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A Message from NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj
Being elected to represent you, the Albanian-American community, in City Hall is one of the greatest honors of my life, and I vow to always work hard and never take your support for granted. It is such a privilege to be the first Albanian-American elected official in NYC. Through your generosity and support, I am able to share our culture and honor the accomplishments of Albanians with the people of New York City. It is my goal to see Albanian-Americans unify to make our community stronger, more influential and more successful in our efforts to better our lives in America, our lands of origin and the world.
Since I have been elected, I have introduced, sponsored, and passed several pieces of legislation, and helped pass budgets that include millions of dollars that go di- rectly into our neighborhoods.
I am proud to have worked with the Albanian-American community on different is- sues. Whether standing up for different causes, lobbying US policy makers to adopt positions favorable to ethnic Albanians, the role and the commitment of the Alban- ian-American community cannot be understated.
Since I was inaugurated into office in January 2018, I have been working hard for our Albanian-American Community. We are still working to find a suitable space for the Community Center in the Bronx to provide youth, women and senior citi- zen-based programs. As of last year, the Albanian Dual Language program at PS 105 has been established and will be going into its second year. We need to be more in- tegrated into the political arena and I am working on a grassroots effort to register eligible Albanian-Americans to vote as that is our only path to better representation in government for a better and brighter future for our community.
On the following pages, you’ll see updates on some of the initiatives and events that I have had the pleasure of working with over the past year.
The more you participate and make your voice heard, the more effectively we can help address your needs. I will continue to work for you to promote our culture, lan- guage and traditions, honor our obligations to our seniors, invest in our children, and ensure a prosperous future for our community.
The time to act is now! Share your vision, get involved and make a difference for yourself, our community, and our future.
Sincerely,
NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj