ZANA NIKOLLA MD – Dr. Zana Nikolla is a board-certified gastroenterologist with over two decades of clinical, academic, and leadership experience in the field of gastroenterology. She currently practices at Northwell Health – Vassar Brothers Medical Center and is actively involved in medical education at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Dr. Nikolla received her medical degree from the University of Tirana, Albania. She finished a fellowship in Gastrohepatology before moving to U.S.A. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at Jacobi Medical Center / Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she also served as Chief Resident. She went on to complete a Gastroenterology Fellowship at Bridgeport Hospital / Yale New Haven School of Medicine, followed by advanced training in GI Motility and Neurogastroenterology at Temple University. She is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Gastroenterology. Her clinical and academic interests include:

·       Colorectal cancer prevention and screening

·       Inflammatory bowel disease

·       Esophageal disorders and GERD

·       Gastrointestinal motility disorders

·       Functional gastrointestinal diseases

·       General gastroenterology

Dr. Nikolla is heavily involved in teaching residents at Vassar Brothers medical center where she serves as Subspecialty Education Coordinator. Dr. Nikolla serves as GI teaching day co- director at Vassar Brothers medical Center and is involved in multiple committees at the hospital aiming to Improve the quality of Gastrointestinal Care in Hudson Valley. Dr. Nikolla is the Founder and President of the Albanian American Gastrointestinal Association (AAGA), a professional organization dedicated to advancing scientific collaboration, medical education, mentorship, and community health awareness among Albanian physicians in the United States, Albania, and Kosovo. She is deeply engaged in organizing educational webinars, professional conferences, mentoring medical trainees, and leading public health awareness initiatives. With a strong commitment to patient-centered care, education, and community outreach, Dr. Zana Nikolla continues to be a respected leader and advocate in gastroenterology and public health.

LIDIA SPAHO, MD – Was born in Korçë, Albania, and emigrated with her family to Chicago in 1998. Throughout her journey, she has maintained strong personal and cultural ties to her home country. Dr. Spaho completed her undergraduate studies at Northwestern University, earning a degree in Biological Sciences, before pursuing her medical education at RUSH Medical College in Chicago. She went on to train at the University of Massachusetts, where she completed both her Internal Medicine residency and her Gastroenterology fellowship. Dr. Spaho now serves as a gastroenterologist at Northwestern Medicine, where she is dedicated to delivering compassionate care to her patients.

DR. MANOL JOVANI – Has international experience in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, having trained and conducted research in Italy (University of Bologna and University of Milan) and in the United States (Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University). Dr. Jovani has clinical and research interests in therapeutic endoscopy, including biliopancreatic endoscopy, bariatric endoscopy, and third space endoscopy. He is passionate about patient care and strives to provide the latest and best available treatment options to his patients, personalizing them according to the specific needs of each individual. Dr. Jovani strongly believes that research is key to improving patient care and is therefore significantly involved in clinical research. He has authored or co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including two international guidelines, and has presented his research at leading national and international professional meetings. Dr. Jovani is part of the Standards of Practice Committee of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), the most important scientific society in the world for the field of therapeutic endoscopy. In this role, he helps develop guidelines that influence the clinical practice of providers not only in the U.S. but globally. Dr. Jovani is also a member of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Quality Improvement Committee, which aims to provide objective criteria to improve the quality of endoscopic procedures worldwide. In addition, Dr. Jovani serves as an award-winning peer reviewer for the most important professional journals in the field of gastroenterology and endoscopy. This allows him to remain at the forefront of scientific knowledge regarding gastrointestinal diseases and treatments, particularly in the area of therapeutic endoscopy.

ELONA SHEHI, MD – Is a board-certified gastroenterologist practicing at BronxCare Health System in New York. Originally from Tirana, Albania, Dr. Shehi graduated with honors from the University of Tirana Faculty of Medicine. She relocated to the United States, where she completed her Internal Medicine residency at BronxCare Health System, serving an additional year as Chief Resident. She remained at BronxCare to complete her fellowship in Gastroenterology. Dr. Shehi is deeply committed to patient-centered care and medical education. In addition to her clinical practice, she actively teaches and mentors internal medicine residents and gastroenterology fellows at BronxCare, where she plays an integral role in training the next generation of physicians.

DR.XHENI DEDA –  Is a Gastroenterology and Hepatology fellow at the University of Missouri, where she previously completed a clinical hepatology fellowship caring for complex liver and pancreatobiliary diseases. She completed her Internal Medicine residency and served as Chief Resident at Saint Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. Before moving to the United States, Dr. Deda completed a four-year Gastroenterology and Hepatology fellowship at Mother Teresa University Hospital in Albania and advanced training at Ankara University Hospital in Turkey. She is also an experienced educator, mentoring medical students and residents at both the University of Missouri and CUNY School of Medicine. Her interests include clinical hepatology, general gastroenterology, and medical education.

Dr. Erinda Stefi  – Was born in Tirana, Albania, and developed an early passion for science and community that led her to a career in medicine. She completed her medical degree at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Virginia, followed by internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She then advanced her specialization with a transplant hepatology fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Stefi is now a transplant hepatologist at Tampa General Hospital and resides in Tampa, Florida. Her life and training across Albania and the United States give her a distinctive perspective, blending rigorous clinical expertise with a deep appreciation for patient stories and resilience. She remains dedicated to advancing international medical collaboration and delivering cutting-edge care, while her Albanian roots continue to inspire the determination and warmth she brings to her work.

RIFAT LATIFI, MD, FACS, FICS, FKCS – Dr. Rifat Latifi is trauma, surgical critical care and general surgeon. He is research professor of surgery at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, and a former Chairman and tenured Professor of Surgery at New York Medical College, School of Medicine and Director of the Department of Surgery at Westchester Medical Center Health Network in Valhalla, New York. He is Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), Fellow of International College of Surgeons (ICS), and of a Fellow Kosova College of Surgeons (KCS). In 2018, Dr. Latifi became the Founding President, and as of this September he is President Emeritus of the Kosova College of Surgeons. Most recently he has become a director of the Kosova’s Center for Research, Simulation, and Advanced Training at the University of Prishtina, established by Kosova College of Surgeons and University of Prishtina.

Dr. Latifi is the embodiment of the academic surgeon, surgical mentor, an avid researcher, and surgical educator with international and global interest, who was promoted to full professor of surgery only five years after he finished his Surgery Residency at Yale University in 1999. He has a broad and comprehensive clinical and research interests, including reoperative surgery, complex trauma and general surgery, surgical critical care, surgical decision making and geriatric surgery, telemedicine, and nutrition support of surgery and critically ill patients and rebuilding departments and healthcare system. Following graduation from the Medical Faculty of the University of Prishtina, Kosova, Dr. Latifi worked for 3 years at orthopedic clinic of University Clinical Center of Kosova in Prishtina, Kosova and subsequently moved to the USA in 1985. From 1987-1993 he was s a research fellow at the University of Texas and Pennsylvania hospital studying nutritional support and re-operative surgery with Prof. Stanley J Dudrick (1935-2019). During 1993/1994, he finished a categorical Internship in General Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio, and then at the invitation of Chairman of and Professor of Surgery Ronald C. Merrell of Yale University, he transferred to New Haven, Connecticut (1994-1999), where under the leadership of Dr. Merrell he completed the residency in General Surgery. He also completed the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Lincoln Hospital, affiliated with New York Medical College in the Bronx, New York, under mentorship of Professor Rao Ivatury. In July of 1999, he became an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, in its Department of Trauma, Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery working with Prof. Rao Ivatury. In January 2003, Dr. Latifi moved to the University of Arizona in Tucson, an Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of Surgical Critical Care where he created the Southern Teletrauma and Telepresence (SATT). In May 2005, he was promoted to full Professor of Clinical Surgery at the University of Arizona.

