[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 51 (Thursday, March 26, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING DAVID SHUFFLER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 26, 2015

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, as we give pause this month to commemorate 
the innumerable contributions that African Americans have made--and 
continue to make--to our nation, I rise to honor a Bronx activist, 
organizer and impassioned voice for community empowerment. It is with 
great pleasure and admiration that I stand before you today to applaud 
Mr. David Shuffler for his many years of compassionate public service 
and tireless work to improve the lives of our community residents.
  Mr. Shuffler was born and raised in the South Bronx where he 
continues to live, work, and serve the community today. Mr. Shuffler is 
the Executive Director at Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice 
(YMPJ). YMPJ is a multi-service, faith based, grassroots community 
organization located in the Bronx River/Soundview sections of the Bronx 
that has served the community with unwavering dedication for more than 
twenty years.
  Mr. Shuffler began his career as a public servant when he became a 
member at Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice in the summer of 1994. 
Upon quickly joining the staff at YMPJ, Mr. Shuffler became an integral 
part of forming the original R.I.V.E.R. Team, which led grassroots 
community organizing efforts that resulted in victories like the 
creation of Concrete Plant Park and Starlight Park. Today, these parks 
offer more than thirty acres of waterfront park space, and play a 
critical role in the realization of the South Bronx Greenway. Mr. 
Shuffler was also a leader on other important issue campaigns such as 
unemployment and police reform. The breadth of issues that David 
Shuffler has worked to champion over the years speaks to the power of 
his vision, and his commitment to ensuring that the quality of life of 
individuals in our community is consistently improving.
  Today, Mr. Shuffler continues to influence various levels of 
government on a wide spread of local issues. Over the course of his 
career he has been able to secure over $50 million dollars for 
community led efforts throughout the city and helped move effective 
policy which has directly benefitted some of the most vulnerable 
individuals in our community. I am grateful to Mr. Shuffler for his 
ongoing dedication to our community, and I am honored to call him a 
fellow public servant.
  Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that you and my other distinguished 
colleagues join me in honoring Mr. David Shuffler for his consistently 
remarkable dedication to public service and longstanding commitment to 
improving our community.

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