[00:00:08]
WHAT CLERGY DAY OR CLERGY? CLERGY, IAMS, ET CETERA.
YOU GOT ANOTHER CARD FOR HIM? YEAH.
IS THAT FOR, TO, IT'S EM, OC BAR.
I'M GONNA GET STARTED IN JUST A MOMENT.
THAT'S MORE OF AN ESSEX COUNTY.
WELCOME TO ALL MY, UH, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND TO THE HONOREES AND TO ALL WHO ASSEMBLED HERE TODAY.
GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, UH, HERE IN PERSON AND THOSE LIVE STREAM.
MY NAME IS CARLOS POMAR AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE BOARD PRESIDENT HERE AT THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOARD, I WANNA WELCOME YOU TO OUR THIRD ANNUAL MUSLIM HERITAGE CELEBRATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS EVENT EVERY YEAR AS IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF THE MANY COMMUNITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COUNTRY'S GREATEST AS ASSET, OF COURSE, WHICH IS OUR DIVERSITY.
WE KNOW THAT EVERY DAY, NOT JUST IN JANUARY, MUSLIM AMERICANS ARE HARD AT WORK MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND THEY ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE FABRIC OF ESSEX COUNTY, AND WE'RE ALWAYS PROUD TO STAND WITH HIM IN GOOD TIMES AND IN BAD THIS EVENING.
THE BOARD HAS THE PLEASURE OF HONORING SEVERAL OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS.
WE HAVE JOHARA PRESLEY, MOTLEY OF MAPLEWOOD.
ABDUL ZA, UH, RASIN OF WEST ORANGE.
SORRY, I GOTTA GET, I JUST CALL HIM ABDU ALL THE TIME.
THEY THE REST OF THE NAME I LIKE.
AND A GROUP THAT I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE BECAUSE MY MOM, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW AND MY SISTER ARE NURSES.
WE HAVE THE MUSLIM NURSES OF NEW JERSEY.
SO TO EACH HONOREE, I WANT TO PERSONALLY CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU AND SALUTE YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
MAKING IT A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE, TO WORK, AND TO PLAY AND TO RAISE A FAMILY.
OF COURSE, IN ADDITION TO THE COMMENDATIONS, UH, FROM THE BOARD, WE, UH, ALSO HAVE CERTIFICATES FROM CONGRESSWOMAN LAMONICA MACGYVER.
I WAS JUST TOLD WE HAVE MAYOR RAS BARACK IS GONNA, I INCLUDE CERTIFICATES, COUNCILWOMAN TRE, AND, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN PAC COUNCIL.
DID I GET 'EM ALL? THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.
LET'S JUST THROW EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE NEWARK COUNCIL, SO THE WHOLE COUNCIL IN.
SO WE, WE APPRECIATE THEM JOINING IN OUR CELEBRATION, UH, THROUGH THOSE NICE AWARDS.
SO, UH, BEFORE I GO FURTHER, LET ME FIRST INTRODUCE A VERY TALENTED JAZZ VOCALIST, ZUMA GAYMAN, TO PERFORM THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER, PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE EXCITED TO BE HERE.
[00:05:02]
CAN YOU SEE EARLY WHAT AND THE TWILIGHTS UBA STRIPES AND FIGHT.PLEASE GIVE HER ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL VERSION.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THE WORST PART OF THE JOB AS A COMMISSIONER IS WHEN YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW TALENT LIKE THAT.
YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, CAN'T FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
SO, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA HEAR MORE FROM YOU IN A LITTLE WHILE.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE EQUALLY, UH, ENAMORED.
AND I HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW YOU AGAIN AND, YOU KNOW, BE THE LET DOWN AFTER THAT.
AT THIS TIME, I WANNA INVITE IMAN KHALID SANCHEZ MOHAMMED UP TO THE PODIUM TO DELIVER THE OPENING PRAYER.
AND AS HE MAKES HIS WAY UP HERE, LET ME JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM.
KHALID SANCHEZ MOHAMMED IS AN IMAM, A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, A CIVIC LEADER BASED IN NEWARK.
HE SERVES AS A FOUNDER OF GOOD DEEDS, A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON EDUCATION, SERVICE, AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
AND AS THE EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT THE UNIFIED BURG SERVICES ORGANIZATION.
KHALID IS ALSO A DISTRICT LEADER IN EAST ORANGE.
ANYONE FROM EAST ORANGE THERE, YOU THERE ALWAYS PEOPLE FROM EAST ORANGE.
AND HE'S ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, INTERFAITH WORK, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY.
IN ADDITION, HE'S A RUTGERS UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS, HUSBAND AND FATHER OF FIVE KIDS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND IT IS A PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU.
PLEASE SAY A FEW WORDS, THANK YOU.
UM, IN TRADITION WE LIKE TO OPEN WITH A FEW WORDS FROM THE KORAN, THE HOLY KORAN, OH MAN.
HOW WE CREATED YOU FOR MALE AND FEMALE AND MADE YOU INTO PEOPLE AND TRIBES DIFFERENT TO GET TO KNOW ONE, TO GET TO KNOW ONE, ONE ANOTHER.
INDEED THE MOST HONORED OF YOU.
AND THE SIGHT OF A LAW IS THE MOST RIGHTEOUS OF YOU.
AND SURELY A LAW IS ALL KNOWING, ALL AWARE INDEED ALLAH COMMANDS JUSTICE, EXCELLENCE AND GIVEN TO OTHERS.
HE INSTRUCTS YOU SO THAT YOU MAY BE REMINDED.
SO WHOEVER DOES IN ADAM'S WEIGHT OF GOOD, HE SHALL SEE IT.
ALLAH, WE PRAISE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR GATHERING US HERE TODAY.
IN THE SPIRIT OF DIGNITY, REMEMBRANCE, AND UNITY, WE THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS JOYOUS OCCASION, ONE THAT SETS A TONE IN THE HALL OF RECORDS IN ESS COUNTY.
ALL ALLAH BLESSED THIS GATHERING AND ALL WHO ARE PRESENT, OUR ELDERS, OUR OUR LEADERS, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR YOUTH PLACE SINCERITY IN OUR INTENTIONS FOR OUR LEADERS AS WELL AS OUR SERVANTS O LAW.
TONIGHT WE HONOR INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO SERVICE HAS STRENGTHENED OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THE AWARDEES BEING RECOGNIZED THIS EVENING, ACCEPT THEIR EFFORTS, INCREASE THEM IN GOODNESS, AND ALLOW AND ALLOW THEIR WORK TO CONTINUE BENEFITING OTHERS.