From 2007-2010 he served as the Vice-Chairman of Department of Surgery for International Affairs, while in 2007, he served as Interim Director of Trauma and Critical Section at the Department of Surgery at the UA. From January 2011 to January 2014, he was the Director of Trauma Center at Hamad General Hospital in Doha, Qatar, the only Level I trauma center in Qatar, which under his leadership it became the premier Trauma Center and gained national, regional, and international reputation for significantly reducing mortality and morbidity and for spearheading trauma research. As such, the Trauma Center in Doha became an example of the most successful trauma center, widely respected in the Middle East and beyond. Dr. Latifi oversaw a faculty of 32 surgeons, anesthesiologists, and critical care specialists. In January 2014-2016 returned to the University of Arizona and continued his international telemedicine and trauma work in the Balkans and in Africa and Asia and co-directed the establishing a trauma research institute.

In January 2016 Dr. Latifi became the Director of the Department of Surgery at Westchester Medical Center Health Network in Valhalla, NY and Vice-Chairman and tenured Professor of Surgery at New York Medical College, School of Medicine and subsequently in 2018, he took over as Chairman of the Department of Surgery. In addition, he was a Chief of General Surgery at Westchester Medical Center and served as Director of Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Critical Care. He also served as Director of Surgical Critical Care Fellowship between 2016- 2019, and while rebuilding the Department of Surgery, served as interim Chief of Pediatric Surgery (2017). During his tenure at the Westchester Medical Center, he was responsible for major reforms and rebuilding the department of surgery into an outstanding academic and world renowned clinical and research department and by adding great number of new specialties and increasing clinical contents and increasing surgical volume. He also played a major role in overall institution and served on major committees, including Chairman of Quality & Safety Council – Chairman Committee for WMC network (2019-2021), and Chair of Committee for Recruiting Director and Chairman of Medicine Department.

Between November 2021 and October 2022, he was invited to serve as Minister of Health of the Republic of Kosova where he created a model of healthcare transformation. As minister of Health of the Republic of Kosova, he identified seven major pillars including of transformation: 1) Digitalization of healthcare services, including health insurance; 2) Brain gain and reducing brain drain; 3) Advanced clinical programs; 4) Advancing and reforming residency and training programs with international accreditation; 5) Advanced Research Programs; 6) Increasing quality of healthcare services: and 7) Decentralization of the hospital system and reorganization of University Clinical center (UCCK), with empowering regional hospital and local health system. Based on these pillars, Latifi has initiated creation of 14 clinical centers and programs that include: 1)Trauma system and trauma program/centers; 2) Burn and Wound Care Center; 3) Breast Health Center; 4)Integrated Advanced Oncology Program- Cancer center; 5) Endovascular Surgery; 6) Neuro Science Center; 7) Heart Center; 8) Minimally invasive (laparoscopic, thoracoscopic and arthroscopic) programs in general, urologic, gynecologic, pediatric, thoracic, and orthopedic surgery; 9) Kidney and Tissue Transplant Services; 10) Expansion of Telemedicine from all regional hospitals to Family Medicine Centers, Mental Centers and Prisons Health System; 12) Kosova’s Center for Research, Simulation, and Advanced Training 13) Center Autism, Down Syndrome, and other rare diseases); and 14) The Center for addiction and rehabilitation and adults and youth. Dr. Latifi has initiated 22 advance clinical fellowships (ACF), that will train around 100 physicians and surgeons in international centers of excellence (ICE).

Dr. Latifi is recognized as one of the authorities in telemedicine and telehealth. Moreover, he is passionately dedicated to global surgery and international telemedicine as tools of rebuilding healthcare systems in the developing world and post-conflict countries. He has created three national telemedicine programs in Europe (Kosova 2002, and Albania 2007) and Cabo Verde Africa, 2012 for which he has received the 2015 American College of Surgeons (ACS)/Pfizer International Surgical Volunteerism award. Furthermore, Dr. Latifi established the first teletrauma and telepresence program in Arizona, the Southern Arizona Telemedicine and Telepresence (SATT) in 2004, and the second teletrauma program which served residents along the U.S.-Mexico border. Dr. Latifi has also received “The 21st Century Achievement Award for Health” from the Computerworld Honors Program and the “International Award for Health Promotion” from the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC). In 2017, he was awarded the Westchester County Doctors of Distinction “No Land Too Far Award” by the Westchester Business Journal in Westchester, New York, and Top Doctors in 2020, and 2021. In addition, he was awarded the Certificate of Appreciation by NATO HQ, Brussels for Dedication and Excellent Work for the Multinational Telemedicine System. He has participated as a volunteer surgeon in the Philippines since 2006 and serves on ACS Committee on Global Engagement. Currently serve as Vice-president at the International College of Surgeons, US Chapter, and delegate from NY State.

In 2020, he received the inaugural Dean’s Faculty Research Award from New York Medical College, of Touro University, Valhalla, New York, for his work at Department of Surgery Clinical Research Unit (DSCRU) where mentored hundreds of general surgery residents, surgical critical fellows, and medical students of NYMC. The Westchester County Board of Legislators declared November 13, 2021, as Dr. Rifat Latifi Day in honor of Rifat Latifi, M.D., FACS, FICS, FKCS, in celebration of Albanian Heritage Month and in honor of his commitment to the health and well-being of the people of Westchester County and the world. Dr. Latifi is being honored for his commitment to the health and well-being of the people of Westchester County and throughout the world, as he oversees national telemedicine programs in his native Kosovo, Albania, as well as, Cape Verde, Africa. In addition to his surgical skills, he was recognized for his efforts in helping to establish trauma and telehealth systems in rural areas and underdeveloped countries. In 2022 he received a special award from the University of Graz, Austria for contribution to telemedicine, acute care surgery and teaching surgery in Austria.

He is the author or co-author of more than 500 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. In addition, he has authored/ edited 21 books, and currently working on three more books, and serves on the editorial boards of many international surgical peer-review journals, as well as an and Editor-in-Chief of Kosova Journal of Surgery and editor of Surgical Technology International . He is a member of a few multiple states, national, and international surgical organizations, including the American Surgical Association and European Surgical Association the most prestigious surgical societies in the world. He is an honorary member of the Argentinian Academy of Surgeons, and honorary member of the Brazilian College of Surgeons. This year he was elected a member of European Surgical Association. This year he was selected as ASA-ESA

exchange fellow. Dr. Rifat Latifi’s clinical interests span a wide range of areas within surgery and healthcare, as evidenced by the diverse range of books he has written and edited. His publications reflect a deep expertise in trauma, acute care surgery, nutrition, and telemedicine. Recently he co-edited edited volumes on Prophylactic Surgery, Emergency General Surgery in Geriatrics, and edited Surgical Decision Making in Geriatrics highlight his interest in providing specialized care for elderly patients. Additionally, his works on Surgical Decision Making, Technological Advances in Surgery, Trauma, and Critical Care, and two editions of Surgery of Complex Abdominal Wall Defects demonstrate his commitment to advancing surgical techniques and critical care practices. Dr. Latifi’s contributions to telemedicine and telehealth, as seen in the books Telemedicine, Telehealth, and Telepresence, and Telemedicine for Trauma, Emergencies, and Disaster Management, showcase his dedication to leveraging technology to improve patient care and outcomes. His significant body of work in the realm of nutrition support, as seen in books such as Nutrition Support in Cancer and Transplant Patients and Current Surgical Nutrition, reflects his interest in ensuring holistic care for patients undergoing complex medical treatments. Dr. Latifi’s publications underscore his multifaceted clinical interests and his commitment to enhancing surgical practice, patient-centered care, and healthcare innovation. In addition to his extensive body of published works, Dr. Rifat Latifi is currently immersed in the development of three forthcoming books that promise to make significant contributions to the fields of surgery, healthcare, and medical diplomacy. The second edition of “Surgical Decision Making – Beyond Evidence-Based,” published by Springer Nature, Switzerland just recently, builds upon the success of the first edition and aims to provide updated insights on the complex nuances of surgical decision-making processes. This book was selected the best publications for 2025 by Kosova College of Surgeons.

