By Tangerine Clarke
The Brooklyn Woman’s Bar
Association, on Feb. 18, honored
NYC legislator of the New
York State Assembly, Rodneyse
Bichotte, at its 2nd Annual
Black History Month celebration
attended by many judges
and lawyers, at its headquarters
on Remsen Street in Brooklyn.
Bichotte, the first African-
American woman, and first
woman, to be nominated as
Kings County Democratic
Party Leader — dubbed ‘party
boss’ was celebrated for her
excellent achievements and
outstanding community service,
and presented with a plaque
by President, Meryl Schwartz,
Esq., and in-coming President,
Natoya McGhie, Esq. who also,
read Bichotte’s remarkable
biography.
Brooklyn District Attorney,
Eric Gonzalez honored
and paid tribute to Bichotte
applauding her for paying a
pivotal role by helping to shape
the judiciary.
“Today we honor and
acknowledge her achievements
as the first African-American,
and the first woman to be nominated
Caribbean L 16 ife, Feb. 28-Mar. 5, 2020
as county leader. I have
known Rodneyse for many
years, I believe in her, and I
know her decisions will continue
to help Brooklyn, in terms of
public safety and fairness.
“I will work closely with her
to make sure the message of
fairness, and judges rights to
speak out. I will continue to
fight for the belief that judges
can be fair,” said Gonzales.
“I am super happy and proud
of you, Rodneyse,” said Gonzalez,
who recalled while campaigning
for the DA’s office,
asked Bichotte to share her
thoughts about what the justice
system needed to look
like, and admits, that many
of the reforms that his office
have implemented over the last
three years, came from conversations
he had with the assemblywoman.
“I am proud to acknowledge
her in Black History Month.
She fights for the underdog,
and will be to a great county
leader, she is a groundbreaking
person for a lot of reasons,” he
concluded.
In addressing the gathering,
emceed by Sylvia O. Hinds-
Radix and officiated by Sylvia
Ash, Bichotte spoke of her trials
and tribulations growing
up in a Haitian household in
Brooklyn, where her parents’
dreams were for her to aspire
to the medical field.
She, however, loved calculus,
thus becoming a mathematics
and engineering professional,
never wavering in her
quest to succeed, going on to
become, one of the Borough’s
most powerful advocates, who
used her many unfortunate
situations and trauma of being
raped, losing a child, and a
father to cancer of the throat,
to enact reform and change the
system, while serving in many
capacities.
As assemblywoman in the
45th District, Bichotte introduced
Jeremiah’s Law to protect
minors against false reporting
Honoree, Assemblywoman, Rodneyse Bichotte addressing
an audience of judges, lawyers and community leaders, at
the 2nd Annual Black History Month celebration at its headquarters
on 123 Remsen St., Brooklyn.
Photo by Tangerine Clarke
after Jeremiah, a 9-yearold
African-American boy, was
wrongfully accused. She also
introduced legislation to protect
minors from false reports
against them.
Bichotte, who was appointed
to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s
Advisory Council on Domestic
Violence said there were
more women than ever in
the judiciary, thanks to her
mentorship. She is passionate
about voter reform and listed
many instances that would
help LGBTQ, women, minority
and the poor to be treated
fairly, driving home the fact
that women were not limited to
doing just one thing.
Rodneyse Bichotte honored
at Black History event
2020 marks 60 years of serving our communities.
Looking back, the
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our neighbors, friends and
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Steven A. Tsavaris, Executive Chairman
and Carlos P. Naudon, President and Chief Executive Officer
Member FDIC
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