One Woman’s Agenda

Posted on June 5, 2013 by

I am often asked in the one year since I was elected to the New York state Assembly: “How is it in Albany? Is it what you expected?”

My honest answer is that I truly had no expectation of what it would be like to work in Albany.

My motivation for serving in the state Legislature has always been twofold: To be an advocate for the beautiful, naturally and culturally rich Hudson Valley, a region I am so fortunate to represent, and to be a role model to encourage other women and girls to step up and run for office, ensuring the voices of women are always heard in the places decisions are being made.

The fact is that even in 2013 in New York state, the state that put women’s rights on the

Didi and Doris Kelly at WEA rally in Albany

Didi and Doris Kelly at WEA rally in Albany

map, women’s voices are still far too rare. Women currently make up only 22 percent of the members of the New York state Legislature. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is the only woman elected statewide. And while state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins’ recent election as Leader of the Senate Democratic Conference made her the first woman to head a legislative conference in New York, too much of the control of state government still remains firmly in the hands of the storied three — or sometimes four — men in a room.

Even with no expectations, these last few months in the state Legislature have been challenging to say the least. I knew Albany’s reputation for dysfunction, and I’m committed to helping to change that. But the spate of recent news — corruption schemes, indictments, wired legislators and predatory behavior — has been staggering.

As a lifetime advocate for women and girls, I am particularly outraged by the blatant sexual harassment by former legislator Vito Lopez and angered that the young women involved have become unwitting pawns in any number of different political agendas.

I am proud to be a public servant, and I wish for the next generation of girls and young women to look to public service and elected office as worthy career paths.

I, like others, ran for the state Assembly in part to make sure that issues impacting women and families are addressed — safe communities, education, economic development, clean environment, child care, senior services, food justice and health care. Further, I feel an obligation to help assure that women working in and for the Legislature operate in an environment in which they feel safe, productive and professional. Simply put, we need more women in local, state and federal office. I know firsthand that most institutions work better when there are women at the table and I believe that Albany’s culture will improve with more women in elected office.

We all know that change comes slowly. But I came to Albany to make a difference and I remain committed to meaningful reform: Greater transparency in all parts of government, independent redistricting and real campaign finance reform. There is much work to be done and I hope the remaining weeks of the 2013 session will continue to be productive. I was thrilled when the governor made the Women’s Equality Agenda a highlight of his State of the State message in January. I look forward to working with him to pass landmark legislation that moves the women of New York State forward on all 10 points of his agenda. And then I hope more women will step up and be the change we all want to see.

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One Year in Office

Posted on April 17, 2013 by

April 17 marks one year since I began serving our region in the New York State Assembly. This past year has been extraordinary on many fronts:  Being sworn in that day to the Assembly, working with my diverse colleagues from both sides of the aisle and across the diner tour 2013 signstate to pass our recent on time budget, and traversing our beautiful but disparate district — from the southern tip of the Town of Poughkeepsie to the northern end of the Town of Ghent — to meet with constituents through our Diner Stop Tour.

I am proud to say I have kept the promises I made by being a full-time legislator; keeping an open door policy for all my constituents whether we agree or disagree on the issues; refusing to take per diems and travel expenses; and continuing to fight every day to revitalize our economy, create local jobs and bring tax relief to our middle-class families, small businesses and farmers. Since day one I have been committed to assuring that Mid-Hudson Valley families have a voice in Albany.

Building on the success of our Diner Stop Mobile District Office — meeting one-on-one with scores of constituents at more than a dozen diners and coffee houses across the district –this year we launched the Where the Jobs Are Tour. In just the last two months I have visited nine local businesses – with many more scheduled — to talk face to face with employers about issues facing their companies or institutions. Through these conversations, as well as my participation on the two Regional Economic Development Councils that overlap the district, my office is engaged in finding the best ways to help local businesses grow and make New York State more business-friendly.

As a member of the committees on Agriculture and Economic Development I have made it a priority to shine a spotlight on the critical role our family farms and food related businesses play in New York State.  Even in this challenging economic climate, agriculture has been one of the great success stories in the Hudson Valley where young farmers are literally putting down roots, farm breweries, wineries and distilleries are on the rise and artisan cheeses and yogurt are giving new hope to dairy farmers.  The craft brewery legislation of our last session has led to a renewed interest in growing hops, a crop once prevalent in the Hudson Valley when it was the breadbasket of our young nation.

