K 534: Commending Tenesia Richards upon the occasion of her designation for special recognition by the National Council of Negro Women Queens County Section on June 8, 2025

 Assembly Resolution No. 534 BY: M. of A. Cook COMMENDING Tenesia Richards upon the occasion of her designation for special recognition by the National Council of Negro Women-Queens County Section on June 8, 2025 WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made significant contributions to the quality of life therein; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Tenesia Richards upon the occasion of her designation for special recognition by the National Council of Negro Women-Queens County Section, to be celebrated at its 37th Annual Black and White Celebration of Honorees on Sunday, June 8, 2025, at Antun's in Queens Village, New York; and WHEREAS, Tenesia Richards received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2009 from the CUNY Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing; in 2020, she completed her Executive Master of Public Administration degree at New York University, hoping to use her new degree to help ensure patients of all backgrounds and ethnicities have access to and receive equitable treatment and high-quality healthcare; and WHEREAS, With an extensive background and passion for the healthcare field of labor and delivery, Tenesia Richards is a member of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN); at the association's 2018 conference, she learned about the disproportionate mortality rates in Black mothers in New York City, and decided to pursue her higher education degree as a result of such information; and WHEREAS, Further, Tenesia Richards, motivated to enact change, established the first interdisciplinary OB department-wide health equity committee known as Health Equity Alliance 4 Life (HEAL) at her institution in February of 2012; the HEAL committee focuses on identifying and reducing health disparities through case reviews, data collection, staff education, and patient experience initiatives; and WHEREAS, The HEAL committee received the 2023 national Daisy Team Award for going above and beyond the traditional role of nursing to make a difference; and WHEREAS, With a passion for helping others, Tenesia Richards expanded the HEAL committee, launching HEAL'in the Community-a program that brings providers and hospital staff into local communities to offer maternal health education and advocacy; and WHEREAS, Tenesia Richards also started volunteering in her free time with the NYP/Community Outreach Program; with the program's support, this incredible honoree spearheaded the development of a community-based outreach initiative focused on empowering unhoused expectant minority women who were at a higher-risk for pregnancy-related complications; and WHEREAS, A firm believer in extending the benefits of healthcare and comprehensive health education beyond the walls of a hospital, Tenesia Richards is a member of the community outreach team that she once volunteered for where she leads targeted outreach events including medical pop-up clinics in partnership with community-based organizations, bringing healthcare providers directly to asylum seekers to address urgent needs and connect them to ongoing care; and WHEREAS, Tenesia Richards believes in empowering nurses to extend their care beyond hospital walls to provide more comprehensive support to those in need; she actively recruits nurses from all 10 campuses of her healthcare institution to volunteer and serve their community in hopes they will find the same sense of pride, inspiration, and passion that fulfills her; and WHEREAS, Tenesia Richards co-founded the New York City Chapter of AWHONN in 2024; the chapter's mission is to create a platform for NYC nurses to collaborate, share best practices, and work collectively to reduce maternal health disparities across the city; and WHEREAS, Other initiatives include supporting community and faith-based organizations with health screenings, vaccinations, mental health first aid training courses, and expert talks for their congregation and community members of marginalized communities; and WHEREAS, Tenesia Richards is the Community Outreach Clinical Nurse Manager for New York-Presbyterian (NYP) Hospital's Division of Community and Population Health; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individuals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend Tenesia Richards upon the occasion of her designation for special recognition by the National Council of Negro Women-Queens County Section; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Tenesia Richards.