[00:00:17]
ANYBODY WANNA SHARE WHAT THEY HEARD, WHAT THEY SAID? KNOW YOU TAKE HOW YOU READY? YOU ALMOST READY? SO YOU JUST START, YOU READY FOR US TO START? ALRIGHT.
ANYBODY FROM THIS SIDE? CONTINUE OVER HERE.
WHAT YOU HEARD, WHAT YOU OH, UM, OH.
CALL YOU READY TO START? HE'S READY FOR THAT BEING SAID AGAIN.
I WANNA THANK THE VILLAGE THAT SURROUNDS DOMINIQUE LEE, THAT SURROUNDS MY BROTHER CAESAR IN THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE IN A TIME WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF GRIEF, WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF HEAVINESS, THERE'S A LOT TO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF JOY AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT TO BE GRATEFUL FOR.
AS WE FIRST PRESENT THIS AWARD ON BEHALF OF ESSEX COUNTY, TO SOMEONE WHO I KNEW WHEN I WAS JUST A TEENAGER GETTING STARTED IN THIS WORK, I HAD A LOT OF HEART AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND CAESAR IMMEDIATELY WAS LIKE, WHAT DO YOU NEED? HOW CAN I HELP? SO TO IN, TO INTRODUCE CAESAR VIZIO, OUR FIRST HONOREE OF THE EVENING, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT'S RIGHT OF PARTNERSHIP WEST.
WE HAVE NONE OTHER THAN MY BROTHER IN THE WORK IN THE MOVEMENT.
SOME KNOW HIM AS A MUSICIAN, SOME KNOW HIM AS A ARTIST, SOME KNOW HIM AS A GRADUATE OF A-H-B-C-U, BUT I GET TO CALL HIM COUNCILMAN NONE OTHER THAN COUNCILMAN DUPREE.
KELLY, LET'S HEAR IT FOR OUR COMMISSIONER.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE HONORING EVERYBODY AND JUST IN A BRIEF MOMENT, I JUST WANT TO HONOR YOU AND SAY THANK YOU FOR LOVING OUR CITY, LOVING OUR PEOPLE, AND DOING THE GREATEST JOB FOR YOUR FIRST TERM.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND WE THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
I GET TO CALL, CALL HER COMMISSIONER
UM, I'M GONNA BE REAL BRIEF, YOU KNOW, UM, DOM SALUTE TO YOU, BUT I'M INTRODUCING, UH, MR. CAESAR VISCAINO.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST BECAME COUNCILMAN OF THE WEST WARD, I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW HARD IT WAS GOING TO BE, RIGHT?
UM, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT ANYTHING THAT THAT'S WORTH RECEIVING.
AND I HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COMING AT ME, UH, THE WRONG PEOPLE COMING AT ME TRYING TO DISCREDIT THIS MAN, AND I'M JUST BEING TRANSPARENT.
I KNEW HIM BEFORE I WAS COUNCILMAN.
SO I KNEW HIS SPIRIT BEFORE I WAS COUNCILMAN.
I KNEW THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAD WITH HIM BEFORE I WAS COUNCILMAN.
SO I DIDN'T LISTEN TO THOSE WHISPERS.
I DIDN'T LISTEN TO NONE OF THAT.
I SAID, LET ME JUST SEE HIS ACTIONS BECAUSE WHAT I'VE KNOWN OF HIM, IT, IT'S, IT'S THE OTHER SIDE, RIGHT? IT'S THE GOOD SIDE.
AND I'M GLAD I DIDN'T LISTEN BECAUSE THIS GUY, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, COMMISSIONER, SOON AS I STEPPED BEFORE I STEPPED INTO THE DOOR OF THE COUNCILMAN'S OFFICE, HE SAID, WHAT DO YOU NEED? HOW CAN I HELP? WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO? YOU KNOW? AND HE HASN'T STOPPED.
HE JUST SAID THIS LAST WEEK,
SO I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BROTHER.
YOU HAVE A BROTHER, YOU HAVE A FRIEND.
AND I MEAN THAT NOT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE COLLEAGUES IN THIS WORK, NOT JUST BECAUSE WE ARE NEWARKERS, BUT BECAUSE OF WHO YOU SHOWED ME BEYOND THAT.
SO I SAY THANK YOU, CONGRATULATIONS, AND IT'S DESERVING.
[00:05:02]
THANK YOU.THANK YOU FOR THAT, COUNCILMAN.
I THINK IT'S FITTING FOR ME TO READ A LITTLE BIT FROM THE COMMENDATION, BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT CAN'T BE PUT IN A BIO OR ON A PROCLAMATION, RIGHT? THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE JUST TO BE SAID.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING US HONOR NONE OTHER THAN CESAR ANO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PARTNERSHIP WEST.
SO FOUNDED IN 2016 BY VISIONARY LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS, COMMUNITY, NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS AND BUSINESS OWNERS.
PARTNERSHIP WEST, WHICH IS LED BY CESAR, IS A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT 5 0 1 C3 THAT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE WEST WARD.
