Medgar Evers College hosted AACEO’s Black History Month celebration honoring Our Living Historians. Medgar Evers College President Dr. Patricia Ramsey welcomed attendees.
“We have community members who are very supportive of Medgar Evers College becoming an HBCU. This institution is doing the work, we are making a difference in our community, our students are phenomenal,” said Dr. Ramsey. “Since I have been here we have re-established the Medgar Evers College chapter of the NAACP. We were named the most outstanding college chapter.”
Dr. Ramsey said, “Out of 1272 institutions in the United States, Medgar Evers College is in the top 100 colleges for women. We are the predominately Black institution in the City University of New York. Medgar Evers College is doing great things.”
“AACEO was established in 1989 during the election of our first African American mayor David Dinkins. We are the only organization that convenes all of us together, from politicians to clergy,” said Rev. Waterman.
“We thank you madame president for allowing us to come here and grace this college,” said Rev. Waterman. “The biggest thing we can do is Black support Black, and not just for one month. We have to make sure we uplift and pull people together and help our brothers and sisters . Once you have reached the top always send a rope down to pull somebody else up.”
“Today we are saluting historians. Our historians this year are community folk. They are people who do the work. When AACEO needs anything, these are the people we call,” said AACEO COO Dr. Dee Bailey. “A lot of times we salute the titles and we don’t salute the people. To us they are our community leaders. These are our community historians, the people who make us whole, who back us.”
Dr. Bailey led the presentation of awards to members of the NYPD, clergy, community-based organizations, and the judiciary.
“This brother is very special to me,” said Dr. Bailey. “It was him who went to the Assembly and got me my first bit of money to open my agency. As a matter of fact, he named it… the Honorable past assembly member, past commissioner, current Chair of the Probation Board, Darryl Towns.”
Dr. Bailey spoke of her efforts to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.
“When I was trying to get the courts to acknowledge HIV and AIDS I did some gutsy stuff. I brought dildos and put them on the table. Nobody wanted to talk about HIV and AIDS, let alone see it. I was teaching them how to put condoms on,” said Dr. Bailey. “They have been talking about HIV ever since. Judge Betty Staton, I will never forget you had my back.”
“It is no accident that we are here at this historically Black college that we are fighting to make an official HBCU,” said Assemblywoman Monique Chandler-Waterman.
“On the state level, we are fighting to make sure Medgar Evers is also in a two-year initiative where from 25-55 years old you can go to school for free to get an associates degree,” said Chandler-Waterman.
“We were able to secure the NYS Office of Gun Violence Prevention,” said Chandler-Waterman. “We were also able to codify the term ‘mass gun violence’ where when three or more people are injured or murdered in a shooting over seven days in our community that activates the NYS Office of Gun Violence Prevention to coordinate agencies and activate federal dollars to come to our community.”
Chandler-Waterman said, “The NYS Black Legislative Taskforce and the Mental Health Committee were able to secure $30 million in micro grants to come to our Black and Brown communities.”
She closed her remarks by saying, “A lot of people have been impacted by ICE. We are fighting to keep TPS. Let’s remember, when you come for one you come for all.”
Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman reminded attendees of our political responsibilities.
“It is Black History Month. It is also the 250th anniversary of this republic,” said Zinerman. “That revolution was about getting us from under a king, and now we have somebody who thinks he is a king.”
Zinerman asked, “The question is, Black Brooklyn, what are we going to do about it? Where are you spending your time when it comes to Black political empowerment? Ask yourself what is it you think Black people need and what are you doing to make sure that we achieve it? How are we advancing our goals in terms of education, economic empowerment, Black maternal health care, labor, and housing?”
Zinerman told attendees, “We need a collective plan. But first we need to take back that House and Senate. What is your plan to make that happen besides casting your one vote? Right now you need to know what seats are up for grabs in what districts and what you need to do to deploy yourself and everybody you know. We have got to maintain seats and create new ones. We don’t have three years in this country the way things are going to hope that everything is going to be ok.”
Zinerman closed the event by saying, “Since 1972, Black Brooklyn has been leading the way in the political establishment making sure that our community’s needs are being met, and that we have the representation that we need and deserve. Are you a part of the strategy to get us there?”
