Assembly Resolution No. 2103

BY: M. of A. Dais

WELCOMING and paying tribute to the members of the
Yankasa Association of New York upon the occasion of
their visit to the Legislative Chambers of the New
York State Capitol in Albany, New York, on May 6,
2024

WHEREAS, Religious institutions, and the many spiritual, social, and
educational benefits they confer, play a vital role in the development
of the moral fabric of a responsible citizenry; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to take note of
certain individuals and organizations whose spiritual lives and holy
actions serve to inspire and aid members of their ethnic and religious
communities, and indeed, many others across our State and Nation and
throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
welcome and pay tribute to the members of the Yankasa Association of New
York upon the occasion of their visit to the Legislative Chambers of the
New York State Capitol in Albany, New York, on May 6, 2024; and

WHEREAS, Yankasa Association of New York is a community-based
organization dedicated to providing a variety of resources to Muslim
immigrants from Ghana and West Africa in the Bronx; operations range
from social groups to food distribution, education, and recurring
religious services; and

WHEREAS, This benevolent organization was founded in 1984 in
response to the confusion, fear, and lack of knowledge regarding
immigration status and laws, as well as a confusion regarding the civil
rights afforded to every individual; and

WHEREAS, Yankasa Association of New York remains open every day to
cater to its local community's needs; it boasts multiple rooms which
serve different purposes, one of which is a mosque where local residents
can safely and comfortably pray multiple times a day; and

WHEREAS, Yankasa also has a council of elders and Islamic teachers
who provide marriage counseling and many other social services; and

WHEREAS, When a community member falls ill, the organization's
members band together to provide help in a variety of capacities, and in
unfortunate cases of a death, they contribute to burial services; and

WHEREAS, Yankasa Association of New York pridefully hosts many
events, such as the Islamic Naming Ceremonies, a "social gathering to
bless the kid, pray islamically" and generally celebrate the child and
his or her families; and

WHEREAS, Yankasa Association of New York stands on the threshold of
tomorrow, prepared to meet the challenges of the coming decades while
retaining that spiritual resolve which characterizes its past; and


WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to take note of
enduring religious institutions and to bring such institutions to the
attention of the people of this Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
welcome and pay tribute to the members of the Yankasa Association of New
York upon the occasion of their visit to the Legislative Chambers of the
New York State Capitol in Albany, New York on May 6, 2024; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the visiting members of the Yankasa Association of New
York.