GRANT WISDOM, FAIRNESS, AND COMPASSION TO THOSE ENTRUSTED WITH LEADERSHIP AND GUIDE ALL OF US TO BE PEOPLE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
INDEED, YOU ARE THE HERO OF PRAYERS.
[00:10:05]
THANK YOU IMAM, FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL WORDS.ALRIGHT, SO LET'S, UH, LET ME GIVE YOU A JUST A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
I'VE BEEN GIVEN A LIST OF FOLKS HERE.
BUT IF I DO, PLEASE LET OUR STAFF KNOW.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THEIR COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
UH, FROM OUR BOARD, I WOULD LET ME, UH, INTRODUCE, UH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, WAYNE RICHARDSON.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER LEN LUCIANO AND OUR NEWLY ELECTED VP, UH, DORIAN MARY THOMAS.
WE HAVE IMAM AKBAR IS HERE TODAY, WEST ORANGE COUNCILWOMAN, TAMMY WILLIAMS, UM, A FORMER EAST ORANGE COUNCILMAN, AND THE ONE OF THE FIRST AWARDEES OF THIS VERY CEREMONY THREE YEARS AGO.
JIMMY SMALL, THE ONE AND ONLY PROSECUTOR TED STEVENS.
WE HAVE ABDUL MAN, HASSAN, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MUSLIM LEAGUE OF VOTERS, AND WE ALSO HAVE DR.
BRIAN AGDU, WHO'S THE OWNER AND PUBLISHER OF TAP INTO, UH, HERE REPRESENTING EAST ORANGE AND ORANGE AGAIN.
IF WE MISS ANYBODY, FORGIVE ME.
UH, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET EVERYONE IN HERE.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ALL TODAY, AND NOW FOR OF COURSE, THE MAIN EVENT, OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR HONOREE.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET ME, UH, BRING UP JOHARA PRESLEY MOTLEY TO THE PODIUM.
PRESLEY, I'M SORRY, I SAID PRESSLEY, DIDN'T I? THAT'S OKAY.
WAIT, THAT DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT.
SO MY, MY GOOD FRIEND, OUR GOOD FRIEND COMMISSIONER BRENDAN GILL, UH, IS OUT SICK TODAY, SO I'M PINCH HITTING FOR HIM AND I HAVE A BROKEN LEG.
SO I DON'T KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT IN GOOD GOOD SHAPE TODAY.
BUT, UH, HE SENDS HIS REGRETS THAT HE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY AND WE WISH HIM A SPEEDY RECOVERY.
BUT I WANNA SHARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT THE, UH, COMMENDATION.
MOTLEY IS A NATIVE NEWARK, UH, OF NEWARK AND DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT WHOSE CAREER IS ROOTED IN COMMUNITY IMPACT EQUITY AND REGIONAL COLLABORATION.
SHE WAS EDUCATED HERE IN NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND IS A GRADUATE OF CANAN UNIVERSITY.
SHE BEGAN HER CAREER IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF ORANGE, WHERE SHE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN REVITALIZING AND RESHAPING THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
LATER SHE JOINED NEW JERSEY TRANSIT AS A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, IMPROVING EQUITY AND ACCESS FOR MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES IN THE STATE AND FEDERALLY FUNDED CONTRACTS.
HER LEADERSHIP AND HER COMMITMENT LED TO HER THE ADVANCEMENT AS REGIONAL MANAGER IN GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS.
CURRENTLY, SHE SERVES AS A PROJECT MANAGER FOR NEW JERSEY TRANSIT ACCESS LINK PARATRANSIT PROGRAM, ENHANCING SERVICES FOR SOME OF THE STATE'S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IN HER PERSONAL LIVES.
SHE'S DEEPLY ENGAGED IN CIVIC AND EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
SHE HAS SERVED FOR FIVE YEARS UNDER THE MAPLEWOOD ZONING BOARD, WOULD I'M SURE HIS KID.
A LITTLE CONTENTIOUS AT TIMES, RIGHT? ALL ZONING BOARDS.
AND IT SERVED AS A CHAIRPERSON OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION FOR THE MARSHALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PTA IN SOUTH ORANGE, NEARBY WHITE WIFE AND CLINTON SCHOOL.
UH, SHE RESIDES IN MAPLE WITH HER HUSBAND RICHARD, AND THEIR 10-YEAR-OLD SON DERRICK.
AND SHE'S MOST PROUD OF HER ROLE AS WIFE AND MOTHER, DRIVEN BY A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, ACCESS AND PUBLIC SERVICE.
HER MISSION IS TO CREATE SYSTEMS AND POLICIES THAT UPLIFT COMMUNITIES, AMPLIFY UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES, AND ENSURE THAT PUBLIC RESOURCES SERVE EVERYONE WITH DIGNITY AND FAIRNESS.
SO JOHARA, YOUR PASSION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE IS OF COURSE, REMARKABLE AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU AND WE CAN COUNT ON YOU AS ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND IT IS MY HONOR ON BEHALF OF MY GOOD FRIEND, PR UH, GIL COMMISSIONER GULL, TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S COMMENDATION AND PLAQUE AND A CERTIFICATE FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MACGYVER AND THE ENTIRE NEWARK COUNCIL.
SO LET ME PRESENT YOU WITH THIS.
HE'S GONNA TAKE A PICTURE RIGHT HERE THIS TIME.
HE'S GONNA TAKE A PICTURE AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
WHAT ABOUT, WE PUT THAT RIGHT THERE CARLOS, WE'RE GONNA COME FOR A QUICK MOVE.
[00:15:04]
ONE MORE.PLEASE, YOU OUTTA YOUR THANK YOU.
GONNA KEEP THIS SHORT BECAUSE I DON'T DO THIS OFTEN.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS HONOR.
UH, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY.
AND, UM, SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MY HUSBAND FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME AND MY SON, WHO REMAINS MY CONSTANT MOTIVATION.
AND I'M MOVING THINGS, SO THAT MEANS TIME, MY TIME TO GO,
I DO BELIEVE THAT IS THE SHORTEST, UH, RECEPTION.
UM, SO WE WANNA, UH, MOVE FORWARD A LITTLE BIT HERE.
WE WANNA, UH, JUST AT THIS TIME WE WANNA BRING UP OUR, UH, SPECIAL PERFORMER.
LEMME TELL A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT MS. GIVEN AS SHE COMES UP.
SHE'S A VOCALIST, AN ARTS EDUCATOR, EXECUTIVE CREATOR, LEADER WITH OVER 19 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN MUSIC EDUCATION, TALENT DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP.
