Bill Text: NY J01125 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commending the Center for Law and Social Justice upon the occasion of hosting its Summer Gala: A Celebration of Legacy, on June 28, 2023

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-05-31 - ADOPTED [J01125 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J01125-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 1125

BY: Senator PARKER

        COMMENDING  the  Center for Law and Social Justice
        upon the occasion of  hosting  its  Summer  Gala:  A
        Celebration of Legacy, on June 28, 2023

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  sense  of  this  Legislative Body to publicly
recognize those extraordinary individuals who have made contributions to
the cultural enrichment of the State of New York, and to the success and
progress of society during their life's work; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
commend the Center for Law and  Social  Justice  upon  the  occasion  of
hosting its Summer Gala: A Celebration of Legacy, on June 28, 2023; this
year's  distinguished  honoree is Civil Rights Legend Esmeralda Simmons;
and

  WHEREAS, The mission of the Center for Law  and  Social  Justice  at
Medgar Evers College, CUNY (CLSJ) is to address racial justice issues by
providing   quality   legal  advocacy,  conducting  community  education
campaigns, facilitating research, and building  organizing  capacity  on
behalf  of  New Yorkers of African descent and the disenfranchised; CLSJ
envisions  a  civically  educated  and  engaged  Black  electorate  that
consistently  builds  political  power to marshal the representation and
resources necessary for its communities to thrive; and

  WHEREAS, CLSJ sponsors advocacy projects and  impact  litigation  in
areas  as  diverse  as  voting  rights  and enforcing voter protections,
housing and employment discrimination, education equity,  police  reform
and  racial  violence,  census justice, redistricting justice and United
States human rights violations; because of  its  unique  combination  of
research,  public policy, advocacy and litigation from a community-based
and culturally  responsive  perspective,  CLSJ  is  a  focal  point  for
progressive activity; and

  WHEREAS, In addition to fighting in the court system when necessary,
CLSJ continues to advocate for police reform and ending racial violence,
voting  rights,  voter protections, census and redistricting justice and
education for New York  City's  communities  of  African  descent;  CLSJ
publicizes  the  details  about  how civic processes work and builds the
organizing capacity of Black New Yorkers of African descent  to  protect
political power from the grassroots level; and

  WHEREAS,  Esmeralda  Simmons,  this  year's  esteemed  honoree,  and
resident of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, is a civil  rights  and  human
rights attorney of Caribbean-American heritage whose practice focuses on
racial  justice  for people of African descent in New York; she recently
retired from the Center for Law and Social Justice  in  Brooklyn,  where
she was the founding executive director and organizational leader for 34
years; and

  WHEREAS,  During her illustrious career, Esmeralda Simmons served as
the First Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights for New York  State,  and
as  a  Civil Rights Attorney for the U.S. Department of Education, a New

York State  Assistant  Attorney  General,  a  New  York  City  Assistant
Corporation Counsel, and as a law clerk to a federal judge; in addition,
she  has  served  on  several  major  public  boards  in  New  York City
government,  including  the  NYC Board of Education, the NYC Districting
Commission, and the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board, that serves  as
a watchdog to the New York Police Department; and

  WHEREAS,  Esmeralda  Simmons  strongly believes in community service
and has a history of activism in  progressive  and  electoral  political
movements;  she  volunteers her skills and currently serves on the board
of directors of UPROSE - a climate justice organization; the Council  of
Elders  for  African  Cultural  Heritage;  and  Little  Sun  People - an
outstanding African-centered early childhood education center; and

  WHEREAS, In the recent past, Esmeralda Simmons has served on several
boards of national organizations: the Applied Research Center (now "Race
Forward"); Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center; the Child  Welfare  Fund;
and the Poverty and Race Research Action Council (PRRAC); and

  WHEREAS,  With  her  throughout have been her beloved husband, Lesly
Jean-Jacques, her two cherished sons, and seven wonderful grandchildren,
all of whom feel privileged to be a part of her life and rejoice in  her
achievements; and

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  sense  of  this  Legislative  Body  that when
individuals and organizations of such noble aims and accomplishments are
brought to our attention, they should be celebrated  and  recognized  by
all the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Center for Law and  Social  Justice  upon  the  occasion  of
hosting  its Summer Gala: A Celebration of Legacy, on June 28, 2023; and
be it further

  RESOLVED, That copies of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to  the  Center  for  Law  and Social Justice and Esmeralda
Simmons.