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70 WOMEN COMMISSIONER DISTINGUISHED.
YOU LOOK AT ME LIKE, THAT WAS CRAZY
HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? REAL MAN? ONE, ONE.
AN AWESOME OCCASION TO, UM, RECOGNIZE THESE DISTINGUISHED WOMEN FOR THEIR WORK AND ALL THAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS.
BUT WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS THE MONTH OF MARCH.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER, WOMEN ARE IMPORTANT EACH AND EVERY DAY.
365 DAYS A YEAR, THERE IS EVERY DAY IS WOMEN'S DAY AND EVERY MONTH IS WOMEN'S MONTH.
THAT'S THAT'S AN ABSOLUTE FACT.
SO, YOU KNOW, TONIGHT I'M NOT GONNA DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING YOU SAY
I AM WAYNE RICHARDSON, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND IT IS MY DISTINCT HONOR AND ON BEHALF OF THIS BOARD TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR ANNUAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM.
WE ARE HAPPY TO HOST TONIGHT'S CELEBRATION IN PERSON LAST YEAR, THIS EVENT AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE HELD VIRTUALLY.
SO IT'S GOOD TO RETURN AND TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS WONDERFUL, RICH TRADITION.
AND ALTHOUGH WE RESERVE THE MONTH OF MARCH TO CELEBRATE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, WE UNDERSTAND THE EFFORTS OF WOMEN EVERY DAY.
AND I JUST SAID THAT, UH, HAVE BECOME A CRITICAL ASPECT OF OUR NATION'S HISTORY.
WE SIMPLY WOULD NOT BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITHOUT THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF SO MANY WOMEN FROM THE PAST AND PRESENT.
MATTER OF FACT, NOBODY WOULD EXIST WITHOUT WOMEN.
LET'S, IF THERE WERE NO WOMEN, THERE WOULD BE NO MEN.
THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER WOMEN.
SO WOMEN MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND.
HOW ABOUT THAT COMMISSION
TONIGHT WE HONOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT TENE EASON, SENATOR RENEE BURGESS, JUDGE VICTORIA PRATT.
OKAY, ASSEMBLYWOMAN, ELIANA PINTO, MAREN ASSEMBLYWOMAN, SHANEE SPATE, AND LIEUTENANT NAOMI Z.
SO WE THANK EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS DURING THE PROGRAM.
WE WILL HEAR DETAILS ABOUT THE GREAT WORK YOU HAVE DONE AND ARE CONTINUING TO DO.
ONCE AGAIN, I WELCOME EACH OF YOU TO OUR 2023 WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE PROGRAM AND ARE INSPIRED TO DO EVEN MORE AS WE CELEBRATE OUR HONOREES AND WOMEN EVERYWHERE.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU.
NOW LET ME WELCOME REVEREND DR.
CAROL LYNN PATTERSON, WHO WILL GIVE US OUR OPENING PRAYER, FOLLOWED BY VANESSA A JONES WITH THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER.
THE NAME OF THE ONE WHO WAS BEFORE WAS, WAS WHO IS AND WILL FOREVER BE.
THANK YOU FROM MARCH BEING DEDICATED AS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH FOR A TIME WHEN WE RECOGNIZED THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
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OF THE PERSON THAT YOU MADE FROM ADAM'S RIB, FROM ADAM'S SIDE.WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WILL BE DONE TONIGHT.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE GIFTS THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US IN EACH HONOREE WE ASK THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED THE FOOD THAT WE WILL CONSUME LATER AND WE YIELD FOR YOU AND YOUR WOMEN TO COME FORWARD.
CAN YOU SEE WHAT LESSING, WHO'S BROUGHT STRIPES AND BRIGHT STAR THROUGH THE FIGHT OR THE RIGHT THAT? GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS PAT SEABOLD AND I'M A COMMISSIONER AT LARGE AND I WISH I COULD SING
AND WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL GROWING UP, THEY ALWAYS PUT ME IN THE LAST ROW ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK CAUSE THEY KNEW I COULDN'T SING
SO I'M ALWAYS JEALOUS WHEN I HEAR WONDERFUL PEOPLE LIKE YOU SINGING.
I'M HONORED TO TAKE PART IN TONIGHT'S CEREMONY, CELEBRATING THE HISTORY, LEGACY AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN IN ESSEX COUNTY.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE MY COMMISSIONER, COLLEAGUES WHO ARE JOINING US HERE TONIGHT.
YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM WAYNE RICHARDSON, OUR WONDERFUL PRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSIONER BOARD.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS PALMER.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER BOBBY MARCADO, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER ROMAINE GRAHAM, AND COMMISSIONER LEN LUCIANO, AND COMMISSIONER BRENDAN GILL.
AND IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL THAT YOU'RE ALL HERE TO RECOGNIZE THE GREAT CONTRIBUTION THAT WOMEN MAKE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CLERK OF THE BOARD AND THAT IS DEBORAH DAVIS FORD, WHO DOES SO MUCH WORK AND ALL HER STAFF FOR THE SUPPORT IN PUTTING THIS CELEBRATION TOGETHER AS WELL AS OUR OTHER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO DEBORAH DAVIS.
I'M SORRY, TO KATHY BROWN WHO'S STANDING OVER HERE TALKING.
KATHY BROWN WAS SWORN IN YESTERDAY AS OUR NEW DEPUTY CLARK AND SHE DOES A WONDERFUL JOB.
SO WE ARE REALLY THRILLED TO HAVE HER.
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I'D LIKE TO NOW TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PRESENT WITH US TODAY.AND THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING.
IT'S A GREAT LIST BECAUSE SO MANY OF THEM ARE GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE THAT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO INTRODUCE THEM.
FIRST WE HAVE UH, COUNCILMAN FROM IRVINGTON ORLANDO.
GLEN VICK, MAURICE BROWN IS HERE.
HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF SENIOR SERVICES CAPTAIN ISAIAH EASTON FROM THE CITY OF ORANGE GARNET HALL, THE DEPUTY CLERK OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, AND SOON TO BE OUR NEW ASSEMBLY PERSON.
AND ANNETTE BEASLEY, MY FRIEND BASSIMA IS THE IRVINGTON DEMOCRATIC CHAIR AND JAMAL BEASLEY.
AND SHE IS SIMA'S DAUGHTER AND THE COUNCILWOMAN OF IRVINGTON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
AND AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE JILL HIRSCH TO COME FORWARD.
NOW JILL WORKS FOR CONGRESSWOMAN MIKEY SHELL.
SHE IS THE DISTRICT DIRECTOR AND SHE DOES A FANTASTIC JOB.
SO MIKEY, I'M SORRY JILL, THE MICROPHONE IS YOURS.
UM, HONOREE, WHAT'D YOU SAY? FORMER HONOREE.
AND I LOVE THIS ROOM AND I WAS TELLING SOME OF MY FRIENDS HERE THAT I NORMALLY JUST EITHER SEND THE CERTIFICATES OR DON'T GET UP TO SPEAK, BUT PAT GRACIOUSLY LET ME, CUZ I HAVE SOME GREAT FRIENDS BEING HONORED TONIGHT.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I COULD PRESENT THESE ON THE HALF OF THE CONGRESSWOMAN AND ALSO MYSELF.
SO I'M GONNA TAKE A LITTLE CREDIT EVEN THOUGH I USUALLY GIVE HER ALL THE CREDIT.
SO SHOULD I HAVE THEM COME UP AND GET THEM AND WE'LL TAKE A QUICK PICTURE OR JUST SURE.
SO I'M GONNA READ ONE AND THEN THEY'RE ALL THE SAME.
BUT IT SAYS, THE 11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF THE GREAT STATE OF NEW NEW JERSEY CELEBRATES SENATOR RENEE BURGESS.
BE IT KNOWN THAT THE UNDERSIGNED MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, THE HONORABLE MIKEY SHELL OF THE 11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF THE GREAT STATE OF NEW JERSEY, CELEBRATES THE SENATOR AS SHE'S HONORED BY THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS UPON THE OCCASION OF THEIR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM IN DEEP GRATITUDE AS SHE UPLIFTS AND INSPIRES OTHER WOMEN THROUGH HER DEDICATED LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITES, SENATOR AND ONE OF MY OTHER FAVORITES.
ELIANA WOMAN, THIS IS FOR YOU.
AND OF COURSE SHANIQUE WHO SAVED MY BUTT WHEN I WAS IN ATLANTIC CITY AND FREEZING.
AND SHE GAVE ME ONE OF HER SCARFS OPERA PERSON ALWAYS IN MY HEART.
AND I THINK SOME OF, UM, WELL, I KNOW TENE, YOU'RE TENE COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I'M ALWAYS VERY IMPRESSED ON THE CALLS I HAVE WITH YOU CUZ YOU'RE ALWAYS I HEAR YOU ON ALL THE MAYOR'S CALLS ASKING REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS.
UM, AND JUDGE PRATT COULD BE A NEW FRIEND OF MINE.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, LIEUTENANT Z.
CONGRATULATIONS FROM CONGRESSWOMAN AND MYSELF.
IT'S, WE ARE WORKING FOR YOU TODAY.
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NO? YES, I THOUGHT SO.I'M HAPPY TO BE, I'M HAPPY TO BEGIN OUR PRESENTATION WITH OUR FIRST HONOREE FOR THE EVENING FROM THE CITY OF ORANGE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL PRESIDENT 10.
