WIADCA former president, Jean Joseph addressing the launching of Caribbean
Carnival in August 2019. Photo by Nelson A. King
Caribbean Life, October 16-22, 2020 5
By Nelson A. King
Brooklyn Borough President Eric
Adams and Council Member Farah N.
Louis have joined other elected officials
in paying tribute to New York City’s
former First Lady Joyce B. Dinkins, who
died on Sunday at her home in Manhattan.
She was 89.
Mrs. Dinkins was the wife of David
N. Dinkins, the city’s first Black mayor,
who served only one term, from 1990 to
1994, before he was defeated by Rudolph
Giuliani.
“My heart is truly heavy over the
passing of Joyce Dinkins, a remarkable
woman who saw the best in every one
of us,” said Adams on Monday. “I felt a
special bond with our late First Lady, a
mother-son relationship that filled my
life with love and strength.
“I know that so many New Yorkers
join me in paying tribute to this champion
of our children and proud partner
to our former mayor to whom we offer
our deepest condolences,” he continued.
“May she rest in power, and may her
memory be a blessing to all who knew
and loved her.”
Louis, the daughter of Haitian immigrants,
who represents the 45th Council
District in Brooklyn, said on Tuesday that
the city mourns the loss of “a giant.”
“From Harlem to the Gracie Mansion,
First Lady Dinkins’ lifetime of public
service was remarkable,” said Louis,
co-chair of the Women’s Caucus in
the City Council. “She was a dynamic
woman who championed education, literacy,
expanded access to healthcare
and the arts.”
During her tenure, Louis noted that
Mrs. Dinkins served as an honorary
chair of the Mayor’s Task Force on Child
Abuse and the chairperson of “The First
Day Back to School Initiative,” which
was dedicated to providing New York
City children with the resources that
they need to excel in their academic
studies.
By Nelson A. King
The Brooklyn-based West Indian
American Day Carnival Association
(WIADCA), organizer of the annual,
massive West Indian American Day
Carnival Parade on Brooklyn’s Eastern
Parkawy, on Monday dismissed serious
charges by outgoing president Jean
Joseph, saying that she occupied “no
special powers” beyond her title.
“The organization’s president is chosen
from the Board by the board of
directors and occupies no special powers
beyond that designation,” said WIADCA
spokesman Dr. Hank Sheinkopf in
response to questions posed by Caribbean
Life over Joseph’s resignation in
which she claimed, among other allegations,
in her resignation letter, circulated
widely to the media and in some
quarters, that, since becoming president
in April 2018, she was “assailed
and treated with the utmost disrespect
by our Board of Directors.”
“The Board acted entirely within
its authority, as clearly stated in the
organization by-laws, and acted entirely
with approval of our legal counsel,” Dr.
Sheinkopf added.
In her resignation letter, dated Sept.
25, but made available to Caribbean
Life on Oct. 8, the Dominican-born
Joseph, a certified public accountant
(CPA), claimed that she was “unable to
act in my capacity as president, regardless
of whatever efforts I have made.
“The internal disputes would result
in ridiculous arguments as to the powers
of the president,” she charged,
claiming, for example, that the board
removed four members “without following
any protocol or process.
“They gave these members no say
or opportunity to defend themselves,”
alleged Joseph without identifying the
four members. “This outrageous act
has been vigorously opposed by me to
no avail.”
But Dr. Sheinkopf retorted that the
charges raised by those former board
members were “inaccurate.”
“It was an honest discussion attended
by counsel,” he said, adding that
“it would be inappropriate to disclose
the content of the meetings held while
those individuals were in attendance.”
He also did not identify the four
members.
The former president also charged
that the board “has made every effort
to strip away my powers,” and that her
only role was to “attend meetings and
be abused by board members.
“This has included my being forbidden
to talk with elected officials, or to
sign contracts,” Joseph claimed. “I can’t
act in any capacity as the head of the
organization.
“I can’t talk to our bank and have
no access to our financial records,”
she added. “I have been locked out of
the office and have no access to the
mail. I have also been excluded from
the e-mails relating to board business.
My inability to talk to the public, our
sponsors and our elected officials has
resulted in much confusion with these
groups.
“I can live with the insults and can
accept that we can have disagreements,
but I cannot accept the disrespect and
disparaging remarks, which are made
about me personally and my professional
career,” continued Joseph in her
allegations. “This has been at the very
least unsettling and at worst libelous.”
But, even with the charges levelled
against the WIADCA Board, Joseph said
she will “continue as a Board member
of this wonderful organization and offer
my services to all who ask for them.
“It is my hope that this resignation
will best serve WIADCA,” she wrote. “I
know that we all must come together to
make our organization succeed.
“If my withdrawing as president will
help to do so, then let it be God’s will,”
she added. “I leave proud of my accomplishments
and proud to have served as
your president.”
But Dr. Sheinkopf said Joseph’s resignation
letter “specified her self-removal
from all organization positions.”
He said WIADCA was “moving forward,
servicing our community with
impactful programming.
“In the COVID crisis, we are providing
food, protective gear, school and
baby supplies,” he said. “We have been
in business for 53 years. All organizations
go through changes. We grow
and adjust. Change is never easy. We
wish all well.”
In an earlier press statement, on Oct.
8, Dr. Sheinkopf said WIADCA Board
of Directors “accepts the resignation
of our president.
“As we navigate through this change
on our board, we move forward with
our commitment to year-round educational
programming and initiatives.
“Nothing will deter us from our
mission,” he affirmed. “The president
served as a member of the board. We
are thankful for her service and wish
her well.”
Dr. Sheinkopf said WIADCA will soon
announce the appointment of a new
president, along with organizational
updates.
“We look forward to next year’s annual
event and pray daily for the end to the
COVID-19 pandemic plaguing our communities,”
he said.
Former New York City mayor
David Dinkins and his wife Joyce
(R) attend the funeral for Gordon
Parks at New York’s Riverside
Church, March 14, 2006. REUTERS /
Mike Segar, File
WIADCA dismisses charges
by outgoing president
Adams, Louis pay
tribute to NYC
former First Lady
Joyce B. Dinkins