Just a New Yorker

During this confusing and rather quite difficult time, I wish everyone is staying safe and healthy and has tried to make the most of this new reality that certainly will be written in history books for the following years. Covid-19 has impacted New York in ways I’ve never seen in my 21 years living here and something my parents only heard old folk stories about from the Spanish flu.

However, when it comes to responses from public figures, one that struck out to me the most in terms of educating, providing facts, opinions, and leadership is our very own governor. Gov. Cuomo provides real leadership, well-spoken, clear, straightforward statements about Covid-19 that New Yorkers need. He keeps it real and concise about what our current state is and what he plans on doing moving forward. He has been the leader we need here in NY and not only for us but for across the country as well. You can be a liberal or a conservative but you cannot deny his leadership in NY has been outstanding over this period of uncertainty. Cuomo expresses clear empathy and genuine care for the people of NY and has even been the first governor to promote the mental health concern for NYers.
Recently, Gov. Cuomo made a very powerful Covid-19 briefing that really caught my attention about the “American identity” and especially what it means to be identified as a New Yorker (Link Below).

Cuomo states, “When you are united there is nothing you cant do, and because we are New York tough, we are tough, you have to be tough this place makes you tough, we’re gonna make it, because I love new york, and I love New York because New York loves you, New York loves all of you, black and white and brown and asian and short and tall and gay and straight, New York loves everyone, that’s why I love New York it always has and always will, and at the end of the day my friends, even if it is a long day, and this is a long day, loves wins, always, and it will win again.”

What makes this moving is not only what he says about the identity of New Yorkers, are toughness, our ability to bounce back, but how raw, real, emotional, and unscripted this broadcast was to our fellow New Yorkers. Not only does this create a movement strong enough to stay united even at a time of social distancing but also acts as a catalyst for statewide participation in lowering the curve, remaining socially distant but also still bring there for each other during these stressful times. That’s what being a New Yorker is all about. And its working, as of today the curve is plateauing, we may not need as many ventilators as projected and have lowered the estimated death toll significantly due to the active roll fellow New Yorkers are taking in making sure we get through this and remaining New York tough.

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Admir Kasneci