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Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, April 27, 2017:
Councilwoman María Quiñones-Sánchez (7th District) led a presentation honoring and recognizing the career of Judith Bernstein-Baker in service to Philadelphia's vibrant community of immigrants and refugees.
A
Thank
you.
At
this
time
the
chair
recognizes
Councilwoman
Kiana
Sanchez,
who
present
a
resolution
honoring
judith
bernstein
Baker
with
miss
Bernstein
Baker
and
those
accompanying
her.
Please
join
the
Councilwoman
at
the
podium
and
joining
the
council
woman.
We
have
councilman
Oh
councilman
Jones,
councilman,
Greenlee,
Councilwoman,
Parker,
Councilwoman
Blackwell.
B
B
I
asked
her:
what
are
you
going
to
do
outside
of
recovering
from
her
surgery,
and
she
gave
me
12
things
while
I
wrote
a
book
I'm
teaching
a
community
college
I'm,
educating
lawyers
around
immigration
and
I've
learned
to
knit
and
she's
making
hats,
sorry
Sam,
and
so
the
women
of
counsel
are
gonna
put
in
an
order
for
our
that.
We
really
thank
her
for
all
of
the
work
that
she
has
done.
B
She
has
helped
all
of
us
in
our
advocacy
and
in
our
work
and
I'm
sure
there
are
hundreds
of
people
who
are
in
this
country
as
contributing
members
who
sought
refuge
with
her
and
the
work
that
she's
done,
and
we
really
want
to
thank
her
so
with
that
I.
Thank
my
council
colleagues
to
join
me
this
morning
in
recognizing
and
honoring
Judith
Bernstein
Baker
Judith
Bernstein
Baker,
born
to
Jewish
immigrants
from
Poland
and
raised
among
Latino
and
Asian
seamstress
in
New.
B
C
Whereas
Judy's
18
years
of
service
to
highest
Pennsylvania
has
been
deeply
personal
for
the
Jewish
value
of
welcoming
the
stranger
highest
is
the
nation's
oldest
international
migration
and
refugee
resettlement
agency,
providing
legal
and
supportive
services
to
immigrants,
refugees
and
asylum
seekers
to
assure
their
fair
treatment
and
full
integration
into
American
society.
And
whereas,
since
joining
highest
Pennsylvania
as
executive
director
in
1998,
judy
has
led
the
nonprofit
to
triple
in
size
and
expanded
services
to
provide
legal,
social
and
resettlement
services
to
low-income
tents.
Philadelphians
who
seek
political
asylum,
citizenship
and
relief
from
deportation
and.
F
Whereas
Judy's
tireless
outreach
and
advocacy
has
influenced
the
preservation
and
expansion
of
immigrant
rights,
not
only
by
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
but
also
by
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania
in
2003
Judy,
courageously
established
the
Pennsylvania
rent
and
citizen
coalition,
our
first
and
only
statewide
immigration
advocacy
organization,
most
famously
Judy
halted.
Penndot's
proposed
cancellation
of
thousands
of
licenses
for
immigrants
and
refugees
in
need
and.
G
Whereas
Judy
Bernstein
Baker
is
a
living
legend
in
Philadelphia's
Public,
Interest
community,
she
was
the
first
staff
attorney
and
at
the
support
center
for
child
advocates,
the
nation's
oldest
and
largest
pro
bono
program
for
abused
and
neglected
children.
She
founded
and
directed
the
Penn
law,
Public
Service
Program,
the
first
of
its
kind
in
an
Ivy
League
school.
She
enlisted
and
trained
hundreds
of
attorneys
and
law
students
in
order
to
assist
applicants
for
citizenship.
She
co-wrote
understanding
immigration
law
and
practice.
H
Whereas
in
2013
the
Philadelphia
Bar
Foundation
award,
originally
known
as
the
apakah
award
was
presented
to
Judy
Bernstein
Baker
for
exemplified
the
highest
ideas
of
public
interest
law
and
exceptional
service
to
the
legal
service
community
and
whereas
Judy's
career
is
perhaps
most
of
all
marked
by
her
unwavering
dedication
to
her
staff.
Colleagues
throughout
the
Philadelphia
public
interest
community
best
put
by
Reggie,
show
fourth
executive
director
of
the
ACLU
of
Pennsylvania
and
I
quote.
Judy
always
took
the
time
to
offer
a
word
of
encouragement
or
support
to
attend
an
event
or
to
send
a
congratulatory
message.
