HONORING MR. HAJI DUKURAY, A TRUE SON OF THE BRONX

On 2026-02-11, Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING MR. HAJI DUKURAY, A TRUE SON OF THE BRONX" in the House. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered gun policy, taxes.

HONORING MR. HAJI DUKURAY, A TRUE SON OF THE BRONX

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 29 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2176-H2178] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING MR. HAJI DUKURAY, A TRUE SON OF THE BRONX (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Torres of New York was recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.) Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true son of the Bronx and a shining example of the American Dream: Mr. Haji Dukuray. In 1988, Haji arrived from The Gambia with little more than hope and determination. He built a life rooted in faith, family, and unwavering service. A devoted husband, father of four, proud grandfather, and tireless community advocate, he has served in leadership at the Bronx Islamic Cultural Center and dedicated decades to lifting others up. For him, serving the community has always been a sacred moral obligation. Then came unimaginable tragedy. In January of 2022, the Twin Parks North West fire stole 17 lives, including five cherished members of Haji's own family. Yet in his darkest hour, Haji chose hope over despair. He united grieving families, clergy, and leaders to seek justice and foster healing. Haji Dukuray embodies resilience. His life teaches us that even amid profound loss, community and service can mend broken hearts and strengthen us all. The Bronx is stronger because of him. I thank Haji for his service. {time} 1920 Honoring Cheryl Marie DeWitt Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cheryl Marie DeWitt, known to all as Ms. Dee, a true Bronx treasure and champion of our children. Born to a young, single mother and raised by loving foster parents, Ms. Dee learned early that caring adults can change a child's life forever. Inspired by that gift, she has dedicated her life to giving the same opportunity to others. For more than 20 years, as executive director of the Williamsbridge NAACP Early Childhood Education Center, she has provided nurturing, high-quality care to Bronx families facing hardship, never wavering through every challenge. A proud CSA member since 1994 and the Bronx borough chair for center- based directors, plus an active leader in the NAACP Williamsbridge branch, Ms. Dee fights tirelessly for early education, equity, and community strength. Ms. Dee shows us that service starts with compassion. Her life proves the love we receive can become the love we give. I thank Ms. Dee. May her work continue shaping brighter futures for generations. Honoring Johnnie Goff Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Dr. Johnnie Ruth Goff, a tireless educator, visionary leader, and true pillar of the North Bronx community. Born in Georgetown, South Carolina, Dr. Goff poured more than three decades of her life into our public schools as a teacher and administrator. She lived the conviction that education unlocks opportunity for every child, regardless of their ZIP Code or circumstance. Beyond the classroom, her legacy shines through innovative programs like ``Feed the Body, Feed the Mind,'' launched in 1998. With her beloved Food Ranger character, she taught generations that good nutrition fuels sharp minds and stronger futures. As founder of the JADE Multi Family Circle Center and a dedicated activist, she created internships, mentoring, tutoring, and service opportunities that opened doors for our youth. Guided by faith and compassion, she turned concern into action, supporting families, serving on boards, and building solutions where others saw only challenges. Dr. Goff reminds us that one person's unwavering dedication can transform a community and inspire generations. I thank Dr. Johnnie Ruth Goff for her extraordinary service and enduring legacy. Honoring Nilka Martell Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true champion of the Bronx, Nilka Martell. A proud Puerto Rican daughter of our borough, Nilka turned her lifelong love for her community into action. Since 2011, as founder and director of Loving The Bronx, she has built a powerful grassroots movement that puts residents at the heart of the fight for justice-- social, environmental, and economic. She chairs the Bronx River Alliance, leads Friends of Pelham Bay Park, and serves on the Bronx Council for Environmental Quality, always amplifying local voices in decisions that determine our air, our parks, and our health. Nilka delivers real wins: Securing over $10 million to rebuild Virginia Park and Hugh J. Grant Circle, and boldly leading the charge to cap the Cross Bronx Expressway--reducing deadly pollution, healing neighborhoods divided by Robert Moses, and creating new green spaces for our children. Nilka Martell shows us what is possible when community leadership meets unwavering determination. She