We Salute You!

We are fortunate to live in a neighborhood with an extraordinary number of dedicated, friendly, involved and caring residents. But there are a few who stand above the rest, and we salute two of our very special Hill Heros this issue.

Richard Burlage: Mayor of Adelphi Street
The first person I met when I bought my home on Adelphi between Lafayette and DeKalb in 1986 was undoubtedly Richard Burlage. He was probably sweeping the street: not the sidewalk, the street. Or joyfully climbing a street tree to prune it (a tree he planted in case the Parks Department is reading this).

Richard moved to Brooklyn from Iowa in 1966 and met his life partner, Fritz Duteau. About his rural Iowa roots, Richard says he had to leave. "I wasn't of the same hue as most Iowans. I was gay and I didn't see a future for me there."
> Read the whole story...

Selma Jackson, a Woman of Substance
OVER THE YEARS Selma Jackson has worn many hats: an officer at Chemical bank in Community Affairs, founder of 4W Circle of Art and Enterprise, a business incubator, recent winner of a Charles Revson Fellowship to Columbia University last fall, and most recently a volunteer member of the SDOP (Self Development of People), a grant-giving arm of the Presbyterian USA National Church.

In the winter of 2007 when she closed the 4W business, Selma said, "what's next?" If not work, what area over the course of her active and full life called out to her to continue her efforts? Her continuing major social concerns are women's issues, economic parity and health.
> Read the whole story...