UH, SHE HAS PERFORMED WITH AND FOR ICONIC, UH, ARTISTS, INCLUDING HOUSTON.
HOUSTON FROM ESSEX COUNTY, UH, DION WARWICK, ESSEX COUNTY, UH, DONNIE MCCLURKIN.
AMONG HER MOST MEANINGFUL HONORS ARE SINGER SINGING IN THE PRESENCE OF ROSA PARKS AND PERFORMING BEFORE THE LU.
UH, THE LEGENDARY PLAYED LATE DR.
CC HOUSTON FOR MANY, FOR MANY YEARS BEYOND THE SAGE ZUMA HAD HELD SENIOR AND REGIONAL LEADERSHIP ROLES ACROSS THE CHARTER SCHOOL NETWORKS AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
SHE IS UNDER AND CEO OF HARMONY HAVEN, A MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTS AND UH, EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION ROOTED IN HER LIB, UH, LIBERIAN HERITAGE FROM WEST AFRICA.
AND GUIDED BY FAITH ZUMA'S WORK IS DRIVEN WITH PURPOSE, EXCELLENCE, AND SERVICE.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME AGAIN IN WELCOMING HER.
AND THANKFULLY, I DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW YOU AFTER YOU DO A BOTH.
SO I WAS WONDERING, I SAID, WHO'S THAT? I WAS LIKE, LIKE, OH, IS RAY
LET, LET WITH ME, LET EVERY NATION MELODY JOYFUL AND LET IT SHINE.
[00:20:15]
THANK YOU.ALL RIGHT, LET'S GIVE IT UP ONE MORE TIME FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT.
SO FOR MANY OF YOU HERE TONIGHT THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS LEN LUCIANO.
I HAVE BEEN A ACTIVE MEMBER OF THIS BOARD FOR 15 YEARS, SINCE 2011 WHEN WE WERE CALLED FREEHOLDERS.
WE ARE NOW CALLED COMMISSIONERS.
THERE WAS A LAW PASSED, UH, SEVERAL YEARS BACK TO CHANGE OUR NAME FROM FREEHOLDER COMMISSIONER.
I LIKE TO START ALL THESE MEETINGS BY GIVING EVERYBODY A LITTLE BIT OF A CIVIC LESSON.
IF YOU ACTUALLY ARE TAKING A LOOK AND SOAKING IN THIS ROOM, THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY IN THIS ROOM.
IT'S SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PAINTINGS, YOU'LL SEE PAINTINGS OF OUR COUNTY AND OUR DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE 22 MUNICIPALITIES, UH, CITIES, TOWNSHIPS, BOROUGHS.
AND OUR BOARD IS MADE UP OF NINE MEMBERS.
SO THERE'S FOUR MEMBERS HERE TONIGHT.
OUR PRESIDENT, UH, OUR VICE PRESIDENT, OUR FORMER PRESIDENT, AND MYSELF, BUT THERE ACTUALLY ARE FIVE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WE ARE THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO WE ARE LIKE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY WHO CONTROL THE BUDGET AND WORK WITH OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, JOE DI VINCENZO, WHO SERVES AS OUR MAYOR.
WE HANDLE THINGS LIKE PARKS AND RECREATION, COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES AND LIGHTS AND SIGNAGE AND SNOW REMOVAL.
WE, UH, OVERSEE THE COUNTY JAIL.
WE OVERSEE ELECTIONS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UH, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES LIKE TURTLEBACK ZOO AND OUR ICE ARENA AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER.
AND WE ALSO HANDLE CITIZEN SERVICES, WHETHER THAT'S SENIOR SERVICES, UH, SERVICES THAT FOLKS NEED, UH, THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND OUR JOB, UH, FUNCTIONS, UH, AGAIN AS LEGISLATORS.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY ENJOY, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS A SEGUE TO WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, WE APPRECIATE AND HONOR ALL THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY NO MATTER WHAT RACE, RELIGION, OR BELIEF YOU HAVE.
SO WE ARE A BIG MELTING POT HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY OF FOLKS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO HAVE EITHER MIGRATED HERE OR HAVE ANCESTORS THAT CAME HERE.
I MEAN, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST LANDING SPOTS FOR SO MANY IMMIGRANTS, AND IT STILL IS TODAY ON THE EAST COAST.
UH, MYSELF INCLUDED, MY GRANDPARENTS CAME HERE FROM OVERSEAS IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS AND THEY ACTUALLY SETTLED IN LIVINGSTON, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH LIVINGSTON IN ESSEX COUNTY KNOW IT AS IT IS TODAY.
BUT ACTUALLY ABOUT 70 YEARS AGO, IT WAS ALL FARMLAND.
SO IT WAS ALL FARMS, WHICH A LOT OF ESSEX COUNTY WAS.
SO I LIKE TO JUST LET EVERYBODY KNOW, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG FOLKS AND OUR YOUTH ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO.
LET ME ALSO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE HONOREES HERE TONIGHT.
UH, LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR THEM.
WE APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UH, IN PARTICULARLY, I HAVE, UH, ONE HONOREE THAT I HAVE HERE IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT.
UH, AND THAT IS MR. ABDO YASIN.
CAN YOU COME UP, MR. INE? OKAY.
SO LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT ABDUR.
UH, HE IS A FIRE CAPTAIN IN WEST ORANGE AND HE BECAME A FIREFIGHTER IN 2002.
HE HAS INVOLVED HIMSELF EXTENSIVELY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, ESPECIALLY IN LABOR RELATIONS BY SERVING IN SEVERAL CAPACITIES ACROSS ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE NEW JERSEY FIREFIGHTERS MUTUAL BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, THE LARGEST FIREFIGHTER UNION IN NEW JERSEY.
ABDUR IS A COHORT ADVISOR FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER PROGRAM AT RUTGERS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ADMINISTRATION.
HE IS ALSO A PART-TIME LECTURER AND TEACHES COURSES IN THE GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS AT RUTGERS.
[00:25:01]
A DOCTORAL STUDENT WORKING ON HIS DOCTORATE.HE SERVES ON SEVERAL BOARDS, INCLUDING THE NEW JERSEY CHAPTER OF AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PARTNERS FOR HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS PAST SERVICE ON STATE AND LOCAL COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS.
HE EARNED HIS BACHELOR'S IN HISTORY WITH HONORS FROM RUTGERS NEWARK IN 2003.
AND IN 2014 HE GRADUATED FROM THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS WITH A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.
