[00:00:59]
UH, IT'S A GREAT, UH, JAM PACKED HOUSE.
EITHER NO ONE HAS HEAT OR YOU ALL BRAVE.
ARE YOU ALL BRAVE WEATHER BECAUSE YOU LOVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE.
AND I, I SUSPECT THAT'S REALLY WHY YOU'RE ALL HERE.
AND I I THANK YOU FOR, UH, COMING HERE.
SO WE'LL GET STARTED IN JUST A MOMENT.
ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE, TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND TO ALL OUR HONOREES AND TO ALL WHO HAVE ASSEMBLED HERE TODAY AND THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME, THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS CARLOS POMAR AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING AS THE BOARD PRESIDENT HERE, THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
AND ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR SECOND ANNUAL MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS EVENT EVERY YEAR AS IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE, UH, ONE OF THE MANY COMMUNITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COUNTRY'S GREATEST STRENGTH, OF COURSE, OUR DIVERSITY OF OUR PEOPLE.
AND 2023, UH, GOVERNOR MURPHY AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE DESIGNATED THE MONTH OF JANUARY, UM, IN NEW JERSEY AS A MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH.
AND THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, OF COURSE, WAS PROUD TO CONCUR, COMMEMORATE THE MONUMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ESSEX COUNTY MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THAT EVERY DAY, NOT JUST IN JANUARY, UH, MUSLIM AMERICANS ARE HARD AT WORK MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND THIS EVENING THE BOARD HAS THE PLEASURE OF HONORING SEVERAL OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS.
DEBORAH JEAN CHANDLER OF EAST ORANGE, SABA LAKE OF LIVINGSTON, AND CYNTHIA BROWN OF EAST ORANGE CITY CLUB.
I CAN SEE THIS IS A HEAVILY FAVORED EAST ORANGE CROWD TODAY.
YOU GUYS ALWAYS COME OUT STRONG AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
THE EAST ORANGE IS, IS, IS ALL RIGHT WITH ME.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO THE BOARD COMMENDATIONS, UH, JUST, WE'RE GONNA ALSO HAND OUT CERTIFICATES FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MIKEY CHERYL AS WELL.
SO WE'LL WE WILL, UH, ANNOUNCE THAT.
SO TO EACH OF OUR HONOREE, I I PERSONALLY SALUTE YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORTS THAT CONTINUE TO MAKE ESSEX COUNTY A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE, TO WORK, AND TO PLAY, OF COURSE, AND TO RAISE A FAMILY.
SO NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE TALENTED JAZZ VOCALIST, AND I THINK WE'RE IN FOR A REAL TREAT HERE.
SO IT'S KIA ZEMA TO PERFORM THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER, AND SHE'S FROM EAST ORANGE AS WELL.
WE DON'T ALWAYS SING THIS SONG.
OH, SAY WHAT? AT THE, THROUGH AND THROUGH THE
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ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE, THAT INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE.I KNOW YOU SAY YOU DON'T ALWAYS PLAY THAT SONG, BUT YOU DID WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE AS WAS DONE ON THE KEYS AND ON THE KEYBOARD.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, MS. ZAYA, AND WE'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU AS AN ENTIRE CROWD IN A FEW MOMENTS LATER IN THE PROGRAM.
OH, I FORGOT PEOPLE WOULD SAY IT BACK.
I'M AIAN MARIE THOMAS, A PROUD COUNTY COMMISSIONER HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY REPRESENTING DISTRICT TWO.
AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE IMAM ANTAR MARTIN TO THE PODIUM TO DELIVER THE OPENING PRAYER AS HE MAKES HIS WAY UP.
AND WE CAN GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THIS INCREDIBLE BROTHER.
I, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS ABOUT HIM.
SO I'M A STUDENT OF BLACK HISTORY NATURALLY GROWING UP IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
I DID GO INTO THE CHAD SCHOOL.
YOU AIN'T REALLY HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE, UM, AUTOBIOGRAPHIES, AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTOBIOGRAPHIES AND LITERALLY AFRICAN AMERICAN IN THE WAY I'M ABOUT TO EXPLAIN IT, IS BY A BROTHER NAMED OMAR IIN SAE.
SOME PEOPLE MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH HIM, IS BORN IN THE YEAR 1770 IN MODERN DAY SENEGAL.
UM, HE WROTE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN 1831, WRITTEN IN ARABIC.
AND TO THIS DAY, IT IS THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTOBIOGRAPHY FROM AN ENSLAVED PERSON WRITTEN IN THE WORDS THEY KNEW IN THEIR NATIVE TONGUE BEFORE THEY WERE BROUGHT HERE TO THESE SHORES.
AND HE TITLED HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY, I CANNOT WRITE MY LIFE.
IT WAS TOO BIG, TOO GRAND, TOO MUCH TO PUT IT IN WORDS SUFFICIENTLY.
AS I INTRODUCED THIS BROTHER IMAR ON TARA MATT, I CANNOT SUM UP HIS IMPACT.
I CANNOT DO JUSTICE AT QUALIFYING OR QUANTIFYING HOW RADICALLY TRANSFORMED THE CITY OF NEWARK, HOW RADICALLY TRANSFORMED THE MAJID, HOW RADICALLY TRANSFORMED ESSEX COUNTY.
EVERYBODY WHO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST TOUCH THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT IS BY THIS BROTHER IMAR IMAM IMAR MONTE.
HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE ASSISTANT IMAM AT THE MASJID OF MOHAM NEW OF NORTH NEW JERSEY, LOCATED IN THE HEART OF NORTH WEST WARD ON SOUTH ORANGE AVENUE.
BUT FRANKLY IT COULD BE ANYWHERE IN THIS CITY AND IN THIS COUNTY.
AND SEEING THIS BROTHER DOING THE WORK ON BEHALF OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY, ON BEHALF OF THE YOUNG COMMUNITY, ON BEHALF OF FAMILIES AND ANYONE IN NEED IN THEIR BEST TIMES.
