New York Governor Kathy Hochul has proclaimed January as Muslim American Heritage Month for the first time in state history and ordered 16 state landmarks, including One World Trade Center, to be illuminated green in recognition of the occasion. The announcement, made Friday, has drawn both support and criticism.
In issuing the proclamation, Hochul highlighted New York’s diversity and its large Muslim population. “Home to the largest Muslim American population in the nation, New York is proud to join in this month-long celebration, recognizing the values, faith and traditions of our Muslim American communities,” the governor stated, adding that the state remains committed to protecting Muslim New Yorkers from “Islamophobia, hate, bias, and harm.”
The decision to light One World Trade Center, which stands on the site of the World Trade Center destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks, prompted backlash from some critics who described the move as insensitive. Objections circulated widely on social media, with commenters citing the history of the site and the fact that the attackers were members of al Qaeda, an extremist group.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, sworn in on January 1st as the city’s first Muslim mayor, welcomed the proclamation. “Muslims have been part of New York for centuries,” Mamdani remarked, noting their role in building businesses, families, and cultural life across the state.