PWI MAKES SURE THAT THE CURBS AND SIDEWALKS ARE CLEAN AND SAFE, THAT PUBLIC SPACES ARE ALLY PLANTED, AND THAT LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE MARKETED AND SUPPORTED FOR QUALITY IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
CURRENTLY, PARTNERSHIP WEST UNDER CAESAR'S LEADERSHIP IS THE LARGEST BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BY AREA IN NEW JERSEY, SERVING OVER 200 BUSINESSES, LEMME REPEAT THE LARGEST BID SERVING OVER 200 BUSINESSES, NOT JUST IN NEWARK, NOT JUST IN THE GREATEST AS COUNTY AS WELL, BUT IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
PWI IS COMMITTED TO TRANSFORMING THIS COMMUNITY INTO A SAFE DISTRICT.
AND HE'S BEEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND EVEN AS A BOARD MEMBER PRIOR TO, HE'S LED THE ORGANIZATION TO NEW AND GREATER HEIGHTS, ENRICHING THE WESTWARD.
HE COMES TO NEWARK AS A FIRST GENERATION BORN TO RECENTLY IMMIGRATED PARENTS FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
HEY
BEFORE JOINING PWI, HE SERVED AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP WITH THE NEWARK COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AS WELL AS A LEGISLATIVE AID WITH THE NEWARK MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.
I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT HIS SERVICE ON BOARDS AND DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
FROM ROSEVILLE COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL TO ES COUNTY COLLEGE TO NJ PAC, TO THE AMERICAN LEGION, POST 1 52 TO THE HISPANIC AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THIS COUNTY TO THE NAACP.
I COULD ALSO TALK ABOUT HIS CAREER AS A VETERAN IN THE MARINE CORPS, BUT WHAT HE'S SO GRATEFUL TO BE MOST PROUD OF IS, AMONG HIS MANY TITLES, IS A SERVANT OF OUR COMMUNITY, A TIRELESS WORKER AND LABORER IN THE VINEYARD.
ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY, ON BEHALF OF OUR COUNTY, ON BEHALF OF OUR STATE, WE ARE SO HONORED TO CONGRATULATE YOU AGAIN, CAESAR ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF S TEXAS COUNTY FOR YOUR WORK TODAY.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS.
I DON'T WANT TO KEEP EVERYONE TOO LONG AND I KIND OF LIKE I'M DOING WHATEVER I SEE EVERYBODY ELSE DO TALK THROUGH THEIR PHONE.
SO,
I'M GONNA SEE, I MIGHT SOUND MORE COHERENT THIS TIME, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST I WANT TO THANK, UM, COMMISSIONER THOMAS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND ALONG WITH HER, THE BOARD THAT SERVES HERE, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, I ALSO WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND TIME TO THANK, BECAUSE WE'RE A BID AND IT'S SO LARGE AND WE HAVE COUNTY ROADS ON IT.
UM, AND THIS IS THE FORUM FOR IT, AND WE'RE IN THEIR HOUSE.
I WANNA THANK, UM, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, JOSEPH ZO, UM, HIS CHIEF OF STAFF, PHIL ELIJAH, AND ALSO DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF SENATOR THERESA RUIZ.
UM, I ALSO WANNA CONGRATULATE THE FELLOW AWARDEE, MR. DOMINIC LEE, FOR HIS CONTRIBU CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AND FOR WHAT HE'S DONE IN HIS SERVICE.
UM, I MET A DORIAN A LONG TIME AGO.
WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME LIKE A LONG TIME AGO, AND PROBABLY IN HER LIFE IT IS BECAUSE IT'S MUCH SHORTER THAN MINE.
UM, I MET HER ACTUALLY, SHE WAS SPEAKING AT A, AT A, UM, AT A FUNCTION.
AND THE STORY SHE HAD WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M HARD TO MOVE.
I'M NOT EASILY MOVED, BUT WHEN SHE TOLD ME HER STORY, SHE WAS SAYING, NOW PUBLICLY, IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT, WAIT FOR THE BOOK.
AND I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE A MOVIE THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT.
AND FROM THAT DAY, LIKE SHE SAID, SHE HAD ME AT HELLO.
SO I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO BE THERE FOR HER.
UM, ONE OF THE FUNNY THINGS ABOUT DORIAN WAS LIKE SHE SAID, SHE WAS VERY YOUNG WHEN SHE, WHEN I FIRST MET HER WAS SHE WALK AROUND WITH A PACK OF GIRLS AND SHE GOES, THESE ARE MY GIRLS.
BUT NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK THESE ARE YOUR FRIENDS OR THIS, AND NOTHING.
SHE ACTUALLY FELT SHE WAS THEIR MOTHER.
AND THE FUNNY THING ABOUT IT IS THAT THEY LOOKED ALMOST SIMILAR IN AGE.
SO IT'S KIND OF FUNNY WHEN SHE GOES, THESE ARE MY GIRLS.
