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Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia held Thursday, September 17, 2020,
Councilmember Maria Quiñones Sánchez discusses the need for a plan for Puerto Rico's future.
A
Thank
you,
mr
chair,
and
thank
you
to
all
my
colleagues
as
we
kick
off
hispanic
month.
I
want
to
thank
all
of
my
colleagues
who
every
year
participate
and
support
the
many
events
throughout
the
city
of
philadelphia.
You
know
personally,
as
the
only
latino
council,
I
want
to
thank
all
of
you
for
your
support
and
your
attendance
at
the
many
many
events
and
activities
throughout
the
city.
This
week,
biden
harris
put
out
a
plan
on
the
renewal,
recovery
and
respect
of
puerto
rico.
A
It
is
not
a
statehood
plan
for
puerto
rico,
but
it
does
speak
to
the
historical
racial
inequities
that
have
existed
on
the
island
of
puerto
rico.
Again,
I
want
to
thank
my
colleagues
who,
during
hurricane
irma
and
maria
and
the
subsequent
earthquakes,
for
all
your
support
for
pa
for
puerto
rico
and
our
recovery
efforts
on
the
island.
Many
of
our
corporate
partners
here
in
the
city
of
philadelphia,
einstein,
hospital,
pico,
a
t
and
others
who
stepped
up.
Why
is
the
plan
important?
It's?
A
The
plan
is
important
because
it's
the
first
time
a
major
ticket
recognizes
the
situation
in
puerto
rico
and
speaks
to
equity
and
funding
on
health
care,
education,
infrastructure
and
many
of
the
items
highlighted
by
the
protesters.
In
the
recent
months
I
joined
my
sisters.
I
know
that
my
council
colleague
will
be
hosting
an
event
with
kamala
harris
this
this
morning,
in
their
sister
sister
conversation
as
a
afro-latina.
I
am
very,
very
excited
about
meeting
with
her
and
latino
leaders
to
talk
about
this
recovery
plan
for
puerto
rico.
Why
is
it
important?
A
Because
I
think
it
speaks
to
the
commitment
by
this
by
this
ticket
in
particular,
to
really
use
the
federal
government
and
its
capacity
to
support
marginalized
communities,
to
support
to
councilman
johnson's
point
to
support
people
american
people?
If
the
united
states
is
going
to
regain
its
its
standing
in
the
world
around
democracy,
fairness
and
equity,
what
it
does
with
puerto
rico
will
symbol
that
renewed
commitment
to
making
the
american
people
feel
pride
in
who
we
are
and
healing
some
of
the
divisiveness
that
we
are
all
the
living
under
a
pandemic.
A
So
I
joined
all
of
my
colleagues
in
saying
what
we
see
in
gun
violence,
what
we
see
in
our
city.
What
we
see
in
these
encampments
is
a
result
of
a
federal
government
who
have
left
marginalized
communities
and
cities
like
us
struggling
on
our
own,
and
I
hope
that
over
the
next
50-plus
days,
people
not
only
let
themselves
be
counted
in
our
senses,
but
they
let
themselves
be
counted
through
their
vote
and
that
the
government
is
reminded
that
government
is
of
the
people
and
for
the
people.
Thank
you.