* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. ONE MORE TIME. [00:00:02] IF YOU WANNA CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY, BLACK JOY AND BLACK FUTURES. I WANNA TRY ONE MORE AGAIN. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. THAT'S A LOT BETTER. GIVE YOURSELVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. IT'S AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO HELP KICK OFF THIS, UH, BEAUTIFUL EVENING. IF YOU WERE HERE TO CELEBRATE A FAMILY MEMBER, A COLLEAGUE, A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE, TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND SAY, I'M HERE TO CELEBRATE A HERO TONIGHT. I'M HERE TO CELEBRATE A HERO TONIGHT. I'M HERE TO CELEBRATE A HERO TONIGHT. CAN WE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR DISTINGUISHED HONOREE WHO ARE HERE WITH US, PEOPLE WHO LABOR IN THE VINEYARD, NOT FOR AWARDS, NOT FOR CELEBRATIONS, BUT BECAUSE THE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE. IT'S AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE HERE AS YOUR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO WELCOME YOU ALL. IF YOU AIN'T FROM NEWARK, WELCOME TO NEWARK. IF YOU'RE ALREADY IN NEWARK OR WELCOME HOME, IT'S A GIFT TO WELCOME YOU HERE TO THE PEOPLE'S CHAMBERS, THE ESSEX COUNTY CHAMBERS FOR THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. IF YOU TAKE A QUICK LOOK AROUND, YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE EVERY SINGLE TOWN, EVERY SINGLE CITY HERE IN THE GREAT ESSEX COUNTY, REPRESENTED RIGHT IN THIS ATRIUM, BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS HERE IS ABOUT CELEBRATING, HONORING, AND SUPPORTING YOU. WITH THAT SAID, IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO WELCOME EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AS WE CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR DISTINGUISHED HONOREES. UM, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN IN A FASHION SIMILAR TO THE WAY THAT PRESIDENT PALMARIS BEGINS OUR COUNTY BOARD MEETINGS EACH EVENING, OR RATHER EACH MONTH. AND THAT'S WHERE WE PAY, UM, HONOR TO THOSE WHO WE HAVE LOST, UH, PRIOR TO OUR TIME ARRIVING. AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY MANY OF US HAVE ANCESTORS WHO ARE CELEBRATING US FROM ABOVE, SO WE WANNA TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THEM. BUT WE ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR SOME OF ANOTHER GREAT ANCESTOR TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY. UM, ONE WHO HAS GIVEN EXTRAORDINARILY TO BLACK PEOPLE AND PEOPLE, ALL MARGINALIZED PEOPLE ACROSS OUR COUNTRY AND OUR WORLD. AND THAT'S NONE OTHER THAN MR. THE LATE JESSE JACKSON. SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST BOW YOUR HEADS WITH ME FOR A QUICK MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. WITH THAT SAID, IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BRING UP A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN RIGHT HERE FROM OUR GREAT, UH, UH, COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. MS. CYNTHIA TUCKER TO DO A PRESENTATION OF THE STAR SPRINGED BANNER AND LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING. GOOD EVENING. WE CAN ALL STAND, PLEASE. OH, THE AND THE THANK YOU. AND FOR OUR BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM, LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING. I'LL BE SINGING. SO WHOOP, SORRY. LIFT EVERY VOICE. SING [00:05:10] REJO. SING THE SONG FULL OF THE HOPE THAT THE DARK PAST HAS TOLD US. ING THE SONG FULL OF THE FAITH THAT THE PRESENT HAS TOLD. ONE MORE ROUND PAUL FROM MS. TUCKER. EVERYONE. THE ONE THING SHE FORGOT TO TELL YOU GUYS WAS I TAUGHT HER ALL OF THAT. I TAUGHT HER TO HIT THOSE HIGH NOTES. I TAUGHT TO HIT THE RIGHT, YOU HIT RIGHT. SO I, NEXT TIME JUST LET THE PEOPLE KNOW I DO MY PART. BUT BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, INCREDIBLE RENDITION OF BOTH OUR AMERICAN, UH, STARRING BANNER AND LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING AGAIN. WE ARE SO HONORED TO CELEBRATE SOME EXTRAORDINARY HONOREES TONIGHT IN OUR GREAT COUNTY OF ESSEX, THE SECOND LARGEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. WE ARE HONORING NONE OTHER THAN REVEREND OR SO WILLIAMS. WE'RE HONORING CHRISTIE CRAWFORD OFFER. WE'RE HONORING MS. VERONICA HARRIS. GOOD TO SEE YOU. WE ARE HONORING BROTHER QUA ME CHILD. AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, MR. COREY ANDERSON. SO IF YOU CAN'T TELL, WE GOT SOME OF ESSEX CON ESSEX COUNTY'S FINEST IN THE ROOM TONIGHT, BOTH IN OUR HONOR READS AND ALL OF OUR FAMILY FRIENDS AND, AND FOLKS HERE IN THE ROOM TO CELEBRATE THEM. IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BRING UP MS. REVEREND THEL WILLIAMS TO ACTUALLY OFFER US OUR OPENING PRAYER. DR. BECK HAD A LAST MINUTE EMERGENCY AND WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT WITH US TONIGHT. SO WE'RE GONNA INVITE, UH, REVEREND THEL FOR AN OPENING PRAYER. THANK YOU. AMEN. GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE EVERYONE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. IT IS, UH, MY DISTINCT HONOR TO BE BEFORE YOU ON THIS EVENING, UH, IN THESE CHAMBERS ONCE AGAIN, UH, TO OFFER A WORD OF PRAYER. UM, AS WE ARE IN THE SACRED SEASONS OF BOTH, UH, LINT AND RAMADAN, I ALWAYS INVITE YOU ALL THAT WHATEVER YOUR POSTURE AND PRAYER IS, THAT YOU WOULD TAKE IT AT THIS TIME. UM, BUT I JUST IMAGINE THAT DURING, DURING THESE, UH, 30 TO 40 DAY STRETCH, WHAT WOULD REALLY HAPPEN IN ESSEX COUNTY IF ALL OF THE BELIEVERS PRAYED, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? BIBLE SAYS THAT CERTAIN THINGS COME, BUT BY FASTING AND PRAYER, I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF ALL OF THE BELIEVERS PRAYED. MAY WE TAKE THAT POSTURE IN PRAYER TONIGHT. GOD, I THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR BEING HERE IN THIS OFFICE OF COMMISSION THAT REPRESENTS EVERY CITY, TOWN, MUNICIPALITY AND THE GREATEST COUNTY THERE IS THE COUNTY OF ESSEX. I THANK YOU GOD ONCE AGAIN FOR THEIR LIFE AND YET THEIR WORK, AND YET ON TONIGHT THEY SAW FIT, TO HONOR THOSE WHO WORK ALONGSIDE THEM. I PRAY THAT THIS HONOR, ALTHOUGH THOSE WHO DO THE WORK NEVER ASK FOR THE HONOR, BUT I PRAY ON TONIGHT THAT IT WOULD NOT BE WASTED UPON THEM. I PRAY THAT THIS HONOR TONIGHT WOULD BE THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO CONTINUE TO DO THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU ARE CALLING US TO DO. I PRAY FOR THESE COMMISSIONERS [00:10:01] ONCE AGAIN, THAT EVERY OUNCE OF FUNDING, EVERY PARTNERSHIP NEEDED WOULD FLOW FREELY THROUGH THIS OFFICE. AND I PRAY THAT COLLECTIVELY WE WOULD DO THE WORK THAT HELPS TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN ESSEX COUNTY. BE WITH US. OH GOD. AMEN. AMEN. ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO MOVE US ALONG IN THE PROGRAM. AND I WANNA BEGIN JUST BY ACKNOWLEDGING SOME OF THE DIGNITARIES IN THE ROOM. FIRST OF ALL, EVERYONE IN HERE IS A DIGNITARY. OKAY? I CAN CLAP IT UP FOR THAT. UH, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR FOLKS HERE WHO ARE IN ELECTED ROLES AND OTHER TITLES HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THEM. SO I WANNA BEGIN WITH MY OWN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONER, COLLEAGUES, MR. PRESIDENT PALMARIS, WHO'S WITH US TODAY, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. COMMISSIONER COOPER. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, COMMISSIONER GILL, FROM OUR ESSEX COUNTY DELEGATION OF AWESOME ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE HAVE MR. THEORE STEVENS, OUR ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR. WE HAVE JUAN RIVERA, OUR ESSEX COUNTY REGISTER. WE HAVE OUR COUNCILMAN OF THE NORTH WARD ENABLED ALMOST. WE HAVE SOUR CRUZ, OUR COUNCILMAN OF BLOOMFIELD IN THE OFFICE OF ASSEMBLYMAN MIKE VENA. SOMEBODY SAID BLOOMVILLE WAS IN THE HOUSE. TONIGHT WE HAVE CHRISTINE MC, GRABB COUNCILMAN OF OMA VERONA. WE HAVE JASMINE MATTIS, WHO IS NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, BUT DOES HER THING ON BEHALF OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUNG ADULTS ACROSS ES COUNTY, THE PRESIDENT OF ESS COUNTY YOUNG DEMOCRATS, MY SISTER JASMINE. AND WE HAVE MS. LILLIAN A TORRES FROM THE OFFICE OF SENATOR BRITTANY IN TIMBERLAKE. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE MISS MONICA CHARIS TABBA OF THE BLOOMFIELD COUNCIL. THAT'S RIGHT. I WOULD BE REMISS BEFORE I PASS THE MIC, UH, AGAIN, UM, TO OUR FIRST, OUR NEXT HONOREE, TO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO I JUST NAMED, UM, PARTICULARLY EZ UH, LUCIANO, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, RICHARDSON RAMOS RIVERA, AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE, FORGIVE ME IF I'M MISSING YOU. UH, OF COURSE, OUR PROSECUTOR, UH, WERE HERE JUST A FEW HOURS AGO TO CELEBRATE THE RETIREMENT OF NONE OTHER THAN ASSEMBLYMAN BILL PAYNE. UM, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHO ASSEMBLYMAN BILL PAYNE, WE CAN THANK HIM FOR THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BLACK HISTORY, LATINO HISTORY, INDIGENOUS HISTORY TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS, BECAUSE WHEN HE PASSED THE, OH, HOLD ON, MARCO, MESS OF LEAD. I LOVE YOU, MY BROTHER. I YOU'RE A PERFECT DIVERSION. 'CAUSE THAT CONNECTS TO ACTUALLY A BROTHER PAYNE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN EDUCATION RIGHT NOW, WHETHER IT'S AT THE OPPORTUNITY YOUTH NETWORK OR IN OUR COUNTY SCHOOLS, OR IN OUR BEAUTIFUL YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE WITH US IN THEIR SCHOOLS, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE LEARNING BLACK HISTORY AND KNOWING THAT BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE LEARNING INDIGENOUS HISTORY, LATINO HISTORY, ALL THESE THINGS, A LOT OF THIS COMES BACK TO THE WORK OF ASSEMBLYMEN BILL PAYNE AND FRANKLY, THE ENTIRE PAYNE FAMILY WHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY ON BEHALF OF ES COUNTY RESIDENTS FOR THEIR ENTIRE, UH, TIME HERE IN OUR GREAT CITY OF NEWARK AND IN OUR COUNTY. SO IT'S AN HONOR TO CELEBRATE, UH, ASSEMBLYMEN PAYNE TODAY, AND ALL OF YOU WHO ARE HERE CELEBRATING US FOR BLACK HISTORY TONIGHT. WE ALSO CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD OF BLACK HISTORY, THOSE IN THE ROOM WITH US TODAY, AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT WITH US TODAY. WITH THAT SAID, IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO, UH, YIELD TO MY BEAUTIFUL, FABULOUS, UH, COUNTY COMMISSIONER, COLLEAGUE, MS. UH, COOPER, TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST HONOREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BRINGING UP OUR FIRST HONOREE FOR THIS EVENING, THE ONE AND ONLY PASTOR REVEREND THILE WILLIAMS. PLEASE JOIN ME UP AT THE MICROPHONE. SO IT'S OUR TRADITION TO BRING PEOPLE UP TO THE MICROPHONE WHILE WE BRAG ABOUT THEM AND TALK ABOUT WHY WE HONORING THEM FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE. SO ALLOW ME TO BRAG ABOUT THE PASTOR FOR A FEW MOMENTS. REVEREND WILLIAMS WAS INSTALLED AS THE FIFTH SENIOR PASTOR OF NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH IN EAST ORANGE ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2024. REVEREND WILLIAMS' GREATEST PASSION IS THE MINISTRY OF TEACHING AND PREACHING AND PRAYING. IT WAS ONE OF MY FIRST ENCOUNTERS WITH THE REVEREND BEFORE [00:15:01] I GOT TO OFFICIALLY MEET HER. I HEARD HER PRAY, AND WE LEARNED TONIGHT THAT THE LORD ALWAYS GOT A RAM IN THE BUSH, RIGHT? THE OTHER PRAYER, THE PREACHER DIDN'T, WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT, AND YOU STOOD UP FILLING IN THE GAPS FOR US. SO WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT. SHE WAS LICENSED AND ORDAINED AS AN ASSOCIATE MINISTER OF THE NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH IN NEWARK, WHERE SHE FAITHFULLY SERVED IN LEADERSHIP SINCE THE AGE OF 11 YEARS OLD, 11 YEARS OLD. AND AT THAT TIME, SHE WAS A JUNIOR TRUSTEE, A CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR, AND SHE SERVED AS A BOARD ON THE YOUTH MINISTRY BOARD FOR THE CHURCH AT AN EARLY AGE. REVEREND WILLIAMS SERVED AS A YOUTH PASTOR AT MOUNT CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH OF INGLEWOOD, AND A DIRECTOR OF CALVARY CARES AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM. IN DECEMBER OF 2017, THE JOINT BOARD AND MEMBERSHIP OF NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH OF EAST ORANGE UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED HER TO SERVE AS THEIR FIRST EXECUTIVE PASTOR. REVEREND WILLIAMS HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES FROM RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, A CERTIFICATE OF MINISTRY FROM NEW YORK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, A CHAPLAIN'S LICENSE, AND A MASTER'S OF DIVINITY WITH A FOCUS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE FROM DREW UNIVERSITY. REVEREND WILLIAMS IS A PILLAR MEMBER OF THE INTERFAITH ACTION MOVEMENT AND SERVE AS THE INTERFAITH CAUCUS CHAIR OF THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. AND IN JUNE, 2024, SHE WAS ELECTED AS THE FIFTH PASTOR OF NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH IN EAST ORANGE, AND IS THE FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD THAT SENIOR PASTOR POSITION. OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, REVEREND WILLIAMS HAS BEEN BLESSED TO SPEAK AT NATIONAL AND LOCAL CHRISTIAN CONFERENCES, RETREATS, AND CHURCHES. SHE'S AN ADVOCATE OF HOLISTIC CHRISTIAN LIVING, AND THROUGH THIS ADVOCACY, SHE ALSO SERVES TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, ISSUES AND SERVE AS A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EDUCATOR. SHE'S ALSO CERTIFIED IN ANGER MANAGEMENT OUT OF ALL OF HER SERVING TOO. REVEREND WILLIAMS', MOST PRECIOUS SERVICES TO HER FAMILY, AND MOST ESPECIALLY TO HER HUSBAND ROBERT, AND HER DAUGHTER, AND HER SON, HER DAUGHTER, YA, HER SON'S GREGORY, ROBERT RAKIM, AND RA RA. ALL RIGHT, PASTOR, YOU ARE SO IMPORTANT. YOU SERVE AT THE AS THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND THIS IS WHY WE WANNA HONOR YOU AND RECOGNIZE YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT THE PASTOR IS BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO MEET HER, YOU'LL KNOW THAT SHE'S A WOMAN OF GOD. SHE NEVER HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT SHE IS, BECAUSE JUST THE WAY THAT SHE SERVED AND LEAD HER LIFE. YOU SEE THAT SHE PUTS COMMUNITY FIRST, GOD, FAITH, AND FAMILY. AND IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE REASONS WHY WE SERVE YOU. WE HONOR YOU, WE CONGRATULATE YOU FOR ALL YOUR COMMUNITY WORK. PLEASE SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU. UH, TO THAT, I'LL JUST SAY TO GOD, BE THE GLORY. UM, I THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, IF, IF I WAS ASKED TO SAY ANYTHING, UM, IN LIGHT OF AGAIN, THIS SACRED SEASON, UM, I BELIEVE ANYTHING THAT I AM DOING, I'M DOING NOT ONLY, UM, BECAUSE I AM CALLED WITH TITLE, BUT I'M CALLED WITH PURPOSE. GOD DOES NOT EQUIP, UM, BELIEVERS WITH HOPE, UH, FOR IT TO BE SHARED ONLY WITH OURSELVES. UH, THE LATE JESSE JACKSON SAID, KEEP HOPE ALIVE. UM, I AM DOING MY PART JUST TO DO THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE REMISS. UM, ALTHOUGH I WILL PROUDLY TELL YOU THAT YOU CANNOT SPELL ESSEX COUNTY WITHOUT EO, UH, , I WOULD BE REMIT THAT'S RIGHT. AS I LOOK AT, UH, UH, ANNIE V RAMOS BACK THERE, UM, IF I DID NOT SAY TO THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK, I WAS BORN IN JERSEY CITY, BUT NEWARK RAISED ME. NEWARK EDUCATED ME, UH, NEWARK PREPARED ME. UH, NEWARK GAVE ME EDUCATION IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE CHURCH, LITERALLY ON THE STREETS DOING MINISTRY. AND SO ANYTHING THAT EAST ORANGE IS BLESSED TO RECEIVE, IT IS BECAUSE OF THE SEEDS THAT WERE SOW IN THIS GREAT CITY. AND I AM FOREVER INDEBTED TO THIS COUNTY. IT IS, UH, I, WHEN I, EVEN WHEN I WENT TO GO SERVE IN INGLEWOOD, I WOULD TELL THEM ALL THE TIME, I WOULD SAY, YOU ALL MAY HAVE MORE MONEY, MAY MAY HAVE MORE MONEY. BUT I WOULD SAY, IF YOU WANNA SEE COMMUNITY, IF YOU WANNA SEE THE COOLEST FOLKS IN THE WORLD DOING IT, UM, THEN YOU NEED TO COME TO ESSEX COUNTY. WHAT A BLESSING. AND I WILL END WITH THIS AS MY HUSBAND IS HERE ON TONIGHT. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR HIM. SO GRATEFUL FOR MY DAUGHTER THAT IS HERE. UM, I'M, UM, UH, UH, ONLY PROOF AND EVIDENCE THAT THE PRAYERS OF MY PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS WORK. UM, ONE OF MY, MY BEST FRIENDS IS HERE, [00:20:01] UH, ON TONIGHT. MEMBERS OF MY CHURCH ARE HERE. OUR, OUR PROSECUTOR. AMEN. UH, WHICH, UH, HAS IS NOT ONLY OUR PROSECUTOR, BUT ALSO A FRIEND OF OUR FAMILY NOW, UM, BECAUSE THIS GREAT WORK THAT WE ARE DOING, UM, I WANNA SAY THAT I'VE BEEN IN ESSEX COUNTY LONG ENOUGH, UH, UH, CHAIRMAN POMEZ THAT I REMEMBER WHEN MY FAMILY STRUGGLED. EVERYBODY CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE TRIUMPHS, RIGHT? BUT I CAN TELL YOU LEAVING JERSEY CITY FOR MY FAMILY WAS LIKE MY FROM DOWN SOUTH UP NORTH. AND MY MOTHER LEFT FLEEING JERSEY CITY AND ALL OF THE ILLS THAT WERE THERE AT THAT TIME, THE FIRST THING SHE GOT US WAS A SCHOOL IN THE CHURCH. AND AFTER THAT, THERE WERE GREAT PEOPLE IN ESSEX COUNTY. PEOPLE LIKE, UH, RALPH, UH, GRANT AND, UM, HIS SECRETARIES THAT LIVED IN OUR BUILDING IN THE COLON NEEDS, AND PEOPLE LIKE TRISH MORRIS AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE. BUT IF I AM HONEST ON TODAY, WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING NOW IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS THERE. UM, I LIVE NOW AND I PASTOR IN THE CITY WHERE MY FAMILY STRUGGLED THE MOST, AND HOW HONORED I AM TO SERVE IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO STRUGGLE THE WAY THAT MY FAMILY DID. AND SO I THANK YOU. I THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR, THIS HONOR. I DO CHERISH IT. I HONOR IT ON TONIGHT. AND AGAIN, I SAY TO MYSELF, AS I SAY TO YOU ALL MAY, EVERY HONOR AND THANKS, WE RECEIVE FUEL, THE FIRE OF THE FUTURE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING BECAUSE THERE IS A CHILD OUT THERE THAT IS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND HELP THEIR FAMILY. AND WHO KNOWS, THAT KID MIGHT BE THE NEXT PASTOR OF SOMEBODY'S CHURCH. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. I WAS TRYING TO HIDE ONE MORE. THANK YOU MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LET'S GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO PASTOR THIEL. YOU KNOW, AS I LISTENED TO PASTOR, PASTOR THIEL'S WORDS AND REFLECTED ON ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ALL OF THE HONOREES TONIGHT, THE SPIRIT SAID TO ME, LET THE WORK THAT I DO SPEAK FOR ME. I WANNA CONGRATULATE ALL OF THE HONOREES TONIGHT FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY. ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, ALL OF OUR SENIORS BENEFIT FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS. AND I WANNA THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATE YOU. BEFORE I CONTINUE ON, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, WE WERE BLESSED WITH THE DONATION OF BOOKS THAT TALKS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE BLACK BANKS. UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MORE FOR DISTRIBUTION, SO PLEASE TAKE THESE BOOKS, PLEASE SHARE THEM. UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE LEFT. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HAVING ANOTHER ONE OR TWO, WE CAN GIVE THOSE TO YOU. I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRINGING UP THE PERFORMER AGAIN FOR ANOTHER SONG, CYNTHIA TUCKER, THAT WONDERFUL RENDITION THAT SHE GAVE US BEFORE THE PROGRAM ALL OPENED. LET'S GIVE HER ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE. YEAH. I GET TO BRAG ABOUT YOU A LITTLE BIT TOO BEFORE YOU COME BACK. CYNTHIA TUCKER'S VOCAL MUSIC MUSICAL JOURNEY SPANS OVER TWO DECADES. AND SHE HAS SUNG FOR AUDIENCES FROM SOUTH AMERICA UP TO NEW YORK CITY, AND SHE PERFORMED IN THE WORLD FAMOUS COTTON CLUB. WOW. HER POWERFUL VOICE AND INTERPRETATIONS BRING LIFE AND ENERGY TO JAZZ R AND B DANCE AND BROADWAY TUNES. BORN IN A FAMILY OF MUSICIANS, CYNTHIA'S PASSION FOR MUSIC WAS NURTURED FROM A YOUNG AGE. SHE STARTED OFF PLAYING THE FLUTE AND QUICKLY TRANSITIONED TO SINGING. AFTER PERFORMING IN LOCAL SHOWS IN THE TRI-STATE AREA, CYNTHIA HAS RELEASED NUMEROUS DANCE TRACKS AND WORK WITH LEADING PRODUCERS SUCH AS LOU LOUIS VEGA AND RICKY NELSON. SHE'S DEDICATED TO MENTORING YOUTH ARTISTS, SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND OUTREACH PROGRAM. GIVING BACK IS A HIGH PRIORITY, AND SHE PERFORMS FOR WOMEN'S AND HOMELESS SHELTERS TO BRING JOY AND HOPE TO THOSE IN NEED. HER HAPPY PLACE IN HOME IS ON THE STAGE WHERE SHE TRULY GETS TO RELEASE GOD'S GIFTS. THANK YOU TONIGHT SO MUCH FOR BLESSING US WITH YOUR VOICE. SO LET'S COME ON UP FOR ANOTHER, UM, RENDITION. THANK YOU. [00:25:06] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND CONGRATULATIONS, PASTOR, AND TO ALL THE HONOREES. CONGRATULATIONS. BEFORE I SING, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS HONOR TO COME AND BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU ON TONIGHT. UM, IT'S AN HONOR AND IT'S A BLESSING. AND SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, SIR. MY SHOES, I, AND WAY UPON THE CHIMNEY TOP, YOU SEE THAT? THE WHY. TELL ME WHY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOD BLESS YOU. SHE SAID I TAUGHT HER WELL. SO LET'S GIVE IT UP AGAIN FOR CYNTHIA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, I'M GONNA TALK TO, UM, COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS LATER ABOUT WHAT I DID TO MAKE HER HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT ON THE PROGRAM. BUT AGAIN, ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR CYNTHIA TUCKER. THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS TREMENDOUS. TREMENDOUS. UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, MY NAME IS, UH, BRENDAN GILL AT THE HONOR OF SERVING AS ONE OF OUR ESS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT LARGE. IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE SO MANY GOOD FRIENDS, UH, IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL [00:30:01] OF THE HONOREES. UH, ALL VERY, VERY GOOD FRIENDS. ALSO VERY WELL DESERVING. UM, I'M ALSO, UM, EXCITED TO SAY THAT I MISSED MASS ON SUNDAY, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M COVERED TODAY, . SO, SO, BUT I, I APPRECIATE ALL THOSE COMMENTS. THANK YOU, UH, SO MUCH. UM, AND IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEFORE I BRING UP, UM, MY TWO HONOREES TONIGHT, AND ALSO IN ADDITION TO NEWARK AND EAST ORANGE AND BLOOMFIELD BEING IN THE BUILDING, MONTCLAIR MONTCLAIR'S IN THE BUILDING. . SO MONTCLAIR'S IN THE BUILDING TOO. HE'S IN THE BUILDING THAT'S, THAT'S IN NEWARK'S IN THE BUILDING AND BLOOMFIELD'S IN THE BUILDING. AND ACTUALLY ONE OF YOUR, ONE OF YOUR HONOREES, EVEN THOUGH HE'S CLAIMING BLOOMFIELD, WE KNOW WHERE