HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES MADE EQUAL (HOME) *

phone (716) 854-1400 s fax (716) 854-1140*

Fighting For Civil Rights Since 1963

Insight Summer 2001

The evening began with a short reception during which guests enjoyed the smooth sounds of vocalist Joyce Carolyn backed by Willie Dorsey and his band. Guests were then welcomed by board president Sam Loliger who extended a very special welcome to honored guest and newest HOME member, Georgia Meng Wright.

The business meeting
After dinner, board president Samuel Loliger called the meeting to order and i ntroduced George Hezel, chair of the Nominating Committee. In his succinct style, George gave the report of the committee and conducted the election of new officers and board members.

Cecile D. Dorliae, Charles C. Thomas III, and Janet Barnes were reelected to the offices of Chair of the Board, Senior Vice President, and Vice president. Elected to new positions this year were Susan M. Fayle, president; Samuel E. Loliger, secretary; and Michael Reigel, treasurer. Also elected were Catherine M. Braniecki, Nora P. Devoe, Jean Doerr, Theodore Hamilton, Gilbert R. Hernandez, Janet B. Meiselman, Barbara I. Mervine, Leah R. Mervine, William J. Minniefield, and Arthur L. Taggart.

Following the election, the Joanne Champion Granger Scholarship was awarded. The scholarship, which recognizes a high school senior for academic achievement and commitment to human rights, was given to Ina Allicott, a senior at Niagara Falls High School. From an early age, Ms. Allicott has been actively working to improve the world around her. While maintaining an excellent academic record, she also was a member of the Key Club, a teen counselor and educator at Planned Parenthood, and a tutor in the Niagara Falls Housing Authority after-school program.

The Scholarship committee recognized the achievements of three other promising young students: second place winner Lauren Rozanski of West Seneca High School, and Honorable mentions Surbhi Bansal from Clarence High School and Eisha Basit, also from Niagara Falls High School. Joanne Champion Granger's daughter, Dr. Susan Champion, presented the awards.

Cecile Dorliae then gave the Chair's Report. She briefly summarized the achievements made through the civil rights movement: the passage of the Fair Housing Act, progress toward equal rights for women and progress in equality for people with disabilities. She reminded us, however, that it is not the time for complacency. She urged guests to get involved at the local level (starting of course by becoming a member of HOME). Then she pointed out how HOME is working to continue that progress through litigation and participation on committees to address issues related to fair housing such as urban sprawl.

The highlight of the evening
Following the chair's report, Attorney Dan Kohane introduced "one of the great fighters for freedom" (and his friend) United States Attorney Denise O'Donnell. Ms. O'Donnell, a warm and engaging speaker, joked that after her photo was published in Insight she had become recognized a real celebrity. She had been contacted for an exclusive by CNN and she could no longer walk outside without being approached by strangers who had seen her photo.

The topic of her speech was the accomplishments of the US Attorney's office in fighting bigotry and discrimination and she related the many different ways they have done so: by addressing hate crimes; working for fair housing; working for greater police integrity and against racial profiling; addressing abortion violence; and working for the rights of disabled citizens. Her words were made more poignant by the fact that it was to be one of her last public addresses as U.S. Attorney General.

Ms. O'Donnell interspersed her narrative with personal stories. She related how she was moved to work for civil rights as a child when watching the struggles of the school desegregation movement. This commitment was reinforced by watching the faces of adults who were unable to shield their children from the grief of discrimination. She added: "...that is one of the things that HOME h as done so successfully...to put a face on the emotional pain of housing discrimination in the hope that it will increase understanding and break down stereotypes and prejudices and end discrimination."

Her first professional experience in fighting for civil rights was in 1981 when, as a law student, she represented the plaintiffs in the Buffalo school desegregation case and drafted the settlement agreement for seminal lawsuit. She noted that as the parent of children attending magnet schools, she became a direct beneficiary of that earlier work.

Years later, she was given the opportunity to handle the first fair housing case in the county ever handled by a US Attorney. The case was settled and the US Attorney's office continues to handle fair housing cases. Ms. O'Donnell's office became even more involved in the fight against housing discrimination when the office was asked to participate in a nationwide fair housing testing program. Thirteen of her staff continue to participate in that program.

Ms. O'Donnell said that although she was proud of the accomplishments made in Western New York and that we were moving in the right direction, there remains much work to be done. She concluded her talk with the words of Attorney General Janet Reno calling for u s to confront bigotry and hatred and to "speak out in terms of support for bold new ideas that give equal opportunity to all Americans...Our nation ...must be based and built carefully, thoughtfully, and constructively, on mutual understanding, on tolerance, and on an appreciation of the magnificent diversity of this land."

Awards and farewells
After the keynote speech, cooperating attorneys Linda DeTine, Katherine Lynch, and Anna Marie Richmond were recognized for the successful resolution of their first fair housing cases for HOME. Accepting her certificate, Ms. Richmond said "It's nice to get a certificate, but I really do this because it's fun. I urge all you attorneys out there to take a few [fair housing cases]."

The saddest part of the evening came when we had to bid farewell to three long-term board members: Sarah "Sally" Metzger, George Hezel, Esq., and Marjorie Murray. Marjorie Murray was presented with HOME's highest honor, the James Crawford Award for service to HOME. Ms. Murray began her service to HOME as a tester and joined the board eight years ago.

George Hezel, Esq. and Sarah Metzger are both past recipients of the Crawford Award and have served in a variety of capacities. Mr. Hezel served on the board for 22 years. A four-term chairman of the board, Mr. Hezel guided the work of the nominating committee, but will perhaps be most missed for his legal expertise.

"Remembering our civil rights roots as we look forward"
Sarah Metzger is an important part of HOME's past, present, and future. A founding member of HOME, her dedication over nearly forty years was so inspiring that in 1999, the board established the Sarah G. Metzger Human Rights Award in her name. Although she will no longer be a member of the board, her quiet courage and commitment to human rights will continue to inspire us for many years to come.

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