New York, Dhjetor 2025

Nga Mimoza Dajçi

“Nuk jam politikan – tha republikani Diamant Hysenaj, i cili kandidon për Kongresin Amerikan 2026 – por fqinji juaj, i ardhur nga asgjë, duke luftuar për gjithçka”.

Në një nga ambjentet e Restorantit “The Waterfront NYC”, kandidati republikan Diamant Hysenaj hapi zyrtarisht fushatën e tij elektorale për zgjedhjet e ardhshme 2026 në SHBA. Në këtë takim ai shoqërohej nga bashkëshortja e tij, fëmijët si dhe familjarë të tyre.

Të pranishëm gjithashtu ishin veprimtarë të njohur të komunitetit shqiptar, gazetarë shqiptarë dhe amerikanë, si dhe përfaqësuesë të komuniteteve të tjera në New York.

Shqiptaro – amerikani Diamant Hysenaj kandidon në Distriktin 14-të në New York, ku i gjithë komuniteti shqiptar është angazhuar për fitoren e tij. Ai garon sot (siç shprehen amerikanët) për kauzën e çështjes sonë kombëtare edhe për vazhdimësinë e palëkundur të marrëdhënieve më të mira mes popullit tonë dhe Shteteve të Bashkuara të Amerikës.

Në zgjedhjet e përgjithshme, ai ka përballë kongresisten demokrate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) — sigurisht, nuk do ta ketë të lehtë, por asgjë nuk është e pamundur dhe kjo garë i jep atij mundësinë për t’i treguar komuniteteve në New York, e mbarë opinionit amerikan vlerat e virtytet e tij të çmuara si shqiptar, si patriot edhe si një bashkëshort e prind i mrekullueshëm.

I tillë njihet Diamanti edhe në shoqëri, i respektueshëm me të gjithë dhe human, veti këto që i reflekton më së miri në familjen e tij, punën e biznesin e tij, si dhe krejt rrethin shoqëror. Edhe pse në SHBA ka ardhur fëmijë, ku ka përjetuar krimet serbe në Kosovë, ai u rrit dhe edukua ne atdheun e dytë SHBA, në gjirin e familjes së tij, prindërve të tij të dashur patriotë dhe punëtorë, në djepin e lirisë dhe demokracisë amerikane. Sot, ai është një familjar i përkushtuar, biznesmen i suksesshëm e mbi të gjitha, një patriot që kurrë s’e harron vendlindjen, e për këtë ndihet krenar.

Përballja elektorale e të riut nga Kosova, Diamant Hysenaj me Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, ka marrë vëmendje të gjerë në shtypin shqiptar dhe median amerikane. Përkrahja dhe mbështetja që mund t’i japim të gjithë ne si shqiptarë kandidimit të tij promovon jo vetëm suksesin e Diamant Hysenajt, por edhe të krejt shqiptarëve. Suksesi i tij do të jetë edhe suksesi ynë i përbashkët. Zëri i tij në Kongresin Amerikan është i domosdoshëm për Kosovën nga ai ka ardhur, Shqipërinë e të gjitha trojet shqiptare.

Kandidimi i tij për zgjedhjet e ardhshme të 2026 në Amerikë shpreh edhe një herë qartë mirënjohjen e falenderimin që shqiptarët kanë për mbështetjen që SHBA i kanë dhënë Kosovës për të qenë e lirë, e pavarur dhe larg pushtimit serb. Dhe historikisht përpjekjet amerikane për rrëzimin e regjimit komunist në Shqipëri.

Slogani i kandidatit republikan Diamant Hysenaj në festën e lançimit të fushatës së tij elektorale flet për një të ardhme më të mirë që duhet ta ndërtojmë së bashku. Pikat e referimit të fushatës së tij i ka përqëndruar kryesisht tek emigracioni, shkollimi, strehimi, rendi dhe qetësia publike.

