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GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.I'M WAYNE RICHARDSON, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
AND ON BEHALF OF, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS, I WANNA WELCOME YOU TO OUR FIRST EVER L G B T Q PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATION.
YOU KNOW, OUR BOARD HAS, UH, MADE A POINT TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY OF ESSEX COUNTY BY HOLDING YEARLY EVENTS WHERE WE HONOR INDIVIDUALS FROM VARIOUS GROUPS AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ESSEX COUNTY AND TO SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.
SO, WE ARE PROUD TO ADD L G B T Q COMMUNITY TO THE GROUPS WE CELEBRATE, AND I MIGHT ADD, IT IS LONG OVERDUE.
THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON ESSEX COUNTY, AND WE WILL NOW LOOK FORWARD TO THIS EVENT EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
THIS EVENING, THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE SELECTED DESERVING INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE MADE TANGIBLE DIFFERENCES.
WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HONORING RICHARD W ROCKWELL BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, COUNCILMAN REGINALD BLOOD, SO DIRECTOR OF ESSEX COUNTY OFFICE OF L G B T Q AFFAIRS.
KATHY A HORN O'BRIEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HIAS SYNTH AND ROBINA SPENCE AND MADELINE GALE, WHO ARE MONTCLAIR'S CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSIONERS.
AS PRESIDENT OF THIS BOARD, I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PROMOTE EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
BY COMING TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT THE L G B T Q COMMUNITY, WE CAN CREATE A MORE HARMONIOUS AND UNITED SOCIETY.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL ASK THE REVEREND KATHLEEN ROLO TO RENDER AN OPENING PRAYER, UH, AS SHE STEPS FORWARD.
LET ME SHARE JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER.
REVEREND ROLO IS A PRIEST IN EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NEWARK AND SERVES THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CONGREGATION IN VERONA.
SHE'S A GRADUATE OF DREW THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND SHE AND HER HUSBAND JOHN LIVE IN VERONA.
THANK IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE INVITED TO OFFER THIS OPENING PRAYER TONIGHT.
GRACIOUS GOD, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE AND THE DIVERSITY OF HUMANITY.
EACH OF US IS CREATED WITH DIGNITY AND WORTH.
WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND HONOR THE MANY WAYS THAT PEOPLE LIVE AND LOVE, LOVE DEMANDS.
WE DO NOTHING TO OTHERS THAT WE WOULD FIND HATEFUL TO OURSELVES.
LOVE DOES NOT EXCLUDE TRUE JUSTICE FLOURISHES.
WHEN WE LIVE WITH AUTHENTICITY AND INTEGRITY, WE ALL SUFFER.
WHEN L G B T Q PERSONS ARE OPPRESSED, EXCLUDED, AND SHAMED BY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WHO OVERLOOK THE FUNDAMENTAL CALL TO JUSTICE IN OUR SCRIPTURES.
AND WHEN LAWS ARE MADE TO TAKE AWAY FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS TO HEALTH AND HAPPINESS, WE CELEBRATE SEXUAL AND GENDER DIVERSITY AS A BLESSING THAT ENRICHES US ALL.
MAY WE WORK TO BUILD A COMMUNITY WHERE ALL PEOPLE ARE CELEBRATED AS FULL AND EQUAL MEMBERS RECOGNIZING AND EMBRACING THE GIFTS WE ALL BRING TO THE TABLE.
WE ARE ALL PRECIOUS CHILDREN OF GOD.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HEAR FROM TODAY'S PERFORMER.
UH, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MICHAEL T. ROBINSON
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TO THE PODIUM WHO WILL PERFORM THE STAR SPAN BANNER AND WE WILL LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HIM A LITTLE BIT LATER ON.OH, SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN EARLY LIGHT WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HELD AT THE TWILIGHTS LAST GLEE WHOSE BROUGHT STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE, OR THE WATCHED WERE SO STREAMING AND THE BOMBS BURSTING THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE.
OH, SAY, DOES THAT STAR THE, AND THANK YOU.
ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT YOUNG MAN.
AND THANK YOU, REVEREND, FOR YOUR VERY THOUGHTFUL WORDS.
VERY APPROPRIATE FOR TODAY AND FRANKLY EVERY DAY.
MY NAME IS CARLOS POMAR AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THIS BOARD, AND I'M REALLY HONORED TO TAKE PART IN OUR FIRST EVER L B G T Q PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATION.
AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO MY GOOD FRIEND, UH, WAYNE RICHARDSON'S SENTIMENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING THIS MONTH AND STANDING WITH OUR L B G T COMMUNITY, FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND NEIGHBORS.
AND FURTHERMORE, I WANT TO OFFER CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL HONOREES.
IT'S ALSO NICE THAT REGGIE MAY LEFT A FEW HONOREE AWARDS LEFT FOR US.
HE'S BEEN COLLECTING THEM ALL YEAR.
AND SO WE WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU LEFT A FEW FOR US TO HAND OUT.
UM, BUT AT THIS TIME, UH, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, BUT HE DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, WAYNE RICHARDSON, UH, FROM THE LATIN CORNER REPRESENTING MYSELF AND, UH,
THE, UH, THE QUEEN OF THE BOARD, AS I LIKE TO SAY, UH, SHE DOESN'T LIKE WHEN I SAY THAT, BUT I'M GONNA DO IT ANYWAY.
THE LIVING LEGEND, THE LONGEST TENURED COMMISSIONER ON OUR BOARD.
SO GOING BACK TO LIKE FREE HOLDER DAYS FOR A LONG TIME, THE O ONE AND ONLY PAT SIEBOLD, MY BROTHER AND NEIGHBOR FROM MONTCLAIR, AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD COMMISSIONER BRENDAN GILL, MY GOOD FRIEND, UH, A LITTLE FURTHER WEST IN ESSEX COUNTY, UH, LEN LUCIANA, AND THEY'RE VERY LOVELY.
AND, UH, THE ONE WHO MAKES ME SMILE OFF ON THE OTHER SIDE, UH, ROMAINE GRAHAM, COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, THEY GAVE ME CARDS OF DIGNITARIES I NEED TO RECOGNIZE.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A QUORUM, I DON'T NEED 'EM, BOBBY, THEY'RE ALL FROM BLOOMFIELD.
