[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 25, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A TRIBUTE TO CARMEN LOURDES MARTINEZ

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS-

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 25, 2009

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Carmen 
Lourdes Martinez, Director of the Community Action Center in the Office 
of the New York City Comptroller.
  Carmen was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; she immigrated 
to Brooklyn, New York at the age of eight and is a product of the New 
York City public school system. She is a graduate of the City 
University of New York, having obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in 
Business Administration from Medgar Evers College and continued her 
graduate studies in Public Administration at Brooklyn College.
  Carmen is currently Director of the Community Action Center in the 
Office of New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. Since 
joining the office on May 18, 1992, Carmen has rendered service to over 
87,000 constituents, run the Comptroller's Foreclosure Intervention 
Hotline, and served as Management Co-Chair of the Comptroller's Quality 
of Work Life, Employees Recognition Committee.
  Carmen's many personal awards and recognitions include: Aegis 
Society, Inc. The Federation of African-American Civil Service 
Organizations, Inc. Merit Award; National Association for Equal 
Opportunity in Higher Education Distinguished Alumni Award; Caribbean 
American Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc. 21st Century Visionary 
Award; Brooklyn Borough President Outstanding Achievement Award; 
Bedford Stuyvesant Community Legal Services Corporation Outreach Self-
Help Program Valedictorian and Outstanding Scholarship Award.
  Outside of work, Carmen volunteers her time to grassroots activities 
designed to advance the community. She is a Charter Member and a member 
of the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Metropolis Lions Club; a 
Charter Member and former member of the Board of Directors of the 
Central Brooklyn Federal Credit Union; Former Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Central Brooklyn Partnership; participant in the New 
York City Department of Education's Kids and the Power of Work Program 
and volunteers as a judge for the New York City Working in Support of 
Education, Quality of Life Program. Recently Carmen completed her third 
term as President of the Alumni Association of Medgar Evers College.
  Carmen reared three children as a single mother, Grace M. Benjamin, 
Harry ``Jamie'' Martinez-Benjamin and Xiomara L. Maloney and is the 
proud grandmother of three.

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