NY State Assemblymember Brian Cunningham honors women

At the 3rd Annual Women of Distinction Award, last Thursday evening, at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, State Assemblymember, for the 43rd District, Brian Cunningham paid tribute to some exceptionally brilliant and capable women who are members of the community and women who work tirelessly to improve their neighborhoods. In recognizing their work and the power breakers these women have become in the community, Assemblymember Brian Cunningham host an evening of appreciation, by honoring these Brooklyn women. These women have contributed overwhelmingly to medicine, education, government, community organizations and health care.

Dubbed women of excellence, phenomenal women, and essential women, the group of ten individually voiced their stories and expressed themselves, explaining how significant vigilance was for their journey, while maneuvering their responsibilities for their families, their professions and their communities.

The honorees who were profoundly congratulated by Assemblymember Cunningham was once again reminded that their services and dedication are strengthening and empowering their local communities. “Your work continues to strengthen our economic growth and improve employment opportunities for the communities,” Cunningham noted.

One of the evening’s speakers, Stephanie Hill Wilchfold director the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, upon congratulating all the honorees said, “strengthening our communities is the most important thing to do and our women are working to empower these communities at all levels local, city, state and in the neighborhoods…they are the ones fighting for the resources for our neighborhoods. We cannot rest, we cannot stop working,” Hill-Wilchfold stated. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum director also used the opportunity to thank State Assemblymember Brian Cunningham for recognizing these women who are fighting for the resources and future for the community

Hill-Wilchfold said the cultural communities are 15 percent of the driving forces for economic growth, in the community. The Brooklyn Museum director asked that the honorees remain courageous and continue to raise funds to help generate economic opportunities.

Acknowledging the work of the honorees also was Brooklyn’s Congresswoman for the 9th Congressional District, Yvette D. Clarke. She congratulated the women and stated that she understands their work and their struggles to preserve their legacy of service and the need for them to continue to invigorate kindness, and inspiration for others.

The indispensable women who were honored were Kalima Johnson, assistant professor and associate director of Advocacy and Partnership, Parkside Group; Dr. Redetha Abrahams-Nicholas, Downstate University, chapter president, UUP; Jamila Pringle-Fynes, president, NYC Black Women’s Political Club; Chinyere Vann, co-founder, SaChin Production Doula; Iyana Edwards, RN assistant head nurse at Kings County Hospital; Dorrett Levy, retired teacher; Valie Nero Reid, Hampton, Sterling, Virginia Place, Kingston Avenue Block Association president;  Morgan Monaco, president and park administrator, Prospect Park Alliance; Dr. Xellex Rivera, MA, MHC-LP, MPhil, chief program officer, HSNY and keynote speaker Stephanie Hill-Wilchfold.

Honoree, Dorrett Levy, an 81-year-old retired teacher closed the evening’s event with one of her classic quotations, “kindness is contagious so let us start a pandemic.”