This Friday for the first time in history, all New York City Schools will close in observance of Diwali, the Festival of Lights. I am proud to have led and won this historic fight. With the passing of my Diwali School Holiday legislation, we came together as a state to speak with one voice and enshrine Diwali into law as a School Holiday.
This is a momentous achievement that will outlast even me. Generations of New Yorkers to come will now observe Diwali, the Festival of Lights. We have lit an everlasting lamp in the hearts and minds of all New Yorkers.
For over two decades, the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean community has fought for this moment. Today we recognize over 600,000 Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain Americans and the integral part they play in the Gorgeous Mosaic that is New York City. We proudly say that Diwali is not just a holiday—it is an American holiday, and the South Asian community is part of the American story.
Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It is about turning on the light within ourselves and spreading that light across the world.
I thank each and every one of the coalition members who believed the Diwali holiday was possible. People thought that this day would never come, but here we are. To all who believed in the possible against all odds, no matter where you are, this victory belongs to you.
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