Judge Thompson honored for helping to found Presidential Leadership Council

April 17, 2015 By Rob Abruzzese Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Professor Andrea Cooper Andrews, Hon. William C. Thompson and Denise Felipe-Adams announced the creation of the Presidential Leadership Council at an event where Judge Thompson was honored. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese

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The Hon. William C. Thompson, a retired judge and WWII hero, was honored for helping to launch the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) at an event at the Brooklyn Heights Casino on Montague Street on Thursday night.

The PLC was created to help college and high school students who are elected members of their respective student governments obtain their educational and career goals by providing them with mentors and internships.

“We’re here today as a family because I’m going to call out every one of you to reach back, grab hold of these youngsters and pull them forward,” Judge Thompson said. “We’re going to be mentors to these youngsters. These kids are at the top of their class; they’re leaders, and we’re going to make sure that they succeed — but they need help.”

Thompson created the PLC with the help of St. Francis College professor Andrea Cooper Andrews, who is in charge of the Andrew W. Cooper Young Journalists in Training program at the college, and Denise Felipe-Adams, the executive director of the PLC. They were the two who pitched the idea of the PLC to the judge and were thrilled that he was so enthusiastic about helping them out.

“Judge Thompson, you changed my life and the lives of all the young people in this room in an instant,” Cooper Andrews said. “I have worked on manifesting this project for 20 years. Nobody has ever understood the urgency and the need to support these amazing young people the way that you did when we spoke.

“We will support them in three ways — employment, internships and professional partnerships, which is our new term for mentoring; they are all ready to work hard.”

Most of the evening was spent praising Judge Thompson for his accomplishments and how much he has helped others. His son, Bill Thompson Jr., spoke of his integrity and the lessons he was taught as a kid that can now be passed down to others.

District Attorney Ken Thompson thanked Judge Thompson. He said if it weren’t for him, neither he nor Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams — who was also in attendance — would have been able to reach the professional level that they have. In return, he offered to help any of the members of the PLC with internships and potential employment.

“All of us have needed mentors in our lives every step of the way,” the DA said. “I’m all in — anything I can do as the Brooklyn DA, just let me know. Anyone who wants to be an intern or anything in my office, just let me know.”

Judge Thompson has been known as a trailblazer throughout his career. He served as a Buffalo Soldier and was awarded Battle Stars during World War II, serving at a very difficult time for any Black American, no matter how distinguished.. He was the first Black state senator from New York, the first Black administrative judge in Kings County and the first Black judge in the Appellate Division, Third Department. He also co-founded the Bed-Stuy Restoration Corporation with Sen. Robert Kennedy and co-founded Bed-Stuy Youth in Action.

Many members of the PLC, student government presidents and vice presidents from the local CUNYs and high schools, were introduced. One by one, they greeted the crowd, talked a bit about themselves, and thanked Judge Thompson, Cooper Andrews and Felipe-Adams.

Cooper Andrews also announced that the PLC will hold conferences at Brooklyn Law School and St. Francis College on May 2. Details for those conferences will be announced later this month.

For more photos from this event, visit BrooklynArchive.com.