SO IT'S, IT IS A LITTLE BIT EASIER NOW.
SHE DRESSES A LOT MORE MATURE NOW.
SO YOU COULD SAY, OH, THESE MY, YEAH, YOU GET IT, YOU GET IT.
BUT, BUT DON'T LET IT FOOL YOU.
[00:10:01]
STILL VERY YOUNG.UM, AND, AND THE REASON I MOSTLY HELPED HER IS BECAUSE WHEN, WHEN WE SEE OUR YOUTH AND, UM, AND YOU SEE ONE THAT THAT'S INSPIRED, THAT HAS THAT FIRE, THAT HAS THAT VISION, THAT HAS THAT GOAL, THAT HAS THAT DRIVE, YOU FOUND THE GOLD GOLDEN TICKET.
AND, AND THAT'S THE ONE YOU, YOU, YOU PUSH.
BECAUSE THROUGH PUSHING HER, SHE'S PUSHING AN UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF YOUNG LADIES WHO ARE GONNA COME UP BEHIND HER.
AND LOOKING AT HER EXAMPLE, I CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO WALK IN HER HIGH HEELS BECAUSE, UM, SHE HAS SO MANY PEOPLE ON SO MANY LEVELS LOOKING AT HER.
AND I, I JUST GOTTA COMMAND AND SAY WHAT A PHENOMENAL JOB HER MOM DANA'S DOING AND PROTECTING OVER HER.
SO, UM, AND ANYBODY TRYING TO GET OUT HER, I WISH YOU LUCK 'CAUSE YOU GOTTA GET THROUGH HER MOM FIRST, MOM JAIL.
UM, I ALSO, I WAS HOPING THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN, BUT I ALSO WANT TO, UM, THANK COUNCILMAN KELLY.
UM, HONESTLY, UM, I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME WE, HE AND I HAD, YOU KNOW, KNOWN EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT AND THEN, I DON'T EVEN EVEN KNOW IF HE REMEMBERS THIS, BUT, UM, UP IN BARRINGER I WAS VOLUNTEERING AND DOING SOME WORK AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE KIDS UP THERE.
HIM BEING FROM THE LORDS OF THE UNDERGROUND AND HIS BACKGROUND IN MUSIC AND CAREER AND EVERYTHING, I, I ASKED HIM TO COME WITH ME TO BARRINGER SO HE COULD TALK TO THESE KIDS.
AND RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT, THEY MADE A CONNECTION.
THEY WERE SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER AND HE WAS JUST A NATURAL.
SO WHEN HE CAME IN TO SERVE, UM, AS COUNCILMAN FOR THE WEST WARD, I WAS, I WAS EXCITED, I WAS MOTIVATED FOR HIM AND I WAS JUST GRATEFULLY A PART OF HIS TEAM IN TERMS OF, UM, LOOKING OUT FOR THE BUSINESS OF HIM.
THE ONE THING I CAN SAY IS THAT WHEN YOU SPEAK TO, TO COUNCILMAN KELLY, WHICH IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO, TO GET USED TO SAYING, BECAUSE HE AND I HAD SUCH A FRIENDSHIP AND HE OWNS HIS RESPECT AND HE WAS ELECTED AND EVERYTHING.
SO WHEN YOU EVER SPEAK TO CONST, MC KELLY, I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN HE TELLS YOU SOMETHING, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
HE'S ALWAYS BEEN A HUNDRED PERCENT TRUTHFUL WITH ME.
LUCKILY, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE SAME THINGS IN COMMON THAT WE WANT THE BETTERMENT OF THE WEST WARD.
SO WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ON THE SAME TRACK AND ALWAYS HAD THE SAME IDEAS TO TRY TO GET STUFF DONE.
AND IF HE HAS A VISION, I'M GONNA DO MY VERY BEST TO TO MAKE SURE IT GETS COMPLETED.
SO I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS HONESTY WITH ME.
I WANNA THANK HIS STAFF WHO'S HERE TO SUPPORT AS WELL.
UM, HONESTLY, UM, MONICA, I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO TRY TO BE LIKE A, A MENTOR TO YOU, A LITTLE BIG BROTHER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME SOMEBODY'S SUPPORTING SOMEBODY, YOU'RE SUPPORTING ME.
UM, UM, I DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY I WAS GETTING THIS AWARD.
I THOUGHT I'D BE OVER HERE BY MYSELF JUST PICKING IT UP, BECAUSE TODAY WE HAVE A FUNCTION AND I HAVE EVERYBODY WHO'S IMPORTANT TO ME EITHER GOING TO THE EVENT OR WORKING ON THE EVENT.
SO THAT, SO, AND I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO TELL 'EM I WAS GETTING THE EVENT, BUT THEY PUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SOME OF 'EM FOUND OUT AND KIND OF ANGRY AT ME,
BUT I, I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE CITY OF NEWARK IS TO ME.
I MEAN, I SCRAPED MY KNEES IN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
I PLAYED IN ITS PARKS AND STILL DO GOLF.