UM, THEY'RE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A BLOOMFIELD TOWN COUNCIL QUORUM, AND FOR THE RECORD, THEY'RE SITTING SEPARATELY.
UM, BUT WE HAVE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT HERE FROM THE BLOOMFIELD COUNCIL.
I WANT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE A FEW OF THEM.
IF YOU GIVE ME A MOMENT, MY GOOD FRIEND MAYOR MIKE VEIA, AND MY DEAR FRIEND WHO IS ALSO A RECIPIENT OF A SIMILAR AWARD HERE FOR OUR, OUR, UH, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN, UH, HISTORY IN OUR CELEBRATION THAT WE DO IN FEBRUARY, ABOUT WHAT, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, DR.
WART DAVIS, UH, LIKE PAT IN SOME WAYS THE LONGEST TENURED COUNCILMAN ON, UH, BLOOMFIELD'S,
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UH, I DON'T KNOW IF HISTORY, BUT YOU'RE GETTING UP THERE.THEY USED TO CONFUSE ME WITH THE NEXT GUY.
THEY DON'T QUITE DO IT ANYMORE.
UH, AND GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, TED GAMBLE.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE HALEN FROM THE THIRD WARD, SARAH CRUZ.
THE SEVENTH MEMBER WILL BE RICH ROCKWELL, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT HIM IN A MINUTE.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE VICE CHAIR OF BLOOMFIELD'S COUNTY COMMITTEE.
JENNIFER GAMBLE, WHO'S SITTING NEXT TO KEVIN AND I, I ALMOST DIDN'T SEE HER, I'M SORRY.
UH, BUT A GOOD FRIEND FROM THE FIRST WARD WHO REPRESENTS ME IN BLOOMFIELD.
AND WE HAVE CONNECTIONS GOING BACK TO MY ALMA MATER AT CAL UNIVERSITY.
REGGIE GOT TOO MANY AWARDS, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA ACKNOWLEDGE HIM YET AGAIN,
SO REALLY THANK YOU ALL TO, UH, FOR JOINING US ON THIS EVENING.
IT'S NOW MY GREAT PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT THIS FIRST HONOR OF THE EVENING.
AND THIS IS SOMEONE WHO I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF KNOWING FOR MANY YEARS.
WE ACTUALLY RAN TOGETHER FOR BLOOMFIELD COUNCIL, UNSUCCESSFULLY, BUT SUCCESSFULLY.
UH, HE HAS BEEN, UH, MY PARTNER IN ALL THINGS HISTORY, MUCH PROBABLY TO THE DISMAY OF MAYOR VEIA AND OTHERS BECAUSE WE CAME WITH A LOT OF STUFF, BUT THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE TO THE, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE ARTS AND CULTURE THAT, UH, MY FRIEND RICHIE AND I BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
AND, UM, HE IS A, A VERY CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND OF THE, OF MY FAMILY AS WELL.
AND SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MY GOOD FRIEND RICHARD ROCKWELL.
I GOT A FEW BULLET POINTS THAT I WANNA SHARE SO I DON'T FORGET, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE HERE ALL NIGHT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ALL NIGHT.
BUT, UM, THE HONORABLE RICHARD ROCKWELL HAS LIVED IN BLOOMFIELD FOR 20 YEARS WITH HIS PARTNER RAJI COW, RIGHT HERE.
AND, UH, THEY ARE A DYNAMIC DUO.
AND, UH, RICH'S UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE DEGREES IN EDUCATION FROM TEMPLE UNIVERSITY IN PHILADELPHIA.
COUNCILMAN ROCKWELL RETIRED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
I DON'T EVEN NOTICE HE'S SO BUSY.
HE REALLY DID RETIRE A FEW YEARS BACK FROM A CAREER IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND FINANCE AND, UH, FROM THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES, BUT YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN AS BUSY AS EVER.
HE SERVED AS A BLOOMFIELD COUNCILMAN SINCE 2018.
AND IN FACT, WHEN I LEFT BLOOMFIELD COUNCIL TO JOIN THIS BOARD, HE FILLED THAT POSITION.
AND I DON'T WANNA SAY FOLLOWED IN MY FOOTSTEPS CUZ HE'S BLAZED HIS OWN TRAIL AND IS OWN A PHENOMENAL JOB.
UM, HE'S ALSO SERVED WITH ME, UH, ON THE BLOOMFIELD MORRIS CANAL GREENWAY COMMITTEE, UM, THE BLOOMFIELD PLANNING BOARD AND THE BLOOMFIELD HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION.
HE WAS ON THE BOARD OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF BLOOMFIELD FOR MOST OF THE TIME THAT HE HAS LIVED IN BLOOMFIELD.
HE'S ALSO AUTHORED ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS AND MY SONG CARLOS SAYS, AS WELL, BLOOMFIELD THROUGH TIME.
IN FACT, I DON'T THINK YOU'VE AUTOGRAPHED IT.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT.
COUNCILMAN ROCKWELL HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH, UM, LG B LGBTQ RIGHTS MOVEMENT SINCE THE 1970S WHEN HE HELPED FOUND THE ENROLLMENT CENTER IN PHILADELPHIA, ONE OF THE FIRST L B G T FRIENDLY COUNSELING SERVICES IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WHEN HE WASN'T ATTENDING MEETINGS AND WORKING ON TOWNSEND PROJECTS AND HIS HISTORIC PRESERVATION, HE WAS CONDUCTING TOURS OF THE BLOOMFIELD HISTORIC DISTRICT AND MORRIS CANAL.
AND THAT'S A TRUE STORY, MY SON ABOUT, LIKE, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, SAYS, DAD, DAD, RICH IS OUTSIDE WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE.
AND I SAID, WELL, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK HE CAME TO SEE ME.
WHAT IS HE DOING? HE SAYS, I THINK HE'S GIVING HIM A TOUR.
HE'S LIKE, OH YEAH, THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY TOURS THAT HE DOES IN BLOOMFIELD.
ASIDE FROM ALL THAT, HE WORKS PART-TIME AS A LAND STEWARD AT, UH, MANITOGA, AT THE RUSSELL WRIGHT DESIGN CENTER.
AND HE VOLUNTEERS AS A LICENSED EXPERT IN INVASIVE SPECIES REMEDIATION WITH THE NEW YORK NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE, SOUTH MOUNTAIN CONSERVANCY, BONZAI PRESERVE, AND SEVERAL NATIVE SPECIES RESTORATION PROJECTS IN BLOOMFIELD.
SO, LIKE I SAID TO SAY, THIS GUY'S RETIRED IS REALLY NOT TRUE.
HE JUST, HE RETIRED FROM ONE INDUSTRY TO BECOME AN EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SERVANT.
AND BLOOMFIELD IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A WHOLE HOST OF EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, SERVANTS HERE.
AND I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE ALL HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE RICH ROCKWELL IS AS GOOD AS ANY THAT I'VE EVER SEEN SERVE THE PUBLIC.
AND HE'S NOT ONE WHO CALLS ATTENTION TO HIMSELF.
HE ACTUALLY SHY SUN LIMELIGHT.
HE ACTUALLY TOLD ME HE WAS NERVOUS COMING IN TODAY.
I SAID, WHY? YOU'RE AMONG FRIENDS, RIGHT? MAYBE SOME FRIENDS YOU HAVEN'T MET YET, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
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PERSON.AND SO I'M VERY PROUD, UH, THAT WE HAVE, UH, THIS, UH, HONOR TO RECOGNIZE YOU AND THAT MAKES TWO PEOPLE FROM BLOOMFIELD COUNCIL.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE'LL HAVE SOME IN THE FUTURE, BUT LET ME, UH, LET'S GET THE PLAQUE AND LET ME READ WHAT IT, UH, SAYS ON THERE.
IT SAYS, UH, THIS LOVELY PLAQUE WILL SAY, UH, THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HEREBY HONORS THE HONORABLE RICH ROCK BULL FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT AND PRIDE OF THE ESSEX COUNTY L B L G B T Q COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATION OF L G B T Q PRIDE MONTH, JUNE 21ST, 2023.
SO WE ALSO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FROM CONGRESSWOMAN CHERYL.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, RICHIE.
PLEASE, UH, SHARE A FEW WORDS.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION AND THANK YOU FOR THE AWARD.
AND SPEAKING OF HISTORY, UH, REFLECTING ON THIS AWARD, I REALIZE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE L G B LGBTQ RIGHTS MOVEMENT FOR 50 YEARS.
SO I'M ACCEPTING THIS AWARD AS CELEBRATION OF MY 50 YEARS OF ACTIVISM.
UH, I'M GLAD TO SEE IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, HARVEY MILK AND BARBARA GIDDINGS MENTIONED I KNEW BARBARA GIDDINGS FROM MY DAYS BACK IN PHILADELPHIA.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN HARVEY MILK RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED BY THAT.
I THOUGHT, WHAT A GREAT IDEA RUNNING FOR OFFICE TO HAVE OUT GAY PEOPLE RANK FOR OFFICE.
UM, UM, I I HOPE SOMEDAY I HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO DO THAT.
IT WAS IN 2010, CARLOS MENTIONED I RAN FOR COUNCIL IN BLOOMFIELD.
UM, I THINK REGGIE KEEPS THESE STATISTICS, BUT I THINK I WAS THE SECOND OPENLY GAY PERSON TO RUN FOR A PUBLIC OFFICE IN ESSEX COUNTY WAR.
TINA DAVIS, MY COLLEAGUE, WAS THE FIRST, UH, ELECTED OUT OFFICIAL IN BLOOMFIELD.
SO I'M THE SECOND ONE IN BLOOMFIELD.
I WAS NOT, UH, WE DIDN'T WIN IN THE ELECTION IN 2010, BUT IT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
AND, UM, I FELT, UH, I WASN'T QUITE SURE WHAT TO EXPECT BEING AN AN OPENLY GAY PERSON.
I, I WASN'T SURE WHAT KIND OF REACTION I'D GET FROM PEOPLE, BUT I HAVE TO SAY, PEOPLE WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE, VERY WELCOMING, EXCEPT FOR A FEW, I MEAN, ON, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU GET ALL THE, YOU GET SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAY, WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS MAKING SUCH A BIG FUSS ABOUT TELLING EVERYBODY YOU'RE GAY? AND MY RESPONSE WAS, I WANT TO BE A ROLE MODEL.
I LIKE HARVEY MILK WAS A ROLE MODEL FOR ME.
I WANT TO BE A ROLE MODEL FOR, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE.
SO MY PARTNER, AS CARLOS MENTIONED, ROGER KALIS HERE, I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS SUPPORT.
WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT, I COULDN'T HAVE, I WOULDN'T BE HERE.
UH, WE MOVED TO BLOOMFIELD ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, AND I ALSO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT BEING OPENLY GAY, AN OPENLY GAY COUPLE IN BLOOMFIELD.
BUT WE WERE VERY, VERY WELCOMED, VERY SUPPORTED.
WE GOT INVOLVED IN, UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE BLOOMFIELD NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE WAS A GROUP CALLED B NAC, BLOOMFIELD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE WHERE I SORT OF LEARNED ABOUT LOCAL POLITICS.
I MET COUNCILMAN, UM, JOANNA AND THAT, AND THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF US.
SO, UM, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL, UH, TO LIVE WHERE I LIVE.
I'M, I'M GRATEFUL THAT I LIVE IN A STATE WHERE THE MAYOR HAS DECLARED THE STATE SAFE HAVEN FOR TRANS, UH, YOUTH WHO NEED HEALTHCARE.
WE LIVE IN A COUNTY WHO HAS, UH, AN OFFICE OF L G B LGBTQ AFFAIRS, AND WE'RE HAVING A CELEBRATION.
AND I'M, IT'S A GREAT EVENT HERE.
AND, UM, I'VE BEEN VERY, VERY SUPPORTED BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED COUNCILWOMAN, UM, WAR DAVIS MAYOR, MIKE VENEZIA, JENNY DEL, UH, TED GAMBLE, SARAH CRUZ, AND NICK JOANNA.
SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS AWARD.
IF YOU FORGIVE ME, WE'RE GONNA BREAK A LITTLE BIT FROM TYPICAL PROTOCOL BECAUSE THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL HAVE A, UH, VERY IMPORTANT FAREWELL EVENT TODAY FOR OUR BELOVED LOUIS FELIX, WHICH MOST OF YOU KNOW WHO'S MOVING TO FLORIDA.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA TAKE OUR QUICK PICTURES RIGHT NOW.
