[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 60 (Friday, April 13, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO NINA SORKIN--28TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WOMAN OF THE YEAR

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                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 13, 2018

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History 
Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and 
sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to 
outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional 
District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Nina Sorkin of 
Silver Lake, a unique neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
   Nina's parents immigrated from Mexico, so Nina is a proud first 
generation Californian. She was raised in the San Fernando Valley, 
until she moved to the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake with her 
beloved husband Al Sorkin 51 years ago. A diehard Bruin, Ms. Sorkin 
received both her bachelor's degree in Sociology and her master's 
degree in Social Welfare from the University of California Los Angeles. 
With over 40 years of service in both the public and non-profit 
sectors, Nina has an impressive record of giving back to the community, 
supporting a diverse range of causes that demonstrate her passion for 
helping women, children, and the homeless.
   A steadfast women's advocate, Ms. Sorkin was appointed to the Los 
Angeles City Commission for the Status of Women by then-Mayor Bradley, 
where she served for a decade and was instrumental in developing a city 
campaign to bring awareness about women and AIDS. As a breast cancer 
survivor, Nina has been involved with the American Cancer Society Relay 
for Life for the past 15 years, chaired the Relay For Life of Pasadena, 
and has been volunteering for the Relay for Life of Griffith Park 
Communities and Hollywood since its inception over a decade ago; 
currently she serves as the Luminaria Chair.
   During her seventeen-year tenure on the Los Angeles County 
Commission for Children and Families, Ms. Sorkin established a Healthy 
Nutrition program for children in foster care and was a member of the 
Child Court Committee to improve child visitation. Reinforcing her 
commitment to enriching the lives of children, she has been reading to 
three and four year olds at the Bellevue Recreation Center for the last 
five years, serves on the Bellevue Park Advisory Board, and championed 
the importance of language development in small children by her 
involvement with the Children Planning Council and First 5 LA.
   Ms. Sorkin is a member of the Griffith Park Lions Club, which 
administers eye examinations and provides free eye glasses to Ribet 
Academy students and four elementary schools in the Atwater Village 
area. In addition, Nina volunteers with the Hollywood SDA Church 
Homeless Program, is a member of the Griffith Park Adult Community 
Center Spring Faire planning committee, and is a facilitator for a 
grief support group.
   Married to the late Al Sorkin for 47 years, she has one son, Stephen 
and four grandchildren.
   I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-
respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Nina 
Sorkin.

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