[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 28, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO OLANIKE T. ALABI

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 28, 2007

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ms. Olanike 
T. Alabi, who is the proud daughter of immigrants who came to the 
United States several decades ago. She is a product of the New York 
City Public School system, graduating from Midwood High School. She 
also attended Brooklyn College's prominent Medical Science Institute. 
She later received her bachelor of arts degree from Temple University, 
where she carried a double major and a minor. In 1999, she was accepted 
to the prestigious University of London in Great Britain, where she 
pursued a master of arts degree.
  Olanike Alabi is currently employed by Local 1199 of the SEIU United 
Healthcare Workers East as an assistant to the president. There, she 
also participates in a voluntary voter-registration program as well as 
political campaign events.
  Ms. Alabi has received certificates and awards from such 
organizations as the Family and Support Resources Group; the Training 
and Employment Council (TEC) Brooklyn; the Access Fund, an organization 
dedicated to providing scholarships for students attending institutions 
of higher learning; a Great Force Partner Award from former Congressman 
Major Owens; a Woman of the Year Award from State Senator John Sampson; 
and I have presented Ms. Alabi with a Community Service Award for her 
outstanding work in the community.
  Additionally, she has established herself as a fighter for justice. 
In June of 2003, after being fired from her job as the District Manager 
for CB No. 2, she filed an Article 78 proceeding at the Kings County 
Supreme Court and was granted a favorable, unanimous decision from a 
panel of judges at the Appellate Division, 2nd Department in April of 
2005. Her lawsuit resulted in her reinstatement with compensation and 
the City of New York issuing proper procedures for terminating a 
community board employee. In June of 2004, she filed a New York State 
Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) proceeding against a 
Brooklyn-based property owner and was successful in the venture in 
March of 2005.
  She continues to be featured as a public speaker at events 
celebrating women's history, school graduations, chemical dependency 
programs, and college fairs, and as a moderator for political debates, 
some of which were most recently aired on Manhattan Neighborhood 
Network (MNN). She was recently elected as the state committeewomen 
(district leader) of the 57th A.D.
  Finally, her primary interests include public service, international 
affairs, labor, industrial relations and education. She enjoys reading, 
writing and traveling. Her church, organizational board and memberships 
include: Emmanuel Baptist Church in Brooklyn, Board for the Education 
of People of African Ancestry, the Community Advisory Board of the 
Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center, League of Women Voters, 
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Church Women United, 
Inc., and a host of other local and civic organizations.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize Ms. Alabi and all of her 
hard work and the precedents she has set.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to 
Ms. Olanike T. Alabi.

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