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GOOD EVENING TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, OUR HONOREES, ALL WHO HAVE ASSEMBLED HERE TODAY AND ALL WHO ARE WATCHING VIA LIVESTREAM.
I'M AN AT LARGE COMMISSIONER AND I AM TAKING THE PLACE TONIGHT OF OUR VICE PRESIDENT, TMI COOPER, WHO WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT.
SO I WASN'T PREPARED TO DO THIS, SO I JUST FOUND OUT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WELCOME YOU TO OUR SECOND ANNUAL L-G-B-T-Q PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATION.
OUR BOARD HAS MADE A POINT TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY OF ESSEX COUNTY BY HOLDING ANNUALLY EVENTS
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WHERE WE HONOR INDIVIDUALS FROM VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO ESSEX COUNTY AND TO SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.WE ARE HAPPY TO CONTINUE THE TRADITION AND TO HONOR RESIDENTS FROM THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY WHO HAVE HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON ESSEX COUNTY AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
THERE IS LONG HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD OF SOME PEOPLE BEING FORCED TO DENY WHO THEY ARE.
TODAY IN ESSEX, THINGS ARE DIFFERENT.
WE ARE PROUD TO ADD OUR SUPPORT TO THE CELEBRATION OF THE PRIDE MONTH AND DECLARE THAT THIS COUNTY IS A WELCOMING HOME TO THE L-B-G-T-Q COMMUNITY.
SO TODAY THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE THE PLEASURE, PLEASURE OF CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR FIVE HONOREES.
MARIE RELL FROM OUT MONTCLAIR, GARY PAUL WRIGHT FROM THE A AFRICAN AMERICAN OFFICE OF GAY CONCERNS, ANTHONY ARENAS FROM THE OFFICE OF, FROM THE OFFICE OF NEWARK, COUNCILMAN CARLOS GONZALEZ.
SO I HAD TO GET THAT IN KAREEM WILLIS PHD, NEWARK SCHOLAR AND ACTIVIST, AND BRETT AND BRIT HARLEY FROM NEWARK NEWS AND STORY COLLABORATIVE AND FIVE WARDS MEDIA.
WE ARE PROUD OF EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND DURING THE PROGRAM WE WILL HEAR DETAILS ABOUT THE GREAT WORK EACH OF YOU ARE DOING.
IN ADDITION TO THE BOARD'S COMMENDATIONS, WE ALSO HAVE CERTIFICATES FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MIKE, Y SHE FOR OUR HONOREES.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PROMOTE EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL MEMBERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
BY COMING TOGETHER, WE CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY.
WE CAN CREATE A MORE HARMONIOUS AND UNITED SOCIETY.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INVITE OUR TALENTED PERFORMERS FOR THE EVENING UP TO THE FRONT TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, ANTHEM, AND GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE OUR WAY ENSEMBLE.
SO I'M INTRODUCING LAUREN DANDRIDGE.
UH, PLEASE STAND FOR THE SINGING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
OH, SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY THE WHAT SO PROUDLY WE AT THE WHO BROUGHT STRIPES AND BRIGHT SAUCE THROUGH THE FIGHT OR THE RED PARTS WE WATCHED WERE SO GOOD AND THE, THE THE LAND OF
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GOOD EVENING.UM, I'M GONNA LET YOU IN A LITTLE SECRET.
WE DO NOT USUALLY GET A NATIONAL ANTHEM THAT GOOD
SO YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL 'CAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU BACK
'CAUSE WE DO A LOT OF THESE
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE.
AND WE'RE GONNA HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, BOTH ABOUT, UM, THE RWE ENSEMBLE, UH, A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE PROGRAM.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU, UH, WHO I DO NOT KNOW, MY NAME IS BRENDAN GILL.
I'M HONORED TO BE ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS AT LARGE ON THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
UH, HONORED TO BE WITH OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, THE DEAN OF OUR DELEGATION, UH, COMMISSIONER PAT SIEBOLD.
LET'S, LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD.
COMMISSIONER MERCADO AND COMMISSIONER MURRAY.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR BEING HERE.
AND I KNOW HE WANTED TO BE HERE, BUT OUR, UH, OUR PRESIDENT, UH, COMMISSIONER CARLOS PALM, WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US, UH, TONIGHT, UH, DUE TO, UH, SCHEDULING SOME FAMILY.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? THEY SAID
UH, BUT, UH, WE HEAR IS THIS IN SPIRIT AND WANT TO PUBLICLY, UM, THANK HIM, UH, FOR CONTINUING TO, UH, ALLOW THIS BOARD FULFILL ITS MISSION TO RECOGNIZE THE RICH DIVERSITY THAT MAKES UP THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
SO, UM, I THINK ALSO, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE THANK CARLOS PALMS, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT, UH, ONE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL.
I WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, I KNOW WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE WHO JOINED US TONIGHT, OUR ESSEX COUNTY REGISTER.
JUAN RIVERA I SEE IN THE BACK.
UH, AND IF THERE'S ANY OTHER, EVERYONE'S A DIGNITARY TONIGHT, SO, UH,
UH, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE RECOGNIZED AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US, UH, AT THIS JOYOUS EVENT.
UM, LAST, BUT, UH, CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO INTRODUCE, UH, REGGIE BLEDSOE, OUR DIRECTOR OF THE ESSEX COUNTY, L-G-B-T-Q AFFAIRS.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA ASK REGGIE IF HE WOULD JOIN US AT THE PODIUM NOW AND OFFER A FEW REMARKS TO KICK THINGS OFF.
UH, TO OUR COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS, COMMISSIONER MARCADO, COMMISSIONER SEBO, WHO HAPPENS TO SERVE AS OUR LIAISON TO THE L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY BOARD, UH, AT THE COUNTY, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
UM, BUT ON BEHALF AS ALWAYS, OUR LEADER, OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, JOE DI VINCENZO, I SEND GREETINGS TO ALL THE HONOREES TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
CONGRATULATIONS KAREEM, CONGRATULATIONS TO BRITT, ALL OF YOU.
I HAVE WORKED WITH YOU IN SOME, AN IN, OF COURSE, MY BUDDY ANTHONY ARENAS
I HAVE WORKED WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN SOME CAPACITY, UH, IF IT'S FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD IN MY OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS A DIRECTOR OF L-G-B-T-Q AFFAIRS, UH, WORKING WITH YOU TO PASS RESOLUTIONS INITIATIVES TO MAKE THEM CITY OF NEWARK A LITTLE MORE INCLUSIVE.
I AM PROUD OF YOU, ALL OF YOU.
AND THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF ESSEX COUNTY, AND THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF OUR DIVERSITY IN THIS COUNTRY.
UH, TODAY MARKS THE NINTH YEAR OF THE FELD DECISION, UH, THAT WAS RENDERED BY THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.
AND AS MUCH PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING, UH, WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT DAY BY DAY.
UH, YOU HAVE ACTIVISTS WHO ARE JUDGES WHO ARE CHIPPING AWAY AT OUR RIGHTS.
AND JUST RECENTLY, UH, A COURT DECISION, UH, ENTWINED IN AN IMMIGRATION CASE, UH, STARTED TO CHIP AWAY AT A BROKER FILE.
AND I, I WANT FOLKS TO HEAR MY VOICE TO SAY, THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UH, THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN OUR DEMOCRACY BECAUSE THIS IS OUR DEMOCRACY, THE DIVERSITY IN OUR, IN OUR BEAU, OUR DIVERSITY, OUR STRENGTH.
SO I HATE TO BRING THE ROOM DOWN, BUT I HAVE TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE, UH, AS I TRAVEL THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THIS COUNTY.
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TALKING ABOUT THE WORK THAT JOE IS DOING, TALKING ABOUT THE WORK THAT OUR COMMISSIONERS ARE DOING, UH, TO KEEP US WHOLE AND KEEP US SEEN.SO, UH, ON BEHALF OF OUR TEAM, WE HAVE, UH, CERTIFICATES FROM JOE.
UH, AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONS FOR INCLUDING ME.
UH, REGGIE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS LIKE TO MENTION WHEN I GET AN OPPORTUNITY IS, UM, YEARS AGO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK, UH, FOR THE LATE, UH, SENATOR FRANK OUTENBERG, WHO WAS A EARLY PROPONENT AND SUPPORTER, UH, ON THE ISSUE OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND A AND A FRIEND TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS AN ALLY FOR SURE.
AND THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS AN INTERN IN THAT OFFICE AT THAT TIME WHEN I WAS WORKING THERE, WHICH WAS REGGIE.
AND WE, AND, AND AT THAT TIME, YOU COULD ALREADY TELL, UM, THAT REGGIE WAS DESTINED, UH, TO DO GREAT THINGS IN COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND IT'S JUST BEEN GREAT TO SEE YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AS A PART OF THE COUNTY FAMILY AND TO LEAD THAT OFFICE.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IT'S NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST HONOREE OF THE EVENING.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MARIE CATRELL UP TO THE PODIUM.
