volunteers to combat what she felt was the community based organizations, labor unions, parents ! unnecessary destruction of young promising lives. The and educators she was responsible for developing Program is in its thirteenth year and schools are public policies to meet the needs of community involved on a word-of-mouth basis and through media residents, and create jobs for our families. coverage. The Program has grown exponentially since Ms. Gibson assisted in formulating key public its humble beginnings and now hosts 23 schools from policies that have a direct impact upon working people, Bronx, New York, Queens, and Westchester Counties. low income families, senior citizens and young people in the West Bronx including legislation to protect the Additionally, on August 10, 2007, the Generaon Next: American Bar Association recognized the Program at housing rights of Section 8 recipients, improve the their annual meeting in San Francisco. On November 4, educational opportunities for our young people, assist 2008, the residents of Bronx County elected Ms. Taylor our seniors and encourage job creation. Black in America: A Panel Discussion as Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York. It is In November 2003 Ms. Gibson was promoted to clear that Judge Taylor’s career has been marked by Bronx District Office Manager for Assemblywoman Through much hard work, our fore-fathers and fore- her dedication and commitment to serving her Aurelia Greene and became the eyes and ears of the th mothers have painstakingly cleared the forests for community. 77 Assembly District. She managed the district office staff, worked on important West Bronx projects and us. What are we doing to pave the roads forward participated in many meetings with local residents, now? And why are we allowing creeping vines on agency representatives, community groups, businesses, the path? school officials, churches, unions and constituents on behalf of Assemblywoman Greene. The Panelists are A resident of Morris Heights, Ms. Gibson HONORABLE VANESSA L. GIBSON received her Master’s Degree in Public Administration Professor Babe Howell: CUNY Law's own professor, A lifelong resident of New York City, Vanessa with a concentration in Policy Analysis & Evaluation from and former prac;cing criminal defense aorney. L. Gibson has a strong commitment to serving her Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY), in Bronx community that began when she was a student May 2009. Well respected by her constituents, Ms. in the city’s public school system and culminated in Gibson continues to show how one person can truly Hon. Vanessa Gibson: New York State her successful election to a seat in the New York State make a difference within their community while working Assemblywoman, represen;ng the 77th Assembly Assembly on June 2, 2009. collectively with others. District in the Bronx. After graduating from Murray Bergtraum High Assemblywoman Gibson looks forward to using School for Business Careers in 1997, Assemblywoman her position as a state lawmaker to improve housing, Hon. Elizabeth Taylor: Civil Court Judge of the City of Gibson went on to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in May health care, programs for our seniors and youth, New York. 2001 in Sociology with minor concentrations in educational and job opportunities for all residents of the th Business and Criminal Justice from the State 77 Assembly District. Mr. Jason Clinkscales: Journalist/Sportswriter for the University at Albany (UAlbany). In her senior year at New York Beacon, a weekly African-American UAlbany Ms. Gibson was an intern for Assemblywoman Newspaper. Aurelia Greene, a Democrat from the Bronx who represented the 77th Assembly District, and formed E-BOARD MEMBERS Mr. Greg Domond: Financial Advisor at Ameriprise what has become a lifelong relationship with her mentor. Darryl Albert Financial, and member of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Throughout her internship and subsequent Jamaal Bailey employment with the Assembly, Ms. Gibson met with thousands of constituents, community activists and Jhounelle Cunningham lobbyists who traveled to Albany to support valuable Izel Fortunato programs or discuss important constituent matters. She worked tirelessly alongside Assemblywoman Amanda Prescott Presented By: Aurelia Greene as her Legislative Analyst to ensure Renee Smith that the needs of the 77th Assembly District were CUNY Black Law Students Association addressed. Working with local residents, MR. JASON CLINKSCALES PROGRAM Jason Clinkscales is a staff sportswriter for the HONORABLE ELIZABETH TAYLOR Elizabeth Taylor was born and raised in the African-American weekly newspaper, New York Introduc/on of Panelists/Welcome by Highbridge section of Bronx County. Ms. Taylor received Beacon, where he's the primary reporter for the NFL's Moderator, Jamaal Bailey, 2L New York Giants and also writes about MLB's New York a Bachelor of Arts in English from Binghamton Yankees. He is also a contributor to the online sports University in May, 1992. As an undergraduate, Ms. Discussion for Panelists: Group Ques/ons culture monthly Norman Einstein's Magazine