Greater Newark Fresh Air Fund – 91��Ƭ

Essex County Honors Trish Morris-Yamba and Kenneth A. Gibson with Memorial Plaques Along Legends Way

Michelle Lang — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 15:00:52 +0000

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and the Board of Chosen Freeholders dedicated memorial plaques along Legends Way to five individuals who made great contributions to the county during their lives. Among those recognized were two with close ties to 91��Ƭ: Trish Morris-Yamba, the late wife of NCC Board President Dr. A. Zachary Yamba, and Kenneth A. Gibson, a founding NCC board member and the first black mayor of Newark.

Elected officials, family members and friends gathered Sept. 18 at Governor Brendan Byrne Plaza in Newark for the ceremony and unveiling of the plaques along Legends Way.

In addition to Morris-Yamba and Gibson, county officials unveiled memorial plaques for Pearl Beatty, first Freeholder President; Lebby C. Jones, Freeholder and Irvington Councilwoman; and Ramon Rivera, founder of La Casa de Don Pedro.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said all five individuals were interested in community empowerment in addition to community service.

“Collectively the work that they did was probably more than thousands of us put together,” Baraka said. “There would be no baton to take if they didn’t pass it to us.”

Morris-Yamba served as the executive director of the Newark Day Center and the Greater Newark Fresh Air Fund for 32 years. She made it possible for inner-city children to participate in outdoor recreational activities, including summer camp. She founded the CHEN School and the Early Childhood Coalition of Newark. She was also a founding member of the National Congress of Black Women.

NCC Board President Yamba spoke about how his late wife never wanted to run for office herself but was always very active behind the scenes to help women seeking election.

“She traveled the length and breadth of this nation to make sure that women who were running for office had the support of strong black women,” Yamba said.

He added that many miss Morris-Yamba but they take comfort in knowing she had an impact.

“We know that what she has done will far outlive her life on this earth,” he said.

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver said Morris-Yamba was a friend personally and professionally.

“Anything I ever did, any office I ever ran for, the first contribution I would get was from Trish Morris-Yamba,” Oliver said. “Whether I was running on the line or off the line, Trish was always there for me.”

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo said Morris-Yamba was able to raise thousands of dollars to send children to summer camp but didn’t seek recognition.

“She never, ever looked for praise whatsoever,” he said.

Essex County Deputy Chief of Staff William Payne said children had a better life because of Morris-Yamba.

“Trish was just an exceptional person,” he said.

Gibson was one of the founding board members of 91��Ƭ. He is best known for becoming the first black mayor of Newark in 1970.

“This was a watershed moment for Essex County and for the entire nation,” said Essex County Freeholder President Brendan Gill of his election.

Oliver said without Gibson’s achievement, she would not hold her current position.

“I would not be lieutenant governor without the opportunities provided to me by Kenneth Allen Gibson,” she said. “Ken Gibson won election when I was 17 years old. I cried like a baby because I understood the significance of what he had done.”

DiVincenzo said Gibson became the mayor of Newark at a difficult time, after the uprising in 1967 and civil unrest.

“Ken came in and made peace within the city,” DiVincenzo said.

Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said Gibson was a close friend who he met while working at the Newark Police Department.

“He was just a terrific person to work with,” Fontoura said.

Gibson’s wife Camille thanked everyone in attendance on behalf of the family.

“Ken and I were joined at the hip and he was my hero,” she said. “We appreciate this very, very much.”

Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman LeRoy Jones said each memorial plaque represents a person who cared for others no matter their political beliefs.

“These are individuals that looked out for people regardless of their party banner,” he said. “They had a rich spirit of public service. They had a rich spirit of giving.”

Remembering Trish Morris-Yamba: A Champion Of Women And Children

Michelle Lang — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 20:02:46 +0000

Trish Morris-Yamba, the wife of NCC Board President Dr. A. Zachary Yamba, was a champion of women’s and children’s causes. Photo courtesy of Dr. A. Zachary Yamba.

Newark and the community at large lost a dedicated champion of women and children with the passing of Trish Morris-Yamba March 8 at the age of 80. She was the wife of 91��Ƭ Board President Dr. A. Zachary Yamba.
Morris-Yamba was heavily involved in the Newark Day Center, which aims to train the poor to help themselves, and its Greater Newark Fresh Air Fund. She worked for the Newark Day Center for 32 years and continued to be involved with the organization during her retirement.
The Greater Newark Fresh Air Fund sends inner-city children from the Greater Newark area to camp, where they can enjoy the outdoors and participate in activities like swimming. Morris-Yamba was heavily involved in the process to make sure children had positive experiences. Yamba said at one time she worked with an airline that would take the children to the Bahamas for a day.
“It was a great treat for the kids,” Yamba said.
In addition to her work at the Newark Day Center, Morris-Yamba was the founding president of the Early Childhood Coalition of Newark and she founded the CHEN School, a collaborative preschool sponsored by the Council of Higher Education in Newark.
Women’s empowerment was another area Morris-Yamba was passionate about. She was a founding member and vice chair of the National Congress of Black Women. She also chaired its metro-Newark chapter. Yamba said she helped install various chapters of the group.
He explained that Morris-Yamba helped women professionally and politically, supporting women who were running for public office and influencing public policy.
“It didn’t matter what level office they were seeking. She would go to their rallies and support in whatever way she could. Whether it’s at the local level in New Jersey, whether it’s in Washington, whether it’s in Atlanta, she would get up and just go,” Yamba said.
Yamba said he asked her if she would run for office, but she declined.
“She said, ‘No, I like to support women’s issues, women’s causes and open doors for them.’ Especially some of the younger people because she said we need young people in the pipeline,” Yamba explained.
Although Morris-Yamba was busy with her advocacy work, Yamba said she was always present for their children and their events and made time to attend some of his professional functions as well. Yamba served as the president of Essex County College for 30 years so they both had very active professional lives.
“We never got in each other’s way,” he said. “We supported each other. I went to some of her functions and she went to some of mine.”
Many saw Morris-Yamba as a mother figure because Yamba said she took people under her wing throughout her life. He said he believed her drive to help others was nurtured by her mother who was very active in the community when Morris-Yamba was young, organizing softball games for neighborhood children and being very active in church organizations.
Newark served as the base for Morris-Yamba’s advocacy work, but her influence spread much farther than the city limits. In addition to her work with the National Congress of Black Women, she served as the host of “Black Spectrum,” a public affairs show that aired on NBC for many years.
Morris-Yamba was an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, which aims to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature and to be of service to all mankind. Yamba said his wife loved being part of the sorority and several relatives, including two granddaughters and nieces, are carrying on in her footsteps as members.
Morris-Yamba was a longtime member of Bethany Baptist Church in Newark and served on several boards, including the Bethany Christian Academy, Newark Emergency Services for Families and the Community Advisory Board of Thirteen/WNET.
The loss of Morris-Yamba will be felt by those close to her personally, throughout Newark and beyond. The work she did throughout her life, however, will continue and will serve as a positive influence on women, children and society at large.
“We’re going to miss her. No question about that,” Yamba said.