August 17, 2008 7:15 PM
The Long Island Immigrant Alliance's party today drew many of the heaviest hitters in the immigrant rights community to say good luck to Jim Claffey who is moving to Honduras to work with orphans. Among the notables was Assemblyperson Phil Ramos who pointed to Jim's leadership in fighting the Levy administration's misbegotten legislative monsters.
Jon Cooper brought greetings from the Suffolk Legislature, a place not always friendly to Jim's message of inclusion. Cooper said that the legislators, almost to a man and woman are sick of the anti-immigrant barrage and want to get on with the county's business.
When Jim got up to speak he choose not talk about his achievements, but about the precarious situation that immigrants find themselves in in our country. But then Jim was always a little too modest for my tastes. A bit more simian chest pounding would have been in order.
Jim's successor at Catholic Charites immigrant services unit, Carmen Maquilon, was at the party. She has worked closely with Jim over the years to design services for the foreign-born community and she herself will be honored later this year at CARECEN's annual dinner.
While Carmen has done a good job filling Jim's shoes at Charities, the question remains, who will replace him as Chairperson of Long Island Wins? Jim was a rare bridge between service providers, funders, and ethnic communities. Not a combo many of us could provide.
Anyway Jim, may the road rise to meet you and the wind be always at your back.