GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN:
Assemblymember Pauline Rhodd
Cummings “The Reluctant Politician”
BY HONORABLE ANTHONY D.
ANDREWS, JR. ED.D.
This Black History month,
we celebrate the legacy of our
leaders, and remember those
who blazed a trail for others to
follow.
There are very few elected
public officials that have
made more of an impact than
Pauline Rhodd Cummings
in such a short span of time.
Pauline was elected to fill the
vacancy in the 31st Assembly
District that was created
when then Assemblymember
Gregory W. Meeks ran
for higher office and became
elected to Congress; replacing
the esteemed and powerful
Reverend Floyd H. Flake
of the Greater Allen A.M.E.
Church. Although a civic
leader at the time, she was
asked to consider running for
New York State Assembly by
then New York City Councilmember
AIRPORT V 8 OICE, JANUARY 2021
Juanita E. Watkins,
and initially balked at the
opportunity. Pauline was a
strong leader and President
of the Deerfield Civic Association,
but not extremely trusting
of elected officials and no
fan of politics.
I first met her when I was
brought to a meeting of the
Deerfield Civic Association
and Juanita disclosed that
she was interested in supporting
her for public office.
Juanita knew that I ran the
successful campaign of New
York City Councilmember
Thomas White Jr., and as a
protégé, wanted me to run the
field operation for her special
election. Although Pauline
trusted Juanita, it would take
a lot more convincing for her
to believe that she could actually
win the race and represent
the district which included
Far Rockaway, South
Ozone Park, Richmond Hill
and the vast tracts of land encompassing
JFK Airport.
Elected in 1998, she became
the first Caribbean born
woman elected to the New
York State Assembly. She garnered
the support of many Caribbean
born elected officials,
including CUNY Trustee and
then New York City Councilmember
Una Clarke and Assemblymember
Nick Perry.
She became an inspiration for
the growing Caribbean population
in the city and for young
people with Caribbean heritage
like myself, a role model.
Assemblymember Nick Perry
was one of the first people to
visit the office, and although
the delegation now includes
many Caribbean born members,
at the time it was only
the two of them. He quickly
discerned that now with two
members of Caribbean descent,
they could petition then
Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver to allow them to create
their own Caribbean Caucus.
I remember Pauline asking
me if that were possible and I
had to inform her that there
was no way the Speaker would
honor such an audacious request;
two people can partner,
but two people could not be
considered a caucus!
However, that didn’t stop
her from asking (it was request
quickly dismissed) and she
eventually won praises for her
sometimes “brash requests”
as a new Assemblymember.
During her brief time in the
legislature, she acquired millions
of dollars for her district
for economic development,
and healthcare. I remember
Councilmember Watkins once
trying to convince her that
she might be more diplomatic
in her advocacy for her constituents,
and Pauline stated
“I only want my fair share”!
This statement became her
calling card, and before she
finally succumbed to her long
battle with cancer, she had not
only made history, and left an
indelible imprint in New York
State government, but also the
residents of southeast Queens
which she represented so admirably.
Long live her memory and
may she rest in power, knowing
that she truly made a difference
in the lives of myself
and many others who worked
by her side to make a difference
in the community.
Assemblymember Pauline
Rhodd Cummings was truly a
champion for the people!
JFK Chapels’ homage to
Dr. Martin Luther King
Rabbi Ari Korenblit,
International
Synagogue ,JFK
Airport
“GETTING TO THE PROMISED
LAND”
On April 3, 1968, a night
before he was tragically assassinated,
Martin Luther
King delivered a sermon in a
church in Memphis, Tennessee.
At the end of his address,
he turned to the last day of
Moses’ life, when the man
who had led his people to
freedom was taken by God to
a mountain-top from which
he could see in the distance
the land he was not destined
to enter. That, said King, was
how he felt that night:
I just want to do God’s
will. And He’s allowed me to
go up to the mountain. And
I’ve looked over. And I’ve
seen the promised land. I
may not get there with you.
But I want you to know tonight
that we, as a people,
will get to the promised
land.
These are the thoughts
and prayers we all invoke
when in the immortal words
of Thomas Paine “These
are the times that try men’s
souls.”
Pastor Dabee,
CFTW Chapel –
JFK Airport
“STAND UP!”
On the anniversary of the
birth of Martin Luther King
Jr., I ask myself, what would
Dr. King say about what is
happening in these “United
States” – what would he say?
But knowing him, he already
said it – and lived it, for not
much has changed since his
time.
In 1965, preacher King
was speaking at Brown Chapel
in Selma, Alabama and
shared, “A man dies when
he refuses to stand up for
what is right; a man dies
when he refuses to stand up
for justice; a man dies when
he refuses to take a stand for
which is true.”
So, how do we explain
what is “right” today? What
does “justice” look like and
how authentic is the “truth”
today? In times of alternate
facts, partisan politics and
varying standards under the
law, we have a responsibility
to stand strong and to stand
tall for the greater good of humanity
– those among us now
and for those who come after
us. Stand up!
Father Chris
Piasta, Lady of the
Skies Chapel, JFK
Airport
“CHALLENGES”
Disasters will always
come and go, leaving their
victims either completely
broken or steeled and seasoned
and better able to face
the next crop of challenges
that may occur. (Nelson Mandela)
This year’s the celebration
of the Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Day comes
amid several challenges
that we face both, as individuals,
and as a larger
community. It is much easier
for us to focus on the
immediate effect than on
the long-term effect. Yet, it
is exactly the ultimate goal
that makes it so important
and difficult to achieve.
What moves people to action
is what they see and
feel, thus the pain is just
a symptom and indication
of a larger problem. That
is why all authentic spiritual
leaders agree: don’t
dismiss the pain until you
learn something from it,
or: don’t allow any challenge
to be wasted.
So, as we face these multiple
challenges this year, I
pray that we may see them as
opportunities, not necessary
evil. May we only have the
stamina and perseverance
of MLK, Nelson Mandela and
countless others as to use our
own gifts and the power of
unity among us to make the
world a better place in 2021
and beyond.