I came to America 15 years ago as an immigrant, just like many of my fellow drivers and colleagues. I fell in love with the horses of Central Park and the tradition they represent. What started as a job became my life’s work.

Today, I am proud to be a New York City horse carriage driver, a medallion owner, and, above all, the proud father of two beautiful daughters. This industry has given me the opportunity to build a life, support my family, and contribute to the city I now proudly call home.

On July 15, I attended the City Council Health Committee hearing on Intro 943, the proposed bill that would ban horse-carriage rides. I felt the conversation was driven more by the emotions of a recent tragic incident, an unprecedented fatal carriage accident, than by the facts. I felt that the families who depend on this industry, the people who invested their lives into it, and the future of our........

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