Senate Resolution No. 4870

BY: Senator BRESLIN

HONORING Herbert and Shirley Gordon upon the
occasion of being named Friends of the Legal Project
by The Legal Project on April 27, 2018

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to call attention
to the dedicated efforts of those legal professionals from across the
State of New York who volunteer their time and energies in service to
the community; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Herbert and Shirley Gordon upon the occasion of being named Friends of
the Legal Project by The Legal Project, to be celebrated at its Awards
Luncheon on Friday, April 27, 2018, at The Century House, Latham, New
York; and

WHEREAS, Founded by the Capital District Women's Bar Association in
1995, The Legal Project is a private, not-for-profit organization which
provides a variety of free and low cost legal services to the working
poor, victims of domestic violence and other underserved individuals in
the Capital District of New York State; and

WHEREAS, In 1974, after many years as an educator at the graduate
and undergraduate levels, Shirley Gordon joined the New York State
Health Department's original team in the newly created Bureau of Family
Planning; and

WHEREAS, Shirley Gordon went on to become the founding Executive
Director of Family Planning Advocates of New York State, Inc., a
statewide advocacy organization representing Planned Parenthoods, other
family planning clinics and a coalition of over 140 civic, health, and
human service groups; and

WHEREAS, After joining Family Planning Advocates (FPA) of New York
State, Shirley Gordon was elected as one of New York's delegates to the
first International Women's Year Conference in Houston, Texas; and

WHEREAS, Shirley Gordon left FPA to direct Project FAIR (Focus on
Access, Information and Reproductive Rights) for the Center for
Reproductive Rights, a national public interest law firm; the Project
was initiated to identify barriers to reproductive health services in
managed care settings; and

WHEREAS, In the late 1990s, this extraordinary woman developed the
first Public Policy Advocacy course for The Center for Women in
Government and Civil Society in Rockefeller College's Graduate School of
Public Affairs; and

WHEREAS, Shirley Gordon became President of Gordon and Gordon
Associates, a consulting firm relating to reproductive health services
and primary health care for children; and

WHEREAS, Herbert Gordon, Esq. retired from the esteemed position of
Vice President and Chief Counsel for Government Relations of TIAA-CREF;
he previously served as Vice Chancellor for Governmental and University
Relations for the State University of New York (SUNY); and

WHEREAS, Throughout his illustrious career, Herbert Gordon has also
practiced law in the Albany area and taught law at Sage College; and

WHEREAS, Active in his profession, Herbert Gordon has served on the
legislative committee of the New York State Bar Association and the
advisory committee of Albany Law School's Government Law Center; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, he was National Volunteer Consultant for State
Legislative Issues for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and
served on the boards of the Capital District NYCLU and Interfaith Impact
of New York State; and

WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering commitment to giving back,
Herbert and Shirley Gordon give tirelessly to countless organizations,
including volunteering to coordinate evening Legal Clinics for The Legal
Project; and

WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by
individuals for the benefit of others which Herbert and Shirley Gordon
have displayed throughout their lives; 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
honor Herbert and Shirley Gordon upon the occasion of being named
Friends of the Legal Project by The Legal Project on April 27, 2018; and
be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Herbert and Shirley Gordon.