HE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL. SO THAT'S . SO HE, I DON'T CARE WHAT HE SAYS, HE'S A MONTCLAIR MOUNT. HE COULD TUCK ALL THAT BLOOMFIELD BENGAL JUNK ALL HE WANTS. BUT , WE, WE KNOW WHAT SIDELINE HE'S ON WHEN THE GAMES ARE PLAYED. . EXACTLY, EXACTLY. SO, SO, UH, BUT WE'LL GET TO, WE'LL GET TO HIM, UM, IN A MINUTE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UM, I'VE HAD THE HONOR TO BE ON THIS BOARD. THIS IS MY 15TH YEAR, UH, ON THIS, ON THIS BOARD. UM, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER MURRAY, THOMAS WAS AROUND . UH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T TAKE FOR GRANTED. AND I NEVER TOOK FOR GRANTED THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO CELEBRATE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, TO CELEBRATE ALL THE VARIOUS CULTURES THAT MAKE UP THE COUNTY OF ESSEX. BUT RIGHT NOW, IT, FOR WHATEVER REASON JUST SEEMS TO HIT FOR ME A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. , UH, WHEN YOU HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAD JUST TWO YEARS AGO WHERE PEOPLE WERE QUESTIONING WHY THE BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM NEED TO BE, WHY IT WAS SAYING AT THE SUPER BOWL. AND WE HAD TO EXPLAIN WHY IN 2023, I GUESS THAT WAS, UM, WHEN WE HAD TO, AND THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN POLITICAL EVENT, BUT WHEN WE HAD TO, UM, WATCH WHAT WE WATCHED LAST NIGHT, UM, FROM OUR, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I ALSO THINK ABOUT MY OWN EXPERIENCE. I'VE TOLD THIS STORY MANY, MANY TIMES. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, MY DAD'S A PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATOR, RECENTLY RETIRED 53 YEARS IN THE MONTCLAIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PUBLISHED A BOOK, A CHILDREN'S BOOK CALLED NO MORE CHAIRS, WHICH HE PASSED DOWN TO MYSELF, MY BROTHER, AND MY SISTER AND AND GENERATION OF YOUNG STUDENTS ABOUT HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH RACISM. AND AS THE STORY GOES VERY QUICKLY, HE WAS NINE YEARS OLD, GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY, WAS GOING TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH HIS BEST FRIEND ARCHIE, WHO WAS BLACK. THEY WERE IN THEIR SUNDAY BEST. THE WOMAN ANSWERED THE DOOR AND SAID, DANNY, YOU CAN COME IN, BUT WE'RE SORRY ARCHIE. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CHAIRS. AND MY FATHER SAID TO THE WOMAN WHO ANSWERED THE DOOR, I'VE BEEN IN YOUR HOUSE MANY TIMES, I KNOW YOU HAVE PLENTY OF CHAIRS. AND THE CONVERS YES, . THE CONVERSATION WENT BACK AND FORTH, UH, UNTIL MY FATHER SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, ARCHIE, WE CAN GO TO OUR APARTMENT WHERE WE HAVE PLENTY OF CHAIRS. THEY WENT, THEY WENT INTO THE ELEVATOR, EMBRACED, CRIED, UM, AND I CAN'T DO THE STORY JUSTICE, OF COURSE, THE WAY MY DAD CAN, BUT IT WAS HIS INTRODUCTION INTO THAT COLD, HARSH REALITY. BUT HE MADE A DECISION AT THAT TIME TO ALWAYS MAKE SURE IN WHATEVER HE DID FOR THE REST OF HIS CAREER IN LIFE, THAT THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE AN OPEN AND AVAILABLE CHAIR . AND TO ME, THAT STORY, WHICH WAS TOLD TO ME AS A YOUNG MAN, IMPACTED MY LIFE IN MANY, MANY WAYS. AND TWO OF OUR HONOREES TONIGHT, CHRISTY CRAWFORD AND VERONICA HARRIS, I THINK ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF THAT PARTICULAR STORY, OR THE POINT OF THAT PARTICULAR STORY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO CALL CHRISTIE AND VERONICA TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE A ROUND PAUSE. THANK YOU. [00:35:01] THANK YOU. IN ADDITION TO REPRESENTING MONTCLAIR . SO, UM, FIR BEFORE I GET TO CHRISTIE'S, UM, BIO, UM, THE FIRST THING, AND THIS SAYS TO A LOT ABOUT A PERSON IN SERVICE, IN MY OPINION, THE FIRST THING THEY SAID IS, I CANNOT ACCEPT THIS HONOR ON MY OWN. AND THEY NOMINATED SOMEONE ELSE TO SERVE WITH THEM. AND I THINK THAT SUMS UP THE TYPE OF SERVANT LEISURE THAT CHRISTIE CRAWFORD IS. SO CHRISTIE CRAWFORD AND VERONICA HARRIS ARE PARTNERS IN ADVOCACY IN MONTCLAIR, WHERE TOGETHER THEY ADVANCE STUDENTS' NEEDS AND INTERESTS WITH ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING AMANI, MFEE, THE MONTCLAIR HIGH SCHOOL BLACK PARENTS AND MORE. CHRISTIE IS A SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR THE NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL'S COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT, FOCUSING ON MANAGING INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO EMPOWER KIDS TO BECOME INFORMED CITIZENS IN THE DIGITAL AND THE REAL WORLD WORLD. FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, CHRISTIE HAS TAUGHT KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE AND HARLEM AND THE BRONX . SHE WAS A CURRICULUM FELLOW FOR THE NEW YORK CITY COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR ALL BLUEPRINT, AND AN ADJUNCT LECTURER FOR PRE-SERVICE EDUCATORS AT THE CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK. SHE'S BEEN AN EDUCATION CONSULTANT AND WRITER FOR COMPANIES, INCLUDING SCHOLASTIC, BRAINPOP, AND NICKELODEON. CHRISTY IS MARRIED TO CRAIG SULLIVAN, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE, , WHO'S, WHO'S FILMING THIS THE WAY HER HUSBAND SHOULD BE . AND THEY HAVE TWO SONS, CASSIUS AND XAVIER. CHRISTY AND CRAIG HAVE SERVED MONTCLAIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGH INITIATIVES, INCLUDING AMANI, M-F-E-E-M-H-S, BLACK PARENTS. CHRISTIE IS ALSO A JUNIOR TEEN ADVISOR FOR THE ESSEX HUDSON CHAPTER OF JACK AND JILL INCORPORATED. WE CAN GET THAT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THANK YOU. VERONICA HARRIS IS A DEDICATED WIFE TO VINCENT MOM, TO ZOE AND ELIJAH, AND A FRIEND WHO GREW UP HEARING THAT TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS NOT ONLY EXPECTED, BUT REQUIRED. SHE'S THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF CO OF COCOON COACHING AND CONSULTING, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN ORGANIZATIONAL TALENT, STRATEGY AND COACHING FOR LEADERS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CHARTER MANAGEMENT AND NONPROFITS. VERONICA IS GRATEFUL TO HER MONTCLAIR COMMUNITY AND HAS SERVED AS CO-PRESIDENT OF THE MONTCLAIR HIGH SCHOOL, PTA, THE MONTCLAIR FUND FOR EDUCATIONAL EX EXCELLENCE LIAISON, THE MONTCLAIR HIGH SCHOOL BLACK PARENTS AND VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONAL ADVISOR TO AMANI. ALONGSIDE HER PARTNER IN SERVICE, CHRISTY CRAWFORD . SHE CURRENTLY SITS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE MONTCLAIR PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATIONS. UH, YOU TWO ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH IN THE MONTCLAIR COMMUNITY. WE'RE PROUD TO COUNT YOU AMONG OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. IT IS MY HONOR AND DISTINCT PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD'S, ACCOMMODATION AND PLAQUE. I WORKED ON THESE ALL NIGHT, UM, . SO THERE YOU GO. SO, ON BEHALF OF OUR, UH, SES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WITH OUR BOARD COMMENDATION CERTIFICATES FROM OUR CONGRESSWOMAN LAMONICA MC IVER, AND STATE SENATOR BRITTANY TIMBERLAKE, CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU. GIVE YOU THAT. WE'LL TAKE THE PICTURE AFTER. TAKE THIS. YOU WANNA DO IT NOW OR DO IT NOW? OKAY, LAST ONE. THIS IS HEAVY . THIS, THIS IS THE REAL DEAL. I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. THANK YOU TO EVERY SERVANT LEADER THAT'S IN THIS ROOM THAT YOU TO EVERY CITIZEN. IT IS AMAZING WHEN GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES ORDINARY MOTHERS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF MOTHERS IN ESSEX COUNTY, BLACK MOTHERS THAT