African diaspora from the New York has converged on September 4, 2025, at the Gracie Mansion, the official residency of the Mayor of New York City, to celebrate the African Heritage Month.
Once a year, the celebration of the African Heritage Month is an opportunity to bring African communities together under the leadership of the Mayor of the New York City as one people although sharing different views, religions, and faiths.
“You energize; you inspire. Your resiliency is unmatched. You are the cradle of civilization. And with that mindset, we must live up to that. That means re – bridging our gaps, not allowing our ancestries to be divided based on where we are geographically on the globe. No matter where we go, no matter what name we have attached to our name, we must remember and never forget. I may be American, but don’t ever forget that I am African. And we should be proud of that,” the mayor of the city of New York Eric Adams said.
The mayor who has traveled to many countries of Africa, admired the beautiful landscapes of Morocco and South Africa and historical sites like the Pyramids of Egypt, and the “Door of No Return” of Senegal. “I see the energy and the rich spirit of Africa,” he said.
Some elect officials such as Yussef Salaam one of “Central Park Five,” a reference to 5 black young men who were wrongfully indicted in 1989 for a crime they were never involved in, stood by Adams and said “I was rejected and then elected.”
Some African leaders such as Aissata Camara and Famod Koney who work closely with the mayor as respectively commissioner and deputy commissioner have said how beautiful it is when we come together as one people.
Some leaders were honored for their contribution to the city and society.
“I thank you for coming here today as we uplift the African diaspora and all her contributions to man and humankind,” the mayor concluded.
Bazona Barnabe Bado