February 10, 2024

Dear Friends,

As a student of our Capital Region’s rich and diverse history, I say with deep reverence: Black history is American history. Each February, as we celebrate Black History Month, I cherish the opportunity to recognize the Black leaders, innovators, and ordinary citizens who have helped pave the way for progress across our nation and here in the region we call home. The stories of these visionaries carry profound lessons for our present and our future, and I was honored to spend time this week celebrating and uplifting those stories at several events across our district.

Last Saturday, I was proud to join community leaders at Siena College to witness the unveiling of “Journey to Freedom,” an oral history project preserving the stories of Capital Region residents who participated in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Organized by Dr. Paul Murray, himself a veteran of the movement, this project is performing a vital service by keeping these memories alive to provide knowledge and inspiration for future generations.

At Saturday’s event, I was honored to hear from civil rights heroes like Miki Conn, a Delmar native who organized a fleet of buses to bring people to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington, and Alice Green, who fought racism and discrimination in her Adirondack hometown and later campaigned tirelessly for racial justice as head of Albany’s Center for Law and Justice. At a time when basic civil rights, including the right to vote, are once again under attack, it is essential that we maintain our connection to this generation of forceful advocates and icons for freedom and equality as we continue the fight to preserve our democracy.

On Sunday, I traveled to the Frederick Allen Elks Lodge in Saratoga Springs to attend “Black & Banned,” a program to highlight and celebrate banned books that illuminate the history of racism and the Black American experience. I was thrilled to join in conversation with invited readers and guests, many of whom shared personal insights about why these books have been targeted. With extremists across our nation stepping up their efforts to outlaw books that run counter to their political narratives, I was heartened to see this strong show of support for freedom of thought in our schools, libraries, and communities.

I was also honored last weekend to join Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) for their 25^th annual Black Families Technology Awareness Day, an innovative program designed to immerse historically underrepresented K-12 students and their families in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Each year, I look forward to this event as an opportunity to celebrate STEM not only as a pathway to classroom learning, but also as an avenue to bettering our communities. As one of just a handful of engineers in Congress, I know that a career in STEM can open countless doors for young people. That’s why I’m committed to expanding educational opportunities and highlighting the voices of Black scientists, leaders, and innovators so that students of all backgrounds can follow in the footsteps of those who have revolutionized their fields.

As part of that effort, I’ve pushed hard to secure federal funding for local organizations working to uplift the powerful stories of Black Americans across the history of our Capital Region. Over the past several weeks, I’ve been thrilled to celebrate some significant successes, including:

• A $250,000 grant awarded to the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region (URHP) to support its new Interpretive Center, and
• A $10,000 award for Albany’s Historic Cherry Hill organization to fund an art exhibition focused on the life of James Knapp, a 19^th-century Black resident of Albany.

These federal investments will connect residents and visitors alike to the inspiring tales of people who risked so much in the name of freedom and equality, and I’m eager to witness their impact in the coming years.

For too long, the stories of Black Americans were relegated to the footnotes of American history, shrouded by a veil of bigotry and ignorance. Black History Month affords us the opportunity to shed light on those stories, and to learn from our past as we recognize and honor the lives of those who have done so much to shape our collective history. As we celebrate these leaders and visionaries, let us resolve to draw inspiration from their commitment to equality and justice as we continue the work of building a more perfect union.

As always, thank you for reading.

Your friend,

DID YOU KNOW?

My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:

• The U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) is now accepting applications for its 2024 Academy Introduction Mission (AIM) program!
• This action-packed one-week summer program, regarded as the most realistic of the service academy summer orientation programs, allows rising high school seniors to fully immerse themselves in Academy life.
• The four planned AIM sessions for summer 2024 are:
  • Week 1: July 7-12, 2024
  • Week 2: July 14-19, 2024
  • Week 3: July 21-26, 2024
  • Week 4: July 30-31, 2024 (Virtual Session)
• If you or someone you know is interested in this exciting program, USCGA is hosting a virtual webinar about the AIM program on Wednesday, February 21^st at 7:00 PM EST.
  • High school students can register for the webinar or a campus visit by signing up for a USCGA Bears Den account HERE.
  • Parents and counselors can ask questions by emailing [email protected].
• Applicants can reach out to the USCGA Admissions Office for additional resources and guidance by calling 1-800-883-USCG (8724) or by emailing Lt. Valentina Giraldo-Torres at [email protected].