[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 68 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E853-E854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO IFE-S. CHARLES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 2004

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Ife-S. Charles in 
recognition of her commitment to community empowerment.
  Ife-S. Charles was born in Trinidad, West Indies and immigrated to 
the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York 30 plus years 
ago. She attended Holy Spirit Junior High School, Brooklyn Technical 
High School in Fort Greene and later went on to earn a degree in Human 
Services. Ife currently resides in the community of Crown Heights with 
her daughter.
  She is a New York State Certified Mediator specializing in Community, 
Family and Parent Teen Mediation. She is the Deputy Director at the 
Crown Heights Community Mediation Center (CHCMC) located on Kingston 
Avenue in Crown Heights. Her job at CHCMC gives her the opportunity to 
work with youth and families in her neighborhood. She works closely 
with the 71st and 77th Precinct Youth and Community Affairs Officers, 
where she conducts Conflict Resolution Workshops at Empowerment 
Programs offered by the precincts. She has trained youths in peer 
mediation and conflict resolution. She is the Director of the 77th 
Community Task Force which is an effort to enhance community and police 
relationships.
  Ife subscribes to her own E3 philosophy: Enlight; Enrich and Effect. 
This is a philosophy that she uses in her work with the community and 
youth. Her attraction to community work is part of who she is which is 
why she enjoys serving as a motivational speaker at local churches and 
community centers. Ife can be seen speaking to the young women and men 
of the community where she gives them words of encouragement or directs 
them to organizations for their own self-improvement. On any

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given day you can find Ife in her office with a group of young people 
talking about life issues and ways of dealing with such issues. For 
those not attending school, she works diligently at finding them 
placements in GED and/or job training programs. She further supports 
the youth in her community by attending open school meetings with 
teachers, and by enrolling some in karate school, often negotiating 
fees with the Sensei so that ``her children'', as she frequently calls 
them, will have a place to go and not get caught up in what the streets 
do not have to offer.
  Ife credits her love for the work that she does to her Creator and 
her daughter Jahdai. She is also inspired by her son, Malchijah, who 
departed this life several years ago.
  Mr. Speaker, Ife Charles has dedicated her life to the betterment of 
her community. As such, she is more than worthy of receiving our 
recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this 
truly remarkable person.

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