MARTY CELEBRATES "HERSTORY"

BP MARKOWITZ, DEPUTY BP GRAHAM CELEBRATE WOMEN'S "HERSTORY" AT BROOKLYN BOROUGH HALL

Annual event, held in conjunction with Women's History Month, honors contributions of Brooklyn women to the arts, sciences and business

On Thursday, March 24, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham hosted the annual Women's Herstory Induction Ceremony and Reception at Brooklyn Borough Hall. The event honors women in Brooklyn who have excelled in the arts, sciences, business and public service.

"Brooklyn has shown the world what strong, independent women can accomplish and how much they can do when given the tools to reach the zenith of their God-given ability," said BP Markowitz. "Because when women are held back, when women are not free to pursue their dreams, all of humankind suffers. The potential of a better world--a world of peace--eludes us as long as there is even one nation in the world where women are not free. Each of today's honorees is an example of how women can soar."

"Along with continuing to fight for the issues that are important to all women--from education and equal pay to legislative representation and keeping younger women connected to the issues--another issue that should top our agenda is health care," said Deputy BP Graham. "Recent legislative assaults threaten to eliminate health care for millions of women and girls who need it most. By denying federal funds for preventive services like cervical cancer screenings, breast exams, routing checkups, blood work and other basic reproductive health services, legislators are sending the signal loud and clear that they don't really care about low-income, uninsured women and families as well as those suffering from the current economic downtown."

This year's honorees:

The Lucy Burns Activist Award (named for the Brooklynite who helped spearhead the suffrage movement) was awarded to Michelle Neugebauer, executive director of the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation.

Safiya Bandele, director of the Women's Center at Medgar Evers College, received the Shirley Chisholm Leadership Award, named for the Brooklynite who was the first black woman to win a seat in Congress and run for President of the United States. 

The Emily Roebling Stewardship Award, named for the woman who served as one of the chief engineers for the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, went to Martha Kamber, executive director of the YWCA of Brooklyn, Third Avenue.

Nancy Umanoff, executive director of the Mark Morris Dance Group, accepted the Betty Smith Arts Award, named for the author of the classic novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

The Lady Deborah Moody Founders Award, named for the woman who founded Gravesend and became the only woman to found a permanent settlement in early colonial America, was awarded to Malaak Compton-Rock, founder of the Angel Rock Project.

Dr. Linda A. Brady, president & CEO of Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, was awarded the Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Humanitarian Award, named for the first black woman to be licensed as a doctor in the state of New York.

In photo (left to right): Safiya Bandele; Michelle Neugebauer; Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez; BP Markowitz; Nancy Umanoff; Martha Kamber; Enid Dillard (accepting for Dr. Linda A. Brady); and Deputy BP Yvonne Graham. Not pictured: Malaak Compton-Rock