I TRY, UM, I SERVED AND, AND I WAS PROUD TO GO AROUND THE WORLD AND SAY THAT I WAS PART OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
MY EDUCATION CAME FROM THE CITY OF NEWARK AND MY LIVELIHOOD IS HERE IN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
SO IF YOU COME, IF YOU COME TO THINK OF IT FROM MY MOMENT OF LIFE TO NOW, I OWE ALL TO THE CITY OF NEWARK.
AND UM, THAT BRINGS ME TO MY FAMILY.
MY PARENTS CAME HERE IN 1967, JANUARY OF 67.
HAD I BEEN MY PARENTS, I'D HAVE WENT RIGHT BACK TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
THEY HAD MYSELF AND MY SISTER, UM, THEY HAD A SMALL FAMILY BECAUSE THEY BOTH HAD BIG FAMILIES.
MY FATHER HAD 17 BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND MY MOTHER HAD 11.
AND THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD PROVIDE FOR US IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT WE DIDN'T NEED ANYTHING.
THEY'VE BEEN MARRIED 58 YEARS, NOT BEEN HAVING THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THERE FOR 57 OF THOSE YEARS.
UM, THIS AWARD IS ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY TO ME, BECAUSE EVERY TIME I GIVE AN AWARD, I GIVE IT AWAY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME MY NIECE IS ABLE TO SEE, GET AN AWARD.
AND THIS IS FOR, I AM GOING TO END WITH THIS.
PEOPLE ALWAYS AND OFTEN ASK ME, WHY DO I SERVE? I SHRUG MY SHOULDERS DON'T WANT ME TO GIVE AN ANSWER, BUT THE REASON FOR REAL WHY I SERVE FOUR WORDS
[00:15:01]
IS ALL I KNOW.ALL THIS POLLING UP IN HERE, THE ALLERGIES.
SHOULD WE COME UP? WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME FOR OTHER END.
SO CAESAR, WHEN YOU SAID, THE THING ABOUT EVERYONE I LOVE IS EITHER ON THEIR WAY OR HELPING THE EVENT, THE BRICK FAMILY WAS LIKE, YEAH, WE, WE KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE IN THE TRENCHES, YOU ARE IN THIS NONPROFIT WORK.
YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA BUILD ON THIS, IT BECOMES A FAMILY AFFAIR IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WAY.
SO WE KNOW YOU HAVE TO LEAVE A LITTLE EARLY, BUT WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND, UH, SENDING YOU THE BEST FOR TONIGHT'S EVENT.
I'M GONNA TRY TO MAKE IT IF WE GET OUT OF OUR BOARD MEETING, MEETING TONIGHT IN TIME.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, UH, SPEAKING OF PEOPLE WHO DO THE WORK AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD DON'T HAVE TO DO IT ALONE, IT IS MY HONOR TO BRING UP OUR LAST AND FINAL INSTALL IS CERTAINLY NOT LEAST HONOREE OF THE EVENING, NONE OTHER THAN DOMINIQUE LEE, CEO AND FOUNDER OF BRICK EDUCATION NETWORK.
CAN YOU COME UP TO THE PODIUM? IF YOU MIGHT DO ME THE HONOR OF MAKING YOUR WAY UP TO THE PODIUM.
A BROTHER WHO KNOWS THAT, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE THERE FOR THE HARVEST, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW, THE LABORERS ARE FEW.
AND WE ARE SO HONORED TO CELEBRATE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT ONLY A LABORER, BUT A LEADER AND ALSO A LAY LEADER WHO GETS DOWN IN THE WORK IN THE WEEDS WITH, I HAVEN'T BEEN TO A BRICK, UH, THANKSGIVING DINNER HOLIDAY GIFT GIVEAWAY, COMMUNITY CLEANUP.
AND DOMINIQUE WASN'T IN THERE IN THE TRENCHES WITH EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE STAFF WITH EVERY OTHER VOLUNTEER BUILDING AND MOVING AND DOING THE WORK WITH YOU.
THAT'S THE KIND OF LEADER THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING TONIGHT.
SOMEONE WHO, WHEN HE SAYS HE'S BUILDING A BRICK CITY WITH A BRICK EDUCATION NETWORK, HE'S BUILDING IT BRICK BY BRICK BUILDING.
RESILIENT, INTELLIGENT, CREATIVE KIDS EDUCATION NETWORK BEGAN AT SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL WHERE A GROUP OF TEACH FOR AMERICA ALUMNI RECOGNIZED AN URGENT NEED FOR BETTER EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS.
THEY AIM TO RADICALLY IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES STARTING FROM ELEMENTARY LEVELS.
WE JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE BLESSED BY A BROTHER WHO CAME FROM DETROIT, MICHIGAN, WHO SAID, YEAH, WE GONNA DO SOMETHING REAL SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.
AND SO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE GROUP SUCCESSFULLY TURNED AROUND TO UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS AND LATER CHARTERED THE CHIEF CLINTON HILL CHARTER SCHOOL TO FURTHER SERVE KIDS IN MY HOME NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE SOUTHWARD.
