Star of Brooklyn: Bob Newman

January 12, 2015 Anna Spivak
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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Since 1995, Bob Newman, a Victorian Flatbush resident, advocate and admirer, has been making unique strides at bettering the community he lives in, volunteers in, and believes in.

As co-chair of the Community Environment Committee at Community Board 14—serving Flatbush, Midwood and parts of Kensington—Newman works on matters relating to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Sanitation, from the monitoring and expansion of local playgrounds to issues involving tree pruning and planting.

In the past, Newman has been president of the South Midwood Residents Association and the 42nd Assembly District Community Democratic Club.

The involved community member has even participated as a volunteer with the Flatbush House Tour, which he said he enjoyed doing because he was able to highlight for people the “suburban style living that is really close to the city.”

MOTIVATION: “I love the diversity of Brooklyn and I love the fact that everyone in the community is striving to maintain it as a safe and fulfilling place to live,” said Newman. “We have people of many different backgrounds and many different nationalities in my neighborhood and Community District 14 and everybody listens to each other in good faith and tries to hear our points of view and address problems, even if they don’t relate to them directly.”

CAREER/DAY JOB: As a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society’s criminal defense practice division, Newman works with the Special Litigation Unit where he advises trial attorneys on case law and matters of legal strategy.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Newman labels his biggest challenge as constantly working to better the community. He recalled a particular situation that occurred about 15 years ago involving the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team wanting to build a stadium where there were local playgrounds.

“We wanted the playgrounds reserved for local school and community teams,” said Newman.

ACHIEVEMENTS: For his activism and work around the community, Newman was honored with the Flatbush Development Corporation neighborhood service award in 2004, the Thurgood Marshall Award from the New York City Bar Association in 2008, and the “I Love an Ethical New York” award for lifelong activism in 1999.

PERSONAL LIFE: While Newman said he does not have any children of his own, he enjoys working with students on various matters. He has been an advisor to the Mock Trial Team at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School for the past 20 years.

“I feel that opportunities for our young people are very important,” added Newman.

Additionally, for a number of years, Newman caught the acting bug and was a member of a “very off-off-Broadway” group called West Midwood Community Players, where he said he had “lots of fun” playing various roles like Oscar in “The Odd Couple,” and Jonathan in “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

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