[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6489-6490]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




METROPOLITAN COLLEGE OF NEW YORK CELEBRATES WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH WITH 
                           EMPOWERMENT AWARDS

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                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 27, 2006

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize three outstanding 
New York City women: Inez Dickens, Yvette Clarke and Rosemonde Pierre-
Louis, as the recent recipients of the first Annual Metropolitan 
College of New York Women's Empowerment Awards and to enter into the 
Record an article from the New York CaribNews entitled ``Women's 
History Month With Empowerment Awards,'' that salutes their 
achievements in their fields. These three ladies were truly deserving 
of the accolades bestowed upon them during National Women's History 
Month, at a gala recognition ceremony held at Metropolitan College on 
March 20, 2006.
  March of each year symbolizes Women's History Month. This time is set 
aside to honor all women with particular emphasis on the extraordinary 
contributions of women who actively make a difference in the daily 
lives of others. The three honorees for the Metropolitan College of New 
York's Women's Empowerment Awards have made notable contributions to 
furthering the causes of Diversity, Education and Public Service. New 
York City Council members Inez Dickens and Yvette Clarke, along with 
the Deputy Manhattan Borough President Rosemonde Pierre-Louis, were the 
honorees whose stellar careers and accomplishments merited this special 
recognition.
  To quote and agree with the MCNY President Stephen R. Greenwald, ``. 
. . Each of our honorees represents a model of success for our students 
and for all New Yorkers.'' While giving eloquent and sincere award 
acceptance speeches each honoree spoke of their values and the 
motivating forces that guided their careers. They also stressed the 
importance of community activism as they encouraged the audience to 
step up and make a difference.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the first Annual Metropolitan College of New 
York for their decision to select and recognize Inez Dickens, Yvette 
Clarke and Rosemonde Pierre-Louis for their contributions to humanity. 
These trailblazers are very much deserving of the Women's Empowerment 
Awards.

              [From the New York CaribNews, Apr. 4, 2006]

Metropolitan College of New York Celebrates Women's History Month With 
                           Empowerment Awards

       Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) celebrated Women's 
     History Month with the

[[Page 6490]]

     First Annual MCNY Women's Empowerment Awards for 
     Contributions to Diversity, Education and Public Service on 
     Monday, March 20 in the College's Student Lounge. The 
     inaugural Women's Empowerment Awards were bestowed upon New 
     York City Council members Yvette Clarke and Inez Dickens and 
     Deputy Manhattan Borough President Rosemonde Pierre-Louis. 
     MCNY President Stephen R. Greenwald welcomed the honorees, 
     MCNY students, faculty and guests to the event and MCNY 
     Alumna Lori N. Jones-Dessalines, Founder, President, and 
     Center Director for Achievers of New York, Inc. Math Center 
     in West Hempstead, Long Island, served as Mistress of 
     Ceremonies.
       ``We are delighted to honor the achievements of these three 
     outstanding New York City officials. In some ways, their 
     accomplishments echo the pioneering work that Audrey Cohen 
     began when she founded the Women's Talent Corps in 1964--the 
     precursor to Metropolitan College of New York. Each of our 
     honorees represents a model of success for our students and 
     for all New Yorkers,'' said Mr. Greenwald.
       Councilmember Yvette Clarke credited her parents' community 
     activism with motivating her to become a public servant. She 
     also encouraged the students in the audience, the majority of 
     who were women, to become active in their respective 
     communities.
       ``I stand on the shoulders of many women who serve our City 
     daily on community boards, in block associations, PTAs, 
     tenant associations--women who are the unsung heroines of our 
     City. It is on their behalf that I accept this award,'' Ms. 
     Clarke noted.
       Council member Inez Dickens departed from her prepared 
     remarks to tell the students a bit about her family history. 
     Her family left Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1920's to escape the 
     racially motivated violence against African Americans. In the 
     course of one day, more than 10,000 whites gathered and 
     setting fire to every building standing, leveled 35 square 
     blocks, murdered, raped and robbed, and committed other 
     atrocities against African Americans. They used machine guns 
     and airplanes that dropped nitroglycerin and dynamite in an 
     all out attack on the African American section of town. The 
     Dickens family moved first to Canada and then settled in 
     Harlem where Councilmember Dickens' uncle, then her father, 
     were among the first African-American elected officials in 
     the New York State legislature.
       Deputy Manhattan Borough President Rosemonde Pierre-Louis 
     encouraged the students to seek creative ways to be involved 
     in public service. Stressing the importance of activism, she 
     outlined many of the initiatives she spearheaded in her role 
     as an attorney and an advocate for battered and other women's 
     issues. She added, with the pride of achievement, that in 
     2006 she is the first Haitian American woman to hold a 
     significant public appointment in New York.

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