Gale Brewer
Gale Brewer is Manhattan Borough President.
"March For Racial Justice"
Gale Brewer, National Women's Political Caucus sponsored a January 18, 1988 "March For Racial Justice" to NYC Town Hall. Other sponsors included the Communist Party USA, U.S. Peace Council, the Socialist Workers Party, and Young Socialist Alliance.[1]
Gale Brewer with the Lin Sing Association
Gale Brewer dined with the Lin Sing Association in Chinatown on February 28 2020.[2]
Matewan showing
Monday May 1, 1989 New York Democratic Socialists of America sponsored a showing of the pro-union film "Matewan" in solidarity with striking Eastern Airlines workers. Gale Brewer added her name to the sponsoring committee.
Praising Margaret Chin
In January 2014, after winning a tough re-election campaign against a much younger opponent with little political experience, Councilmember Margaret Chin showed off her own strong political ties as she entered a second term at her inauguration.
Chin was also praised — always professionally, but sometimes on a deeply personal level — by Sen. Chuck Schumer, House Representatives Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Borough President Gale Brewer, and State Sen. Daniel Squadron.[3]
Metropolitan College gala
Metropolitan College of New York celebrated its founding with a 50th Anniversary Gala, Thursday, October 23, 2014 at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. Themed, “Amplify the Dream”; the Gala highlighted the school’s dynamic history. The Gala’s honorary chair was Mayor David Dinkins, New York City’s first Black mayor.
“I am honored to serve as honorary chair of MCNY’s Anniversary Gala,” said Mayor Dinkins. “For half a century, MCNY has not only produced professional citizens in New York City, but those who are also socially-responsible and share a commitment to give back and make our society a better place for all New Yorkers.”
The distinguished members of the honorary committee include: Mayor Bill de Blasio, Gale Brewer, Manhattan Borough President; Ruben Diaz, Jr., Bronx Borough President; Senator Kirsten Gillibrand; Carmen de Lavallade and the late Geoffrey Holder; Fernando Ferrer, Vice Chairman, MTA and former Bronx President; Ruth Messinger, President, American Jewish World Service; Senator Charles E. Schumer and Reverend Al Sharpton. The Gala honorees include: Helen LaKelly Hunt (Changemaker), Dr. Edison O. Jackson (Trailblazer) and R. Rick Baker (Champion). Sargent Shriver was honored posthumously.[4]
Communist gathering/"We're Not Going Back"
March 2015, a crowd of New Yorkers lined up at the security desk in order to make their way up to the third floor to Melba's Restaurant and the annual "We're Not Going Back" celebration of African American culture and struggle.
2014's guest speaker was Angela Davis, and the occasion was held downtown at the Henry Winston Unity Hall. This year's featured speaker was the newly elected mayor of Newark, the Honorable Ras Baraka.
The meeting's theme was "Support City Officials Who Fight for Equality, a Living Wage and Against Racism."
Estevan Bassett-Nembhard, New York organizer of the Communist Party USA, opened the program, greeting the over 200 participants and emphasizing the need for unity in the vital struggle to end racism. "We stand on the shoulders of those who defeated slavery and Jim Crow. Our history tells us that united we stand and divided we fall." He continued, "We're not going back! Our pledge is to stick together."
Naquasia LeGrand chaired the event, winning a round of applause when she announced that she was a fast food worker and an organizer of that movement.
A large and politically diverse host committee was formed to welcome Mayor Baraka, including representatives from labor, fast-food workers, police reform, immigrant rights, LGBTQ, religious and peace and justice movements. Among them were Alisha Garner, the sister of Eric Garner murdered by police on Staten Island, and elected officials including State Senator Bill Perkins, State Assemblyman Keith Wright, along with a representative of City Council member Ydanis Rodriguez. Baraka received proclamations from Perkins, Wright and Rodriguez. He also received a letter of welcome from Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer stopped by briefly to greet the gathering crowd.
As the evening ended one participant said, "This was a great event that showed that left and center forces in our city can work together to build principled unity and a stronger movement to help defeat racism and poverty."[5]
Rally for DACA
New York City: October 5, 2017, the Asian American Federation held a rally at Trump Tower with our member agencies and leading immigrant advocacy groups to speak out in support of Asian American Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, who are being impacted by the dissolution of the DACA program under the Trump administration. Twenty-three organizations and nearly 200 New Yorkers, including Congresswoman Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the Asian American Federation, Grace Meng, Council Member Margaret Chin, Assemblymember Yuh-line Niou, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and Comptroller Scott Stringer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Mayor Bill de Blasio Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Assemblyman Ron Kim, Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, Public Advocate Letitia James, Council Member Daniel Dromm, Council Member Rory Lancman, Steven Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, Margaret Fung, executive director of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Christopher Kui, executive director of Asian Americans for Equality, Annetta Seecharran, executive director of Chhaya Community Development Corporation, Mae Lee, executive director of the Chinese Progressive Association (New York), Wayne Ho, executive director of the Chinese-American Planning Council, Kavita Mehra, executive director of Sakhi for South Asian Women, Robina Niaz, executive director of Turning Point for Women and Families, joined hands with the Federation to defend the future of our DREAMers.