ABOR IS A PROUD MEMBER OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY AND SERVES ON SEVERAL COMMITTEES IN THE ALPHA ALPHA LAMBDA CHAPTER SEATED IN NEWARK.
HE IS ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE WEST ORANGE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE, A POSITION WHICH HE HAS HELD SINCE 2018.
AND AS CHAIR OF ABDUR HAS SHOWN HIS DEDICATION TO WEST ORANGE AND HIS VISION FOR A STRONGER COMMUNITY AND HIS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT THROUGHOUT HIS COMMUNITY.
ABDUR AND HIS WIFE, BEGONIA AND FAMILY LIVE IN WEST ORANGE.
AND I THANK YOU ABDUR FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE DEDICATION AND IMPROVING AND ADVOCATING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
IT IS NOT JUST A PLEASURE OF THE BOARD TO HONOR YOU HERE TODAY, BUT AS A FRIEND FOR OVER THE LAST DECADE, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR ABDUR YASSEN.
WE ARE GONNA SNAP A COUPLE OF PHOTOS AND THEN I WILL TURN THE MIC OVER AND YOU CAN HEAR FROM OUR FIREFIGHTER.
AND OF COURSE WE ALWAYS, LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR ALL FIRST RESPONDERS THIS FIRST AND THEN I'LL GET MY COLLEAGUES IN.
COLLEAGUES, THAT ONE I COME ON THIS SIDE AND WE ARE JOINED BY ONE OF OUR OTHER COMMISSIONERS, HAILING FROM EAST ORANGE TO SHAMI COOPER, THANK YOU TO SHAMI FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I WANT TO, UH, START BY SAYING, UH, THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, OF COURSE, COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT, THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS VERY HUMBLING HONOR.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE MY FELLOW HONOREES.
UH, VERY OFTEN THE WORK THIS OF SERVANT LEADERS LIKE YOURSELVES GETS UNNOTICED.
AND AS OUR NEW GOVERNOR SAID YESTERDAY, THESE ARE INDEED WEARY TIMES.
SO THAT WORK IS VERY MUCH NEEDED TODAY.
UM, I WANNA THANK MY WIFE, UH, FOR ALWAYS PUTTING UP WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE GOING ON.
I HAVE MY BROTHER BACK THERE, MY BROTHER DAUD THAT, UH, AT TIMES KEEPS ME IN CHECK WITH THESE THINGS.
AND, UM, MY NEW BROTHERS, THE NEW MY BROTHER'S OF ALPHA, ALPHA PHI FRATERNITY INCORPORATED, YOU KNOW, SERVICE IS PARAMOUNT TO WHAT WE DO.
AND BEING PILLARS IN OUR COMMUNITY IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WE STRIVE TO BE AT ALL TIMES.
SO I DIDN'T REALLY PREPARE TOO MUCH, AND I WON'T KEEP EVERYONE BECAUSE WE WANNA KEEP THE, UH, PROGRAM MOVING ALONG.
BUT AS WE FACE, UH, AS WE HEAD INTO RAMADAN NEXT MONTH, RIGHT? AGAIN, I SAID THESE ARE WEARY TIMES.
WE ARE REMINDED BY, YOU KNOW, SERVING THOSE THAT ARE LEAST FORTUNATE AMONGST US, AS WELL AS PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S MUSLIMS OR ANYONE ELSE, WHETHER HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY OR THROUGHOUT THE STATE OR ACROSS THIS, ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
WE'RE ALL FACING ISSUES WITH AFFORDABILITY, RIGHT? WE'RE FACING ISSUES WITH FEELING SAFE AS WELL AS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.
SO I CALL UPON, YOU KNOW, OUR LEADERS AND OUR COMMUNITY TO, YOU KNOW,
[00:30:01]
CONTINUE TO INVEST AND REINVEST IN THESE AREAS BECAUSE THESE ARE INDEED WEARY TIMES.SO AGAIN, I THANK EVERYONE FOR THIS HUMBLING HONOR, MY FELLOW, MY FELLOW HONOREES, AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S CONTINUE THE WORK HERE.
AND NOW A SPECIAL PRIVILEGE AGAIN.
I AM GOING TO BRING UP FOR A MUSICAL SELECTION THROUGH THE EASE.
CAN YOU SAY, LOVELY DAY? OH, YOU SOUND JUST LIKE MY CLASSROOM,
WHEN THE DAY LIES AHEAD OF ME, SEEMS AND SOMEONE INSTEAD OF ME ALWAYS SEEMS TO GO WAY AT YOU.
DAY, DAY, DAY, DAY, DAY, DAY, DAY, DAY, DAY WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, LOVE AND THE SONG, I HURTS MY EYE AND SOMETHING AT YOU.
AND I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A DAY, DAY, DAY, DAY, DAY, LOVELY DAY.
ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ZUMA, EVERYBODY.
NOW, GIRL, MY ONE TIFF IS THAT YOU DIDN'T TELL THE PEOPLE THAT I TAUGHT YOU HOW TO DO ALL OF THAT
THAT'S THE ONLY THING YOU COULD HAVE JUST PUT ME IN THE FOOTNOTES SAID A DORIAN TAUGHT ME.
UM, BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, WHAT A LOVELY DAY IT IS TO CELEBRATE THE ISLAMIC, THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY OF OUR GREAT STATE OF NEW JERSEY,
[00:35:01]
OF OUR GREAT COUNTY OF ESSEX.AND I'M BIASED 'CAUSE I'M FROM NEWARK, SO OF THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK.
WHAT A GIFT IT IS TO GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE BECAUSE THERE IS NO NEW JERSEY, THERE IS NO ESSEX COUNTY, THERE IS NO NEWARK WITHOUT THE SOLIDARITY, THE FAITH, THE HARD WORK, AND THE SERVICE OF OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
SO IT'S AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A DAUGHTER OF NEWARK, A DORIAN MURRAY THOMAS, A VICE PRESIDENT OF THIS INCREDIBLE BOARD IS, ARE OUR BOARD MEMBERS AMAZING NEEDS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR INCREDIBLE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, OUR INCREDIBLE COUNTY STAFF, ALL OF WHICH WORK SO HARD TO MAKE DAYS LIKE THIS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR DISTINGUISHED HONOREES, UM, ALL OF WHICH I, I KIND OF KNOW PERSONALLY.
SO I JUST WANNA SHOUT THEM OUT AGAIN TO OUR FIRST HONOREE, FIRST OF ALL TO OUR IMAM SANCHEZ HAMAD, WHO I'VE KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A WHILE, JUST TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE YOU TONIGHT AND HAVE YOU BE A PART OF YOUR SPECIAL TO ME, TO JAHARA PREY MOTLEY.
