Mayor Eric Adams has hosted a reception at Gracie Mansion to celebrate African heritage, emphasizing the importance of unity within the African diaspora.

During the event, he reflected on his extensive travels across the continent, stating, “I am probably the only mayor in this history that has been to Africa, I think, six or seven times. From the southern part to east to west. And my travels to Africa has been inspirational, energetic, and it was in a moment to connect.”

He recounted his journey to Gorée Island in Senegal, known as the “door of no return,” where he felt the spirits of ancestors.

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“And many of you know that right after the primary, I traveled to the continent. And even before that, when I went to Senegal to go to Gorée Island, the door of no return, and I felt the energy and the spirit of our ancestors.”

Adams shared stories of his travels to Ghana, stating, “I engaged with a real spiritual journey as I visited the sites where we were ripped apart and torn from each other.”

He also described his experiences in Lagos, Nigeria, saying, “Let me tell you about Lagos. I arrived on one day, and I didn’t sleep until three days later.”

He expressed a commitment to continue his exploration of the continent, adding, “That’s the next journey. Next journey. Next journey. I’m going to do a tour of the continent.”

The mayor acknowledged the significance of Africa in the current global landscape, stating, “This is the moment. Africa has such a significant moment in this period of time. And I know that I’m American, but I never get it mixed up. I’m African. I’m African. I’m African.” He highlighted the authentic love and inspiration he received from the Ghanaian community in New York, remarking, “That love and inspiration is authentic and real.”

Adams outlined his administration’s mission to strengthen ties with the African diaspora, emphasizing, “We want to do great things with Africa. We want to reintroduce our young people to their aunties and uncles and cousins from the continent. We want to do trade. We’re going to do a culture exchange. We want to re-energize ourselves.” He called for a moment of silence to honor the late Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA player who served as an ambassador for Africa, stating, “His benevolence and his loss will be missed. But if we could just take a moment to acknowledge him among the ancestors today. Rest in peace, my brother, and let’s continue to lift each other up during these difficult times.”

In reflecting on challenges, Adams noted, “Good people walk in the room when others walk out. Hard times is like a filtering system. It moves all that dead weight from around you and it allows the true spirit to emerge among you.”

He recalled the support he received during his mayoral campaign when he was behind in the polls, saying, “I always remind people when I was 13 points behind in the poll for mayor, I went to see some and the chieftains and some of our leaders and they did that little magic and we went from being behind to being in front.”

Concluding his remarks, Adams expressed his commitment to making New York City equitable and fair for all residents, stating, “We lived up to what we promised. We lived up to making this city an equitable and fairer city for everyone, no matter where you come from, and we’re going to continue to do that. I love you, I thank you, keep me in your prayers.”