MARIE CATRELL IS A VISIONARY LEADER DEDICATED TO ADVANCING LGBTQ PLUS RIGHTS AND FOSTERING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES.
AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OUT MONTCLAIR, SHE BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND PASSION TO HER ROLE WITH A BACKGROUND IN CORPORATE EVENTS, BRAND EXPERIENCE, EXCELLENCE, MARKETING OPERATIONS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND ADVOCACY.
SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DRIVING POSITIVE CHANGE FOR MARGINALIZED GROUPS, BOTH IN MONTCLAIR, THIS COUNTY AND IN THIS STATE.
IN HER PREVIOUS ROLES AT OUT MONTCLAIR, MARIE'S LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED BY INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION.
UNDER HER GUIDANCE, THE ORGANIZATION HAS EXPANDED ITS REACH AND IMPACT OFFERING VITAL SUPPORT SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ADVOCACY INITIATIVES TO EMPOWER LGBTQ PLUS INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR ALLIES BEYOND HER PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS.
MARIA IS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEER WORK.
SHE BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND STRIVES TO CREATE SPACES WHERE EVERYONE FEELS VALUED AND ACCEPTED WITH HER.
AT THE HELM OUT, MONTCLAIR CONTINUES TO BE A BEACON OF HOPE AND PROGRESS FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, INSPIRING POSITIVE CHANGE IN FOSTERING A MORE INCLUSIVE SOCIETY.
UM, WE ALSO, SO WE CAN GIVE, WE'LL JUST GIVE IT UP FOR MARIE, YOU KNOW,
ABOUT WHAT? ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE, UM, WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
UH, AND I'LL JUST TAKE A A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO SAY THAT, UM, HAS TURNED, UM, THE MONTCLAIR, UM, PRIDE FESTIVAL WITH THE HELP OF SO MANY INTO NOT ONLY, UM, I THINK THE PREMIER, UM, PRIDE FESTIVAL, UM, IN NEW JERSEY AND THE REGION, UM, POTENTIALLY IN THE COUNTRY, BUT ALSO JUST ONE OF THE BEST FESTIVALS YOU'RE GONNA ATTEND
YOU KNOW, THAT YOU CAN GO TO, UM, IN A DAY NOW THAT I'M SO HOPEFUL AND I KNOW THAT I CAN SPEAK FOR THE BOARD, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE ORGANIZATION TO PRODUCE THAT, YOU KNOW, TO PRODUCE THAT, UH, GREAT EVENT.
SECONDLY, WE WENT THROUGH, UH, AND YOU MAY HAVE HEARD AND SEEN A VERY UNUSUAL, UM, INCIDENT IN MONTCLAIR WHERE TWO WEEKS AGO WE RAISED THE PRIDE FLAG AND SOMEONE STOLE IT,
SO MARIE AND TEAM HAD THE BRILLIANT IDEA, WE'RE GONNA RAISE IT AGAIN,
AND WE RAISED IT, UM, LOSING TRACK.
IT'S BEEN, SO WE JUST RAISED IT, WE RAISED IT JUST MONDAY, AND WE HAD MORE PEOPLE AT THE SECOND FLAG RAISING THAN WE DID AT THE FIRST.
UM, AND, AND I WAS HONORED TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT.
SO THANK YOU TO ALSO SAY THAT IF WE NEED TO COME BACK NEXT WEEK, WE'LL COME BACK AGAIN AND WE'LL COME BACK AGAIN BECAUSE BOTH IN MONTCLAIR AND HERE IN THIS COUNTY, WE
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WILL NOT TOLERATE THAT HATE.WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THE MESSAGE THAT IT IS TRYING TO SEND.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, UM, THEY WILL NEVER, UM, REPLACE WHAT THAT FLAG IS REPRESENT.
A FLAG IS JUST A FLAG, BUT IT REPRESENTS SOMETHING AND IT'LL CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THAT, WHETHER THEY TAKE IT DOWN EACH AND EVERY DAY OR NOT.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LET THEM, UH, FORGET THAT.
SO MARIE, THANK YOU, UM, FOR THAT AND THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND ADVOCACY, UH, WHICH GIVES ME, UM, SO MUCH HOPE FOR THE FUTURE, UM, CAN SOMETIMES BE BEST SEEN, UM, IN YOUR OWN FAMILY AND CHILDREN.
AND, AND I HAVE A 15 AND A 12-YEAR-OLD, AND WHEN I TOLD THEM WHERE I WAS GOING TONIGHT, THEY DON'T TAKE MUCH INTEREST ACTUALLY IN ANYTHING THAT I DO
UM, IT DID, IT DID, UM, WARM MY HEART THAT THERE WASN'T EVEN A, A STUTTER STEP.
I'M GOING LIKE, IT JUST, I'M GOING TO THE PRIDE FEST, YOU KNOW, UM, CEREMONY THAT WE HAVE AT THE COUNTY.
AND THAT'S THE WAY I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST, IT SHOULD JUST BE, AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE OF THAT WORK THAT OUT, MONTCLAIR IS DOING THAT MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM, AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS, ALL THE HONOREES ARE DOING, UM, WE ARE GOING TO GET THERE.
I SEE IT IN THE NEXT GENERATION.
SO I, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR POLITICS AND RIGIE, I BELIEVE YOU, I THINK THERE'S A PERSON WHO MAY BE APPEARING IN A DEBATE TOMORROW WHO'S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL EVENT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SAY THIS IS AMERICA
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
SO WE GOT MORE WORK TO DO, OF COURSE.
UM, THAT'S ALSO WHAT IT SHOWS US.
WE HAVE, UM, MORE TO DO, BUT WE ARE GETTING THERE AND WE WILL GET THERE.
AND MARIA, I KNOW WITH GREAT LEADERS LIKE YOU, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OUT MONTCLAIR, UH, THAT THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR OUR COUNTY AND FOR OUR SOCIETY AND COMMUNITY.
I'LL JUST TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES JUST TO SAY, UH, SORRY.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS HONOR.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE IN THE ROOM FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ARE ALL CRUSADERS, WHETHER WE'RE BEING HONORED OR NOT, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM THAT WORK HARD ON A DAILY BASIS, UH, ENSURING THAT WE ARE CREATING SAFE SPACES, THAT WE ARE PROTECTING OUR YOUTH, THAT WE ARE DOING THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, NEED TO DO TO CREATE A BETTER LIFE FOR THE, FOR THE YOUTH THAT ARE COMING UP BEHIND US.
UH, AND ALSO, UH, THE ADVOCACY WORK THAT WE DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS, UH, TO ADVOCATE AND, UH, PROTECT OUR TRANS COMMUNITY.
IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW, UH, IN STANDING UP FOR AND STANDING UP WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PROTECTIONS THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN ACHIEVE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE HONOR.
THE WORK THAT WE DO AT OUT MONTCLAIR.
UH, AS, AS COMMISSIONER GILL SAID, WE ARE A BEACON OF HOPE.
WE ARE A RESOURCE THAT'S AVAILABLE TO ANYONE, UH, WITHIN NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND.
WE SEE THAT PEOPLE COME TO US LOOKING FOR RESOURCES, COMMUNITY AND SAFETY.
UH, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THE TEAM AND I ARE DOING, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
I WAS JUST GIVEN A SPECIAL CARD BECAUSE CARLOS GONZALEZ, THE COUNCILMAN OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, HAS JOINED US.
I KNOW ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE I GET EMAILS REGULARLY ABOUT
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OUT MONTCLAIR, SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING.AGAIN, I'M PAT SEABOLD, I'M A COMMISSIONER AT LARGE, SO IT'S NOW MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
NOW, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I FIRST MET HIM MANY YEARS AGO BECAUSE REGGIE BLEDSO MENTIONED THAT I AM THE LIAISON TO THE L-G-B-T-Q, UH, ADVISORY BOARD HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FORMED.
AND THAT'S WHEN I FIRST MET MY GOOD FRIEND GARY PAUL WRIGHT.
SO GARY, WOULD YOU JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM? THANK YOU.
AND HERE ARE SOME DETAILS ABOUT WHAT HE DOES, AND BELIEVE ME, IT'S EXTENSIVE.
GARY PAUL WRIGHT IS THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN OFFICE OF GAY CONCERNS.
HE IS VERY ACTIVE WITHIN THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY IN NEWARK, WHERE HE SERVED TWO THREE YEAR TERMS AS A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE CITY'S L-G-B-T-Q, MAYOR MAYORAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
HE WAS APPOINTED TO THE COUNTY'S L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY BOARD IN 2011 AND IS CURRENTLY SERVING A SECOND THREE YEAR TERM.
HE ALSO SERVED AS A CHARTER BOARD MEMBER OF THE NEWARK L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY CENTER WITH HIS WORK IN HIV AIDS PREVENTION.
GARY HAS BEEN IN HIS OWN WORDS, GIVING OUT CONDOMS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.
HE BEGAN VOLUNTEERING FOR GAY MEN'S HEALTH CRISIS IN 1985 AND JOINED THE STAFF IN 1986.