ETHAN, CAN YOU PLEASE JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM, PLEASE? I JUST, JUST MET HER, BUT SHE'S MY NEW FRIEND RIGHT HERE TONIGHT,
SO LET ME READ SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COMBINATION AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ ALL THE BIOS IN THE PROGRAM.
TENS A EASON IS A NATIVE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
MATTHEWS AME CHURCH IN ORANGE.
SHE'S CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE CITY OF ORANGE COUNCIL.
SHE'S BEEN A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL SINCE 2002, AND SHE'S CURRENTLY SERVING HER SIXTH TERM.
THAT DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
SHE HAVE SERVED FOUR TERMS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AS THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND FOUR TERMS AS THE VICE PRESIDENT.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT IS A GRADUATE OF CARDWELL UNIVERSITY WITH A DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ALSO RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE IN GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FROM RUTGERS UNIVERSITY.
SHE'S A PERSISTENT ADVOCATE FOR, FOR A BETTER EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN, A VOICE FOR OUR SENIORS AND YOUTH.
SHE HAS SPONSORED NUMEROUS LEGISLATIONS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE ORANGE COMMUNITY.
HER PASSION IS TO HELP PEOPLE BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY OR POSSIBLE.
CURRENTLY, SHE'S EMPLOYED BY THE EAST ORANGE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SHE HOLDS SEVERAL POSITIONS IN HER CHURCH.
SHE HAS TWO SONS, WHICH SHE RAISED IN ORANGE.
TWO DAUGHTER-IN-LAWS SIX GRANDCHILDREN AND THREE GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
SHE WAS AWARDED THE WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR THE STATE FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY IN 2018.
SO THIS EVENING WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT TO YOU THE BOARD PLAQUE OF ACCOMMODATION.
THE PLAQUE READS, THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HEREBY HONORS THE HONORABLE 10 EASTON FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT ACCOMPLISHMENT OF WOMEN EVERYWHERE AND CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH MARCH 23RD, 2023.
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE ALSO PRESENTING YOU WITH A CERTIFICATE OF SPECIAL OF SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION, RECOGNITION FROM THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE.
WE CONGRATULATE YOU AND COMMEND YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
AND TO WAYNE RICHARDSON, THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND TO ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE IN ABSENTEE IS MY GOOD FRIEND, COMMISSIONER TAS ARMY COOPER, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, WHICH I WILL SEE LATER.
THANK YOU FOR HONORING ME FOR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
I AM PROUD TO REPRESENT WOMEN BECAUSE AS I ALWAYS SAY, OUR MOTHERS WAS OUR TRADE TRAILBLAZERS AND WE SHOULD HONOR THEM EVERY DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR AND SAY THANK YOU.
I THINK THEY SHOULD LEAD THE PACK WHEN WE HONOR WOMEN IN WISDOM HISTORY MONTH.
AND TO YOU MEN, THANK US FOR BEING THERE FOR YOU.
I LOVE BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
I LOVE BEING COUNCILWOMAN, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE, I'M IN MY 21ST YEAR AND
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I LOVE HELPING PEOPLE AND I LOVE WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.AND I THINK I'VE WORKED WITH, WITH ONE OF YOU AT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AT SOME POINT.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE, WORK BETTER TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL SOCIETY AND THAT WE CAN BE AS ONE AND UNIFY.
BUT ONE, I WANNA SAY THAT CAPTAIN, ONE OF MY GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS WAS HAVING TWO SONS.
GOD GAVE ME TWO BEAUTIFUL SONS.
ONE THAT'S BACK THERE WITH THE CAMERA.
YOU WANNA STAND UP? CAPTAIN EASON
I COMMANDEERED HIM TO BE MY MY BRIDE GUARD TONIGHT TO WATCH OVER HIS MOM.
SO HE'S HERE, BUT I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH SOMETHING.
NEVER FORGET FROM WHEN YOU CAME.
AND ALWAYS BE HUMBLE AND NEVER TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.
AND I'M GONNA SHARE A QUICK STORY, THEN I'M GONNA BE QUIET.
LAST THURSDAY MORNING I GOT UP AND COULDN'T WALK A SIP.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GONNA DO.
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME OVERNIGHT.
AS I CAN SAY, THINGS HAPPEN AT THE, YOU KNOW, AT THE NINTH HOUR, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, WHEREVER IT FEELS LIKE IT.
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY WALKING.
THE LITTLE, MY KNEES ARE A LITTLE SORE.
I WALKED INTO MY, I COULDN'T EVEN WALK INTO MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE LAST THURSDAY.
MY SISTER, MY NIECE TOOK ME IN, IN A WHEELCHAIR.
BUT WHEN I WALKED IN TODAY, HE SAYS TO ME, HAD YOU COME IN THE WAY YOU CAME IN LAST THURSDAY, I WAS GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENT DECISION.
THAT MEANS HE WAS GONNA SEND ME TO THE HOSPITAL.
CAUSE THAT MEANS I HAD TO DO SOME REPAIR WORK.
CAUSE GOD, WHATEVER HE DID, HE KNEW I NEEDED SOME REST.
SO HE HAD ME LAY FLAT ON MY BACK FOR LIKE FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.
AND THEN HE WOKE ME UP, HE BROUGHT ME UP AND HE GOT ME STANDING AND WALKING AND, AND EVERYTHING I DO IS FOR MY LOVE OF GOD.
SO JUST BE HUMBLE AND NEVER FORGET FROM WHEN YOU CAME.
THAT IS WHERE I WANT TO LEAVE YOU TONIGHT.
AND NEVER TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED, GRANTED, CUZ IT CAN BE TAKEN FROM YOU IN A MINUTE AND AN HOUR.
AT THIS TIME, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR SECOND HONOREE FOR TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING SENATOR RENEE BURGESS TO THE PODIUM.
I WILL SHARE A FEW DETAILS FROM THE COMMENDATION.
THE HONORABLE RENEE C BURGESS IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF IRVINGTON, NEW JERSEY.
SHE EARNED HER ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN BUSINESS AT ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE.
HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP FROM PILLAR COLLEGE AND HER MASTER'S IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ADMINISTRATION FROM METROPOLITAN COLLEGE OF NEW YORK.
AND BEFORE I CONTINUE GOING THROUGH THESE DETAILS, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT RENEE BURGESS.
SHE IS THE FIRST PERSON FROM IRVINGTON TO BE A SENATOR AND REPRESENT US IN NEW JERSEY.
AND I THINK THAT IS A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE EVERY TOWN IN ESSEX COUNTY REPRESENTED AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.
AND I'M DELIGHTED THAT NOW IRVINGTON HAS A STATE SENATOR THAT IS TRULY WONDERFUL.
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SENATOR BURGESS HAS AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND IN LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH ELECTED AND APPOINTED POSITIONS IN GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS EMPLOYMENT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.SHE HAS SERVED THE COMMUNITY AS A MEMBER OF THE IRVINGTON TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE.
SHE WAS REELECTED TO THE POSITION OF COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE IN 2018.
ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2019, SHE WAS APPOINTED TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.
UNTIL SEPTEMBER, 2022, SHE WAS APPOINTED TO THE NEW JERSEY STATE SENATE TO SERVE THE 28TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT.
SENATOR BURGESS'S PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES HAVE PREPARED HER AND CONTINUED TO AID HER TO SERVICE OF PEOPLE.
SHE WAS EMPLOYED OVER 10 YEARS IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PAYROLL AT MERCK PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY, SIX YEARS AS CA ONE SERVICES NEWARK AIRPORT AND MORE THAN 11 YEARS.
AND AN ASSET MANAGER FOR C I T CAPITAL IN LIVINGSTON, MY HOMETOWN
SHE RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FOR HER PERFORMANCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN THESE ROLES.
THE HONORABLE RENEE C BURGESS WAS ALSO PREVIOUSLY EMPLOYED BY THE TOWNSHIP OF IRVINGTON AS A PURCHASING CLERK.
BEFORE ASSUMING THE POSITION OF PAYROLL AND PURCHASING SPECIALIST FOR THE IRVINGTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, SHE WAS PROMOTED FROM THIS POSITION TO BECOME THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTS AND HUMAN RESOURCE ADMINISTRATOR.
SHE HAS VOLUNTEERED FOR MANY PUBLIC SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, TWO NUM, TWO NUMEROUS TO EVEN NAME HERE.
SHE HAS BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF SEVERAL AWARDS AND HONORS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE COMMUNITY WORKER OF THE YEAR AWARD, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AWARD.
TONY VOSS CIVIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY AWARD, CHILDREN'S STAN HIGHER AWARD, AND THE I B O E AND THE DISTRICT LEADER SERVICE AWARD FOR 10 YEARS.
SERVICE IS SHE ATTRIBUTES HER SUCCESS TO HER FAITH AND HER FAMILY.
SHE'S BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE UNION GOSPEL TABERNACLE TABERNACLE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY FOR OVER 30 YEARS, WHERE SHE SERVES AS A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM AND THE CELESTIAL CHOIR.
HER STRONG FOUNDATION COMES FROM HER BELOVED PARENTS, LATE SARAH E AND RAYMOND C. BURGESS, BOTH OF WHOM WERE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
HER COMMITMENT TO OTHERS CONTINUES THROUGH HER DAUGHTER GIOVAN, WHO IS A COLLEGE GRADUATE AND CURRENT TEACHER AT A CHARTER SCHOOL IN NEWARK.
