Speaker Julie Menin

In founding the Festival, Robert De Niro and have brought creativity, emotion, and more than $1 billion in economic impact to New York.

I’m honored to present them with a proclamation recognizing their 25th anniversary.

In the wake of 9/11, people doubted that Lower Manhattan would ever make a comeback.

Not Bob and Jane. They helped to bring culture and confidence back to our community through the Festival, and I have been honored to work with them since the very first.

Central to the Festival’s founding was Mayor , who we recognized earlier this week for his profound contributions.

The East River Esplanade is one of my favorite places in the city, and events like yesterday’s benefit are exactly why.  

Friends of the East River Esplanade does the hard work of keeping it beautiful, vibrant, and alive for our community in District 5 — from advocacy that preserves the landscape to programming that brings neighbors together.

Thank you for your hard work and advocacy.

Some of the hardest-working New Yorkers are behind the bar, on the floor, and in the kitchen. They deserve a seat at the table. 

As a former restaurant owner, I know this industry firsthand. Proud to join at their board meeting yesterday and stand up for the people who keep this city running.

The is the largest network of mental health services in New York State, helping over 45,000 New Yorkers in our city of all backgrounds. I was honored to attend their gala earlier this week, recognizing 150 years of service. 

At the , we are addressing the mental health crisis seriously. Last year we secured over $50 million in meaningful investments and programs to improve the mental health of our communities.

The embodies the values of tzedakah and tikkun olam, providing critical support to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers each year.

I’m grateful for this recognition and proud to stand with an organization whose work makes such a profound difference in the lives of our city’s most vulnerable residents.

Certification opens the door—but what comes next for minority and women-owned businesses?

Join me next week at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx as I sit down with Council Member Thomas-Henry, Assemblymember Tapia and industry leaders to discuss how we can create real pathways for MWBEs to compete, grow, and succeed.

We’ll be talking about access, mobility, and sustainability; and what it takes to turn certification into lasting opportunity. RSVP using the QR code!

Thousands of families, including my own, have been denied answers about what the City knew regarding the environmental toxins that sickened and killed our loved ones after 9/11.

Nearly 25 years later, we are still in the dark. That is unacceptable.

The Council is fighting for funding in the budget to finally complete and release this long-overdue report because survivors and families deserve transparency, accountability, and the truth.

Kicked off NY Tech Week today with a great conversation with at City Hall about New York’s future as a global hub for tech and AI.

New York has always been a city that builds. To stay competitive, we need to invest in talent, support entrepreneurs, strengthen public-private partnerships, and ensure the next generation of great companies is built right here in New York City.

This year already, 30 fatal fires have claimed 46 New Yorkers — each one a life cut short, a family forever changed.

The Council is fighting for funding to add a fifth firefighter to 86 engine companies in the busiest parts of our city. Faster response. Fewer deaths. It’s that simple.

The men and women of the put their lives on the line every single day. They deserve the resources to match their courage.