New York K 233: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 23, 2023, as Pakistan-American Heritage Day in the State of New York

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K00233 Summary:

BILL NOK00233 

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SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORZinerman

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COSPNSR

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MLTSPNSRAnderson, Bichotte Hermelyn, Burroughs, Cunningham, Davila, Epstein, Glick, Gonzalez-Rojas, Hevesi,
 Hyndman, Lunsford, Lupardo, Meeks, Otis, Peoples-Stokes, Raga, Ramos, Reyes, Sayegh, Shimsky,
 Simon, Solages, Stirpe, Tapia, Taylor, Weprin

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Go to top K00233 Actions:

BILL NOK00233 

&nbsp

03/19/2025introduced

03/19/2025adopted

Go to topK00233 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topK00233 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topK00233 Text:

Assembly Resolution No. 233

BY: M. of A. Zinerman

 RECOGNIZING March 16, 2025, as Black Press Day

 WHEREAS, For nearly two centuries, the Black Press has served as the
steadfast voice of the African American community, championing the fight
for freedom, justice, and equality since the publication of Freedom's
Journal, the first Black-owned and operated newspaper, on March 16,
1827, in New York City; and

 WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to recognize Sunday,
March 16, 2025, as Black Press Day; and

 WHEREAS, When Black voices were silenced, the Black Press spoke
boldly, leading the charge against slavery, segregation, and racial
injustice, and providing a blueprint for resistance that helped shape
landmark legislation, including the Civil Rights Act and the Voting
Rights Act; and

 WHEREAS, During the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Press
documented the struggle, risked life and livelihood to expose
state-sanctioned violence, and ensured that the world bore witness to
the courage of those demanding full citizenship and human dignity; and

 WHEREAS, Today, Black journalists remain underrepresented in
mainstream media, comprising just 6% of all reporters, while Black media
continues to publish up to six times more coverage on critical issues
such as systemic racism, health disparities, voting rights, economic
justice, and police reform than traditional news outlets; and

 WHEREAS, The Black Press has always been more than a news source-it
is a movement, a means of survival, and a catalyst for societal
transformation, shaping public opinion, empowering communities, and
holding power to account in ways that mainstream outlets have
historically failed to do; and

 WHEREAS, In the modern digital era, technology and social media have
drastically changed how news is disseminated, often allowing
misinformation and bias to spread unchecked, making the role of the
Black Press even more crucial in ensuring that truth prevails and that
Black stories are told with accuracy, depth, and historical context; and

 WHEREAS, Prominent Black journalists such as Joy Reid, host of The
ReidOut on MSNBC, and Roland Martin, founder of Roland Martin
Unfiltered, have utilized both traditional media and digital platforms
to challenge misinformation, expose racial injustice, and amplify the
voices of Black communities, proving that the fight for truthful,
equitable reporting remains as vital today as it was during the Civil
Rights Movement; and

 WHEREAS, The Black Press remains essential in the current U.S.
political climate, a time of banned books, rising attacks on voting
rights, economic inequality, racial disparities in healthcare, and the
ongoing fight against mass incarceration, reinforcing its role as the
fourth estate that holds power accountable; and

 WHEREAS, The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), often
referred to as the "Black Press of America," has played a critical role
in educating, equipping, and inspiring generations of Black Americans
with intelligence, diplomacy, and strategic thinking, ensuring that our
youth remain engaged in the pursuit of justice and equity; and

 WHEREAS, The State of New York is home to several historic and
influential Black newspapers-including Our Time Press, The New York
Beacon, New York Amsterdam News, The Buffalo Criterion, Daily Challenge,
New York Carib News, and The City Sun- most of which continue to inform,
empower, and mobilize Black communities, despite systemic challenges to
their survival; and

 WHEREAS, Black-owned newspapers and media outlets are at risk due to
shifts in advertising dollars away from community journalism, making it
imperative for