Email to all NYC Council Members on Diwali/Holi Holiday Campaign

The following was sent to all members of the elected NYC Council 

NYC HINDUS

.5 Millions Strong

Contact Vincent Bruno

vincent.bruno.1229@gmail.com

201-381-8727

NYC Hindu Holidays Campaign

Dear NYC elected officials,

NYC is home to nearly .5 million Hindus. According to Pew research Hindus are the most educated and wealthiest religious group in the United States, we are politically motivated voters and understand the importance of supporting our chosen candidates for elected office. 

The Hindus of NYC have been fighting for the inclusion of Hindu holidays in the public school calendar.  We have holidays for Jews, Christians, Muslims and the Chinese New Year, but nothing for Hindus. NYC Hindus are looking for the same inclusion and respect afforded to the world's monotheistic religions and other nationalities. 

We are looking for NYC elected officials who will plead our case in NYC and Albany.  We have made many strides with the NYC Mayor's office who has given us a 2.5 year plan which hopes to see either Mayor De Blasio enact the Hindu holidays of Diwali and Holi before he leaves office or to make Hindu holidays a campaign issue in the next mayoral election. Part of this plan includes extending the NYS school year by two days to include the two holidays of Diwali and Holi. 

Currently the following NYC Hindu organizations are supporting the campaign:

Federation of Hindu Mandirs, Hindu Learning Foundation, Indian American Intellectuals Forum, Hindu Students Association International, Justice For Hindus, Bangladeshi Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council; VidyaDham Panchatatva Gitapith; Vedic American Foundation Inc.; Jamaica Hindu Community, The American India Public Affairs Committee, American Hindu Coalition 

If you are willing to lend your voice to our cause then please contact us, we hope to hear from you soon.

NYC Hindu Holidays Campaign.
Vincent Bruno
vincent.bruno.1229@gmail.com

201-381-8727

WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR

NYC Hindus Get Quarterly Meeting With Mayor's Office

17 Aug 2017 &  25 Aug 2017- NYC Hindus had a second and 3rd meeting with the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit, assisted by Mr. Marco A. Carrion, Nick Gulotta and a city education official and were able to establish a quarterly meeting with the office to discuss Hindu affairs in NYC, especially those regarding the inclusion of the Hindu holidays of Diwali and Holi to the NYC public school calendar. 

NYC Hindus Outside White House

11 Dec 2016 - Close to 100 NYC Hindus gathered outside the White House to request that the federal administration take measures to further include the American Hindu presence in school and civic activities, such as consulting the community on Diwali and Holi education and including these holidays in public school calendars. 

NYC Hindus At Comptroller's Diwali Party

2 Nov 2016 - NYC Hindus bring the Hindu Holidays Campaign to Comptroller Scott Stringer’s Diwali party at City Hall. We spoke with both the Comptroller and Assembly woman Neeta Jain on further engaging the NYC Hindu community on such issues as facilitating awareness on Hindu holidays with city law makers. 

NYC Hindus At Mayor's Diwali Party

October 2016 - NYC Hindu Holidays Campaign members attended the Mayor's first annual Diwali party at Gracie Mansion in Manhattan.  We distributed information cards to the public and city administrators on the subject of adding Diwali and Holi to NYC public school calendars.

NYC Hindus At Hindu Unity Day

Sunday 08/30/15 (Queens, New York) Hindu Unity Day was put on by the Indian American Intellectuals Forum (IAIF). IAIF is one of the member groups supporting the NYC Hindu Holidays Campaign. At the event a table was set up and hundreds of signatures were collected to request more city recognition of Hindu holidays and better education for schools and administrators on the Hindu religion.

NYC Hindus 1st Meeting With Mayor's Office

Friday, 04/24/15 - A delegation of different Hindu organizations met with the NYC Mayor's Office Community Affairs Unit Mr. Marco A. Carrion. Mr. Carrion was assisted by Ms. Halen Ho, Director of the Queens Community Affairs Unit. The delegation handed over a few documents supporting more acknowledgement of Hindu holidays in NYC schools.

NYC Hindus Demonstrate Outside City Hall

Friday, 04/10/15 - More than two dozen Hindu organizations and nearly 200 Hindus demonstrated outside City Hall for better inclusion of Hindu holiday education in NYC public schools. The event made it to NY1 News and was covered by the Times of Guyana.