AND THE WORST OF TIMES HE'S THERE, HE'S A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
HE'S ALSO ONE OF THE LEAD INSTRUCTORS AT THE CLARA MUHAMMAD WEEKEND SCHOOL WHERE HE FOSTERS A DEEP COMMITMENT TO ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN HIS PROFESSIONAL CAREER.
HE SERVES AS THE DIRECTOR OF SECURITY AND FIRE SAFETY FOR HUDSON COUNTY, BRINGING DEDICATION AND EXPERTISE TO BOTH HIS COMMUNITY AND HIS PROFESSION.
AND SO, AS WE CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE HONOREES OF TONIGHT WHO I'M SO LOOKING FORWARD FOR YOU TO HEAR ABOUT AND HEAR FROM, IT'S AN HONOR TO BRING US IN AN AWARD OF PRAYER WITH NONE OTHER THAN MY GOOD BROTHER IMAR IMAN MARTIN, WHO'S JOINT BY HIS GOOD BROTHER IMAM.
AND SHAVA AND A WORD OF PRAYER.
GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING.
Y'ALL AIN'T GONNA DO ME LIKE THAT.
SHOW ME SOME LOVE TODAY BECAUSE EAST ORANGE CAME IN HERE SO STRONG THAT YOU KNOW, WE JUST GOTTA LET, JUST BRING IT BACK HOME TO DUCK.
WE JUST LOVE Y'ALL THOUGH,
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AB WITNESS THAT THERE'S NO GOD, BUT ALLAH.AND I OPENLY BEAR WITNESS THAT MUHAMMAD SOHI AS THE LAST PROPHET
DEAR BELIEVERS, MUSLIMS, BROTHERS, SISTERS, I GUESS TO ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS, I GREET YOU WITH THE GREETING OF PEACE, THE GREETING, AND A BEAUTIFUL ADEQUATE LANGUAGE THROUGH WAS REVEALED.
A PROTECTED LANGUAGE, A LANGUAGE THAT WE KNOW CAN'T BE CORRUPTED OR GREET YOU WITH THIS GREETING OF PEACE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, I'LL JUST BLAME IT ON.
BUT WHEN WE GIVE THE GREETINGS, WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE RECEPTIVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE END WITH OUR FAMILY.
DEAR BELIEVERS, MUSLIMS, BROTHERS, SISTERS, I GUESS OUR FRIENDS, OUR ONLINE AUDIENCE, THOSE WHO ARE SHARING OUR, OUR STREAM, OUR GREET YOU WITH THE GREETING OF PEACE, THE GREETING IN A BEAUTIFUL ARABIC LANGUAGE THROUGH WHICH KORAN AL WAS REVEALED AND PROTECTED THE LANGUAGE OF THE KORAN.
WE'LL OPEN UP WITH THE OPENING CHAPTER IN QURAN.
THE, I'LL SAY IT IN THE ARABIC AND I'LL TRANSLATE IN ENGLISH BEFORE I GO BACK DOWN TO MY SEAT.
UH, ME WITH THE LORD'S NAME, THE MERCIFUL BENEFACTOR, THE MERCIFUL REDEEMER.
PRAISE BE TO ALLAH, THE CHERISH AND SUSTAIN OF ALL THE WORLDS THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL MASTER OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.
YOU ALONE DO WE WORSHIP AND YOU ALONE THAT WE ASK FOR HELP? SHOW US THE STRAIGHT WAY, THE WAY OF THOSE ON WHOM YOU HAVE BESTOWED YOUR GRACE.
THOSE WHO PORTION AS NOT WRATH, AND THOSE WHO GO NOT ASTRAY AT ME BEFORE I SIT DOWN, I JUST, UH, WOULD LIKE FOR US, UH, TO CONTINUE TO, UH, REMEMBER OUR DEAR AND BELOVED IMAM HASSAN SHARIF.
OUR BELOVED IMAM WAS MURDERED ON SACRED GROUNDS AT OUR MASJID IN OUR PARKING LOT AS HE WAS ENTERING THE MAS FOR PRAYER.
SO I NEVER, EVER WANT US, UH, TO FORGET HIS NAME AND HIS HARD WORK THAT HE PUT IN IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO I ASK THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR BELOVED IMAM IN PRAYER AND CONTINUE TO, UH, REALLY ASK FOR JUSTICE.
SO WHATEVER INFORMATION THAT ANYBODY MAY KNOW, WE JUST ASK THAT PLEASE COME FORWARD SO OUR COMMUNITY CAN BEGIN TO HEAL AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE STRONGER AS ONE COMMUNITY, ONE COMMUNITY, ONE COMMUNITY.
GRE GREETINGS OF PEACE AGAIN FOR MASTER MUHAMMAD NEWARK AND OUR GOVERNING BODY, OUR BOARD AND EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY ARE TU THANK YOU MOM FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL AND PRAYER AND KIND WORDS.
UH, LEMME TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THE DIGNITARIES THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
UH, IF I DON'T GET YOU IN THE FIRST ROUND, WE'LL GET YOU.
'CAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS THE WORST PART OF THE JOB IS MAKING SURE YOU DON'T FORGET ANYBODY.
UM, BUT LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE FIRST MY COLLEAGUES, UM, IN LEADERSHIP WITH ME.
WE HAVE VICE PRESIDENT SHAMI COOPER, AND WE HAVE, UH, UH, YOU HEARD FROM, UH, THE NEWEST MEMBER TO THE BOARD, BUT NO LONGER A ROOKIE.
YOU YOU PASSED A YEAR, RIGHT? SO NO LONGER A ROOKIE.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.
SHE'S GOT A BIG FAN OVER HERE.
AND, UH, THE LONGEST TENURE, UH, COMMISSIONER IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, CERTAINLY HERE.
AND A LEGEND IN HER OWN RIGHT.
