De Blasio
[NYC Mayoral Election 2013]
Democratic nominee for mayor and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio attended a rally with members of New York City’s vibrant and diverse Muslim community today.
Speakers – including elected officials such as City Councilman Robert Jackson, small business owners, and faith and community leaders – cited de Blasio’s progressive vision for the city and commitment to listening to the issues and concerns of all New Yorkers.
“The vision I have for this city is for a city where everyone belongs, everyone has a shot, and everyone knows they’re included,” de Blasio said. “This is what this campaign has been all about – not only in economic terms, but also in terms of respecting people no matter where they come from, no matter what they look like, no matter what faith they practice. We must restore the dream that is New York City as a place of real inclusion and real respect for all peoples.”
“Bill de Blasio is the only choice for the American Muslim community,” said Linda Sarsour, President of the Muslim Democratic Club of New York. “He represents the progressive and inclusive New York City we have been waiting for. For too long we have been shut out of the administration and our issues left unaddressed. We know it will be different under Bill and we are using all the resources we have available to us to get him elected.”
“We stand here today as a diverse gathering of Muslims, men and women of both the elder and younger generations and religious, civic, and community based leaders,” Imam Talib Abdur-Rashid, President of the Islamic Leadership Council of Metropolitan New York. “Some of us are indigenous Muslims, and some of us are immigrants, but we are all Americans. We stand here today as Muslim Americans – as Muslim New Yorkers – in order to declare our support for the candidacy of Bill de Blasio as the next mayor of New York City.
He added: “We support Bill de Blasio because we support his progressive vision for the growth and development of New York City. New York is a great city but it’s not perfect. There are steps and measures yet to be taken towards a more complete and perfect union of New Yorkers and we believe that our current Public Advocate Bill de Blasio can lead us in that direction.”
“It’s such a momentous occasion here today to see the Muslim American community coming together, representing ourselves, and standing behind such a wonderful candidate, the next mayor of New York: Bill de Blasio,” said Ali Najmi of the Alliance of South Asian American Labor and the President of the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club. “Somebody that respects us, that understands us, that will bring reform to the NYPD and will listen to our issues.”
“This is the first time the beautiful diversity of the Muslim, the New York, the American community has come together behind one candidate,” added Zead Ramadan, Founder of the New York Muslim Voter Information Club. “Our issues are issues that are not different than any other community. Issues of justice, issues of constitutional rights, issues of making the quality of life for New Yorkers better.”
