Alliance of South Asian American Labor-ASAAL 14th Annual Convention (With Video)

https://www.facebook.com/USANewsNY/videos/434557688070010

UsaNewsOnline.Com : The Alliance of South Asian American Labor (ASAAL) opened its 14th annual convention with a thunderous ovation as the Pledge of Allegiance was given by a 9 year old Minha

Mahjabeen of the Staten Island  Chapter whose proud father is our national secretary Karim Chowdhury.

The 14th Convention was held at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in Flushing  on Sunday, December 12, 2021 and started at 9 am and ended at 4:00 pm. Hundreds of members from all 17 Chapters from across the States of NY, NJ, GA, MI, PA, VA, MD, FL, and Washington DC attended. Politicians from New York City and New York State joined as speaker after speaker  spoke highly about ASAAL.

The convention opened by the convention committee chair City University Prof. Hasan who said, “I have the honor to open the 14th annual convention as the chair of the convention committee but I’m prouder to be a life member of ASAAL for a long time. What ASAAL does for the community is unparalleled and we all will continue to do all we can to take ASAAL all across America . I welcome all of you to sit and enjoy this convention to the last.”

In his “State of ASAAL” speech President Uddin said, “we can no longer be self centered but we must be the center for all around us. Our community is growing and our needs are growing with it. Without being part of mainstream political involvement we can not solve the problems we face. Today we will hear from many elected officials who will promise us that they will do all they can to help ASAAL and the community we represent.”

ASAAL is very proud that the US Senate majority leader Senator Chuck Schumer gave the keynote speech. He appreciated ASAAL highly and thanked ASAAL members for working hard during this pandemic and help moving American economy. He said, “ASAAL is the symbol of organized force, in this country South Asians are playing very important roles in every sector of American life and without them we would not be as diverse as we are today. I like labor and I like ASAAL and I do all I can to help you prosper in America!”

New York State senate majority leader Andrea Stuart-Cousins said, “ASAAL knows we love them, we are with them and we appreciate what they do for our communities in general and for the South Asian Community in particular. If there is anything we can do to help ASAAL please feel free to ask us. We will do all we can to make sure your issues are addressed. Please enjoy the rest of the conversation.”

National Secretary Karim Chowdhury was the master of ceremony as he introduced all the 17 chapters from 8 States. Most Chapter Presidents, Secretaries and Women’s Committee Chairpeople spoke briefly at the convention. In his opening remarks Karim Chowdhury said, “our Founder and President Maf Misbah Uddin has a vision and created ASAAL as the bridge between our communities and mainstream politics. Today with all these active chapters across America and today’s participation shows we are what he envisioned. If we continue to work harder we can create an America where every South Asian will be able to fulfill their American dream. Please be seated and enjoy”!

Speaker after speaker came and spoke highly about ASAAL, why they love ASAAL. They know and see what ASAAL does for the very community we all do live and love. Those who spoke are as follows: Hon. Thomas DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller; Hon. Letitia ‘Tish’ James, Attorney General of the State of New York; Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, New York State Senate Majority Leader ; Hon. Jumaane D. Williams, Public Advocate of the City of New York; Hon. Brad Lander, Comptroller-Elect of the City of New

York; Hon. Soma Syed, Queens County Civil Court Judge-Elect; Hon. Grace Meng, Congresswoman, New York’s 6th Congressional District; Hon. Yvette Clarke, Congresswoman, New York’s 9th Congressional District; Hon. Carolyn B. Maloney Congresswoman, New York’s 12th  Congressional Dt.; Hon. Max Rose, Ex Congressman New York’s 11th  Congressional Dt.; Hon. Venessa Gibson, Bronx Borough President-Elect;

Hon. Sheikh Rahman, Georgia State Senator, Senate District 5, Gwinnett County; Hon. Kevin Thomas., NYS Senator, Senate District 6, Nassau County, Long Island; Hon. Jessica Ramos, NYS Senator, Senate District 13, Queens; Hon. Roxanne Persaud, NYS Senator, Senate District 19, Brooklyn; Hon. Robert Jackson, NYS Senator, Senate District 31, Bronx/Manhattan; Hon. David I. Weprin, Assemblyman, AD 24, Queens; Hon.

Edward Braunstein, Assemblyman, AD 26, Queens; Hon. Khaleel Anderson, Assemblyman, AD 31, Queens; Hon. Michael J. Cusick, Assemblyman AD 63 & Democratic Party Chair, Staten Island; Hon. Catalina Cruz, Assemblywoman AD 39, Queens; Hon. Ron Kim, Assemblyman AD 40, Queens; Hon. Jessica Gonzalez Rojas, Assemblywoman Elect AD 34, Queens; Hon. Jamie Williams, Assemblywoman AD 59, Brooklyn; Hon. Eric Dinowitz, Councilman, CD 11; Bronx; Hon. Sandra Ung, eCouncilman-Elect, CD 20, Queen; Hon. Shekar Krishnan, Councilman-Elect, CD 25, Queens; Hon. Shahana Hanif, Councilwoman-Elect, New York Council District 39, Brooklyn Hon. Farah Louis, Councilwoman, CD 45, Brooklyn.

The convention was attended by over 500 people as the attendance started filling the convention hall from 8:30 am. Many local and community print and electronic media were present and the event was covered by all social media and was published on theWorld Wide Web.
Everyone who were present or saw the Convention on social media agreed that it was a a smashing success.