40 The Courier SUN • APRIL 2, 2015 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com ‘Sheroes’: Weaving the Stories of Women Yes, a new word was invented in the Brooklyn jury room, “shero,” as the Civil and Supreme Court Gender Fairness Committee with the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association celebrated Women’s History Month by recognizing four extraordinary women when they presented “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.” I was delighted to be invited by honoree Dilia Schack and my “sister,” Hon. Sylvia G. Ash. Hon. Genine D. Edwards began the celebrations, and I heard the extraordinary life journeys taken by the four esteemed honorees, Assemblywomen Annette Robinson and Jo Anne Simon, Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna and District Leader Dilia Schack. Each one has made the borough of Brooklyn better by their contributions and dedication to the communities they represent. Assemblywoman Robinson has devoted her adult life to public service and community affairs in Bedford Stuyvesant, and since February, 2002, as a New York State assemblywoman, she has made her agenda protecting children and families, creating jobs and helping lift people out of poverty. Her tireless efforts have made a difference in all our lives. Then, I was amazed to hear the varied career of Jo Anne Simon, who was just elected to the 52nd Assembly District in 2014. As a lawyer, she developed a national reputation with a practice specializing in disability civil rights, something very dear to me. She came to that from being a teacher and advocate for deaf and deaf-blind children. Devoting over 20 years of her life to her fight for people with disabilities, she has also been president of the Boerum Hill Association, fighting for her community on many levels. In 2012, Jo Anne had the guts to run against disgraced Kings County Democratic Chair Vito Lopez in an effort to replace him as county leader. We are blessed to have her fighting intelligently, knowledgeably and sensitively for people with disabilities. Then, I was delighted that our Latino Star of 2014, Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna, was an honoree in the packed room. She came up with a typed speech but spoke extemporaneously from her heart about her remarkable journey to where she is today. She is the first woman of Dominican heritage to be elected to office in New York State. She held the crowd of judges on their lunch break spellbound. She is a brilliant, inspiring speaker. Now living in Bushwick with her husband, a sergeant in the New York City Police Department, and her two boys, she is a tireless advocate for the 2.6 million residents of Brooklyn. We are so fortunate that she has focused her life on public service. The fourth honoree was one of my Top Women In Business, the indomitable, devoted Dilia R. Schack. She spoke about her journey in Brooklyn from humble Puerto Rican roots where not much was expected of her to the dynamic, successful, brilliant woman she is recognized as today. She shared her journey beginning in 1968, speaking of her nearly 34-year career in education, beginning as a paraprofessional, then a teacher, having earned over multiple years her BA from Brooklyn College. But that wasn’t enough. She represented teachers locally and nationally, and has been a tireless community activist honored frequently for her enormous impact in the Bay Ridge area. Her devoted husband Arthur is a New York Supreme Court judge and they have two successful children. She is a role model of success, serving now as the district leader in the 46th Assembly District, and I was so grateful to be honored last month by her club, the Shorefront Democratic Club, as their Woman of the Year. The moving afternoon, hearing the awesome stories of each woman’s personal journey, closed with remarks from Supreme Court Judge Sylvia Ash. I loved her quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “A woman is like a tea bag; you don’t know how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” What a powerful afternoon! victoria’s secrets VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS vschneps@gmail.com Dynamic $1000 off Lumineers $500 off Invisalign DENTAL WORK Free Whitening included the inViSiBle WAy to Some excluSionS Apply StrAighten teeth third generation dentist 175-15 Jamaica avenue, Jamaica 718-297-4100 • 718-297-4106 Whirlwind week He writes the songs... I’m becoming a concert junkie. John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s fundraising concert was 40 years ago. It helped to raise $250,000 for my Life’s WORC, an organization devoted to people with disabilities, and three other groups. Fast forward to last month and I was invited to see the remarkable Billy Joel at the stunning Madison Square Garden sitting in suite seats. I forgot how much fun concerts can be. A few days after, I heard that my childhood romantic favorite artist Barry Manilow was coming to Nassau Coliseum in what he was calling his “One Last Time!” show. It had just been my birthday and my girls asked me what I wanted and within a blink of my eyes, I said, “Let’s all go to see Barry Manilow and share dinner,” and so it was! It was a WOW magical night. He held the middleaged, sold-out, screaming crowd in his hands. We all adored him and his voice is as strong at 72 years old as when he was a kid growing up in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg, then a tough neighborhood for a kid who admittedly was not. That night, for 90 minutes, he sang his heart out and so did the audience. We swayed, we sang and I even cried as he belted out “I Made It Through the Rain.” He started the show to thunderous applause by saying, “It’s going to be magic tonight....I’m finally home and I can talk as fast as I want!” We all bonded with him and I adored hearing all my old favorites like “Mandy,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” his iconic “I Write the Songs,”.....and, of course, “Copacabana.” A night to cherish forever! Thank you for the memories, Barry. He will be appearing again on June 17 on his 72nd birthday at Barclays Center. Don’t miss it! tweet me @vschneps Barry Manilow at Nassau Coliseum Honorees (front row, left to right) Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon, Assemblywoman Annette Robinson, Deputy Borough President Diana Reyna and District Leader Dilia Schack with members of the committee
SC04022015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above