Advocates Urge End to CT's Statute of Limitations for Sexual Assault Crimes; Legislation Awaits Action

The statistics were stark and unsettling, featured in an informational display in the corridor connecting the State Capitol and the Legislative Office Building, in the midst of Sexual Assault Awareness Month:

• 77% of victims in Connecticut know their perpetrators
• In 2016, the estimated cost of sexual violence in Connecticut was $5,762,944.30, including lost wages and medical costs based on emergency department visits.
• Connecticut students who experienced sexual violence were 3 times more likely to miss school because they felt unsafe
• 8% of CT students in grades 9-12 reported being forced to have sexual intercourse.
• 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men have experienced sexual violence other than rape in their lifetimes.

Less prominent, but described as equally significant, was advocacy information that explained Connecticut has the third shortest statute of limitation in the country in cases of sexual assault, and the shortest in New England – five years.

The Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence is calling for that to change, but it is unclear if a legislative proposal (House Bill 5246) to eliminate the criminal statute of limitations will be approved in the final three weeks of the state legislative session. Another proposal would extend the period to ten years (Senate Bill 238), an improvement over the current 5-year window, but still shorter than it should be, advocates say.

The "elimination" bill was approved by the legislature's Judiciary Committee, 26-14, earlier this month.

The organization points out that Connecticut’s short reporting window does not account for new crimes that involve online victimization.  And it does not recognize the multiple barriers to reporting immediately after an assault, or that five years has not always been enough time to investigate and bring a case against a perpetrator, “allowing some likely offenders to go free.”

Stating that “justice should not have an expiration date,” the organization points out that eight states have no statute of limitations for felony sexual assault crimes, and 28 states have a statute of limitations of 21 years or more.  Only 10 states, including Connecticut, have a statute of limitation of 10 years or less.

According to the National Institutes of Health, sexual violence is the leading cause of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in women.  Testifying in support of the bill last month, Madeline Granato of the Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF) said a survivor of sexual assault may face multiple barriers that prevent timely reporting, and "the elimination of the statute of limitations will remove at least one barrier:  time."

The bill has been opposed by the State Office of Chief Public Defender, which told legislators in March that "Without any finite period of time within which a prosecution can be brought, it may be impossible for an innocent person to fairly defend himself, 10, 20 or more years beyond the date of the offense."

The Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence partnered with the Connecticut Department of Public Health in showcasing materials and information to help the public identify sexual violence, offer support to survivors, and prevent sexual violence.  Throughout the month of April, The Alliance its member programs, are raising awareness about sexual violence through hosting events across the state.

Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence is a statewide coalition of individual sexual assault crisis programs. The Alliance works to end sexual violence through victim assistance, community education, and public policy advocacy.

Cantor Colburn Ranked #4 in U.S. for Utility Patents in 2017

Hartford-based Cantor Colburn LLP is the nation’s fourth largest patent firm, as ranked by issued patents, according to IP Watchdog, a leading intellectual property blog.  IP Watchdog compiled the list of about 800 U.S. patent firms based on the total U.S. utility patents that issued in 2017.  The ranking places Cantor Colburn in better than the top 1% of all U.S. law firms for productivity. Cantor Colburn has been a staple in the top ten rankings for utility patents, design patents, and trademarks for many years. The firm is one of the largest full-service intellectual property law firms in the country, with more than 100 attorneys and agents and offices in Hartford, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Houston, and Detroit.

In 2016, Juristat reviewed law firm growth over the last decade and found that Cantor Colburn was the fastest growing U.S. patent law firm “by a significant margin.” In addition to being a patent powerhouse, Cantor Colburn assists clients with litigation, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, post grant review, including inter partesreview, and agreements of all kinds. Cantor Colburn’s strategic expansion has successfully seen it grow from a ten-lawyer firm in the 1990s.

“Cantor Colburn is able to sustain a high level of productivity and quality work because of the talent, experience, and dedication of many professionals at all levels,” said Philmore H. Colburn II, Co-Managing Partner of Cantor Colburn.  “Our clients depend on us to acquire quality patent rights quickly, and we are focused on getting those results.”