SENATOR BURGESS, YOUR RECORD OF SERVICE IS BEYOND REPROACH.
AND SO WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S FOUNDATION AND PLAQUE.
THE PLAQUE READS, THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HEREBY HONORS THE HONORABLE RENEE C BURGESS FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WOMEN EVERYWHERE IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, MARCH 23RD, 2023.
SO NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM RENEE BURGESS TO GOD BE THE GLORY.
FIRST, I JUST WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER SEABOLD.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS ADMIRED HER SOFT BUT STRONG HAND AT, YOU KNOW, SERIOUSLY AT, UM, SERVING HER COMMUNITY.
AND I THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE CAREER.
EVERYTHING YOU READ, YOU WERE THERE, SUPPORTED ME THROUGH MY JOURNEY.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I THANK YOU FOR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGING ME TODAY.
UM, I JUST WANNA HONOR EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE TONIGHT.
I WANNA HONOR THE, UM, THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSIONER BOARD.
I WANNA HONOR ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND I WANNA HONOR ALL OF YOU, ESPECIALLY ALL THE WOMEN.
AS I LOOK OUT HERE TODAY, AND I LOOK THROUGH YOUR EYES.
I SEE THERE'S A STORY THAT, THAT EITHER NEEDS TO BE TOLD OR HAS BEEN TOLD, AND IT JUST SHOWS THE STRENGTH OF THE WOMEN OF EACH ONE OF YOU IN HERE.
SO GIVE YOURSELVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE ROLES THAT YOU PLAY.
SO WITH, WITH HUMILITY AND CONFIDENCE, I ACCEPT THIS AWARD ON BEHALF OF ALL THE WOMEN AND WOMEN WHO BIRTHED ME, PRAY FOR ME, WIPE MY TEARS, AND HAVE HELPED ME THROUGH THIS JOURNEY
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CALLED LIFE.ALL MY BLESSINGS COME FROM ABOVE.
AND IT'S MY PRAYER THAT GOD CONTINUES TO SEND THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN MY DIRECTION AT THE RIGHT TIME TO ASSIST ME, TO HELP OTHERS ON THIS HISTORY MAKING PLATFORM OF BEING THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN SENATOR OF THE 28TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT COMING OUT OF IRVINGTON, I CAN'T HELP BUT TO SHOW HOMAGE TO MY PREDECESSORS THAT PAVED THE WAY FOR ME, SUCH AS MY PARENTS, THE HONORABLE RACY BURGESS AND MY MOM, THE HONORABLE DEE BEASLEY, THE HONORABLE LEV JONES, DAVID LYONS AND ANNA SCOTT.
SORRY, I WROTE BIG SO I WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO DO ALL THIS.
SO BASICALLY, I JUST WANNA SAY I LOVE WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING ALMOST ALL MY LIFE.
AND THIS IS SIMPLY HELPING OTHERS, INSPIRING THE YOUTH AND SPEAKING LIFE INTO MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS AS LIFE IS CHALLENGING AND CUMBERSOME, SOMETIMES CUMBERSOME.
AND WHAT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO DO, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE MY TEAM, IRVINGTON'S STRONG FAMILY FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME AS WELL THROUGH MY ENTIRE ELECTED CAREER.
THANK YOU FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT'S AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE, UH, TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU.
AND, UM, ARE LOOKING FOR OUR COMMISSIONER, BOARD PRESIDENT OUT IN THE OH, OKAY.
HE WENT,
UH, IT'S A TRADITION THAT, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, WAS STARTED UNDER, UM, AS YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER SIEBEL UNDER OUR FORMER PRESIDENT, UM, BONNIE WATSON, UH, WHO THE CONFERENCE, UH, OFFICE IS NAMED AFTER, UH, AND ARE, UH, WAS CONTINUED BY NOW, ASSEMBLYWOMAN, BRITNEY TIMBERLAKE, UH, AND HAS BEEN NOW CREATED ON BY PRESIDENT, UH, RICHARDSON.
AND, AND YOU AND VICE PRESIDENT BUIS, I THINK SHOULD BE GIVEN AROUND APPLAUSE FOR CONTINUING TO KEEP THIS WONDERFUL TRADITION ALIVE.
I KNOW WE MADE SOME RECOGNITION.
UH, I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE ONE ADDITIONAL MADAME CLERK, ONE ADDITIONAL PERSON IN THE AUDIENCE, IF THAT'S OKAY.
WE ALSO HAVE WITH US, UH, ALSO HAILING FROM THE GREAT, UH, TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR AND A GREAT WOMAN LEADER IN HER OWN RIGHT.
UH, TANYA PETIT, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OUR MOM CLEARHEAD START PROGRAM.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND TO, UH, ALL OF THE, UM, HONOREES, UH, TONIGHT.
IT'S GREAT, UH, TO BE WITH YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN, SENATOR ASSEMBLYWOMAN, UH, ASEM TO WOMAN.
UH, ALL, EVERYONE WHO'S HERE HAS JUST BEEN, IT'S AN HONOR, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO STAND HERE WITH YOU.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS, UH, I THINK COMMISSIONER PRIME THAT YOU AND I WILL NEVER LIVE DOWN IS THAT WE HEARD FROM JILL HIRSCH EARLIER, WAS JILL WAS ONE OF OUR, UH, HONOREES.
I KNOW SHE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT NOMINATED NOT BY, NOT BY EITHER OF US, WHO ACTUALLY, UM, SOMEWHAT HAVE THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE, OF THE LOCAL MONTCLAIR REPRESENTATION.
JILL IS ALSO A, A MONTCLAIR RESIDENT, BUT BY COMMISSIONER COOPER.
SO WE, WE GOTTA, I KNOW AN AB AND I KNOW SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT SHE'S WITH US IN SPIRIT, AND WE SHOULD, I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE COMMISSIONER COOPER FOR RECOGNIZING THAT.
AND ALSO, YOU AND I WILL NEVER, NEVER LIVE THAT DOWN.
AND I WISH, UM, SHE HAD PRACTICED TONIGHT, BUT I WISH MY 11 YEAR OLD ACTUALLY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN, UH, HERE, UM, TONIGHT.
UM, I'M VERY BLESSED AND LUCKY, UH, TO HAVE, UH, A WONDERFUL WOMAN IN MY LIFE, UM, UH, IN TERMS OF HER MOM, BUT ALSO TO SEE ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL WOMEN LEADERS,
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UH, HERE.UH, AND WHAT'S IN FRONT OF HER, UM, IS JUST, YOU KNOW, TO ME WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE, SHE WANTS TO COME.
SHE'S, SHE'S THE, UH, MY SON CAN'T STAND POLITICS.
AND I JUST ALSO WANT TO THANK SO MANY OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN SO GRACIOUS AND KIND TO HER, UH, WHEN SHE'S COME TO EACH OF THESE EVENTS.
I PROMISE WE WILL GET TO OUR HONOREE IN A SECOND.
BUT LAST, OF COURSE, NOT LEAST, I I WAS GONNA SAY IT LATER ON, BUT I WANT TO, I WANT TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY IT NOW.
UM, BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER SEABOLD HAS, UM, BEEN OUR LONGEST SERVING MEMBER ON THIS BOARD.
UM, SERVED AT A TIME, UH, IN POLITICS, UM, AND IN COMMUNITY SERVICE WHEN THERE WEREN'T THAT MANY WOMEN, UM, INVOLVED.
UM, WHEN, AND I KNOW HAS BEEN IN MANY ROOMS, UH, AS THE ONLY WOMAN, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF, OF MANY YEARS OF, UH, OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP.
AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED, UH, AND ACKNOWLEDGED.
UH, I I MEAN THAT SINCERELY, COMMISSIONER IT, IT IS PA IN MY MIND IS PAVED THE WAY FOR SO MANY, LIKE A CONGRESSWOMAN, LIKE A CONGRESSWOMAN, MIKEY, SHELL, LIKE A SENATOR, YOU KNOW, BURGESS LIKE A SOON-TO-BE SENATOR TIMBERLAKE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WOMEN LEADERS THAT WE'RE SO BLESSED TO NOW HAVE, BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT PAVED THAT WAY, AND WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD ALWAYS RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, AS MUCH AS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I'M HAPPY TO PRESENT, UH, OUR NEXT HONOREE.
UH, SHE DOES, UH, HAPPEN TO BE A, UH, A MON, YOU KNOW, LIVE IN MONTCLAIR.
KATHY'S A MONTCLAIR RESIDENT AS WELL, UH, BUT HAS ALSO SERVED IN A MULTITUDE OF, OF, OF AREAS.
UH, SHE HAS EN DIS ENJOYED A DISTINGUISHED CAREER AND PUBLIC SERVICE AND BROADCASTING.
SO PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME, UH, TO THE PODIUM, JUDGE VICTORIA PRATT.
WANNA THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
SO ALLOW ME TO SHARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS, UH, FROM THE COMMENDATION AND WITH ALL OF HER SUCCESS, THIS WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO, TO I'M SURE TO BOIL DOWN.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA DO, WE'RE GONNA JUST DO JUST THE, JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS.
AND I ALSO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO READ, YOU KNOW, READ THE BIOS OF THE HONOREES TONIGHT.
THE IBIS ARE JUST SO IMPRESSIVE.