HEY, IN THE LAST 14 YEARS, BRICK HAS STAYED ROOTED IN ITS MISSION TO REMOVE BARRIERS THAT PREVENT STUDENTS FROM REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
ALONG THE WAY, IT HAS CREATED HOLISTIC SUPPORT SYSTEMS FROM HOUSING TO PRENATAL CARE, TO EDUCATION.
AND BEYOND THAT, LAY THE GROUNDWORK BRICK BY BRICK FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS TO ENSURE STUDENTS NOT ONLY MEET BUT EXCEED EXPECTATIONS.
[00:20:02]
IN 2018, BRICK LAUNCHED THE SELF AWARD PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD A PO COME ON, PROMISE.A, BECAUSE PROMISES TO YOUNG PEOPLE ARE WHAT? SACRED.
AND SO HE STARTED THE PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD, A POWERFUL COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF MORE THAN 30 ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER TO INVEST IN SOUTH WARD FAMILIES.
BRICK HAS DEVELOPED AND TESTED A NEW SCHOOL MODEL THAT FUNDAMENTALLY REIMAGINES HOW TO SUPPORT THE LIFE TRAJECTORY OF CHILDREN MOST IMPACTED BY SYSTEMATIC POVERTY AND RACISM.
DOMINIQUE LEE, THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF BRICK, IS A TRAILBLAZER, NOT JUST OF EDUCATION, BUT OF TRANSFORMING WHOLE COMMUNITIES.
HIS COMMITMENT TO BREAKING DOWN SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION AND PROVIDING EQUITABLE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL CHILDREN HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS AN EXAMPLE FOR EDUCATORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WHILE IT WAS A GIFT AND HONOR TO BE, UH, UH, APPLAUDED IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WAY, BUT MY BROTHER, UH, CAESAR ANO AND YOUR WORDS ABOUT ME AND HOW I EVEN CAME TO THIS, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I WAS DOING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IF I DIDN'T HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE DOMINIQUE WHO SAID, HEY, WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR YOUR BABIES TOO? WE GOT SOME YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOL WHO NEED SOME TUTORING, WHO NEED SOME MENTORING.
CAN YOU COME, CAN YOU TALK TO THEM? CAN YOU BRING THEM? OR WHAT DO YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE NEED? WE'RE HAVING A COMMUNITY GIVEAWAY.
WE'RE GIVING OUT BRAND NEW SNEAKERS AND LAPTOPS.
AND SO WHEN HE'S HONORED BY BEING ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES, OR WHEN HE'S HONORED AS BEING IN THE BOOK, THE PRIZE BY DALE ROFF OR, UH, THE THE RIOS 100 TOP HISTORY MAKERS WHEN HE'S HONORED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WORLD, 'CAUSE HE GOT SOME INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS AND PLATFORMS TOO.
WHEN DOMINIQUE IS IN THE ROOM, IT'S NOT JUST HIM BEING CELEBRATED, IT'S HIS WHOLE COMMUNITY AND THE WHOLE VILLAGE THAT HE IS LITERALLY CHANGING AND TRANSFORMING BRICK BY BRICK.
SO WITH MY HUMBLE PLEASURE, IT IS A GIFT TO RECOGNIZE NOT JUST YOU TODAY, BUT THE ENTIRE BRICK FAMILY, ALL THE MAKINGS OF YOU FROM DETROIT AND ACROSS THIS COUNTRY WHO POURED INTO YOU AND GIVEN US THE GIFT THAT IS DOMINIQUE LEE, THE BRICK EDUCATION NETWORK, SOUTHWARD PROMISE, AND THE ENTIRE LEGACY THAT YOU HAVE CREATED.
ROUND OF APPLAUSE AGAIN FOR OUR HONOREE DOM.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME SPECIAL WORDS, IF YOU DON'T MIND PLEASE COMING, MAKING YOUR WAY TO THE STAGE.
IT'S MY HONOR TO REPRESENT, I KNOW I DID A LITTLE BIT OF TOO MUCH TALKING ON MY END, BUT, UM, CHRIS PERFECT IS GONNA GIVE SOME SPECIAL REMARKS ON BEHALF OF THE BRICK FAMILY AND SOUTH WAR PROMISE.
UM, I ECHO EVERYTHING THE COMMISSIONER SAID.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S A, IT WAS A COLD DAY WHEN I GOT A RANDOM PHONE, NU PHONE CALL FROM A TWO FOUR EIGHT NUMBER, WHICH IS A DETROIT AREA CODE.
I'M LIKE, OH, I'M ALSO FROM MICHIGAN.
WHO'S THIS
IT COULD HAVE BEEN A BLACKBERRY, A FLIP PHONE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT I WAS PICKING UP AT THE TIME.
UM, HE'S LIKE, HEY, UH, I'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU THROUGH LIKE TEACH FOR AMERICA.
