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QUEENS WEEKLY, DEC. 15, 2019
QUEENS-BASED WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION
CELEBRATES OPENING OF NEW FACILITY
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Following a $3 million renovation,
a New York-based women’s
organization has a new and permanent
home in Bayside‘s Fort
Totten.
On Sunday, Dec. 8, the Center
for the Women of New York
(CWNY) celebrated the grand
opening of its new facility at 207
Totten Ave. According to CWNY
founder Ann Juliano Jawin, the
multipurpose facility will serve
as a holistic resource for women
looking for legal and career advice
as well as for victims of domestic
violence.
In 1987, Jawin established
CWNY along with other professionals
and businesswomen in the
community. Since its inception,
the nonprofit has worked to provide
“full equity for women, advocating
for their rights and focusing
on their unmet needs.”
Prior to opening the new facility,
the Center had a building at
401 Weaver St. in Fort Totten in
addition to operating out of space
in Borough Hall that Melinda Katz
donated. After five years, the city
evicted CWNY, resulting in a legal
battle between the two parties.
As a compromise, the city gave
the Center an opportunity to restore
the historic landmark building
at 207 Totten Ave., which had
not been used or maintained for 35
years. The Center signed a lease
with the Parks Department and
began raising funds for the expensive
project.
“The new building will allow
the Center to expand its function
with corresponding opportunities
to reach many more women,” said
Ann Jawin cuts the ribbon to mark the grand opening of the new CWNY facility in Fort Totten. Photo by Dean Moses
Jawin. “The renovation of this
beautiful historic building will allow
not only a ‘home’ for the Center
but also permit space for a wider
variety of programs. One-third of
the building will be used for a women’s
history and culture museum,
another third for career exploration
and training, and the third as
a Conference Center where organizations
with similar missions can
come together and act as a ‘think
tank’ to work on the long-standing
issues of reproductive rights, domestic
violence, pay equity and
related women’s issues.”
Project funding came from Borough
President Melinda Katz, Assemblymen
Edward Braunstein
and David Weprin, Councilman
Paul Vallone, former Assemblywoman
Ann-Margaret Carrozza
and private donors.
The Center will occupy the
building’s first floor while they
raise funds to renovate the additional
floors and install an
elevator.
“Congratulations to the Center
for the Women of New
York for its new building in Fort
Totten and to its tenacious founder
Ann Jawin for her unwavering
dedication to improving the lives
of women throughout New York
City,” said Braunstein. “As a result
of Ms. Jawin’s remarkable perseverance
during a 16-year battle,
we have a beautiful facility in our
community that will include a
research, conference, and career
education center, as well as a living
museum dedicated to women’s
rights.”
Jawin was a vocal part of the
“second-wave” of women’s liberation
in the 1970s. During that time,
she joined the National Organization
for Women (NOW) and became
chair of the Task Force for
Education and Employment.
Under her leadership, the Center
has tackled issues including
the elimination of sex trafficking,
pay equity, reproductive rights as
well as the history of the women’s
movement.
“I applaud Ann Jawin for her
strategic vision and Herculean efforts
to make this a reality,” said
Carrozza. “With its beautiful new
permanent home, CWNY can expand
programs and help many
more women to achieve their full
potential.”
To learn more, visit www.cwny.
org or find the Center on Facebook.
Reach reporter Jenna Bagcal
by e-mail at jbagcal@qns.com or by
phone at (718) 260-2583.
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