[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H2176-H2178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING MR. HAJI DUKURAY, A TRUE SON OF THE BRONX
(Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Torres
of New York was recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the
minority leader.)
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true son
of the Bronx and a shining example of the American Dream: Mr. Haji
Dukuray.
In 1988, Haji arrived from The Gambia with little more than hope and
determination. He built a life rooted in faith, family, and unwavering
service. A devoted husband, father of four, proud grandfather, and
tireless community advocate, he has served in leadership at the Bronx
Islamic Cultural Center and dedicated decades to lifting others up. For
him, serving the community has always been a sacred moral obligation.
Then came unimaginable tragedy. In January of 2022, the Twin Parks
North West fire stole 17 lives, including five cherished members of
Haji's own family. Yet in his darkest hour, Haji chose hope over
despair. He united grieving families, clergy, and leaders to seek
justice and foster healing.
Haji Dukuray embodies resilience. His life teaches us that even amid
profound loss, community and service can mend broken hearts and
strengthen us all.
The Bronx is stronger because of him. I thank Haji for his service.
{time} 1920
Honoring Cheryl Marie DeWitt
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cheryl
Marie DeWitt, known to all as Ms. Dee, a true Bronx treasure and
champion of our children.
Born to a young, single mother and raised by loving foster parents,
Ms. Dee learned early that caring adults can change a child's life
forever. Inspired by that gift, she has dedicated her life to giving
the same opportunity to others.
For more than 20 years, as executive director of the Williamsbridge
NAACP Early Childhood Education Center, she has provided nurturing,
high-quality care to Bronx families facing hardship, never wavering
through every challenge.
A proud CSA member since 1994 and the Bronx borough chair for center-
based directors, plus an active leader in the NAACP Williamsbridge
branch, Ms. Dee fights tirelessly for early education, equity, and
community strength.
Ms. Dee shows us that service starts with compassion. Her life proves
the love we receive can become the love we give. I thank Ms. Dee. May
her work continue shaping brighter futures for generations.
Honoring Johnnie Goff
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Dr.
Johnnie Ruth Goff, a tireless educator, visionary leader, and true
pillar of the North Bronx community.
Born in Georgetown, South Carolina, Dr. Goff poured more than three
decades of her life into our public schools as a teacher and
administrator. She lived the conviction that education unlocks
opportunity for every child, regardless of their ZIP Code or
circumstance.
Beyond the classroom, her legacy shines through innovative programs
like ``Feed the Body, Feed the Mind,'' launched in 1998. With her
beloved Food Ranger character, she taught generations that good
nutrition fuels sharp minds and stronger futures.
As founder of the JADE Multi Family Circle Center and a dedicated
activist, she created internships, mentoring, tutoring, and service
opportunities that opened doors for our youth. Guided by faith and
compassion, she turned concern into action, supporting families,
serving on boards, and building solutions where others saw only
challenges.
Dr. Goff reminds us that one person's unwavering dedication can
transform a community and inspire generations.
I thank Dr. Johnnie Ruth Goff for her extraordinary service and
enduring legacy.
Honoring Nilka Martell
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true
champion of the Bronx, Nilka Martell.
A proud Puerto Rican daughter of our borough, Nilka turned her
lifelong love for her community into action. Since 2011, as founder and
director of Loving The Bronx, she has built a powerful grassroots
movement that puts residents at the heart of the fight for justice--
social, environmental, and economic.
She chairs the Bronx River Alliance, leads Friends of Pelham Bay
Park, and serves on the Bronx Council for Environmental Quality, always
amplifying local voices in decisions that determine our air, our parks,
and our health.
Nilka delivers real wins: Securing over $10 million to rebuild
Virginia Park and Hugh J. Grant Circle, and boldly leading the charge
to cap the Cross Bronx Expressway--reducing deadly pollution, healing
neighborhoods divided by Robert Moses, and creating new green spaces
for our children.
Nilka Martell shows us what is possible when community leadership
meets unwavering determination. She is building a healthier, more
connected, more just Bronx for all of us. I thank Nilka.
Honoring Bob Bender
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a true
pillar of the Northwest Bronx, Bob Bender.
For more than 20 years, Bob has served with unwavering dedication on
Community Board 8. For 13 of those years, he chaired the Parks
Committee, turning vision into action. In 2007, when veterans raised
the alarm about the crumbling Memorial Grove in Van Cortlandt Park, Bob
didn't hesitate. He secured the grant, rallied support, and restored it
as a dignified place of remembrance.
But his work went deeper. He brought naturalists and schoolchildren
together to study and safeguard the park's natural treasures. He
championed the forgotten history of enslaved people who once labored on
the Van Cortlandt estate, ensuring their story is now permanently
honored and displayed in the Van Cortlandt Museum for generations to
learn from.
Long before the board, Bob was always giving back--feeding and
clothing the homeless, coaching Little League, showing up when the
community needed him most. Today, he still volunteers in the park, week
after week, and fights tirelessly for a Hudson River greenway.
A proud Bronx native, devoted husband, and loving father, Bob Bender
reminds us that our borough is built and sustained by people who never
stop giving. I thank Bob.