Rally Co-Sponsors: Adhikaar, Alliance of South Asian American Labor, Arab American Association of New York, Asian American Arts Alliance, Asian American Bar Association of New York, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Americans for Equality, Chhaya Community Development Corporation, Chinese-American Planning Council, Chinese Progressive Association (New York), Council of People’s Organization, Desis Rising Up and Moving, Japanese American Association of New York, Japanese American Social Services, Inc., Korean American Family Service Center, Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, MinKwon Center for Community Action, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, New York Immigration Coalition, OCA-NY, Sakhi for South Asian Women, Turning Point for Women and Families, University Settlement.[6]
Remembering Vito Marcantonio
On Sunday afternoon, December 17 2017, a crowd of about 50 people gathered for a ceremony marking the renaming of the NE corner of 116th Street and Lexington Avenue in New York as “Vito Marcantonio Lucky Corner.” Vito Marcantonio, who represented East Harlem in Congress for seven terms from 1935 to 1951, would, like his mentor and close friend Fiorello La Guardia before him, wrap up his political campaigns with a rally on this corner.
This street-naming not only has been a long-term goal for the Vito Marcantonio Forum (VMF) but also was a goal of the outgoing NYC Council speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito, who was instrumental in making it happen.
The event was emceed by Mark-Viverito herself who, in her opening remarks, emphasized the importance of naming this particular corner in honor of Marcantonio. She said he was “a champion for all the people,” who not only was a fighter against Jim Crow, but also a champion of Puerto Rican independence.
Referring directly to Marcantonio as one of her role models, the speaker said, “I have remembered those who have come before me and guided me as I moved forward representing East Harlem and the South Bronx: Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Evelina Lopez Antonetty, and Vito Marcantonio —all champions of the working class.” Also in her remarks Mark-Viverito gave a nod to her deputy chief of staff, Diana Ayala, who will be taking her seat on the city council.
Also addressing the crowd was a special guest, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, who came to the event even though she was not on the program.
Mark-Viverito and Brewer were directly followed by a reading of Gil Fagiani’s poem, the “Litany of San Vito,” which he wrote in tribute to Marcantonio. The poem was read in English, Italian, and Spanish by Chris Bell, Maria Lisella, and Gloria Quinones, respectively.
Frank Marcantonio, the son of Vito’s brother, spoke for the family, remarking that although he never met Vito Marcantonio, he was influenced by him.
Attorney and community activist Gloria Quinones, who played an important role in speaker Mark-Viverito’s political career, spoke of Marcantonio as a source of guidance and inspiration for today’s leaders.
Gerald Meyer, co-chair of the VMF, spoke briefly about the historical significance of the renaming of the corner. He noted that the dedication of Lucky Corner reminds the progressive community that it needs traditions and memorials associated with a “people’s history.” He also said the Vito Marcantonio Forum looks forward to memorializing other sites associated with the life and work of this great spokesperson of all those who had been left out of the American Dream.
At the end of the dedication, actor and VMF co-chair Roberto Ragone, did a dramatic interpretation of excerpts from several of Marcantonio’s speeches, including an extract from a speech he gave on that very corner in 1950, during his campaign for mayor.[7]
People's Climate March endorsements
According to their website:[8]
- "Here are some of the leading artists, athletes and influencers helping to spread the word about the People's Climate March, including Gale Brewer."
References
- ↑ March poster
- ↑ Tweet dated March 1 2020 (accessed April 21 2020)
- ↑ Express, Powerful come to see Chin sworn in at Chinatown school January 7, 2014
- ↑ METROPOLITAN COLLEGE OF NEW YORK HOSTS 50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA 20 October, 2014
- ↑ PW, Mayor Ras Baraka tops Harlem evening of black culture and struggle by: Jarvis Tyner March 18 2015
- ↑ [http://aafederation.org/press/pressrelease.asp?prid=366&y=2017Asian American Federation, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/6/2017 CONTACT: Jo-Ann Yoo, Asian Americans Rally in Support of DACA and TPS]
- ↑ [https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/overdue-recognition-for-a-champion-of-the-people-vito-marcantonio/PW Overdue recognition for a champion of the people: Vito Marcantonio December 20, 2017 2:34 PM CST BY GABE FALSETTA AND GARY BONO]
- ↑ Accessed April 26 2018