[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17016]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF HARLEM'S COMMUNITY LEADER DOROTHY MAE SKINNER

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                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 12, 2012

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of 
Harlem's community leader Dorothy Mae Skinner, who passed away on 
Monday, November 26, 2012. I first met Dorothy in my early years in the 
U.S. House of Representatives in her role as a community activist, 
concerned resident, and devoted parent.
  Dorothy was very engaged in the war on drugs in the 1970's and 1980's 
and became active with the New York City Police Department 30th and 
32nd Precincts and community councils. Dorothy was both friend and foe 
of the neighborhood drug dealers, for they all loved her but knew she 
was leading the fight against them, a fight she handily won. As 
President of the Block Association, she organized block parties, jazz 
mobiles, Halloween parties in Hamilton Park, and coordinated activities 
with the Police Athletic League (PAL).
  Dorothy Mae Skinner joined the Board of Directors of the West Harlem 
Group Assistance, Inc., one of Harlem's oldest and largest community 
based development organizations, which was established more than 30 
years ago to revitalize the under-invested West and Central Harlem 
communities--riddled with dilapidated and abandoned buildings.
  Dorothy served as Chairperson of West Harlem Group Assistance Board 
of Directors for over 20 years and served as the Secretary until her 
passing. She helped guide the vision of WHGA to recreate a community in 
which all responsible residents, community-based organizations, and 
other stakeholders are mobilized and firmly committed to working 
together willingly and cooperatively. This ensured that Harlem was 
positioned to enter the 21st century as a safe, socially stable, 
healthy, economically sound, well-educated and informed, and 
politically strong community.
  Dorothy Mae Skinner was born on June 22, 1926, to the late Herman and 
Gladys Harris. She was the eldest of 12 children born to that union. 
With that size family, Dorothy grew up with a great sense of family 
values, which continued with her own family. Dorothy met and married 
Robert Skinner on December 24, 1946. They were married for 34 years and 
were blessed with 6 children: (Butch) Robert, (D.G.) Dorian, Roberta, 
Rene, Diane, and Cheryl, whom she nurtured and cherished. She is pre-
deceased by her eleven siblings and her husband, Robert.
  Dorothy loved to travel and it did not matter if it was local or long 
distance. She continued to preach and teach family values, as she 
believed in family outings. Every weekend during the summer she would 
either take her children away, or send her children to the movies or 
penny arcade. Most people reserve a hotel room when going on vacation, 
but Dorothy would rent an apartment for a week to accommodate her 
children and their friends. She also organized yearly dude ranch trips 
during the summer and ski trips during the winter.
  Educated in the NYC public schools, Dorothy was a determined young 
woman who received her GED at age 35 and continued her education and 
attended City College of New York. She truly believed in education and 
was employed by the NYC Department of Education for a number of years, 
nurturing and caring for many young lives, until her retirement at age 
65. Many years later, as she would often sit on her stoop, former 
students, now grown, would stop by and chat with her.
  Dorothy was very involved in the Mt Pisgah Baptist Church where she 
served for several years as Deaconess. She was known to many as Mrs. 
Skinner, Dorothy, Grandma, or Grandma Dee. Dorothy enjoyed scratchoff 
and sometimes made a pretty penny too, which kept her scratching.
  Mr. Speaker, great women like our beloved Dorothy are precious gifts 
we temporarily have in this world, but their assistance, contributions 
and accomplishments are far remembered and everlasting. I ask you, my 
colleagues, to join me in celebrating the life of Dorothy Mae Skinner.

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