This week, New York State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright honored four Roosevelt Islanders as “Women of Distinction.” The annual awards take place during women’s history month in March 2021.
By David Stone
“We celebrate women today who are exemplary change-makers and
influencers and the pioneers of the past upon whose shoulders we stand,”
Assembly Member Seawright said in a press release.
“They all inspire us to resist and keep up the fight. To the Women of Distinction, we say congratulations! You are an enduring inspiration to our entire community, our beloved city, and our great state of New York!”
Because the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic shut down the ceremony for 2020, Seawright included last year’s honorees as well. The session took place on Zoom and was shown live on Facebook.
Roosevelt Island Women of Distinction 2020-21
As noted in Assembly Member Seawright’s press release…
Aiesha Eleusizov is the Manhattan Association Chair for Girl Scouts of Greater
New York and a troop leader for Troop 3001 and Troop 3244. Over the past
eight years, Aiesha, with co-leader Yitza Martinez and the girls of their troops,
have spent countless hours making Roosevelt Island a better place. In her
professional life, Aiesha is a Senior Program Officer in education leadership at
The Wallace Foundation, where she works to foster equity and improvements
in learning and enrichment for young people.
Dr. Katherine Teets Grimm is a physician who specializes in pediatrics and child
abuse. In addition to her private practice on Roosevelt Island, she serves as a
child abuse pediatrician for the Mount Sinai Medical System and the New York
Center for Children.
Editors Note: Dr. Grimm has served with distinction on the board of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp., one of the first appointed after a public vote. In 2022, Dr. Grimm Bid Farewell to Her Longtime Pediatric Practice on Roosevelt Island.
Andrea Jackson is a talent management and acquisition professional. In our
community on Roosevelt Island, she is the Vice President of the Roosevelt
Island Senior Association.
Bobbie Slonevsky is vice president of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society
and writes and edits the digital publication, which is now in its sixth year. She
has unearthed and developed dozens of previously overlooked topics of
Roosevelt Island’s history. She hopes to expand their reach by compiling them
into a widely available book of “Roosevelt Island Vignettes.”
Honors for Jackson and Slonevsky were delayed from 2020 but no less significant.
Also, recently in Roosevelt Island News…
- How Queens News Impacts Roosevelt Island Routines and Community LifeExplore how queens news impacts Roosevelt Island routines and community life, from public safety updates and election changes to housing assistance and local celebrations.
- What’s New Across Western Queens: Safety, Community, and Spring at Our DoorstepExplore what’s new across Western Queens this week, including safety updates, casino developments, real estate, and local dining—news that shapes Roosevelt Island life.
- A Full Week Across the River: How Roosevelt Island and Queens Lives IntersectA full week across the river shows how life on Roosevelt Island connects with Queens—covering public safety, legal updates, G train disruptions, and neighborhood events.
- Roosevelt Island Weekly Recap: Community Life, Local News, and Everyday ConnectionsOur Roosevelt Island weekly recap covers local news, community events, and the threads of daily life connecting neighbors on and off the island.
- Queens News Highlights and Roosevelt Island Community ConnectionsExplore the week’s Queens news highlights and Roosevelt Island community connections, from public safety to housing, historic places, and local events.
A Different Kind of Bet
For years, Roosevelt Island did not behave like a system constrained by limits. Internally, the budget was often treated less as a boundary and more as a reservoir to be used.