HE WAS THE CREATOR OF THE ORGANIZATION'S HOUSE OF LATEX, WHICH JUST CELEBRATED 24 YEARS OF PROVIDING HIV PREVENTION INFORMATION SERVICES AND OUTREACH.
AFTER THAT, HE WORKED FOR THREE YEARS AT THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR AIDS RESEARCH.
IN 2000, GARY AND SEVERAL FRIENDS FOUNDED THE AFRICAN AMERICAN OFFICE OF GAY CONCERNS DEDICATED TO SERVING AS A SUPPORT AND SAFE SPACE FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY IN AND AROUND THE GREATER NEWARK AREA.
WITHIN TWO YEARS, THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO PROVIDE HIV PREVENTION SERVICES TO GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN OF COLOR.
AFTER OPENING THEIR DOORS IN MARCH, 2002, THE OFFICE QUICKLY BECAME A SIGNIFICANT RESOURCE FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY TRANSGENDER YOUTH.
AS A RESULT, THE OFFICE CREATED ITS OWN TRANSGENDER PEER ADVOCACY PROGRAM ENTITLED TGIF.
IN 2014, GARY WAS ELECTED TO A TWO YEAR TERM AS CHAIR OF THE NEW JERSEY'S HIV PLANNING GROUP.
HE HAD PREVIOUSLY SERVED TWO TERMS AS THE VICE CHAIR AND CHAIR OF THE GAY BISEXUAL AND MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN WORK GROUP.
AND HE IS A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNANCE AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES.
HE ALSO CONTINUES TO BE A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HIV AIDS AND OTHER BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS, AND CURRENTLY SERVES AS CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR BROADWAY HOUSE FOR CONTINUING CARE IN NEWARK.
GARY AND HIS PARTNER GARY AND HIS PARTNER OF 33 YEARS, WHO IS HERE WITH US TONIGHT, PETER OAKS LIVE IN SOUTH ORANGE WITH THEIR FUR BABY ELEANORA.
THEY WERE OFFICIALLY MARRIED ON WORLD AIDS DAY, DECEMBER 1ST, 2013 AT BROADWAY HOUSE FOR CONTINUING CARE.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO ADD A PERSONAL NOTE, AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS.
I'M WATCHING M-S-N-B-C AND WHO DO I SEE? BUT GARY PAUL, RIGHT? AND HE'S DOING AN ADVERTISEMENT.
THE ADVERTISEMENT, IT'S FOR A COMPANY CALLED NOOM.
AND NOOM PRESCRIBES WHAT YOU SHOULD EAT, WHAT'S HEALTHY, WHAT'S GOOD.
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AND I SEE GARY ON TV AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, I KNOW WHO THAT IS, AND I TEXT HIM TO FIND OUT.AND SURE ENOUGH, IT WAS GARY PAUL WRIGHT WITH AN EXCELLENT COMMERCIAL.
I THINK YOU ARE WITH YOUR DOG IN THAT COMMERCIAL.
I'M REMEMBERING THINGS GO FULL CIRCLE.
SO I DON'T ONLY KNOW HIM FROM THE ADVISORY BOARD, I ALSO KNOW HIM FROM SEEING HIM ON TELEVISION DOING AN AD.
GARY, THIS ONLY SCRAPES THE SURFACE OF ALL YOU HAVE DONE TO PROTECT AND SUPPORT OUR L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I'M PROUD TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S, ACCOMMODATION AND PLAQUE AND A CERTIFICATE FROM CONGRESSMAN CONGRESSWOMAN CHERYL, CONGRATULATIONS.
ISN'T SHE WONDERFUL? ONE MORE, ONE MORE.
MY SPEECH, I, I, I PUT IT ON THE COUNTER WHEN WE WERE GETTING READY TO LEAVE TODAY AND IT GOT SOAKING WET.
UM, SO PETER, ON THE WAY OVER HERE, PETER HAD IT ON THE AIR CONDITIONER CAR, AIR CONDITIONER DRYING IT OFF, SO IT KIND OF GOT RIPPED.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, THANK YOU, HUN.
OKAY, UH, TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS INVITED GUESTS AND THE MAN HIMSELF, REGGIE BLEDSO.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS REALLY, REALLY UNEXPECTED HONOR.
UM, WHEN I RECEIVED THE CALL FROM ADAM, WHEREVER HE IS, UH, THERE, ADAM, UM, I WAS LIKE, UH, ARE YOU SURE YOU MIGHT? AND HE SAID, OH, OKAY, WELL, AND HE SAID, DIRECTOR, I MEAN, COMMISSIONER SBO WANTED TO GIVE THIS TO ME, AND I'M WENT, OKAY, ALL RIGHT, FINE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR A MOMENT I FELT LIKE LEO DICAPRIO, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD, BUT THEN I REMEMBERED IT WAS TITANIC.
SO I SAID, NO, LEMME CHANGE THAT TOO.
OKAY, SO THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT BONNIE RAI.
I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF YOU KNOW WHO BONNIE RAI IS, BUT SHE'S A SINGER, UH, SONGWRITER.
AND IN 19 89, 19 90, SHE RECEIVED THE, UH, ALBUM OF THE YEAR, GRAMMY, UH, FOR HER ALBUM, THE NICK OF TIME.
AND I REMEMBER, UM, HER THANKING THE RECORDING INDUSTRY FOR EVEN THINKING ABOUT HER AT THAT TIME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SHE'D BEEN AT A VERY, VERY LOW POINT IN HER LIFE AND, UM, AND IN HER CAREER.
AND THAT GRAMMY, SHE SAID, I GUESS JUST GAVE HER NEW BLOOD, GAVE HER A NEW BOOST THAT SHE NEEDED, AND SHE WENT ON TO WIN A TOTAL OF, UH, FOUR GRAMMYS THAT NIGHT.
NOW, BEFORE Y'ALL ATTACK ME FOR COMPARING MYSELF TO BONNIE RAY, OKAY, DON'T, OKAY, I'M JUST MAKING A POINT HERE THAT SO MANY OF YOU, YOU KNOW, KNOW I'M TRYING TO RETIRE.
YOU KNOW, I'M 70 YEARS OLD NOW.
UM, AND, UM, YOU ALSO KNOW THAT WE'RE NO LONGER RECEIVING FUNDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
SO MY STAFF HAS BEEN FURLOUGHED, THINGS ARE HAPPENING, AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW, BUT I'M NOT AT A LOW POINT.
I'M JUST AT A POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS WHAT GOD HAS THROWN AT ME.
OKAY? AND YOU SING CHILD LORD, HAVE I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN HIM IN, IN SHOWS AT THE, UH, VANGUARD.
SO, UH, SO ANYWAY, UH, SO, UH, I'M TRYING TO SAY EVERYBODY'S MIND LEAVE THE AGENCY WITH, I JUST WANTED TO LEAVE THE AGENCY WITH SOME SENSE OF DARE I SEE IT, SOME KIND OF PRIDE.
SO COMMISSIONER SEABOLD, THIS HONOR TONIGHT IS, IS IS MY VERY OWN NICK OF TIME.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT I STARTED TO ACCOMPLISH MANY, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN WE OPENED OUR DOORS IN 2002.
UH, THERE'S A LEGACY THERE THAT NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM US, AND THAT'S THE FIRST AGENCY IN NEW JERSEY TO ACTUALLY RECEIVE STATE FUNDS TO ADDRESS THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY WITH HIV AND AIDS.
WE ARE PROUD, UM, AND, AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT OTHER AGENCIES ARE DOING THE SAME THING RIGHT NOW.
SO, AND THEY'RE CONTINUING THE WORK THAT WE STARTED, WE WERE THE FIRST TO GIVE BLACK GAY MEN A REAL SEAT AT THE TABLE WHEN IT CAME TO PROTECTING OUR OWN LIVES.
IF AND WHEN I FINALLY PACK UP AND GET THE HELL OUTTA DODGE, I WILL NEVER FORGET THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN FORGED BETWEEN THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMISSIONERS AND THE, AND ALL THE COMMUNITIES THAT SURROUND US.
ESSEX COUNTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD TO ME AND EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE A-A-G-C-A-A-O-G-C.
BUT NOW LET ME TELL YOU THIS LITTLE SECRET.
I THINK MY GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS HAVING MY PICTURE WITH THE COMMISSIONER SIBO POSTED ON FACEBOOK ON MY BIRTHDAY.
SO TRUST ME, YOU HAVE NOT ARRIVED IN THIS TOWN UNTIL YOU'VE HAD YOUR PICTURE ON FACEBOOK WITH COMMISSIONER SEBO.
THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.
[00:35:05]
OKAY, THANK YOU.BEFORE I CONTINUE, ANOTHER IMPORTANT PERSON HAS JOINED US, JOSEPHINE GARCIA FROM THE NEWARK SCHOOL BOARD.
IN A MOMENT I'M GOING TO INVITE OUR SINGER FROM THE AWE ENSEMBLE BACK UP HERE FOR ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE.
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM AND ALL THEY DO FOR PERFORMING ARTS IN NEWARK AND THE COUNTY.
