Dear Neighbors & Friends,

It is hard to believe that 25 years have passed since one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. It is even harder to comprehend how much time has passed for those who lost loved ones, as birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and other milestones continued without them. With the passage of 25 years, those who remember are fewer and those for whom September 11 is history are greater. Today’s young people know its victims, survivors, and heroes only through the stories passed down to them. We need to ensure that more of our young people hear those stories.

Twenty-five years later, we remember what we were doing when we heard. We remember the lives lost, honor the heroes who answered the call, and hold close the families and communities forever changed by 9/11. Today, I hope you take a moment to pause and mourn those we have lost, including those who have died since due to 9/11 related illness. We all know someone.

I will forever remember the sky that morning; on my way to the office after voting in the primary, I literally stopped to drink it all in. It really was the bluest of blues, and it took my breath away. Even now, its beauty is inseparable from the horror that followed. As part of today’s remembrance, consider taking part in the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s “Remember the Sky” campaign, where each year they ask the public to post a photo of the sky wherever in the world you are located to commemorate the clear blue sky that was present in NYC that morning. An art installation by Spencer Finch entitled “Trying to Remember the Color of the Sky on That September Morning” is located at the 9/11 Memorial Museum and comprises 2,983 watercolors, a tribute to the people taken from us far too soon.

If you have never visited the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, I strongly encourage you to take a visit on the first Sunday of each month from 4-7 pm, when free admission is offered to those who live, work, and study in New York. As the years pass, it is our duty to never forget so that those born after 9/11 learn its significance and enduring legacy. The 9/11 Museum shares the stories of bravery, compassion, unity, and service.

We remember all those we lost on September 11 and all those we have lost since to illnesses. I can still picture the ash falling, the cloud of debris immediately after the attack, the pervasive, acrid smell of smoke, and the stillness of the skies, cleared of air traffic save the occasional fighter jet soaring across the sky. I also remember the resilience, strength, and compassion shown as we came together to grieve and heal.

We still grieve as more and more first responders, survivors, and good samaritans fall ill due to the toxic air at Ground Zero. The firehouses serving Assembly District 52 bravely crossed over the Brooklyn Bridge, many of them never returning home that day. We grieve and remember them all. The people who rushed to the pile in the days that followed deserve answers, and New York City must release all air-quality documents. Much is still unknown about the aftereffects, but what we do know is people are dying. At a recent Community Board 6 meeting, I implored a representative from the Mayor’s office to continue releasing documents and to consider adding Downtown Brooklyn and the surrounding area to the air-quality investigation. As many of us know, that day and in the days following the attack, the wind blew debris and smoke covered many of our communities, leaving our streets and backyards covered in ash, papers, personal effects, and even some body parts. Many of us have had that “9/11 cough” ever since. The plume was visible from the International Space Station, stretching far across Brooklyn.

Our nation stood largely united for many days, if not weeks, after 9/11, reminding us that what unites us is always stronger than what divides us. In memory of those we have lost, we will never forget.

Sincerely,

Jo Anne Simon

P.S. Shana Tova to all those who are celebrating. May you have a happy, healthy, and sweet New Year.