“Over the last 25 years at Cantor Colburn, we have focused on three things: high quality work, responsiveness, and value,” said Co-Managing Partner Michael A. Cantor. “It seems as though while much of the world is changing, these things remain constant.”

Cantor Colburn’s clients are among the leading companies in the country and around the world, including Fortune 100 companies, privately-held companies, select high tech start-ups, and universities.

Co-Managing Partner Michael Cantor also serves as Board Chair of Connecticut Innovations, the state’s strategic venture capital arm and the leading source of financing and ongoing support for innovative, growing companies.

The firm recently played a role, along with other key CEO’s in the region, in attracting InfoSys to Hartford.  The state Bond Commission last Friday approved $14 million in funding to bring the information technology and consulting firm to Hartford. Infosys has committed to hire 1,000 employees over the next four years in Hartford and establish a $21 million center to develop digital and other technologies for the insurance and health care industries and manufacturing.

Cantor Colburn has a thriving international practice, working closely with companies in Israel, Europe, Asia and the Americas. Michael Cantor has been teaching Patent Law and Procedure at University of Connecticut School of Law as an Adjunct Professor for more than 20 years.

PERSPECTIVE: The Social Responsibility of Business is Changing

by Sarah Eisele-Dyrli In 1970, Milton Freedman wrote in The New York Times Magazine that the responsibility of a corporate executive is “to conduct the business in accordance with their desires, which generally will be to make as much money as possible while conforming to the basic rules of the society, both those embodied in law and those embodied in ethical custom.”

It turns out that the basic rules of society are changing.

In 1993, 66 percent of consumers were “likely to switch brands to one that is associated with a good cause, given similar price and quality” according to the 2017 Cone Communications CSR Study.

In 2017, that number rose to 89 percent.

This changing consumer behavior, an indicator of changing basic rules of society, results in businesses making more money.

Take Unilever.

In May, 2017, Unilever announced that their Sustainable Living brands grew “over 50 percent faster than the rest of the business” and that those brands “delivered more than 60 percent of Unilever’s growth in 2016.”

Paul Polman, Unilever CEO, commented on the results:

“There is no doubt that the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan is making us more competitive by helping us to build our brands and spur innovation, strengthen our supply chain and reduce our risks, lower our costs, and build trust in our business. It is helping Unilever to serve society and our many consumers, and in doing so, create value for shareholders.” [emphasis mine]

Unilever is benefiting financially today from the trends highlighted in the Cone study - they are making a lot of money, and are also setting themselves up to benefit over the long-term by ensuring the resources they need (human, environmental, financial, and otherwise) will still be around for years to come.

What can this example possibly mean for the 96 percent of Connecticut business owners like myself who employ fewer than 20 employees*? (*calculated from the Connecticut Small Business Profile, 2017)

Those of us who own small businesses, including individual proprietorships, can also take advantage of these changing rules of society - and profit.

Enter the Benefit Corporation (known as B Corp). There are two types of B Corps. One is a certification through B Lab, an NGO that codified the structure. The other is a type of business incorporation, and is obtained by application through the Secretary of the State. Both give legal protection to leaders who consider the interests of all stakeholders - not just shareholders or a board of directors - when making business decisions.

There are certainly businesses in Connecticut that seek to “make as much money as possible” while conforming to these new basic rules of society.

But in Connecticut, these businesses can be hard to find.

In my own search to connect with businesses here in Connecticut that are having a positive social and/or environmental impact, I continue to be met with chuckles from other business owners when I talk about what I do.

They know that these kinds of businesses are growing nationally, but they also know that there aren’t many in Connecticut yet.

Of the 1,100 B Corps in the US certified by B Lab, currently only .27 percent (3 in total) are located in Connecticut. According to the Benefit Corporation website, which tries to track the number of businesses that are actively incorporated as B Corps at the state level, there are 43 incorporated Benefit Corps listed in Connecticut, but some of these are no longer in business. The state’s B Corp law took effect in 2014.

Businesses seeking to have a positive environmental and social impact do exist in Connecticut, but may fear losing customers or clients by waving the triple bottom line flag of people, profit, planet.