I KNOW YOU'RE FROM MAPLEWOOD NOW, YOU LIVE THERE NOW, BUT NEWARK, BORN AND RAISED AT NEWARK.
NEWARK SISTER IN THE BUILDING, OF COURSE, TI AND MIND, WE'VE ALREADY RECOGNIZED FOR ZUMA, RECOGNIZED FOR HER BEAUTIFUL WORK AND WORDS.
IT WAS SUCH AN HONOR TO CELEBRATE YOU.
AND IF I CAN QUICKLY JUST SHOUT OUT YOU, BRIAN, AND SOME OF THE OTHER ALPHAS WHO MAY BE IN THE BUILDING JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND, UH, THEY CELEBRATED, WAS THIS THE 10TH YEAR EIGHTH, THE 28TH ORATOR COMPETITION FOR THE YOUNG MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETING IN THE ALPHA ORATOR COMPETITION.
SO WE HAD YOUNG, BLACK AND BROWN MEN FROM ACROSS THE STATE.
I MEAN, GIVING SPEECHES THAT HAD YOUR HAIRS STICKING UP ON YOUR SKIN.
I HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF BEING ONE OF THE GUEST JUDGES.
AND SOMEONE CAME UP TO ME LATER, LATER, AND THEY WERE LIKE, A DOREEN, WHY WERE YOU CRYING? I WAS LIKE, BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO BEAUTIFUL.
YOUNG PEOPLE, 10, 11, 12 YEARS OLD, GIVING THESE POWERFUL SPEECHES ABOUT HOW THEY SEE THE WORLD.
AND NOT ONLY ABOUT HOW THEY SEE THE WORLD, BUT HOW THEY'RE COMMITTED TO USING THEIR FAITH, THEIR VOICE IN THEIR PERSONHOOD TO MAKE THAT WORLD BETTER, TO MAKE A WORLD THAT THEY INHERITED WITH PROBLEMS THAT THEY DID NOT CREATE A LOT BETTER WHEN THEY LEAVE IT.
AND SO, I WAS JUST SO INSPIRED.
AND SO WHEN WE GET TO CELEBRATE YOU, UM, AND, AND ALL THE BROTHERS OF THE ALPHAS, I'M REMINDED OF MOMENTS LIKE THAT AND I'M REMINDED OF OUR NEXT HONOREE WHO DOESN'T CALL THE ALPHA AS A, A BROTHERHOOD PER SE, BUT IS A BROTHER WHO IS EXTRAORDINARY, WHO CALLS NEWARK HOME.
AND IF I CAN SAY THIS ABOUT, UH, NEWARKERS FOR US, WE, WHEN SOMEONE TELLS US THEY'RE FROM NEWARK, YOU'RE LIKE, OH, OH, COOL.
WHERE YOU FROM? WHERE YOU GROW UP? WHAT BLOCK, WHAT WARD? RIGHT? BUT LET Y'ALL KNOW, Y'ALL KNOW
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS WE GOTTA ACKNOWLEDGE, AND I'M, I'M, I'M GUILTY OF THAT TOO.
I'M A SOUTH WARD BABY, BY THE WAY, SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN CENTRAL AND WEST, BUT I, I CLAIM SOUTH FORD, THAT'S WHERE I SPENT A GOOD AMOUNT OF MY TIME AS A CHILD.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE TOO IS THAT Y'ALL, WE GOT SOME NEWARKERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN BORN HERE, BUT THEY CALL NEWARK HOME BECAUSE FOR THE LONGEST TIMES THAT THEY'VE LIVED HERE, THEY HAVE GIVEN THIS CITY THEIR ALL.
THIS NEXT BROTHER WHO I'M ABOUT TO RECOGNIZE WHEN I READ YOU HIS BIO, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO NAME A BROTHER WHO IS JUST THAT FOR NORCO HAS BEEN HIS HOME FOR WELL OVER 10 YEARS NOW.
AND WHEN I TELL YOU HE HAS TAKEN THE CITY BY STORM AND FOR THE GOOD, CAN YOU GIVE ME, DO ME A FAVOR OF GIVING A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR BROTHERS? WE WELCOME TO THE STAGE MR. OMAR BARTO.
SO OMAR GREW UP IN BOSTON AND HE ACTUALLY CAME TO NEWARK FOR LAW SCHOOL AT RUTGERS LAW.
AND WHAT Y'ALL KNOW, ESPECIALLY MY NEWARK IS IN THE BUILDING, NEWARK IS THAT PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GET A LITTLE TASTE.
AND SO OMAR'S CALLED NEWARK HOME FOR QUITE A WHILE.
HIS FAMILY CAME TO THIS COUNTRY FROM ETHIOPIA.
I HEAR THEY'RE TUNING IN ALL THE WAY FROM MINNESOTA.
SO WE'RE SENDING Y'ALL LOVE HERE FROM NEW JERSEY.
AND, AND IF I CAN, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, WE'RE GIVING YOU SOME SPECIAL PRAYER TO EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT CERTAINLY THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE UNDER ATTACK FOR JUST EXISTING BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR, AND ACTUALLY OUR MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
I KNOW OUR SOMALI COMMUNITY HAS BEEN UNDER A PARTICULAR ATTACK IN MINNESOTA.
SO WE'RE SENDING LOVE TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS OVER THERE IN, IN MINNESOTA.
BUT I WANNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OMAR WHO CALLS THE NEWARK HOME.
AND AS I SAID, HAS TAKEN NEWARK IN THE BEST WAY BY STORM.
HE IS A PARTNER AT THE MCCARTER AND ENGLISH LAW FIRM.
AND FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THAT IS, THAT'S A BIG DEAL TO BE A PARTNER
[00:40:01]
AT ONE OF THE MOST MAJOR LAW FIRMS HERE, NOT JUST IN NEW JERSEY, BUT IN THE EAST COAST.HIS LEGAL PRACTICE INVOLVES REPRESENTING BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS IN A VARIETY OF CORPORATE MATTERS, INCLUDING BREACH OF CONTRACT CHANGE, SECRETS, SECURITIES, FRAUD, AND PARTNERSHIP DISPUTES.
HE HANDLES BUSINESS, IF YOU, AGAIN, CLEAR, GET IT CLEARLY ENOUGH.
HE'S ALSO A MEMBER ACTIVELY IN THE MCCARTER'S GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS GROUP ADVISING CLIENTS ON A RANGE OF ISSUES FROM POLITICS, CAMPAIGN FINANCE, ETHICS AND LOBBYING.
