Political Quotes

“I only have 5 minutes to do justice to a great people, and it is with great honor that I rise today to speak on issues impacting the Caribbean and the contributions of the people of Caribbean heritage to the American fabric. On June 6, 2006, President George Bush signed a proclamation that was ushered through this House by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, H. Con. Res. 71, naming June Caribbean American Heritage Month. June allows us to highlight the many contributions of Caribbean Americans to the United States. The campaign to designate June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month was spearheaded by Dr. Claire Nelson, founder and president of the Institute of Caribbean Studies. Through the commemoration of this month, we hope to ensure that America is reminded that its greatness lies in its diversity, with Caribbean immigrants from Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, sports icon Tim Duncan, and journalist Malcolm Gladwell, who have and continue to shape the American Dream. The Caribbean region was created through violence and trauma, from the exploration and annihilation by Columbus and his Spanish backers on the native people to the French, English, Dutch, Danish, and American use of African, Indian, and others to create income wealth in their nations. The sweat, labor, and king sugar of the Caribbean people have shaped this and other nations.…”