I LOVE, I'M REALLY STARTING TO THINK ABOUT THIS, UM, UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY TRANSFORM WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SOUTH WARD, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
UM, THERE, UM, THAT I'M GETTING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
AND I SAID, OH, THAT SOUNDS INTERESTING.
LIKE, YEAH, WHAT DO WE WANNA DO? AND UM, THAT REALLY BEGAN THE, THE JOURNEY OF BRICK AND JUST MEETING, UH, AT TWO CEDAR STREET FOR LIKE A YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, REALLY GETTING INTO, INTO THE WEEDS OF IT ALL AT AVON AND THEN AT PE SHINE.
UM, AND I THINK THE THING ABOUT DOMINIQUE IS HE IS A VISIONARY, RIGHT? HE IS THE PERSON WHO IS ALREADY PROJECTING 10 YEARS DOWN THE LINE, 15 DOWN THE 15 YEARS DOWN THE LINE LINE AND THEN ALIGNING EVERYONE TO WHAT IS GONNA BE COMING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE REALLY ABLE TO DELIVER FOR THE ALL THE FOLKS AND THE YOUNG FOLKS WHO ARE COMING UP BEHIND US.
AND SO IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO LIKE WORK ALONGSIDE HIM FOR, I DON'T KNOW, A LONG TIME.
WE LIVE AROUND THE CORNER FROM EACH OTHER, ALL OF THE THINGS.
AND UM, IT'S JUST ALWAYS, HE IS A LIGHT AND AN INSPIRATION TO EVERYONE AND JUST KIND OF REALLY HELPS US, UH, WAKE UP EVERY DAY READY TO LIKE FIGHT THAT FIGHT.
DO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OUR ESTEEMED PRINCIPLES WHO JUST WANNA SAY SOME REMARKS ABOUT OUR FRIEND DOMINIC, IF THAT'S QUESTION? ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE DR. FLOYD AND THEN MS. PER, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
I ALMOST THOUGHT FOR A SECOND THAT I HAD SCREENSHOT MY NOTES TO YOU 'CAUSE I WAS LIKE, WHY IS SHE SAYING EVERYTHING THAT'S ON THE PAPER HERE? UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, IN 2019, I WAS IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, THE HOME OF BREONNA TAYLOR, AND I WAS LOOKING TO TRANSITION TO A NEW PART OF MY CAREER.
I HAPPENED UPON LINKEDIN AND THERE WAS A JOB FOR THE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL ED WITH BRICK EDUCATION NETWORK.
AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT? I DID WHAT MANY PEOPLE DO? I GOOGLED BRICK EDUCATION NETWORK AND I SAW THIS TALL,
[00:25:01]
GOOD LOOKING BALD GENTLEMAN, SOMEBODY SAID, TALK ABOUT IT.AND I SAID, WOW, IT'S BEING LED AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT KENTUCKY TO SEE A BLACK EDUCATOR, IT WAS PHENOMENAL.
LIKE, WOW, WHO IS THIS GUY? AND THEN I WATCHED A NEWS STORY THAT HE, WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT BRICK DOES, AND I SAID, THIS IS THE KIND OF PLACE I WANT TO WORK ON.
NOVEMBER THE 18TH OF 2019, I WALKED INTO A SESSION CALLED ELC AND I GOT TO SEE IN PERSON THIS VERY TALL GENTLEMAN, GOOD LOOKING BALDHEADED BLACK GUY,
AND AT MEETING HIM, I LOOKED AROUND THE ROOM AND I WAS LIKE, MAN, THIS IS AMAZING.
HE SAID, YEAH, BLACK EDUCATORS DO THIS ALL THE TIME.
AND I REMEMBER AS HE GOT READY TO INTRODUCE ME, HE SAID, I, I'M SURE HE DIDN'T DO WELL IN GEOGRAPHY.
I WILL SAY THAT HE SAID, THIS IS DR. FLOYD, ONE OF THE ONLY BLACK PEOPLE IN KENTUCKY,
I HAVE SINCE FORGIVEN HIM FOR THAT.
AND I LOOKED LIKE, IS HE FOR REAL
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF, UM, DOING A PODCAST WITH HIM.
AND I SAT DOWN AND TALKED TO HIM ABOUT HIS STORY AND ABOUT HIS LIFE.
IT HASN'T BEEN RELEASED BY THE WAY BECAUSE I A MONTH LATER TOOK A JOB THAT TOOK SO MUCH OF MY TIME AND EFFORT AND ENERGY CALLED PRINCIPLE ME THAT I HAVE NOT HAD A TIME CHANCE TO REVISIT THAT.
I REMEMBER AT CERTAIN POINTS LOOKING AT HIM AND THE CAMERA THINKING THIS GUY IS PASSION.
AND FROM 2019 UNTIL THIS DAY, I HAVE ASKED MYSELF THE QUESTION OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WHO IS THIS GUY? I COULD WALK AROUND HIM IN THE OFFICE AND STILL NOT KNOW WHO HE IS, WHO IS THIS GUY? I COULD SEE HIM AND SEE THE WHEELS TURNING IN HIS HEAD WITHOUT WORDS COMING OUT OF HIS MOUTH.
