New York City Insider: Media Statement: Municipal Voting Rights Bill Passes Governmental Operations Committee.

 

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK   OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER YDANIS RODRIGUEZ   Wednesday, December 8th, 2021

Media Statement

Municipal Voting Rights Bill Passes Governmental Operations Committee.

“Today has been a very historic and emotional day for me as I have been working for many years alongside the previous two co-prime sponsors, Council Member Margaret Chin, and Council Member Daniel Drumm on Intro.1867. They have played an equal role as me in carrying the bill and allowing us to get to this point in history. Together with my colleagues Council Member Fernando Cabrera, Chairman of the Governmental Operations Committee, Council Member Carlos Menchaca, Chairman of the Committee on Immigration, Speaker Corey Johnson, sponsoring Council colleagues, The New York Immigration Coalition, United Neighborhood Houses, over 70 sponsoring organizations, like the NAACP New York State Conference, The Nation Action Network (NAN), House of Justice, the Black Institute, among many more are on track to write a new chapter in our City’s history. One that will finally include the voices of all immigrant New Yorkers who hold green cards, working authorizations, DACA, or TPS. We cannot continue living in the shadows. This is about giving respect and dignity to those who during the pandemic did not have the luxury of working from home or leaving to the Hamptons. We are fighting to enfranchise Immigrant New Yorkers who never stopped fighting for this City. If you go to Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or areas of Staten Island you’ll find that some of the strongest, most resilient, and diverse communities of our city are made up of immigrants who hold green cards or work authorizations. They live here, work here, their children go to school in our communities, they deserve to step out of the shadows and choose their local representatives,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. "Today's vote brings us one step closer to expanding New York's democracy. NYIC thanks Council Members Cabrera, Diaz, Kallos, Powers, and Rodriguez, for moving this historic legislation forward. We call on the entire council to pass Intro 1867 and ensure that the immigrant NYers who have built their lives here finally have a voice," said Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition.