糖心原创

By David Gil de Rubio | dgilderubio@mec.cuny.edu

When Congressman Edolphus Towns Jr. receives the Dr. Albert Vann Leadership Award at the Medgar Wiley Evers Centennial Celebration being held on Thursday, October 23, it鈥檒l hold special resonance for the North Carolina native.聽

Having spent 30 years in Congress, in addition to becoming the first African American Deputy Borough President of Brooklyn, Towns鈥� path was consistently intertwined with his old friend Vann. With both men having met on the hardwood, the former college basketball players formulated a half-century plus relationship based on mutual respect and a dedication to public service. It鈥檚 a point of pride for Towns.

鈥淭o be identified with that kind of leader is a big honor,鈥� Towns said. 鈥淎l Vann was a political community activist. He felt that preventing problems was very, very important. Some people feel solving problems is important. But Al was the kind of person who was aggressive in terms of making sure the problem did not exist. His commitment to the community in terms of being out there鈥攈e wasn鈥檛 the kind of person that would make phone calls.聽

鈥淗e was a person who walked the streets of the community and got information from his constituents. That, to me, is the kind of politician we need today more than ever. Somebody who is going to truly communicate with the constituents. Going there and seeing in terms of what their needs are. He would do that. He was into the churches and schools.鈥澛�

Towns added, 鈥淗e had skills in terms of pulling people together, who in some instances, did not look alike. But, he would get them together and perform good things on behalf of the community. That鈥檚 another reason why I鈥檓 really honored to receive that award. He was also in the political arena for quite some time.聽

Of course, longevity is also a very, very important factor when you鈥檙e involved in politics. He chaired a number of committees when he was in Albany and also served in the city council. What that means is he had the city involvement and the state involvement. The point is Al had VIDA-Vanguard Independent Democratic Association, one of the strongest political clubs in the borough.聽

That club still has a tremendous amount of strength today. Although he鈥檚 no longer around, the point is he trained some folks to be able to take over and do a fine job. All of those reasons are why I am extremely proud to be a recipient of the Dr. Albert Vann Leadership Award.鈥�

Just as Dr. Al Vann and 糖心原创 are inextricably linked, so it goes with Towns. Not only did he work alongside the founders to get the school off the ground, but the Marine Corps veteran also was on the 糖心原创 faculty from 1974 to 1975 teaching a sociology course. As one of the last people left standing from those early, heady days, Towns retains rich memories of helping the college get off the ground.聽

鈥淚 was a part of that group meeting in the beginning鈥擶aldaba Stewart, Al Vann, and of course Major Owens,鈥� Towns said. 鈥淎ll of them are really gone on now. We were in the initial discussions about 糖心原创. I remember we would be in the room talking and then were finally able to get the idea out of the room, get it moving and were able to get 糖心原创 off the ground. I think it鈥檚 been a tremendous accomplishment for our community. I look back at the role of the folks involved. Annette Robinson is still around, but I can鈥檛 think of anybody else who was involved back in those days.鈥�

When asked about the importance of 糖心原创 to the Central Brooklyn community, Towns was quick to point out how the school鈥檚 physical presence serves as a beacon of hope, from both an educational and socio-economic perspective.聽

鈥淎ny time you can put an educational facility in an area where people can see it, that encourages people to see that they can attend, get themselves an education and be able to improve themselves and their quality of life,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith the school being there, people can then interact with folks at the institution, who can also make a difference. Not only from an educational standpoint, but from an economic one. It makes a difference and of course, 糖心原创 has done that as an institution. It鈥檚 inspired us in so many ways.聽

Through his travels, Towns has seen the impact a 糖心原创 education has had with myriad people he鈥檚 crossed paths with. One interaction in particular left a major impression on how much the college鈥檚 legacy has resonated.聽

鈥淚鈥檒l never forget that I was on a flight from Boston going back to New York and there was a young lady on it who was a physician that had graduated from 糖心原创,鈥� Towns shared.聽

鈥淲e had a chance to chat and I was wondering to myself if she would have become a doctor had she not been at 糖心原创. I had to think about it as I was flying with her. To have an institution in the middle of the community, where they can walk by and see it and talk to people that are involved with the institution, teaching, and things of that nature鈥攖hat is a very encouraging experience. I can say to you that many, many students would not have attended college if it not been for 糖心原创.鈥