Title: Honoring the life and work of Cecil Corbin-Mark, a highly respected leader in the environmental justice movement, whose lifelong dedication to combating systemic racism and economic disparities serves as an inspiration for all people.
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
This resolution celebrates the life and achievements of Cecil Corbin-Mark, an environmental justice change agent, and expresses condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues on his passing.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 171 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 171

  Honoring the life and work of Cecil Corbin-Mark, a highly respected 
leader in the environmental justice movement, whose lifelong dedication 
  to combating systemic racism and economic disparities serves as an 
                      inspiration for all people.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 26, 2021

 Mr. McEachin (for himself, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. Espaillat) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Oversight and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the life and work of Cecil Corbin-Mark, a highly respected 
leader in the environmental justice movement, whose lifelong dedication 
  to combating systemic racism and economic disparities serves as an 
                      inspiration for all people.

Whereas Cecil Corbin-Mark was born in Harlem, New York, on March 23, 1969, to 
        Winnifred Corbin and Luces Mark;
Whereas Cecil graduated from Hunter College of City University of New York with 
        a Bachelor of Arts in political science;
Whereas Cecil earned his graduate degree in political science at Oxford 
        University in the United Kingdom, where his studies focused on the 
        radical political traditions of Africans of the diasporas in the 
        Americas;
Whereas Cecil worked for the director of special projects at the Office of the 
        Bronx District Attorney, where he demonstrated his passion and vigor for 
        the well-being of his community, including working to decrease child 
        abuse;
Whereas early on in his advocacy, Cecil was one of the few African-American 
        environmental advocates, and despite being the minority in the room, he 
        stood boldly in the face of racism and committed himself to the 
        betterment of his community;
Whereas, in 1994, Cecil became the first paid staff member of WE ACT for 
        Environmental Justice, an organization dedicated to ensuring people of 
        color and low-income residents can build healthy communities through 
        meaningful participation in the policies and practices that affect their 
        lives;
Whereas Cecil became the deputy director and director of policy initiatives at 
        WE ACT for Environmental Justice;
Whereas, in his nearly three decades at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Cecil 
        helped develop and pass numerous environmental protection laws, from 
        lead paint regulations to targeting climate change through emissions 
        reduction;
Whereas Cecil was a courageous and humble leader, known for his laughter, his 
        smile, and his propensity for dancing in the streets during protests, 
        because for Cecil, it was important to keep the spirits of those around 
        him high and nourished;
Whereas Cecil had the unique ability to unite people around a common goal, 
        including helping build and strengthen relationships between leaders in 
        the Environmental Protection Agency and community members living with 
        environmental injustices;
Whereas Cecil served on numerous environmental boards, coalitions, and 
        committees, including--

    (1) New York Jobs with Justice;

    (2) Friends of the Earth; and

    (3) the Center for Environmental Health;

Whereas Cecil served on multiple local, State, and Federal environmental 
        advisory boards, including--

    (1) Manhattan's Community Board 9;

    (2) the Community Urban Wet Weather Federal Advisory Committee for the 
Environmental Protection Agency;

    (3) the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Urban 
Air Toxics Committee;

    (4) the New York State Cumulative Risk Assessment Work Group;

    (5) the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Water 
Quality Citizen Advisory Committee;

    (6) the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board;

    (7) the Clean Air Network;

    (8) the Association for Clean Water Action;

    (9) the Clean Products/Clean Production Network;

    (10) the Environmental Justice Fund;

    (11) the Organization of Waterfront Neighborhoods;

    (12) the New York City Environmental Education Advisory Council; and

    (13) the Northeast Environmental Justice Network;

Whereas because of his drive to fight environmental racism, Cecil received the 
        Earth Day New York Award and the Marshall England Memorial Public Health 
        Award;
Whereas Cecil was an educator, lecturing on the environment and environmental 
        justice at Hunter College, Teacher's College, the College of Mount St. 
        Vincent, Buffalo State, Cornell University, the Yale School of Forestry, 
        and Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health;
Whereas Cecil lead ``toxic tours'' of his hometown, educating and awakening 
        people to the environmental injustices that were too often overlooked, 
        but ever present, in Harlem, New York;
Whereas Cecil devoted time to mentoring current and future generations of 
        leaders, including working with the Friends of Island Academy, a program 
        to assist formally incarcerated teens, and financing and running several 
        basketball teams for neighborhood youth;
Whereas Cecil was a pilot and skydiver and had just taken up sailing;
Whereas Cecil will be remembered by his colleagues and hundreds of environmental 
        and justice advocates nationwide for--

    (1) centering people of color and low-income communities in the 
framework of environmental policies;

    (2) bringing local community activists to the negotiating table;

    (3) fighting systemic racism to ensure access to clean water, air, and 
land is not determined by one's race, ethnicity, or economic status; and

    (4) his leadership, technical assistance, and camaraderie; and

Whereas Cecil Corbin-Mark was a loving son, father, youth mentor, colleague, and 
        friend who passed away too soon on October 15, 2020, at the age of 51: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) has heard with profound sorrow of the passing of Cecil 
        Corbin-Mark, an environmental justice change agent;
            (2) celebrates the life and achievements of Cecil;
            (3) expresses condolences to his family, friends, and 
        colleagues on his passing; and
            (4) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House of 
        Representatives transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution 
        to--
                    (A) Cecil's mother, Winnifred Corbin, his ``second 
                mother'', Merlyn Corbin, his father, Luces Mark, and 
                his godson, Nigel Holder; and
                    (B) WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
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