By Alex Davidson
Queens Borough President Helen Marshall announced last week the creation of a community council charged with opening and maintaining a dialogue among the borough’s various ethnic, religious and racial groups.
Marshall, who laid out the groundwork for the Queens General Assembly during her inauguration speech last year, appointed 42 members to the committee who were selected from each of the borough’s community boards. She said the creation of the assembly is a tangible way of formalizing Queens’ reputation as being the most ethnically diverse county in the country.
“This group reflects my firm belief that building relationships across lines of race, ethnicity, religion, nationality and sexual orientation will have a positive impact on developments in our borough as a whole,” she said.
Members of the general assembly will attend monthly meetings and attend cultural heritage events both in and outside their communities, Marshall said. She said the members will then report back to the assembly on their experiences and what they learned about other cultures, traditions and beliefs.
Marshall said the appointees include longtime residents and recent immigrants who have served on their community board or other civic, religious and cultural organizations. She said the group had its first official introductory meeting in February and plans to meet again March 19.
“This group will share cultural experiences, resolve differences and most importantly work together to make Queens an even more friendly and livable place,” Marshall said.
The following people were appointed to the Queens General Assembly. Their names are followed by the groups with which they are affiliated:
Community District 1:
Demetrios K. Demetrios, Advisory Committee for Federation of Hellenic Societies
Richard Khuzami, Community Board 1
Carol Wilkins, NYCHA Tenants Association
Community District 2:
Joyce Moy, Advisory Committee for Small Business Development Center at LaGuardia Community College
Aida Bartolome, Community Board 2
Joanne O’Connell, Emerald Isle Immigration Center
Community District 3:
Kewulay Kamara, Advisory Committe for Census Bureau and Badenya
John Park, Advisory Committee for the Korean American Community Empowerment Council
Norma Jimenez, Community Board 3
Community District 4
Andrew P. Jackson (Sekou Molefi Baako), Advisory Committee for the Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center
Lucy Schilero, Community Board 4
Community District 5
Daniel Abreu, Advisory Committe for the GLHS Adult Education Program
Dan Passantino, Community Board 5
Community District 6
Nahum Kaziev, Advisory Committee for the Educational Center for Russian Jewry
Hing Wah Lai, Community Board 6
Sirpuhi Mark, Armenian Cultural Center
Community District 7
Roger Sanjek, Advisory Committee for the Anthropology Department at Queens College
Millicent O’Meally, Community Board 7
Yang Hee Hahn, Korean Community
Community District 8
Morshed Alam, Advisory Committee for the Bangladesh-American Friendship Association
Rabbi Avraham Schechter, Community Board 8
Tariq Hamid, Ahmadiyya (Muslim community organization)
Community District 9
Madhulika Khandelwal, Advisory Committee for the Asian-American Center at Queens College
Latchman Budhai, Community Board 9
Monsignor Robert J. Thelen, Nativity Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Community District 10
Mala Desai, Advisory Committee for the Northern Queens Health Coalition
Rosemary Ciulla-Frisone, Community Board 10
Harbachan Sing, Sikh American Friendship Club
Community District 11
Katie Bracken, Advisory Committee for the NYC Human Rights Commission
Laura James, Community Board 11
John Hong, Korean American Culture and Heritage Association
Community District 12
Jean Phelps, Advisory Committee for the Women’s Center at York College and NAACP
Tracey Bowes, Community Board 12
Bisram Rajkumar, American Sevashram Sangha
Community District 13
Anita Segarra, Advisory Committee for the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning
Bess DeBetham, Community Board 13
Dino Dominguez, Ecuadorian Sportswriters Association
Community District 14
Paul Engel, Advisory Committee for the Flushing Jewish Community Council and Queens Counseling Services
Harvey Gordon, Community Board 14
Sarah Colson, Arverne Civic Association
Reach reporter Alex Davidson by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or by phone at 1-718-229-0300, Ext. 156
