Publisher of the Tribune, and South Eastern Queens Press, Michael Nussbaum presented well-deserved honors to eight Caribbean nationals from varied backgrounds at the First Caribbean American Legacy Awards at the prestigious Douglaston Manor in Douglaston, Queens, on June 2.
Dr. Roy A. Hastick, SR, president / CEO, of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (CACCI), a Grenadian born, received the distinguished Dr. Lamuel A. Stanislaus Award for his outstanding work at CACCI, that boasts a membership of 1,700 in the tri-state area and in the Caribbean; Guyanese-born, Senator Roxanne Persaud and Deputy Inspector, Commanding Officer of the 102nd Prescinct, Deodat Urprasad, Commanding Officer of the 102 Precinct, received Exemplary Leadership and Outstanding Achievement Awards.
Other honorees included; Jamaican-born, Patricia Chin, 77-year-old president of VP Records, which is celebrating 60 years in the Caribbean music industry, Carlo Thertus, president and founder of Creative Art Space for Kids, of Haiti, Adrian Peters, and Clive White, assistant VP / relationship manager of Bank of America, Merrill Lynch. White traces his roots to Barbados and the Dominican Republic.
The reception — also hosted by Guyanese-born Shanie Persaud, associate publisher of the Tribune — was graced with the presence of Congresswoman Yvette Clarke who remembered others such as Colin Powell, Cicely Tyson, Shirley Chisholm and Eric Holder of Caribbean descent, who are in the annals of history for their invaluable contributions.
“We are not only united by our identity, but by our sense of values and morals and our sense of community. Our community has made a name for itself by defying expectations,” Clarke said, and recalled her mother Una S.T. Clarke who came from the beautiful island nation of Jamaica and created history by galvanizing Caribbean nations to become part of the voting process.
“We have proved the naysayers wrong again, and again. Today, proud Caribbean Americans serve at every level of government in NYC, in the corporate boardrooms, on Wall Street and on main street, and in our scientific community, ever-present a part of American.”
“I want to thank the women and men who are honored here today for your excellence because it is through your performance that people know us. Everyone knows of Caribbean Americans, and they know about our contributions.”
She added that society knows that “we have come to build a nation just as we have built nations overseas, so I want to thank each and every one of you for your contributions.”
Congresswoman Clarke applauded the Queens Tribune and the Queens Press of Eastern Queens for hosting, “this marvelous event,” she said.
“Vibrant Legacy that Influences and Inspires” was the theme of the Caribbean Heritage Month event, which Michael Nussbaum said he was proud to celebrate, stating, “We (Queens Tribune) are proud of what we do and we are proud of recognizing people in Queens and New York City. We are a great city of diversity, a melting pot. We are melting together because we recognize our cultural roots and we take pride in our our neighborhoods.”
“Where we come from, makes us who we are,” said Nussbaum, adding that the honorees’ stories were significant, because there was a thread that ran through “each immigrant who came to this country for a reason, there is a great connection between each and every one of the honorees, that is why they chose to come to America.”
Consul General of Guyana to New York, Hon. Barbara Atherly congratulated the honorees and lauded them for their valued contribution to their homeland and community.
In addition, Vice Consul of the Consulate General of Jamaica, Younaa Bailey Magalhaes and Linda Watson-Lorde of the Consulate General of Barbados, extended greetings and congratulated the honorees.
Grenadian-born Gregg Bishop, commissioner of small business services of the Mayor’s Bill De Blasio’s Office and Board Member of the Red Hook Initiative represented the Mayor’s Office and thanked the award recipients for their contributions to their respective communities and professions.
Richard David, candidate for the 28th District Council seat in Queens, politicians and special invited guests also attended the celebration, which commenced with a networking reception.
