Parkchester natives Anthony and Paul Ramirez, spoke with Mayor Bill De Blasio on Friday, along with other New Yorkers around the city, on the Mayor’s first “Google Hangout”, an online roundtable with participants in different locations speaking in real time. The entrepeneaurs, of Mainland Media, asked the Mayor about the appointment of former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz to a position in his administration heading a city-wide tourism promotion initiative. Anthony described Markowitz as “Brooklyn’s #1 cheerleader” and asked the Mayor if the “mainland” would get the same attention as Brooklyn in the new initiatve.
“I love the fact that you call it mainland media… We [from the “penninsula”] respect our brothers on the mainland,” said the Mayor. He stated that “the center of gravity…is the 
outer boroughs” in the city, speaking about where New Yorkers live and create culture, and assured that Markowitz is the perfect champion of the outer boroughs.
“I will guarantee you that Marty has such a profound understanding of the value of each to the four outer boroughs and what it should mean to our future tourism and otherwise. I believe he will be a fantastic cheerleader for the Bronx but someone who facilitates more and more tourism moving toward the Bronx and more and more opportunity for small businesses in the Bronx.”
Mainland Media was born in 2005, when Anthony Ramirez II (above, r.) and John Martin were working at the same nonprofit in The Bronx– Anthony on a youth services program and John on an economic development program. The two came together, bringing on Ramirez’s brother Paul (above, l.)and Greig Bennet, andthe company was formed to “…present The Bronx in the positive light it deserves and to share the best of our borough with the world.” The Bronx Beer Hall in Belmont and FromTheBronx.com are the company’s holdings.
Watch the video conversation below. (The Ramirez’s begin at :28:15.)
Follow Us