Queens Borough President Donovan Richards hosted a Caribbean Independence Day celebration on Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the Helen Marshall Cultural Center at Queens Borough Hall.
The event featured cultural performances and refreshments for attendees to enjoy.
“We have a space in Queens to celebrate where we come from and how far we have come. So tonight, let us come together behind the spirit of the greatest of pride, the creativity, the power and the unity of the Caribbean diaspora,” Richards said. “Let us celebrate the vibrant culture that helped rise the world’s power, and let us continue to build the power that every person, regardless of where they come from, is able to not just live here, but to also thrive here.”
Multiple community leaders were also honored at the event for their service. Among those who received a Citation of Honor were 105th Precinct Commanding Officer Captain Douglas Moodie, Queens Museum Director of Education and Community Engagement Kimaada Le Gendre, Being Egypt CEO Shaleem Bush and the Helen Marshall family.
“I was born in Trinidad, raised in New York and, for more than 20 years, lived in Queens. At a time when it’s important to lift up immigrant voices, I want to say how proud I am of where I am from and how deeply rooted I am in this borough. This award is such an honor because I truly love serving the Queens community,” Le Gendre said. “I get to work alongside an incredible staff of people who pour their hearts into supporting this beautifully diverse community.”
“I was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. I got the opportunity to come to this country in 1994, and after 9/11, I got an opportunity to join the Marine Corps, was deployed in Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and then I finally got an opportunity to become a New York City police officer,” Captain Moodie said. “Since I’ve been with the New York City Police Department, I’ve worked in numerous different neighborhoods, and the Borough President always touches on it about Queens being the best borough in the city. The opportunity to be back here in Queens and serving the 105th Precinct, it’s mind-blowing to me. I’m definitely grateful for that.”
“The contribution to art and culture, to economics and the social fabric of this world would not be what it is without our Caribbean community,” Richards said.
