New Yorkers for Norman Siegel will be holding a birthday bash for civil rights attorney Norman Siegel as they rev up the campaign to elect him NYC Public Advocate in 2009.
The program for the evening features guest speakers State Senator Eric Adams, former ACLU Director Ira Glasser, Vanessa Ramos, Deputy Director for Policy at the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, and Connie Steensma, Chair Emerita of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. There will also be a performance by the New York Granny Chicks of the Granny Peace Brigade. The event has attracted a wide array of hosts and sponsors from all five boroughs, reflecting the diverse, grassroots, citywide campaign that New Yorkers for Norman Siegel is ready to wage.
In addition to campaigning for Public Advocate, Siegel has been very active in a number of lawsuits, including one against the City Council’s legislative extension of term limits. Tom Robbins of the Village Voice cited this in naming Norman to his Thanksgiving Honor Roll, “When Bloomberg’s term-limits bill passed the council, a clutch of lawyers loudly vowed to sue. But by the time the papers were ready, only two were left standing. Norman Siegel is always there. A veteran anti-poverty and civil rights lawyer, Siegel has long been the city’s steadiest defender of civil liberties and an innovative advocate for the powerless.”
Siegel welcomes New Yorkers to come to the party and join his campaign, saying, “I strongly believe that the office of Public Advocate can make a real difference in the lives of all New Yorkers. That’s why I want to be the next Public Advocate. Working in concert, we do not have to accept the status quo. We can bring together all those New Yorkers who still dare to dream of how it should be, not merely how it is.”HOSTS: State Senator Eric Adams, Vanessa Ramos, Ira Glaser, and Connie Steensma
WHEN: Monday, December 1st, 2008, 6pm to 8:30pm
WHERE: Azza Restaurant and Lounge, located 137 East 55th Street, (btw Third and Lexington Avenue)
TICKETS: $50 (Suggested Minimum/$20 Students), Advocate $100, Supporters $150, Sponsors $250, Patrons $500, Benefactors $1000, Angels $4950
Contributions will be taken at the door, or go to normansiegel.com and pay with a credit card or download the form to send in with your contribution. If you are a New York resident, your contribution of up to $175 will be matched 6 to 1 by the NYC Campaign Finance Board.
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Host Committee and Sponsors:
Hosts: Hon. Eric Adams, Hon. Curtis Arluck, Deborah Berkman, Charles Billups, Hon. Bob Botfeld, Theresa Canter, Hon. Cynthia Doty, Bernadette Evangelist, Hon. Martha Flores-Vasquez, David Galarza, Daniele Gerard, Marjorie Gersten, Anthony Miranda, Chris Owens, Gail Paris, Kevin Powell, Richard Prins, Kenny Schaefer, Jonathan Tasini
Angels: Andrew Entwistle, Jason Flom, Sally Regenhard, Nick Sprayregen, Ernie Steiner
Benefactors: Steve & Mimi Hyman, Hanna Jesionowska, Alan Klinger
Patrons: Paul Bergman, Cecilia Blewer and Clayton Young, Lavinia Forts, Burton & Emily Marks, Leslie Fay Pomerantz, Rick Prins, Christina Regenhard, Marie Runyon, Sandy Samberg & Steve Marshall, Connie Steensma
Sponsors: Polly Cleveland, Michael Connolly, Robert Dobrish, Bob Ginsberg, Roberta Goodman, Thomas Haines, Erik Jacobs, Peter Jenkins, Felice Kirby, Lionel Lorquet, Christopher Lynn, Don & Doris Shaffer, Abe Tawil
Supporters: Rachel & Rod Biermann, James Boyle, Nicholas Casale, Lorraine Cooper, April Davis, Ken Diamondstone, John Gray, John Gregory, Leonie Haimson, Mike & Sally Hipscher, Joan Kiok, Lynn Lane, Monique Mulcare, James Meyerson, Norma Ramos, Yolanda Schumann, John Shields, Frank & sunny Velie, Deborah & Michael Steven Smith, Gloria Zeche