“Emigrantët – thotë ai – nuk janë numra, janë motorë të Amerikës. Për kostot e jetesës tha se familjet e thjeshta nuk e përballojnë dot më jetesën në New York dhe se fëmijët tanë duhet të ecin të lirë, jo me frikë. Disiplina dhe ekselenca duhet të kthehen nëpër shkolla. Duke i dhënë rëndësi bizneseve të vogla tha se, në New York, biznesi i vogël po humbet shpirtin e tij si sipërmarrës.

Z. Hysenaj, kujdesin shëndetësor me kosto të ulët për fëmijët, e shikon si prioritet të veçantë dhe rrugët e lagjet në Distriktin 14-të në New York, premtoi se “së bashku do t’i mbajmë të pastra e të sigurta”.

“Distrikti 14-të në New York – tha ai – meriton një udhëheqës që ka ecur në këto rrugë, është përballur me vështirësitë dhe e di se çfarë duhet për tu ngritur. Së bashku mund të rregullojmë atë që është prishur dhe të ndërtojmë një të ardhme për të cilën jemi krenarë.”

“Bashkohuni me mua – vijoi ai – për të rivendosur premtimin e NY-14:

Foli për strehim të përballueshëm që i lejon familjet të marrin frymë më lehtë, për politikat e emigracionit që të funksionojnë edhe për komunitetin tonë. Vende pune dhe rritje ekonomie. Jam gati të përvesh mëngët dhe të filloj punën për ju. Le të bëjmë NY-14 të shkëlqejë përsëri.”

Në fund të takimit të tij elektoral në “Waterfront NYC”, duke falenderuar të gjithë të pranishmit, kongresisti ynë i ardhshëm republikan Diamant Hysenaj tha: “Kjo nuk është një betejë e së majtës apo e së djathtës. Kjo është beteja midis të drejtës dhe të gabuarës”.

Një ftesë për shqiptarët e Amerikës.

Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, friends, neighbors, leaders of our community—

Good evening to all of you.

Tonight marks a moment 10 months in the making.

Ten months of sacrifice. Ten months of self-funding every mile, every meeting, every handshake, every sleepless night. Ten months of believing that the people of New York’s 14th District deserve a real choice… and a real chance.

And now—tonight—this is our first event.

Our first gathering.

Our first moment together as a community that has decided:

We are done waiting. We are done being ignored. And we are done being told that our district is lost.

My Story — And Why I’m Here

I stand before you as a proud Albanian- American.

As a husband to my beautiful wife Tereza

As a father, to my wonderful children Logan and Nora.

As an entrepreneur who built everything from nothing.

And now—as someone asking to serve the only country that ever gave me a real shot at life.

My life, like so many of yours, is not a straight line.

I’ve lost money.

I’ve lost friends.

I have even lost my home and was forced to leave my homeland.

In our falls we find strength, in our breaks we find growth, in our failures we find wisdom.

the truth is this: every setback only made me sharper, stronger, and hungrier.

As Albanian-Americans —we are built differently.

We come from a people who faced down empires…

The Ottomans…

The Communists…

The Yugoslav regime…

And the genocide in Kosova that many of us lived through within our own lifetimes.

Every time, we were outnumbered.

Every time, we were outgunned.

Every time, we were underestimated.

And every time—we prevailed.

We don’t need a social media influencer in congress — who has not accomplished a single thing in this district to make a better life for the people. I’ve built more, created more, and accomplished more for real New Yorkers than she ever has and ever will. After 6 years on the job, not one- let me repeat that, not one single piece of legislation she proposed has passed into law. This doesn’t call for a promotion to state senate or us presidency. It calls for a change. I am not afraid to challenge a social media star with a failed record who was a part time bartender on a few weekend shifts. Hard work? she wouldn’t last a day in my world.

So don’t let them tell you Republicans can’t win in New York City.

Don’t let them tell you District 14 is lost.

Don’t let them tell you faith, tradition, and common sense have no place here.

We have heard this story before—back home and here—and every time, the underdogs win.

Why I didn’t to Run as a Democrat

People told me,

“Diamant, if you want to win in NYC, switch parties.”