AND I WOULD SAY, WHO IS THIS GUY TODAY? I STAND HERE AND I CAN TELL YOU WHO THIS GUY IS.
WE REFER TO HIM AS DOM, BUT DOMINIQUE IS MORE THAN JUST A NAME.
HE IS NEWARK, BLACK AND BROWN ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
I'M SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ALONGSIDE THIS VISIONARY, THIS MAN WE CALL DOMINIQUE.
OKAY, I I THINK THERE'S SOMEONE WANTS TO SAY, SO THERE'S ONE OTHER PERSON WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.
YOU COULD COME ON WHOEVER THE OTHER PERSON IS.
WE GOT LISTEN, IF HE HAS PASSION, COME BACK, GO AHEAD.
UM, I'LL BE VERY BRIEF AS I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE ONE MINUTE.
UM, I THINK IN, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.
UM, MY JOURNEY HERE TO BRICK CAME UM, ABOUT, I WAS LOOKING FOR THIS.
I WAS LOOKING FOR A COMMUNITY OF BLACK PROFESSIONALS AND BLACK EDUCATORS WHO WERE SERVING BLACK AND BROWN KIDS.
I WAS PREVIOUSLY AT ANOTHER CHARTER SCHOOL WHO I DON'T FEEL WE WERE DOING IT IN THE WAY THAT, UM, WE HAVE DONE IT HERE.
SO WHAT I WILL ADD IS THAT I THINK AS A BLACK PROFESSIONAL, I TRULY APPRECIATE BEING A PART OF THIS NETWORK AND HAVING A BLACK CEO AT THE HEAD OF THIS NETWORK.
UM, DOMINIQUE, HE'S NOT WORKING.
HE'S NOT ONLY THINKING ABOUT THE BUSINESS, OF COURSE THAT IS A SIDE OF IT, BUT HE'S THINKING ABOUT HOW HE EMPOWERS THE PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE.
UM, WE BONDED VERY EARLY OVER THE FACT THAT I WAS A TEEN MOM AND HIS MOM WAS A TEEN MOM AND HE SAW SOMETHING IN ME FROM THAT DAY AND EMPOWERED ME TO LIKE DO MY THING FROM THERE ON OUT, UM, UP UNTIL TODAY.
SO I THINK THAT I THINK A LOT ABOUT THE GENERATIONS THAT WE'RE SERVING, ESPECIALLY BEING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE COMING UP UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF BLACK EXCELLENCE, RIGHT? THEY ARE SEEING EVERY DAY FROM THE AGE OF FIVE YEARS OLD, BLACK EXCELLENCE THROUGHOUT THEIR BUILDING, THROUGHOUT THE, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE THREE PRINCIPLES THAT WE HAVE AND THEN AT THE TOP OF OUR NETWORK IS A BLACK MAN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES AND I THINK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME FROM THE FACT THAT I SERVE THE LITTLES, RIGHT? THEY ARE SEEING THAT FROM FROM FIVE YEARS OLD.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR SERVING US AS THAT BEACON UM, OF POSSIBILITY.
AND I HEAR YOU SAY THAT WORD A LOT.
UM, SERVING US THAT BEACON OF SOMEONE WHO IS BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FOR US ON A, ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND LEADING WITH THAT VISION AND BEING THAT VISIONARY, THAT DEDICATION, THAT RESILIENCE, ALL OF THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT I HAVE
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HEARD THAT YOU USE TO DESCRIBE BRICK YOU LIVE AND LEAD THROUGH THAT.UM, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU TO FOR JUST SHOWING US THAT ANYTHING IS ACHIEVABLE, UM, WHEN WE ARE TRULY LEADING IN, IN AND PRACTICING WHAT WE PREACH.
UM, I'LL BE QUICK 'CAUSE I KNOW WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, TAKE YOUR TIME.
THANK YOUR TIME
UM, THE HOUSE THAT WE ARE IN, UM, FOR THE LEADERSHIP THAT THEY PROVIDE TO US.
AND CESAR, UM, YOUR STORY IS VERY IMPASSIONATE IN SO MANY WAYS AND I WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU EVEN MORE.
SO I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
UM, THE FIRST THING I WANNA SAY IS COMMISSIONER MURRAY.
UM, THE WORLD THAT WE ARE IN DOES NOT USUALLY SEE PEOPLE LIKE ME.
PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM AND IS NOT BEHOLDEN TO WANTING TO SHINE AND LIGHT.
WE'RE USUALLY KINDA OVERLOOKED BECAUSE WE'RE JUST NOT IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT I'M YEARNING FOR SOMEONE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY WORK IN IN THIS, RIGHT? AND I JUST WANNA SAY THIS AWARD IS MORE THAN A PIECE OF PAPER IS COMING FROM SOMEONE I KNOW THAT TRULY UNDERSTANDS ME AND NOT ONLY UNDERSTANDS ME, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING SEES ME AND WHO I AM BECAUSE I DON'T DO THIS FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE SYSTEMS IN PLACE ARE KEEPING BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE BEHIND.
