FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 14, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 75
VICTORIA’S SOMOS power event in Puerto Rico
vschneps@gmail.com
Last year I was invited by
my friend Todd Shapiro
to attend the multi-day
SOMOS conference in Puerto
Rico. It was such an extraordinary
networking and learning
opportunity that I decided to go
again this year. I’m so glad I did.
Besides escaping the cold
New York weather, I knew
my friends Joyce and Frank
Seddio (my lawyer) would
be there and I love their
company.
Th e purpose of the conference
is to bring New York
State leaders to celebrate
Puerto Rico, provide aid to
the residents of the island
and attend workshops,
which were as diverse as the
people who attended.
Vibrant, informative
speakers “educated” us
on many issues, from discussing
the Jones Act
Councilman Daniel Dromm
with Speaker Corey Johnson.
about shipping issues, to
new workshops about the
LBGTQ community, and discussing
women’s infl uence with
the recovery eff orts on the island.
Th is was the fi rst year a woman
headed the conference, and the
conference subjects refl ected her
sensitivities.
Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced (third from
right) receives an award at the Entre Nosotras luncheon.
Maritza Davila, the smart
and savvy Assemblywoman
from Bushwick, Brooklyn, who
looked stunning in her sparkling
sequined silver dress, lead
the conference by welcoming
Governor Cuomo to begin the
Joyce Seddio shares a hug with
Governor Cuomo.
powerful weekend.
Part of SOMOS’ (which is
translated to “we are”) mission is
to give back to Puerto Rican citizens
who are still suff ering from
the tragic Hurricane Dorian.
Most of the conference was
held at the El San Juan Hotel,
which has been restored; but at
the end of our stay, the hotel and
several other tourist locations lost
water due to a broken city water
main. Th e InterContinental San
Juan hotel next door was closed
due to renovations and the Ritz
Carlton was closed. Tourism is
down 25 percent following the
hurricane and Puerto Rico needs
our dollars and tourism — the
beaches are beautiful and the
streets are safe.
Several humanitarian eff orts
were brought to the island, too.
Rabbi Mendel and Rachel
Zarchi at the Chabad House
of San Juan hosted with the
Metropolitan Council on
Jewish Poverty a dessert party
honoring New York State
Speaker Carl Heastie, U.S.
Congressman Adriano Espillat,
and Henry Garrido (Executive
Director of DC 37).
I love how the conference has
grown to bring people together
from many faiths, races and
nationalities. I got to meet the
new Governor of Puerto Rico,
a stunning well-spoken woman
Wanda Vázquez Garced.
Maritza Davila recognized
her at an awards ceremony
with Assemblywoman Carmen
Arroyo, the honorary chair of
Entre Nosotras.
Th e highlight for me was the
opportunity to sit in the hotel
lobby and at the pool while mingling
with many of our state’s
labor, business and political leaders
while also enjoying the sun. It
doesn’t get better than that!
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State Senator Toby Stavisky with Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, City
Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz, City Councilman Donovan Richards,
Congressman Greg Meeks, and Assemblyman David Weprin.
Governor
Cuomo with
Assemblywoman
Maritza Davila.
CEO of Wyckoff
Heights Medical
Center Ramon
Rodriguez and
friends.
Frank Seddio with
Judge Carolyn Wade.
The Sheraton off ered multiple pools
overlooking the city.
Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright and her husband,
Queens College’s Jay Hershenson, with their
son Bradley and Katherine McDermott.
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