SO ROGER, CAN YOU JOIN US FOR A PICTURE? AND THEN I WOULD LIKE THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO JOIN US AS WELL.
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WHEN YOU SEE THE NOISE, MAN, TELL HIM I SAID HI.WE NEED TO HAVE BLOOMFIELD IN THE HOUSE.
I'M COMMISSIONER PAT SIEBOLD AND I JOINED MY COLLEAGUES IN CELEBRATING L G B T Q PRIDE MONTH.
I'VE KNOWN MY HONOREE FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE I AM THE, WELL IT WAS FREEHOLDER, NOW IT'S COMMISSIONER.
I AM THE COMMISSIONER LIAISON TO THE L G B T Q, UH, ADVISORY BOARD, AND THAT'S HOW I KNOW MY HONOREE SO WELL.
SO AT THIS TIME, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR SECOND HONOREE.
SO JOIN ME IN WELCOMING TO THE PODIUM KATHY AHERN O'BRIEN.
KATHY, YOU CAN TELL THAT I KNOW HER FOR A LONG TIME.
I'LL SHARE A FEW DETAILS FROM THE COMMENDATION.
KATHY AHERN O'BRIEN, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HYACINTH AIDS FOUNDATION IN NEW BRUNSWICK, IS A SEASONED EXECUTIVE WITH EXPERIENCE IN BOTH THE NONPROFIT NOT-FOR-PROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT ENVIRONMENTS.
PRIOR TO BEING NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN MARCH, 2009, SHE SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE SENIOR STAFF FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN STRATEGIC CONVERSATIONS INVOLVING CLIENT SERVICES PREVENTION AND PUBLIC PO POLICY, THE CORNERSTONE OF HY ESSENCE'S MISSION.
KATHY IS ALSO APPOINTED CO-CHAIR OF THE ESSEX COUNTY NEW JERSEY, L G B T Q ADVISORY BOARD TASKED WITH ADVISING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ON RE ON ISSUES RELE RELATIVE TO THE L G B T Q POPULATION FOR RESIDENTS, EMPLOYEES, AND VISITORS OF THE COUNTY.
SHE SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE NEW JERSEY LESBIAN AND GAY COALITION FROM 2000 UNTIL 2009, AND SERVED AS A BOARD MEMBER OF LAMBDA FAMILIES OF NEW JERSEY, ONE OF NEW JERSEY'S EARLIEST L G B T Q FAMILY GROUPS FROM 1993 TO 1999.
SHE IS THE CO-CHAIR OF THE NEW JERSEY TASK FORCE TO END THE H HIV V EPIDEMIC.
KATHY EARNED HER MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FROM RUTGERS NEWARK.
YOUR RECORD OF SERVICE IS BEYOND REPROACH AND WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S, COMMENDATION AND PLAQUE.
THE PLAQUE READS, THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HEREBY HONORS KATHY AHERN O'BRIEN FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT AND PRIDE OF THE ESSEX COUNTY L G B T Q COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATION OF THE L G B T Q PRIDE MONTH, JUNE 21ST, 2023.
AND YOU'LL ALSO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE OF SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL REGULATION RECOGNITION FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MIKEY CHERYL.
SO IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE SAY A FEW WORDS.
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I'M SO HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD, PARTICULARLY FROM COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD WHO REALLY HAS BEEN WITH THE G B T Q ADVISORY BOARD, UM, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY SINCE WE WERE FOUNDED BACK IN, UH, MEGGIE KNOWS 2011.UM, YOU KNOW, I, AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HIGHEND, IT REALLY IS A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
IT IS, UM, ALWAYS THE PEOPLE ON THE FRONT LINE WHO REALLY SHOULD BE UP HERE RECEIVING AWARDS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
AND NOT ME, CUZ THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE IN THE TRENCHES AND THE CITIES IN NEW JERSEY, UH, LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING WITH HIV AND MAY BE UNAWARE OF THEIR STATUS, LOOKING TO HELP PE ENGAGE PEOPLE IN HEALTHCARE.
CUZ WE KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE LIVING WITH HIV AND WE CAN ENGAGE YOU IN HEALTHCARE AND GET UNFETTERED ACCESS TO MEDICATION, THAT YOU WILL NOT TRANSMIT HIV TO ANOTHER HUMAN BEING.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA END THE EPIDEMIC.
SO, I, YOU KNOW, ON, ON THE STANDING WITH THE A HUNDRED OR SO STAFF AT HYACINTH, I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS AWARD.
I'M GRATEFUL, I'M SO THRILLED THAT I GET TO WORK WITH REGGIE ON THE ESSEX COUNTY LGBTQ ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, I, THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THAT GUY DOES IN A YEAR IS AMAZING, PARTICULARLY DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE.
SO, UH, A PARTICULAR SHOUT OUT TO VEGGIE HERE AND OF COURSE TO MY FELLOW MONTCLAIR PEEPS, UH, UH, MADDIE AND RUBINA.
IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU TWO AND, AND WITH RICK.
I APPRECIATE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU'RE HOLDING THIS EVENT, THAT IT'S YOUR FIRST EVENT, QUITE FRANKLY, WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT MORE THAN EVER.
UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA GET UGLIER IF YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SCHOOL BOARDS, EVEN IN NEW JERSEY, WHICH WE ALWAYS THOUGHT WAS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, THE SAFE STATE.
IT, IT'S GETTING UGLY AND IT'S GONNA GET WORSE AS THE 2024 ELECTION COMES ALONG.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ASK YOU TO KEEP RUNNING WITH US.
BEFORE I CONTINUE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD A PERSONAL NOTE.
I HAVE A COUSIN WHO'S NOW DECEASED, A FIRST COUSIN WHO WAS A VERY, VERY WELL KNOWN AND FAMOUS POET.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE READ HIS WORK WHEN YOU WERE IN COLLEGE.
HE WROTE A BOOK CALLED KADDISH.
HE WROTE ONE CALL, UH, UH, MANY, MANY OTHERS, HOWELL, MANY OTHERS.
ANYWAY, ALAN TOLD THE FAMILY IN THE 1950S THAT HE WAS GAY.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE WORKED ALL THESE YEARS.
AND THAT'S WHY I AM VERY, VERY COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE L G B T Q COMMUNITY AND WE RECOGNIZE ALL PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THIS GREAT COUNTRY.
AT THIS TIME, WE BRING BACK, WE BRING BACK OUR MUSICAL PERFORMER FOR TONIGHT'S EVENT.
YOU HEARD HIM EARLIER WHEN HE SANG THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER.
AS HE PREPARES TO SING, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND.
MICHAEL TAYLOR ROBINSON IS AN ESSEX COUNTY NA NATIVE RESIDENT OF NEWARK AND A GRADUATE OF MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE HE OBTAINED HIS BFA IN MUSICAL THEATER IN 2014.
SINCE GRADUATING, HE HAS GONE ON TO PERFORM IN REGIONAL THEATER PRODUCTIONS, A ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AS WELL AS TAKING ON OTHER PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD.
SOME OF HIS FAVORITE PERFORMANCE CREDITS INCLUDE BEING A PRODUCTION VOCALIST ON BOARD ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S VISION OF THE SEAS CRUISE SHIP, PERFORMING THE MUSICAL IN THE MUSICAL GODS SPELL, AND PERFORMING AS A JAZZ VOCALIST IN BIG BAND BEAT AT JAPAN'S TOKYO DISNEY RESORT.
SO JOIN ME AND ONCE AGAIN, WELCOMING OUR WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, TALENTED INDIVIDUAL MICHAEL TAYLOR ROBINSON.
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I HAVE OFTEN DREAMED OF A FAR OFF PLACE WHERE GREAT WARM WELCOME WILL BE WAITING FOR ME, WHERE THE CROWDS WILL CHEER WHEN THEY SEE MY FACE.AND A VOICE KEEPS SAYING, THIS IS WHERE I'M MEANT.
I'LL BE THERE SOMEDAY IF I CAN AND BE STRONG.
I KNOW EVERY MILE WILL BE WORTH MY, I WOULD GO MOST ANYWHERE TO FEEL LIKE I BELONG.
I KNOW EVERY MILE WILL BE WORTH MY, I WOULD GO MOST ANYWHERE TO FIND WHERE I BELONG.
LET'S GIVE HIM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
MY NAME IS, UH, COMMISSIONER ROBERT MERCADO, AND I REPRESENT, UH, DISTRICT ONE.
I ALSO JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES TODAY IN CELEBRATION OF LGBTQ MONTH.
UH, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MONTH AND I SHARE, UH, MY, UH, PRESIDENT'S, UH, COMMENTS.
UH, OUR COMMITMENT TO THE LGBTQ COMMITMENT.
IT WAS, UH, LO LONG OVERDUE AND WE ARE HERE.
WE WILL CONTINUE THIS, UH, ELECTION MOVING FORWARD.
I AM HAPPY TO HONORED, UH, TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH AND WHO WORKS TIRELESSLY DAY IN AND DAY OUT, ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE L G B T Q COMMUNITY.
UH, REGGIE IS, UH, UH, A FELLOW KER, UM, ONE OF THE YOUNGEST GUYS, UH, WHO'S BEEN LEADING THIS FIGHT, UM, FROM NEWARK.
AND I'M, WE ARE SO PROUD FROM NEWARK, UH, THAT REGGIE HAS, UH, UH, CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY AND ADVOCATING FOR THE G BT Q COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT IN PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT SECTOR AS WELL.
UM, UH, I AM ALSO, UH, APPOINTED WITH, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, PAT SIBO TO THE ADVISORY BOARD.
THANK YOU PRESIDENT FOR THAT APPOINTMENT.
I AM SO HONORED TO BE A PART OF THAT, UH, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT WE ARE WORKING HARD LED, LED BY OUR CO-CHAIR, KATHY.
AND, AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, IN THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN.
THERE'S A LOT WORK TO DO AND, UM, KNOW THAT HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, UM, WE ARE HERE AND PREPARED TO SUPPORT, UH, THE L G B T Q COMMUNITY.
SO LET ME BRING UP MR. REGGIE BLEDSO, JOIN ME.
HERE'S SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COMMENDATION.
I ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO READ THE PROGRAM, UH, TO GET TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT HE DOES.
AND THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT HE DOES BECAUSE REGGIE IS ALL OVER, NOT ONLY ALL OVER ESSEX COUNTY, BUT HE'S UP AND DOWN THE STATE.
AND, UM, HE'S MET A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE STATE IN HIS CAPACITY, UH, BOTH, UM, IN NEWARK AND IN THE STATE.
AND, AND HE CONTINUES TO, UH, TO FIGHT FOR THE L G B T Q CAUSE.
UM, REGGIE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN NEWARK, HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SERVING HIS COMMUNITY.
HE GRADUATED FROM ESSEX COUNTY TECH IN 2009 AND WAS ELECTED THE YOUNGEST DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT LEADER IN DISTRICT FIVE IN THE NEWARK CENTRAL WARD IN 2010.
HE ALSO SERVED AS AN ELECTED MEMBER OF THE NEWARK BOARD OF EDUCATION FROM 2017 AND TWO TO 2020 RECEIVED EVEN BOTH THE NEWARK BOARD MEMBER AND CERTIFIED BOARD MEMBER STATUS BY THE NEWARK SCHOOL BOARD'S ASSOCIATION.
CURRENTLY REGGIE'S THE DIRECTOR OF ESSEX COUNTY'S OFFICE OF BT
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Q AFFAIRS AND WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE EX OF THE, OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, JOE DI VINCENZO.AND HIS OFFICE IS ONE OF THE ONLY TWO IN THE STATE.
HE ALSO WORKED WITH, UH, WITH, UH, GOVERNOR MURPHY'S ADMINISTRATION FOR FOUR YEARS, STARTING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WHERE I, I SAW, UH, REGGIE FIRSTHAND AND BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
HE'S PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS A LEGISLATIVE A TO OUR COUNTY PRESIDENT WAYNE RICHARDSON, AND FORMER FREEHOLDER PRESIDENT LONNIE WATSON.
REGGIE'S COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION CONTINUED WHEN HE WAS APPOINTED TO THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD SCHOOL BOARD OF TECHNOLOGY BOARD OF EDUCATION THIS YEAR IN 2023.
