AAPI exhibit opens at LaGuardia
Diversity &Inclusion heralded by Port and the community
AIRPORT VOICE, JUNE 2021 25
BY JEFF YAPALATER
The Port Authority marked
Asian American and Pacific Islander
Heritage Month with a
ceremony at LaGuardia Airport’s
Marine Air Terminal/
Terminal A, that included the
opening of an exhibit honoring
the history of the community
in New York and Queens,
and acknowledging the heightened
challenges that Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders
have faced during the pandemic
amid escalating levels of
targeted hate crimes.
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, who
successfully led last week’s
passage of federal legislation to
address anti-Asian hate crimes,
will addressed the gathering
with video remarks. Also speaking
during the ceremony were:
Queens District Attorney Melinda
Katz, New York State Sen.
John Liu by video, Port Authority
Chairman Kevin O’Toole and
Executive Director Rick Cotton
by video, Queens Deputy Borough
President Rhonda Binda,
and Executive Director of the
Asian American Federation Jo-
Ann Yoo, and District 38 Assembly
Member Jenifer Rajkumar.
Since 1977, the month of May
has been designated as Asian
American and Pacific Islander
Heritage Month to honor Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders
who have enriched our nation’s
history and have been critical to
its success. The exhibit will be
open to visitors from the community
and to travelers at the Marine
Air Terminal through next month.
In O’Toole’s words, “Bigotry
on any level is unacceptable.
We stand together as Americans.”
MC of the event, Port Director
of Aviation Redevelopment
Hersh Parekh introduced speakers
that included Chairman Kevin
O’Toole who made comments to
the gathering which included
JFK GM Charles Everett, LGA
Deputy GM Christina Callahan,
Port Authority Chief Diversity &
Inclusion Michael Massiah and
NYS representatives.
Chairman O’Toole spoke passionately
about the buses of racism,
bias and bigotry which he
experienced as a youth. He experienced
“differences and the
bias of many towards those of
different cultures”” saying that a
military service couple man returning
home in the 1950s was
rejected from a post in Georgia
because of an interracial marriage.
Now, he exhorted, the public
must embrace differences saying,
“ “ I am proud to be here celebrating
togetherness, diversity
and cultures where out grandparents
come from. It is a contribution
that our grandparents
made America a great place today,
of the wonderful AAPI contributions
in our Metro area. Hate
Has to Stop. That’s why we are
having our leaders here to discus
this dialogue and get to the other
side where ‘Hate thing’ does not
exist.”
O’Toole quoted the words of
Ronald Reagan form his visit to
a synagogue in Valley Stream in
1984.
“We must never remain silent
in the face of bigotry. We
must condemn those who seek
to divide us. In all quarters and
at all times, we must teach tolerance
and denounce racism, anti-
Semitism, and all ethnic or religious
bigotry wherever they exist
as unacceptable evils. We have
no place for haters in America —
none, whatsoever.”
Rhonda Binda, Queens Dep.Boro President
Juneteenth is official NYS Fed Holiday
June 19th to be celebrated as a day of Freedom
Juneteenth commemorates
June 19, 1865, when the news
of liberation came to Texas
more than two years after President
Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation went into
effect on January 1, 1863. African
Americans across the state
were made aware of their right
to freedom on this day when
Major General Gordon Granger
arrived in Galveston with federal
troops to read General Order
No. 3 announcing the end
of the Civil War and that all enslaved
were now free, as well as
to maintain a presence in Texas
for the purpose of enforcement
of emancipation among slaveowners
throughout the state.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
signed into law legislation
(S.8598/A.10628) designating
Juneteenth as an official public
holiday in New York State. The
new law celebrates Juneteenth,
a day which commemorates the
end to slavery and celebrates
Black and African American
freedom and achievements,
while encouraging continuous
self-development and respect
for all cultures.
"I am incredibly proud to
sign into law this legislation
declaring Juneteenth an official
holiday in New York State,
a day which commemorates
the end to slavery in the United
States," Governor Cuomo said.
"This new public holiday will
serve as a day to recognize the
achievements of the Black community,
while also providing an
important opportunity for selfreflection
on the systemic injustices
that our society still faces
today."
Juneteenth, Port Authority. NYS and NYC Holiday
On June 19, 1863, Union Gen. Gordon Granger in Gavelston Texas, informed
enslaved African-Americans of their freedom and that the
Civil War had ended. The day is also sometimes called “Juneteenth
Independence Day,” “Freedom Day” or “Emancipation Day.”