THANK YOU PUSH!

Thank you PUSH, our organizers and volunteers for some great gallery pics, and for documenting a great moment in our fight for climate change legislation. My mind is catching up with my body breakdown. I can’t remember if we were in Albany or New York City to attend a rally and to speak before a Senate Committee on the effect of climate change on our communities, impacting our health due to corporate and big business polluters putting money before people and planet.  These big businesses control 99% of the policies and decisions directing affecting low to moderate income working poor, and our communities of color.

I was very honored to speak and address this issue on behalf of so many Buffalonians who trusted me to be their voice.  There is so much work being done every day on behalf of our people that goes unnoticed, but work that nevertheless must continue, with or without personal recognition. The journey must continue, but we must document the work itself for future campaigns.

I am so honored to serve my community, and I must express appreciation to so many awesome folks working in the grassroots movement for giving me the opportunity to be part of this community journey since 1980, almost 40 years and looking for more. It has been my calling… God has blessed me in serving.  I thank all my mentors from the beginning of this journey.  So, thank you — CP, PC, GH, CG, RH, JW, SH, SPB, ET, DWC, NM, LE, EL, LDJ, JP, JB, LB, PC, FC, BJ, MM, KS, AM, LE, LBC, NR, EM, BI, HB, ATF, JD, RD –  the many initials for me to remember; and to all our PUSH Street Team members and the fiscal staff who are always there to support our needs. I love every single one, especially our young people that have laughed and taught me so many lessons along the way. And to those folks that are no longer at PUSH but continue to support me and my work: JM, JW, MMDe Z, and BH who helped me find my voice!

Thanks to my son, Felipe Branford, who without his support and inspiration, I would not have had the courage to continue to fight for so long. Special thanks to AOC, RKC, SS, DA, JP, and XR.  Thanks to Manuel y Margarita, and the whole Velez gang; sister Warrior who helped learn to fight for family.  And finally, thanks to all my friends at the Buffalo Latino Village, PRLC, and the Hispanic Women’s League, for helping to form this woman!

I am taking this time to say that I am incredibly grateful today for making me part of the community’s journey, as well as God’s grace for every day He gives me on this earth. He allowed me to breathe another day to do better…

To all my friends, colleagues, and supporters, thank you for your gifts of kindness and love!