HAVE MADE THIS MOMENT POSSIBLE FOR THE TWO OF US. MY HUSBAND AND I LEFT 130 FIRST ABOUT 13 YEARS AGO, AND CAME TO MONTCLAIR. AND WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR WAS WOMEN WHO FIGURED OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE A VERY INTERESTING [00:40:01] SYSTEM. IT WAS BLACK WOMEN LIKE JOANNE MCCULLOUGH OF AMANI, TERRY TRIGG SCALES, LATIFAH JOHNNA, DONNA MONTAGUE, EVELYN GAY, VERONICA RWAY, BOOKER, TAWANA DUNES, AMINA TO KIM MAYES, KIMBERLY LATU, YVETTE FRAZIER, SHAMIA KI, SHEILA BOYD, CHRISTINA ROBINSON, JENNIFER CARR, BROWN. BUT THE POINT IS THAT TO NORMALIZE THIS NORMALIZES THE QUIET WORK THAT MOTHERS DO EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY FOR, BUT MOTHERS DO IT FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, EVEN THE CHILDREN THAT FOLKS UNDERESTIMATE AND OVERLOOK. THERE ARE MOTHERS WHO, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, ARE DOING THINGS FOR OUR CHILDREN SO THAT OUR COUNTY WILL PROSPER. SO I SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE WOMEN THAT WE MENTIONED, THANK THEM FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND THEIR ENERGY, AND ALSO TO NON COMPLAINING HUSBANDS AND CHILDREN, UM, THAT QUIETLY HELP US. BUT WE ARE SO GRATEFUL. THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU. SO I'LL NOT BE LONG 'CAUSE HOW COULD I ADD MUCH MORE TO WHAT CHRISTIE HAS SHARED? UM, I DO JUST WANNA SAY YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO, UM, WELL, ONE, TO COMMISSIONER GILL, THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE FOR YOUR SERVICE. UM, TO OUR FAMILIES WHO DO COME AND GET CONSCRIPTED INTO THE WORK THAT WE DO, UH, USUALLY DO IT WITH A SMILE. UM, AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND ON THE, ON THE IDEA OF MOTHERS, I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UM, AND I'M SURE THAT THIS IS TRUE FOR CHRISTIE AS WELL, BECAUSE I HAVE MET HER MOTHER. WE LEARN TO GIVE AND TO SERVE FROM OUR MOTHERS. YEAH. AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THEY SET SUCH AN INCREDIBLE EXAMPLE FOR US. AND BOTH OF OUR MOTHERS AT THIS POINT ARE OLDER. THEY, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO IN THE SAY THAT THEY USED TO DO. BUT I WILL SAY WE REGULARLY SEE OUR MOTHERS. WE REGULARLY CARE FOR OUR MOTHERS, WHICH SAYS A LOT ABOUT HOW THEY CARED FOR US. AND EVEN IN THEIR CURRENT AGE AND, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT, UH, THEIR INABILITY TO DO AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO. THEY STILL FIND A LOT OF JOY IN SERVING OTHERS. AND, UM, THEY HAVE BOTH TAUGHT US THAT WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE. WHETHER IT'S YOUR TIME, WHETHER IT'S YOUR TALENT, WHETHER IT IS YOUR TREASURE. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE, IT IS ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE WILLING TO SHARE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS. THAT'S SO CONGRATS AGAIN. UM, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, CYNTHIA UP FOR ONE MORE ENCHANTING PERFORMANCE, UH, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR CONCLUDING HONOREE. SO, AT THIS TIME, AGAIN, LET'S PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR MS. CYNTHIA TUCKER. JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW YOU. GOTTA FOLLOW . SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO THE, TO THE NEXT SET OF HONOREES. UH, WHAT AN AWESOME EVENING. SO I KIND OF WANTED TO PICK UP THE PACE A LITTLE BIT. IS THAT ALL RIGHT? YEAH. UM, OKAY. WE, WE GONNA TRY THIS OUT. , I HEAR SOME OS Y RECOGNIZE THIS TUNE. I [00:45:59] Y'ALL KNOW THAT SONG. I FIGURE I SNEAK THAT IN. BUT THE OCCASION, THE OCCASION IS, IS, IS JUST PRECIOUS AND IT'S, AND IT'S HONORABLE. AND SO IN CHOOSING, IN CHOOSING, UM, SONGS TO SING, I JUST WAS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT LINED UP WITH WHAT YOU'RE GIVING HERE. AND SO I WANTED TO SNEAK THAT IN. I'M GLAD YOU YOU GOT WITH ME A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WANNA SING THIS AND I WANT US, I WANT TO DEDICATE IT TO EACH OF THE HONOREES TONIGHT WHO ARE GIVING OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE KIND OF HAVE THEM, LIKE, ARE LOANING THEM AND DOING IT WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T DO IT ALONE. BECAUSE YOU NEED WHOEVER'S WITH YOU TO SUPPORT YOU AND HOLD YOU UP. AND SO I WANTED TO SING WIND BENEATH MY WINGS, SO I'M GONNA TAKE YOU DOWN A LITTLE BIT. BUT I THINK THAT THE SONG IS JUST APROPOS, SIR. IT MUST HAVE TO NEVER HAVE. YOU ALWAYS WANT BEAUTIFUL FACE. I HAVE A TO I DID I EVER TELL YOU'RE MY HERO. [00:50:46] SO CAN TOUCH THE SKY. TOUCH THE SKY. THANK YOU. THANK I CAN TOUCH THE . I JOINED THE RANKS OF COMMISSIONER GILLUM BEING THE ENVIOUS GUY WHO HAS TO FOLLOW THAT TALENT. GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. I WAS GONNA TAKE MY SHOES OFF, BUT WE'RE HAVING SUCH A NICE TIME. , WHAT A GREAT TIME. ARE YOU GUYS HAVING A GOOD TIME? YES. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR, LIKE IT'S HARD TO TOP THE LAST YEAR, BUT THEN EVERY YEAR COMES AND IT'S JUST AS GOOD AS THE LAST OR BETTER. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THAT CONTRIBUTIONS. I WANNA JUST ACKNOWLEDGE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE. UM, UH, LIVINGSTON, MARY, SEAN KLEIN WAS HERE. UM, WE HAVE IN-HOUSE, UH, DIRECTOR JASON MARTINEZ AND CARL HUNT FROM THIS COUNTY. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, OUR EMPLOYEES FOR STICKING AROUND AFTER A LONG DAY OF WORK TO BE HERE TO CELEBRATE ONE OF THEIR OWN. AND SO WE, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT, UM, THAT YOU STICK AROUND FOR THAT. SO, UM, CYNTHIA, WONDERFUL. UH, WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE YOU BACK. WHAT DO YOU SAY? WE'RE GOOD. AND IT'S NOT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET SOME EQUAL BILLING TO OUR STAFF BECAUSE THEY PUT THIS TOGETHER. AND, UH, UH, KATHY, UH, BROWN, OUR DEPUTY CLERK, WHO'S AN AMAZING VOCALIST AS WELL, I THINK NEED TO GET SOME CREDIT FOR THE SCOUTING OF TALENT THAT WE HAVE HERE, BECAUSE WE ARE BRINGING SOME INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU KATHY, ADAM, KYLE'S OVER HERE, UM, MONICA, I, I'M SORRY, UH, MARITZA AND, UH, NICOLE AND KELVIN, EVERYONE TOOK PART OF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER TODAY, AND LATIFAH AS WELL. SO, I MEAN THIS, LIKE, I CAME IN EARLIER THIS MORNING, THEY WERE ALREADY GETTING THIS THING PLA YOU KNOW, READY TO GO. SO IT TOOK HOURS FOR US TO BE HERE TODAY. AND SO I'D LIKE TO WELCOME AN NEXT HONOREE TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM. CHARLES, COME ON UP HERE. AMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BUT IT'S REALLY HIS TURN NOW. I, SO, UH, MY, MY GOOD FRIEND AND, AND FELLOW COMMISSIONER BOBBY MERCADO, UH, NOMINATED THIS YOUNG MAN TO BE HERE. AND UNFORTUNATELY HE HAD A LITTLE OF A, A BACK INJURY, SO HE COULDN'T COME TODAY, BUT HE, WE COMMUNICATED TODAY. HE FELT TERRIBLE ABOUT THAT COMING, BUT HE'S, HE FIGURED HE CALLED HIS CUBAN BROTHER UP TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT REPRESENTING HIM. SO, UM, HE SENT HIS REGRETS AND HIS APOLOGIES. BUT, UH, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED AS FOLLOW. SO PLEASE LET ME SHARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM ED'S COMMENDATION. SO HAMID CHARLES IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF NEWARK, A DEVOTED HUSBAND AND PROUD FATHER OF AN 8-YEAR-OLD LITTLE COREY OVER HERE, AND A STEADFAST ADVOCATE FOR FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY. HE CALLS HIS HOME FOR THE LAST 47 YEARS, AND HIS WOR LIFE'S WORK REFLECTS HIS UNAWARE OF AND