Queens borough president highlights African-American leaders and $400 million in borough investments

The Queens borough president marked America’s 250th anniversary by praising local African-American leaders and saying the borough has invested more than $400 million to address long-standing disparities in communities of color, the borough president said.

The president cited figures including musician Louis Armstrong, former New York City Mayor David Dinkins and former Queens borough president Helen Marshall, and credited inventor Lewis Latimer for innovations tied to the borough’s history. "These notable individuals paved the way for today's triumphs," the borough president said, calling them "the heroes on whose shoulders we all stand."

The speaker also stressed the symbolic and practical importance of representation. "I have the privilege to be the first African-American male borough president in Queens," the borough president said, framing the office as a responsibility to respond to communities "that have historically been left behind."

On policy, the borough president said the administration has not "been shy investing over $400 million across this borough to make sure that we can finally fix disparities" in places and communities of color. He presented the spending as a sustained effort to address inequities but did not outline specific new programs, timelines or vote-based actions during these remarks.

The remarks were delivered as a ceremonial address; no formal motions or votes were announced during the segment. The borough president framed the investments as part of an ongoing effort to improve equity in neighborhoods across Queens.