Yet the findings from the Cone report suggest that by conforming to these developing basic rules of society, Connecticut businesses may actually benefit - not be harmed - by putting these values up front.

One way to signal this priority is by certifying as a B Corp through B Lab (and being able to use the recognizable B Corp seal) or incorporating as a B Corp through the state of Connecticut. The fees may be lower than you might expect, depending on your current size of operation.

Another signal we can make to consumers or customers is through communicating these values more effectively in our marketing. The Cone report found that 39 percent of consumers researched the environmental and social practices of businesses in 2016. By making it easy for consumers to identify the values they share with our businesses, we make it easier for them to make the decision to buy our products or services when they are comparable to others.

As consumers, we can benefit from the new “basic rules of society” by knowing that our hard-earned dollars are going to help address issues we care about. And as business-owners we get the added benefit of making “as much money as possible” while having the confidence that the resources we need will be available to us and our families for generations to come.

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Sarah Eisele-Dyrli, MSW, is the founder of Social Impact Compass, based in Connecticut.  She works with business owners and social enterprises so they can have the social and environmental impact they want. She can be reached at sarah@socialimpactcompass.com or @SEiseleDyrli.

CT Ranks 15th Among Best States for Millennials, Analysis Reveals

The only state in the nation with a higher percentage of millennials living with their parents than Connecticut is New Jersey.  That is just one finding in a study of the best and worst states for millennials, in which Connecticut ranked fifteenth overall.  Why do so many millennials in Connecticut live with mom and dad in Connecticut?  Analysts say that high housing costs are to blame. Pushing Connecticut toward the top is the state’s third place ranking in the Education & Health category.  Pulling the state down are rankings of 41^st in Affordability, 29^th in Economic Health and 23^rd in Quality of Life.  The state ranked 17^th in Civic Engagement among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The best states for millennials, according to the analysis by the website WalletHub, are the District of Columbia, North Dakota, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Iowa, Wisconsin, Utah, Nebraska and Colorado.  Among the other New England states, New Hampshire came in at #12, Vermont at #14, Rhode Island at #26 and Maine at #28.

Connecticut's #15 ranking is filled with plusses and minuses in the component elements of the study.  The state, for example, has the 7th highest average annual cost of early childcare as a share of average earnings for millennials, at 23.85 percent. In housing cost for millennials, Connecticut ranks 38th, the average two-bedroom rent being 36.99 percent of this age group's average earnings, WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez points out.

The state has the second highest percentage of millennials who visited a dentist in the past year at 74.60 percent; the 8th highest percentage of millennials who had a routine checkup in the past year at 66.37 percent; and the 7th smallest percentage of millennials with no doctor visits in the past year due to cost, at 11.70 percent.

According to the Pew Research Center, millennials are expected to overtake Boomers in population in 2019 as their numbers swell to 73 million and Boomers decline to 72 million. Generation X (ages 36 to 51 in 2016) is projected to pass the Boomers in population by 2028.

The five dimensions, mentioned above, were weighted to determine an overall score on a 100 point scale using thirty relevant metrics including the cost of living, rate of home ownership and insurance, average student loan debt, voter turnout rate, unemployment rate, percentage diagnosed with depression and the average price of a latte at Starbucks.

Data used to create the rankings were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Council for Community and Economic Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United Health Foundation, TransUnion, Corporation for National and Community Service, Indeed, Child Care Aware of America and WalletHub research.

Museums Have Significant Impact on State, National Economy, Report Concludes

Museums in Connecticut had a one-year total financial impact on Connecticut’s economy of $834 million, providing $556 million in income via wages and other income to state residents, generating $223.5 million in taxes (including $77.5 million in state and local taxes), and supporting just over 10,200 jobs – including 5,400 direct jobs, 1,877 indirect jobs and nearly 3,000 induced jobs. The data was compiled as part of a national report, Museums as Economic Engines, compiled the Alliance of American Museums. The report indicates that nationwide, museums support 726,000 jobs in the United States, and directly employ 372,100 people, more than double that of the professional sports industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Alliance points out.