UM, THE HONORABLE VICTORIA PRATT HAS GAINED NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM FOR HER COMMITMENT TO REFORMING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
DURING HER TENURE AS THE CHIEF JUDGE IN THE NEWARK MUNICIPAL COURT IN THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, WHILE PRESIDING OVER NEWARK COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS, THE COMMUNITY COURT PROGRAM, SHE USED CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES TO JAIL, TO LOW LEVEL OFFENDERS.
THESE ALTERNATIVES INCLUDED COMMUNITY SERVICE, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING SESSIONS.
AND HER SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT OF INTROSPECTIVE ESSAYS CALLED A PIONEER IN PROCEDURAL JUSTICE.
HER RESPECTFUL APPROACH AND TREATING INDIVIDUALS WITH DIGNITY HAS HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT ON COURT'S, PARTICIPANTS, COURT EXPERIENCE, HOW THE COMMUNITY VIEWS THE COURT, AND HOW COURT PLAYERS VIEWED THEIR ROLES.
JUDGE PRATT'S TED TALKS, WHICH I ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMEND, IF YOU HAVE SOME TIME, HOW JUDGES CAN SHOW RESPECT, HAS DEFINITELY GONE VIRAL.
IT'S BEEN TRANSLATED INTO 16 LANGUAGES, RECEIVED MORE THAN 1 MILLION VIEWS, AND THE FACEBOOK CLIP HAS RECEIVED AN ASTOUNDING 37 MILLION VIEWS.
SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK, THE POWER OF DIGNITY, HOW TRANSFORMING JUSTICE CAN HEAL OUR COMMUNITIES.
A FIERCE ADVOCATE COMMITTED TO REFORM.
SHE HAS WORKED WITH JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE NATION.
AND AS FAR AS THE UKRAINE, ENGLAND, TRINIDAD, AND TOBAGO AND MEXICO, A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EXPERT IN PROCEDURAL JUSTICE AND ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING, JUDGE PRATT HAS BEEN ASKED BY NUMEROUS PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO SHARE HER STORY AND PHILOSOPHY.
HER WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED IN THE GUARDIAN AND RUTGERS MAGAZINE, BOTH WRITTEN BY PULITZER PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR TINA ROSENBERG.
SHE HAS APPEARED ON MSNBC'S, MELISSA HARRIS PERRY SHOW, THE TAMRON HALL SHOW, THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING PBS SHOW, DUE PROCESS, COMMUNITY COURT, A KINDER, GENTLER WAY, AN NPRS FRESH AIR WITH TERRY GROSS IN 2022 ODYSSEY IMPACT, AN ORGANIZATION THAT USES DOCUMENT DOCUMENTARY FILMS, FAITH AND SECULAR VOICES TO CATALOG, UH, TO CATALYZE, EXCUSE ME, SOCIAL CHANGE.
[00:40:01]
WELCOMED HER AS THEIR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.SHE HAS ALSO SERVED AS A JUDGE AT THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL AS A PROFESSOR AT RUTGERS LAW SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
SHE
SHE, SHE ALSO CONTINUES TO CHAMPION CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM THROUGH HER CONSULTING FIRM BY SHARING HER SKILLS AND APPROACH WITH OTHERS, AS WELL AS SPEAKING TO LEADERS OF INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT HOW TO HEIGHTEN AND RESTORE RESPECT INTO THEIR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION SO THEY CAN, SO THEIR MISSION CAN BE BETTER ACHIEVED.
SHE IS LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW, BOTH IN NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK, AND IS ADMITTED TO THE US SUPREME COURT.
SHE ALSO FACILITATES MOUNTAIN MOVERS EMPOWERMENT SESSIONS TO HELP INDIVIDUAL, TO HELP INDIVIDUALS LOVE THEIR BEST LIVES.
WE ARE PLEASED TO, UH, ABSOLUTELY PREVENT THIS ACCOMMODATION TO YOU.
UH, TONIGHT, UM, THE PLAQUE READS, THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HEREBY HONORS THE HONORABLE VICTORIA PRATT FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT AND PRIDE OF THE ESSEX COUNTY WOMEN'S IN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN COMMUNITY.
SO WE ALSO HAVE THE CERTIFICATES OF SPECIAL RECOGNITION, AS WAS NOTED FROM CONGRESSMAN, UM, DONALD KANE, LAST AND SHORT LAST, AND, AND OF COURSE NOT, UH, LEAST WE, WE, WE KNOW EACH OTHER, BUT WE DON'T HAVE OFTEN TIMES TO, TO SPEAK OR TO, TO, TO, TO CATCH UP.
BUT, UM, I WAS NOT ABLE, UH, TO BRING IT, BUT I, YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW THIS, BUT I WENT TO ONE OF YOUR BOOK SIGNINGS, ACTUALLY.
UM, AND I WANTED TO BRING, AND I COULDN'T, BUT THE, THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE ACTUAL PICTURE.
YOU, YOU, UM, YOU SIGNED THE BOOK, UM, YOU KNOW, DIGNITY AND RESPECT, THE TRUE ROAD TO JUSTICE.
AND, AND, UM, AND THAT SITS ON, YOU KNOW, ON MY SHELF.
UM, AND AS THOSE WHO'VE KNOWN ME VERY, VERY WELL, AND AS IN MY OFFICE, UH, AND THOSE ARE WORDS THAT ARE, UH, VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY OWN HEART.
SO IT'S, I'M VERY HONORED TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE YOU HERE, UH, TODAY, UH, IN FRONT OF THIS AUGUST BODY.
SO NOW, I DIDN'T REALIZE, THANK YOU THAT YOU HAD THE BOOK.
SO THIS IS WHERE YOUR DAUGHTER, OKAY? BUT I BROUGHT YOU THIS BOOK BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH SOMEONE WHO EMBODIES THE PRINCIPLES AND HAS USED THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE RECEIVE DIGNITY AND RESPECT A QUIET WONDER THAT YOU ARE, BUT YOU ENSURE THAT THE NEEDS OF YOUR COMMUNITY ARE MET.
I DRINK DEEPLY FROM A WELL, THAT I DID NOT DIG.
THERE HAVE BEEN PATHS CLEARED FOR ME BY PEOPLE WHO DID NOT EVEN KNOW THAT I WAS COMING.
MY ANCESTORS CLEANED, MOPPED, SHINED, BUILT THE INSTITUTIONS IN WHICH I WAS TRAINED, AND THEY THEMSELVES COULD NOT ATTEND.
AND FOR THAT, I SAY THANK YOU.
I THANK YOU BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE I AM A MONTCLAIR KID.
THESE ARE THE PLACES THAT HELP RAISE ME.
AND IT WAS THE WORK OF FOLKS LIKE YOU WHO MADE A PLACE FOR A YOUNG COLORED GIRL.
AND SO EVERYTHING I DO WHEN I GO TO DUBAI, WHEN I GO TO THE UKRAINE, WHEN I GO TO NEW MEXICO, IT IS REPRESENTING US AND TELLING FOLKS NEW JERSEY DECIDED THAT THEIR PEOPLE DECIDE DESERVED BETTER.
AND SO IT IS SPECIAL FOR ME TO BE IN THIS BUILDING.
I WORKED AT THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, AND THEY ALWAYS SAY THAT, UM, WHAT IS IT THAT A PROPHET HAS NO VOICE IN THEIR COMMUNITY? THEY WERE WRONG.
SO THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING ME, AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BRING UP THE NEXT GENERATION OF GAME CHANGERS WHO WILL GO INTO THE WORLD, NOT JUST TO CHANGE THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND WHAT PEOPLE RECEIVE, BUT WILL GO OUT AND CHANGE THE COUNTRY.
[00:45:01]
WAS MENTIONED THAT WE HAD OUR, UM, UH, A VERY, UH, WONDERFUL CEREMONY YESTERDAY TO SWEAR IN, UH, OUR NEW DEPUTY CLERK TO THE BOARD, UH, KATHY BROWN, WHO'S BEEN WITH US FOR, FOR SOME TIME.UM, AND, UH, KATHY, UM, HAD A, UM, UH, MANY MEMBERS OF HER, HER CHURCH WHO WERE AT, WHO WERE AT THAT, UH, EVENT.
AND I NOTED, I NOTED YESTERDAY THAT I'M A, I'M A PARISHIONER AT, UH, SAINT TA, SAINT IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, WHICH IS NOW ST.
TERESA OF CALCUTTA IN MONTCLAIR.
AND I MISSED MASS LAST SUNDAY, BUT I FEEL THE, LIKE BETWEEN YESTERDAY'S EVENT.
AND TONIGHT, IF YOU SAY FATHER BENNY, YOU TELL HIM I'M COVERED.
UH, AND WELCOME BACK, UH, VANESSA JONES, WHO'S GONNA GIVE ANOTHER YEP.
PUSH, SORRY,
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT, UH, ABOUT HER OWN BACKGROUND.
VANESSA'S BROADWAY CREDITS INCLUDE THE ORIGINAL CAST AND MEMBERS OF DISNEY'S, THE LION KING, CAROLYN, OR CHANGE, AND THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY.
HER REGIONAL CREDITS INCLUDE THE BROTHER, SISTER PLAYS AT THE PUBLIC THEATER, MISS YOU, LIKE HELL, THE COLOR PURPLE, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
HER TELEVISION CREDITS INCLUDE SPIKE LEE'S.
SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT TOO ON NETFLIX, PARTNER TRACK, NETFLIX.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHY WE HAD A NET.
WE GETTING SOME SUPPORT FROM NETFLIX,
AND IN FILM, DAUGHTER OF THE BRIDE, NAKED SINGULARITY, AND THE BOY DOWNSTAIRS.
HER VOICE CAN BE HEARD IN VARIOUS VOICEOVERS AND ALBUMS AS A SINGER, AS A BACKUP SINGER FOR VARIOUS ARTISTS.
SHE IS ALSO ONE OF THE WORSHIP LEADERS AT HER CHURCH, WHICH IS WHY I WAS NOTING THAT EARLIER AND SINGS IN A WEDDING BAND.
VANESSA, WE ARE HONORED, UH, THAT YOU CAME WITH US TONIGHT.
AND LET'S GIVE A ROYAL ARM ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR VANESSA JONES.
I AM SO HONORED TO BE IN THIS ROOM WITH ALL YOU ESTABLISHED WOMEN.
I THOUGHT THIS SONG WOULD BE FITTING FOR THIS.
I BELIEVE THE CHILDREN ARE A FUTURE.
TEACH THEM WELL AND LET THEM LEAD THE WAY.
SHOW THEM ALL THE BEAUTY THEY INSIDE.
LET THAT CHILDREN'S REMIND US HOW WE USED TO BE.
EVERYBODY SEARCHING FOR A HERO.
PEOPLE NEED SOMEONE TO LOOK UP TO.
I'VE NEVER FOUND ANYONE WHO FULFILLED MY TO BE.
AND SO I'VE LEARNED TO ON WITH I SUCCEED.
I BELIEVE NO MATTER WHO, WHAT THEY TAKE FROM ME, THEY CAN TAKE AWAY IS HAPPENING TO ME.
I BELIEVE THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE.
[00:50:01]
TEACH THEM LORD, INSIDE A, IT'LL MAKE IT EASIER.LAUGHTER REMIND US HOW WE USE IF FAIL, IF SUCCEED MATTER, TAKE FROM ME.
THEY CAN TAKE AWAY EASY YOURSELF.
PLEASE, LET'S GIVE HER ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
MY NAME IS COMMISSIONER ROBERT MERCADO, AND I ALSO JOINED MY COLLEAGUES IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
BEFORE I GET INTO MY REMARKS, I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY THAT I, UM, I HAVE SUCH A PROFOUND RESPECT FOR WOMEN, UM, RAISED FOR, UH, BY MY PARENTS.
MY MOM WAS NEVER ABLE TO WORK, ALWAYS SICK, DISABLED.
UM, TODAY SHE'S 90 YEARS OLD AND SHE'S, UM, SHE'S STRONG.
SHE RAISED NINE OF US, EIGHT BOYS AND ONE GIRL.
AND, UM, AND I AM BLESSED TO HAVE, UM, A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
MY WIFE, I HAVE FOUR DAUGHTERS.
AND, UM, I TRY TO TEACH THEM AND TRY TO ALLOW THEM TO SEE THE YOUNG WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP STRONG, UM, THAT EDUCATION IS, IS IS HOW YOU EMPOWER OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
SO AGAIN, TO ALL OF THE WOMEN HERE TODAY, I SALUTE YOU.
UH, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART TODAY, I TOOK THE LIBERTY TO HONOR TWO VERY SPECIAL, DYNAMIC, STRONG PUBLIC SERVANTS, UM, WHOM I HAD THE PRIVILEGE, UM, TO RUN ALONG WITH WHEN I FIRST, UH, RAN FOR OFFICE, UM, I RAN WITH THE 29TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, UM, AND THEY WERE ALL WOMEN, AND THEY STILL ARE ALL WOMEN.
AND, AND TODAY'S HONOREES ARE THE TWO ASSEMBLY WOMEN FROM THAT DISTRICT WHO I AM SO PROUD OF.
UM, FIRST, UM, LET ME BEGIN AND LET ME CALL UP OUR ASSEMBLYWOMAN ELIANA PINTO MARIN HAILING FROM THE EAST WARD.
LET ME READ SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COMMENDATION, AND I WILL ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU AGAIN, YOU KNOW, READ, UH, THEIR BIOS, UH, UH, IN THE PROGRAM.
LEONA PINTO MARIN ATTENDED ACADEMY OF ST.
BENEDICT'S FOR GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND GRADUATED FROM MOTHER SETON REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE WENT ON TO EARN, SHE WENT ON TO EARN HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND HER MASTER'S DEGREE FROM ST.
[00:55:01]
IN NEW YORK.SHE RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE IN BOTH PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
ASSEMBLYWOMAN PINTO MARIN BEGAN HER PROFESSIONAL CAREER WORKING FOR A BRAZILIAN INVESTMENT BANK IN NEW YORK CITY.
SHE IS NOW THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
SHE FIRST JOINED THE ASSEMBLY AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE 29TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT IN 2013, AND WAS REELECTED TO HER FOURTH TERM IN NOVEMBER, 2021.
AS AN ASSEMBLYWOMAN, SHE HAS HELD SEVERAL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, INCLUDING HER PRESENT ROWE AS THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE, IT'S MOST POWERFUL COMMITTEE IN THE ASSEMBLY.
SHE IS CO-CHAIR OF THE JOINT BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND AS A MEMBER OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE AS BUDGET CHAIR, SHE PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE DECISIONS BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR INVOLVING NEW JERSEY STATE BUDGET.
HER MOST IMPORTANT ROLE, HOWEVER, IS AS A CHAMPION FOR THE WORKING FAMILIES OF HER DISTRICT.
SHE HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH HER FELLOW LAWMAKERS ON CRUCIAL MEASURES TO RESTORE STATE FUNDING FOR FAMILY PLANNING CENTERS.
ENSURE EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN AND BLOCKED THE FORCED MARRIAGES OF MINORS, EACH, WHICH IS NOW INTO LAW.
ASSEMBLYWOMAN PENTO ALSO SPONSOR BILLS THAT PROHIBIT PUBLIC UTILITIES FROM TERMINATING SERVICES FROM CUSTOMERS UTILIZING LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT, ESTABLISHED A TASK FORCE ON CAMPUS SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND PROVIDED RENTAL AND LEASE PROTECTIONS FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING.
SHE HAS ALSO BEEN A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE EFFORTS TO BRING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO URBAN CENTERS LIKE NEWARK.
EARLY IN HER ASSEMBLY CAREER, SHE CO-SPONSOR LAW THAT ALLOW MUNICIPAL RE DEVELOPERS TO RECEIVE TAX CREDITS ON THE ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH GRANT PROGRAMS. MORE RECENTLY, SHE SPONSORED A CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT REINSTATEMENT AND EXTENSION OF THE URBAN ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM.
SHE ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH VARIOUS REAL ESTATE INVESTORS AND DEVELOPERS ON THE RECENT LAW, ESTABLISHING FURTHER GRANT FUNDINGS FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH PROJECTS.
SHE'S A PROUD PARENT, TWO BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, AND A, AND A RIGOROUS ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES.
EDUCATION IS ALSO A LIFELONG PRIORITY FOR HER.
FROM 2008 TO 2014, SHE SERVED ON THE NEWARK BOARD OF SCHOOL, NEWARK PUBLIC ADVISORY BOARD, INCLUDING A TERM AS CHAIR IN THE ASSEMBLY.
SHE SPONSORED LAWS THAT ENSURES TEACHERS IN THE NEW JERSEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THAT REQUIRE THE TEACHING OF FINANCIAL LITERACY AND THAT EXPAND ELIGIBILITY FOR SOME MEAL PROGRAMS FOR HUNGRY CHILDREN.
SHE'S EXTREMELY DEDICATED TO HER COMMUNITY.
SHE HAS HELPED WORKED IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES AT DIFFERENT VARIOUS PORTUGUESE CULTURAL CLUBS, AND WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LUIS KAMO PORTUGUESE SCHOOL.
HOWEVER, HER, THE ROLE THAT SHE IS MOST PROUDEST TO SERVE IS THAT OF MOTHER.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
ELIANA, YOUR PLAQUE READS, THE COUNTY, THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONER, HEREBY HONORS YOU THE HONORABLE ELIANA PINTO MARINE FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WOMEN EVERYWHERE.
IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, MARCH 23RD, 2023.
AND PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU ALSO ARE GETTING PRAYER PRESENTATIONS FROM CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION FROM THE OFFICE OF DONALD PAYNE.
WE CONGRATULATE YOU, WE SALUTE AND COMMEND YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I'M, I'M HUMBLED TODAY, UH, UH, MY HUSBAND ANTHONY IS WITH MY, MY TWO GIRLS.
UM, THEY BOTH PLAY SOCCER AND TRACK.
I TOLD THEM, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE REALLY GONNA DO THIS, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, BUT IT'S VERY FUNNY BECAUSE ON THE WAY HERE, SO THEY HAVE THEIR IPADS AND THEY USE THEIR EMAIL TO SEND ME MESSAGES AS TEXT.
UM, AND THEY KNEW THAT THEY COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
SO THE MOST SPECIAL THING IS WHEN THEY TELL ME, MAMA, I LOVE YOU AND WISH ME LUCK.
UM, SO THIS IS, FOR ME, IT'S, IT'S LIKE A COMING HOME.
