Title: Expressing the sense that there should be established a "National Garifuna Immigrant Heritage Month" in April to celebrate the great contributions of Americans of Garifuna immigrant heritage in the United States who have enriched the history of the Nation.
Policy area: Arts, Culture, Religion

Summary:
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that a National Garifuna Immigrant Heritage Month should be established to celebrate the significant contributions of Americans of recent Garifuna immigrant heritage to the history of the United States.
The resolution also expresses the sense of the House that the people of the United States should observe the month with appropriate ceremonies, celebrations, and activities to recognize that Americans of recent Garifuna immigrant heritage enhance the rich diversity of and strengthen the United States.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1042 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1042

  Expressing the sense that there should be established a ``National 
  Garifuna Immigrant Heritage Month'' in April to celebrate the great 
contributions of Americans of Garifuna immigrant heritage in the United 
          States who have enriched the history of the Nation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 6, 2022

 Mr. Torres of New York submitted the following resolution; which was 
           referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense that there should be established a ``National 
  Garifuna Immigrant Heritage Month'' in April to celebrate the great 
contributions of Americans of Garifuna immigrant heritage in the United 
          States who have enriched the history of the Nation.

Whereas people of Garifuna heritage are found in every State of the Union, 
        including the Bronx, New York, the home of the largest Garifuna 
        community outside of Central America;
Whereas the history of Americans of Garifuna immigrant heritage in the United 
        States is inextricably tied to the story of the Nation;
Whereas Americans of Garifuna immigrant heritage in the United States come from 
        the Central American region and have a common heritage and language 
        which goes beyond national borders;
Whereas Americans of Garifuna immigrant heritage in the United States came to 
        the United States voluntarily, and are distinct but with a similar 
        origin from African Americans, as both are descendants of mostly West 
        and Central Africans who were involuntarily brought to the North 
        American Continent by means of the historic Atlantic slave trade;
Whereas the West African slaves that escaped to the island eventually 
        intermarried with the Caribs and the Arawaks' Indigenous native people, 
        which gave birth to what today we know as the Garifuna people;
Whereas after a battle against the British which resulted in the surrender of 
        the Garifuna people, the defeated Garifuna leaders were transported to 
        England and the rest of the Garifuna people to the island of Roatan, 
        Honduras, where they arrived on April 12, 1797, and the settlement in 
        Central America began;
Whereas this year we commemorate the 225th anniversary since the arrival of the 
        Garifuna people in Central America;
Whereas ``National Garifuna Immigrant Heritage Month'' provides an opportunity 
        to commemorate and recognize the contributions of the Garifuna people 
        and looks to highlight the history and culture of Central American Black 
        Indigenous immigrants in the United States;
Whereas language, dance, and music of the Garifuna people from Belize, 
        Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua have been inscribed on the List of 
        the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which was first proclaimed 
        in 2001, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural 
        Organization (UNESCO);
Whereas raising awareness about the fight for land rights and their life that 
        the Garifuna people have encountered against tourism developers and drug 
        traffickers in the region of Pintadillera, Playa Blanca, Puerto Grande, 
        La Flor, Ciudad Morazan (Choloma), Orquidea (Colon), and Prospera (Islas 
        de la Bahia); and
Whereas raising awareness about Garifuna immigrant heritage is crucial to 
        effectively fighting disparities and injustices against Black and 
        Indigenous populations in the United States, Latin America, and across 
        the world: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) a ``National Garifuna Immigrant Heritage Month'' should 
        be established to celebrate the significant contributions of 
        Americans of recent Garifuna immigrant heritage to the history 
        of the United States; and
            (2) the people of the United States should observe the 
        month with appropriate ceremonies, celebrations, and activities 
        to recognize that Americans of recent Garifuna immigrant 
        heritage enhance the rich diversity of and strengthen the 
        United States.
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