OUR WAY IS A NETWORK OF EMERGING AND PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS DEDICATED TO THE PURSUIT, PRESENTATION, AND CREATION OF ART, HIGHLIGHTING THE EXPERIENCE OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, AND PUBLIC PERFORMANCES.
THEY CREATE SPACE FOR ARTISTS AND VIEWERS ALIKE TO ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE ON PRESSING SOCIAL ISSUES IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY.
WHILE EXPERIENCE AND UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH TO ART MAKING AND THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE, WE ARE ELATED TO HAVE ONE OF THE GROUP WITH US HERE TONIGHT.
SO JOIN ME IN WELCOMING BACK FROM OUR WAY, LAWRENCE, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? LAWRENCE.
I GOT, IS THAT RIGHT? DON'T YOU EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT? I NEVER MET HIM BEFORE, BUT I WANT GET IT RIGHT.
HOW Y'ALL FEELING? I'M GONNA PUSH THIS ON OUT OF THE WAY 'CAUSE I'M DRAMATIC.
UH, MY NAME IS LAWRENCE STANDRIDGE AND I AM, UH, THE CO-FOUNDER AND CREATIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AT ARTWAY REPERTORY THEATER.
UH, I AM REPRESENTING MY, UH, UH, MY TROOP TODAY, UH, AS A LONE RANGER, BUT I'M SO VERY GLAD TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU KATHY FOR, UH, HAVING US.
UH, I RUSHED OVER HERE FROM A PERFORMANCE TODAY AND THEN I'LL BE RUSHING OUTTA HERE TO A REHEARSAL 'CAUSE THE WORK NEVER STOPS.
BUT I AM VERY GLAD TO BE HERE AS A PROUD BLACK GAY MAN IN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
UM, AND AS FAR AS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SING FOR YOU GUYS, UH, TODAY, UM, I WAS, UH, ENCOURAGED TO RESORT BACK TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE MUSICALS, UH, K***Y BOOTS, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UM, BUT I FIND THAT, UH, THE BRILLIANCE OF BOTH CYNDI LAUPER AS A WRITER AND COMPOSER AND BILLY PORTER AS THE LARGER THAN LIFE ENERGY THAT HE IS.
I FEEL LIKE THIS, UM, SONG IS APPROPRIATE FOR, UH, THE FESTIVITIES.
SO I'M GOING TO SING NOT MY FATHER'S SON FROM K***Y BOOTS WHEN I WAS JUST A, WAS TO UNDER MY, IF I SCARED HIM DEATH, IT WAS NEVER TO BE OF.
[00:40:07]
THE BEST PART OF ME IS WHAT THE, OF WHAT HE DREAMED WITH THE, AND SO I JUMPED TO MY DREAMS AND FOUND AN ESCAPE.MAYBE I'VE WENT TO EXTREMES OF, BUT THE WORLD SEA RIDER, SIX INCHES OFF THE GROUND AND SEA.
I WAS, AND I FELT SO PROUD JUST TO NOT THE IMAGE OF WHAT HE DREAM KNOW WITH THE STRENGTH OF, AND THE PATIENCE OF JOE STILL COULDN'T BE WHAT HE OF.
LET'S HEAR IT ONE MORE TIME FOR OUR WAY ENSEMBLE LAWRENCE DANDRUFF.
[00:45:01]
COMMISSIONER ON THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.AND BEFORE I GO INTO MY REMARKS, I JUST WANNA, UH, EXPRESS, UH, A THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU JOINING US TODAY.
UM, TO EACH OF THE HONOREES, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO REGGIE.
UM, YOU ARE DOING PHENOMENAL WORK.
WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY AND WHAT HE DOES IN ESSEX.
IT'S, IT'S TOUCHED AROUND THE STATE, SO, UM, CONTINUE THE WORK AND WE'RE ALWAYS HERE.
UM, I ALSO SIT ON THE ADVISORY BOARD TO L-G-B-T-Q, UM, UH, ADVISORY GROUP AND UH, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF THIS YEAR OF BEING A PART OF THAT GROUP.
AND, UM, UH, PAUL, GARY PAUL WAS PART OF THAT, UM, ALUM, UH, WAIT A MINUTE.
SO, UM, THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A REALLY, REALLY, UH, INTERESTING YEAR THERE.
WE HAVE SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE TODAY HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, AND TODAY I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IT'S NOT ALWAYS IN THE FRONT AND CENTER, RIGHT, JUST LIKE THEY WERE SAYING BEFORE.
UM, THEY'RE DOING THE WORK, HE'S ALWAYS BEHIND THE SCENES.
UM, I AM PLEASED TO INTRODUCE OUR THIRD HONOREE OF THE PROGRAM.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING ANTHONY ARENAS TO THE POLL ROOM.
PLEASE ALLOW ME TO SHARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COMMENDATION ABOUT ANTHONY.
ANTHONY IS A PASSIONATE AND CARING PERSON.
HE'S BORN IN JERSEY CITY WITH HIS FAMILY AND LATER MOVED TO THE CITY OF NEWARK.
HE ATTENDED AND GRADUATED FROM MY ALMA MATER, NEWARK'S BARRINGER HIGH SCHOOL.
ANTHONY WORKED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, UH, FOR THE CITY OF NEWARK.
HE THEN WORKED AT THE NEWARK POLICE COMM COMMUNITY SPECIALIST AND THEN AS A COMPUTER TECH FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURTS.
TODAY HE SERVES AS AN AID THE NEWARK COUNCILMAN AT LARGE, CARLOS GONZALEZ, WHO SITTING WITH US IN THE BACK.
HE WAS ALSO PART OF THE MAYOR OF NEWARK'S, L-G-B-T-Q COMMISSION.
HE SERVED AS A VICE PRESIDENT AND HE HAS DEEP, DEEP ROOTS IN OUR GREAT CITY OF NEWARK.
ANTHONY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NATURALLY ONGOING, OUTGOING AND FULL, FULL OF FUN.
HE CAN BE COUNTED ON AT THE DROP OF A DIME.
HE ALWAYS TAKES IT UPON HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THOSE IN NEED AND PROVIDE FOR FAMILIES.
HE'S SUPPORTIVE AND GENEROUS, PLACING THE NEEDS OF OTHERS BEFORE HIS OWN, HIS PRO, HIS PROFOUND LOVE FOR PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY BRINGS HIM GREAT PRIDE AND JOY.
ANTHONY HAS A PASSION FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE.
HE ATTENDS SEVERAL EVENTS AND MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHILE HE HAILS FROM THE NORTH WARD.
HE IS ALL OVER EACH OF THE WARDS OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, UM, REPRESENTING THE COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ, WHO IS AN OUT LARGE COUNCILMAN.
AND YOU CAN SEE ANTHONY IN EVENTS FROM THE WEST WARD TO THE SOUTH WARD, TO THE NORTH WARD, TO THE EAST WARD, TO THE CENTRAL WARD.
HE, HE FOSTERS POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH RESIDENTS AS A COMMUNITY SERVANT.
HIS INTERESTS AND GOALS ARE DIVERSE TO BEST SERVE THE COMPLEX AND MULTIFACETED COMMUNITIES OF NEWARK.
AND, AND BEFORE I BECAME COMMISSIONER, UM, I KNEW ANTHONY, UH, BY HIS WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AND FROM EVENTS AND IT ALL SURROUNDED SERVING OTHERS.
HE HAS A HEART WHEN I SAY HE HAS A HEART OF GOLD, HE HAS A HEART OF GOLD AND HE IS, UH, WHO I WOULD SAY AN AMBASSADOR OF GOODWILL.
ANTHONY, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, CONGRATULATES YOU, COMMENDS YOU ON SUPPORTING YOUR COMMUNITY AND LIFTING UP THOSE AROUND YOU.
IT IS MY PLEASURE, MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S COMMENDATION AND A PLAQUE AND
[00:50:01]
CERTIFICATE FROM CONGRESSMAN CONGRESSWOMAN.MIKEY CHERYL, CONGRATULATIONS MY FRIEND.
I'M NOT A SPEAKER, BUT I I'M GONNA GIVE IT A TRY.
I DEEPLY HONOR AND HUMBLED TO RECEIVE THIS RECOGNITION FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THANK COMMISSIONER WITH ROBERT RICARD DURING THIS L-G-B-T-Q PRIDE MONTH.
THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO ME, NOT JUST PERSONALLY, BUT AS A SYMBOL OF THE PROGRESS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE TOWARDS EQUALITY AND INCLUSION FOR ALL.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR WAIVERING SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND STRUGGLES OF THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY.
YOUR DEDICATION TO PROMOTING DIVERSITY AND CELEBRATING OUR DIFFERENCES SETS A POWERFUL EXAMPLE FOR OUR COUNTY AND THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
I ALSO WANT TO A, ACKNOWLEDGE MR. REGINALD B BRUSSEL DIRECTOR OF THE ESSEX COUNTY OFFICE OF L-G-B-T-Q AFFAIRS OFFICE, AND ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q RIGHTS BOTH LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY.
WELL, I LOST MY, UH, IT IS BECAUSE OF THEIR CORRELATION AND PER PERSEVERANCE THAT WE STAND HERE TODAY.
CELEBRITY PRIDE MONTH WITH PRIDE AND JOY.
THIS HONOR IS NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR ALSO FOR ALL THE L-G-B-T-Q INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR ACCEPTANCE UNDERSTANDINGS AND EQUAL RIGHTS.
WE HAVE ACHIEVED SO MUCH, BUT OUR WORK IS NOT DONE.
LET US CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE, EDUCATE AND LIFT ONE ANOTHER UNTIL EVERY PERSON CAN LIVE WITHOUT FEAR.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE BY LIFE, BY LIFE PARTNER OUR 23 YEARS ALEXANDER PADILLA, I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME AND LOVE WELL I LOVE YOU.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS EQUITABLE HONOR.
I AM COMMITTED TO USING THIS PLATFORM TO AMPLIFY L-G-T-B-Q VOICES AND TO WORK TOWARDS A FUTURE WHERE EVERY PERSON CAN THRIVE REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE OR WHO THEY LOVE.
OH, AND THANK YOU FOR MY BOSS, COUNCILMAN CARTER.
AND I'M GONNA PASS THE MIC TO MY COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
WOW, WHAT A GIFT IT IS TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
TO MARIE, TO GARY, I'VE SEEN YOUR WORK IN ANTHONY, MY NEWARK BROTHER, THE THREE OF YOU.
I'VE AC WE'VE MET A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT LIKE I FULLY IMMERSED IN YOUR STORY TONIGHT, IMMERSED IN YOUR WORK TONIGHT.
UM, AND IT'S JUST, JUST REALLY A GIFT TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE TO CELEBRATE YOU TONIGHT.
SO TO ALL THE HONOREES, WE MAKE SOME NOISE WITH ALL THE INCREDIBLE HONOREES WE'VE HONORED THUS FAR.
BU HEY, UM, I WANNA AGAIN SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ANTHONY, MY NEWARK BROTHER TO OUR ENTIRE NORTH WARD NEWARK TEAM THAT'S IN THE BUILDING.
[00:55:01]
TO SEE YOU GUYS.UM, AND TO MY FORMER BOARD COLLEAGUES, JOSEPHINE AND ORIGINAL BLED, SO OF COURSE THE DIRECTOR OF OF ESS COUNTY, UH, L-G-B-T-Q-I AFFAIRS.
I LITERALLY GREW UP ON THE NORTH BOARD OF EDUCATION WITH REGGIE.
AND SO JUST TO BE IN THIS ROLE WITH HIM IN THIS SPACE OF THE COUNTY, EMBRACING ALL OF THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY FEELS LIKE A GIFT.
I'M A LITTLE THROWN OFF, I'M GONNA SAY THAT BECAUSE OUR WAY ENSEMBLE HAS THIS WAY OF WHEN THEY PERFORM, IT JUST SPEAKS TO YOU IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
GIL AND SEABOLD I SEE CAN AGREE YOU TWO MERCADO.
UM, AND SO I'LL JUST SAY WHAT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL ABOUT LISTENING TO THE SONG AND EVEN LISTENING TO EVERYONE THAT PROCESSED IT.
THE SONG WAS CALLED, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED I'M NOT MY FATHER'S SON.
AND WHAT'S SO POWERFUL ABOUT THAT SONG IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU FALL IN THE SPACE OF SEXUALITY, OF GENDER IDENTITY, EVERYONE CAN RELATE TO BEING OTHERED, TO HAVING ONE POINT IN THEIR LIFE WHERE THEY FELT LIKE THEY WEREN'T ENOUGH, THEY WEREN'T ACCEPTED.
AND THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY IF THAT HAPPENS TO COME FROM YOUR KITCHEN TABLE OR YOUR LOCKER ROOM OR YOUR CLASSROOM OR THE SPORT TEAM THAT YOU PLAY ON.
I SAW THE UNIVERSAL SPIRIT OF LIKE PAIN AND ALSO EMPATHY IN THE ROOM AS HE SANG.
AND IT MADE ME SO EXCITED TO BE HERE TONIGHT, EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PAIN.
BECAUSE WHEN WE CAN HAVE PRIDE IN WHO WE ARE AND WHO OUR NEIGHBOR IS, IN A WORLD THAT TRIES TO TELL US THAT WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF WHO WE MAY BE AND WHO OUR NEIGHBOR IS, THAT'S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE.
SO WE CELEBRATE PRIDE ON TODAY FOR EVERYONE WHO DEFIED AN EXPECTATION WHO GOT UP AND WENT TO SCHOOL OR WENT TO WORK, UM, DESPITE ALL THE CHALLENGES THEY HAD TO OVERCOME JUST TO BE THE SON, THE DAUGHTER OR CHILD THAT THEY WERE BORN TO BE.
IT'S IN THAT SPIRIT THAT I BRING UP AN HONOREE WHO IS AUTHENTICALLY THEMSELVES.
WHEN YOU WALK INTO A ROOM AND SEE KAREEM WILLIS, YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS, GREATNESS ON 10.
SO BEFORE I GET INTO THE BEAUTY AND EXTENSIVENESS OF THAT GREATNESS, I WANT TO ALL OF US TO WELCOME NONE OTHER THAN KAREEM WILLIS, PHD THIS EVENING.
I LOVE YOU, UH, BROTHER GARY, AND, AND YOUR REMARKS.
YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME HISTORY THAT KIND OF GROUNDS US IN THIS MOMENT AND I'D BE RE REMISS IF I DIDN'T BRING UP THE NAME OF RODNEY GILBERT, ONE OF THE PIONEERING BLACK ARTISTS, QUEER LEADERS, TRAILBLAZERS NOT JUST IN NEWARK, NOT JUST IN ESSEX COUNTY, NOT JUST IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, HE WAS THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF YOR PRODUCTIONS.
AND IT'S IN THAT LEGACY OF BUILDING AND CREATING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH RODNEY'S LEGACY THAT I GOT TO MEET KAREEM KAREEM WHO COMBINES ART, ACTIVISM, AUTHENTICITY, AND ACADEMIA TO BE JAMAICAN, BLACK CARIBBEAN QUEER BRILLIANCE.
SO KAREEM WILLIS PHD IS A DYNAMIC SCHOLAR, ACTIVIST AND PROUD MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.
KAREEM EARNED THEIR DOCTORATE FROM THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ADMINISTRATION AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY NEWARK, WHERE HE LEARNED HOW TO HARNESS HIS PASSION FOR SOCIAL ADVOCACY, JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE LIVES OF OTHER PERSONS.
I ALSO WANNA JUST ADD, IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL BIO, BUT KAREEM MINORED IN S SLAGE BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU SEE KAREEM'S OUTFITS, EVERY TIME YOU SEE KAREEM'S HAIR, KAREEM'S NAILS, KAREEM CAN COOK, HE CAN DO EVERYTHING.
IT'S GIVING SLAVE
KAREEM EXPLORES THE UNDERLYING AS YOU SEE THE EVIDENCE, SOCIAL EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES AND CONCERNS WITHIN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, PUBLIC MANAGEMENT AND NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND PHILANTHROPY.
AS A SOCIAL IMPACT ENTHUSIAST, THE ESSENCE OF KAREEM'S WORK SERVES TO STRENGTHEN HISTORICALLY DISEMPOWERED AND DISENFRANCHISED INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO AND CREATING SPACES AND RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP THEM REALIZE THEIR LIMITLESS POTENTIAL.
KAREEM'S WORK AFFORDED HIM A NOMINATION FOR THE THEM CLOUD KIDS UBUNTU AWARDS AND THE LOVE IS LOVE CATEGORY.
AND IT WAS A RECIPIENT OF THE RUTGERS UNIVERSITY CLEMENT, A PRICE, HUMAN DIGNITY AWARD COME, COME ON HUMAN DIGNITY.
YES, PLEASE USE A LOT OF THAT AS WELL AS THE JAN HERMAN V CARE LEADERSHIP AND VISION AWARD.
FROM THE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, KAREEM, MY FRIEND, AND A FRIEND OF
[01:00:01]
ALL DOING JUSTICE, EMPOWERMENT, EQUITY WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY, I'M SO PROUD AND WE AS A BOARD ARE SO PROUD TO RECOGNIZE YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE DEDICATION AND TO COMPASSION FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS.IT IS AN HONOR TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S COMMENDATION AND PLAQUE AND A CERTIFICATE FROM CONGRESSWOMAN CHERYL AS WE CELEBRATE PRIDE MONTH.
SORRY I GOTTA GET IT TOGETHER.
DEAR LITTLE BLACK QUEER BOY FIRST, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT YET TODAY, I LOVE YOU.
I DON'T NEED TO KNOW YOU PERSONALLY TO KNOW THAT UNCONDITIONAL LOVE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A STRANGER TO YOU OR OR AN UNFAMILIAR FRIEND.
