US Congresswoman Honoured With ‘Woman of Courage Award’

NEW YORK, New York – A major Caribbean political club here has honoured New Jersey Democratic Congresswoman, LaMonica McIver, with its “Woman of Courage Award”.

New Jersey Democratic Congresswoman LaMonica McIver addressing the award ceremony (CMC PhotoThe Brooklyn-based Progressive Democratic Political Association (PDPA), founded by the trail-blazing, Jamaican-born, former New York City Council Member Dr. Una S. T. Clarke, bestowed the honour on McIver, the first Black woman to represent New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District and the youngest ever to be elected to the United States House of Representatives from the “Garden State,” during its 32nd Women Celebrating Women 2026 Sapphire Awards.

“Women have always stood in the gap. It has been women leading the charge at a time when we should be celebrating our achievements,” McIver said in accepting the award.

“There are many people who want us feel like we don’t belong. They want us feel like I don’t belong. Some of those people are (US) Supreme Court justices.  I’m honored to receive the Woman of Courage Award….,” McIver added.

She said, when she visited an ICE detention center in Newark last December, she did not know that she would be charged “via Twitter”.

“The Trump administration did not appoint me to be the congresswoman; the people of the 10th District appointed me,” said McIver, stating that Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke was also in the congressional delegation that visited the detention center in Newark, where a Haitian immigrant died.

“I’m going to show up. We have to continue to show up. We are going to continue to use our voice. I implore all of the women who are working hard: It takes all of us in our community to do what we have to do. It’s for us to what we have to do. We have to do the work y’all. We going to continue.” .

McIver, a member of the House of Representatives’ Small Business and Homeland Security Committees, was among 18 other Caribbean-American and Caribbean-born women honoured by the political club.

“It is my honor to introduce one of my colleagues in Washington, D.C.,” said Clarke, who represents the predominantly Caribbean 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn.

“My sister is under siege by the Trump administration. She’s one of the first persons to go and see about those (immigrants) in ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detention.”

She said McIver “has been shattering records in elected office since her start in public service,” and that she was born and raised in Newark’s Central Ward, where she still resides with her husband and daughter.

Jamaican-born educator, Rose Graham, a PDPA member, was also honoured with the Award of Excellence. Graham served as assistant principal at Public School 399 in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and is currently director of community affairs and attendance coordinator at Community District 17 in Brooklyn.

PDPA Jamaican-born president, Bishop Sylveta Hamilton-Gonzales told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that the ceremony was “something that was needed in a time like this, when the community needs to push forward to make sure we understand our role in the community.

“These phenomenal women are deserving for the work that they’ve done within our community over the years. And, in view of the inter-generational event, they are really role models for young women to come in the future,” she added.

PDPA Vice President of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Wayne Ragguette, also described the event as “great, well put together.

“These phenomenal women truly deserve the honor,” said Ragguette, a political consultant in Brooklyn.