 okay my people what is this good if and before before I get started I just want us to do a moment of silence for our brothers and sisters who we lost in the Bronx fire in January many of them came from Gambia and I just want the energy of our ancestors to come and bless them and bless their families during this difficult time and so we could just have a just a moment of silence for them okay it's a moment where we will just quiet just quiet and feel the presence of our ancestors in the present of those who we lost not only in the fire in the Bronx but those who we've lost through the middle passage those we lost through the struggles and so let's just take a moment to reflect on the energy of us being here together thank you so much thank you so much this is this is an important gathering today because you have to understand the significance of the moment and what New York City is America if we want to acknowledge it or not America is one of the most powerful countries on the globe New York City is one of the most powerful cities in America and so as the mayor of the city of New York I'm one of the most powerful mayors on the globe the connection the connection you must have is that I am proud to be an American but don't get it mixed up I'm African ancestors that were ripped apart from the motherland and chains and in slavery they watch me go back with the mayoralty synagogue at the door of no return as I walk the streets of Lagos in Nigeria of Cape Town in point Elizabeth in South Africa the success of having an African as the mayor the shame on you shame on you you should walk as you do international trade you should speak to people all over the city and all over the globe and tell people y'all better recognize the mayor's African personifies the strength of the people then those who endured what we have endured and then to elevate to this position is a indication of the strength of our people this country is who and what it is because of our ancestors that came from the shores of Africa the success of America is tied to of African people people to bring all of that together and use this moment to move forward with a real agenda but it's not only me the speaker of the city council one of the most powerful positions is African the speaker of the assembly is African the speaker of the Senate is African the attorney general is African the border public advocate is African the place for enslaved broke the barriers enslavement and use their power they intellect to elevate themselves to the highest positions in this city and the most important city in this country this is a moment of reflection because we know that because of what we have gone through we don't know human beings should go through that so in our noble place we're not using the pain of the past to stop us we're using that pain to turn us into the purpose that we need to move us forward so it doesn't matter if you from China doesn't matter you from South to Central America doesn't matter if you're from Europe it doesn't matter if you from Portugal if you from Spain if you from Germany doesn't matter where you are we're saying we're gonna use our abilities and our intellect to build the partnership to make sure we can create a greater environment for everyone so we never reach the time again when people have to be enslaved based on where they support what they were or who they are and lastly it's time to reconnect we have been torn apart for so long all of our riches and natural resources they have been taken from us we have produced cocoa for other countries to make the chocolate our goal has been ripped from the veins of our ancestors in our land for others to prosper for it our diamonds have been taken from the continent all of our natural minerals other people have exploited and use it it is now time for Africa to be for Africans and Africans must be in charge of that land we must reclaim our land colonialism cannot be removed just on paper colonialism must be removed in actuality we must build the industries on the continent of Africa and use the power of those of us here in America to speak on behalf of Africa Africa has been denied for so long have been ignored have been cast aside has been taken advantage of now it's time for us to unite in the manner in which we can build up Africa use the technology the ingenuity all that we've learned should be zero focus on the continent of Africa then we will have the homeland that we deserve and we need and we respect and I hear this energy all over the globe when I met with our world leaders from Africa they're already the African diaspora in the Caribbean the African diaspora in Europe the African diaspora here in America the African diaspora all over the globe it says now it's time for us to come together and reunite as cousins and brothers and uncles and aunties that we've been torn apart for this is the day that our ancestors waited for it's time for us to live up to that so I thank you I thank you for coming here today I thank you for igniting my spirit as I moved through the continent last year as I was embraced by the people of Ghana as I was embraced by the people of synagogue as I was embraced by the people of Nigeria of South Africa of Forteba you prepared me for this moment you prayed for me you held me you called on our ancestors without kings and stated we are going to protect this brother all that we have you utilize it and because of that I'm here to be the mayor of the city of New York African people thank you so we have a brother we given a proclamation to my shoe who held on to the African culture for so many years he's not here but one of his top designers ahead so we want to give it to her on behalf of my brother machu the energy that he has brought for so many years please give him my love I spoke to him this evening and he told me you were coming thank you so much give it up for machu couple minutes more as a staple in Brooklyn for the past 28 years machu had encouraged us to embrace our heritage using color and confidence right when you wear machu you wear yourself our slogan is our foundation and a reflection of our spirits in our hearts and our self-love I'm ever grateful the machu family is ever grateful to Mayor Adam for always recognizing us over the years and allowing us to be that stable here in Brooklyn thank you and we're gonna thank all of our council generals that are here all of our council generals thank you so much for being here representing our countries on the continent we really appreciate you moment where the African council is going to honor the mayor with a score so mama good evening brothers and sisters this is a very important occasion and because Africa has 56 countries ladies and gentlemen please let's have your attention please for a moment let's please quiet down for a moment for this presentation this is very important please keep it down for just two seconds because the countries are very many our mayor cannot be buying or wearing every country's attire so we've decided we've decided as NYC and AU Day Foundation to give him a cloth which he can use all the time regardless of which country he'll be in Africa or which government officials from Africa he's welcoming thank you so ladies and gentlemen mama Jennifer is explained to the mayor how to wear this and so this can be worn for different reasons one is ceremonial when he's meeting with kings and queens and one is when he's just meeting all of us on a daily basis so this is the green represents the land the black represents us as the people and the red represents the blood that we and our sweat it doesn't matter what part of Africa the mayor goes to this covers the land this covers it doesn't gain in South Africa Nigeria the red the green and the black speaks to who we are as a people a very big round of applause ladies and gentlemen