“Be an opportunist.”

“Blend in—don’t stand out.”

But I was not raised to bend.

I was raised to stand.

I didn’t compromise my faith.

I didn’t compromise my values.

I didn’t compromise who I am.

I am a Muslim man married to a Catholic women in a home filled with love, peace, respect, and harmony—proof that America still works when we choose unity over division.

I chose the Republican Party not because it was easy, or an open seat..I didn’t choose this for self gain. I was liked and popular in my private business life. No threats on my life then, no hate from people who did not know me. I’m fighting for the city that built me. I am fighting for NEW YORK CITY. Every blood sweat and tear was spilt in this city, and I will defend it with my life. I am a moderate guy who grew up democrat by default. The Democrat party has lost its ways. They are no longer the party of the working man.

It chose me and I chose this because it was right. In life you must choose to fight when it’s hard, not easy. You must Choose to fight evil.

It’s time to get back to the basics.

I chose this battle Because I believe in faith, family, freedom.

Because I believe in the American Dream. I am the American Dream. this district deserves representation grounded in real life—not ideology.

Because I believe working families deserve more than slogans. They deserve results. They deserve a true tested fighter.

What This Campaign Is About

We are fighting for:

working families have been left behind, we simply can’t afford to live in our beloved city.

our children are not safe on the streets

Our children need to walk freely, not fearfully.

our schools are among the worst in the country- we need to get back to;

Where discipline and excellence—not politics—come first.

Opportunities for small business

Everyday businessss are closing shop, leaving our city, Because New Yorkers don’t want a handout, they want a fair chance.

Respect for the immigrant community

For the dreamers who came here with nothing and gave America everything. They need a real chance to become part of this great country and not used as slaves.

This campaign is not about left or right.

It’s about right and wrong.

It’s about rebuilding a district that has been forgotten by its own representative.

It’s about showing the country that New York is not gone.

New York is not lost.

New York is ready for a comeback.

To Everyone in This Room

I know many of you left work early, rearranged your schedules, traveled from different boroughs, and states and chose to spend your night here.

Your presence tells me that something powerful is happening.

Something real.

Something that can only be built by a community—not consultants, not political machines, not outside money.

Because for 10 months, nobody controlled this campaign but me.

I didn’t owe anyone a favor.

I didn’t take a single dollar.

I walked into this launch tonight owing nothing to anyone—and ready to build a movement with all of you.

What Comes Next

From tonight forward, this is not “Diamant’s campaign.”

This is your campaign.

Your voice.

Your fight.

Your future.

District 14 deserves a representative who knows what it means to survive, to build, to sacrifice, and to rise.

And I promise you this:

I will work harder.

I will fight tougher.

I will show up earlier and stay later.

I will take no shortcuts.

I will outwork every opponent.

And I will never forget who I serve.

Closing Message

My friends—

our parents crossed battlefields and oceans for opportunity.

Tonight, we cross a threshold for change.

We begin the march toward November 2026 not as Republicans or Democrats…

But as New Yorkers who believe this city is worth fighting for.

And mark my words:

We will fight like hell.

We will be underestimated.

We will be doubted.

And—just like every chapter of our history—

we will prevail.

Because the underdog is awake.

Because the community is here.

And because the American Dream is still alive in District 14.

Thank you, God bless you, let’s make history together. God bless America

Një nismë profesionale për bashkëpunim, edukim, mentorim dhe ndërgjegjësim shëndetësor në komunitetin shqiptar.

Me krenari njoftojmë krijimin e Albanian American Gastrointestinal Association (AAGA) – Shoqata Shqiptaro-Amerikane e Gastroenterologjisë – një organizatë profesionale e themeluar me qëllim forcimin e bashkëpunimit shkencor, edukimit mjekësor, mentorimit dhe rritjes së ndërgjegjësimit shëndetësor në komunitetin shqiptar në Shtetet e Bashkuara, Shqipëri dhe Kosovë.

