09/01/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/01/2025 11:21
Governor Hochul: "I know in light of what has been happening under the new administration in Washington, there's a lot of fear and anxiety. I'm here to tell you that today we'll celebrate, tomorrow we'll get back up and fight like hell and say you're not going to separate our families, our children."
Hochul: "We're going to continue to embrace the incredible culture and the customs and the cuisine of the Caribbean, and I'm going to continue focusing on creating trade relationships, sending more teams from Empire State Development to the islands to help give them catalysts of dollars and resources to be successful."
Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered remarks at the West Indian Day Carnival Association Breakfast prior to marching in the West Indian Day Parade.
VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).
AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.
PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
Good morning everyone. Why did he say brief remarks? I'm the Governor. Give me a couple seconds more than that. I am so proud to be the Governor of a state with the largest Caribbean population outside that beautiful part of our world. Are we fired up today or what? Oh, I can't hear you. Am I in the right place here? Are we ready to celebrate, dancing down the streets of Brooklyn? I know I'm ready. I got my party dress on. I'm ready. I'm ready.
Let me tell you this, my friends - we are so focused on lifting the people of our communities up, and I know in light of what has been happening under the new administration in Washington, there's a lot of fear and anxiety. I'm here to tell you that today we'll celebrate, tomorrow we'll get back up and fight like hell and say you're not going to separate our families, our children. We're going to continue to embrace the incredible culture and the customs and the cuisine of the Caribbean, and I'm going to continue focusing on creating trade relationships, sending more teams from Empire State Development to the islands to help give them catalysts of dollars and resources to be successful.
We have to focus on people in these communities, making sure we have money to help with more money back into your pockets and high quality healthcare as we reimagine SUNY Downstate. You fired up for that as well? A billion dollars to give people the healthcare they deserve.
So I'll see you out there. Same time next year and the year after and the year after. But thank you for making me so proud to be your Governor.