AND SUBSEQUENTLY, HE WAS ALREADY, HE'S ALREADY BEEN ELECTED THE 2020 3 24 PRESIDENT OF THE ESSEX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD'S ASSOCIATION.
HE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER'S LGBTQ Q ADVISORY BOARD.
REGGIE HAS A TRACK RECORD AND SERVING AND HAVING SERVED AS AN ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER FOR THE NEW JERSEY CHILD ASSAULT PREVENTION AND, AND LEGISLATIVE AID TO NEWARK EDDIE NEWARK COUNCILMAN EDDIE OSBORNE.
HE'S HELD VARIOUS INTERNSHIP POSITIONS WITH NEWARK MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, HYDE PARK GARDENS COOPERATIVE CO CORPORATION, AND THE LATE UNITED STATES SENATOR FRANK LOWENBERG.
ADDITIONALLY, HE'S A FORMER MEMBER OF THE NEW JERSEY FOUNDATION FEDERATION OF HOUSING COOPERATIVES, AND HAS SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR UNITED COMMUNITY CORPORATION, ONE VOICE FOR LGBTQ ISSUES, AND THE NEWARK GAY PRIDE PARADE.
HE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS, AS MY COLLEAGUE HAS MENTIONED, AND DESERVINGLY SO, UH, INCLUDING BEING FEATURED AN OBSERVER IN NEW JERSEY'S LIST OF 50 POWERFUL YOUNG BLACK DEMOCRATS IN 2015.
AND AS ONE OF NEW JERSEY'S 30, NON 30 POLITICAL UP AND ERS IN 2016, HE STUDIED POLITICAL SCIENCE AT CHENEY UNIVERSITY IN PENNSYLVANIA AND MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE HE WAS ELECTED AS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE STUDENT TRUSTEE ON MONTCLAIR UNIVERSITY'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
REGGIE, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU.
I, UH, AM PROUD AND HONORED, UM, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
AND, UH, I CONSIDER YOU MY FRIEND AND YOUR PLAQUE TODAY READS FROM THE ESUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONER, HEREBY HONORS REGGIE BLEDSO FOR EMBODYING THE SPIRIT AND THE PRIDE OF ESSEX COUNTY LGBTQ Q COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATION OF THE BT Q PRIDE MONTH.
YOU'LL ALSO RECEIV A CERTIFICATE OF SPECIAL RECOGNITION FROM CON CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION FROM THE OFFICE OF OUR CONGRESSWOMAN SHERRY.
UH, MIKEY, SHE, WE CONGRATULATE YOU, COMMEND YOU ON YOUR WORK, AND PLEASE IF YOU COULD SHARE A FEW WORDS WITH US.
SO FIRST, I JUST, UM, WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
UM, OFTENTIMES WE DON'T HEAR QUEER PEOPLE SAY STUFF LIKE THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA AROUND THE RELIGION, BUT I DO KNOW THAT MY RELIGION IS WHAT SUBST SUSTAINS ME AND KEEP ME GOING.
UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UM, ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER SIBO, COMMISSIONER GILL, COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, THE CLERK, DEBORAH DAVIS FORD COMMISSIONER, UH, MERCADO AND COMMISSIONER PEREZ, UH, FOR LEADING THE CHARGE TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF G B LGBTQ FOLKS.
UH, IT'S IMPORTANT IN SPACES IN THESE TIMES, UH, TO DO THIS, UH, IN LIGHT OF THE CONSTANT ATTACK THAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THIS COUNTRY FOR G B LGBTQ FOLKS, UH, I'M DEEPLY HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD FROM YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT, UH, IN 2017 WHEN I, UH, EMBARKED UPON THE JOURNEY TO RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD, UM, YOU WERE THERE WITH ME AND STOOD WITH ME, UH, DURING THAT ELECTION.
UH, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, UH, IN 2014, UH, WE RAN AND I RAN, UM, UH, ALONGSIDE WITH ANTOINETTE VACAVILLE RICHARDSON.
AND IN THAT ELECTION, UH, WE WERE, I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, BUT MAINTAINED THE COMMITMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, DURING THAT ELECTION, UH, HAD THE SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON, UH, WHO'S ALWAYS BEEN, UH, THE CENTER OF PROVIDING ME OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR COUNCILMAN OSBORNE, UH, BASED OFF OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF A GREAT LABOR LEADER SUCH
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AS WAYNE RICHARDSON.UM, A COUPLE YEARS LATER, UH, AGAIN, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY WHILE SERVING, UH, OUR STATE, UH, AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UH, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DR.
AND THEN TRANSITIONING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OLIVER, WHO WAS THE COMMISSIONER OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
UH, I THEN WAS TAPPED AGAIN BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON TO COME AND SERVE AGAIN AS HIS LEGISLATIVE AID, UH, IN THIS HOLLOW CHAMBER.
AND IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
UH, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, UM, MY INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO DO, I LIKE TO GIVE HOMAGE AND RESPECT TO A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS TO MY LIFE.
AND THAT IS LONNIE WATSON, UH, WHO'S ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT FRIEND, A GREAT MENTOR, AND ALSO AN ADOPTIVE GRANDMOTHER.
I WOULD'VE NEVER, UH, HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT.
IT WAS NOT FOR BLANEY AND HER LEADERSHIP.
UH, SO IN CLOSING, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY SISTER WHO WAS HERE.
UM, MY MENTOR, UH, MY MENTOR, UH, DR.
CHRISTIE HOWARD CHRISTIE, I LOVE YOU.
WE DEBATE FIERCELY ABOUT LGBTQ ISSUES.
UH, ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME, I'M VERY STRONG AND OPINIONATED.
UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR COUNTY EXEC, JOSEPH DE VINCENZO, UH, WHO ALLOWS ME EACH AND EVERY DAY TO COME TO WORK AUTHENTICALLY MYSELF, UH, WHO ALLOWS ME TO WALK THESE HALLS AND HALL OF RECORDS AND THROUGHOUT THE MULTIPLE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS IN THIS COUNTY, AND ALLOWING THE LGBTQ SPACE TO EXIST AND THRIVE AND LIVE.
AND IN TIMES LIKE THIS, WE DON'T REALLY SEE THAT IN, IN LEADERSHIP.