AND SO ALLOW ME TO LET YOU KNOW THAT AS YOU ARE WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU ARE DEEPLY LOVED.
IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU'RE PROBABLY YEARNING TO REALIZE A VISION OF A VERSION OF YOURSELF THAT FEELS TRULY FREE.
PERHAPS YOU CAN SEE HIM VIVIDLY IN YOUR MIND.
YOU KNOW WHAT HE WEARS TO A LAST MINUTE BRUNCH GATHERING.
YOU FANTASIZE ABOUT THE FRIENDS HE HAS, THE EXTRAVAGANT LIFE HE LIVES, AND THE PURE UNABASHED LOVE HE GETS TO EXPERIENCE.
I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN YOU.
AND SO IF YOU ALLOW ME, I'D LIKE TO SIT WITH YOU FOR A QUICK MOMENT AND USE MY LIFE'S JOURNEY TO SHARE A FEW THINGS WITH YOU.
AS I SCROLL THROUGH AND DELETED PHOTOS FROM MY SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES AS IF I WERE CURATING A GALLERY OF SOME SORT, I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THAT MY PHOTO CAPTIONS BECAME MORE AND MORE CRYPTIC AND GOT LESS LIBERATING AND CELEBRATORY.
I SOUNDED LESS HAPPY AND CHEERFUL.
THEY EXUDED LESS JOY AND LESS SOUL.
THEY SOUNDED LIKE A VERSION OF MYSELF THAT I JUST COULD NOT CONNECT TO.
I DIDN'T WANT TO CONFRONT IT THEN, BUT I SOON REALIZED THAT IF ANYTHING WOULD CHANGE, I HAD TO FIND MY OWN HEALING.
I DIDN'T QUITE RECOGNIZE THE YOUNG MAN IN THE PHOTO.
SURE HE BORE MY LIKENESS, BUT THERE WAS A CERTAIN TWINKLE THAT I HAD GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING THAT JUST WASN'T THERE ANYMORE.
I POLICED MYSELF SO MUCH THAT IT FELT LIKE I HAD BEEN CONDEMNED TO A LIFE SENTENCE OF INSECURITIES, ANXIETY, AND SELF-LOATHING.
I LOST MY SPUNK, MY FINESSE, MY GENISE QUO.
I HAD FALLEN FROM GRACE AND SPIRAL.
THE HAPPY BUBBLE I CREATED FOR MYSELF HAD BEEN INFILTRATED BY SOCIETY'S POISON AND VITRIOL.
THE NARRATIVE THAT TOLD ME THAT I WAS UNNATURAL AND ABOMINATION AND AN OUTCAST HAD FOUND A HOME IN ME.
I BEFRIENDED THEM AND SOON THEY HAD BECOME MY REALITY.
THAT WAS THE INDIVIDUAL THAT AWKWARDLY SMILING THOSE PHOTOS AND WAS SO UNSURE OF HIMSELF.
I BECAME UNFAMILIAR, UNRECOGNIZABLE, AND DISTANT.
THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY WILL FIND ME, THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO SHARE THE FULL EXTENT OF WHAT THIS JOURNEY HAS BEEN LIKE FOR ME.
BUT UNTIL THEN, THERE ARE SOME THINGS I NEED YOU TO KNOW RIGHT NOW.
FIRST, I FEEL COMPELLED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT WAS NEVER YOU.
THE FLICK IN YOUR WRIST AND THE SWITCH IN YOUR WALK DID NOT MAKE YOU DESERVING OF THE BULLYING, JEERING AND TAUNTING COMMENTS.
NO, YOU DIDN'T NEED TO BE MORE MASCULINE TO GAIN SOCIETIES AND GOD'S APPROVAL.
THE TRUTH NOBODY TOLD YOU IS THAT THE DIVINE KNEW YOU, CLAIMED YOU AND REDEEMED YOU BEFORE YOU EVEN DREAMT OF GRACE IN THE EARTH WITH YOUR FABULOUSNESS.
GOD'S WORDS MATTER ABOVE ALL ELSE.
IF YOU SET THAT AS YOUR FOUNDATION, THINGS MIGHT SHAKE, BUT YOU WILL NEVER MOVE YOU.
YOU MIGHT BEND BUT NEVER BREAK.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES AND RUN-INS, BUT YOU WILL TRIUMPH.
I NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE VALID.
YOU CAN TAKE UP SPACE AND KNOW YOU ARE NOT BEING INTRUSIVE OR STICKING YOUR NOSE WHERE IT DOESN'T BELONG.
IT IS YOUR GOD-GIVEN RIGHT TO.
I NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE ENOUGH AS YOU ARE WHEREVER YOU ARE.
WE ARE THE PUMPS, WE ARE THE SICKENING HEELS.
WE ARE WHATEVER MAKES YOU FEEL HAPPY AND THE MOST YOU.
YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO BE AND LOVE ALL OF YOU, ESPECIALLY THE PARTS OF YOU THE WORLD TOLD YOU NOT TO LOVE.
THE WORLD NEEDS YOUR BRILLIANCE MORE THAN THEY'LL EVER CARE TO ADMIT.
AND SO I DARE YOU TO STAND IN THE AUTHORITY OF WHO YOU ARE.
FRIEND, I NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU MUST FORGIVE YOURSELF.
I FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR NOT LOVING YOURSELF ENOUGH SO THAT WHEN THE HOPE THE WOEFULLY MISINFORMED WORLD TRIED TO TELL YOU WHO YOU WERE, YOU WEREN'T CONVICTED ENOUGH OF THE TRUTHS YOU ALREADY KNEW TO FIGHT BACK, BUT YOU DIDN'T KNOW BETTER, YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE PLACED HERE TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THIS MESSED UP WORLD WILL BETRAY YOU.
FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR BELIEVING THAT YOUR HEALING AND LIBERATION WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR NOT KNOWING THE TRUTHS ABOUT WHO YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN.
FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR NEGLECTING THOSE POWERFUL AND AFFIRMING TRUTHS THAT AND PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO THE NEGATIVE VOICES AROUND YOU.
FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR TAKING YOUR RESILIENCE AND POWER FOR GRANTED, BUT FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR NOT FIERCELY DEFENDING AND PRIORITIZING YOUR NEEDS, PROTECTING YOUR SPACE, AND ADVOCATING FOR YOUR OWN HONOR.
YOU JUST WEREN'T AWARE AND WHEN YOU BECAME A, YOU WERE PROBABLY IN DENIAL.
BUT REST ASSURED, THIS IS WHERE THE REVOLUTION STARTS, AND IT DOES GET BETTER.
AS YOU UNLEARN THE HARMFUL THINGS.
YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THAT YOU WON'T FALL FROM GRACE.
YOU'LL EMBARK ON A JOURNEY TO MEET THE DIVINE IN YOU.
GOD'S SWEET EMBRACE WILL HOLD YOU AND REMIND YOU JUST WHO YOU REALLY ARE.
BUT YOU MUST REALIZE THAT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN
[01:05:01]
AND ACCEPT THESE TRUTHS.BELOVED, BEFORE I GO, I NEED YOU TO KNOW ONE LAST THING.
THIS IS THE TRUTH THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO STAND IN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
THAT YOU ARE BRILLIANT, AMAZING, WONDERFUL, AND OUTSTANDING, EXTRAORDINARY AND EXTRATERRESTRIAL.
YOU ARE INDEED TOO BIG FOR THIS WORLD.
BASK IN YOUR EXCESS AND YOUR EXTRAVAGANCE.
JOURNEY ON WITH THAT CONSCIOUS AND UNAPOLOGETIC AUDACITY, YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT KID.
THIS WORK IS DEEPLY PERSONAL FOR ME.
AS A BLACK QUEER IMMIGRANT, IT EMBODIES MY JOURNEY, MY STRUGGLES, AND ESPECIALLY MY TRIUMPHS.
EACH STEP I TAKE IS NOT JUST FOR MYSELF, BUT FOR ALL THOSE WHO SHARE MY IDENTITY AND EXPERIENCES.
MY MISSION IS TO CREATE A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, CAN LIVE AUTHENTICALLY AND WITH PRIDE TO THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
I'M DEEPLY HONORED AND HUMBLED BY THE RECOGNITION YOU AFFORDED ME.
YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MEANS MORE THAN WORDS CAN EXPRESS THAT IT NOT ONLY CELEBRATES MY JOURNEY, BUT ALSO THE VIBRANT AND RESILIENT L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY THAT I AM SO INCREDIBLY PROUD TO BE A PART OF.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE AND LONG AND LOVING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO SUPPORT THE LIFE CHANGING, LIFE AFFIRMING AND LIFESAVING WORK THAT SO MANY OF US DEDICATE OUR LIVES TO.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND MY HEARTFUL GRATITUDE TO MY DEAR FRIEND DORIAN, YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT, YOUR ABILITY TO SEE ME FOR WHO I TRULY AM AND YOUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE HAVE BEEN A GUIDING LIGHT IN SO MUCH, IN SO MANY MORE WAYS THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THINKING OF ME.