The study, conducted by Oxford Economics with the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, shows that for every $100 of economic activity created by museums, an additional $220 is created in other sectors of the US economy as a result of supply chain and employee expenditure impacts, according to the report.  The data analyzed was from calendar year 2016, the most recent full year of data available.

These impacts mean that museums contribute approximately $50 billion to the US economy each year, a number that’s more than twice previous estimates, according to the Alliance.  The report is also the first to show that US museums generate more than $12 billion per year in tax revenue to federal, state, and local governments.

The report estimated that there are 372,100 museum workers employed in the US along with 3 million volunteers.  It also indicated that 89 percent of Americans believe that museums provide important economic impacts back to their communities, according to a public opinion survey conducted in 2017.

Nationally, the museum field’s largest economic impact is on the leisure and hospitality industry (approximately $17 billion), but it also generates approximately $12 billion in the financial activities sector and approximately $3 billion each in the education/health services and manufacturing sectors.

The top 10 states driving this impact are geographically diverse and account for 57 percent of the gross value added to the national economy. States with the highest economic impact from the museum sector included California ($6.6 billion), New York ($5.4 billion), and Texas ($3.9 billion). However, those that rely most heavily on museums due to their relatively higher concentration, the report indicated, include the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Wyoming, and Alaska.

In breaking down the jobs impact of museums, direct impact refers to direct employment and spending by the industry’s business operations; indirect impact includes supply-chain effects, stemming from industry’s operations (e.g. legal services, utilities, etc.) and induced impact describes the impact resulting from employees spending their incomes in the economy.

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), founded in 1906, now represents more than 35,000 professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners in the sector.

US News, Aetna Foundation Rank Nation's Healthiest Counties; Three in CT Reach Top 100

Three Connecticut counties are among the 100 healthiest in the nation.  Tolland County ranked #44, Middlesex County was #46, and Litchfield County placed #54, in an analysis published by U.S. News & World Report in collaboration with the Aetna Foundation. Two additional Connecticut counties ranked among the top 500:  Fairfield County was #351 and New London County was #411.  Hartford Country, New Haven County, and Windham County were unranked, outside the top 500.

The “Healthiest Communities” analysis is designed as an interactive destination for consumers and policymakers.  Backed by in-depth research and accompanied by news and analysis, the site features comprehensive rankings drawn from an examination of nearly 3,000 counties and county equivalents on 80 metrics across 10 categories, informing residents, health care leaders and officials about local policies and practices that drive better health outcomes for all, the website explains.

The data categories include Population Health, Equity, Education, Housing, Food & Nutrition, Environment, Public Safety, Community Vitality, and Infrastructure.  All of the categories but one, equity, were identified as key considerations in evaluating community health by the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics as part of its Measurement Framework for Community Health and Well-Being.  Data were gathered and analyzed by the University of Missouri Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES).  The overall project was developed by U.S. News & World Report in collaboration with the Aetna Foundation.

Topping the national rankings were Falls Church, Virginia; Douglas County, Colorado; Broomfield County, Colorado; Los Alamos County, New Mexico; and Dukes County, Massachusetts.  Dukes County, the second smallest in Massachusetts, includes Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands.

The scores for Connecticut’s counties were Windham 56.6, New Haven 60.2, Hartford 61.6, Fairfield 69.1, New London 67.9, Litchfield 82.0, Middlesex 82.6, and Tolland, 82.9.  The overall state average was 70.4.  The U.S. average was 52.3.  Among neighboring states, the Massachusetts statewide average was 72.8, Rhode Island was 74.8 and New York was 61.7.

“Healthiest Communities evaluates and explores how counties and county equivalents can minimize chronic disease, keep people out of the hospital, provide access to health care and lower costs,” the website explains.  “The Aetna Foundation, the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Aetna, invested in this project as part of its broader effort to improve the health of communities.”

Naturalization Ceremonies Highlight National Library Week in CT

Libraries across Connecticut will join in the celebration of National Library Week 2018, April 8-14, which will mark the 60th anniversary of the first event, sponsored in 1958.  This year, in keeping with the theme “Libraries Lead,” libraries will be asking patrons to “tell us how the library led you to something of value in your life.”  And programs such as the Library Passport have been developed to encourage people throughout the state to visit libraries – including those located in communities outside their own. National Library Week is an annual celebration of the life-changing work of libraries, librarians and library workers. Libraries aren’t just places to borrow books or study, official explain, they’re also creative and engaging community centers where people can collaborate using new technologies and develop their skills and passions.