B
Resolved
by
the
Council
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia
that
the
council
honors
recognizes
our
dear
friend
Judith,
Bernstein,
Baker
upon
her
retirement
and
her
second
cycle
of
advocacy
from
highest
and
a
lifelong
career
and
support
and
embrace
the
embracing
of
our
most
vulnerable
neighbors.
Thank
you.
So
much
Judy.
I
Don't
know
if
there's
anybody
left
from
the
Building
Trades
Council,
but
just
so
you
know,
my
mother
was
an
immigrant
union
organizer
with
the
then
il
gwu
and
her
story
was
recorded
because
she
participated
in
many
strikes
and
picket
lines,
and
she
informed
me
that
one
of
the
biggest
problems
they
had
was
the
fear
that
immigrants
had
to
press
for
their
labor
rights
and
the
story
hasn't
changed
much
I'm
so
happy
to
see.
There's
a
resolution
later
following
this
about
fair
wages
for
our
working-class,
brother
and
sister
immigrants.
I
But
now
I
am
truly
honored
and
humbled
by
this
resolution,
and
it
is
true
that
work
with
immigrants
and
refugees
is
my
passion,
but
retired
advocates.
Don't
just
fade
away.
We
continue
to
work
as
volunteers
and
activists,
especially
when
the
current
climate
targets,
immigrants
and
refugees
based
on
unfounded
fear
and
xenophobia.
I
Keeping
Philadelphia
welcoming
city
has
never
been
more
important.
I
want
to
share
very
briefly
four
lessons.
I
learned
when
I
was
privileged
to
be
the
executive
director
of
highest
Pennsylvania
I
learned
the
the
real
importance
of
religious
freedom,
because
so
many
of
the
refugees
and
immigrants,
even
that
we
provided
legal
and
social
services
to
fled
religious
persecution
in
their
home
countries.
And
it
reminded
me
what
an
important
value
that
is
to
be
treasured.
I
Policies
like
a
refugee
and
Muslim
ban
that
are
so
diametrically
at
odds
with
its
foundation
need
to
be
opposed
and
I.
Thank
our
city
leadership
who
came
to
the
airport
on
Saturday
night
and
Raider
on
Sunday
and
those
who
wanted
to
come,
but
couldn't
to
protect
the
refugees
and
immigrants
who
were
caught
in
the
executive
ban
and
by
the
way
one
of
those
refugees.
The
spouse
of
an
Iraqi
translator
for
the
US
Armed
Forces
was
a
client
of
national
highest.
My
national
organization
and
is
now
reunited
with
their
family.
I
I
Look
at
West,
Philadelphia,
look
at
Northeast,
Philadelphia,
look
at
South,
Philadelphia
and
hopefully,
one
day,
look
at
my
own
community
Northwest
Philadelphia.
It
is
therefore
astounding,
absolutely
astounding,
that
high
public
officials
perpetrate
alternative
facts,
that
immigrants
take
jobs
away
from
American,
that
they
are
criminals
and
that
they
will
do
harm
to
our
country.
I.
I
Suppose
immigrants
are
scapegoated
to
deflect
attention
from
our
real
problems
of
poverty,
unemployment
and
public
education,
and
now
we
have
solutions
to
this
program
that
was
just
described
before
us
and
I
am
sure
some
immigrants
who
young
people
will
join
that
program.
I
am
thankful
to
live
in
a
city
where
our
government
does
not
engage
in
this
divisive
rhetoric
or
practices.
I
I
learned
the
critical
importance
of
work
like
of
organizations
nonprofits
like
highest
Pennsylvania,
and
there
are
others,
certainly
in
our
city,
which
provide
legal,
social
and
support
services
to
refugees
and
immigrants
working
alongside
community-based
groups
who
are
organizing
for
immigrant
and
Refugee
right.
But
I
can't
sugarcoat
this
last
lesson,
and
that
is
the
ultimate
goal
of
many
who
campaigned
to
deport
undocumented
immigrants
and
even
strip
citizenship
from
children
born
to
immigrants
is
to
target
immigrants
of
color
and
stop
all
immigration.
I
I
The
organization
has
helped
thousands
of
immigrants
and
refugees
who
only
goal
is
to
integrate
into
the
fabric
of
the
great
American
mosaic
and
even
though
I
was
born
and
raised
in
New,
York
City
and
believe
it
or
not,
I
shared
a
ride
with
a
cab
driver.
The
other
day
who
was
lived
in
the
house
I
was
born
in
in
New
York,
but
moved
to
Philadelphia
like
I
did
I
am
so
proud.