AAGA synon të krijojë një platformë të qëndrueshme bashkëpunimi mes mjekëve gastroenterologë shqiptarë në diasporë dhe në trojet shqiptare; të nxisë shkëmbimin e përvojave, organizimin e konferencave, aktiviteteve edukative dhe fushatave të ndërgjegjësimit për sëmundjet e aparatit tretës dhe parandalimin e kancerit në komunitetin shqiptar. Një vëmendje e posaçme do t’i kushtohet mbështetjes dhe mentorimit të studentëve të mjekësisë, rezidentëve dhe mjekëve në specializim (fellows).

Bordi Drejtues i AAGA përbëhet nga mjekë të respektuar të komunitetit tonë:

Dr. Zana Nikolla – Presidente

Dr. Lidia Spaho – Zv/Presidente

Dr. Manol Jovani – Thesari

Dr. Elona Shehi – Sekretare

Dr. Xheni Deda – Lidhje me Shqipërinë

Dr. Erinda Stefi – Lidhje me Kosovën

Dr. Rifat Latifi – Anëtar i Nderuar i Bordit (Distinguished Board Member)

Prania e Dr. Rifat Latifi, figurë me reputacion ndërkombëtar në mjekësi dhe ish-Ministër i Shëndetësisë i Republikës së Kosovës, përbën një vlerë të veçantë për misionin dhe vizionin e AAGA.

AAGA do të bashkëpunojë ngushtë me institucione shëndetësore, universitete, shoqata profesionale dhe organizata komunitare në SHBA, Shqipëri dhe Kosovë për:

rritjen e ndërgjegjësimit për shëndetin e aparatit tretës,

parandalimin dhe diagnostikimin e hershëm të kancerit gastrointestinal,

edukimin e vazhdueshëm profesional,

mentorimin e brezit të ri të mjekëve,

si edhe forcimin e partneriteteve akademike dhe shkencore ndërkombëtare.

Shoqata fton të gjithë mjekët, studentët e mjekësisë, rezidentët, fellows dhe profesionistët e shëndetit shqiptarë të kontribuojnë dhe të bëhen pjesë e kësaj nisme të re dhe vizionare.

The Albanian American Gastrointestinal Association (AAGA) Is Established

A Professional Initiative for Collaboration, Education, Mentorship, and Digestive & Cancer Awareness in the Albanian Community

We are proud to announce the establishment of the Albanian American Gastrointestinal Association (AAGA), a professional organization founded to strengthen scientific collaboration, medical education, mentorship, and public health awareness within the Albanian community in the United States, Albania, and Kosovo.

AAGA aims to build a sustainable collaborative platform connecting Albanian gastroenterologists and healthcare professionals in the diaspora with those in the homelands. The association will promote professional development, academic exchange, educational conferences, and community outreach programs focused on digestive diseases and the prevention and early detection of gastrointestinal cancers. A key mission of AAGA is the support and mentorship of medical students, residents, and fellows.

The AAGA Board of Directors consists of highly respected physicians from our community:

Dr. Zana Nikolla – President

Dr. Lidia Spaho – Vice President

Dr. Manol Jovani – Treasurer

Dr. Elona Shehi – Secretary

Dr. Xheni Deda – Liaison to Albania

Dr. Erinda Stefi – Liaison to Kosovo

Dr. Rifat Latifi – Distinguished Board Member

The involvement of Dr. Rifat Latifi—an internationally renowned physician and former Minister of Health of the Republic of Kosovo—brings exceptional expertise and prestige to AAGA’s mission.

AAGA will actively collaborate with healthcare institutions, universities, medical societies, and community organizations in the U.S., Albania, and Kosovo to:

increase awareness of digestive health,

promote prevention and early detection of gastrointestinal cancers,

support continuing medical education,

mentor the next generation of physicians,

and strengthen international academic and clinical partnerships.

The association warmly invites physicians, medical students, residents, fellows, healthcare professionals, and members of the Albanian community to join and support this important initiative.

Please follow the society on social media:

Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/5hf859hr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/…/albanian-american…/

Email: aaga@gastrodocs.org