Brooklyn DA’s office honors four for Women’s History Month

Linda Sarsour, Women’s March Organizers Among Honorees

March 28, 2017 By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez (center) and his office hosted a Women's History Month event at the Brooklyn Bar Association with the Sara Gozo (right) and the Brooklyn Women's Bar Association. Also pictured is Toni Yuille Williams, the event’s MC. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese

Share this:

The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, along with the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association, honored four women, including the three women who helped to organize the Women’s March on Washington, during a ceremony for Women’s History Month in Brooklyn Heights on Tuesday.

“My mother was a single parent for much of my life, and my ability to be here today is a credit to the hard work, determination and investment that she made in me,” said Acting DA Eric Gonzalez, who noted that more than half of the assistant district attorneys in Brooklyn are women.

“I know that many of us — whether it’s your mother, wife, sibling, friend or colleague — have women in your lives who provide knowledge, support and leadership that allows us to be as accomplished as we are.”

Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour and Tamika D. Mallory were honored with the Community Social Impact Award, alongside Patria Frias-Colón, the borough chief of the Family Court Division of the New York City Law Department, who received the Legal Excellence Award.

The event, which took place at the Brooklyn Bar Association, was led by mistress of ceremony Toni Yuille Williams and featured musical selections by Judy Gorman and Kate Mollica.

“We honor the women that came before us and paved opportunities for success, and support the women who are currently doing that today,” Gonzalez said. “History is a great reminder of what we have accomplished, but I’m interested in honoring the women of today who are making it happen. This march in Washington inspired me. It was great to see that we can stand up for ourselves and our rights cannot be taken away from us.”

Each woman gave a short speech during which they thanked the DA and their supporters. Perez and Sarsour used the opportunity to speak about the “Raise the Age” bill that is currently being negotiated by state legislators that seeks to stop treating 16- and 17-year-olds as adults in New York’s criminal justice system.

“I always think about the young people who can’t speak for themselves, and I think about the fact that at this moment there is a young child who is being victimized in an adult facility and we still cannot pass Raise the Age,” Perez said.

“This is the week that four cowardly Republicans want to pull back from the Raise the Age bill,” said Sarsour. “Sixteen-year-old kids should not be in an adult facility where they are sexually assaulted, tortured and beaten by adults. It doesn’t require any partisanship. It requires morals and values and humanity.”

Mallory discussed the former DA and late Ken Thompson, whom she referred to as a real friend, who she might have disagreed with, but always found common ground with in their search for justice.

“Ken Thompson is such an example of what we all need to embody every day,” Mallory said. “Ken was a real man who was true to his community, to his people and uplifting young people and ensuring that he made a way for us. He was such an encouraging person and a fighter for justice.”

Gonzalez then introduced Frias-Colon, the first woman of color to hold her position at the NYC Law Department.

“Having lived as a prosecutor, everything I’ve learned is all about justice,” Frias-Colon said. “Not only do I want to ensure that the people prosecuted are given justice, but also the victims in our cases and of course that justice has to translate to the community.”