[00:15:01]
UH, COMMISSIONER PAT SIEBEL.UM, THIS IS A NO PARTICULAR ORDER, SO PLEASE WE'LL, WE'LL, I, EVERYONE GIVES ME THE STINK EYE IF I MISS YOU AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT I JUST SAW, UH, FROM MY HOMETOWN, MONICA CHA DE BARIS COUNCILWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
ISSA COUNCIL CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN VERNON PULLINS.
ANTHONY JACKSON, CHIEF OF STAFF OF EAST CITY OF EAST ORANGE.
MELANIE HOLMES, UH, OUTREACH ASSISTANT FROM MIKEY CHERYL'S OFFICE.
UH, EVERYBODY'S FRIEND, MAYOR TED GREEN, IF YOU STAR, ARE YOU CHIEF OF POLICE? PHILIS BINDI, UH, CITY OF EAST ORANGE, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, WILLIAM PAYNE.
SARAH LEGEND HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UH, TAMIKA GARRETT WARD, UH, COUNCILWOMAN OF EAST ORANGE.
UH, GOOD FRIEND, HONORABLE KASSEM GOMEZ OF EAST ORANGE AS WELL.
COUNSEL, ALICIA HOLMAN, A COUNCILWOMAN CITY OF EAST ORANGE.
I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER IF ANYONE IS GOVERNING ANY EAST ORANGE TONIGHT.
WE'LL COME BACK AND LATER IN THE PROGRAM, UH, TO DO THAT, UH, TO, TO MAKE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE AS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND, UH, I LIKE TO, UM, LET'S KICK THINGS OFF AND, UH, LET ME BRING, UM, MY GOOD FRIEND, COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, TO GET US STARTED HERE.
SO GIVE HER A WARM ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE.
NOW I KNOW HE'S STARD, JUST DEFINITELY IN THE BUILDING, BUT, UH, IS, IS NEWARK ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING TOO? NEWARK IN HERE? ALL ALRIGHT.
BECAUSE LISTEN, I, I REP BOTH, RIGHT? UH, BORN AND RAISED HERE IN NEWARK.
MY MOTHER'S FROM ELIZABETH, BUT RAISED ME IN NEWARK.
AND MY DAD IS FROM GUYANA, WHICH MEANS THAT WHEN HE CAME FROM GUYANA, WHERE'D HE GO TO EAST ORANGE? SO A LOT OF MY FEELINGS IN EAST ORANGE, I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR KNOWS MY GRANDMOTHER.
UM, SO SHOUT OUT TO EO AND NEWARK IN THE BUILDING.
AND SPEAKING OF SOMEONE WHO REPS BOTH OF THOSE COMMUNITIES VERY, VERY WELL, IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT OUR FIRST HONOREE TO SOMEONE WHOSE IMPACT, WHOSE HEART AND CERTAINLY HER SMILE, KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES AND KNOWS NO LIMIT TO THE IMPACT IT MAKES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN WE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR FIRST HONOR OF THE EVENING? WHO REPS EO AND NEWARK WITH SOME PRIDE? I'VE COME TO KNOW HER MAINLY THROUGH HER WORK WITH, UH, THE NEWARK NAACP WHO I KNOW WE'RE JOINED BY THE PRESIDENT, THE HONORABLE PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP OF NEWARK, MS. DEBORAH SMITH GREGORY.
BUT IF YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS INCREDIBLE GENTLE SOUL, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HER.
NOW, MS. SHANDLER WAS RAISED IN NEWARK CENTRAL WARD AND IS A GRADUATE OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE EARNED A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY FROM RUTGERS UNIVERSITY DOUGLAS COLLEGE AND A MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OF THE ATLANTA UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, NOW KNOWN AS CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY.
HER PROFESSIONAL CAREER BEGAN IN THE CORPORATE SECTOR WHERE SHE WORKED WITH JC PENNEY AS AN ASSISTANT BUYER, THE XEROX CORPORATION IN SALES IN NEW JERSEY TRANSIT AS A SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR PLANNING COMMUNICATIONS BEFORE EMBARKING ON A REWARDING CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE CITY OF EAST ORANGE.
MS. DEBORAH RETIRED FROM THE CITY OF EAST ORANGE IN 2023, ALTHOUGH YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS SEE HER WORKING, BEING IN THE COMMUNITY, DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US.
WHERE DURING HER 33 YEAR TENURE, SHE SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE FORMER MAYOR CARDELL COOPER'S PUBLIC INFORMATION TEAM, A SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE CITY CLERK AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT TO THE EAST ORANGE FIRE CHIEF.
SHE'S ALSO KNOWN AS A NEW JERSEY STATE LICENSED REGISTERED MUNICIPAL CLERK.
MS. DEBRA HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED FOR 50 YEARS AND HAS SERVED RIGHT 50.
WHERE IS THE REAL QUESTION? HELLO AND HAS SERVED AS THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY SERGEANT IN ARMS CHAIR OF THE SOCIAL ACTION AND INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS COMMITTEE OF THE SORORITY'S NORTH NORTH JERSEY ALUMNI CHAPTER.
SHE IS A LIFELONG MEMBER OF THE NAACP'S NEWARK BRANCH, SERVING AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND ASK SOMEONE WHO HAS COME UP IN THE CIVIC AND SOCIAL SPACE HERE IN NEWARK.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CHAPTER OF MY LIFE WHERE I HAVEN'T HAD YOUR SUPPORT, WHERE I HAVEN'T HAD YOUR QUESTIONS, THE REAL QUESTIONS, AND CERTAINLY
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THE ENDEARING SPIRIT OF ALLAH AND YOUR SMILE GIVING ME PEACE AND MOMENTS WHERE I NEED IT MOST.MAYBE YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH I NEEDED IT.
SHE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE FREEDOM FUND GALA COMMITTEE AND PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE BRANCH SECRETARY.
MS. DEBORAH, WE ARE ALL PRIVILEGED TO COUNT YOU AMONG OUR NEIGHBORS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO PRESENT WITH YOU THE BOARD'S, COMMENDATION AND PLAQUE SO YOU CAN FOREVER GO IN THE HISTORY OF THE ONE OF THE LARGEST COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FOR YOUR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT.
ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MR. DEBORAH CHANDLER.
LEMME MAKE SURE MY SECOND CHIN ISN'T SHOWING.
PEACE BE UPON ALL OF YOU WHO ARE GATHERED HERE THIS EVENING TO ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND MY SWEETHEART, A DORIAN MURRAY THOMAS AND HER FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
I AM HUMBLED THAT THIS ESTEEMED BODY HAS TAUGHT ME WORTHY OF SPECIAL RECOGNITION DURING THE SECOND ANNUAL NEW JERSEY MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH.
I'M ESPECIALLY HONORED TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF THESE AMAZING TWO SISTERS, MY DEAR FRIEND CYNTHIA BROWN AND SABA LEI.
I'VE SPENT MOST OF MY PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIFE ENGAGED IN SOME FORM OF PUBLIC OR COMMUNITY SERVICE.
AND MY PURPOSE AND GOALS HAVE BEEN TWOFOLD.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M GUIDED BY MY FAITH TO DO WHAT IS PLEASING TO ALLAH AND SECOND, TO STRIVE TO MAKE THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY IN WHICH I LIVE A BETTER PLACE FOR ME.
MY SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE, PURPOSE, AND JOY.
I AM ONE OF COUNTLESS MEMBERS RIGHT HERE IN OUR UMA OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE SERVING IN AREAS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIFE HELPING TO MAKE ESSEX COUNTY A BETTER PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, WORK, AND RAISE A FAMILY.
THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR AND RECOGNITION.
AND I END BY ASKING ALLAH TO MAKE ME BETTER THAN WHAT YOU MAY THINK OF ME.
I MEAN, YOU KEEP CLAPPING Y'ALL.
'CAUSE THIS IS NONE OTHER THAN MS. DEBORAH JEAN CHANDLER, WHO WE LOVE, WHO WE APPRECIATE AND WE KNOW ALLAH IS PROUD OF.
AND IT'S AN HONOR TO GIVE YOU YOUR FLOWERS WHILE YOU SMELL THEM.
IT'S NOT LOST ON US THAT WE HAVE AN ALL WOMAN EVENING OF HONOREES.
CAN WE MAKE SOME NOISE FOR THAT? Y'ALL? KHALIL, THE LADIES ARE IN THE BUILDING.
KHALIL RIGHT, THE LADIES ARE IN THE BUILDING AND WE'RE HERE WITH SUCH INCREDIBLE SUPPORT FROM OUR BROTHERS ALONGSIDE US.
IT'S NOT LOST ON US THAT OUR SISTERS ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY THEIR BROTHERS.
SO SPEAKING OF SISTERS, IT'S MY HONOR TO BRING BACK UP FOR A MUSICAL SELECTION AND OTHER THAN MISS AKA ZAKIA ZIMA OR ZIMA.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HER BACKGROUND.
A LOT OF US HERE HAVE GOTTEN TO HEAR HER, WHETHER HERE IN NEW JERSEY, HERE, ESSEX COUNTY OR FRANKLIN ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE SHE'S THAT GIRL.
BUT YOU CAN CHARACTERIZE HER SINGING STYLE AS A SOOTHING BOMB THAT ACTUALLY HEALS THE SOUL.
HER VOCAL AND MUSICAL INFLUENCES RUN THE GAMUT FROM CARMEN LUNDY TO HERBIE HANCOCK.
SHE'S GIGGED AT THE ZINC BAR, THE TRUMPETS, THE BOGIES, THE JAZZ AT THE PLAZA SERIES TO CECILS, TO THE BRIGHTSIDE CAVERN MORRISS PLACE, DLV LOUNGE, LEON, EAST ORANGE PUBLIC LIBRARIES LIVE STREAM, THE CULTURE CAFE, THE CRICKET CLUB, CLEMENTS PLACE AND OTHERS.
SHE HAS PERFORMED AS A GOSPEL CHOIR RINGER AT THE SALEM AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, THE HISTORIC CHURCH IN HARLEM, THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, AND HAS PERFORMED IN PRODUCTIONS OF MANY OF PLAYS FROM THE STORM'S WEATHER TO A RAISING THE SUN TO FACUL GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE RAINBOW WASN'T ENOUGH.
HER STUDIES HAVE VOCALS HAVE INCLUDED BEING AT THE JAZZ MOBILE
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IN HARLEM.AND SHE WAS CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE IN A MASTERCLASS LED BY GUEST ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE, THE LATE GREAT JAZZ MASTER JOHN HENDRICKS, AND PERFORMED WITH HIM AT THE WORLD RENOWNED BLUE NOTE CAFE.
SHE'S ALSO STUDIED JAZZ VOCALS AND PERFORMED AT KOBE NIDA'S UNIVERSAL JAZZ COALITION.
HER MUSICAL TASTE INCLUDE JAZZ R AND B FOLK AND COUNTRY WESTERN.
SHE HAS TWO UPCOMING GIGS DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN THE GRILL, JAMAICA.
ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FROM MS. AYA ZIMA, PLEASE.
UM, I'M SO PLEASED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S EAST ORANGE NIGHT.
UH, TWO OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE ARE BEING HONORED THIS EVENING AND ABSOLUTELY THEY ARE DESERVING OF ANY HONOR THAT THEY RECEIVE.
UH, TWO WOMEN THAT I HAVE SEEN OVER MANY YEARS PUT EVERYTHING INTO THE CITY OF EAST ORANGE.
AND SO THEY ARE MOST DESERVING OF THIS, OF THIS HONOR.
AND I, I'M GLAD TO BE HERE TO, TO HELP WITH THE HONORING.
UM, I'M GONNA SING A SONG 'CAUSE KATHY ASKED ME TO FIND SOMETHING INSPIRATIONAL.
AND SO, UH, I THOUGHT OF THIS ONE, THIS, WELL, A COUPLE OF SONGS, BUT THIS SONG IN PARTICULAR THAT REALLY TALKS ABOUT JUST HOW THINGS ARE JUST SIMPLY NATURAL.
AND AS MUSLIMS, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE LOVE ALLAH'S BEAUTY.
AND SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ENJOY THIS SONG.
READY? THE SPRING FLOWERS AND BLUE SUNLIGHT.
ALL THE MONEY, THE SEEING A NEW JOHN FINDING IS JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND WITNESS THE BEAUTY, THE SEA.
THE, I'VE OFTEN WONDERED WHY I TAKE FOR GRANTED THE MOONLIGHT.
HOW CAN I NOT NOTICE THE SO NATURAL, SIMPLY NATURAL, MR. HOWARD HALL, THE OCEAN PEOPLE, PEOPLE LOVE, LOVE PEOPLE IN THE SOFTNESS OF BABIES.
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THE TYPICAL OF A BREEZE IS THE DANCE OF THE TREES.IT'S SO AMAZING HOW SO MANY CLOUDS LIVE IN THE SKY.
IT'S MIND BLOWING HOW THERE ARE SO MANY SHADES OF BLUE.
LAUGHTER IS MEDICINE, AS ARE THE VOICES OF TWO SINGING, OOH, WHAT CREATION OF THE NATURAL, SIMPLY NATURAL.
ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND A THANK YOU TO ZAKIA.
I REPRESENT ALL OF ESSEX COUNTY AND I KNOW SO MANY OF YOU ARE HERE FROM EAST ORANGE, BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I KNOW EAST ORANGE WELL.
SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER ABALA COLLEGE, WHICH EXISTED IN EAST ORANGE.
SO I KNOW EAST ORANGE
THAT'S OUR DEMOCRATIC, UH, OUR DEMOCRATIC STATE CHAIR, OUR COUNTY CHAIR, AND OUR EAST ORANGE CHAIR, LEROY JONES.
BUT I'M FROM LIVINGSTON, NEW JERSEY AND IT'S A GREAT, GREAT TOWN AND I'M REALLY PLEASED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO CELEBRATE THE MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH.
AT THIS TIME, I'M REALLY PLEASED TO HONOR OUR SECOND HONOREE OF THE PROGRAM.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING SABA LA UP TO THE PODIUM.
SABA, BEFORE I TALK ABOUT SABA, I JUST NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT SABA LIVES IN LIVINGSTON AND WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
WE EVEN GO OUT TO DINNER TOGETHER.
AND SABA IS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PERSON.
SHE'S A DISTINGUISHED INTERFAITH LEADER, COMMUNITY BUILDER, AND SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE ENTREPRENEUR WHO HAS DEDICATED MORE THAN A DECADE TO FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING INCLUSION AND HARMONY AMONG DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
HER INTERFAITH JOURNEY BEGAN IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA, WHERE SHE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN MUSLIM WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION, A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION EMPOWERING WOMEN FROM ALL RACIAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS.
FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS, SAAB SABA HAS BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF THE LIVINGSTON MUSLIM COMMUNITY, SPEARHEADING INITIATIVES THAT BRIDGE DIVIDES, PROMOTE UNITY AND CULTIVATE MUTUAL RESPECT.
SHE IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE SISTER WHOM THE SISTERHOOD OF SALAAM SHALOM, THE LIVINGSTON COMMUNITY FOR DIVERSITY INCLUSION AND THE LIVINGSTON INTERFAITH CLERGY.
CURRENTLY SABA LEADS THE INTERFAITH COMMUNITY AT THE ISLAM COMMUNITY CULTURAL CENTER IN PARSIPPANY, WHERE HER VISIONARY LEADERSHIP INSPIRES MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE AND COLLABORATION AMONG FAITH GROUPS.
IN 2024, SHE SPEARHEADED EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH THROUGH A PROCLAMATION BY THE LIVINGSTON TOWN COUNCIL AND ORGANIZE THE FIRST EVER CRESCENT MOONLIGHTING CEREMONY TO CELEBRATE RAMADAN
[00:35:02]
SABA'S UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO INTERFAITH WORK.COUPLED WITH HER PASSION FOR BUILDING STRONG, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES, EXEMPLIFIES HER VISION OF A WORLD ENRICHED BY DIVERSITY AND SHARED UNDERSTANDING.
HER EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND TIRELESS DEDICATION MAKE HER A BEACON OF HOPE, AN INSPIRING ROLE, AN INSPIRING ROLE MODEL FOR PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.
SO SABA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE, FOR YOUR LOVE FOR AND DEDICATION TO BETTERING YOUR COMMUNITY AND ENRICHING, ENRICHING MUSLIM CULTURE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S COMMENDATION AND PLAQUE.
OKAY, BEFORE SABA SPEAKS, NOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS, BECAUSE SHE IS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL INDIVIDUAL AND I'M HAPPY THAT WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR SO LONG, SABA.
EVERYBODY SEEMS LIKE EAST ORANGE IS IN THE HOUSE AND NEWARK IS IN THE HOUSE, BUT I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT LIVINGSTON IS IN THE HOUSE TOO.
SO I DID WRITE A FEW WORDS, BUT I'M THINKING I'M JUST GONNA SPEAK FROM THE HEART INSTEAD OF CHAD DPT.
UM, I AM DEEPLY HONORED AND HUMBLE.
I'M THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HUMBLE TO RECEIVE THE RECOGNITION DURING MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH.
THE AWARD IS NOT JUST A PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT, BUT A TESTAMENT TO THE VALUES OF FAITH TO COMPASSION AND SERVICE THAT DEFINES OUR MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
AS MUSLIMS, WE ARE GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES OF BRINGING BENEFITS TO OTHERS, AS TAUGHT BY OUR BELOVED PROPHET AND THE QURAN.
I DEDICATE THIS HONOR TO COUNTESS INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE INSPIRED AND SUPPORTING SUPPORTED ME ON THIS JOURNEY.
UM, AND I PRAY THAT WE CONTINUE TO UPLIFT ONE ANOTHER AND CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO THE WORLD AROUND US.
