[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 52 (Thursday, March 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A TRIBUTE TO CYNTHIA Y. CUMMINGS

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS-

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 26, 2009

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Cynthia 
Cummings, Executive Director of Community Parents, Inc. and community 
activist.
  Cynthia Cummings is the Executive Director of Community Parents, Inc. 
(CPI), a non-profit community based organization, serving 275 children 
and families in Bedford Stuyvesant and Far Rockaway. Additionally, she 
presides over the Administration for Children's Services Head Start 
Training Institute at Berean Baptist Church, offering professional, 
career and credential programs. Continuing accomplishments include 
securing and renovating a permanent facility in Far Rockaway.
  Immediately following completion of her degree in Human Development 
and Family Studies at Cornell University in 1975, Ms. Cummings begun 
her career as the Teacher/Director of Moravian Head Start in Harlem, 
where she developed her administrative skills operating the program now 
known as Arthur and Thelma Adair Community Centers. She decided to 
pursue her studies further at New York University in Community Health 
Education as she worked at SUNY Health Science Center on the National 
Study on Sickle Cell Disease. Her interest and work in the health 
industry resulted in her being included in several research 
publications.
  She maintained an important connection with her community as 
chairperson of Community Parents Head Start, while then employed at 
Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield. In 1991, her predecessor passed the 
torch and Ms. Cummings relinquished the chair of CPI to assume the role 
of Executive Director. The program grew under her leadership, achieving 
the NAEYC accreditation and expanding its services into Far Rockaway, 
Queens. Concurrently, Ms. Cummings has spearheaded many partnerships to 
improve quality and to enhance services for Head Start children and 
families. CPI was selected as a promising practices site for the 
National Head Start Family Literacy Project and was featured in 
Newsweek Magazine. The organization was featured as one of 14 programs 
selected by the Administration for Children's Services New York City 
Head Start Best Practices sites. Most recently, in collaboration with 
Bank Street College, the agency was selected as an Emotionally 
Responsive Practices site for continued research on best practices.
  Among her professional affiliations are, chairperson of DC 1707 Local 
85 Head Start Employees Welfare Fund, representing the interests of 
approximately 3,000 members. She also is a trustee of The Head Start 
Management Welfare Fund. Additionally, she is an active member of the 
National, Regional and State Head Start Associations contributing to 
the development of their respective annual training conferences. 
Locally, she is Board member of Brooklyn Kindergarten Society and 
remains active in the Cornell Black Alumni Association and involved in 
the Decatur-Stuyvesant Block Association. You often will see Cynthia 
greeting you at the door during the annual Brownstoner's of Bedford-
Stuyvesant house tour.
  Cynthia has testified before the General Health and Welfare Committee 
of the New York City Council and was a panelist for the Citizen's 
Committee on welfare reform. She has presented at The National Center 
for Family Literacy Conference and at the National Association for the 
Education of Young Children on the Importance of Family Literacy. As a 
Johnson and Johnson Management Fellow, she continues her study of 
organizational management annually at the Anderson School of Business 
at UCLA. She also continues her activism as a participant in the CORO 
Leadership NY program.
  She is the recipient of Councilmember Annette Robinson's Spirited 
Leadership Award, was honored by the Mid-Bedford Heights Lions Club and 
Vanguard Independent Democratic Association and received a proclamation 
from Councilmember Albert Vann for her civic efforts. An avid 
horticulturist, one often will see her lovingly tending to her home 
gardens. Her creative, artistic expression further is nurtured through 
dance training and performing with Mo' Jazz, a blithe troupe of 
athletic and creative women over, let's say, forty.
  Cynthia is married to her soul mate, Richard Cummings, a pianist and 
composer, and she remains blessed to have in her life, her mother, 
Ellen Lewis, who recently celebrated her 99th birthday. Representing 
the ascending generation are her two daughters, Diarra, a Columbia 
University graduate, following professional ballet and modern dance 
associations, and Imani a graduate of The University of Tampa, who now 
resides in sunny California currently pursuing a second career in 
acupuncture.

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