A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE HERE, ESPECIALLY THE COMMISSIONERS, KNOWN ME BEFORE I WAS MARRIED, UM, WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT, UH,
[01:00:01]
IN POLITICS ON THE BOARD OF ED, UM, THROUGH MY FIRST CHILD.UM, AND REALLY HAVE SEEN ME KIND OF GROW ON, ON ON THAT RESPECT.
SO WORKING HERE AT THE COUNTY, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S WORK, BUT IT'S ALSO FAMILY.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T INCORPORATE FAMILY INTO YOUR WORKPLACE, THEN WHAT'S THE POINT? WE SPEND MORE TIME WITH EACH OTHER THAN SOMETIMES WE DO WITH OUR OWN FAMILY.
AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNCILWOMAN HERE BEFORE SAID THAT IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, DOING THINGS THAT YOU LOVE AND SERVICING OTHER PEOPLE.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK WE MAKE ALL THIS MONEY IN PUBLIC SERVICE, BUT NOT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BANK ACCOUNTS,
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, I COME FROM VERY HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
MY MOM HAS A THIRD GRADE EDUCATION LEVEL, AND MY DAD WANTED MORE THAN ANYTHING TO GO TO COLLEGE, BUT HE COULDN'T.
SO THEY CHOSE THIS COUNTRY TO MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING BORN IN THE UNITED STATES AND BEING AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
SO EDUCATION FOR MY FAMILY WAS THE ONE THING THAT THEY STRIVE FOR, AND THEY SAID THEY CAN REALLY CHANGE.
UM, AND I'M A TRUE BELIEVER IN THAT BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME.
BUT IT'S ALSO, UM, WHAT I THINK ALL OF US ARE TRYING TO REINFORCE IN, IN OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM, WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE, WHAT COLOR YOU ARE, UM, AND I THINK US WOMEN, WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL, SORRY, MEN.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE VERY EASY, UH, TO DEAL WITH AT TIMES.
WE'RE VERY EASY TO COME TO THE TABLE AND COME AND SOLVE PROBLEMS. WE'RE UNCOMPLICATED FOR PROBLEM SOLVING FOR OTHERS, SOMETIMES NOT FOR OUR OWN.
UM, BUT WE'RE VERY GOOD IN NEGOTIATORS.
AND I THINK THAT WE JUST BRING A DIFFERENT ASPECT TO THAT TABLE.
SO I'M BLESSED IN, IN SHARING MY ASSEMBLY SEAT WITH, UM, SHANEE SPATE, WHO I'VE KNOWN IN FULL CIRCLE WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD OF ED.
UM, AND THEN NOW HAVING RENEE, YOU RUINED IT FOR US SENATOR.
WE WERE THE ONLY ALL FEMALE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT I WELCOME MORE FEMALE.
I THINK ESSEX COUNTY IS GONNA BE ONE OF THE COUNTIES IN THE LEGISLATOR THAT WILL BE REPRESENTED BY MORE FEMALES IN ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
SO I WANNA THANK ALL THE FREEHOLDERS, UH, TO, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, TONIGHT.
UM, YOU ARE AN EXTENSION OF MY FAMILY.
I'VE KNOWN MANY OF YOU FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, SO I, I ACCEPT THIS AWARD HUMBLY BOBBY, YOU'RE LIKE A, A, YOU KNOW, WE CAMPAIGNED
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT FUN.
I'M HUMBLED TO ACCEPT THE AWARD TODAY, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE HONOREES TONIGHT.
AND NOW I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP ANOTHER DYNAMIC PERSON.
THEY'RE A DYNAMIC DUE, UH, FROM THE 29TH, UM, ASSEMBLYWOMAN SHANIQUE SPATE HAIL FROM THE CENTRAL WARD.
LET ME SHARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COMMENDATION.
THE HONORABLES SPADE STARTED HER FRESHMAN YEAR IN THE NEW JERSEY GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 2018.
SINCE HER ARRIVAL, SHE HAS PROVEN THAT DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE IN HER COMMUNITY CAN TRANSLATE INTO TANGIBLE CHANGE THROUGH ADVOCACY AND LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
ASSEMBLYWOMAN SP HAS BECOME A UNIQUE VOICE IN THE LEGISLATOR, AN ARTI VAGUE ADVOCATE FOR ISSUES THAT IMPACT WOMEN, CHILDREN, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS.
SHE CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE ASSEMBLY, HOMELAND AND STATE PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE.
SHE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY AGING AND SENIOR SERVICE COMMITTEE AND THE ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE.
ASSEMBLYWOMAN'S BAY IS A FORMER MEMBER OF NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOL'S ADVISORY BOARD FROM 2007 AND 2012, THROUGH HER TENURE, SHE SERVED AS VICE CHAIR AND ACCEPTED A GO, UH, GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENT TO THE DISTRICT'S SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH COMMITTEE.
SHE'S ALSO A LONGSTANDING LEADER IN THE CENTRAL AWARD DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE, WHERE SHE CURRENTLY SERVES AS VICE CHAIR AND TO THE CHAIR, HER HUSBAND, BISHOP ANDRE SPAY, I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S HERE, BUT HE'S, UH, HE, HE HE'LL BE HERE
[01:05:01]
TO EMPOWERING WOMEN, ENSURING THE WELLBEING OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AND TAKING CARE OF HER SENIORS.AND SHE TAKES CARE OF HER SENIORS.
THERE IS EVERY SINGLE WEEK THERE'S AN ACTIVITY, RIGHT? MOM, MOM IS EVERYWHERE.
AND SHE IS, UH, UH, SUCH A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR HER SENIORS, UM, WHO SERVES AND, AND ENGAGES WITH THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
IN ADDITION, FOR THE MANY YEARS, SHE'S TAKEN PRIDE IN OFFERING ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THROUGH THE PROVISION OF CHILDCARE AT HER CHILDCARE CENTER.
UM, SHE'S A GRADUATE OF THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY MH HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, WHERE SHE IS ALSO LIVING OUT ONE OF HER DREAMS OF BEING A MEMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THROUGH HER SERVICE AS AN OFFICER ON THE ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF.
SHE'S ALSO AN ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICER, UM, ON TOP OF HER PUBLIC SERVICE AS ASSEMBLYWOMAN THAT IS, UH, PHENOMENAL.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE'S A DEVOTED WIFE, LOVING MOTHER OF FOUR CHILDREN.
THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HEREBY HONORS SHANIQUE SPATE FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT OF WOMEN EVERYWHERE.
IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, MARCH 23RD, 2023.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE, UH, YOU'RE ALSO PRESENTING WITH A CONGRESSIONAL, UH, CERTIFICATE FROM DR.
WE CONGRATULATE YOUS ASSEMBLYWOMAN COMMEND YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO, NOT ONLY IN PUBLIC SERVICE, UM, IN YOUR COMMUNITY, IN THE CENTRAL WARD.
THEY ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AND BISHOP SPATE, WHO ARE, UH, AVID, UM, ADVOCATES, UM, FOR THE ENTIRE CENTRAL WARD.
SHE'S EVERY DAY WITH THE YOUNG ONES.
SHE'S BINGO WITH THE SENIORS, YOU NAME IT, SHE'S FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
UM, SHE IS JUST WORKING EVERY WEEK TIRELESSLY.
SO FOR THAT, WE HONOR YOU AND THANK YOU.
I HAVE TO RAISE THE MIC ALL THE WAY UP HERE FOR MYSELF.
AND I'M LOOKING FOR MY HUSBAND, SO HE'S NOT HERE.
I HAVE TO TAKE MONEY OUTTA HIS WALLET TONIGHT, SO I GET A PASS.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE HONOREES ON TONIGHT.
UM, IT'S JUST A PRIVILEGE AND A HONOR TO BE HERE.
UM, 15 YEARS AGO WHEN I RAN FOR SCHOOL BOARD, UM, COMMISSIONER, OUR FORMER COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT, UH, BLONIE WATSON, UM, SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY CANDIDACY.
I WAS JUST LIKE, NO, THIS IS NOT WHAT I WOULD WANNA DO.
I I WAS A MOTHER WORKING, HAD MY OWN BUSINESS.
I WAS CONTENT, I WAS COMFORTABLE IN DOING WHAT I WAS DOING.
UM, AND ANYONE THAT KNOWS, UM, BLONIE WATSON, SHE SAID, OH, SHANIQUE, YOU WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, SO SHE ENCOURAGED ME TO RUN AND, AND IT WAS, UH, IT WAS WOMEN LIKE HER THAT PUSHED ME INTO THIS FACE.
AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, KNOWING THAT WHEN YOU ARE IN HIS FACE, SOMETIMES YOU, YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS PEOPLE LIKE HER THAT HELPED ME GET TO WHERE I AM TODAY.
AND SO, 15 YEARS AGO, THAT'S WHEN I ACTUALLY MET THE NORTH WARD FAMILY.
IF ANYBODY KNOWS STEVE ABADO AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THE NORTH FORCE CENTER WORKS AND UNDERSTANDING THE POLITICS OF IT ALL, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU, WHEN YOU ARE DOING PUBLIC SERVICE, YOU CAN'T BE NORMAL.
YOU, YOU'RE NOT NORMAL DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU CAN TAKE SO MANY BEATINGS YOU CAN TAKE, YOU CAN, YOU COULD GET KNOCKED DOWN A COUPLE OF TIMES AND GET BACK UP AND KEEP ON MOVING.