YOU KNOW, I, I AM NOT A LONG-TERM RESIDENT.
I'M IN, I'M TOTALLY, TOTALLY SHOCKED THAT I'M IN PRESENCE OF COMPANY OF THE OTHER HONOREES WHO HAVE CLEARLY DONE AND ACHIEVED SO MUCH IN THEIR LIVES.
I AM LIKE RIGHT HERE, UH, COMPARED TO WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
WHEN I MOVED TO LIVINGSTON NINE YEARS AGO FROM SCARSDALE, ARIZONA AND BEFORE THAT FROM MICHIGAN, UH, DEARBORN, MICHIGAN.
AND BEFORE THAT I STUDIED IN THE UK.
I HAVE A PHD IN VIRAL IMMUNOLOGY AND A MASTER'S IN BIO CHEMISTRY.
AND COMPLETELY NOT DOING WHAT I WAS TRAINED TO DO.
AND I MOVED HERE TO LIVINGSTON AND I ASKED GOD, WHY AM I HERE? IT WAS A PLACE I HAD NEVER, NEW JERSEY IS NOT A PLACE THAT I KNEW ANYBODY.
I KNEW ZERO, I KNEW NOBODY, NOT A SINGLE PERSON.
NOW I KNOW A MILLION PEOPLE, BUT I SAID FROM DIFFERENT STORY.
AND I, I TRULY ASKED GOD, WHY AM I, WHAT AM I, WHAT AM I DOING HERE? WHAT'S MY PURPOSE? AND I STARTED TO LOOK FOR MY OWN COMMUNITY, MY OWN MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
AND FROM ZERO TO STARTING A WHATSAPP GROUP TO HAVING FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE IN THE GROUP NOW TO MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH PROCLAMATION IN, IN A TOWN THAT YOU WILL EVEN BE SURPRISED YOU, YOU'RE PROBABLY ASKING QUESTIONS SOMEBODY, ARE THERE MUSLIMS IN LIVINGSTON? YES, THEY'RE, YES, THEY ARE.
WE HAD THE PROCLAMATION LAST YEAR FROM THE TOWN COUNCIL, UM, AND THE FIRST FIRST EVER CRESCENT MOONLIGHTING.
AND THAT WAS THE DAY I KNEW WHAT MY PURPOSE WAS TO BRING MY COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
AS WE ALL KNOW THAT MUSLIMS, AS MUSLIMS, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO JUST DO BETTER JOB WHERE WE ARE.
LEAVE THE PLACE BETTER THAN WHAT WE FOUND.
ANY PLACE I'VE LIVED, I HAVE LOVED.
AND ANY PLACE I'VE LIVED, I'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT BETTER THAN BEFORE.
SO WITH THAT, I THANK YOU PAT SO MUCH BECAUSE PAT HAS BEEN A LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT JUST SUCH A, SUCH A LEADER FOR EVERYBODY.
AND SHE'S BEEN A BEACON FOR ME EVER SINCE I ARRIVED IN UH, LIVING CENTER.
THANK YOU PAT, FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP TOO.
SHE IS A HUGE WOMEN SUPPORTER AND SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE AS A, AS A MUSLIM MEMBER.
FOR ME TO HAVE PAT ON MY SIDE HAS BEEN A REAL HONOR.
SO THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
I'M IN HONOR AND I'M IN AWE IN YOUR COMPANY.
[00:40:07]
NOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHY SABA AND I ARE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS, BECAUSE SHE IS TRULY A WONDERFUL PERSON.SO NOW WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF ONE MORE EXCELLENT MUSICAL SELECTION FROM ZAKIYA.
THIS IS ONE OF MY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A HABIT OF SAYING I LOVE THIS SONG.
EVERY SONG I SING, I LOVE THIS SONG.
I LOVE THIS SONG, BUT I LOVE THIS SONG.
PEACE IN THE RIVERS AND EVERYWHERE.
BRIDGES OF STEEL AND LOVE AND CITIES THAT SMILE.
GRAY, EMPTY FACES WALK BY HAND, TRY TO HIDE ALL THE LONELINESS, LIGHTING THEIR CIGARETTES TO BLOW TIME AWAY, LOST IN THE NOISE.
LONELY AS WHEN PEOPLE ON SIDEWALKS WITH NO PLACE TO GO.
CAN THEY LEARN TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD OF LOVE THAT I'M DREAMING.
I GOT A SACK FULL OF DREAMS, KITES, FLYING HIGH ON A, I GOT A SACK FULL OF DREAMS, STREETS FILLED WITH LAUGHTER AND TO BALLOONS.
PEOPLE WANTING TO SHARE, WANTING TO CARE, WANTING TO SHARE DREAMS THAT I'M DREAMING.
I GOT A SACK FULL OF DREAMS, STREETS FILLED WITH LAUGHTER AND TOY BALLOONS.
PEOPLE WITH HEARTS THAT CARE WHO FOR LOVE.
I GOT A SACK FULL OF DREAMS, KITES, FLYING HIGH ON A SUMMER DAY.
CHILDREN WITH HEART THAT PLAY FOR WANTING
[00:45:01]
TO SHARE.I GOT A FULL OF DREAMS. DREAMS. I GOT A DREAM FOR THE WORLD.
I GOT A FUL OF DREAMS. I GOT A S FULL OF DREAMS. I GOT A DREAM FOR THE WORLD.
OOH, ON BASE, ON BASE IS MISS RAIN.
PLEASE GIVE HER SOME APPLAUSE.
THANK I GOT A DREAM FOR THE WORLD AND ON PIANO KEYS TO BE MORE SPECIFIC.
YEAH, I GOT A SACK FULL OF DREAMS. I GOT A DREAM FOR THE WORLD.
A DREAM FOR THE THANK YOU APPLAUSE.
OH THAT'S A GOOD, GOOD EVENING.
I AM VICE PRESIDENT TAMI COOPER AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU FOR MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH.
I LOVE DOING THESE PROGRAMS 'CAUSE THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THAT DO REALLY GOOD WORK.