HE HAS SERVED AS A DIRECTOR OF THE GARDEN STATE BAR ASSOCIATION, A TRUSTEE FOR THE NEW JERSEY MUSLIM LAWYERS ASSOCIATION, AND ON THE BOARD OF THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF ESSEX COUNTY.
OMAR IS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE COLLECTIVE, A GROUP OF NEARLY 20 AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE ATTORNEYS FOCUSED ON PROMOTING COMMUNITY SERVICE, MENTORSHIP, AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WITHIN NEW JERSEY'S LEGAL COMMUNITY.
OMAR IS ALSO A FORMER CO-CHAIR OF THE NEW JERSEY DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE, MUSLIM CAUCUS, WHERE HE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN ADVOCATING FOR THE MUSLIM AMERICAN INTEREST AT THE STATE LEVEL.
IN ADDITION TO HIS COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP IN THE LEGAL SPACE.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THE NEW CAFE ON HALSEY STREET CALLED QUALYS CAFE.
FOLKS HEARD OF IT, SCENE OF IT'S BUZZING ON INS INSTAGRAM.
THEY GOT A HUGE DOPE OPEN MIC COMMUNITY.
WELL, OMAR IS THE CO-FOUNDER AND CO-OWNER OF THAT AS A SPACE, UH, WHERE HE IS CREATING A GATHERING SPOT IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN NEWARK THAT CELEBRATES CULTURAL DIVERSITY THROUGH ETHIOPIAN, AFGHANI AND TURKISH COFFEE, TEA, AND DESSERTS.
AND WHEN I TELL YOU IT IS A VIBE THERE AND EVERYTHING'S REALLY GOOD, IT'S AMAZING.
THE CAFE SERVES AS A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, A PLATFORM FOR SHOWCASING DIFFERENT CULTURES AND EVIDENCE OF YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR HARD WORK.
I SHOULD MENTION TOO, I SEE MY FRIEND LANEY IN THE BACK, HEY LANEY.
SO I'M ONE OF THOSE FRIENDS THAT IF YOU HAVE GREAT FRIENDS, YOUR FRIENDS KIND OF BECOME MY FRIENDS.
SO THAT'S HOW OMAR AND I MET THROUGH MY GREAT FRIEND LANEY, WHO'S ALSO AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER, YOUNG BLACK WOMAN LAWYER, DOING AMAZING THINGS, MOM TO BE BY THE WAY.
SO, OMAR, WHAT A GIFT THAT I GOT TO MEET YOU THROUGH OUR GREAT FRIEND LANEY, THROUGH THE GREAT WORK HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT NEWARK, NEW JERSEY AND ESSEX COUNTY GETS TO CALL YOU HOME.
UH, I FIRST WANT TO THANK, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMAS AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE, UH, FOR THIS HONOR.
UH, I KNOW A LOT OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO GOES UNRECOGNIZED, BUT IT'S YOUR DEDICATION THAT MAKES ESSAS COUNTY THE BEST, UH, COUNTY IN THE COUNTRY, IN THE STATE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK AND CONGRATULATE MY FELLOW HONOREES TONIGHT.
UH, I'M HONORED TO SHARE THIS EVENING WITH YOU AND YOU GUYS ARE ALL SOURCES OF IN INSPIRATION AND EXCELLENCE FOR ME.
UM, LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK, UH, MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
UM, AS A DORIAN MENTIONED, UH, I MOVED TO NEWARK ABOUT 13 YEARS AGO FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL, AND I DECIDED TO CALL THIS PLACE MY ADOPTED HOME.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THROUGHOUT MY JOURNEY, UH, MY FRIENDS AND MY FAMILY HAVE, UH, BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE.
UM, I KNOW MY FAMILY'S OUT IN MINNEAPOLIS RIGHT NOW.
I WANNA TELL 'EM THAT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU.
AND I LOVE YOU FOR ALL, FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
I ALSO WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT.
I HAVE MY LITTLE BROTHER HERE IN THE BACK, UH, AARON GRANGER.
I KNOW HE'S, HE'S A LITTLE SHY.
BUT I MET, I I I MET AARON THROUGH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS ABOUT 11 YEARS AGO.
UM, I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM IN MY LIFE.
UH, HIS MOTHER'S HERE TOO, MRS. BRYCE FROM EAST ORANGE.
UH, AND THEY'VE BECOME MY FAMILY OVER THE YEARS, UH, YOU KNOW, SINCE MY FAMILY'S OUTTA STATE.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME AS WELL.
UM, I KNOW TODAY'S, YOU KNOW, MEANT TO BE A JOYFUL, UH, OCCASION AND A TIME FOR CELEBRATION, BUT I, I DO THINK IT WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, THE HOSTILE CLIMATE THAT MUSLIMS FACE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH MY MOTHER, UM, WHO MADE A COMMENT, AND I WAS ACTUALLY REALLY SURPRISED BY THIS.
UM, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, AROUND THE TIME OF NINE 11, I WAS PROBABLY 10 OR 11 YEARS OLD, BUT SHE HAD MADE THE COMMENT THAT SHE THOUGHT IT WAS MORE OF A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THERE'S MORE HATE SHE SEES IN THIS WORLD THAN SHE FOR MUSLIMS NOW THAN SHE DID PACK IN NINE 11.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WHEN I REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT, UM, IT, IT'S TRUE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, BACK THEN YOU WOULD HEAR DISPARAGING REMARKS, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE IN THE BACKGROUND AND WHATNOT.
BUT THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR US SENATORS AND POLITICAL AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU KNOW, CALLING US THE ENEMY AND DEGRADING US, UH, AT EVERY TURN.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THESE BIGOTS DON'T REALIZE, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE, THEY ARE BIGOTS.
UM, IS THAT THEIR DISDAIN ONLY MAKES OUR RESOLVE STRONGER.
WE ARE ONLY GETTING STARTED IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE OPENING AND BUILDING BUSINESSES IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE ARE GOING TO BE MORE POLITICALLY ACTIVE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO LIVE IN PEACE AND HARMONY WITH OUR BROTHERS
[00:45:01]
AND SISTERS WHO HAVE THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, JEWISH FAITH, HINDU FAITH, WHOEVER FAITH THEY MAY PRACTICE, RIGHT? UM, WE'RE HERE TO STAY AND WE'RE AN INTEGRAL PART OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.I'M EXTREMELY LUCKY TO CALL AX ACCESS COUNTY MY HOME.
I LIVE IN A DIVERSE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY.
I HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO LOOK LIKE ME, WHO PRACTICE THE SAME FAITH AS ME, BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT.
