Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn was honored at a Women’s History Month Luncheon hosted by the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association (BWBA) on March 17.
Bichotte Hermelyn, an assemblymember from Brooklyn, represents the 42nd Assembly District, which encompasses Ditmas Park, Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Midwood. She paved the way for others to follow by becoming the first Haitian American woman to be elected to the New York City Council, the first engineer to be elected to the New York State Legislature, and the first woman to chair the Democratic County Party in Brooklyn. A powerhouse indeed.
- Advertisement -
BWBA President Susan Mauro acknowledged at the occasion that she and Bichotte Hermelyn had just recently met; they had connected at the Appellate Division’s Black History Month celebration the preceding month. However, Mauro said that after hearing her tale, she was so affected that she immediately decided she wanted to memorialize Bichotte Hermelyn.
Mauro had this to say, Assemblymember Bichotte Hermelyn is a role model for women and girls everywhere, demonstrating that anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and perseverance.” She added, “She has faced many obstacles throughout her life and career but has overcome them with grace and determination. She is a true inspiration and a trailblazer for women in law and government, and the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association is proud to honor her during Women’s History Month.”
Bichotte Hermelyn, a new mother and third-year student at Brooklyn Law School, became the first woman and the first African-American woman with Caribbean ancestry to hold such a position in New York City after Hon. Frank Seddio resigned.
Assemblymember Bichotte Hermelyn has cosponsored more than 250 bills and presented over 200 since being elected in 2015. Of those, 34 were passed into law. Her legislative accomplishments include a wide range of topics, including voting rights, housing, health, and education. She has been a fierce supporter of issues impacting the community’s quality of life, including immigrant rights, education reform, healthcare access, senior citizen centers, affordable housing, school safety, women’s and LGBTQ rights, and others.
The maternal healthcare crisis must be resolved, and Assemblywoman Bichotte Hermelyn is dedicated to solving maternal mortality inequalities that predominantly affect Black and minority women. The Jonah Bichotte Cowan Law, which is named after her late son and outlines care standards when a mother visits a hospital worried she may be in premature labor, was supported by her.
Assemblymember Bichotte Hermelyn, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), played a crucial role in the adoption of laws to support the development and success of MWBEs.
