Photos: Isseu Diouf Campbell
NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams delivered his inaugural “State of the People” address at his Alma Mata Brooklyn College on January 22, 2020. Before addressing the audience, Williams was sworn in by his mother Patricia Williams and NYC first public advocate Mark Green.
In attendance were several City and State officials including NY State Attorney General Letitia James, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, the Director of NYC Mayor’s Office of Minority and Women Owned Businesses Jonnel Doris as well as City Council members.
Williams tackled in his speech the housing crisis in NYC – with bad landlords and NYCHA, as well as police brutality, immigration, education, environmental justice, and the upcoming 2020 census. Some of the issues were illustrated by video testimonials from Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner; Ravi Ragbir, immigrant rights advocate; Summer Sandoval, environmental justice organizer with UPROSE; Cea Weaver, of Housing Justice for All; Muhammad Deen, of Teens Take Charge, and Nathylin Flowers, homelessness advocate with VOCAL-NY.
Deputy Public Advocates rounded off the event with five workshops on issues raised during the inaugural speech.