AND I'VE GOTTEN KNOCKED DOWN A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I GOT BACK UP AND I KEPT ON MOVING.
BUT GUESS WHAT? IT HAS MADE ME STRONGER.
IT HAS MADE ME THE WOMAN THAT I AM ON TODAY.
SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR, UH, OUR FORM A COMMISSIONER BLONIE WATSON, FOR PUSHING ME OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE.
BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T FOR HER PUSHING ME OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE, I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
IT'S OKAY TO WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES, BUT GUESS WHAT? NEVER GET SO COMFORTABLE IN WHERE YOU ARE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE GOD IS GOING TO PLACE YOU.
SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO BE HERE ON TODAY AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY COLLEAGUE.
SHE DIDN'T SAY I WAS HER VICE CHAIR ON A SCHOOL BOARD.
AND IF YOU COULD SERVE IN NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCHOOL BOARD, YOU CAN DO
[01:10:01]
ANYTHING, ANYTHING.AND MY OTHER CO BOARD COLLEAGUE TONY RICHARD, SAYS, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.
LIKE I SAID, YOU CAN'T BE NORMAL IN THIS SPACE.
SO IT'S OKAY TO NOT BE COMFORTABLE AND IT'S OKAY NOT TO BE NORMAL, BECAUSE BEING NORMAL WON'T GET YOU TOO MANY PLACES.
SO GUESS WHAT? KEEP ON YOUR COMFORTABLE SHOES AND DON'T STAY COMFORTABLE IN THE SPACE YOU IN BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE GOD IS GOING TO PLACE YOU.
SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO BE HERE ON TODAY.
I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR GOD, THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT GOD HAS BESTOWED UPON ME.
AND MY HUSBAND IS NOT HERE ON TODAY, SO HE WILL BE GETTING A CHECK MADE ON TONIGHT.
I CAN'T WAIT, BUT I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR HIS LIFE BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T FOR HIM, I, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES HE CALLS ME AND SAY, UM, WHAT TIME YOU'LL BE HOME? SO MY HOUR ACTUALLY MEANS THREE HOURS.
AND I TELL HIM I'LL BE HOME IN AN HOUR, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THREE HOURS.
AND HE SAYS, WHEN YOU'RE BRINGING HOME FOOD, IT'S COMING.
BUT HE KNOWS JUST, JUST ORDER.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE PATIENCE AND I'M, I'M GRATEFUL FOR HIM LENDING ME OUT TO BE A PUBLIC SERV PUBLIC SERVANT.
AND MY DAUGHTER AND MY NEPHEW WHO IS HERE TODAY.
I KNOW SHE TALKING ABOUT ME CUZ THAT'S WHAT TEENAGERS DO.
SHE'S PROBABLY SAYING, I WISH MY MOTHER JUST SHUT UP RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ALL OF THIS.
JUST SIT DOWN MA CUZ SHE'S HUNGRY, TRYING TO SCOOP OUT THE FOOD AROUND THE PLACE.
BUT I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO BE HERE ON TODAY.
UH, GIVE THE MIGHTY 29 A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
MY JOB IN LIFE IS TO MAKE IA LAUGH WHEN SHE'S NOT EXPECTING IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BECOME.
UH, BEFORE I BRING UP OUR, UH, NEXT HONOREE, I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORD THAT BOBBY SAID EARLIER, AND BRENDAN AND, AND MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, I AM THE MAN I AM TODAY BECAUSE OF THE WOMEN IN MY FAMILY, NO DOUBT.
UH, MY MOTHER CARRIED US ALL ON HER BACK, UH, AND ME AND WOMB FROM CUBA.
AND, UH, MY FATHER WAS A POLITICAL PRISONER THERE AND HE WOULD REMAIN THERE UNTIL MY TWENTIES.
SO I DIDN'T GET TO MEET HIM UNTIL LATER.
SO MY MOTHER WAS MY MOTHER AND MY FATHER, AND SHE WAS THE TRIAL JUDGE EXECUTIONARY TIMES.
AND I THINK THAT I, UH, PERSONIFY MY BEST QUALITIES.
I PERSONIFY MORE OF MY MOM FOR SURE.
AND, UH, SHE WAS EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE THREE OF US.
MY TWO OLDER SISTERS, NOW THAT MY MOM IS GONE, HAVE TAKEN ON THAT ROLE OF REMINDING ME HOW MOM USED TO RUN THE SHOW.
AND I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS THE DAD WHO JUST, UH, ALONG WITH MY WIFE THROUGH A MASSIVE QUINCEANERA FOR MY DAUGHTER.
NOW, IF YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO PLANT THE QUINCEANERA, IT'S, IT'S A JOB.
SO I WAS VERY, VERY PROUD OF MY LITTLE GIRL.
AND I BRING UP MY LITTLE GO FTA BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TELL YOU SHE'S THE CHIEF OF STAFF IN MY WORLD AND SINCE SHE WAS A LITTLE LITTLE GIRL AND I WAS ON THE BLOOMFIELD COUNCIL WHEN SHE WAS LIKE SEVEN YEARS OLD, AND NAOMI WILL A MEMBER OF THIS, UH, SHE WOULD STEAL THE SHOW.
AND SO WHEN I GO HOME TODAY AND TELL HER I MET SOMEONE WHO PERFORMED ON BROADWAY AT DISNEY PLAY, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT DISNEY FANATICS I LIVE WITH AT HOME.
MY WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER ARE THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DISNEY FANS.
AND I KNOW I HEAR A LOT OF THAT FROM MOTHER.
YOU GOTTA MEET MY WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER.
AND SHE IS AN ASPIRING, UH, THEATER PERSON AND SHE JUST FINISHED ANYTHING, GOES AND NEWSIES AND UH, SHE'S A PHENOMENAL TALENT.
NOW SHE CLEARLY DOESN'T GET THAT FROM ME, BUT I ENCOURAGE HER AND SHE'S A REAL, SHE RECALLED THE STAR OF OUR SHOW ALL THE TIME.
AND SO WE GOTTA TAKE A PICTURE AFTER THAT SO I CAN LET THEM KNOW.
[01:15:01]
GOT THIS AT THE WOMEN'S EVENT TONIGHT AND YOU GUYS DIDN'T GOBUT, UH, ONE OF THE MANY, MANY ROLE MODELS THAT MY DAUGHTER FELL SITA HAS HAD IS NAOMI Z.
AND, UH, SHE MAY NOT QUITE SEE IT LIKE THIS, BUT GROWING UP, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH DAD BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN BLOOMFIELD FOR A COUPLE OF TERMS, UH, IT, IT'S INTERESTING CUZ NAOMI WAS A MADE SERGEANT IN 2014, THE YEAR THAT I BECAME A COUNCILMAN.
HE WASN'T REALLY A GREAT TIME TO BE A COUNCILMAN IN BLOOMFIELD, FRANKLY.
AND THERE WASN'T A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BACK THEN, BUT THE NEW COUNCIL, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND THE, UH, THE NEW PEOPLE LIKE NAOMI WHO WERE RISING UP THE RANKS MADE IT GREAT.
SO I WANT YOU ALL TO GIVE A VERY WARM WELCOME TO MY GOOD FRIEND, LIEUTENANT NAOMI ZEP.
IT'S RARE THAT I SEE HER OUTTA UNIFORM.
AND THE REASON WHY IS THAT SHE, I THINK IS THE FACE OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE SHE'S OUT THERE ALL THE TIME DOING SO MANY COMMUNITY EVENTS AND, UH, ALTHOUGH SHE'S MOSTLY SMILING, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE SHE'S NOT SMILING.
AND THAT'S A TIME YOU DON'T WANT TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THINGS.
BUT I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND BECAUSE I'M GETTING A LITTLE OLDER, I GOTTA PUT THESE ON, I MAKE 'EM CLEAR SO THAT THEY DON'T STAND OUT SO MUCH.
IS IT WORKING? THANK YOU LIARS.
SO LET ME, LET ME, UH, READ SOME OF THE MANY COMMENDATIONS, UH, POINTS, UH, FOR MY GOOD FRIEND, NAOMI Z.
SHE, LIKE I WAS BORN IN JERSEY CITY, MARGARET HAGUE, THAT'S WHERE I WAS BORN.
BUT YOU'RE A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN I YEAH, YOU'RE A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN I.
I, UH, YOU KNOW, I GOT A FEW YEARS ON YOU.
SO MARGARET HAGUE WAS WHERE I WAS BORN, AND SHE SPENT MANY SUMMERS AS A YOUNG, UH, YOUNG LADY WORKING WITH HER PARENTS BAKERY DOWNTOWN JERSEY CITY, WHERE SHE LEARNED IMPORTANT LIFE SKILLS AND STREET SMARTS.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAILED FROM JERSEY CITY LIKE NEWARK, YOU HAVE STREET SMARTS.
IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU MADE IT, UH, YOU KNOW SOMETHING OUTTA YOURSELF.
SHE'S A GRADUATE OF JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, EARNING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY.
SHE HAS BEEN SERVING THE TOWNSHIP OF BLOOMFIELD FOR 17 YEARS.
HER CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT BEGAN IN 2005 WHEN SHE WORKED AS A 9 1 1 DISPATCHER FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF WESTWOOD.
AND, UH, LA LATER IN 2006, SHE RECEIVED A JOB ANNOUNCEMENT NOTIFICATION FROM OUR TOWN OF BLOOMFIELD AND THAT SHE HAD BEEN SELECTED TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER FOR THE TOWN.