I HAVE ONES WHO DON'T, WHO JUST FIGHT, WHO FIGHT JUST AS HARD FOR MY RIGHTS AS WELL.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY HERE TODAY.
AND I, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING OUT AND SUPPORT SONG.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE COFFEE SHOP, TRUST ME, YOU WANT TO GO, PLEASE COME.
UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, RICHARDSON MENTIONING THAT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU THINK ABOUT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES ANYWHERE.
BUT YOU KNOW, IN OUR CONTEXT, IN NORTH SES COUNTY, IT IS NOT EASY.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES IN NEWARK, MOST OF THEM, A LOT OF THEM ARE HELD BY BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF OUR MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU LIFTING THAT UP.
UH, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, WE HAVE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
WE HAVE TO SUPPORT OUR FELLOW BUSINESSES.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO QUALITIES, UH, YOU'RE MISSING SOMETHING.
AND THEN, THEN IN THE END, OF COURSE, WHEN WE FINISH TODAY, WE'LL HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR RECEPTIONS AND PEOPLE TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
SO IF THERE'S SOMEONE WHO YOU DON'T KNOW, EXCHANGE INFORMATION, EXCHANGE CONTACT, SEE HOW THERE'S A BUSINESS, AN INITIATIVE OF SOMETHING, OF SOMEONE HERE IN THIS ROOM THAT YOU COULD CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT.
UM, I KNOW IT CONTINUES TO GO A LONG WAY.
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, IT IS MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BRING UP THE MUSLIM NURSES OF NEW JERSEY.
CAN WE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? I'M GOING TO INVITE THEM TO JOIN ME UP HERE ON STAGE OR IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.
AND AS THEY DO THAT, I'M GONNA TAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PERSON WHO I ACTUALLY GOT TO KNOW REALLY ABOUT THIS INCREDIBLE, UH, ORGANIZATION OF LEADERS OF FIRST RESPONDERS FROM, AND THAT'S FROM SOMEONE WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY LOVELY AUNT TRINA, WHO
BUT AS SOMEONE, WHEN I THINK OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WOMAN OF FAITH AND BE A WOMAN OF FAMILY, AND TO BE A WOMAN OF SERVICE, I THINK OF MY AUNT TRINA, I THINK OF ALL HER BEAUTIFUL KIDS AND MY LITTLE COUSINS TA WHO WAS LIKE MY LITTLE SISTER GROWING UP AND STILL IS, AND ALL MY LITTLE NEPHEWS THROUGH HER.
BUT I JUST THINK ABOUT ALL THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU CONTINUE TO EMULATE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A WOMAN OF SERVICE ON PURPOSE.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT COVID, WHAT WE JUST GOT THROUGH AND FAMILY, WE WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH IF IT WEREN'T FOR WOMEN AND FIRST RESPONDERS.
AND MANY OF YOU HERE IN FRONT OF ME.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES FOR OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT NEED FOR RECOGNITION OR FLOWERS OR BECAUSE THE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO THE MUSLIM NURSES OF NEW JERSEY HAPPENS TO BE CON CONSTITUTIVE OF SO MANY OF THOSE EXTRAORDINARY LEADERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS.
IT'S AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO UNITING AND EMPOWERING MUSLIM NURSES THROUGH FAITH, SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE.
ITS MEMBERS STRIVE TO CREATE A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY THAT UPLIFTS ONE ANOTHER, ADVANCING NURSING LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCATING FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, GUIDED BY THEIR ISLAMIC VALUES.
MEMBERS ARE COMMITTED TO EDUCATION, MENTORSHIP, OUTREACH, AND FOSTERING COMPASSION, INTEGRITY, AND EXCELLENCE
[00:50:01]
IN THE NURSING PRACTICE.ON BEHALF OF THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, WE WANNA HONOR NOT JUST EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, BUT EVERY SINGLE LIFE ATTACHED TO YOU.
EVERY LIFE YOU SAVE, EVERY LIFE YOU PRAY OVER, EVERY LIFE YOU TEND TO, WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ON TODAY FOR THE WORK OF FORGING A COMMUNITY AND BUILDING BONDS TO SUPPORT AND UPLIFT ONE ANOTHER AND EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WITH THAT SAID, IT'S MY HONOR TO BRING UP WHO'S ALREADY HERE FOR THIS, OF COURSE, MS. NAIA, ABDU SALA, AND MS. HANNAH BENJAMIN FOR A FEW REMARKS.
THANK YOU AL THANK, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER THOMAS FOR HAVING US HERE.
UM, ON BEHALF OF THE MUSLIM NURSES, WE'RE MISSING OVER HALF OF OUR MEMBERS.
UM, THEY'RE WORKING
UM, SO WE JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OURSELVES.
UM, ASIDE FROM WHAT SHE SAID, WE DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE.
SO WE GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WE DO, UM, CARE PACKAGES FOR THE HOMELESS.
WE'VE BEEN OUT MANY TIMES AT PENN STATION, HANDING OUT FOOD PACKAGES, UM, TOILETRIES, UH, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE, ANYONE SICK IN THE COMMUNITY WE'RE WILLING TO COME OUT AND, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT THEM.
ALSO, MENTORSHIP, ANY UPCOMING NURSES, ANY OR YOU KNOW, OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, WE'RE WILLING TO TALK TO THEM, MENTOR THEM, YOU KNOW, EMBRACE THEM.
UM, WHAT ELSE? UH, DRUG FAIRS, YOU KNOW, HEALTH FAIRS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE OPEN TO, YOU KNOW, HELPING OUT.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HAVING ANYTHING, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW, MAKE TIME TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE THAT I MISSED?
UM, I SENT OUT ON INCOME YOU GUYS.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS THAT WE ARE ALL WOMEN OF DIFFERENT FA DIFFERENT, NOT FAITH OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
AND WE, SOME OF US ARE BEDSIDE, SOME OF US HAVE OUR OWN PRACTICES, SOME OF US ARE NOW DOCTORS OF THE NURSE PRACTICE.
UM, SO WE ARE VERY DIVERSE AND WE WELCOME ANYONE THAT IS EITHER GOING TO BE A NURSE OR TRYING TO BE A NURSE.
WE DO A LOT OF MENTORSHIP, AS THE SISTER SAID, AND WE ARE JUST VERY HONORED TO BE RECOGNIZED TODAY.
WE CAN SAY, LOOK, WE CAN SAVE YOUR LIVES, BUT WE ARE NERVOUS IN PUBLIC SPEAKING,
AS WE NEAR, UH, THE CLOSING OF OUR PROGRAM.