GET Y'ALL A SISTER, LIKE MY GOOD SIS
YOUR LOVE HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF IMMENSE STRENGTH AND JOY.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE AND FOR BELIEVING IN ME.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, THAT SHOULD BE IN SOME WAY LIKE IN THE WORLD PUBLISHED BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY YOUNG QUEER CHILDREN AND YOUNG AND JUST EVERYONE HONESTLY NEEDS TO HEAR THAT ARTS, ACTIVISM, ACADEMIA, AUTHENTICITY.
IT'S FITTING THAT KAREEM'S WORDS WERE REALLY PRIORITIZING THE VOICES OF A YOUNG PERSON.
IT WAS TO DEAR YOUNG, QUEER BLACK BOY.
IT'S IN THAT SPIRIT, I THINK OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT I MET THROUGH KAREEM.
AND SO MANY OF THEM HAVE BECOME WHO THEY ARE, WHO THEY WANT TO BE BECAUSE THEY HAVE PEOPLE LIKE KAREEM IN THEIR LIVES.
AND I THINK OF SOMEONE ELSE WHO I LITERALLY MET AS A YOUNG PERSON.
WE BOTH WHO ARE YOUNG PEOPLE DOING THE WORK TO EMPOWER OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND THIS IS SOMEONE WHO I WAS LITERALLY IN AWE OF WHEN I MET HER.
I SAID, WHO IS THIS LIGHT AND HOW CAN I BE IN HER ORBIT? WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IT'S MY HONOR AND PLEASURE TO BRING UP OUR NEXT LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST HONOREE.
SOMEONE WHO DOES INCREDIBLE WORK FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, FOR EVERYONE WHOSE VOICES AND STORIES NEED TO BE HEARD, NONE OTHER THAN THE BRIT HARLEY.
THERE'S A QUOTE THAT SAYS, AND THIS IS FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE WRITERS AND THINKERS, AUDREY LORDE, CARING FOR MYSELF IS NOT SELF-INDULGENCE.
AND THAT IS AN ACT OF POLITICAL WARFARE.
WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS THAT WHEN I TAKE CARE OF MYSELF, I'M LITERALLY DOING THE WORK OF GOD IN THE TRADITION THAT I GREW UP IN CHRISTIANITY.
WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU THINK OF YOURSELF, IF YOU'RE NOT THINKING OF YOUR NEIGHBOR,
[01:10:01]
THEN WHO ARE YOU REALLY THINKING OF? TO MY RIGHT, WE HAVE BRIT HARLEY, SOMEONE WHO IN HERSELF, SHE MAKES SURE THAT SHE'S SEEING YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THAT IF SHE'S NOT TAKING CARE OF YOUNG PEOPLE, THEN HOW IS SHE TAKING CARE OF HERSELF? I SAY THIS TOO WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT FOR THOSE OF US WHO DO THIS WORK, BE IT IN THE L-G-B-T-Q SPACE, SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION ACROSS THE BOARD, SELF-CARE BECOMES REALLY DIFFICULT.'CAUSE THE WORK REQUIRES A LOT.
AND SOMETIMES WE CAN PUT OUR OWN PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL HEALTH AT BAY BECAUSE THE WORK REQUIRES SO MUCH, SO MUCH.
BRITT IS SOMEONE WHO I'M IN AWE OF BECAUSE AS SHE TAKES CARE OF HERSELF, SHE ALSO MAKES SURE SHE TAKES CARE OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, OUR NEXT GENERATION, WHO IS LITERALLY AN EXTENSION OF GOD'S IMAGE HIMSELF.
BRIT IS AN ESTEEMED LEADER IN COMMUNITY AND MEDIA INNOVATION AND A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
IN FACT, WE MET FROM ME LITERALLY SEEING HER DO THE WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, MAKING SURE THEY'RE LOVED, SEEN AND CARED FOR.
FIRST THROUGH SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN FRANKLY, JUST THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT YOU CREATED AND BEEN A PART OF WITH A DEEP COMMITMENT TO NEWARK'S WELLBEING, SHE SERVES AS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE NEWARK NEWS AND STORY COLLABORATIVE, WHERE SHE SPEAR HAS THE TRANSFORMATION OF COMMUNITY STORYTELLING AND MEDIA BY HIGHLIGHTING STORIES THAT ECHO THE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES OF NEWARK RESIDENTS.
BRIT'S WORK BRINGS TO THE FOREFRONT THE RICH TAPESTRIES OF VOICES WITHIN THE CITY, AND ESPECIALLY TARGETING THE VOICES AND STORIES OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
HER ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESIDENTS ADVOCATING FOR SPACES THAT REFLECT THEM AND THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE.
BRIDGE'S JOURNEY INTO COMMUNITY MEDIA WAS CATALYZED BY HER INNOVATIVE WORK.
AS A FREE PRESS NEWS VOICES FELLOW AT WBGO 88.3 FM, Y'ALL MAY HAVE HEARD OF WBGO, NEWARK PUBLIC RADIO, LAYING THE GROUNDWORK LITERALLY WITH HER BARE HANDS FOR WHAT WILL BECOME THE NEWARK NEWS AND SNARK STORY COLLABORATIVE.
WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE 2021 JOHN S. KNIGHT COMMUNITY IMPACT FELLOWSHIP AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY, BRITT NURTURED THIS INITIATIVE INTO A STANDALONE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
OVER 50 NEWARK RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN JOURNALISM, STORYTELLING, AND MEDIA PRODUCTION, AIMING TO ALLEVIATE THE INFORMATION DISPARITY IN UNDERREPRESENTED AREAS.
SINCE HER DEPARTURE FROM WBGO, BRIT HAS DEDICATED HERSELF TO THE GROWTH OF THE NEWARK STORIES AND STORY COLLABORATIVE AND THE CREATION OF FIVE WARDS MEDIA, HER NEWARK ROOTS ARE NOT A BACKDROP, BUT A CONTINUOUS THREAD THAT WEAVES THROUGH HER EXTENSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUTH AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, ESTABLISHING HER AS A FOUNDATIONAL FIGURE IN NEWARK'S COMMUNITY, BUDDING AND BUILDING ECOSYSTEM.
I'LL CLOSE BY THINKING OF A YOUNG PERSON OR NAMING INTO THE SPACE, A YOUNG PERSON NAMED AKIA GUNN, WHO WAS 15 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE WAS SUBJECTED TO A HATE CRIME, LITERALLY FOR JUST BEING YOUNG, BLACK AND QUEER RIGHT HERE IN NEWARK.
AND A LOT OF US GREW UP IN THE TIME WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
AND WHEN I THINK OF BRIT, I THINK OF AKIA AND I THINK OF ALL THE AKS, I THINK OF ALL THE MEEKS, I THINK OF ALL THE AKITAS, I THINK OF ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR WORLD AND OUR COMMUNITY WHO JUST DESERVE TO BE LOVED, TO BE SEEN, TO BE CARED FOR.
AND I THANK GOD THAT A BRIT HARLEY EXISTS.
SO THROUGH YOUR LIFE, THROUGH YOUR WORK, AND THROUGH YOUR MISSION, ALL OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR STORIES AND OUR COMMUNITY STORIES ARE HEARD, PROTECTED, SEEN, AND LOVED JUST AS GOD SEES AND LOVES HIM.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, Y'ALL GIVE ME THE HONOR AND PLEASURE OF WELCOMING AND CONGRATULATING BRIT HARLEY FOR PIE.
I DID PREPARE SOMETHING, BUT I'M GONNA GO A LITTLE OFF SCRIPT.
'CAUSE YOU MENTIONED ZAKIYA GUNN AND IT WAS LEARNING ABOUT THAT AS A YOUNG PERSON AND ALSO GROWING UP IN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I CAN BE, WHO WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, LIKE THERE WAS FEAR OF THAT GENDER EXPRESSION AND KNOWING WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN MY COMMUNITY.
SO HOW WOULD I BE RECEIVED AND ALSO HOW WOULD I BE RECEIVED AT CHURCH? SO WITH THAT, GOOD EVENING.
GOOD EVENING, HAPPY WEDNESDAY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK GOD AND MY ANCESTORS FOR KEEPING ME SAFE, PROTECTING AND BLESSING ME.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE EXUS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
I AM DEEPLY HONORED AND GRATEFUL.
I GREW UP ON THE THREE 50TH BLOCK OF LESLIE STREET, BETWEEN LINES AND CHANCELLOR AVENUE AND THE SOUTH WARD OF NEWARK,
[01:15:01]
NEW JERSEY.I'M A BAPTIST CHURCH AND BLOCK CLUB KID AND I'VE HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF SPENDING 33 YEARS ON THIS EARTH DEDICATING MY LIFE TO SERVING THIS COMMUNITY.
SINCE I WAS A YOUNG PERSON MYSELF.
MY JOURNEY TO MEDIA IS NOT A TRADITIONAL ONE.
PRIOR TO JOINING THE NEWS TEAM AT WBGO, NEWARK PUBLIC RADIO, I WORKED ACROSS SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT CREATING INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS TO ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR DREAMS AND PASSIONS.