Libraries of all types have long been evolving to meet the needs of the communities they serve, officials indicate, noting that diverse groups including elected officials, small business owners and students depend upon libraries and the resources they offer.

Resources like e-books and technology classes, materials for English-language learners and programs for job seekers are just a few ways libraries and librarians are transforming to lead their communities. That is particularly true in Connecticut in urban libraries.

Hartford, for example, has developed The American Place, with an array of resources and programs for immigrants and those seeking citizenship. The Hartford Public Library is recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice, Board of Immigration Appeals to provide legal advice and representation by accredited staff in matters before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

On Thursday, April 12, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. Hartford Public Library will be one of six libraries working with USCIS to host Naturalization Ceremonies during National Library Week. Other sites hosting ceremonies during this week are:  Danbury Public Library, Ferguson Library (Stamford), New Britain Public Library, Otis Library (Norwich), and Rockville Public Library (Vernon).

Community members can also develop their own leadership skills at the library, with endless opportunity to build skills and confidence through resources and programming, officials stress.

More than one hundred Connecticut libraries are participating in the Connecticut Library Association’s Passport to Connecticut Libraries Program. The program is open to adults and children, and the hope is that it encourages residents to explore the amazing diversity of our public libraries.

“Libraries are windows into the spirit and culture of the community. I encourage our residents to take advantage of this fun program that celebrates public libraries and the communities who support them,” said Hartford Public Library CEO Bridget Quinn-Carey, one of the program participants.

Celebrations during National Library Week include:

• National Library Workers Day, celebrated the Tuesday of National Library Week (April 10, 2018), a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers;
• National Bookmobile Day, celebrated the Wednesday of National Library Week (April 11, 2018), a day to recognize the contributions of our nation's bookmobiles and the dedicated professionals who make quality bookmobile outreach possible in their communities, and
• Take Action for Libraries Day, a national library advocacy effort observed for the first time in 2017 in response to proposed cuts to federa
• l funds for libraries.

Each library has its own architecture, vibe and collection to explore and browse, official said, urging state residents to take a look at “the amazing diversity of our public libraries.”

PERSPECTIVE: State Auditors Can Be Partner in Preserving Resources

by Robert J. Kane On February 3, 2017, I had the honor of becoming State Auditor. Looking back, there was so much to learn when I joined the Auditors of Public Accounts (APA), but with the help of fellow State Auditor John Geragosian and our amazing team, the transition was rather smooth.

Learning the “ins and outs” did not take long, as support from throughout the agency was overwhelming. The incredibly talented and dedicated APA staff are professional and committed to the work they do for our state. We are the General Assembly’s “eyes and ears” inside state agencies and thrive on working to make state government more accountable and efficient.

In my nine years in the State Senate, I wish I had interacted with the APA more. Serving in my new role, I now realize what a valuable resource our office is for legislators and legislative employees. We can assist them as they shape fiscal policy for years to come.

Our work is crucial to the stability of our state’s finances, securing federal funding, and ensuring state agency compliance. The work we do on whistleblower cases, in conjunction with the Attorney General, provides all citizens the opportunity to expose waste, fraud and corruption without threat of retaliation.

Being the only state to have two state auditors from differing parties creates a bipartisan office that eschews partisan politics and promotes fairness and transparency. As budget constraints and fiscal matters continue to dominate the debate, now more than ever the APA can be a true partner with the legislature in preserving state resources, protecting taxpayer dollars, and acting as the watchdog over fiscal matters.

We continually work to build these relationships and, in a short period of time, we have already surveyed our stakeholders to better serve them. We are redeveloping our website and improving the look of our reports. With these improvements, the APA seeks to build on our already exemplary reputation among government agencies and encourage greater communication with those we serve.