OFTENTIMES LGBTQ FOLKS ARE JUST TOLERATED IN GOVERNMENT, BUT IN THIS COUNTY, UH, WE'RE NOT, WE ARE ACTUALLY A PART OF EVERYDAY DECISION MAKINGS AND CONVERSATIONS.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO JOE, PHIL TOSSA AND THE TEAM FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT I DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.
UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, TO OUR ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSTANT GUIDANCE AND ADVICE.
UH, YOU ALL ARE THE ONES, UH, THE FRONT LINE WHO KEEP ME CONNECTED TO THE PEOPLE, UM, ALLOWING ME NOT TO FORGET, UH, CUZ IT'S, IT'S EASY TO FORGET WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN AN OFFICE AND YOU HAVE FANCY TITLES AND FANCY DOORS AND YOUR NAME ON IT.
BUT THAT BOARD KEEPS ME CONSISTENT, UH, IN ADVOCATING FOR THE RIGHTS.
SO IN CLOSING TO YOU, MY BROTHER COMMISSIONER RICARDO, I APPRECIATE YOU.
I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND LET'S GET TO WORK.
AND I JUST WANNA JUST ADD ONE MORE, UM, INDIVIDUAL THAT'S HERE THAT, UM, HE'S LEGISLATIVE AID TO, UH, COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ'S OFFICE.
UM, ANTHONY, THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY.
UM, MY NAME IS, UH, BRENDAN GILL, UM, HONORED TO BE ONE OF OUR AT LARGE, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST WANNA CONGRATULATE, UH, THE HONOREES, UM, THAT WE'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM TONIGHT.
UM, COUNCILMAN ROCKWELL, IT'S BEEN A, UH, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU OVER VARIOUS ISSUES.
UH, THE MORRIS CANAL, AS COMMISSIONER EREZ MENTIONED GOING BACK REALLY WAS, UM, A, UM, THE GENESIS FOR SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE WENT ON TO DO ON THE ESSEX HUDSON GREENAWAY.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR WORK, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY FOR SURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, REGGIE, THE ONLY THING THAT YOU LEFT OUT, UM, ON THAT, UM, ON YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER WAS WHEN YOU SERVED AS AN INTERN, UH, IN SENATOR BERG'S OFFICE, UH, WHEN YOU WERE IN COLLEGE, WHEN I WAS THE STATE DIRECTOR.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE FIRST MET.
SO THAT WAS CIRCA 2010 OR 2011 ISH IN THAT RANGE.
SO, UM, UH, BUT IN, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, EVEN THEN, IT WAS CLEAR, UH, WHAT YOUR, UH, DRIVE AND COMMITMENT TO SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY WAS ALL ABOUT.
UH, I'M HONORED TO HAVE MET YOU THEN AND, AND TO CONSIDER YOU A FRIEND EVER SINCE.
SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, KATHY, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK, UH, ON OUR COMMITTEE AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, THAT WAS LISTED HERE, UH, TONIGHT.
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A LOT ABOUT TONIGHT ABOUT ALLIES, BUT I, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY.I DON'T THINK WE NEED JUST ALLIES RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED ADVOCATES AS WELL, UH, FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND I THINK WE'RE PROUD UNDER OUR LEADERSHIP OF OUR PRESIDENT, UH, WAYNE RICHARDSON, UH, TO CONSIDER THE ESUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AS ADVOCATES, NOT JUST ALLIES FOR THE COMMUNITY, AS AS WE, AS WE GO ON.
SO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND CONGRATULATIONS, UH, TO ALL OF YOU.
UM, TONIGHT, UH, ON, ON YOUR AWARDS, I HAVE THE DISTINCT, UH, PRIVILEGE.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS GOT BY THE CLERK, BUT I WAS ABLE TO RECOGNIZE TWO INDIVIDUALS, MR. PRESIDENT
UH, AND IT WAS A VERY NATURAL DECISION, UH, BECAUSE, UH, IF YOU'RE INVOLVED, UH, NOT ONLY IN MONTCLAIR BUT IN ESSEX COUNTY, YOU KNOW THAT THEY CONDUCT MOST OF THEIR ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, UH, TOGETHER.
SO PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME TO THE STAGE, UH, UNA, UH, UNA SPENCE GRINA.
I KNOW THAT'S WHY NOAH'S HERE,
AND SINCE HE, SINCE HE HELPED ME THERE, I DO WANNA RECONCILE NOAH TOO BECAUSE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE
SO LET ME READ, UH, SOME HIGHLIGHTS, UM, FROM, UH, THE ACCOMMODATION.
UM, MS. SPENCE AND MS. SCALE ARE TWO OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF OUT MONTCLAIR AND A PROGRAM COORDINATORS OF ITS 50 PLUS PROGRAMS THAT WERE JUST CELEBRATED.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT, BUT, UH, OUT MONTCLAIR HAS NOW HAD PROBABLY, IF ONE OF THE LARGEST, SAFE TO SAY, UM, PRIDE FESTIVALS IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
HELD IN MONTCLAIR JUST TWO SATURDAYS AGO, ALREADY, TWO SATURDAYS AGO, ATTENDED BY WELL OVER 15,000 PEOPLE.
SO I THINK A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT.
UM, THEY ARE ON THE OUT MONTCLAIR BOARD, UH, AND ARE, AND ARE PART OF THE OUT MONTCLAIR BOARD TRUSTEE ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY ARE ALSO THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE NJPAC LGBTQ PLUS ADVISORY COUNCIL, THE MONTCLAIR CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSIONERS, AND AN EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE MONTCLAIR NAACP AND MONTCLAIR MUTUAL AID.
AND THEY WERE RECENTLY ON THE ORGANIZING TEAM OF THE FORCED NEWARK LGBTQ PLUS FILM FESTIVAL.
THEY LOVE LIVING IN ESSEX COUNTY AS IT IS A SPECIAL PLACE WHERE MOST RESIDENTS AND GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES ARE PROGRESSIVE AND THEY UP UPLIFT AND THEY UPLIFT VALUES AND CELEBRATE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
I WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, UM, FOR ON BEHALF OF, UM, OUR COUNTY AND OUR TOWNSHIP AND CONGRATULATE YOU AS WE COMMEND EACH OF YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
NOT ONLY, UH, FOR OUT MONTCLAIR FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION, BUT JUST FOR BEING OUTSPOKEN COMMUNITY LEADERS.