AND OFTENTIMES THAT LOOK LIKE CREATING THINGS TO REPAIR AND RESTORE HEALING TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
HOW THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD.
JUST DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T REALIZE WERE BARRIERS IN THE WAY BY DESIGN, ESPECIALLY AT A SCHOOL LIKE MALCOLM X SHABAZZ THAT ISN'T AS RESOURCED AS OTHER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
IT WAS ULTIMATELY THAT WORK THAT BROUGHT ME TO MEDIA THAT WAS A CATALYST FOR BUILDING NEWARK STORIES AND FIVE WARDS MEDIA TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS OFTEN MISREPRESENTED TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY.
THAT IS OFTEN MISREPRESENTED IN THE MEDIA.
THESE PLATFORMS WERE CREATED TO ADDRESS URGENT INFORMATION NEEDS OF NEWARK RESIDENTS.
AND THEY HAVE BECOME A, A TESTAMENT OF THE POWER OF COMMUNITY DRIVEN STORYTELLING AND ENGAGEMENT.
WHO GETS TO TELL OUR STORIES? WHO GETS TO TELL THE NEWS? IT SHOULD BE US.
STORYTELLING IS AN ACT OF SURVIVAL.
IT IS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE, A CHANCE FOR MARGINALIZED PEOPLE TO CHALLENGE TRADITIONAL POWER STRUCTURES.
GROWING UP, I DIDN'T ALWAYS FEEL I COULD EXPRESS MYSELF, WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH WORDS OR MY GENDER EXPRESSION.
IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY TO LOVE MYSELF AND EXIST INSIDE OF THIS BODY.
TO BE BLACK, QUEER AND DISABLED MEANS I EXIST AT MANY INTERSECTIONS, OFTENTIMES NAVIGATING SPACES WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LABOR, FEELING WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE OTHER.
I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SPACES WHERE I SEE MYSELF, WHERE I FEEL SAFE AND WHERE I FEEL BRAVE.
BRAVE ENOUGH TO SHARE, BRAVE ENOUGH TO FIGHT SYSTEMS THAT DO NOT WANT US TO THRIVE.
BRAVE ENOUGH TO BUILD AND BRAVE ENOUGH TO BELIEVE, TO BELIEVE IN A PLACE I AM FROM AND LOVE SO DEEPLY, A PLACE WHERE MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING POVERTY, HARDSHIP, LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES, LACK OF ACCESS, ALL OF THIS BY DESIGN.
I AM PROUD TO BE A BLACK QUEER KID FROM NEWARK REPRESENTING MY CITY IN EVERY WAY.
THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TONIGHT MEANS SO MUCH BECAUSE IT RECOGNIZES NOT JUST MY WORK, BUT ALSO THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE ANCESTORS WHO SHOULDERS I STAND ON.
SO LET US ALSO LIFT UP THE ANCESTORS AND THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US TO FIGHT FOR LIBERATION THAT WE GET TO EXIST INSIDE OF.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS HONOR.
I'M PROUD TO STAND WITH ALL OF YOU, ALL THE HONOREES, AND TO CONTINUE TO DO GREAT WORK THAT CAN CREATE A LASTING IMPACT.
OKAY, THANK YOU AGAIN AND CONGRATULATIONS ONCE MORE TO ALL OF OUR HONOREES, UH, TONIGHT.
ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR SURE.
UM, AND I KNOW THE STAFF LOVES, I'M GONNA GO A LITTLE OFF SCRIPT TOO,
BUT, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE, UH, WE CLOSE OUT, UH, THE SERMON WITH A CLOSING PRAYER FROM, FROM REVEREND TAYLOR.
UM, BUT WHAT, UM, REALLY, UM, HAS HIT HOME FOR ME TONIGHT IS THAT EACH OF OUR HONOREES, UM, UH, WHEN WE'RE GIVEN A FEW MINUTES, UH, TALKED ABOUT THE WORK, THE IMPACT NOT ABOUT THEMSELVES,
AND, UM, THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN AT THESE.
UM, AND THAT'S NO DISRESPECT TO PAST MEMORIES.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALWAYS AT THESE CEREMONIES.
AND, UM, THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND THE IMPACT.
UM, SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE THIS IS JUST A SMALL THING FOR US TO DO, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW IT MEANS YOU'RE SO GRACIOUS TO SAY IT MEANS
[01:20:01]
A LOT, BUT WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE DOING EACH AND EVERY DAY IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST, I APPRECIATE THAT.
WE'RE, WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS AND WE'RE HONORED TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
SO, UM, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'RE REMINDED THAT THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE DONE WITH THAT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA THANK EVERYONE, UH, TONIGHT FOR BEING HERE.
WE HAVE A RECEPTION, UH, RIGHT AFTERWARDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO PLEASE JOIN US OR FROM FOOD AND SOME FELLOWSHIP AND I'M GONNA BRING UP REVEREND TAYLOR, WHO I IS IN THE BED UP THERE.
UH, IT ACTUALLY SAYS TO RENDER THE CLOSING PRAYER AND TO BLESS THE FOOD
THERE SEEMS TO BE A SPIRIT OF IMPROMPTU IN THE BUILDING RIGHT NOW.
UH, I HAD A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PRAYER IN MY HEART UNTIL THAT YOUNG MAN SANG.
AND SO, UH, FOR SOMEBODY, LET US PRAY.
GRACIOUS AND ETERNAL, LORD GOD WILL BE COMING FOR YOU TONIGHT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS.
FOR KAREEM LORD GOD IS INDEED HIS FATHER'S SON.
FOR BRIT IS INDEED HER FATHER'S DAUGHTER.
PAUL IS INDEED HIS FATHER'S SON.
FOR MARIA IS INDEED HER FATHER'S DAUGHTER, ANTHONY'S INDEED HER FATHER'S SON.
AS WE LEAVE THIS SPACE WALKING IN THE FULLNESS OF WHAT IT MEANS TO WALK IN CHOSEN FAMILY, WE ARE THANKFUL THAT YOU CHOSE US FOR THIS ODD, ADVENTUROUS ASSIGNMENT TO BE PEACOCKS IN A WORLD FULL OF PIGEONS.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE CAPACITY OF AUDACITY TO WALK STREETS ON TUESDAY IN BRIGHT ORANGE, TO BE BOLD AND PRESENT JUST AS WE ARE.
WE THANK YOU LORD GOD FOR FAMILY THAT KEEP COVER AND COMFORT US, LORD GOD, THOSE BORN TO AND CHOSEN.
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS SPACE, FOR THESE COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE SAID YES TO THE ASSIGNMENT OF LAYING LOVE AT THE FEET OF THOSE WHO WOULD DARE NOT PICK UP THESE TROPHIES IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY THEY HAD TO BE PULLED INTO SPACE TO RECEIVE THESE THANK YOUS.
AND WE SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS.
WE SAY THANK YOU FOR THESE HALLOWED HALLS AND THIS LOVE THAT SURROUND US.
WE SAY THANK YOU FOR THE POWER AND THE PURPOSE OF ZAKIYA GUN THAT ASTOUNDS US AND LIFTS US TODAY.
WE SAY THANK YOU, WE SAY THANK YOU, WE SAY THANK YOU TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE WE GET TO LIVE OUT LOUD, FULL, AND FREE.
AND AS WE GET UP FROM THIS PART OF THE CEREMONY TO GO AND CONSUME FOOD, LET US CONSUME THE LOVE FOR DESSERT AND APPETIZER.
BLESS THE FOOD THAT'S BEEN PREPARED FOR THE NOURISHING OF OUR BODIES AND THE STRENGTH OF OUR SPIRIT.
BLESS THE HANDS THAT PREPARED OUR BODIES THAT RECEIVE IT AND THIS LOVE FEST IN WHICH WE PARTAKE COVER.
AND FOR THIS AND ALL THE THINGS YOU DO SO WELL, WE LIFT YOU UP AS YOU LIFT UP THESE RECIPIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR PARTNERS OF 43 YEARS AND THEIR LIVES.
THANK YOU FOR GRACE AND MERCY THAT KEEP COVER AND COMFORT US AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU THAT EVERY TIME WE GATHER, WE SPEAK THE NAME AKIA GUN AND ONE DAY PERHAPS WE'LL HONOR ZAKIA GUN DAY ONE DAY, HUH? AS WE CAN NOW.
WE'LL WALK DOWN AKIA GUN WAY, RIGHT AT HALLS END ACADEMY AND ONE DAY WE'LL ALL BE BOLD ENOUGH TO BE AKIA GUN GAY.
AND IN DOING, AND FOR THIS AND ALL THE THINGS YOU DO SO WELL, WE LIFT YOU UP AS YOU LIFT US UP RIGHT NOW, ASHA.
SO EVERYONE WAS WELCOME TO HEAD TO GET SOME FOOD IF THE HONOREES COULD PLEASE STICK AROUND.
WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME EXTRA PHOTOS OF YOU.
UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO GET SOME PHOTOS OF YOUR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES AS WELL.