Caribbean-American legislators in New York on Friday joined other elected officials in remembering the nearly 3,000 people killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks, while reflecting on the lasting impact of the tragedy on the city and its communities.
Twenty-five years after the attacks, lawmakers with Caribbean heritage spoke of the lives lost, the first responders who ran towards danger and the resilience and solidarity shown by New Yorkers in the aftermath.
New York State Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the Haitian-American chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, said the anniversary was an opportunity to remember not only those who died, but also the families, first responders, recovery workers and service members whose lives were permanently changed.
‘Today, we pause to remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and honour the families, first responders, recovery workers, and service members whose lives were forever changed,’ Bichotte Hermelyn, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
She said the passage of time had not diminished the significance of the attacks or the sacrifices made in their aftermath.
‘We continue to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who courageously served in the aftermath, and the many who still live with the lasting effects of that day,’ she said.
Bichotte Hermelyn also called for the lessons of September 11 to be reflected in how communities support one another and respond to adversity.
‘By actively supporting our neighbours, protecting our democratic institutions, and fostering lasting solidarity, we ensure their courage continues to inspire us today,’ she said.
Her Assembly colleague Brian Cunningham, the son of Jamaican immigrants and representative for the 43rd Assembly District in Brooklyn, said the anniversary should also focus on how New Yorkers responded to the attacks.
‘Twenty-five years later, our responsibility is not only to remember how people died, but also how New Yorkers responded with courage, compassion, service and an unwavering commitment to one another,’ Cunningham said.
He added: ‘May we continue to honour those we lost by carrying those values forward. We will never forget.’
For Assembly Member Monique Chandler-Waterman, whose parents are Jamaican and Barbadian, the anniversary also provided an opportunity to remember those who never returned home and the people who continue to live with the consequences of the attacks.
Chandler-Waterman, who represents the 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn, also paid tribute to first responders, emergency workers, volunteers and ordinary people who helped others during the attacks and their aftermath.
‘We also honour the brave first responders, emergency workers, volunteers, and everyday people who showed extraordinary courage and humanity by running toward danger, helping others, and sacrificing themselves to save lives,’ she said.
Chandler-Waterman said the attacks had consequences that extended beyond the United States.
‘Twenty-five years later, we continue to remember. We continue to grieve. And we continue to recognise the profound impact that day had on our nation and communities around the world,’ she said.
New York State Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie, whose grandmother hailed from Jamaica, reflected on how profoundly New York and the wider world had changed since the attacks.
‘In many ways, New York, and our world, feel like they have been completely transformed since that awful day a quarter century ago,’ Myrie said.
Myrie, who represents the 20th Senate District in Brooklyn, noted the particular toll on his Central Brooklyn community.
‘Our Central Brooklyn community was hit especially hard on that dark day,’ he said.
He said Squad 1 in Park Slope recorded the highest death toll of any Fire Department of New York (FDNY) company in the city, with 12 firefighters killed in action.
Myrie said the loss of family members, friends, neighbours and colleagues continued to be felt across generations, while also recalling the response of New Yorkers and first responders.
‘On 9/11, we saw the worst of humanity, but we also saw the best of New York. Our city came together in the face of tragedy to support one another through the dark days, weeks and months that followed,’ he said.
Myrie said the anniversary should also renew efforts to build on the values demonstrated after the attacks.
‘And we recommit ourselves to the difficult but necessary work of building a city and world that is worthy of the legacy they left behind,’ he said.
Guyanese-born New York State Senator Roxaane J. Persaud, who represents the 19th Senate District in Brooklyn, also urged continued remembrance of those killed and those whose lives were changed by the attacks.
She also recognised the first responders who answered the call and the wider community response to the tragedy.
‘On this solemn day, may we come together as a community to honour their memories, support one another, and never forget the courage and compassion shown in the face of unimaginable tragedy,’ Persaud said.
Meanwhile, the New York City Council has taken steps to preserve the memory of September 11 for future generations.
On Thursday, the Council approved legislation commemorating the attacks and seeking to pass their lessons on to younger generations.
The measures include the co-naming of 26 thoroughfares and public places with titles honouring those who lost their lives and families affected by the attacks.
Council members also approved a resolution asking the New York State Legislature to incorporate a 9/11 curriculum in all New York schools.