Tarrytown, NY – Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins was inducted into the Westchester Women’s Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown on May 6th. Senator Stewart-Cousins is the 32nd woman to be recognized for her outstanding contributions to Westchester County.
“I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of so many great Westchester women inducted into this Hall of Fame,” said Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “I look forward to continuing our important work to create greater opportunities for women and their families in Westchester and across New York State.”
Camille Murphy, Executive Director of the Women’s Research and Education Fund (WREF) that selects the annual honoree, said, “Leader Stewart-Cousins has been a fighter for the women of Westchester County advocating for greater equality and to improve their lives. We are proud to recognize her for her decades of leadership in our community. She is an outstanding addition to this Hall of Fame and an inspiration to all of us.”
Senator Stewart-Cousins began her career in public service in 1992 when she became the first African American to serve as Director of Community Affairs for the City of Yonkers. She went on to serve in the Westchester County Legislature where authored Westchester’s Human Rights Law and became Vice-Chair of the Board of Legislators. Senator Stewart-Cousins was first elected to the State Senate in 2006 and currently represents part of White Plains, New Rochelle, and Yonkers, Greenburgh and Scarsdale.
She was elected by her colleagues to serve as Leader of the Senate Democratic Conference in 2012, becoming the first female leader of a legislative conference in New York State history.
Past Westchester Women’s Hall of Fame inductees include: Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton; former State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer; Congresswoman Nita Lowey; New York State Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals Janet DiFiore; the Honorable Lois Bronz, Westchester County Legislator; and actress and activist Ruby Dee.
The WREF was founded in 1989 to promote equality and justice for women in Westchester County through training, advocacy and recognition of their achievements. The induction ceremony took place as part of the “In the Company of Women” event held by the WREF and the YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester.
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