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Dear Neighbor,

Every New Yorker remembers September 11, 2001 in vivid detail. We can all recall the fear and anxiety of knowing that our city and our country were under attack as we witnessed two flights hitting the World Trade Center. Personally, I can recall the paranoia of feeling the need to protect my newborn son at every moment — and laying my head to rest at night never knowing if the attacks would continue, not knowing who was safe and who wasn’t at any given moment. I can recall the fear in parents’ voices as they came to pick their kids up from school, wanting to hold them and ensure their safety in a time of extreme uncertainty.

I want to extend my gratitude to the first responders who spent that day and those following on the front lines. Members of the New York City Fire Department, Police Department, and Emergency Medical Services risked their lives, even running into the towers to rescue people as rubble fell around them. Twenty years after the attacks, many of them are still experiencing the harm of that day — whether from mental trauma or from the carcinogens that have led to health issues for those who responded to that crisis.

As we reflect and mourn the lives lost on 9/11, and in the aftermath of that day, I want to name those whose loss has gone undocumented, whose names don’t appear among the long lists of victims. We must also send love, strength, and healing to those who survived the attack, knowing that they live on with the pain of witnessing firsthand one of the great tragedies in our lifetimes. Many of those survivors are in Westchester, part of our NY-16 community. As their congressman I want to ensure that they know they are supported and protected, just as I wanted my family supported and protected on that fateful day.

We must also acknowledge the proliferation of Islamophobia in the aftermath of the attacks — Islamophobia that led to unlawful surveillance and impacts the Muslim community to this day. It is our ongoing responsibility to come together in love by lifting each other up and eradicating all forms of prejudice and hatred.

It’s my hope that in acknowledging, reflecting upon, and mourning the immeasurable loss and tragedy of 9/11, we can recommit to working alongside one another in building an even stronger New York City and a stronger nation.

Kind regards, 

Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16)