I fought hard in this year’s budget process to restore funding for local apple growers, dairy farmers, maple syrup producers, and the Farm Viability Institute, which supports the business of farming for small and mid-sized farms.  Also in the budget is the new Market-NY initiative, which will help promote locally produced goods, bolster regional tourism and expand agricultural options.

I fought successfully, as well, for increased funding to our struggling Hudson Valley school districts.  We owe it to our children and to our communities to provide the best possible education for the next generation of leaders.  By the same token, we cannot expect to attract and grow businesses in our region if we do not have strong schools for working families to send their children.

My favorite part of this job remains the work I do in the district to support and advocate for our towns, villages and community organizations. After last year’s toxic chemical fire at TCI Inc. in West Ghent, I helped organize a widely attended meeting to provide residents in the area with answers from federal, state and local officials.

There is still much to be done in this legislative session. As a lifelong advocate for women and children, I welcome the focus the Women’s Equality Agenda has put on issues like pay equity, domestic violence and reproductive health.  I look forward to working with Governor Cuomo on passing this critical legislation. Additionally, before this session is done, we must make meaningful campaign reform a reality.  The public and elected officials deserve a fair and open election process that restores faith in democracy and makes public service a worthy job choice once again.

It has been my honor to represent this beautiful and diverse district.  This year has seen many successes for us all and I look forward to continuing to bring the voices of Mid-Hudson families to Albany.  Please feel free to contact me at 518-455-5177 or emailBarrettD@assembly.state.ny.us.

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Celebrating New York Women

Posted on March 7, 2013 by

Women’s History Month, celebrated each March, is a time to remember the women who helped shape our nation’s history and to shine a spotlight on those women who continue womens-history-monththat progress today. In the best of all possible worlds, women’s history would be so much a part of our mainstream that a special month would not be needed.

But until then, celebrating in March allows us to reflect on the pioneering role our great state has played in women’s history — from Seneca Falls to the U.S. Supreme Court — and to celebrate some of the extraordinary women who have themselves been pioneers.

One of my own personal heroes is Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States, as well as New York State. Born in New York City, she was a passionate advocate for progressive causes and a devoted public servant known across the world as the face of human rights. She redefined the role of American First Lady and inspired people around the globe, but she was always happy to come home to Val-Kill, her beloved Hudson Valley home, the only national historic site dedicated to a First Lady.

Today, New York women continue to play pioneering roles. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lives in the lower Hudson Valley, is one of the most respected and accomplished women of our time. When she retired from her post earlier this year she had become the most-traveled Secretary of State ever. A former First Lady and the junior U.S. Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009, Clinton ran for president in 2008. A relentless advocate for women’s rights around the world, she inspires women everywhere as she defies assumptions and forges her own path.

When Sonia Sotomayor, the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, recently became the first U.S. Supreme Court Justice of Hispanic descent and the third woman on the court, she joined two other distinguished New York women, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan.

These women know they stand on the shoulders of bold trailblazers who came before. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, another native New Yorker, organized the first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y. in July 1848. Her Declaration of Sentiments, demanding equal rights for women in voting, the law, education and employment began the process that led to women finally securing the right to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

We have seen great progress in gender equity since then, but women today still earn less than men and hold fewer leadership roles in business. There are only five women governors in the country today. Women make up less than 18 percent of Congress and less than 25 percent of State Legislatures. In the New York State Assembly today, I am one of only 36 women of 150 members.

Our work continues: Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced plans for the Women’s Equality Act designed to end gender discrimination, ensure equal pay for equal work, stop sexual harassment in the workplace, protect victims of sexual violence and assure safe reproductive healthcare. Its passage would be a milestone for New York State.

Having spent my life advocating for women and girls, Women’s History Month holds particular meaning for me. Empowering, educating and encouraging girls and young women is essential to building a successful and prosperous society and it is critical that girls grow up seeing role models that look like them in every aspect of our community. This is why I spearheaded the creation of the Dutchess Girls Collaborative, served as founding chair of Girls Inc. of NYC and worked with such advocacy groups as the New York Women’s Foundation, Planned Parenthood, Women’s Campaign Forum and NARAL Pro-Choice New York as a former board member.

This March, I encourage you to take the time to learn something new about the role of women in shaping our state’s and nation’s rich history. To receive a women’s history brochure contact my office at 518-455-5177 or email barrettd@assembly.state.ny.us.

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FDR @ 131

Posted on February 3, 2013 by

This past week I had the great honor of being the guest speaker at the birthday commemoration for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt held in the Rose Garden at theFDR's 131st Birthday Remembrance Photo 01-30-13 05. HOFR NHS FDR Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park. The following are my remarks which highlight how very relevant President Roosevelt remains today:

Thank you for inviting me to make remarks today on the 131st birthday of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  One of my very favorite things about my new district, the newly designed 106th Assembly district, is that it includes this very first American Presidential Library, the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, and the birthplace and home of Franklin Roosevelt.

I grew up hearing stories from my parents of gathering around the radio to listen to FDR’s reassuring fireside chats.  And my longtime admiration for Eleanor Roosevelt grew from a childhood visit with the beloved “first lady of the world” when she came to tea with my Brownie Scout Troop. Turned out Eleanor Roosevelt was godmother to one of my fellow troop members. 

What I find especially remarkable about the legacy of Franklin Roosevelt — and Eleanor, as well — is how relevant his words, his policies and his programs remain today four score years later.

Last week in a conversation with Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey and some colleagues over the challenges facing our state parks, we all cited Roosevelt’s pioneering Civilian Conservation Corps as a visionary way to put people to work while also protecting our environment and natural treasures.  His advocacy on behalf of environmental conservation and the rich farmland here in his beloved Hudson Valley is captured in this prescient and still timely quote, “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” 

And just yesterday in the State Capitol — March of Dimes, which FDR founded 75 years ago on January 3, 1938 — as a response to the US epidemic of polio, had a big display in the Legislative Office Building, with a picture of the Roosevelts and recognition of the anniversary.  

And rarely does a month go by when there isn’t some article in the papers discussing architecture, a museum or gallery show, newly restored murals, music or plays that have some link to the far-reaching WPA Federal Arts Project. 

How fortunate are we here in the Hudson Valley, in New York State and in the United States to have that extraordinary Roosevelt legacy to continue to benefit from and to learn from. I believe President Roosevelt understood his role, as well as our role in that continuum when he said in a 1936 radio address:

“I do not look upon these United States as a finished product. We are still in the making.“

Thank you

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Bullish on the Hudson Valley. Bullish on New York.

Posted on January 11, 2013 by

The new year has kicked off in extraordinary fashion, beginning with our district swearing-in — with 200 friends and supporters – as Member of the New York State Assembly representing the new 106th AD. Held at the historic  Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park it was a celebration of the Hudson Valley with local food, drink and talent: The Kuumba Drums and Dancers from Operation Unite in Hudson; Hyde Park resident and voice actor Angela Henry, who read works by Walt Whitman, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker and Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt; and Hudson Valley musicians Eric Rosi-Marshall and Guy Fichetti who played tunes by Hudson Valley composers Pete Seeger, Jeff Anzevino, and Jay Ungar. It was a very special evening for everyone there and I thank my friend Supreme Court Justice Maria Rosa for officiating and my children Alec and Annabel for serving as the hosts.

That celebration segued into the ritual and fun of the opening of the legislative session, the thrill of attending the Governor State of the State for the first time, and then a lovely reception for legislators and their spouses or partners hosted by Governor Cuomo at the gracious 19th century Executive Mansion, the official residence of the Governor of New York.

I was pleased to hear in Governor Cuomo’s State of the State message many of the same themes that I spoke about in my own swearing-in speech.  I’m particularly optimistic that many of his proposals will have a positive impact on the mid-Hudson Valley, notably his TasteNY program which will help our local farms and food producers by spotlighting and promoting what they do so well. I am pleased with his focus on economic development and education, and, having spent my adult life advocating for the empowerment of women and girls, I am especially thrilled that the Governor has made equality, safety and reproductive health a priority of his agenda.

The following are my remarks from the January 5, 2013 swearing-in celebration at the FDR Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park:

Thank you for joining me and my family on this very special occasion. My election was truly a team effort and I am grateful to all of you for being part of that team. Our victory could not have happened any other way. Your friendship, your phone calls and canvassing, your time spent ringing doorbells at my side, your financial support  — it all added up to a solid, “no questions asked” victory — more than 54% of the vote — in November. I thank you all for making that happen.

Alice Paul being sworn in to vote. 1920 in We Owe Them Everything by Michelle Cahill

Suffragist Alice Paul being sworn in to vote in 1920. 

I am thrilled to have you all here and thrilled to be here in Hyde Park, the home of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, two extraordinary Americans who personify visionary, progressive leadership and the very best of public service. 

I grew up hearing stories from my parents of gathering around the radio to listen to FDR’s reassuring fireside chats.  And my longtime admiration for Eleanor Roosevelt grew from a childhood visit with the beloved “first lady of the world” when she came to tea with my Brownie Troop — back then being a Brownie was the first step to becoming a Girl Scout.  Turned out Eleanor Roosevelt was godmother to one of my fellow troop members. 

And you should know, the FDR Presidential Library, where we are today,  is the nation’s very first US Presidential Library, and it happens to be here in the Hudson Valley — here in Dutchess County. It is a remarkable resource to have in our community and a powerful legacy for all of us to draw upon.  Each of you here today, came in part because you care about our region, our state and our country.  You care, as I do, about  ideas and about making a positive difference in our world.  There are many relevant lessons to be learned from Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and their time in the White House and much of that can be found right here.  

We are so very lucky to live, work and love here in the Hudson Valley.  Magical moments happen all the time here — watching a glorious sunset over the River, savoring a view of the Catskills while stuck behind a slow moving farm vehicle, enjoying the charm — and the challenges — of our small towns and communities, reading an historical marker that teaches you something new about the region.  A recent favorite came while driving from Albany across the Rip Van Winkle Bridge on a glorious fall day just as WAMC was finishing it’s last fund drive — and yes I listen to those fund drives.  I was crossing the bridge looking up at Olana nestled in a cocoon of sunlit fall colors and suddenly Kate Smith bursts forth on the radio singing God Bless America.  That happens to be the way the Albany-based NPR station signals it has reached its fundraising goal.  It was gorgeous moment and I got goose bumps. 

As many of you know, I have deep roots in the Hudson Valley as my grandfather and great uncle first bought a farm in Ancramdale, in Columbia County, in 1937.  It was exactly fifty years later that David and I bought our lovely old farmhouse in Dutchess County to which we brought home our two babies, Alec and Annabel.

I am so honored and privileged to represent this awesome district in the New York State Assembly.  This very large — 70 miles from one end to the other — swath of Dutchess and Columbia Counties is truly a snapshot of America.  We have the great city of Hudson and 19 picturesque Towns that range from suburban to very rural.  We have Vassar and Marist colleges, the Culinary Institute of America and two fine Community Colleges – Columbia Greene and Dutchess. We have world-class soils and farmland, critically important small and midsize family farms, and a growing cohort of young farmers who are literally putting down roots to become the next generation to feed New York. We have spectacular natural resources, rich American history, diverse cultural talent and a flourishing tourism industry that recognizes all these assets. 

We have a wide range of small businesses and a strong core of hard-working middle class families.  We have remarkable places doing visionary work like Omega’s Center for Sustainable Living and their new Women’s Leadership Center which attract visitors from around the world.  And we have pioneering projects like Habitat for Humanity’s new passive solar townhouses in Hudson, the first to bring energy efficiency to unprecedented levels in affordable housing.  We also have cutting edge social service providers like the Anderson Center for Autism and the several Camphill communities that serve our more vulnerable neighbors in enlightened and effective ways.

I am truly bullish on the Hudson Valley. I believe this is the Hudson Valley’s moment. We have it all right here.  We simply need to proceed by working collaboratively with wisdom, smart growth principles and a recognition for what makes this region so special.  We can create a sustainable economy with good jobs that stay in the region by engaging the very things we love about living here.

We have a rich history to build upon: Smart innovators from the Shakers to IBM; an industrial past that has rekindled new uses for  neglected places like the thriving Wassaic Project arts center located in an old barn in Amenia just steps from where Gail Borden developed condensed milk. And the Copake Iron Works, being reborn as part of an industrial history site in Taconic State Park, one of 8 state parks and historic sites in my Assembly district.  Nine if you include our views of the marvelous Walkway Over the Hudson.

We bask in magnificent natural resources and biodiversity and we feel passionate about protecting them. The region’s 1962 battle over the proposed siting of a hydro-electric plant at Storm King Mountain marks the birth of the modern environmental movement and  prompted Congress to pass the National Environmental Policy Act in 1969, which for the first time required an environmental impact study on major projects.

We have a rich history that includes Native American traditions as well as landmarks from before and during the Revolutionary War. And we have a diverse cultural legacy of music, dance, theatre, and art that includes the Hudson River School of Painting and its iconic artists like Frederick Church, Thomas Cole, Asher Durand, Sanford Gifford and others. How many other regions can claim a school of painting?

