Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today delivered a video message for the 53rd West Indian America Day Carnival.

VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here. 

A transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Hello, I'm Governor Andrew Cuomo. It's an honor to celebrate the 53rd West Indian American Day Carnival. I haven't missed a parade in many years and this year although it's different it's still the same spirit and that's what's most important.

I congratulate the Carnival Association for making this happen, Dr. Joseph, Angela Sealy, Valerie McLeod-Katz and all the directors.

I also want to thank our American Caribbean community for all their help in fighting the COVID war. As we all know too well COVID ambushed this nation and the ambush happened right here in New York State and it took too many precious lives including my friend, my father's friend and a great champion for the community, Dr. Roy Hastick. They will be forever in our thoughts and prayers.

But New Yorkers rallied and we did it better than anyone predicted or could have expected and New Yorkers beat back COVID and we saved lives - tens of thousands of lives.

New Yorkers did it. They rose to the occasion. Why? Because New Yorkers came together because our diversity was our strength and because our blended talents made us even stronger. That's what we believe in New York and that's how we live and today we celebrate that diversity and the amazing contribution of the Caribbean American community to the family of New York. We can all see in our mind's eye the pageantry and the food and the dancing and the smiles. We all know in our heart that is what makes New York special - and this year more than most we deeply appreciate it.

So even if we don't dance in the streets lets us dance in our homes and let us dance in our hearts and next year we will make the parade even more special and I will be with you once again right up front to celebrate and enjoy it.

Thank you and God bless you.