Page 38 - The Indian EYE 092421

NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 | The Indian Eye 38

aFter 30 years, Guyanese

diasPOra CraCKs Granite CeilinG

Our Bureau

New York

ith the release of pro-
posed legislative dis-
Wtrict maps on Septem-
ber 15th, the New York State
Independent Redistricting
Commission demonstrated that
they had heard some of the
demands of the community to
keep the longstanding, diverse
and growing South Asian com-
munity in the neighborhoods
of Richmond Hill, Ozone Park
and South Ozone Park together, ters’ maps. We believe this is a
often referred to as Region 11, great starting point and we will
or Little Guyana. continue to amplify the needs
“The proposed Assembly of our community of interest to
map AL, really reflects the will of ensure that the final lines em-
the community, and is compact power our historically margin-
and contiguous, and respects alized people. Overall, the pro-
natural boundaries,” said Albert posed Letter AL map is a huge
Baldeo, a community advocate improvement from decades
of the United Communities Al- past, but minor tweaks should
liance. Baldeo was referencing be made. As a resident of South
criteria central to redistricting, Ozone Park for most of my life, I
keeping districts compact and know that small portions of our
contiguous. community of interest were left
“For the past 30 years, over 3 road taken to get to this point. nities of interest under the Vot- out of the map, and I would like
redistricting cycles, we have been “We applaud the New York ing Rights Act whole.” to see this accounted for.”
asking to keep our neighbor- State Independent Redistrict- Veteran community advo- Garth Marchant of the South
hoods together so we can have ing Commission for listening to cate and labor activist, Charles Ozone Park, Richmond Hill and
a true voice in government, and the gerrymandered residents (Chuck) Mohan, of the Guyana Ozone Park United for Justice
access resources for our commu- of South Queens in drawing an American Workers Union, said, and Empowerment organization
nity,” said Baldeo. “Until now Assembly district in the ‘Let- “We look forward to engaging was also encouraged by the prog-
our pleas were ignored, so this ters’ maps that bring Justice this process further to make ress made. “We will continue to
is a landmark development for for Richmond Hill,” said Mo- those small tweaks to map AL fight to keep these Assembly
this community. Small changes hamed Q. Amin, Founder and that really reflect neighborhood lines, while asking for the State
need to be made but overall, it is Executive Director, Caribbean identity. Overall our advocacy Senate lines to be reconfigured,
a great start, and we feel that our Equality Project. “For the first was heard at the Assembly level, to keep Richmond Hill whole.”
voices are beginning to be heard. time in decades, the marginal- particularly on behalf of the es- Joshua Harris of the His-
With a voice, we will be able to ized Indo-Caribbean and South sential workers who abound in panic and South Asian Alliance
impact decisions made in the Asian communities of interest our community here.” for Fair Redistricting in South
American diaspora, as well as of Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, Aminta Kilawan-Narine, Queens, also complained about
relations between Guyana and and South Ozone Park in Little Esq., Founder & Director of the corresponding Senate Map
the USA, such as the unconscio- Guyana and Little Punjab have South Queens Women’s March for what is now district 16. “Sen-
nability of the oil contract with an opportunity to build equita- and Co-Founder of Sadhana: ate maps K and P split the neigh-
Exxon, maintain the democratic ble political power. However, we Coalition of Progressive Hindus borhood in two and not even at
process in Guyana, right down are concerned about the Sena- said, “South Queens Women’s the fringes, but right at the heart
to issues such as lifting the ban of torial district formulation, which March is heartened to see that of the community. This is a head
importation of the gilbaka to the further politically disenfranchis- our collective advocacy to keep scratcher for the community. We
US from Guyana.” es the voices of Richmond Hill. Richmond Hill and South Ozone respectfully request that the IRC
The underlying theme was of We encourage the Commission Park whole has been centered in keep Richmond Hill whole with
community unity and the long to keep these protected commu- the IDC’s first round of the ‘let- Ozone Park in the State Senate.”

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