BP DIAZ DELIVERS FIFTH 'STATE OF THE BOROUGH' ADDRESS

Highlights ‘New Bronx,’ Over $5.7 Billion in Total Development Since 2009

  Today, before a packed house at Hostos Community College, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. delivered his fifth annual “State of the Borough” address, highlighting his continued agenda for a “New Bronx” as well as the growth of the borough since he was first elected in 2009.

   As in the past Deputy Bronx Borough president Aurelia Greene opened the program. Ms. Maria Vassallo (of host Hostos College) sang the National Anthem, Rabba Sara Hurwitz (of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale) gave the invocaton, and Felix Matos President of Hostos College welcomed those in the audience to his institute. 

    After the honored guests were introduced Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. came out to give his 5th State of the Borough Address. In previous State of the Borough addresses Diaz spoke of "One Bronx", but today the theme of the speech was the "New Bronx". 

    As BP Diaz went through the accomplishments on the big screen next to him people saw photos of what he was talking about. The Kingsbridge Armory project brought up former New York Ranger Mark Messier who is a big part of transforming the armory into the Kingsbridge National Ice Center. As Diaz spoke of the new golf course in Ferry Point a photo of Diaz and Donald Trump (who will oversee the golf course) came up. this continued as Diaz mentioned item after item. 

    When it came to education Diaz said that changes are coming, and that it is a new day after 12 years of an education system that dictated from the penthouse. he said that it is time for Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo to come together on the issue of Pre-K.

  Other key statements were "Planning with a Purpose", the 'Diaz Doctrine", and "Think different...Think the Bronx", referring to the new ideas he has. 

   Next was the changing image of the Bronx, as Diaz showed how even foreign countries are no longer looking at the Bronx as it was, but as it now is while articles and various different countries were shown, past and now present. He mentioned the history of the Bronx, and how different peoples came to form the "Great Bronx Melting Pot".

  Diaz finished his State of the Borough with these words. “They will look back and see a time when the people of this borough—regardless of race, gender, creed, sexual orientation—came together with a common cause, a common dream, and worked as ‘One Bronx’ to develop the ‘New Bronx.’ Our Bronx.    

 The National Anthem sung by Ms. Maria Vassallo (of host Hostos College)

 The invocation by Rabba Sara Hurwitz (of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale)

BP Diaz during the State of the Bronx address.

Left - After the speech BP Diaz spoke to some of the attendees, like Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.

Right - Diaz talks to former Bronx Assemblyman Steve Kaufman.