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Fund Established in Memory of Judge Sandra Townes

Fund Established in Memory of Judge Sandra Townes

To all those who knew her, Judge Sandra Townes was an excellent leader who modeled grace under pressure and an unwavering commitment to justice.  To honor her legacy, her friends are establishing the Judge Sandra Townes Fund at Vera House.

The Fund will honor all her wonderful professional accomplishments. Prior to attending the Syracuse University College of Law and obtaining her law degree in 1976, Judge Townes was an English teacher at Corcoran High School. She was the first black woman elected to the Syracuse City Court and had a decorated career as a judge serving on the state Supreme Court and the state Appellate Division before becoming the first black woman appointed as a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York.

The Fund is a tribute to the magnificent person she was - brilliant, dedicated to justice, passionate about the law and an inspiration to all who knew her. The Judge Sandra Townes Fund will be used to support Vera House’s Survivors Network, and their work in the community to raise awareness and connect survivors through sharing their truths.

Your contribution to the Judge Sandra Townes Fund will be part of a beautiful remembrance of her life and legacy.  Click HERE to donate.

We appreciate the generosity of the following friends of Judge Sandra Townes who have initiated this Fund:

  • Cathy Bertini
  • John A. Cirando, Esq
  • Marilyn Higgins
  • Hon. Langston C. McKinney
  • Anne Messenger
  • Connie Palumb
  • Merriette Pollard
  • M. Catherine Richardson, Esq
  • Kathryn H. Ruscitto
  • Maria Russell
  • David M. Wall
     

A Message to Andrew Cuomo

“The Friends of Andrew Cuomo” spent over $300,000 to launch an ad campaign designed to paint former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as a victim of political attacks because of the sexual harassment claims against him. We cannot allow this gaslighting to continue while the ad revictimizes victims of not only Cuomo’s sexual harassment but ANYONE who has ever experienced abuse. The tactics used by Cuomo and his supporters further represent the barriers that survivors face every day that prevent them from coming forward and getting support. 

 

We at Vera House have asked Andrew Cuomo to take accountability for the harm he has caused on multiple occasions. Instead of admitting to his wrongdoings, he continues to use power and control to suppress and invalidate the truths of the survivors.  Today we released a video, produced by Solon Quinn Studios and supported by Survivors’ Network, that sends a powerful message to survivors, "I believe you."  

 

We are asking you to help us amplify the video so that survivors throughout New York and the rest of the world know that we believe and stand with them. 

 

Here’s how to get involved:  

1. Share our post on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter  

2. Engage with our content on Instagram and TikTok   

3. Share survivor support resources from your organization  

4. Tag @verahouseinc  

 

For any questions or to request an interview with a member of Survivors' Network, please contact us at: communications@verahouse.org