AND THOSE SYSTEMS I LIVED THROUGH AS BEING A KID WITH A TEENAGE MOTHER AND HAD WITNESSED THOSE SYSTEMS GOING, HAVING TO GO TO WORK WITH HER WHEN I WAS SICK BECAUSE SHE HAD NO PAID TIME OFF.
SEEING MY MOTHER STRUGGLE JUST TRYING TO PUT ENDS ME ON THE TABLE WORKING TWO JOBS.
UM, SO ALL THOSE THINGS ARE BEING THRUST INTO ANOTHER SIDE OF MY FAMILY.
WHERE I SAW WHERE IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE EDUCATIONAL WEALTH IS THROUGH MY DAD'S SIDE.
SO I SAW HOW SYSTEMS IMPACTED PEOPLE LIVES FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE, FROM MOM WORKING TWO JOBS TO THE POINT OF SEEING MY DAD WHO HAS TWO DEGREES AND MY GRANDMOTHER'S TWO DEGREES, SEEING HOW THE WORLD WOULD JUST LAID OUT THE RED CARPET FOR THEM.
SO I DO THAT WORK FOR THAT SIMPLE FACT BECAUSE I HAVE FELT THOSE SYSTEMS AND I KNOW THOSE SYSTEMS AND OUR JOB IS TO UNWIND THOSE SYSTEMS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE THAT ARE STUCK IN THESE SYSTEMS. AND THESE SYSTEMS REFUSE TO CHANGE.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANGE MAKER LIKE ME OR CHANGEMAKERS LIKE YOU WHO ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THESE SYSTEMS, WE HIT SO MUCH UPWIND CAESAR AND YOU PROBABLY FEEL THIS TOO.
SO MUCH UPWIND AND SO MUCH BACKLASH BECAUSE WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT SYSTEM AS IT IS.
SO I THANK YOU AND I THANK YOUR MOTHER TOO 'CAUSE I KNOW SHE'S BEHIND THIS TOO
THE SECOND THING I WANNA SAY IS THE STAFF THAT IS HERE, LOOK, WE'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE FOR SO LONG TOGETHER, SOME KNEW SOME FOR 14 YEARS NOW WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU GUYS.
I CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU GUYS.
WE HAVE TO ALL BE IN THIS TOGETHER BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE HERE TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE DAY ON THE GROUND AND BE CHANGED THE SYSTEMS THAT WE ARE ALL IN TOGETHER.
WHILE THIS IS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ME AND THE ORGANIZATION, BUT THIS IS ALSO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE WORK THAT YOU GOT PUT IN TOGETHER.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, AS I MENTIONED THE WORK, I LIVE BY ONE KINDA SCRIPTURE NOW, SCRIPTURE'S VERY SIMPLE.
DENY YOURSELF AND PICK UP YOUR CROSS DAILY COMES TO MATTHEW AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT TO THE TEAM AND THEY KNOW THIS.
IT'S LIKE OUR CONSISTENT STRATEGY OF HOW TO BE LEADERS IN THIS WORK IS TO DENY ALL THIS EGO AND ALL OF OURSELVES AND JUST DO ONE SIMPLE THING.
IT'S TO PICK UP THE CROSS IN MY EYES IS A CROSS OF OUR MISSION, WHICH IS THAT BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES DESERVE TO BE AT THE TABLE.
AND TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, WE ARE NOW IN A VERY INTERESTING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE ARE.
THERE'S A HOSTILE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS OPENLY HOSTILE THAT SAYS THAT WE AS PEOPLE OF COLOR, AS A PERSONAL WOMAN, LGBT, YOU NAME IT, IS NOT EQUAL.
WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE AT THIS TABLE AND THEY'RE VERY BRAZEN ABOUT THAT.
BUT IT TAKES LEADERS LIKE CAESAR, IT TAKES LEADERS LIKE YOU THAT WE HAVE TO BE IN THIS FIGHT FOR THE NEXT FUTURE OF THE SOMEONE'S NEXT TO YOU.
C YOU A LITTLE YOUNG ONE LOOKS LIKE YOUR NIECE, RIGHT? NIECE
ISABELLA, RIGHT? FOR PEOPLE LIKE ISABELLA TO CHA CONTINUE TO PUSH ON
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THIS WORLD TO BE BETTER.SO THAT'S MY LAST ENCOURAGEMENT TO OUR TEAM.
TO EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, LET'S CONTINUE TO PUSH AND PUSH AND PUSH ON A SYSTEM TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE, THE SYSTEM, THAT'S WHAT THEY DESERVE.
AND BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE AND ANYONE THAT IS NOT A WHITE MALE DESERVE TO BE AT THE TABLE AND THEIR JOB TO CONTINUE TO PUSH ON THAT.
SO I THANK YOU FOR SEEING ME, MY SISTER, FOR SEEING ME.