I JUST WANNA ECHO AGAIN, UM, A THEME THAT KIND OF EMERGED THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, WHICH IS THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A NEW JERSEY.
YOU DO NOT HAVE A UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
YOU CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE A NEW JERSEY.
YOU DON'T HAVE A ESSEX COUNTY.
YOU DON'T HAVE A NEWARK THAT THRIVES AS VIBRANTLY AS BEAUTIFULLY AS HEALTHILY AS IT DOES AND IS ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING WITHOUT OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
I THINK ABOUT PRIOR TO SERVING THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, MY FIRST ENTRY INTO PUBLIC OFFICE, SHOUT OUT TO MAYOR RASPBERRY, AKA, WHO SAW ME BEFORE I EVEN SAW MYSELF IN OFFICE AND ENCOURAGED ME TO RUN, WHICH, WHICH WAS ON SCHOOL BOARD.
AND ME AND MY SISTER, DAWN HAYES, THE FIRST HIJAB MUS LIMA EVER ELECTED TO THE NORTH BOARD OF EDUCATION, SERVED ON THAT BOARD AND FOUGHT TOOTH AND NAIL FOR OUR CHILDREN.
TO THIS DAY, WE ARE STILL DEALING WITH ISSUES WE DEALT WITH FROM BEING ON THE BOARD, ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN.
ONE OF WHICH BEING A YOUNG MUSLIM GIRL WHO WAS ATTACKED BECAUSE SHE WAS MUSLIM, RIGHT? CALLED A TERRORIST.
RIGHT? I REMEMBER WHEN MY OWN COUSIN WAS ATTACKED AT HER SCHOOL, RIGHT? AND SO I SAY THIS TO SAY, UM,
[00:55:01]
AND AGAIN, AND THIS IS FOR WEARING A A, A HIJAB.I SAY THIS TO SAY WHAT OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS DO EVERY SINGLE DAY ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING THIS WHILE ALSO BEING OTHER, BECAUSE YOU ARE DIFFERENT.
AND SO WE SEE YOU, WE LOVE YOU, WE SUPPORT YOU, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS NOT A US WITHOUT YOU.
AND THERE CERTAINLY ISN'T A ME WITHOUT MY MUSLIM AUNTIES, BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
I'M THINKING ABOUT MY AUNT KIMMY, MY GODMOTHER, WHO IS MUSLIM.
AND I REMEMBER GOING TO HER HOUSE ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, UM, UM, AUNT KIMMY, WHY, WHY YOU ONLY TAKE OFF YOUR, I ONLY SEE YOUR LOCKS WHEN WE IN THE HOUSE.
SHE SAID, BABY, I DON'T BE WEARING MY HAIR OUTSIDE LIKE THAT BECAUSE MY RELIGION, RIGHT? AND I LEARNED FROM AN EARLY AGE, EVEN AS A CHRISTIAN, THAT THERE IS BEAUTY IN ALL OF OUR FAITHS, AND THERE IS GOD IN EVERY ONE OF THEM, RIGHT? AND SO, IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO CELEBRATE THE GOD IN EACH OF YOU, ALL OF OUR HONOREES, AND CERTAINLY THAT LIVES IN YOUR WORK AND YOUR SERVICE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THE THEME FOR TONIGHT SEEMS TO BE PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE.
UM, AND WHAT A GIFT IT IS TO CELEBRATE OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO DO THAT AND CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH TO OUR COUNTY, OUR STATE, AND OUR CITIES AS WE DO.
IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE AGAIN, TO, UH, BRING UP MR. WE HAVE OUR IMAM RIGHT TO DO US OUR OUR CLOSING REMARKS.
SO WE'RE GONNA BRING UP MR. IMAM KHALED SANCHEZ.
MOHAMMAD, AN INCREDIBLE BROTHER.
SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AND CELEBRATE WITH YOU THIS EVENING FOR PRAYERS.
WE THANK YOU ZUMA FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL VOICE.
UM, AND WE THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR INCREDIBLE HONOREES FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR SERVICE.
BEFORE WE, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I JUST WANNA SAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR REMARKS.
YOU, UM, YOU AND YOU, MS. COOPER, YOU'VE BEEN VERY, VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BROTHER JIMMY AS WELL.
HE KNOWS I'VE SEEN A, A, A LOT OF PROCLAMATIONS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT DAYS, A LOT OF PERMITS GO THROUGH BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
PLEASE, YOU KNOW, KEEP BEING OF ASSISTANCE.
AND IN CHARLO, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR OVERVIEW OF ASSISTANCE, TEXAS COUNTY AS WELL, CHAR OU, WHO BELIEVES STAND FIRMLY FOR GOD AS WITNESSES AND JUSTICE.
AND THE SERVANTS OF THE MOST MERCIFUL ARE THOSE WHO WALK UPON THE EARTH IN HUMILITY AND HUMBLENESS, BEING UPRIGHT AND COOPERATE WITH ONE ANOTHER IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND IN PIETY.
SURELY THIS IS THE BEST WAY, SURELY.
WE THANK YOU FOR GATHERING US AND FOR THE MOMENTS OF REFLECTION AND RECOGNITION AND UNITY, THAT THE PEOPLE BEFORE ME HAVE SHARED ALLAH, BLESSED THIS COUNTY, THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
GRANT SAFETY TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, GRANT SAFETY TO OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE SHARE ABROAD AS WELL.
GRANT SAFETY AS WELL, AN OPPORTUNITY TO OUR YOUTH, STRENGTHEN OUR FAMILIES AND GIVE WISDOM TO OUR LEADERS.
WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THAT, THIS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, THE ORGANIZERS, THE STAFF, THE PARTNERS, AND ALL WHO WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THIS EVENT SUCH A SUCCESS.
ACCEPT THEIR SERVICE, REWARD THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
GUIDE US AS WE DEPART FROM THIS PLACE.
PROTECT US ON OUR JOURNEYS, AND ALLOW US TO RETURN SAFELY TO OUR LOVED ONES.
AND DEAR YOU, THE SOURCE OF PEACE AND FROM YOU COMES ALL GOODNESS.
AND THEN FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME OF COURSE, TO TAKE PICTURES.
WE SHALL POST OUR PICTURES ON THE COMMISSIONER, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA SITES SO YOU CAN GET 'EM THERE AS WELL.
AND I'M SURE WE CAN SEND A LINK OUT TO THE HONOREES AND, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO YOU'LL GET THE PICTURES, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN WE INVITE YOU FOR SOME, UH, LIGHT REFRESHMENTS THAT WE HAVE AT THE END OF THE HALL.