DEDICATION TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, FAITH-BASED LEADERSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT OF FUTURE GENERATIONS EDUCATED IN THE NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. GRAM, UH, GRADUATED FROM [00:55:01] ESSEX COUNTY VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL IN BLOOMFIELD. YEAH, BLOOMFIELD . UM, AND HE WENT TO EARN HIS ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS AND, UH, MANAGEMENT AT UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX PROFESSIONALLY. KME SERVES, SAYS HERE, ESSEX COUNTY IN A REGISTER'S OFFICE. SO I KNOW HIS BOSS IS HERE TODAY, JUAN, AND I KNOW HE IS VERY PROUD OF HIM. SO HE WORKS FOR THE REGISTER'S OFFICE OF MORTGAGES DEED, WHERE HE MANAGES PROCUREMENT OPERATIONS, OVERSEES VENDOR RELATIONS, ENSURES REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND SUPPORTS THE EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING OF A PUBLIC OFFICE THAT SERVES THE RESIDENTS DAILY. IT'S ONE OF THESE OFFICES THAT GOES UNSUNG, FRANKLY, I, AND IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT OFFICE. AND WE CERTAINLY AS COMMISSIONERS RECOGNIZE THAT HIS ROLE DEMANDS PRECISION, INTEGRITY AND RESPONSIVENESS AND EQUALITY THAT DEFINE HIS BROADER COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE AS A FAITH-BASED LEADER AND ORDAIN, UH, ORDAINED MINISTER, UM, WITH, UH, BE HASH YAHWEH. SORRY, I HAVE LIKE THE PHONETIC SPELLING IN FRONT OF ME TOO, AND I'M STILL GONNA GET IT RIGHT. THE BISHOP, HE'S HERE AND THE BISHOP IS HERE TOO. I, I'M JUST BEING TOLD THIS, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. UM, AND EAST STAR M ASSIST IN THE SENIOR BISHOP IN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS AND MINISTERS. I ACTUALLY, I WENT TO YOUR SPANISH HERITAGE EVENT QUITE A YEAR AGO, AND MY DAUGHTER WAS LIKE THAT BIG, UH, GOING BACK IN BLOOMFIELD. AND HE CHAMPIONS EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, YOUTH MENTORSHIP, VOTER REGISTRATION INITIATIVES AND PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY. KAMI CURRENTLY SERVES AS A NEWARK NORTH WARD VICE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBER OF THE ESSEX COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE. HE IS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE NEWARK AFRICAN AMERICAN DAY PARADE, WHERE HE SUPPORTS CELEBRATION OF HERITAGE, UNITY, AND EXCELLENCE WITHIN NEWARK'S AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, REALLY WELL REPRESENTED HERE TODAY. 'CAUSE EVERYONE KNEW WE'RE PROUD. AND, UH, EARLIER TODAY WHEN YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR VERY YOUNG COMMISSION, MARY THOMAS GETS, GETS EVERYONE FOR NEWARK GROWLED UP, UH, KNOWN FOR A VERY THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP, UH, STEADY PRESENCE AND ABILITY TO BRING DIVERSE VOICES TOGETHER AROUND SHARED GOALS. ED LEADS WITH HUMILITY, CONVICTION, AND PROFOUND LOVE FOR ESSEX COUNTY, AND THAT FOR SURE WE'VE ALL SEEN IN ACTION. HE FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT WHEN HE, WHEN FAMILY SCHOOLS, FAITH INSTITUTIONS AND NEIGHBORHOODS WORK IN HARMONY, CHILDREN FLOURISHED IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY LIVE AND THEY THRIVE AS WELL. SO ED, YOUR COMMITMENT TO LIFTING UP YOUR NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS TRULY INSPIRING. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. IT IS MY PLEASURE ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER MERCADO AND THE REST OF OUR COMMISSIONER COLLEAGUES HERE TO PRESENT IT WITH THE BOARD'S COMMENDATION PLAQUE AND CERTIFICATES FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MACGYVER AND SENATOR BRITTANY TIMBERLAKE. SO, CONGRATULATIONS. BEFORE WE GIVE YOU THE HARDWARE, WHY DON'T YOU SHARE A FEW WORDS FOR US? THANK YOU. HELLO EVERYONE. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I THANK THE COMMISSIONERS. I THANK MY BOSS, ESSEX COUNTY, JUAN RIVER. I THANK MY LOVELY WIFE, MICHELLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE. MY SON COREY. I'M A KID FROM NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CITY ROOTED IN BRILLIANCE, A CITY ROOTED IN RESILIENCE, A CITY ROOTED IN CULTURE. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN PRINCE STREET PROJECTS, BUT I WASN'T AN ENVIR, I WASN'T A PRODUCT OF MY ENVIRONMENT OF PRINCE STREET BECAUSE I WAS A DREAMER. AND I ALWAYS SAID THAT MY ENVIRONMENT IS GONNA BECOME A PRODUCT OF ME, A PRODUCT OF STRENGTH, A PRODUCT OF POWER, A PRODUCT OF GREATNESS, A PRODUCT OF LOVE, A PRODUCT OF COMMITMENT. THROUGHOUT MY YEARS IN NEWARK, IT WASN'T ALWAYS GOOD, BUT IT WAS A FIGHT. AND I ALSO THANK MY PARENTS FOR THEY HAD BEEN MARRIED FOR 48 YEARS, BORN IN THE CITY OF NEWARK WHERE INJUSTICE WAS CONFRONTED DURING THE 1967 REBELLION. AND AMERICA HAD TO TAKE NOTICE OF THE RACISM THAT THEY HOLD IN OUR STREETS. BUT JUST LIKE US, IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, WE DON'T BACK DOWN. WE HAVE COURAGE. WE HAVE FIGHT WITHIN US. AND THAT COURAGE IS WHAT'S NEEDED TO BE A LEADER IN THE PAST AND IN THE PRESENT AND GOING FORWARD. WHEN I THINK OF LEADERS, AND WHEN I REFLECT ON LEADERSHIP, I THINK OF MALCOLM X, A MAN WHO TAUGHT US THE POWER OF SELF-DETERMINATION, DISCIPLINE, AND BOLD TRUTH. I THINK OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. A MAN WHO TAUGHT US ABOUT COURAGE AND LOVE, AND THE POWER TO UNITE, THE POWER TO ORGANIZE, AND THE POWER TO ACT. I THINK OF MARCUS GARVEY, A MAN WHO TAUGHT US THE POWER OF BLACK BUSINESS, BLACK EMPOWERMENT, AND GLOBAL CONSCIOUSNESS. AS I REFLECT ON THE LEADERSHIP THAT WAS SHAPED BY HISTORY, I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT LEADERSHIP IS SPIRITUAL AND IT'S ROOTED IN THE WORLD OF YAHWEH. I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE REVOLUTION, [01:00:01] REVOLUTIONARY LEADER OF MY BISHOP, BISHOP PERNELL, A LEADER WHO STANDS UNAPOLOGETICALLY ON TRUTH. IN A TIME WHEN MANY DVU DUTE COLLUSIONS STARRY IN A TIME WHEN MANY DUTE CONVICTIONS FOR COMFORT, HE BROAD, BROADLY PROCLAIMS THE UNFILTERED WORD AND TEACHES THE NAME YAHWEH WITHOUT COMPROMISE. I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. CHRIS PERNELL, A DYNAMIC PHYSICIAN LEADER AND SOCIAL CHANGE AGENT, NOT CONTENT WITH IDENTIFYING DISPARITIES, BUT COMMITTED TO DISMANTLING THEM. I STAND HERE TODAY AS A LEADER, NOT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF PERSONAL AMBITION OR PERSONAL GAIN. I STAND HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT I HAVE. THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM IS MY MINISTRY, BEN HASH YAHWEH. IT'S THROUGH THAT MINISTRY WHERE I WAS MOLDED AS A LEADER. IT'S WHERE I WAS SUSTAINED, I WAS SUPPORTED, AND I WAS LIFTED UP. TO BE HERE TODAY IS THROUGH THAT MINISTRY WHERE I BECAME A HUSBAND. I BECAME A FATHER, AND I BECAME A CIVIC ADVOCATE THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY IS THROUGH THAT MINISTRY, THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF BISHOP AT DR. APOSTLE CHRIS, THAT I STAND HERE TODAY BECAUSE I WAS A CHILD FROM PRINCE STREET PROJECTS, BUT I WAS A DREAMER. AND BEFORE I CAME TO THE MINISTRY, I LOST, I WAS GOING DOWN A PATH THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE DOWN AND SINNED. BUT I NEEDED A WAY OUT. I NEEDED SOMEWHERE TO GO. I NEEDED SUPPORT, I NEEDED A VISION, I NEEDED PURPOSE. AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I WALKED THROUGH THE MINISTRY DOORS ON A MONDAY NIGHT LEADERSHIP CLASS THAT I HAVE FOUND ALL OF THAT. BUT THE GREATEST THING THAT I HAVE FOUND WAS LOVE IN CHRIST. SURE. AND ONCE YOU EXPERIENCE THAT TRUE LOVE OF CHRIST, SURE THAT CAN MAKE ANY BROKEN MAN WHOLE, THAT CAN MAKE ANY BROKEN MAN STRONG, THAT CAN MAKE ANY BROKEN MAN GO OUT IN THIS WORLD, NOT TO BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, NOT TO BE PRESSURED INTO THIS WORLD AND CRACK UNDER THIS WORLD, BUT TO CHANGE THIS WORLD AND LEAVE IT A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR GENERATIONS TO COME. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IS NOT A MONTH. IT IS A MOVEMENT. IT IS INNOVATION, FAITH, ENTREPRENEURISM. IT IS THE GOVERNANCE WOVEN OF OUR COUNTRY TODAY. THE LESSON OF NEWARK, THE LESSON OF ESSEX COUNTY. THE LESSON OF OUR ANCESTORS IS THAT PROGRESS REQUIRES VIGILANCE. TRUE LEADERSHIP MEANS WE DO NOT RETREAT IN DIFFICULT TIMES. WE ORGANIZE, WE EDUCATE, WE ACT, AND WE PRAY. I ACCEPT THIS HONOR NOT AS A DESTINATION, BUT AS A REMINDER THAT LEADERSHIP IS SERVICE. THAT SERVICE REQUIRES SACRIFICE. AND THAT OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES NOTHING LESS THAN EXCELLENCE, INTEGRITY, AND COURAGE. I THANK YOU ALL ONE MORE. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU MUCH. THANK YOU. YES. GIVE IT UP FOR THE YOUNG MAN. I THINK HE'S DONE. ALL RIGHT. YOU DO. US ESSEX COUNTY PROUD, SIR. THANK YOU. OF COURSE. SORRY, I GOTTA PUT THESE BACK ON. I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT YOUNG AND HANDSOME. I NOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY MY PRIVILEGE, UH, TO INTRODUCE OUR FINAL BUT NOT THE LAST, THE LEAST OF HONOREES, BECAUSE THIS IS MY GOOD FRIEND COREY ANDERSON FROM BLOOMFIELD. COME ON UP HERE. COREY, COME ON UP HERE. COME ON, COME ON. THIS HANDSOME GUY, I KNOW HIM PERSONALLY AND IS A, IS A GOOD FRIEND. SO LET ME SHARE SOME DETAILS ABOUT MY GOOD FRIEND COREY. THERE'S TWO QUARRIES NOW. A LITTLE GUY AND A BIG GUY. SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE OF THE TWO QUARRIES HERE, RIGHT? , IT MIGHT BE A FIRST. WE'VE HAD [01:05:01] TWO QUARRIES IN ONE SPOT HERE, BUT, SO COREY ANDERSON IS A VERY DEDICATED, UH, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE WHOSE LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO SERVICE HAS MADE A LASTING IMPACT THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY. FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. CORY HAS ORGANIZED AN ANNUAL BLOCK PARTY THAT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE, THE COMMUNITY FOSTERING CONNECTION, UNITY, AND NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE. I KNOW I'VE BEEN THERE, I'VE SEEN IT. IT'S A LOT OF FUN. COREY HAS ALSO FOUNDED THE BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP CHRISTMAS PARADE. NOW IN IT'S OUR FOURTH YEAR, CREATING A BELOVED TRADITION THAT BRINGS FAMILIES, RESIDENTS, AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER. IN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY BUILDING INITIATIVES, CORY HAS ACTIVELY SUPPORTED LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES BY WORKING TO IMPROVE PARKING ACCESS AND TRAFFIC FLOW, HELPING TO STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL ECONOMY, PROMOTE SAFE AND UH, EASY AND ACCESSIBLE COMMERCE AND ACCESS CO UH, CORY'S SERVICE EXTENDS DEEPLY INTO ADVOCACY WORK, HAVING VOLUNTEER FOR NONPROFIT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ORGANIZATION FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS AS A CERTIFIED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATE. CORY HAS PROVIDED SUPPORT, RESOURCES, AND COMPASSION TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN NEED. AND CORY'S BEEN COMMITTED MEMBER OF PROTECTING GOD'S CHILDREN THROUGH CATHOLIC CHARITIES FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS. FURTHER DEMONSTRATING A LIFELONG DEDICATED, UH, DEDICATION TO SERVICE AND PROTECTING, UH, OUR YOUTH AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, IT'S NOT IN THE NOTES HERE. I'LL TELL YOU A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT CORY. UM, I'VE KNOWN COREY NOW AT LEAST A DOZEN YEARS, 15 YEARS. I DON'T KNOW. WE'RE GETTING OLD. I KEEP FORGETTING. I, CORY HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UH, FOR MOST OF WHAT HE DOES IS ACTUALLY BEHIND THE SCENES AND HE SUPPORTS A GREAT NUMBER OF US IN THE BLOOMFIELD, MONTCLAIR AREA. BRENDAN. SO, SO MUCH SO THAT WE FIGHT OVER HIM, RIGHT? SO, UM, HE'S BEEN A GREAT SUPPORTER OF MINE AND OUR, OUR, OUR EFFORTS IN BLOOMFIELD, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH LOCAL ORGANIZING, OUR CAR CLUB, THE BLOOMFIELD CRUISES, WHEN WE DO OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE RAISE FUNDS FOR A SCHOLARSHIP AND WHAT HAVE YOU. IT'S A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. 'CAUSE HE'S AN EXCEPTIONAL DJ AS WELL, SO THAT WE SHARE, ALTHOUGH HE CONTINUES TO ICE STOPS. UM, BUT HE DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THAT. AND IF THERE'S A COMMUNITY EVENT IN BLOOMFIELD, YOU'RE GONNA SEE COREY THERE. HE'S VERY DEDICATED AND I'M VERY PROUD TO CALL HIM A FRIEND. AND I'M SO GLAD THAT HE'S HERE TODAY 'CAUSE HE IS VERY DESERVING OF THIS HONOR AS ALL OF THE HONORS ARE TODAY. SO, COREY, CONGRATULATIONS. WELL DESERVED FRIEND. I WANT YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS HERE AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU SOME HARDWARE. WHAT DO YOU SAY? ALL SOUNDS GOOD. ALRIGHT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. ALL RIGHT. UH, FIRST, THANKFULLY, UH, TRULY I'M INCREDIBLY HONORED AND HONESTLY, A LITTLE HUMBLED TO BE STANDING HERE TONIGHT. UH, THIS RECOGNITION MEANS MORE TO ME THAN I CAN PUT INTO WORDS. NONE OF THE WORK BEING RECOGNIZED TONIGHT WAS EVER DONE FOR AN AWARD. IT WAS DONE OUTTA LOVE FOR MY COMMUNITY AND FOR MY PEOPLE IN IT. AND FOR THAT BELIEF, WHEN WE SHOW UP FOR ONE ANOTHER, REAL CHANGE HAPPENS. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ORGANIZING, LIKE CARLOS SAID, COMMUNITY, UH, BLOCK PARTIES, CHRISTMAS PARADE EVENTS CREATED TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, FREE AND ALWAYS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. I'VE ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH A, WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, HELPING HOWEVER I COULD TO SUPPORT THEIR GROWTH AND HELP THE COMMUNITY THRIVE. UM, ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL PARTS OF MY JOURNEY HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS A FIVE, UH, 5 0 1 C3 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ORGAN ORGANIZATION. AND BECOMING A CERTIFIED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATE, IT'S CHANGED MY LIFE. AND THE REASON FOR THAT, IT TAUGHT ME THE POWER OF LISTENING, STANDING BESIDE SOMEONE IN THEIR DARKEST MOMENTS IS AND NEVER UNDERESTIMATING THE STRENGTH OF A SURVIVOR. I WANNA BE CLEAR, THIS AWARD DOES NOT BELONG TO ME ALONE. IT BELONGS TO EVERY VOLUNTEER THEY GAVE THEIR TIME. EVERY LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER WHO TRUSTED AND COLLABORATED EVERY SURVIVOR WHO SHOWED COURAGE, EVERY FAMILY WHO BELIEVED IN COMMUNITY. SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY FOR THEIR PATIENCE. MY WIFE LANDRI, MY TWO BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS, SORAY AND CHLOE FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE LATE NIGHTS AND LONG DAYS . UM, I, I THANK YOU TO THE ESSAS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR SEEING THE WORK AND VALUING SERVICE, COMPASSION AND COMMITMENT. I ACCEPT THIS HONOR WITH GRATITUDE, WITH THEIR PROMISE TO KEEP SHOWING UP, TO KEEP SERVING AND KEEP DOING THE WORK THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER. THANK YOU. YOU GONNA TAKE THAT? THAT'S YOURS NOW, RIGHT? IT IS HAPPY. ACTUALLY, JUST A BIT. BOOM, RIGHT THERE. [01:10:08] THANK YOU MUCH. THANK YOU. WE ARE GETTING READY TO EAT. I KNOW YOU'RE ALL THINKING LIKE WE'RE NEVER GONNA CONGRATULATIONS, COREY. SERIOUSLY, IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE AS ALL OF THE HONOREES. UH, WHAT A TREAT IT IS TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE TODAY. THIS IS REALLY, I THINK FOR ALL OF US, COMMISSION IS THE BEST PART OF THE JOB WHEN WE GET TO HONOR OUR FOLKS AS WE CONCLUDE OUR PROGRAM. I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR WATCHING AT HOME AND FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UH, EVERY YEAR I THINK WE FEEL EVEN MORE GRATEFUL THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER. AS BRENDAN SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THE WORLD HAS TAKEN A STEP BACKWARDS, BUT NOT HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY. WE LEAD, WE LEAD WITH DISTINCTION, AND WE HAVE TO SET THE ROLE MODEL FOR BEYOND ESSEX COUNTY. SO I'M VERY HONORED TO SERVE WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY AND TO ALL THE HONOREES. CONGRATULATIONS. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE TIRELESS WORK THAT YOU DO. I KNOW, CERTAINLY GIVE IT UP FOR THEM. A A AS YOU SAID IN OTHERS, I MEAN, NO ONE DOES THIS FOR THE AWARDS. THEY DO THIS FOR THE LOVE OF, OF, OF BEING HUMAN AND TO GIVE BACK. AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THE ACCOMP, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE HEARD TONIGHT ARE VERY INSPIRING. I HOPE, YOU KNOW, YOU GO OUT THERE AND TACKLE THE WORLD TOMORROW. THE NEW FOUND, UH, ENERGY AND VIBE. 'CAUSE I, I MEAN, I FEEL IT WITH ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE TODAY. SO, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOARD, WE'RE GONNA INVITE YOU TO THE CONFERENCE ROOM. BEFORE WE DO THAT FOR SOME, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF FOOD, WE'RE GONNA TAKE PICTURES HERE. SO DON'T GO ANYWHERE, HONOREE. STAY HERE WITH YOUR FAMILIES. WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BUNCH OF PICTURES. THE GUY WITH THE BIG CAMERA TAKES SOME FIRST, AND THEN EVERYONE'S GONNA TAKE 'EM AFTERWARDS. THEY'LL BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA TOMORROW. SO DON'T WORRY, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE PICTURES YOU LIKE. WE'LL POST 'EM ALL TOMORROW. SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT. AND, UH, I WANNA BRING COMMISSIONER, UH, VICE PRESIDENT MARY THOMAS, WHO IN ADDITION TO BEING OUR COMMISSIONER, SO WE ALL IN THE HOUSE HERE. SO GIVE HER, GIVE HER SOME LOVE. EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. PRESIDENT. CAN WE GIVE ANOTHER HOWDY ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR HONOREES? DARCELL WILLIAMS, CHRISTIE CRAWFORD, VERONICA HARRIS, KWAME CHILDS, AND COREY ANDERSON. THEY SAY THAT THE HARVEST WILL BE PLENTIFUL, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW. AND ONE THING WE KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT WE ARE IN A ROOM FULL OF LABORERS. AS I PRAY, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE AN HONOREE WHO COULD NOT BE HERE, BECAUSE Y'ALL KNOW WE HAD THIS, UH, ENORMOUS STORM THAT CAME, AND SOME OF US, MYSELF INCLUDED, WERE SHOVELING MY CAR OUT FOR FAR LONGER THAN I THOUGHT. AND SO THE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE, THE LONGEST RUNNING LAST ACTUALLY, TO UNDERSTANDING, UH, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED, BLACK OWNED, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED, BLACK OWNED BOOKSTORE HERE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. IT WAS ACTUALLY, YOU GUYS KNOW MS. PATRICE AND MS. MASANI, THEY STAY OUTSIDE. I WANNA BE AS COOL AS THEM WHEN I GROW UP. AND Y'ALL, THEY'RE IN ARUBA AND THEIR FLIGHT BACK OF COURSE GOT DELAYED, UM, DUE TO THE SNOWSTORM. BUT THEY SEND THEIR REGARDS AND WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, HONOR THEM AT A DIFFERENT POINT. SO, UH, LUCKY THEM. I'M LIKE, THERE ARE WORSE PLACES TO BE STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A SNOWSTORM. SO WHOEVER WANTS TO SUPPORT MY ARUBA TRIP, MY BIRTHDAY'S IN MAY. I'M TAKING, I'M TAKING DONATIONS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUPPORT THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. UH, BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, WHAT A GIFT IT IS TO CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR HONOREES. AND AS A GIRL, BORN AND RAISED IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, RAISED BY A MOTHER WHO WAS BORN IN ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, WHOSE MOM CAME HERE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, FROM THE JIM CROW SOUTH. AND MY FATHER WHO CAME FROM DOLLAR AND THE DREAM AND A WHOLE LOT OF LOVE FROM HIS STAND HERE, HONORED AND PRIVILEGED, PARTICULARLY AS A LOOK AROUND THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THE CHILDREN OF OUR HONOREES, THE YOUNG PEOPLE BEHIND US, THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN SPIRIT, BECAUSE SOME OF US SAYING AS YOUNG AS WE USED TO BE, BUT WE'RE YOUNG IN SPIRIT. HELLO. BUT, BUT I SAY THAT TO SAY ALL OF US, REGARDLESS OF OUR AGE, BACKGROUND, OR CREED, WE ARE HERE BECAUSE SOMEBODY PRAYED FOR A MOMENT LIKE THIS. SOMEBODY MIGRATED FOR A MOMENT LIKE THIS. SOMEONE SACRIFICED SOMETHING FOR US TO BE HERE TODAY. SO WE THANK ALL OF YOU HONOREES FOR THE SACRIFICES THAT YOU'VE MADE, NOT JUST FOR YOURSELF AND THOSE YOU SERVE, BUT FOR THE GENERATIONS COMING AFTER YOU. WON'T YOU BOW WITH ME FOR A WORD OF PRAYER. GOD, WE KNOW YOU ARE HERE. WE FEEL YOU IN THE WORK AND IN THE WORDS OF OUR HONOREES, MREL, MS. CHRISTY, MS. VERONICA, MR. QUAME. LORD, WE, WE, WE HEAR YOU IN THE WORK OF MR. COREY. WE HEAR YOU IN THE SOUNDS OF OUR SISTER, CYNTHIA TUCKER. LORD, YOU ARE IN THIS PLACE. FATHER, WE ASK IT AS WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, BUT NEVER YOUR PRESENCE THAT YOU BLESS EVERY HAND, EVERY FAMILY, EVERY FRIEND. LORD, WE EVEN PRAY THAT YOU BLESS THE FOES, HALLELUJAH. THAT [01:15:01] MAY HAVE TOUCHED THE WORK AND WORKS OF OUR HONOREES. LORD, WE KNOW THEY DO THIS WORK NOT TO BE RECOGNIZED, NOT TO BE CELEBRATED, BUT BECAUSE THE WORK HAS BEEN HAS TO BE DONE. LORD, WE KNOW THAT WHEN THEY SEE YOU ON THAT GREAT DAY, LORD, WE KNOW THAT YOU WILL JOB WELL DONE. BUT LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THEM THE FLOWERS. WHEREAS WHILE THEY CAN SMELL THE LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY US TO JUST BASK IN THEIR ORBIT ONE MORE DAY, ONE MORE NIGHT FOR LORD, THEY ARE GOOD AND THEY REFLECT YOUR GOODNESS TOO. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR LIFE AND FOR YOUR BLESSINGS. WE ASK THAT YOU HELP US TO BE AN INSTRUMENT OF YOUR PEACE AND JUSTICE. GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO DEFEND THE VULNERABLE, TO SEEK THE TRUTH, TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS. MAY YOUR WILL OF EQUITY BE DONE ON EARTH BECAUSE SOME CALL YOU YAHWEH, SOME CALL YOU ALLAH, SOME CALL YOU BUDDHA, SOME KRISHNA, SOME ELOHIM. I CALL YOU JESUS. AND MAY WE ALL CALL YOU OUR MOST HIGH, THE CHIEF INSPIRER, THE SOURCE, THE GOAT, THE GREATEST OF ALL THINGS TEACHING US TO DO ALL THINGS GOOD, JUST AND TRUE. AMEN. I MEAN AHE. AND THANK YOU FOR THE FOOD PREPARED FOR US. MAY YOU BLESS THE HANDS AND HAVE PREPARED THEM AS WELL. IN JESUS' NAME AND ALL NAMES WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU. ENJOY YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS. THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING WITH US HONOREES. PLEASE COME TAKE PHOTOS AND WE HAVE RECEPTION IN THE BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, HONOREE. COME UP HERE WITH THAT HARDWARE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.