and the Taylor realized that she had a strong calling to serve her Perpetual Post, a discourse-based website. Jason PROFESSOR K. BABE HOWELL community; and as a result, served as a volunteer for operates A Sports Scribe, an independent blog where he the New York Public Interest Resource Group. In May of Associate Professor at CUNY Law School, talks up sports culture, business, media and the 1995, Ms. Taylor earned a Juris Doctor Degree from teaches Criminal Law, Criminal Trial Advocacy and randomly funny. Ohio Northern University, School of Law. While in law Lawyering Skills. A graduate of Harvard College, A born and bred New Yorker, Jason was raised in school, Ms. Taylor honed her advocacy skills by serving Professor Howell received her J.D. from New York the Bronx and Harlem neighborhood in as the President of the Criminal Law Society; Vice University School of Law where she was a Root-Tilden !! Manhattan. Experienced with television, business and President of Trial Competitions for Street Law and then Snow Public Interest Scholar. sports research for the advertising industry, he is President; and as a Peer Advisor for first year law Professor Howell's scholarship focuses on the a graduate of Babson College (Wellesley, MA) where he students. Upon admission to the New York State Bar on intersection of the criminal justice system and race. studied business management, marketing and media. He March 6, 1996, Elizabeth returned to Bronx County and She is particularly interested in the effects of policing recently completed the MBA in Media Management set her sights on making a difference in her community. of minor offenses and alleged gang affiliations and the program at Metropolitan College of New York. Ms. Taylor began her legal career as a legislative aide in impact such policing has on the legitimacy of the the New York City Council. From there she went on to criminal justice system and communities of color. private practice, where she focused on landlord and MR. GREGORY DOMOND Prior to joining CUNY Law, Professor Howell tenant issues. Thereafter, Elizabeth returned to the Greg Domond is a principle with Greg Domond & taught the Criminal Justice Clinic at Hofstra School of public sector as the Senior Court Attorney to Justice Associates a financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Law for two years, supervising students as they Edgar G. Walker, who at the time was sitting in Bronx Financial, one of America’s leading financial planning represented defendants in criminal court in both Criminal Court. From February, 1999 to December, companies. He specializes in everything from retirement Nassau County and Queens County. 2008, Elizabeth has continued her commitment to public and tax planning strategies to insurance and asset Prior to teaching at Hofstra, Professor Howell was service by serving as Principal Law Clerk to New York management. Mr. Domond is licensed and registered to Associate Director at the NYU School of Law State Supreme Court Justice Kenneth L. Thompson, Jr. conduct business in a number of states, including but not Lawyering Program, teaching lawyering skills, Her professional affiliations include service as a Board limited to New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, supervising other professors and coordinating Member of the Bronx County Bar Association, President Georgia, Maryland and Kentucky. curriculum development. of the Metropolitan Women’s Bar Association, and as a Mr. Domond was born and bred in Long Island, New York. Before joining academia, Professor Howell member of the Black Bar Association of Bronx County, However, being a first-generation Haitian was a practicing trial lawyer in the area of criminal Bronx Women’s Bar Association and the National Bar American, Greg has strong cultural and family ties to the defense in New York City for eight years. During this Association. Ms.Taylor has always exemplified a passion island of Haiti. His passion and love for his Haitian time, she worked at both The Legal Aid Society for working with and educating the community. culture has parlayed into his community service, as he Criminal Defense Division in Manhattan and at The Elizabeth, a product of the inner city herself, realized has worked with numerous foundations that work to the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem. that she had a responsibility to serve her community, benefit of Haitian people. He is also a founding member Professor Howell also clerked for the and most importantly, the children who often get lost or and executive officer of The Hope Africa Foundation. In Honorable Gene Carter of the Federal District Court in destroyed by the inner city. Ms. Taylor is acutely aware addition, Greg is a member of the member of Hofstra Maine. Before attending law school, she worked for of the devastating effects of what can happen to University Alumni Association. Mr. Domond is a graduate several years in the area of civil legal services children when they are not nurtured and lack the of Hofstra University where he studied Finance, Business focusing on housing rights, homelessness prevention, confidence to follow their career dreams.