AND IT'S AN INCREDIBLE DAY FOR HER THAT CHANGED HER LIFE FOREVER.
AND SHE MADE THE ULTIMATE DECISION THEN TO DEDICATE HER LIFE, SERVING THE COMMUNITY IN VOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL TO ALL.
ZDA IS THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION COMMANDER FOR THE BLOOMFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SHE HAS HAD MANY REWARDING POSITIONS WHILE SERVICE SERVING AS A POLICE OFFICER.
SHE HAS BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RUN THE COMMUNITY POLICING DIVISION, WHICH SHE DID AN EX EXCELLENT JOB.
AND SHE STARTED THE JUNIOR POLICE ACADEMY EIGHT YEARS AGO, WHICH HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC PROGRAM.
IT'S BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL AND GROWN TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE YEARS.
IN 2021, SHE COMPLETED THE NECESSARY TRAINING TO BECOME THE HUMAN, UH, THE HUMANE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR THE TOWN, AS WELL AS THE CERTIFIED ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER.
SHE HAS A BIG SOFT SPOT FOR HER DOGS.
I DON'T KNOW IF I LOVE MY DOGS AS MUCH.
I GOT A SNEAKY LITTLE ITALIAN GREYHOUND.
SHE WAS PROMOTED TO SERGEANT IN 2014, AS I MENTIONED, WHEN I WAS BEGINNING MY POLITICAL SERVICE IN BLOOMFIELD AND THEN LIEUTENANT IN 2017.
AND WITH THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF HER FAMILY AND FRANCE, HER CAREER GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO RISE TO THE RANKS AND BECOME THE FIRST FEMALE POLICE CAPTAIN OF THE TOWNSHIP OF BLOOMFIELD.
AND SHE HAS ACCOMPLISHED THAT SOON.
I, WE CAN GET YOU A LITTLE HELP, BUT SHE'S A LIEUTENANT NOW AND, UH, YOU KNOW CAPTAIN'S ON THE HORIZON, HO WE'LL SEE.
WE'LL TALK TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT REALLY WE DON'T HAVE TO BECAUSE HER EXCELLENCE SERVICE HAS EARNED HER THAT.
AND WHAT I THINK IS REALLY COOL AS WE BRING UP OUR LAST HONORARY OF THE EVENING, IS THAT IN THIS ROOM HERE, WE HAVE THOSE WHO MAKE THE LAWS, THOSE WHO INTERPRET THE LAW, AND NOW SOMEONE WHO ENFORCES THE LAW, RIGHT? SO ALL PHASES OF OUR GOVERNMENT, I SHOULD QUALIFY THAT.
I ALSO TEACH HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE AS WELL.
AND I'M ALWAYS TEACHING GOVERNMENT.
AND I, I THINK IT'S COOL THAT TONIGHT WE HAVE ALL FACETS OF THAT HERE, WELL CELEBRATED AND, UH, I MEAN, I THINK OUR AUDIENCE IS A STELLAR ROSTER OF WOMEN AS WELL.
SO, I MEAN, WHAT'RE A GREAT PLACE TO BE TONIGHT.
SO LET ME READ WHAT THE PLAQUE SAYS.
IT SAYS, THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HEREBY HONORS LIEUTENANT
[01:20:01]
NAOMI Z FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WOMEN EVERYWHERE AND CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, MARCH 23RD, 2023.SO PLEASE GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AS SHE COMES UP AND SAYS A FEW WORDS.
WOW, THIS IS A COMPLETE HONOR.
I JUST WANNA SAY YOU WOMEN ARE INCREDIBLE.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, CARLOS IS A LITTLE NUTS FOR PICKING ME.
I DON'T DESERVE TO BE UP HERE WITH YOU LADIES.
UM, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A BATTLE.
I MEAN, BEING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRIMARILY RUN BY MEN.
FOR ME TO START AS A POLICE OFFICER, I ACTUALLY TRIED, I GOT HIRED, UM, IN BLOOMFIELD IN 2006, BUT IT, IT WAS DEFINITELY A STRUGGLE GETTING THERE.
I I APPLIED TO SO MANY TOWNS AND THEY ALL HAD THEIR TOKEN FEMALE.
THAT'S ALL THEY WANTED WAS THEIR ONE.
UM, WHEN I GOT HIRED IN BLOOMFIELD, I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO CONNECTICUT STATE TROOPER BECAUSE I GAVE UP ON JERSEY.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WAY I KEPT TRYING FOR DIFFERENT TOWNS AND THEN I GOT A CALL FROM BLOOMFIELD AND IT WAS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR.
IF MY MOM WAS ALIVE, SHE'D BE SO PROUD OF ME.
SO ON THAT NOTE, I WANNA THANK MY FAMILY HERE.
I WANNA THANK CARLOS, THE ENTIRE BOARD AND ALL OF YOU WOMEN.
ALL RIGHT, WE, WE HAVE SOME HARDWARE HERE.
WE GOT A PHOTOGRAPHER I THINK AFTER SIX WEEKS.
ALL RIGHT, LET GET THE OLD SPECS BECAUSE I'M ALSO GONNA CLOSE OUT THE SHOW HERE.
SO AS WE CONCLUDE THIS PROGRAM, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOARD, WE THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR JOINING AND TO CELEBRATE OUR HONOREES AND WOMEN EVERYWHERE.
EACH YEAR WE HOST THIS EVENT AND I HOPE THAT, UH, WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THIS EVENT AND ADMIRE THE TALENTED PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP THIS WONDERFUL COUNTY TO OUR HONOREES.
YOUR EFFORTS HAVE MADE EACH ONE OF YOU LEADERS IN YOUR OWN RIGHT AND YOU HAVE MADE OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER.
AND THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS, YOU HAVE INSPIRED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO BE BETTER CITIZENS.
ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL SIX.
AND EVERY YEAR WE DO THIS AND YOU THINK WE CAN'T TOP IT AND HE JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER CUZ WE STAND ON GIANTS.
TO EVERYONE HERE AND TO OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE, I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN US AND WE THANK ALL WHO, UH, PARTICIPATED IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
OUR CLERK, UH, DEBORAH DAVIS FORD, KATHY BROWN, UH, SEE, JEFF IS IN THE BACK.
WHO ELSE IS HIDING? MAZA WAS HERE AND, AND, AND LATIFAH'S HERE, LIONEL.
SO THEY'RE WONDERFUL STAFF THAT REALLY MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN.
AND, UH, THEY'RE ALWAYS BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT REALLY THEY MAKE IT HAPPEN AND THEY MAKE US LOOK GOOD WHEN WE LOOK GOOD AND WHEN WE LOOK BAD, THAT'S ON US.
SO AT THIS TIME, UH, LET'S BRING UP REVEREND, DR.
CAROL LYNN PATTERSON, TO GIVE US A VET ADDICTION AND A BLESSING.
AND PLEASE REMAIN HERE FOR A MOMENT.
OUR HONOREE FOR A COUPLE OF, UH, GROUP PHOTOS.
OKAY? AND NAOMI, YOU CAN STOP CRYING NOW.
I WAS EXTREMELY BRIEF AT THE BEGINNING CUZ I DIDN'T WANT YOU ALL TO BE LIKE, WHY DID THEY ASK THAT BAPTIST PREACHER TO COME THERE AND SAY THAT INVOCATION? NOW I'M JUST GONNA TAKE A MOMENT BECAUSE I WAS TAUGHT WHEN YOU HAVE THE MIC, YOU MIGHT AS WELL USE IT.
SO I FIRST WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INVITATION, THE OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE HONOREES.
EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE AS HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED, IS MAKING A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WE ARE GRATEFUL.
I WANNA TELL YOU, FUTURE CAPTAIN, YOU KNOW, YOUR MOTHER IS IN YOUR GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES AND SHE IS HERE TONIGHT, AS IS THE CASE FOR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS, ANYBODY WHO HAS GONE ON.
LET US LOOK TO THE LORD AND THEN LET US EAT SOME FOOD AND TAKE SOME PICTURES.
GRACIOUS GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR EVERY WOMAN WHO'S BEEN HONORED TONIGHT FOR MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS, SISTERS, FRIENDS, MENTORS WHO WERE ONCE MENTEES.
THANK YOU FOR THE WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN HONORED AND WE PRAISE YOU.
FOR THE WOMEN WHO ARE YET TO BE HONORED, AS HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED, LORD, WE HAVE THOSE WHO MAKE THE LAWS, THOSE WHO INTERPRET THE LAWS, THOSE WHO ENFORCE THE LAWS.
AND WE EVEN HAVE THOSE WHO SERVE AS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT
[01:25:01]
AND THE COMMUNITY.SO WE THANK YOU THAT EVERYBODY WHO DOES EVERYTHING TO MAKE YOUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE IS HERE TONIGHT AND INTERCONNECTED.
WE ASK THAT AS WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, WE WILL BE MINDFUL OF YOUR PRESENCE.
YOU WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AND EMPOWER US, THAT WE MIGHT INSPIRE OTHERS.
THAT WHEN THIS BODY COMES TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT YEAR, WE ARE AMAZED THAT THEY FOUND EVEN MORE CHANGE MAKERS, EVEN MORE WOMEN WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR GLORY.
WE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE FOOD THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PREPARED AND WE ASK THAT AS WE PARTAKE OUR CONVERSATIONS WOULD BE PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT.