Senate Resolution No. 2492

BY: Senator KAPLAN

CONGRATULATING Elaine Gross upon the occasion of
her retirement after 20 years of distinguished
service as President of ERASE Racism

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
honor those distinguished citizens of this great Empire State who have
devoted themselves to faithfully serving the best interests of their
community and the needs of its residents; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
congratulate Elaine Gross upon the occasion of her retirement after 20
years of distinguished service as President of ERASE Racism; and

WHEREAS, As Founder and President of ERASE Racism, Elaine Gross has
led this vital organization to prominence as a champion of fair housing,
publishing research reports, undertaking litigation, advocating policy
changes and heightening public understanding of the context of
structural racism as it relates to housing discrimination and
segregation; and

WHEREAS, Under the able leadership of Elaine Gross, ERASE Racism
also brought to public attention its authoritative research on school
segregation, including creating an infographic revealing that
segregation in Long Island's public schools is still growing; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, she has led efforts which have amended and
strengthened local fair housing laws and oversaw the organization's
successful litigation in Nassau and Suffolk counties against property
owners and management companies who discriminated in showing rental
apartments, based on race; and

WHEREAS, In 2016, Elaine Gross started the statewide campaign which
led to New York's 2019 enactment of a ban on housing discrimination
against people who depend on legal non-wage sources of income for their
rent; that campaign grew to include more than 100 organizations; and

WHEREAS, Elaine Gross has similarly provided the vision and
programmatic leadership for ERASE Racism's Education Equity Initiative,
which works collaboratively with educators, students and parents to take
strategic actions to support the promotion of racially integrated
schools and classrooms; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her illustrious career, Elaine Gross has led
educational and policy advocacy campaigns to promote culturally
responsive sustaining education, educator diversity, and restorative
justice practices; she also created such ERASE Racism services as
Education Equity Seminars and Leadership Development Programs for
educators, students and parents; and

WHEREAS, Additionally, she supervised the creation of the
award-winning documentary "A Tale of Two Schools: Race and Education on
Long Island"; and


WHEREAS, To enhance public awareness and the context in which
policymaking takes place, Elaine Gross elevated public engagement on the
crucial topic of racial equity in the region; in 2018, she launched the
ongoing, region-wide, public initiative "How Do We Build a Just Long
Island?"; the initiative began with five public forums across Long
Island and continues to involve Long Islanders in exploring issues
related to structural racism and implicit bias and in participating in
legislative and policy actions; and

WHEREAS, Elaine Gross has frequently delivered speeches to
government, nonprofit and business groups, as well as colleges and
universities; she has published opinion articles and appears regularly
in influential media; and

WHEREAS, A member of the Long Island Regional Economic Development
Council, Elaine Gross has been the proud recipient of the Lifetime
Achievement Award of Long Island Business News, among other honors; and

WHEREAS, Prior to launching the ERASE Racism Initiative, which
became an independent not-for-profit corporation in 2004, Elaine Gross
served as Founding Executive Director of Sustainable America, Program
Officer at the Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock,
Deputy Director of the Boston Housing Partnership, and Human Services
Director at the Boston Housing Authority; and

WHEREAS, Elaine Gross graduated from Boston University, where she
earned her MSW with a focus on community organizing, policy, planning
and non-profit management; and

WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the occurrence of such a compassionate
blending of strength, leadership, intellect, and commitment as that
demonstrated by Elaine Gross over a lifetime of sacrifice and dedication
to others; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Elaine Gross upon the occasion of her retirement, and to
wish her continued success in all her future endeavors; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Elaine Gross.