women within the shadows Of if they didn't have some degree if they didn't occupy some prestigious role In our society, we forget all about them But I don't and I understand why this flag is so important That it is put in place and I want to take my hat off to the artist who understand the significance Of using this flag because the flag is a symbol of power Of we pledge our allegiance to the flag Of the united states of america and so we pledge our allegiance to this A towel that has been Created a flag out of we are pledging our allegiance to the importance of women in this country And I don't just talk about it. I talk about often As deputy mayor right as I stated yesterday when she walked us through the museum of the city of new york One day My administration is going to be in that museum And with my administration is going to state for the first time in new york city's history New york is the most powerful city on the globe And for the first time in new york city's history, the city is now being run by women run by women women chief advisor women chief of staff Women first deputy mayor the power of new york city the top three positions That run the city of new york are women first woman firefighter commission first woman A police commissioner a woman is running the department of sanitation to keep our streets our streets clean our streets Safe and protect us against fires All of these roles that we have placed women in is to really break down those barriers To state you've gone from just wiping your hands from wife washing the dishes To making sure that everyone that's sitting in the kitchens of this city will have the safety the cleanliness The all the opportunities that they deserve and at the end of the month We're going to lean into our women's health agenda This is going to be something that all of us all of you are part of the administration All of you are going to be able to walk through the museum of the history of new york And you're going to see that this administration tore down the barriers that historically did not allow you to participate in showing your strength and your current All I could do is say thank you dark the adams For inspiring me and allowing me to cascade that inspiration out out to others And no matter what anyone says that the reason we're able to get here is all through the power of god and god we trust Thank you mayor, and I think I could speak for my colleagues as well in also thanking and celebrating dorthy adam Thanks to her So today wouldn't be possible without some amazing partners I just want to give a shout out to a few of our colleagues who made this possible Including andrea davis Shapiro Sharoshi Banerjee and the entire team at the public design commission And now I am very pleased to Introduce our amazing commissioner of the department of cultural affairs who's going to say a few words But before that I did also want to acknowledge That we have some representatives from the consulate general of spain in new york who are here with us today So welcome and thank you for being with us and now commissioner lori combo Good morning Happy international women's day. Don't you feel inspired today? This is so powerful when you see the assemblage of women that are represented right behind me You are really seeing a revolution in terms of women on every level of government Are stepping up and leading in ways never imagined We are certainly our ancestors wildest dreams and what you're seeing here today in terms of leadership Speak so much about those that came behind us who fought so hard for us to be in these positions And our ability now to usher that new energy forward and when women are in charge Things work a little bit different and a whole lot better I always say to the many men in my life that they will be so much more powerful Our men will be so much more stronger. They will have so much more energy when under the leadership of women So we're going to continue to push that forward and we're going to continue to make sure That women are at all aspects of city government And I really want to applaud mayor eric adams for recognizing the strength The courage the power the fortitude the intellect All that women bring to the table the ability as he spoke about his mom to raise six children That is the ultimate multitasker that you need in city government to know how to make it all happen and how to make it all work So we're going to continue to push forward We're going to continue to break boundaries and we're going to continue to push forward the next generation of women Who are going to take this city and this state and this nation to whole new levels and heights So i'm so proud to be the commissioner of the new york city department of cultural affairs And I really want to applaud artist elena del revero for her extraordinary courage and work in showcasing the The respect and the fortitude and the sacrifice and the energy that every day working mothers moms grandmothers aunties cousins nieces that really put in that energy to hold our families together And that energy is certainly what makes new york city a stronger city Our families and those family units are certainly what strengthen us i'm so proud to be a part of this administration and for me as a working mom I have a five-year-old and I understand the dynamics of trying to Put food on the table trying to make that dinner trying to keep a house together And going to work at the same time and navigating two parents who are also over the age of 80 Like we really do an extraordinary job And that's why days like this are so important for us to pause and to recognize just how Extraordinary we are just how amazing we are Just the courage and the strength that we use every day to get up and to make new york city and our families better Doing both at the same time. So I thank you. I want to shout out Our public art committee that's here today at the department of cultural affairs led by kendall henry Kendall has done an extraordinary job And his entire team of making today possible But I also want to recognize at the same time my deputy commissioner, um, alton murray who worked very hard at making this happen And I will say in closing I am so excited because mayor eric adams has said he wants every single city agency to be filled with art He wants city hall to look different like it's never looked before He wants to see gracey mansion with the images of the people that built gracey mansion and city hall He wants to usher in a new visual image of city hall and our city agencies So that every new york will see that their contributions their history their culture and their image Is reflected in all that we do so we are going to carry that charge forward. Thank you so much And I'm excited to be here with you all Thank you commissioner combo And now I have the great honor of introducing and we'll hear from her the artist who Is responsible for this really powerful work and as the commissioner mentioned art Not just in this building but in all of the spaces that we occupy is so incredibly important because art tells stories And these the the types of stories that are told are so critical to not just our well-being But how we identifies people and the dignity that we give each other And the stories of the people behind me the people in this room These are stories that carry echoes of generations of survivors and strivers and doers And we have to tell those stories And so I am so grateful that elena del revero's peace home address Is visiting here with us a powerful reminder, of course Of the struggle of women not just in this city not just in this country But really across the globe A reminder of the progress that we have made and how much further we have to travel together And so with no further ado, um, let me introduce elena del revero Thank you so much It is an honor for me major Adams deputy mayor torres springer and commissioner cambo To have my project suffrage Installing this house to celebrate the international women's day Thank you very much I also want to thank your team Who have helped me with the success of this wonderful installation of monstrous common dish towels Thank you as well to the representatives to the first female consul general of spain Caridad batalla To my friends and family And to all of you who came here to celebrate with us today The transposition from the kitchen For so long seen A place to confine women To the public space and seat of new york government This installation transfers Often overlooked or underestimated textiles Into a sort of anti monument which also works as a metaphor for home Home the place that welcomes everybody Like the true feminism The place where we took refuge during the pandemic This project is a celebration for the struggle of women in history Their conquests and hard-won advances That we commemorate today We know, however, that there is still a lot of work ahead of us Thank you Thank you so much another round of applause for elena, please Thanks to everyone. Um, and now I think we're taking a couple pictures. Thank you