Bay Ridge Community Vigil Will Honor the 20th Anniversary of 9/11
BROOKLYN, NY | September 2, 2021 – To commemorate the upcoming 20th anniversary of September 11th, NIA Community Services Network along with State Senator Andrew Gounardes and City Councilman Justin Brannan, are holding a special community vigil at American Veterans Memorial Pier in Bay Ridge. The event, which is held annually, is open to all and will take place on Sunday, 9/11 at 7pm. Investors Bank and NYC Ferry are corporate sponsors.
“The 9/11 Vigil is an important annual tradition to NIA and the people in our communities – so many of whom have been personally affected by this tragedy. On this meaningful anniversary, we will honor our heroes, all those we lost, and remember the resilience of New Yorkers,” said NIA President Michael A. Bové and CEO Mary Anne Cino in a joint statement. “By uniting as a community, we have the ability to bring messages of hope, healing, and reflection to all.”
"Twenty years ago, our city and our country suffered a horrific and terrible attack on September the 11th," said Senator Andrew Gounardes. "We lost so many loved ones that day - friends, neighbors, family members. And we’ve lost so many more loved ones since then to 9/11-related illnesses and cancers. Our lives have been transformed forever by the tragedies of that day. As we gather together as a community to commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11th, we share the heavy burden of still-lingering grief and offer a renewed promise to never forget the memory of everyone - and everything - we lost."
“September 11, 2001 was a long time ago as far as our calendar is concerned and so much has happened and changed for all of us since then. Yet most of us can still remember September 11 as if it were yesterday. As we come together as a community 20 years later, let us remember that what unites us will always be stronger than what can divide. Let us never forget those we lost and let us never forget how great it is to be a New Yorker living in the greatest country in the world,” said City Councilman Justin Brannan.
The vigil will include performances from Xaverian High School, Fort Hamilton High School, Boy Scout Troops 13, and the Holy Cross Girl Scout Troop. Attendees will be given candles and participate in a moment of silence for victims as their names are shown on screens. The Tribute in Light public art installation, which illuminates the New York City skyline with twin beams of light, will be visible from the pier. For those who cannot attend in-person, the vigil will be livestreamed on Facebook (@CMJB43 and @SenGounardes).
About NIA Community Services Network
Since 1981, NIA has been creating solutions that address a broad range of issues our communities face throughout New York City. NIA serves over 10,000 children, seniors, and families each year through access to free after-school programs, Beacon community centers, events, family guidance, literacy initiatives, and community assistance and referral services. To learn more, visit www.niabklyn.org or call 718-236-5266.
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