During 2017, our auditors completed 29 audits of state and quasi-public agencies and made 398 audit recommendations. During the past calendar year, these agencies have implemented approximately 43% of our prior recommendations.

Our audit approach entails, among other procedures, an examination and verification of financial statements, accounting records, and supporting documents; a determination of the agency's compliance with statutory and budgetary requirements; an evaluation of the agency's internal control structure; verification of the collection and proper handling of state revenue; and an examination of expenditures charged to state appropriations. Our audit reports consist of findings and recommendations and, where appropriate, certified financial statements setting forth the condition and operations of the state funds involved.

In accordance with Section 2-90 of the General Statutes, we report any unauthorized, illegal, irregular, or unsafe handling or expenditure of state funds to the Governor, the State Comptroller, the clerk of each house, and the Attorney General. We report these matters in our audit reports or by formal letter. We collectively report less serious matters such as minor losses and acts of vandalism.

State loss reports filed in 2017 with this office and the State Comptroller, in accordance with Section 4-33a of the General Statutes, disclosed approximately 308 losses, primarily through theft, vandalism, and inventory shortages involving an aggregate loss of $1,966,360.

_______________________________

This is excerpted from the Auditors of Public Accounts 2017 Annual Report, issued earlier this year, including a Message from State Auditor Robert J. Kane and portions of the Auditing State Agencies section of the report. Kane is a former Republican member of the Connecticut Senate, representing the 32nd District from 2009 to 2017.

Opioid Epidemic Evident in CT Communities Large and Small; Data Show Rapidly Growing Health Crisis

In 2012-13, 111 of Connecticut’s 169 towns had at least one death attributable to opioids, and one city, Hartford, had more than 100 deaths that were caused by the drug.  Just four years later, in 2016-17, 138 towns saw at least one death during the two-year period, an increase of 24 percent, and the number of cities with more than 100 deaths had quadrupled, as Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven and Waterbury each saw the death toll climb past 100. A review of data from the Connecticut Medical Examiner by the Connecticut Data Collaborative found that “opioid deaths have doubled and tripled in some towns in Connecticut in only six years.” The analysis found that although Bridgeport, New Haven, Waterbury, and Hartford have the highest rates per population, “many smaller towns have seen their rates of death triple as well.”

In comparing the average annual opioid-related death rates per 100,000 population in 2012-13, 2014-15, and 2016-17, the dramatic increases across communities statewide is quite evident. The data analysts point out that data are where deaths from 'any opioid' (meaning some type of opioid were found in the person) take place. Therefore, they explain, one would expect to see higher rates in places with large hospitals (hence high rates in cities). They add that one can also not discount that these places are also seeing higher rates among its residents.

In Danbury, for example, the rate of deaths nearly tripled from 2012-13 to 2016-17, from 6.88 to 18.20. In Enfield, it more than tripled, from 2.01 to 6.70.  In that northern Connecticut community, the rate translates to 9 opioid-related deaths during the two years of 2012-13 to 30 in 2016-17.

In Norwalk, the rate quadrupled from 2.57 in 2012-13 to 10.70 in 2016-17, when 25 people died from opioid-related causes.  The rate in New Britain more than tripled from 8.78 to 29.65 – from 24 deaths over a two-year period to 81 in the same period four years later.  In Hamden the number of deaths from opioid-related causes doubled from 8 to 16 in four years; in West Haven there were 7 deaths in 2012-13 and 29 in 2016-17.

The Connecticut Data Collaborative has posted on its website an interactive series of state maps that allows visitors to compare the number of opioid deaths in every town in Connecticut in each of the three years.  The maps indicate “the breadth of the problem” and “intensity of the issue.”

Earlier this year, Connecticut officials launched a statewide public awareness campaign aimed at reducing opioid misuse.  The "Change the Script" campaign provides information on prevention, treatment and recovery provided by local health departments, prevention councils, healthcare providers, pharmacists, and other community partners and stakeholders.

