Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) has introduced a resolution honoring the life and legacy of the late environmental justice leader Cecil Corbin-Mark.
Corbin-Mark, the former deputy director and director of policy initiatives at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, died in October after suffering at stroke.
He was 51 at the time of his passing.
The resolution was co-led by Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13).
“Cecil Corbin-Mark was a powerful voice, fearless champion and trusted partner in the fight for environmental justice,” McEachin said. “Cecil devoted his life and career to the pursuit of equity and justice for all, improving the lives of countless communities in his native New York and across our country. With today’s actions, we honor his dedication to a better and more perfect union and ensure that his commitment to the health and well-being of frontline communities lives on. My colleagues and I will forever remain inspired by his work and are committed to carrying forward his legacy of progress towards intersectional justice for all.”
“The loss of Cecil Corbin-Mark leaves a hole in the environmental justice community’s heart,” Grijalva said. “Cecil and WE Act played an important role in the first Congressional Convening of Environmental Justice and helped lay the foundation for the coming generation of environmental justice advocates. He improved the lives of his community members and redefined progress for the residents of Harlem, New York. He dedicated his life to a moral calling and fought every day to guarantee Americans their rights to clean air, clean water, and ample outdoor space. Rather than despairing, we choose to celebrate Cecil’s pursuit of justice and equality and hold it up as a powerful example to us all. Rest in power, brother.”
“Throughout his esteemed career, Cecil Corbin-Mark shined bright as a beacon of leadership and hope for New York City – he was a trailblazer in the fight for environmental justice, and an inspiration to more individuals than he would ever know,” Espaillat said. “Cecil was a giant in his community, and across the nation, and he worked tirelessly to ensure that people of color and low-income residents always had a seat at the table. By honoring Cecil’s legacy with my colleagues today, his impact on the sustainable future of Harlem, New York City, and our Nation will live on to inspire others to follow in his stead. May he rest in power.”
“We would like to thank Congressmembers A. Donald McEachin, Adriano Espaillat, and Raúl Grijalva for honoring the life and work of Cecil Corbin-Mark with this resolution,” said Peggy Shepard, co-founder and executive director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “Cecil was our first paid employee, and instrumental in much of the success we have achieved as an organization. He was also a highly respected leader in the environmental justice movement, and his leadership and advocacy improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, not just in Harlem but all across the country. To honor his memory and carry on his work, we have established the Cecil Corbin-Mark Environmental Justice Professional Development Fellowship, helping ensure that young people of color have access to funded opportunities to gain experience in environmental justice policy advocacy.”
Click here to read the full resolution.
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