[[Page H2177]]
Honoring Clinton A. Myke
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate a
remarkable son of the Bronx, Mr. Clinton A. Myke.
Born and raised here in Community Board 12, educated in our
neighborhood schools, and now raising his own family in the same street
he loves, Clinton is a Bronxite in every sense of the word.
For 25 years he served with honor and distinction in the Department
of Correction, rising to the rank of captain through sheer integrity,
discipline, and unwavering commitment to public service.
But retirement never dimmed his passion. Instead, he turned his
energy toward his community, joining Bronx Community Board 12 and
devoting the past decade to making it better. Today, as proud chair of
that board, he amplifies local voices, strengthens participation,
and fights every day so that our neighborhoods thrive.
Clinton Myke embodies selfless leadership. Because of him, the Bronx
is stronger, more connected, and more hopeful. It is my honor to
recognize this true public servant. I thank Clinton, and may he
continue to lead us forward.
Honoring Tomas Ramos
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true son
of the Bronx, Tomas Ramos, a first generation Dominican American whose
life embodies resilience, justice, and an unbreakable community spirit.
Born in Washington Heights amid the crack epidemic, Tomas faced
displacement, poverty, and the devastating grip of mass incarceration
and the war on drugs. Yet he transformed personal hardship into
powerful purpose. He has dedicated himself to uplifting our youth,
championing small businesses, advancing restorative justice, and
expanding access to healthcare, food security, and real opportunity for
all.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and too many were left behind,
Tomas acted without hesitation. He mobilized donations to expand ICU
capacity, delivered critical PPE to overburdened hospitals, and stood
firmly for the Bronx when it needed him most.
From that crisis emerged the Oyate Group, a nonprofit powerhouse he
founded to educate, resource, and build sustainable solutions that
break cycles of generational poverty. Through innovative programs in
youth development, gun violence prevention, and community empowerment,
Tomas has become a blessing and a beacon for the underserved
neighborhoods of the Bronx and beyond.
Because of Tomas Ramos, our community stands stronger, more
connected, and more hopeful. He reminds us every day that dignity is
not a privilege, it is a fundamental right. I thank Tomas for his
tireless leadership and his heart for the people of the Bronx. We in
the Bronx are proud to call him one of our own.
{time} 1930
Recognizing Chauncy Young
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, for more than 20 years, Chauncy
Young has poured his heart into our Bronx, building bridges between
education, justice, and environmental equity.
He began in Highbridge, empowering neighbors through mindfulness,
meditation, and self-care at the Community Collaborative. Since 2016,
as the director of the New Settlement Parent Action Committee, he has
led the Healing-Centered Schools Working Group, bringing trauma-
informed, healing approaches into classrooms so that our students and
teachers can thrive, not simply survive.
Yet Chauncy's vision stretches beyond school walls. Since founding
the Harlem River Coalition in 2009, he has coordinated tireless efforts
alongside residents, organizations, and officials to reclaim our
waterfront, clean our river, and weave an interconnected greenway
system that will one day let every Bronx family walk, bike, and breathe
beside the water.
A proud Highbridge resident, devoted husband, and father, Chauncy
doesn't just advocate for green spaces. He explores them with his own
family, turning his work into lived joy.
Because of Chauncy Young, our borough is greener, healthier, and more
hopeful for the next generation.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chauncy for his unwavering devotion to the Bronx
we all call home.
Celebrating Reverend John Udo-Okon
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate a
true beacon of hope in the south Bronx, Reverend John Udo-Okon.
In one of our Nation's toughest neighborhoods, marked by deep
poverty, hunger, and hardship, Reverend Udo-Okon has turned faith into
action. As senior pastor of Word of Life Christian Fellowship
International, he leads one of the Bronx's largest food pantries,
serving thousands every month.
Through weekly distributions, hot meals, and unwavering support, he
ensures seniors, veterans, working families, and children never go
hungry or feel forgotten.
During the darkest days of COVID-19, when fear gripped our
communities, he opened his church doors as a lifeline, distributing
food, promoting vaccinations, and standing strong even after his own
family battled the virus.
His compassion extends further: advocating for justice, offering
guidance to those drowning in debt, and fighting for the right to help
those who need it most.
Reverend Udo-Okon embodies the power of service, resilience, and
love. The Bronx is stronger, more connected, and more resilient because
of him.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor this extraordinary leader today.
Honoring Shirley Fearon
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a true daughter
of the Bronx, a leader whose life has lifted generations: Shirley
Fearon.
Born and raised right here in our borough, Shirley embodies the heart
and resilience of the northeast Bronx.
A lifelong educator, she dedicated her career to our children,
teaching in general and special education, believing deeply that every
young person deserves the chance to succeed.
Her passion for learning didn't stop at the classroom door. It spread
throughout our neighborhoods, inspiring countless lives.
Shirley's commitment to service runs deep. As president of her NAACP
chapter, a dedicated district leader for the 83rd Assembly District,
and a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, she has championed
justice, empowerment, and civic engagement for decades.