is building a healthier, more connected, more just Bronx for all of us. I thank Nilka. Honoring Bob Bender Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a true pillar of the Northwest Bronx, Bob Bender. For more than 20 years, Bob has served with unwavering dedication on Community Board 8. For 13 of those years, he chaired the Parks Committee, turning vision into action. In 2007, when veterans raised the alarm about the crumbling Memorial Grove in Van Cortlandt Park, Bob didn't hesitate. He secured the grant, rallied support, and restored it as a dignified place of remembrance. But his work went deeper. He brought naturalists and schoolchildren together to study and safeguard the park's natural treasures. He championed the forgotten history of enslaved people who once labored on the Van Cortlandt estate, ensuring their story is now permanently honored and displayed in the Van Cortlandt Museum for generations to learn from. Long before the board, Bob was always giving back--feeding and clothing the homeless, coaching Little League, showing up when the community needed him most. Today, he still volunteers in the park, week after week, and fights tirelessly for a Hudson River greenway. A proud Bronx native, devoted husband, and loving father, Bob Bender reminds us that our borough is built and sustained by people who never stop giving. I thank Bob. [[Page H2177]] Honoring Clinton A. Myke Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate a remarkable son of the Bronx, Mr. Clinton A. Myke. Born and raised here in Community Board 12, educated in our neighborhood schools, and now raising his own family in the same street he loves, Clinton is a Bronxite in every sense of the word. For 25 years he served with honor and distinction in the Department of Correction, rising to the rank of captain through sheer integrity, discipline, and unwavering commitment to public service. But retirement never dimmed his passion. Instead, he turned his energy toward his community, joining Bronx Community Board 12 and devoting the past decade to making it better. Today, as proud chair of that board, he amplifies local voices, strengthens participation, and fights every day so that our neighborhoods thrive. Clinton Myke embodies selfless leadership. Because of him, the Bronx is stronger, more connected, and more hopeful. It is my honor to recognize this true public servant. I thank Clinton, and may he continue to lead us forward. Honoring Tomas Ramos Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true son of the Bronx, Tomas Ramos, a first generation Dominican American whose life embodies resilience, justice, and an unbreakable community spirit. Born in Washington Heights amid the crack epidemic, Tomas faced displacement, poverty, and the devastating grip of mass incarceration and the war on drugs. Yet he transformed personal hardship into powerful purpose. He has dedicated himself to uplifting our youth, championing small businesses, advancing restorative justice, and expanding access to healthcare, food security, and real opportunity for all. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and too many were left behind, Tomas acted without hesitation. He mobilized donations to expand ICU capacity, delivered critical PPE to overburdened hospitals, and stood firmly for the Bronx when it needed him most. From that crisis emerged the Oyate Group, a nonprofit powerhouse he founded to educate, resource, and build sustainable solutions that break cycles of generational poverty. Through innovative programs in youth development, gun violence prevention, and community empowerment, Tomas has become a blessing and a beacon for the underserved neighborhoods of the Bronx and beyond. Because of Tomas Ramos, our community stands stronger, more connected, and more hopeful. He reminds us every day that dignity is not a privilege, it is a fundamental right. I thank Tomas for his tireless leadership and his heart for the people of the Bronx. We in the Bronx are proud to call him one of our own. {time} 1930 Recognizing Chauncy Young Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, for more than 20 years, Chauncy Young has poured his heart into our Bronx, building bridges between education, justice, and environmental equity. He began in Highbridge, empowering neighbors through mindfulness, meditation, and self-care at the Community Collaborative. Since 2016, as the director of the New Settlement Parent Action Committee, he has led the Healing-Centered Schools Working Group, bringing trauma- informed, healing approaches into classrooms so that our students and teachers can thrive, not simply survive. Yet Chauncy's vision stretches beyond school walls. Since founding the Harlem River Coalition in 2009, he has coordinated tireless efforts alongside residents, organizations, and officials to reclaim our waterfront, clean our river, and weave an interconnected greenway system that will one day let every Bronx family walk, bike, and breathe beside the water. A proud Highbridge resident, devoted husband, and fath