Ritchie Torres: “Today I was not present in the House Chamber. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 20 and…”

I rise today to honor a true Bronxite, Mr. Gene Edwards. His story is inseparable from the story of our borough, our city, and our country. Gene grew up in the very heart of the Bronx, attended New York City public schools, raised in…

I rise today to honor Cheryl Marie DeWitt, known to all as Ms. Dee, a true Bronx treasure and champion of our children. Born to a young, single mother and raised by loving foster parents, Ms. Dee learned early that caring adults can change…

I rise today to honor a true champion of the Bronx, Nilka Martell. A proud Puerto Rican daughter of our borough, Nilka turned her lifelong love for her community into action. Since 2011, as founder and director of Loving The Bronx, she has…

I rise to honor a true daughter of the Bronx, a leader whose life has lifted generations: Shirley Fearon. Born and raised right here in our borough, Shirley embodies the heart and resilience of the northeast Bronx. A lifelong educator, she…