H.R. 1242 Resilience Project

Riverdale (May 17, 2019) - HR 1242 Resilience Project President, Don Victor Mooney, visits the Office of US Congressman Eliot Engel in advance of 400th years anniversary of the first enslaved Africans arriving in the English colonies during 1619 commemoration at Brooklyn Bridge Park this summer. 

Mooney briefed the congressman's staff on Brooklyn Bridge Park commitment to help aide the event and that a date will soon be announced. "The history of African Americans and their contributions to the United States is worth recognizing. One of the greatest legacies that our ancestors left, was the power of the ballot. As soon as they [free slaves] met the legal regirements to cast their vote, they undertook this civic duty with honor, said, Don Victor Mooney."

Jackson Heights (May 16, 2019) -  Don Victor Mooney, President of HR 1242 Resilience Project visited the Offices of Congressman Gregory Meeks and Congressman Jose Serrano, both were early supporters of his transatlantic row. Mooney brief their staff on 400 year anniversary at Brooklyn Bridge Park. He also stopped at Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and Congresswoman  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez office. Mooney had an opportunity to brief a staff member for Ocasio-Cortez on the history of her district dating back to 1800's.

Bedford Stuyvesant (May 14, 2019) - Don Victor Mooney, President of HR 1242 Resilience, walked along the Native American Trail and ended his day in prayer outside of Hunterfly Road Houses at Weeksville Heritage Center. 

Prior to Mooney's arrival at Weeksville Heritage Center, he toured the Kingsborough 3rd Walk Houses, which is adjacent to Weeksville. At this NYCHA Development, he met with community residents to discuss HR 1242 Resilience Project. The tenants embraced the vision and also shared their many challenges to him as well.

Bedford Stuyvesant (May 14, 2019) - Don Victor Mooney, President of HR 1242 Resilience presented a ceremonial check for One Million Dollars at the Weeksville Heritage Center. After hearing a plea of help from this center, HR 1242 Resilience devised a plan to keep them afloat.

At our 400 year anniversary for 1st enslaved Africans arriving at English colonies during 1619, we will direct our donors to support this institution. As the Brooklyn Bridge Park has already agreed to support our initiative, we are just waiting on a date to share publicly, said Don Victor Mooney.

With pool of reporters in front of him, Mooney said, if your brother is hungry, do you give him a stone or a piece of bread? When we work together, there's nothing we can't do."

Brooklyn (May 9, 2019) - Don Victor Mooney, reared in Bedford–Stuyvesant, is a neighborhood in the north-central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn and the home of Weeksville, ended his day at the Shirley A. Chisholm State Office Building, where he reflected and drew great inspiration on the pioneering legislator. This captivating moment was preceded after a courtesy call visit to the Office of Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. 

Weeksville is one of America's first free black communities during the 19th century. Within this community, the residents established schools, churches and benevolent associations and were active in the abolitionist movement. 

Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman in Congress (1968) and the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties (1972). Her motto and title of her autobiography—Unbossed and Unbought—illustrated her outspoken advocacy for women and minorities during her seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

New York City (May 9, 2019) - HR 1242 Resilience Project President, Don Victor Mooney received the book Black Americans in Congress  1870 - 2007, which was prepared under the direction of the Committee on House Administration of the US House of Representatives from the office of Congresswoman Maloney, a long time time supporter of his HIV/AIDS initiatives.

Don Victor Mooney also made courtesy call visits to the Offices of Congressman Jerrold Nadler and Congresswoman  Nydia Velázquez, who also supported his past initiatives on HIV/AIDS.

Brooklyn (May 7, 2019) - In follow up to a request from Brooklyn Bridge Park officials, HR 1242 Resilience Project President, Don Victor Mooney, sent a letter outlining a tentative program and logistics. In the letter, he shared that the 400th year commemoration will include sunrise drumming ceremony, remarks from invited speakers, performances by traditional African dancers and gospel singers, and face-painting activities. The event will culminate with a candlelight ceremony at sunset.

Mooney ended his letter by saying, "It's our goal that this event will remember our history, help us to never go back and share that America’s greatest strength is its diversity. We are one."

Flushing (May 3, 2019) - HR 1242 Resilience Project, President Don Victor Mooney gave a briefing to Congresswoman Grace Meng on 400th year anniversary commemoration of the first enslaved Africans arriving in the English colonies at Brooklyn Bridge Park this summer. The Congresswomen was truly engaged in the meeting and offered her full support. Mr. Cristian Romero, constituent and community liaison, sat in during the briefing. 

,Don Victor Mooney has been a constituent of Congresswoman Meng for some time. Her office was pivotal for the success of Mooney's  transatlantic row from the coast of West Africa to New York's Brooklyn Bridge. This historic journey took twenty-one months, a first for an African American.

in closing remarks, Meng said, "I also look forward to sharing this with Representative Bobby Scott, the Virginia Congressman, that introduced this bill in the House of Representatives."

Don Victor Mooney will follow-up with Mr. Romero as the project goes forward.

May 2, 2019 New York City  - As a guest of the New York Public Library, Don Victor Mooney attended Henry Louis Gates, Jr. appearance at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Celeste Bartos Forum. Mr. Gates discussed a documentary he co-produced for PBS, Reconstruction, and a companion book, Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow. 

The evening's host, Mr. Gene Jarrett, the Seryl Kushner Dean of the College of Arts and Science at NYU, made the conversation enjoyable. After exiting the library, Don Victor Mooney had a chance to reflect on the two iconic lions that rest in front of the museum.  Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia would named them Patience and Fortitude.