IT MEANS THE WORLD, UH, I KNOW TO ME, TO OUR FAMILY, UH, EVERY TIME WE SEE EACH OTHER, YOU THANK ME FOR WHAT I'M DOING, BUT I REALLY COULDN'T DO ANY OF THAT WORK WITHOUT THE WORK THAT EACH OF YOU DO.
AND, UH, YOU NEEDED TO BE RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATED TOGETHER BECAUSE THE, ONE OF THE OTHER REASONS THAT YOU ARE SO ADMIRED IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT YOU ARE A TEAM IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD AND EACH AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
SO IT'S MY HONOR TO RECOGNIZE YOU TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF OUR SS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE THE PLAQUES, WE HAVE OUR, UM, YES, ABSOLUTELY YOU DO GET YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL PLAQUE
AND CERTIFICATES FROM, UH, OUR CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, MIKEY CHERYL, AS WELL AS, UH, CERTIFICATES FOR THE BOARD.
SO WITH THAT, THE MICROPHONE AND PODIUM IS YOURS.
HI, I'M MADELINE AND I'M RUBINA AND WE WANNA THANK JOE D, HIS STAFF, AND THE ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL HONOR.
WE WANNA SPECIFICALLY THANK REGGIE BLEDSOE, DR.
RENEE BASKERVILLE, AND AISHA MARIBEL, WHO'S FROM NJPAC FOR THEIR WORK AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR LGBTQ PLUS EQUALITY AND SO MUCH MORE.
AND WE THANK BRENDAN GILL, CATHERINE WELLER DEMING, AND CARRIE CSAT FOR RECOGNIZING US IN OUR WORK AS WELL.
AND WE GREATLY THANK AND APPRECIATE OUR FRIENDS FOR COMING AND
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FAMILY FOR COMING TODAY FOR THEIR CONSTANT SUPPORT.ALSO, FIRST, UH, WITH ALL THE ATTACKS AND LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN, UH, TARGETED AT REMOVING THE RIGHTS AND LAWS TO PROTECT THE L G BT Q COMMUNITY, UH, THE WORK WE DO IS UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
UH, WE CO-FOUNDED OUT MONTCLAIR WITH PETER JACOB CAPELLA AS THE FOSTER COMMUNITY, RAISE AWARENESS AND PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY AND EQUALITY AND PROVIDE SAFETY SUPPORT, EDUCATION, SOLIDARITY FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS NINE NON-BINARY AND GENDER FLUID YOUNG, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS.
AND ALSO WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO CUZ WE ALL DO IT TOGETHER OBVIOUSLY.
AND ALSO AS NJPAC LGBTQ ADVISORY COUNCIL CO-CHAIRS JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE AIM TO CREATE COMMUNITY AND EVENTS THAT UPLIFT AND CELEBRATE LGBTQ FOLKS AND ALLIES.
AND AS NEWARK LGBTQ PLUS FILM ORGANIZERS, OUR COMMITTEE'S MISSION IS TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES VISION AND WORKS OF PRIMARILY BIPO FILMMAKERS AND WHO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON RAISING AWARENESS OF AROUND THE LIVES AND ISSUES OF QUEER PEOPLE AND QUEER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
AND OVERALL, THE WE ARE HERE FOR LGBTQ WORK.
THE TWO OF US ARE COMMITTED TO INTERSECTIONAL SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK THAT DISMANTLES RACISM, CLASSISM, SEXISM, ABLEISM, ANTISEMITISM, AND HOMO TRANSPHOBIA CUZ IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN FOR EQUALITY, JUSTICE AND FREEDOM FOR EVERYONE.
AND TO CREATE A WORLD WHERE ALL PEOPLE ARE EQUAL, SAFE, RESPECTED, AND ACCEPTED.
AND WHERE DIVERSITY AND DIFFERENCES ARE VALUED AND CELEBRATED.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT, UM, WITH ALL THAT'S FACING US AND WE KNOW CUZ I LOOK AT THE PAPERS EVERY DAY THAT WE HAVE A FIGHT, BUT WE FEEL STRONGER NOW BECAUSE WE LOOK AROUND AND WE SEE PEOPLE COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING US.
SO EVEN THOUGH OUR FIGHT SEEMS TO BE REALLY HARD, WE KNOW WE ALSO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE FIGHTING RIGHT NEXT TO US.
LET'S GIVE ALL OF OUR HONOREES ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AS WE CONCLUDE OUR PROGRAM, I WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR JOINING US TO CELEBRATE OUR, OUR INAUGURAL L G B LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATION TO OUR HONOREES.
ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS HAVE MADE EACH OF YOU LEADERS HEARING YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAS INSPIRED EACH OF US TO DO MORE AND TO DO AND TO BE BETTER CITIZENS.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF YOU, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE ALL THE BETTER.
WE REMIND YOU THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE FEELS SAFE, SUPPORTED, VALUED, A WORLD WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN BE AUTHENTIC SELVES WITHOUT FEAR OF DISCRIMINATION OR PREJUDICE.
WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE STILL GOALS TO ACHIEVE IN BATTLES TO WIN, BUT EVENTS LIKE THIS ONE WILL HELP TO SPREAD GOOD NEWS AND AWARENESS.
LET'S CONTINUE TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE A EQUALITY ACCEPTANCE FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COMMISSIONER BOARD, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN ROOM 5 0 1, THE BLANEY R WATSON CONFERENCE ROOM TO GREET THE HONOREES AND TO ENJOY SOME REFRESHMENTS.
WE ALSO ASK THAT ALL THE HONOREES, PLEASE REMAIN IN THE CHAMBERS AFTER OUR CLOSING PRAYERS.
AGAIN, I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE.
AND AT THIS TIME WE'LL ASK REVEREND ROLO TO RENDER THE CLOSING PRAYER AND TO BLESS THE FOOD.
GOD OF MANY NAMES, HELP OUR EYES TO REFLECT TO EACH PERSON THAT THEY ARE SACRED.
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HELP OUR HANDS TO TEAR DOWN THE WALLS OF UNJUST STRUCTURES.LET THE VOICES OF THE UNHEARD BE RAISED IN A HARMONY THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED.
AND MAY THE WORK CONTINUE UNTIL IT IS DONE TO YOUR LOVING SATISFACTION.