Voices Against Hate – Episode 2: Building Unity in Diverse Communities with Queens Borough President Donovan Richards

In Episode 2 of Voices Against Hate, host Safraz Bacchus sits down with Queens Borough President Donovan Richards for a powerful conversation on the rise of hate crimes, racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Black racism, anti-Asian hate, and growing social division. Together, they explore how communities can respond with unity, education, and meaningful action rather than fear and polarization.

Drawing from his experience leading the most diverse county in America, Borough President Richards discusses the importance of cultural understanding, interfaith collaboration, youth education, and community engagement. The conversation highlights the need to report hate crimes, support vulnerable communities, strengthen trust between residents and institutions, and create opportunities for people of different backgrounds to learn from one another.

This episode also examines the role of schools, faith leaders, social media, government agencies, and community organizations in combating hate and fostering inclusion. Through personal stories and practical solutions, listeners are reminded that diversity is not a weakness—it is a strength that enriches society and builds stronger communities.

Join us for an inspiring discussion about standing together against hate, protecting human dignity, and creating a future where understanding, respect, and compassion triumph over division.

Because when communities come together, hate loses its power and humanity prevails.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

We are living in a time where hate has become louder, where words are fueling division, and where fear and violence are entering our streets, schools, homes, and places of worship. Every day, people are being targeted because of their faith, race, culture, or simply because they are different. But we refuse to allow hate to define our future. This series is about more than hate crimes. It is about humanity, healing, understanding, and courageous conversations that bring people together instead of tearing them apart. Featuring faith leaders, community advocates, public officials, survivors, and voices from different backgrounds united in confronting hate and building hope. Because love must speak louder than hate. And our shared humanity must always rise above division. Join us for this powerful new series on the SB Life Institute podcast. Conversations on hate, healing, unity, and hope coming soon. Peace and blessings be with you all, and welcome to SB Life Institute Podcast. Inspire, serve and build. Today we are addressing a very important and emotional issue affecting our society today. The rise of hate crime, division, racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and the growing polarization we are witnessing across our city and nation. It is very heartbreaking that in a city as diverse and beautiful as New York, hatred continues to rear its ugly ugly head. We are seeing attacks on people because of their faith, because of their race, ethnicity, background, or simply because they are different than us. But today it's not only about discussing the problem that we are facing, it's about building solutions, strengthening relationships, and reminding people that humanity must come force and not hatred. I'm quite delighted and honored to welcome someone who has constantly stood for unity and togetherness, inclusion, and always stood beside the people of Queens, our borough president, my brother Donovan Richard, it's an honor for me to have you here on our podcast and for you to join us today despite of your busy schedule. I would like to ask that many people today feel disturbed by the amount of hate we are witnessing today in our society, whether it is anti-Semitism and up to yesterday, we join with community leaders, our local politicians and others to stand beside the Jewish community because of the hate that was directed towards their community. We also not only witnessed in the rise of anti-Semitism, but also anti-black racism, uh, Islamophobia, attacks against the Asian community, immigration issues, and people are heartened. It would be nice if you can speak of that uh from yourself being the borough president and being at the realm, looking out and advocating for unity. I was glad for it if we can start uh start from that point.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Well, let me start by saying thank you, Imam, because this is the way we facilitate dialogue through such a challenge in time that our city and our nation is facing. And you know, I just remind people a lot of this is starting from the top.

SPEAKER_02 4:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:02

What we see, when we see ICE coming into our neighborhoods and treating immigrants like anybody, uh raiding their homes, yeah, displacing them from their children. Exactly. You see these actions, it it it it and it it's deeply disturbing because every morning when I wake up, I don't know what I'm gonna encounter as a president in the most diverse county of the United States of America for that fact. Uh but what we saw yesterday, for instance, swat stickers being uh uh placed on synagogues and homes. When you're coming into people's what we consider safe space. And uh, you know, and whether it's Islamophobia, which we see a lot of as well, and let me just remind you that for every one hate crime reporter, there's at least 10 to 15 that go unreported.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 4:46

So even though the New York City Police Department will put out um statistics, yeah. As a former chairman of the public safety committee, I can tell you somebody It's not a reflection of the reality, not a reflection because everybody's not gonna report. And more importantly, a lot of people aren't gonna report because of the fear of immigration, especially depending on your citizens.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Yes. Yeah, so definitely, and you know, I will say that what concerns me the most as a religious leader, I've been in New York for the past 13 years serving as the Imam, 13 going on to 14 years. One of the things that I'm noticing that this is becoming hate is becoming something that is normalized because people are becoming desensitized to languages that divides uh and dehumanize us. And I think as well, social media plays a very important role where that is concerned. You know, yourself being in the realm of one of the most diverse borough in uh in the world, I'll say you have a very peculiar um, you know, status in terms of advocating, advocating for them. From your perspective as the borough president, I'll say what concerns you the most right now in terms of of this matter?

SPEAKER_01 6:00

You know, violence. Yeah. Certainly because we are in such a polarizing time. You don't know if you're gonna wake up and someone is gonna just kill somebody based on who they love or what their ethnicity is or who do they worship. And I think we've gotten to such a volatile situation that most importantly would would would also impact us is what happens with our children. We're supposed to be guiding lifestyle children. Yeah. So we are literally setting generations back in terms of peace. Now, there are some good things happening. I mean, you were part of the Queen General Assembly. Yeah. That continues that work to make sure that we are bringing people from different walks of life collectively together has definitely made a a huge difference, and I think will continue to make a huge difference across the borough. You know, every night we hold a cultural event at Borough Hall.

SPEAKER_02 6:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

Tonight, uh, when I leave here, I'm actually heading back to Borough Hall because we're hosting the Colombian consulate, which is Yeah, and you were talking about that.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

I don't mean to cut you, uh you'll continue, Todd. They they being from Guyana, I know that they will be hosting our on the independence um there um things sometime in this in this month, which is the borough office has always played an important role in bringing people together. But you know, one of the things I I'll say that you being at the realm and you work very closely with religious leaders, it will be very nice if you can emphasize the importance for inclusion in advocating for this. Because me being a religious leader, I'll say this frankly, I say it openly, that religious leaders in the whole, uh some of some of our people often think that the mosque or the church or the mandirs are only a place for spirituality. So they're not somehow advocating, or when things happen, we're somehow isolated. You know, uh and I know while we're you your voice is very powerful, that it's important for us to come together as religious leaders as well, uh, and advocate and work alongside you because it has is involved with our kids or children. Um, yesterday, standing up, one of the things that came out of the discussion, and probably you can talk about the school system, that a recommendation was made that if it's possible, I don't know how we can do that, but you know, allocating six to second, the rabbi said yesterday, um, he's a close friend of mine, and he told me, you know, his synagogue was attacked. So yesterday went there and he talked openly. He says, it will be nice if the educational system can actually have two minutes before everyone assembled because it's diverse, and take one moment of reflection where they pray in their culture and have words of reflection, whether it's in the classroom or whether it's openly, so that they will grow up knowing someone else's culture or that is being taught and practice in the um in the uh educational system. What role do you think the educational system has in terms of this?

SPEAKER_01 9:08

Well, definitely separation between church and state, so we just gotta be cognizant of that.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_01 9:13

But there are things that that go on, and I know because I'm the father proud son of a father of a son who's gonna graduate uh the end of this year. I know for his school they do something called respect food.

SPEAKER_02 9:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:24

Respectful all week. And I think that that is one of the most dynamic initiatives because you literally are diving into different cultures. And one of the things that brings us all together in Queens is food, right? And and I think those multicultural nights, those days where they are learning about different cultures, uh like my son, uh, and there's a lot being enacted, by the way, within the schools, you know, Holocaust funding set aside to ensure that there's more education on the Holocaust, more education around black studies, Asian studies, and there's still more work that needs to be done, South Asian studies. There still needs to be a lot more work that we do collectively to increase the knowledge of these cultures amongst the different school bodies. But I will say that you have legislators who are fighting day in and day out. You know, we're having a conversation around the state right now. There's a state budget negotiation going on. A lot of the negotiations going on there also center around money for education.

SPEAKER_02 10:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:24

And yes, everything is not going to be in the house of worship, everything's not gonna be in the master of my church. But there are a lot of initiatives taking place that I think we just need to do a better job at facilitating. We have FIFA coming into our borough. Like how are we giving people a taste of the different cultures, being that we have FIFA coming into our backyard too?

SPEAKER_00 10:44

And I there I guess that encouragement is there because sometimes parents or our people within our community, and I'm not saying in a negative way, is to show the awareness to participate in these gatherings.

SPEAKER_01 10:58

I know that's I'll make I'll make an example. I mean, even Martian and Holy was amazing, right? To see different people from different walks of life come in, you know, get a little chalk thrown on them and to to really celebrate the, celebrate the festival of lights is also something. So I think Queens has a lot that we're harnessing. There's a lot that that we can do to make sure that each one of us on our respective corners, and you do this by example every day. I know I have to show up in every corner that I'm requested to every day, but I think our spiritual leaders also have an obligation. And I think we've done some of that even when the immigration rates were kicking off and there was a lot of fear, having faith leaders at borough hall, having our nonprofits all sitting in the city. Round table discussion. Roundtable discussions.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

So the the conversation, continuing the conversation, and also the educational starting from the very school system. But as you said, that it has to happen in a unique way that that fits the laws of uh of the land. And so we will encourage everyone to have their kids participate whenever you have a cultural day to actually uh you know advocate for your culture and support other people's culture, not meaning that you have to cross over, but be aware of that particular culture. Right.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

And I know tomorrow, for instance, I'll be at a uh elementary school, and you know, one of the things they focus on through trying to break down those silos is through poetry. Yeah. So tomorrow I'll be in a school with a diverse subset of kids who have been focused on writing their stories through poetry. So it's those small things that we can do, but every little bit counts.

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Yeah. Now the the other thing I would I would like to for maybe we can discuss of how important it is when we recognize hate or we are we a part of a conversation or uh we see something, we say something, and people who are faced with this sometimes quite often they're scared to go go forward and and report this to the NYPD. And I I had this discussion with someone a few weeks ago, a colleague of mine from my mosque, he had a very um unpleasant encounter with uh someone living in his space where Muslims do not basically use pork. So this person, you know, use that, you know, like use it as a as a way, as a tool against him, sprinkle in the water, whatever the case may be. And I think um family member didn't want to create that sort of dynamic. Yeah. That means you have to get the NYPD involved. Right, right. Yeah, you have to get NYPD involved. Uh in but I I took him to the to the local priest because I'm trying to let him know, like others, that when something like this happened to you, whether you're a Muslim, Christian, you know, you're from the minority community, you have to take that stand and get that support and go and report report it. We need that data. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

Because otherwise, this person will not stop there. You know, normally when people participate in something like that, that you may give them an inch, they're gonna take a foot eventually. So the most important thing is to make sure that we are doing reporting, but there are mechanisms in place. And one of those mechanisms was the creation of the Office of Prevent Hate Crimes, which I co-sponsored when I was the public safety chair in the city council. That office is tasked with um funding local organizations.

SPEAKER_02 14:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

So you have a few in this district, I know for a fact. VJ used to be the VJ used to head uh the community education council. I believe he's still running the mayor's office a little bit. Hate crimes. Yes, he's there, VJ. Yeah, yeah, he's great. So his job is to now create um a network of organizations that if you're afraid to go to the police department, you can literally contact and call, and they are getting funding for that. So we need to make sure one, that pool of funding increases over time. That the first year under the blasphere was very little funding. Mayor Adams' credit did expand more funding opportunities to it. And I think now our mayor has a real opportunity to expand the service of that office as well.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

So thank you so much for that insight. The the other thing is like many of the places of worship, you know, I I can see that there is a sense of struggle because of resources and uh when it comes to tackling this. But while we are trying to educate the kids uh from the school, uh teaching uh, you know, the importance of understanding other people's culture, that realistically, there are some people that are bent towards racist ideology, and it's hard to break them. We will try our best, but protecting the places of worship, protecting the synagogue, protecting the mosque, protecting the Sikh community, the minority communities in their space. Um, is there any way maybe you can share how the bar office is actually helping and system in terms of monitoring what goes on there because of finances?

SPEAKER_01 15:57

Well, it's anything, and we have a hate crimes task force, by the way, so we meet uh at least bi-monthly, depending on what the situ what the month looks like, if we're seeing a huge increase, we may ramp that up. So I think we monitor along with the DA with the police department. I'm on Comstat religiously, monitoring at three in the morning, looking at numbers to see where where we are at as well. Without a doubt, we've definitely seen decrease in a in in certain areas of hate crime. But still, if you're a victim of a hate crime, one is too much, isn't it? Right? It doesn't matter what the crime stats say. So I would say if you have somebody who's having a hard time and they are scared to connect with the Lord with law enforcement, they can always call our office. We have Office of Immigrant Affairs, we have individuals who work directly with the Office of Prevent Hate Crimes, and that's just another outlet. But I would say you're more important than I am because as a government as as a as somebody in government, we often are labeled. Are they gonna give our information to um to ICE, right? And I think that that's a big concern amongst immigrant communities as well. So I I do believe that you now have more outlets and opportunities than ever before. And this is why some of the data is being reported more accurately now, by the way, because actually we would see 12 hate crimes reported, but when you're seeing in the hundreds now, that also lets us know that the system is working, that there is a trust being facilitated and built somewhere to do more reporting.

SPEAKER_00 17:29

Yeah. So I I also saw that that they're when I talk about resources in terms of surveillance cameras and so forth. Like some of the communities are quite um, you know, like quite, you know, it's challenging them for them to raise funds for that. And I see that the city and and some of the offices are advocating for religious organizations to come forward and help and assist. But it's quite challenging to navigate that, to know how who to go to to help, because most of these places of worship do not know how to fill up an application. They might need someone to help them because it's it's so important. Look, for example, in many instances, I think like a couple months ago, um, one of the places of worship was vandalized, basically, right? And the camera was not working. Okay. You know, like so people are they're prioritizing. Should I go and get a camera or or somehow, you know, do something else that the mos actually needs?

SPEAKER_01 18:25

So that that's and there are federal grants for that, by the way. There's a rabbi Kogan out of Forest Hills who normally does, and we could probably look at uh organizing this again, but who does the faith-based security applications in concert with local organizations? You also have the J, I think the JCCRC or the JCCRP also does this application. And yes, it is cumbersome, but it's but I think they've narrowed it down in a way that it's easier for houses of worship to digest. But you know, we all are brothers keepers and and sisters keepers, so let's figure out how we can organize to have one of those because there will be more security grant funding as we as we move forward as well. Yeah. So And I know I not to cut you off, like Senator Schumer is a big advocate for that. Our congressional delegation, big advocates to ensuring that that security grant funding is going on to Houses of Worship. So I think there's some definitely some segue to really work together on that.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

As we're discussing this as well, I I think the NYPD uh has an important role in playing where this is concerned. There is a lot of hate crime that is happening on social media. And I'm very actively for the past 13 years or more, I've been actively involved in basically using the social media and that platform as a conduit to get information out, comments, posts. Sometimes it's overlooked. I wouldn't want to say this openly that there we have to come together to sensitize our people how to go about. And how do we recognize this? Because it's a thin line. I'm saying it's sometimes frustrating that when you're seeing that you're attacked, these people are attacked because of their religion. And then you're saying it cannot be considered as hate crime because hate crime, you have to know the intention, X, Y, and Z. The definition, there's a thin line there. Um, and so uh maybe we can look at a way, religious leaders, community leaders, everyone, whole hand together, and try to see how we can monitor the social media. I know there are so many different ways now. People are looking now in muzzling individuals in a negative way. You know, we can muzzle people with it that are spewing head rather than muzzling people that have that freedom of speech. And I'm being open with you because we know that in TikTok now you people are being muzzled. Yeah, they can't see as soon as you post something that uh and their keywords, they're just the algorithm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Algorithm.

SPEAKER_01 21:03

And I think when you look at platforms like X, you know, which really I mean, I'm not even on it as much anymore because it's just it's just too volatile. You know, and we we have to also be able to protect our our um peace of mind too. Yeah. Because a lot of people are just living with the the anxiety, and it's it's it's a lot. Um, what I would say is there there is freedom of speech. Yeah. However, that doesn't mean we don't have control of our pages as well, right? So it for government it's a fine line. I can't tell you what to do, but for government, we have to keep it open. Unfortunately, it's open to the public. You pretty much can say whatever the hell you want to say, and you're lucky if the authorities address it. Now, when it gets to threats, that's when it gets a little bit more serious. So if you could if you're reading something and you think there's a fine line between the First Amendment and a threat, that should absolutely be given to us. And I know I went through it. Anyway, there was a scenario where I was getting threatened for over a year.

SPEAKER_02 22:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:06

And it took a very long time for the police department to actually, I want to say, and you're in this issue.

SPEAKER_00 22:13

And you're in that position.

SPEAKER_01 22:15

And I couldn't go out and cry to the New York Post or cry to the Daily News. I had to make sure that there were things put in place to ensure my family's safety, to ensure my office safety, even before my own safety. You know, in a lot of the scenarios, but I'm more worried about who's with me every day. People are traveling, people are in the office. And we've had individuals who've come into our office. I mean, we know them, they're notorious.

SPEAKER_02 22:36

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 22:37

They come in and they videotape, they but they understood the line. And I have police there. And all police can do is say, listen, sir, you you know, you're in a public building, but you can't disturb them this way, and you gotta leave. And you know, you wake up in the morning, you don't know if those individuals are gonna take it to another, take it to another step. I'll leave it at that. So there is a fine line, but I do think all we can do, because social media also with the bots, people feel emboldened now. You gotta think about it. With the presence of AI, AI are. I mean, people really feel emboldened to say whatever they want to say online nowadays. And they know they can hide behind a cartoon.

SPEAKER_02 23:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:20

Right? So it's what are you gonna what are you gonna do? You the minute you delete one cartoon, then they created another profile. Some of these individuals are not, they they're not dealing with, you know, they they got some real mental health.

SPEAKER_00 23:32

So so the the issue why I'm raising this, Bar President, is simply because like when someone posts something, it has that ripple effect. Yes. If they have that ripple effect, so it spreads like a wildfire, and then the chaos is there. Someone gets his wild, you know, bright eyed to go and cause harm. No, it it transitioned from social media to the actual day-to-day. It all it takes for someone to say I have this, this is what you know, you have this emotion, and then you go out and you do something that is not aligned. Um I will tell you counter-terrorism monitors.

SPEAKER_02 24:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 24:06

But if you see something that you believe is really crossing that line, call it in. You know, you could call it into us, you can call it into community of fears. Better safe than sorry.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:19

Uh, but a lot of times, uh, you know, I call them um keyboard uh keyboard thugs. You know, they they hide behind the keyboards. Keyboards, yeah. And, you know, if they saw me on Jamaica Avenue, I may not say anything, you know, but that's just the reality we live in, being that we have this internet world. And yes, we should all be concerned with AI because people can now put out a poster of you saying something you never even said. Yes, exactly. You know, and we've seen that, some examples of that in this past uh in this past campaign election season, and we'll see more of it after this. So we just have to what I want us focused on is we just have to be the light.

SPEAKER_02 24:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

And I think we have to continue to do because there are some things that we are, we're doing a lot right across the borough. Yes. Everywhere you go, people are talking about the diversity of Queens County. There's a reason why the World Cup chose Queens for their fan base experience. They didn't go to the Bronx or go to no offense to the Bronx and then that. They could have done Lincoln Center. They chose Queens.

SPEAKER_00 25:17

We want to thank you for your leadership too, because you, you know, yourself being there uh advocating, and I look at your the borough office. I I have something else I want to raise with you in the few minutes that we have remained in. But looking at the borough office and the diverse programs that you're having in that celebration, it sends us a great, you know, sometimes you don't have to stand up at a pulpit and say something or a platform and speak, but rather through your action, through your inclusion, through through your presence. And we will say that to everyone that is in that position of authority to ensure that you show up when it matters.

SPEAKER_01 25:52

And I and I'll say this it's a lot on the office, it's a lot on the comms team, it's a lot on our community affairs, it's a lot on on all of us, it's a lot on the shoulders. But, you know, as Dr. King said, you know, we will remember those who are silent, right?

SPEAKER_02 26:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:09

And so, yes, we are stretching ourselves way beyond um the realm of quote unquote what we we're supposed to be supposed to do. We could basically do constituent services and go home every day and take a nap. Uh, but I do recognize that the cultural events are take even on take take on even a larger meaning during this moment. So if we're not projecting that, then we are aiding and avetting some of the people online. You know, we we get the comments all the time. I mean, it's gotten a little better recently, but people realize that no matter how much you throw at us, we're gonna continue to do this work and we're gonna do it for everybody. And no, I can't host 190 countries and 360 languages of events, but we can bag on short fight to make sure that we're projected.

SPEAKER_00 26:55

So, you know, the the last thing we wanted to, you know, for us to speak for a few minutes concerning um there is this notion that when we talk about um hate crime that it's only about religious groups. There is hate crime that is directed towards the African-American community and also towards the LGBT community and other communities. Um, how important it is for us to sensitize people about that aspect. Because when we think of hate crime, we think about a specific specific group of people, and we tend to forget about the rising heat towards people of color uh on a particular uh demographic basis.

SPEAKER_01 27:38

And what I'll say is we all should take issue with it. You know, I I often notice, and you know, as a first black man, it's not lost on me. If there's uh anti-black crime, it's silence, right? And and it, you know, our community has fought through the 60s, the Civil Rights Act, which Trump is rolling, rolling back parts of that now. Yeah. Um, we've been here before, we've been conditioned to sort of take a lot on our shoulders. Doesn't mean it's not right for people to not speak up, but I would say they're gonna come for me in the evening, they're gonna come for you in the morning.

SPEAKER_02 28:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:11

We all are in this battle together because hate hate doesn't discriminate. It of course, you know, it it it festers. And so I've just learned all I can do is try to live my life, you know, to the degree of what people have elected me to do and to project. Even when you have those painful moments where you're like, well, I wish maybe this, uh maybe these folks could have acknowledged this. But at the end of the day, I don't really have time to cry tears. You know, we have to get out there. I ha I have to stand up for all 2.4 million residents, whether they're Democrat, whether they're Republican, whether they're green, whether they're LGBTQI, whatever you are, we if we see any hate festering towards you, we're gonna speak up on that. And we try to use our social media brand to do that. We will try to do every rally we can when I can attend, but if not, we're gonna have a presence here to make sure that the office, uh, that the community knows that this office will stand with you. And we did that, I mean, in my first, I think my first year as borough president, we saw a lot of anti-Asian hate.

SPEAKER_02 29:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 29:17

And uh a lot of hate crimes. A lot of it stemming and not making an excuse from mental health, copycats too, on the trains, um people who really needed these service coming out of COVID. So there is a boomerang effect on public health, behavioral health. Uh, what are we doing to make sure that we are resourcing community? This is why I invest $400 million across the borough into different programs and schools. And we're very strategic and intentional on where we're investing because if we don't get at the root causes of why people feel this way, then we're always, we're just spinning our heels. We're gonna run into run into this for the next generation to come. So we see what's happening at the federal level, and I think it's just incumbent upon each and every one of us to use a channel, to use your channel. Hey, even if you're reaching a thousand people, you may change the heart of somebody at 990, number 999 who might have been on there, you know, ready to reel against the first black borough president. You know, so we just do what we can do is we can try to win people's hearts over. But also what I say is let we let the dead bury the dead. We don't have time to really spend a lot of time with somebody who's gonna hate me because of color. I mean, I've been in rooms where people don't want to shake my hand as a borough president. I mean, imagine how I feel.

SPEAKER_00 30:37

I'm like, did I do something to you? But quite quite people forget that when they hate, they're affecting themselves more. Like I I I'm a healthcare chaplain and I'm also a life coach. And I I see this in terms of emotional intelligence is important. And then if people do take a moment and reflect back and when they project that hate, they're the one that affected them much more. Right that we we cannot give people, and I'll say that uh to our listeners, that we cannot give people that power to control, to control your emotions, so to speak. We get agitated, we get angry, we yes, it's hard, and we're humans.

SPEAKER_01 31:13

And and we all have bias. We have, but that's why we all try to work to collectively and we sit at those tables, we sit at tables, we do events, we show up for one another. Because that's the only way to really change and to to really minimize. You're never gonna stop everything. Some people, hate is not taught. It's like when I go to the park with my son. I see Asian kids and I see white kids and I see Jewish kids and I see Muslim kids. And they just uh they only know the slide. They don't, they don't, they ain't slipping sliding against each other, you know. But the bottom line is hate is taught. Yeah, hate is taught. No, no, it's not inherited. We have to, we have to, we all have to be better.

SPEAKER_00 31:55

And I think that that person is on us, yeah, creating that atmosphere as well, uh, that will be one that brings harmony and togetherness and and cohesiveness.

SPEAKER_01 32:06

And I just want to add, even as we talk about major development projects and coins, you know, you have the Trump administration, Donald Trump is on TV saying we want to cut diversity, equity, inclusion.

SPEAKER_02 32:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 32:17

Well, we fight, and I just was in a room today with about 500 infrastructure builders, you know, and and I recited because it's important for us to say it out loud. I don't care what the room is, I don't care how much. Because uh silence, silence means, yeah. Yep. And so I made it clear and I said, listen, while Trump administration is challenging diversity, equity, and inclusion, we celebrated in Queens County and we wanted to be part of our major economic development product. And we just have to be, and I'm once again very intentional when I go in those sort of rooms to make sure that I say it because it's not good enough for me to preach it in my office. And then when you get out in front of 700 people, you know, there may be somebody there that doesn't want to hire immigrant, for all I know, or doesn't want to hire, you know, somebody based on their race or ethnicity or who they love.

SPEAKER_02 33:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:05

Maybe we changed the mind. I don't I don't know if I will, but at least I I I made it clear we we were not silent.

SPEAKER_00 33:12

So, Bar President, thank you so much for being a friend to our community and for for your presence here today. Your voice carries weight. And, you know, as a person that came into this community to be a leader for the past 13, 14 years, I've noticed your growth and notice your leadership. And I wish you all the best.

SPEAKER_01 33:33

And I want to sincerely just thank you because, you know, as you grow, you you meet people in different spaces. And very important for me to understand the complexities of what's happening in the community, right? And to still be able to come into the mosque and serve food with you or to come out, you know, and and and and celebrate at the iftar with you. You know, all of those exchanges are what really and when we post that that you know, those pictures, it's a very powerful representation because it sends a message that yes, he is the first black man, but he's here to serve everybody. Service is not a choice for us, it's it's what we have to do. And we'll build a we'll build a stronger queen. Yeah, I have deep faith despite what we might have saw yesterday.

SPEAKER_00 34:19

Yeah, the promise of Queens won't be broken because one of the things I I have in mind that those signs were removed, but the people stood there together, and much more. Right. Because the signs of Kate will go away. Exactly. But when people come together, yesterday was a powerful, was a powerful gathering because of the people that were there to show support. It's like this powerful voice that says, no, I'm a Muslim. Right. The tension between everything that is happening in the world, right? But I look beyond those tensions because we're human beings. Exactly. And when we see hate, we cannot be selective. Exactly. Selective when we can not the same thing.

SPEAKER_01 35:03

Yeah, I would want the Jewish community, I would want the black community, I want the if something happens to the L LGBTQI brothers, we need to be there.

SPEAKER_00 35:10

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. That certain things may not align to uh our religious values. However, we this we don't distinguish. We stand up and say no, people have the right to live a life that they choose to live, and we give them that honor, that freedom, basically. And uh again, thank you so much. In closing, I will probably ask you to say maybe a few pointers that you want to share with the people that are here because um it's important for them to listen as we conclude to maybe uh a point or two from yourself. Closing remarks.

SPEAKER_01 35:44

Closing remark. Listen, our diversity is our strength. And I couldn't be prouder to represent a county that is representative of 190 countries, 360 languages and dialects. And you know, I often laugh about why Queens is so diverse. It's because we get stuck on the van wick. And then, you know, now you gotta just love everybody once you get stuck on the van wick. But, you know, our our diversity is is still writing it the story. We're still writing the story on our history. Yeah, but we cannot deny that over 50% of us are foreign-born. I often talk about my father's journey being the first, uh my election being the first one he couldn't vote and became a United States citizen in 2020. That is the Queen's story. The Queen's story is the guy pushing the halal card. You know, it's it's our religious leaders out there every day at the height of the pandemic, feeding our communities, putting themselves in harm. I've seen the greatness in the people around this borough. It's our Latino organizations like Make the Road in Jackson Heights, who, yes, during this period when people are being disappeared on the streets, we opened a community center up there and we invested it in it. They're working with our street vendors and working with those populations to do your know-your right sessions. You know, it's the education, it's the it's the it's the the Asian cook, you know, on Roosevelt right now, you know, and flushing, you know, making some of the best dumplings and bubble tea on the, you know, this is our story, right? So it's just how we are inextricably tied together. That's that's I think the message I would want to end with is our stories, and what what you'll notice is yes, we have our differences in Queens, but we have more in common than we don't.

SPEAKER_00 37:31

But when the difference come come together, different colors, different, different, you know, shades, it comes up and it creates this beautiful, beautiful mosaic and beautiful picture. Yes. That is very pleasing to the eye. And uh I I pray, I really pray that we see we see that. We see that. And we we got work to continue to do it.

SPEAKER_01 37:51

We're doing it with our community boards, by the way. This is what we're doing. I'm glad that I was able to join you. We're what we're doing, not to throw it out because you're here, but this is why we're doing this work, because this is what I think strengthens our civic foundations and also protects us from what we know is coming down from the federal, uh, from the federal government now. But also how do we, in the long term, strengthen democracy here, strengthen our our cultural fabric here to push back against this. This won't be the last time we see this in our country. Unfortunately, it's here. Yeah. It's always been here. It's been silent in some cases, but the work we do now builds a stronger foundation for AbuRo.

SPEAKER_00 38:34

In my closing remark would be like, uh, let's be proactive rather than reactive. Yep. Because quite often we're we're silent, and when something happened, then we jump. Exactly. Like we have to create those systematic approaches that we have mentioned uh during this discourse, education, participate with other communities to tackle this before it shows it blooms up. So thank you so much kindly uh uh share this podcast. I'm your host, Safir Zbacus from SB Life Institute podcast. Um have a blessed day, peace and love.