Perhaps her most transformative legacy is the state-of-the-art
Northeast Bronx YMCA, a facility she fought for tirelessly over many
years as the co-chair of the Northeast Bronx Community Coalition. When
it opened in 2021, it became a vital beacon, a place for youth
programs, fitness, community gatherings, and hope.
After 70 years without such a resource in her neighborhood, Shirley
helped make it a reality. Guided by faith, family, and the timeless
truth that to whom much is given, much is required, she has
strengthened our community as a devoted parishioner, mother, and
grandmother.
Shirley Fearon's unwavering dedication reminds us what true
leadership looks like: persistent, compassionate, and rooted in
service. Because of her, the Bronx is stronger, brighter, and more
united.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Shirley for showing us the way. The northeast
Bronx and all of us are forever grateful.
Honoring Reverend Dr. Gloria Bradshaw-Brannigan
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a remarkable
public servant whose life exemplifies faith, dedication, and selfless
service: Reverend Dr. Gloria Bradshaw-Brannigan.
A Bronx native and the youngest daughter of the late Reverend Robert
Bradshaw and Mrs. Janie Bradshaw, Reverend Bradshaw carries forward a
powerful family legacy of ministry. As senior pastor of Mt. Bethel
Baptist Church, she leads a congregation with deep roots, serving
Harlem's community for 84 years before relocating in 2015 to continue
its vital outreach in the Bronx.
Under her guidance, the church remains a beacon of hope, providing
spiritual guidance, practical support, and unwavering love to countless
residents.
Yet, her calling knows no borders. Reverend Dr. Bradshaw has carried
the Gospel internationally, preaching at the Exodus Christian center in
Uganda, touching lives far beyond our borough.
Her credentials reflect a lifetime of disciplined study and
commitment: a
[[Page H2178]]
master's degree in Biblical studies from Alliance Theological Seminary,
completion of a CBI doctoral program, and ordination since February
1995.
These accomplishments are not mere titles. They fuel her passionate
vision for God's kingdom and for the flourishing of every person she
serves.
Mr. Speaker, in Reverend Dr. Gloria Bradshaw-Brannigan, we see what
true community leadership looks like: rooted in faith, driven by
compassion, and tireless in action.
The Bronx is stronger, more hopeful, and more faith-driven because of
her work. She stands as an inspiring example for anyone who aspires to
serve both their neighbors and their God.
Let us celebrate and emulate her extraordinary contributions. The
future is brighter because of leaders like her.
Honoring Alonzo de Castro
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the
extraordinary life and enduring legacy of Alonzo de Castro, a true
pillar of the Bronx and a devoted public servant who has embodied the
very best of American ideals.
Born in 1926 on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, 1 of 13
children, Mr. de Castro arrived in New York City in 1946 after serving
honorably in the United States Army.
Like countless immigrants before and since, he arrived with
determination and built a life of dignity through hard work and
service. He began his career at the Veterans Administration and rose
through the ranks of the U.S. Postal Service, eventually becoming a
director of 13 postal stations in Manhattan, a testament to his
reliability, leadership, and commitment to excellence.
{time} 1940
Mr. Speaker, in 1965 he chose the Bronx as his home and poured his
heart into its civic life. He served as a State committeeman, district
leader, and dedicated staff member to a former assemblyman.
He helped found the East of Laconia Community Association, which has
proudly awarded over 200 scholarships to deserving Bronx students,
opening doors to brighter futures.
Through St. Luke's Episcopal Church, he raised vital funds for
education and community needs, always putting people first.
His vision and persistence helped lay the foundation for the
Northeast Bronx YMCA, a transformative community resource dedicated in
2021.
As co-chair of the Northeast Bronx Community Coalition, he championed
this long-awaited center, ensuring generations of residents would have
access to programs that built strength, opportunity, and connection.
Mr. Speaker, Alonzo de Castro, affectionately known as Uncle Al,
symbolizes the promise of America: Service, sacrifice, perseverance,
and unbreakable community spirit. His legacy lives on in every young
person who earned a scholarship, every family strengthened by the YMCA,
and every corridor of the northeast Bronx lifted by his tireless
efforts.
The Bronx is forever grateful for this remarkable man who has shown
us what it means to give back. May we all strive to follow his
inspiring footsteps.
Honoring Julio Pabon
Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Julio
Pabon, a visionary, a fighter, and the heartbeat of the South Bronx for
over five decades.
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in our resilient borough, Julio never
waited for change. He built it. He founded the Coalition in Defense of
Puerto Rican and Hispanic Rights, the South Bronx Community
Association, the South Bronx Congress, and Discovery for Justice,
turning voices into power.
A pioneer in bilingual media, he launched ``La Hora Deportiva,'' one
of the first Spanish-English sports talk shows. He created Latino
Sports, establishing the prestigious LatinoMVP award, now embraced by
Major League Baseball, to celebrate Latino excellence when it was far
too often overlooked.
In a place too often defined by struggle, Julio chose to define the
South Bronx by its potential. His legacy of vision, perseverance, and
fierce cultural pride will inspire us always, and we thank him.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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