YOU KNOW THAT THOSE UNSUNG HEROES THAT YOU DON'T ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT.
SO BEFORE I BRING UP OUR LAST HONOREE FOR TONIGHT, I WANNA RECOGNIZE A FEW MORE PEOPLE THAT'S HERE WITH US.
MS. DEBORAH SMITH, GREGORY, PRESIDENT OF THE NEWARK DOUBLE N EVERY CCP.
LET'S GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE CHRISTOPHER AWE, MY GOOD FRIEND FROM COUNCILMAN FROM CITY OF EAST ORANGE.
AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE JIMMY SMALLS FROM THE NEW JERSEY LEAGUE OF MUSLIM VOTERS.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT MR. SMALLS FOR UM, A MINUTE.
HIS GROUP WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHY WE ARE CELEBRATING THIS EVENING.
SO LET'S GIVE MR. SMALL IN THE NEW JERSEY LEAGUE OF MS LA VOTERS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
HIS GROUP WAS ALSO VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN GOING ACROSS THE STATE LAST YEAR, REGISTERING THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL TURNING 17, 18 THAT WAS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.
SO LET'S GIVE MR. SMALLS WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE RETIRED, BY THE WAY, ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO PLEASE ASK MS. CYNTHIA BROWN TO JOIN ME HERE AT THE PODIUM.
LET'S GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AS SHE COMES UP.
SO I THINK YOU ALREADY FIGURED OUT SHE'S FROM EAST ORANGE, RIGHT? AND SHE CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE CITY CLERK FOR EAST ORANGE.
AND UM, I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO HER ALL THE TIME 'CAUSE EVERY TIME I COME TO HER OFFICE, HER AND HER STAFF IS SO WONDERFUL, BUT ALWAYS CREATE MORE WORK FOR THEM.
SO TONIGHT, HONORING YOU WAS MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO RECOMMEND YOU AND THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU.
[00:50:01]
SO INDULGE ME PLEASE AS I BRAG ABOUT YOU FOR THE NEXT COUPLE MINUTES.SO CYNTHIA BROWN WAS APPOINTED CITY CLERK BY THE EASTERN CITY COUNCIL IN 1998.
AFTER A LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
SHE CURRENTLY SERVED AS SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNING BODY FOR THE EASTERN CITY COUNCIL AND AS CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER IN ALL LOCAL ELECTIONS.
CYNTHIA BROWN WAS BORN IN NEWARK.
SO COUNCIL COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW YOUR NEWARK PEACE IS THERE.
SHE WAS BORN IN NEWARK AND SHE GRADUATED FROM THE NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SHE ATTENDED WEAK WAY HIGH SCHOOL AND AFTER THAT SHE WENT TO THE BERKELEY SECRETARIAL SCHOOL THAT WAS IN EAST ORANGE WHERE SHE COMPLETED HER PROFESSIONAL SECRETARIAL DEGREE PROGRAM.
AND SHE ULTIMATELY WENT TO RUTGERS UNIVERSITY WHERE SHE GOT HER BA.
CYNTHIA JOINED EAST ORANGE CITY GOVERNMENT IN 1974.
YOU KNOW, I HAD TO MAKE SURE I WAS OVER THERE COUNTING ON MY FINGERS AND TOES TO MAKE SURE I HAD IT RIGHT.
LOOK AT HER 50 SOMETHING YEARS.
GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT 50 YEARS.
AND THROUGHOUT THOSE 50 YEARS IN A GREAT CITY OF EAST ORANGE, SHE SERVED AS PRINCIPAL CLERK STENOGRAPHER, ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK.
SHE WORKED FOR FORMER MAYOR JOHN HATCHER, WHO APPOINTED HER TO THE RENT LEVELING, UM, BOARD AS THE ADMINISTRATOR.
SHE WAS THEN APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTOR AT THAT TIME TO SERVE AS A DIRECTOR OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL'S OFFICE.
FORMER MAYOR CARDELL COOPER APPOINTED CYNTHIA DEPUTY CLERK MAYOR BOWSER REAPPOINTED HER.
AND DURING THAT TENURE, BEFORE SHE BECAME CLERK, SHE WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR THE CITY AND ULTIMATELY GOT HER REGISTERED MUNICIPAL CLERK LICENSE IN 1997.
SINCE THAT TIME, SHE SERVED AS THE CERTIFIED MUNICIPAL CLERK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS ASSOCIATION.
IN 2019 98, THAT'S WHEN THE EAST ORANGE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTED HER AS THE CLERK.
OFFICIALLY SHE HAD VARIOUS POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND SHE CURRENTLY, WELL A LOT, SHE HAS A LONG, DISTINGUISHED CAREER AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
THIS IS ABOUT FIVE OR SIX PAGES HERE.
SHE SERVED AS ON THE ESSEX BOARD OF THE ESSEX COUNTY MUNICIPAL CLERKS ASSOCIATION.
SHE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THAT.
SHE ALSO WAS A MEMBER OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUNICIPAL CLERKS ASSOCIATION AND SHE SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE.
CYNTHIA BROWN, WHEN THE COUNCIL APPOINTED HER CLERK BECAME THE FIRST MUSLIM CLERK IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
SHE IS CURRENTLY ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF AMERICAN ISLAMIC RELATIONS, THAT'S A NONPROFIT CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP AND ADVOCACY GROUP.
SHE'S AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN MISSILE COMMUNITY IN ESSEX COUNTY.
AND SHE ATTENDS MAJI IN EAST ORANGE.
SHE'S A PAST HONOREE OF THE LEAGUE OF MUSLIM VOTERS IN ESS COUNTY.
SHE'S A 2015 RECIPIENT OF SHEILA OLIVER'S CHM SHIRLEY CHISHOLM AWARD.
AND SHE'S A UN UNSUNG HERO AT THE, AT THE ANNUAL FREEDOM FUND DINNER FOR THE NATIONAL NAACP OF THE ORANGES AND MAPLEWOOD.