Perhaps most importantly, we have a talented, hard-working, educated and caring population.  It is a population committed to community. Most of us live here because we choose to; we love this region and we love the sense of community. Folks are engaged in their local schools, their places of worship, their town and village committees and boards.  They are volunteer fire fighters and emergency service providers. They are there for the neighbors in time of need as well as times of joy.  

These are my constituents.  I thank you all for putting your trust in me.

 
 
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Victory in New York’s 106th AD!

Posted on November 8, 2012 by

 Tuesday was, quite simply, a great night — for our country, for the Hudson Valley and for our campaign to win a full term in the New York State Assembly. Our victory was truly a team effort and I am so grateful to you for being part of our awesome team. We worked hard for our victory, knocking on thousands of doors, calling thousands of voters and making sure our message was heard loud and clear. This was no easy task since some 60% of the newly drawn 106th district was different from the district I had won in March.

We were upbeat and positive throughout the campaign because I am bullish on the Hudson Valley. I know we can work together to create the private sector jobs that stay local, that we can bring tax relief to our families, farms and small businesses while being sure our kids get the best educational opportunities possible, and that we can assure that folks feel safe in their homes, schools and communities. I know we can do this together because we’ve already worked together to do something many folks doubted we could do: Win two times in eight months in a region that local son Franklin Delano Roosevelt never could carry when he ran for President!

Thank you for your support.

Warmly,

Didi

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Senior Moments

Posted on August 19, 2012 by

“One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it’s such a nice change from being young.”  Will Rogers

It has been a privilege and a learning experience to be a member of the New York State Assembly Committee on Aging. The Committee is responsible for analyzing all issues related to the aging population: transportation assistance, long-term care, healthcare, prescription drug coverage and aging in place, which refers to ways to help seniors continue to live and be active in their communities.

Aging is a timely issue.  Face it, we are all aging.  And as a member of the Baby Boom generation I am part of a cohort that is about to become the largest senior population in history, a daunting fact for our society as a whole, and one we should be preparing for in a thoughtful, pro-active way.

With all this in mind, we launched a Senior Tour last month that is taking us to a half dozen community senior programs throughout the region, senior picnics, an elder abuse conference, and on a tour of a pioneering new model for aging in place, right here in the Hudson Valley.  The goal of these visits is to talk directly with our seniors to hear their concerns and priorities first hand and to encourage them to reach out to our District Office if we can help in any way — from questions about Medicaid, to advice on getting more local fruit and vegetables in their diets to worries about unwelcome solicitations or fraud.

Unfortunately, the aging population has increasingly become a target of con artists and scams.  These can take the form of sweepstakes making false claims that you have won something.  Or they can be a seemingly sympathetic plea for money, sometimes from someone who claims to be a family member.  As part of our Senior Tour, we have partnered with the office of NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who recently launched a Smart Seniors program aimed at educating our older consumers.  We have made the Attorney General’s excellent new initiative part of our visits, giving folks the tools and information to protect themselves from fraud and abuse.   In addition, we are working with the regional office of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to inform our older neighbors about federal programs her office can help with, including Veterans, Social Security and Immigration issues. Our office is happy to direct calls to the best place to get help.

Many of the programs we have been visiting on our Senior Tour are run by the Division of Aging in Dutchess and the Office for the Aging in Columbia Counties and are funded by New York State.  We hear in our conversations how budget cuts in the last year have resulted in cutbacks in activities;  four-day weeks, meaning fewer mid-day meals for many people; and in some cases the closing of a program site altogether, which means folks must travel long distance or simply stay home. For many of the seniors we visited with, especially in the more rural parts of the region, these daily bingo and card games are a major part of their social life and the lunch their one hot meal.

A new model for aging in place in a rural setting is being explored at Camphill Ghent, a recently opened integrated residential long-term care facility set among 122 acres of  rolling hills in Columbia County. Embracing the values of the worldwide Camphill movement, an initiative for social change, their mission is to “care for, celebrate, embrace and honor the special strengths and needs of those in their elder years.” A sustainable community incorporating green architecture and technology, Camphill Ghent offers both independent living and an adult residence.

Our senior citizens are one of the true great resources in all our towns, but they are too often taken for granted. Listening to an older gentleman’s delightful anecdotes at the Poughkeepsie picnic or hearing how a group of older women in Hudson serve meals regularly at their churches, it’s hard not to be inspired. How fortunate we have been to hear first hand the recollections, insights and wisdom of these great community treasures.

 
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