The state departments of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Consumer Protection (DCP) and Public Health (DPH) are working together on the campaign, which grew out of the Governor's Connecticut Opioid Response (CORE) Initiative, a three-year strategy to prevent addiction and overdoses.

https://youtu.be/Uy3IVFjUAjE

New Citizens Sworn In, Distinguished Immigrants Honored at State Capitol Ceremonies

Fifteen recent immigrants living in Connecticut took the oath of allegiance as American citizens on Wednesday during a special court session to be held at the State Capitol.  Minutes after the new Americans were sworn in as citizens, the Connecticut Immigrant & Refugee Coalition (CIRC) honored eight longtime state residents who have made significant contributions to life in Connecticut. The individuals honored on the 21^st Annual Connecticut Immigrant Day came to the United States from Belarus, Italy, Vietnam, Poland, Egypt, Pakistan, India and Taiwan.  The new Americans citizens came to the U.S. from Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Guatemala, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Russia and Syria.

“Immigrants have always been – and continue to be – an abundant and enduring strength of our great nation,” said Robert Fishman, Executive Director of the Connecticut Immigrant & Refugee Coalition (CIRC), which sponsored the observance with the Office of Secretary of the State. “Connecticut is fortunate to have many remarkable individuals who have contributed tremendously to our state, and as we honor them we are also inspired by the newest group of proud and determined immigrants to take the oath of allegiance as Americans.”

The court session that administered the oath to 15 new Americans was presided over by The Honorable Donna F. Martinez, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Connecticut.

Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman shared brief remarks at the ceremony, recalling her grandfather’s journey to America.  The CIRC award recipients at this year’s 21st annual ceremony included residents of Avon, Trumbull, Farmington, Norwich, Monroe and East Hartford, in addition to West Hartford.  The National Anthem was led by Chris Nelson, a native of Ghana and current Goodwin College student.  The Governor’s Foot Guard presented the colors at the start of the ceremony, which was led by Chris George of Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services.

The mission of CIRC, a coalition of about a dozen organizations across Connecticut, is to promote the rights and opportunities of immigrants and refugees in Connecticut and to foster their civic participation.

The individuals honored are:

• Bassam Gayed, born in Egypt, is Multicultural Services Coordinator at the Otis Library in Norwich.
• Irena Rak Dzierzbinski, born in Belgium, teaches French and Spanish in middle school in Darien and is active in Girl Scouts. She hosts a Polish-English radio program at Fairfield University.
• Naeem Khalid, born in Pakistan, started Sam’s Food stores and employs 1,000 in his businesses. He formed a charity, Sam’s Children, to assist needy children in Connecticut and is active with the Pakistan American Association of Connecticut.
• Ruth Lazowski, born in Belarus, is a Holocaust survivor who speaks with school groups.
• Cary Lakenbach, born in Italy, is the current Board Chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and an actuary.
• Bruce Tsan-Tang Liang, born in Taiwan, is the Dean of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
• Vani Nidadavolu, born in India, operates an Indian Dance School and works part-time for Edward A. Jones. She holds an MA in Commerce and is a Philanthropist.
• Trinh K. Duong, born in Vietnam, came to Connecticut as a refugee and now works with new refugees and immigrants, helping them to resettle. She received her degree in Accounting from UConn.

In addition, Alicia Kinsman, Director and Managing Attorney of Immigration Legal Services at the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants received the Myra M. Oliver Memorial Award, and two student groups were presented with the Angela R. Andersen Memorial Award, created to honor students who demonstrate deep commitment to issues impacting refugees and immigrants.

Sixth-graders from the Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication in New London were recognized for their project, “Community Faces-Humanizing the Immigrant Label,” parts of which were on display at the Capitol.  The second group was Teens4Citizenship, a Hartford Public Library and Hartford Public Schools collaborative program. As "Citizenship Guides," these high school immigrant students support family and community members on the path to Citizenship and upon turning 18 pursue their own citizenship.

Member organizations in the Connecticut Immigrant & Refugee Coalition include: Milan Cultural India Association, Polish American Foundation of CT, The American Place at the Hartford Public Library, Catholic Charities Migration Services, Connecticut Coalition of Mutual Assistance, Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants, Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS), Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford, Legal Assistance Resource Center, Center for Urban Research, Education and Training, Pakistani American Association of CT, Hellenic Society of Paideia and World Affairs Council of Connecticut.