I CAN GO ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ON ABOUT CYNTHIA AND ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT SHE'S DONE IN EAST ORANGE AND ESSEX COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
BUT I THINK HER PROUDEST MOMENT IS BEING MOTHER TO HER DAUGHTER AND GRANDMOTHER TO HER GRANDDAUGHTER AND SON, GRANDSON BACK THERE.
HE'S WAVING, WAVING YOUR HAND, BABY
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THIS IS WHY WE ARE HONORING YOU, MS. CYNTHIA.
I'M GONNA PASS THE MIC TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE SOME COMMENTS.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PLAQUE FOR YOU AND SOME OTHER, UM, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FROM CONGRESSMAN MICHAEL CHERYL'S OFFICE, RIGHT? YES.
LET'S GET YOUR, YOUR PLAQUE RAHIM.
I SAID I'M TU THANK YOU COMMISSIONER COOPER FOR NOMINATING ME TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED DURING MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH.
THANK YOU TO YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR JOINING IN THIS CELEBRATION.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE MY MEMBERS OF, UM, WELL THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL WHO TOOK TIME OUTTA THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO COME DOWN HERE THIS EVENING.
AND THE BEST POLICE CHIEF IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, CHIEF PHYLLIS BINDY.
AND I ALSO HAVE TO THANK, UM, WILLIAM D. PAYNE, WHO WAS
[00:55:01]
A FORMER ASSEMBLYMAN AND HE WAS A DEAR FRIEND OF MY FATHER'S AND NOW HE IS MY UNCLE.BILL AND I, I, I APPRECIATE YOU.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, TONY, WHEN THEY, THEY TONY JACKSON, IS HE STILL HERE? I GUESS THESE CHAMBERS ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE, UM, FAMILIAR TO YOU.
'CAUSE YOU ONCE SERVED AS A FREEHOLDER AND NOT COMMISSIONER TONY JACKSON.
ISLAM IS THE WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST RELI RELIGIOUS, OH, WAIT A MINUTE.
WELL, MY DAUGHTER WAS ACKNOWLEDGING MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND MY GRANDSON.
I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR BEING HERE, MY FRIENDS AND MY FAMILY AND MY EAST ORANGE COWORKERS.
AND I SEE TERRY TUCKER BACK HERE.
TERRY ISLAM IS THE WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST RELIGIOUS GROUP WITH 1.9 BILLION FOLLOWERS AND MORE THAN 300,000 MUSLIMS IN NEW JERSEY.
MUSLIMS HAVE DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED POSITIVELY TO THE GROWTH AND DIVERSITY THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT MEDICINE AND AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE ASSEMBLY, MAYORS AND MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODIES AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF THE JUDICI JUDICIARY.
FOR MANY YEARS, THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY HAS STRIVED TO BUILD BRIDGES TOWARDS THE UNDERSTANDING AND AWARENESS OF OUR FAITH.
TOWARDS THIS END, WITH THE INVOLVEMENT OF CARE, NEW JERSEY, THE MUSLIM LEAGUE OF VOTERS CHAIRMAN, JIMMY SMALL AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF INTEREST PUT FORTH A CONCERTED EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY TO DESIGNATE JANUARY AS MUSLIM HERITAGE MOM.
MUSLIMS STRIVE TO PROMOTE A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN ALL RELIGIOUS GROUPS AND SEX WHILE FOSTERING PEACE AND PROSPERITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
I INVITE YOU TO OUR MASSAGES AND PROGRAMS THAT TAKE PLACE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
I ALSO ENCOURAGE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE MUSLIMS WHO YOU REPRESENT.
SO AGAIN, I THANK YOU AND I ACCEPT THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
JUST ONE ON SUNDAY CARE, NEW JERSEY IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED CARE.
NEW JERSEY IS HOSTING A MUSLIM HERITAGE MONTH PROGRAM AT THEIR CARE OFFICE ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 26TH, NOON TO 4:00 PM FIVE 70 BROAD STREET, RIGHT HERE IN NEWARK, SUITE 7 0 3 AND EVERYONE IS INVITED.
LET'S GIVE ANOTHER STRONG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR HONOREES TONIGHT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN SHOWED IN STATISTICS IS THAT WHEN WOMEN LEAD OUR COMMUNITIES DO BETTER.
SO WOMEN DON'T BE AFRAID TO STEP UP AND SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT BECAUSE IT'S OUR BABIES THAT WE FIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, THAT WE FIGHT FOR OUR SENIORS, OUR YOUTH.
THEY NEED OUR VOICES, OUR GUIDANCE, AND OUR LEADERSHIP.
I WANNA THANK THE MUSICAL SELECTION, THE GROUP THAT CAME OUT THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU TO THE IMAN FOR YOUR WONDERFUL OPENING PRAYER.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR COMING OUT TO CELEBRATE WITH US AND CELEBRATE ALL THE HONOREES, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
UM, AFTER THE PROGRAM CONCLUDES, WE DO HAVE REFRESHMENTS AND DINNER IN THE BACK.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO PLEASE STAY IN FELLOWSHIP WITH US HONOREE'S FAMILY, UM, WHO WANNA TAKE PICTURES.
PLEASE STAY HERE WITH US SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THE PICTURES AND YOU GUYS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
SO I'M GONNA CALL THE IMAN UP AGAIN TO HAVE A CLOSING PRAYER.
GIVE YOURSELVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WE'LL CLOSE WITH A SHORT, UH, SORT FROM THE KORAN AND RAHIM IN.
TRANSLATE WITH THE LAW'S NAME, THE MERCIFUL BENEFACTOR, THE MERCIFUL REDEEMER BY THE TOKEN OF TIME THROUGH AGES.
VALLEY MAN IS IN LOSS, ACCEPT SUCH AS HAVE FAITH
[01:00:01]
AND DO RIGHTEOUS DEEDS AND JOIN TOGETHER IN TRUTH, PATIENCE, AND CONSISTENCY AT ME.AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS EVENING.