With City Councilmember Laurie Cumbo (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights) out on maternity leave, representatives from her office did her proud last week in joining City Councilmember Helen Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) and several hundred participants at the Manhattan’s historic Helmsley Building for the eighth annual Story by Story Stair Climb, a fundraising event created to help women in poverty.
The event has attendees donate a minimum of $250, plus a $50 registration fee, to participate in a long, continuous climb up the 34-story building. At the end of the climb, each participant receives a medal and is sent to a reception hall, with a table of free refreshments waiting for them.
The proceeds go to Her Justice, a nonprofit organization that provides legal services for low-income women, particularly in regards to family, divorce and immigration courts. Nancy Nagourney, Director of Finance and Operations for Her Justice, said that the climb is symbolic of both the adversity that women in poverty face, and the steps we need to take in order to overcome that adversity.
“Both are a struggle,” said Nagourney. “It’s about working hard and working together. We all take steps together to end poverty and domestic violence, and help women in need.”
Cumbo and Rosenthal, co-chairs of the Council’s Women’s Caucus, have both demonstrated a strong commitment towards the goal of helping marginalized women. Amy Barasch, Executive Director of Her Justice, said that her organization has a close relationship with the Women’s Caucus, and the City Council in general.
“For many years we received $100,000 from the Council,” said Barasch. “In the past two years we have spent more time reaching out to the Council members in whose districts we do a lot of work, as well as encouraging their participation in events like our annual Story by Story stair climb where the broad support for Her Justice is clear.”
Both Cumbo and Rosenthal made the climb last year, and Cumbo recorded her climb with a GoPro camera, which she posted to Facebook. While Cumbo could not attend this year, due to being on maternity leave, Rosenthal was more than willing to put in a good word for her.
“Laurie brought me here last year,” said Rosenthal. “I felt it was such a powerful event that it was important for me to come back.”
In fact, this year, Rosenthal decided to make the climb while wearing a ten-pound weight around her waist, as a tribute to all the women that she, Cumbo and Her Justice are seeking to help.
“It’s symbolic of so many things,” said Rosenthal. “It’s symbolic of the extra weight a woman carries when she’s a victim [of domestic violence].”
Sally Ramos, one of the participants, vouched for Cumbo’s dedication to helping women in poverty – particularly those who have been victims of domestic violence.
“I knew Laurie before she was a councilwoman, and she was always getting involved in matters like this,” said Ramos. “When I started getting into domestic violence advocacy, she said she had my back.”
Though Cumbo was unable to make it to the climb, she was proud to pledge her continuing support for Her Justice and their cause.
“Given the prevalence of domestic and intimate partner violence in communities of color, it was important for me to heighten awareness around the vital resources such as legal services that are available to survivors,” said Cumbo in a statement. “I want to thank Council Member Helen Rosenthal for leading the New York City Council’s team of UpStanders, who climbed 34 flights of stairs for the thousands of women and children across this city who are taking the first step towards breaking the cycle of violence.”
