Bronx Constituents Matter

Where is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?

Bronx, New York—Sunday, March 3, 2019, Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bill De Blasio, Assemblywoman Karines Reyes, Councilman Andy King, and District Leader John Perez have all attended or send their representatives with proclamations and citations to be read during the 4th annual Claudette Colvin Day celebration in Parkchester, home of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.

Weeks in advance, the Claudette Colvin Day Committee was under the impression that Ms. Cortez, as her neighbor and congresswoman, would be the first elected official to proudly accept their invitation to celebrate the day that changed the United States for the better and pave the way for citizens like Ms. Cortez to be in congress. They were wrong. Team AOC didn’t think Claudette Colvin Day was as big of a deal as a parade taking place in another borough.

The admirers of Hon. Claudette Colvin from all walks of life and ages came from all over the city and neighboring counties and states to celebrate the day of the most iconic Living Legend in the nation, but not Alexandria Ocasio Cortez or her representatives. AOC had more important things to do. So Claudette Colvin Day was not important enough to Congressman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez or her staff to attend and proudly join the celebration of the historic contributions of her most important constituent although she proudly made it all the way to a parade the next day.

The Claudette Colvin Day Committee would like to remind AOC and her team the following:

1st) It is crucial as part of a constituent services to know who your constituents are. Attending a parade in another borough, traveling nationally and being seen articulating legislative policies and priorities must also include maintaining ties with constituents who made it possible for you to be elected.

2nd) Having a Bronx district office equipped with competent professionals who are familiar with every facet of your district would help you avoid belittling the most iconic constituent’s historic ‘Day of Defiance’ to Jim Crow segregation laws which made it possible for individuals like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez to be in Congress today.

3rd) Congresswoman Cortez, by reading about your constituent Hon. Claudette Colvin, you can see for yourself whether proudly attending a parade in another borough was more important than attending Claudette Colvin Day next door to your supposedly resident.

On March 2, 1955, the Civil Rights Movement was accelerated through the singular act of a courageous 15-year old girl. Claudette Colvin was the first person to stand up for her Constitutional Rights and not give up her seat to a white person on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. This happened 9 months prior Rosa Parks!

It was Claudette Colvin’s actions that changed the status quo, which woke up the NAACP in Alabama, and that kickstarted the timeline that followed. Ms. Colvin is historically credited with “accelerating the change in the plight of colored people” and it was her lawsuit, Browder v. Gayle, which went up to the Supreme Court and changed the law. To be clear, “accelerating the change…” means that Claudette Colvin LITERALLY saved lives.

In 1957, unable to get a job, branded a troublemaker, and receiving death threats, Claudette Colvin moved to the Bronx where she still lives today. In 2009, she retired from her career as a nurse’s aide and is in declining health.

In 2016, Assemblyman Jose Rivera has written and is one of many strong supporters of a resolution to henceforth make March 2nd Claudette Colvin Day in the State of New York. The following year, Montgomery, Alabama also established its annual Claudette Colvin Day on March 2nd. And,

4th) On behalf of Hon. Claudette Colvin, your constituent and the most iconic living legend in the nation, the Claudette Colvin Day Committee ask Congresswoman to apologize to H. Claudette Colvin and the residents of Bronx community Board 9 for prioritizing an out-of- borough parade over Claudette Colvin Day in your district.

Thank you and God bless! We look forward to your timely reply.

Sincerely,
Claudette Colvin Day Committee
info@peacedecember.org
718-822-5555