[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 119 (Thursday, July 10, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING JOSIE MOTA GOMEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2025

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Josie Mota Gomez, a 
visionary in education, lifelong advocate for youth, and social 
justice. For more than three decades, Josie has been a pillar of the El 
Puente Academy for Peace and Justice, located in Williamsburg, 
Brooklyn, her hometown.
  Josie's journey began on a snowy day in February 1975, when she 
arrived in New York City from the Dominican Republic to reunite with 
her mother, Melida, who labored for years in a factory to provide a 
better future for her children. That act of sacrifice would leave an 
indelible mark on Josie, instilling in her the values of strength, 
perseverance and service. Accordingly, she began her formal education 
at Our Savior School in Williamsburg, learning English and discovering 
the value of community in a building that would later become home to El 
Puente Academy--the very school she would help shape decades later.
  After attending the High School of Fashion Industries, Josie pursued 
her passion for communication and earned a degree in Speech 
Communications from Pace University. A brief stint in the corporate 
world left her unfulfilled--but a chance meeting with El Puente co-
founders Dr. Frances Lucerna and Luis Garden-Acosta changed everything. 
In 1991, she joined El Puente as a community liaison, launching a 
lifelong commitment to youth, education, and social justice.
  In 1993, Josie played a critical role in the founding of the El 
Puente Academy for Peace and Justice, the first public high school in 
the country centered on human rights and social justice. She has served 
the school for 32 of its 34-year history--guiding students, families, 
and fellow educators through every transition and triumph. Her 
leadership has shaped the Academy's identity, grounded in the belief 
that we are not just here to study history, but to make history.
  Along the way, she earned a master's in education from Long Island 
University and a bilingual counseling license from Brooklyn College, 
yet she has always been defined not by titles, but by the deep 
relationships she has built. Josie walks with young people and their 
families, lifting them up, meeting them where they are, and helping 
them believe in their own power.
  El Puente is not just a workplace for Josie--it is her family. Her 
four children were raised in its community, and her unwavering presence 
has come to symbolize its mission. Josie's journey is a testament to 
the immigrant experience rooted in sacrifice, shaped by resilience and 
driven by the hope of a better future.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Josie Mota 
Gomez on this special occasion of her retirement. I extend my deepest 
gratitude for her public service and wish her joy in this next chapter 
of life.

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