Late Harlem Activist Honored On House Floor By NYC Congressman

Harlem NY

19 November, 2020

6:20 PM

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HARLEM, NY — The late Harlem activist Cecil Corbin-Mark was memorialized this week in the halls of Congress by U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who gave a speech memorializing the environmental advocate more than a month after his sudden death. "It is with a heavy heart that I rise today in remembrance and honor of Cecil Corbin-Mark, whose passing on the evening of Oct. 15 sent shockwaves of grief throughout New York's political and activist communities," Espaillat said Wednesday on the floor of the House of Representatives. "A Harlem native, a trailblazer in the fight for environmental justice, and an inspiration to more individuals than he would ever know, Cecil was a giant in his community and across the nation, and his loss is immeasurable," he continued. As deputy director of the group WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Corbin-Mark organized communities to push for health protections and climate action. He died at the age of 51 after suffering a stroke. Tributes poured in following his death from colleagues and elected officials who praised his role in the passage of environmental protection laws, his wide-ranging knowledge of policy and his kindness toward others in the movement. I am devastated by the passing of Cecil Corbin-Mark. Cecil was a giant in the environmental justice movement. He also had a wonderful ability to organize, and a keen sense of how to get projects done. He was a good friend and I will miss him dearly. https://t.co/CqdbPPNfBq— Gale A. Brewer (@galeabrewer) October 16, 2020 Corbin-Mark was a lifelong resident of Hamilton Heights, where his family had lived for nearly a century, according to his biography. He joined the Harlem-based WE ACT not long after its inception in the late 1980s and spent the ensuing 26 years with the group, helping it grow into a major player in the environmental justice movement. "Cecil led a life dedicated to building sustainable communities and healthy communities. He worked tirelessly to ensure that people of color and low-income residents always had a seat at the table," Espaillat said. "Cecil's impact on the sustainable future of Harlem, our surrounding communities, and our nation cannot be overstated. Our prayers remain with Cecil's family and the WE ACT community. May he rest in power." Related coverage: Harlem Environmental Activist Cecil Corbin-Mark Dies At 51