Members of Joanne Seminara’s household are joined by Council Member Justin Brannan and State Sen. Andrew Gounardes on the June 2 ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Picture by Arthur de Gaeta
Earlier this month, the Bay Ridge group got here collectively as native leaders, educators and residents celebrated the renaming of P.S. 413 — now proudly often known as the Joanne Seminara College of Legislation and Medication.
The state-of-the-art elementary college, situated on Senator Road, opened in fall 2024 and is designed to arrange college students for future careers in regulation and drugs. The June 2 ceremony included a ribbon-cutting, with college students and directors in attendance.
College students of the not too long ago opened college have been in attendance.Picture by Arthur de Gaeta
Seminara, who died in 2022, was a beloved lawyer, educator and public service advocate. She served on Group Board 10 — which represents Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Fort Hamilton — for 26 years, chairing the board from 2010 to 2013. All through her profession, she additionally served as New York State Democratic Committee chairwoman and as an government committee member of the New York State Democratic Social gathering.
Earlier than her time in native authorities, Seminara labored as a biology and chemistry trainer. Her husband, Pierre A. Lehu, spoke about her ardour for younger individuals through the ceremony.
“She understood that educating young people isn’t easy,” he mentioned. “She would be so proud to know that a brand new elementary school with every possible facility to encourage education, including classes in both Arabic and English and a dental program, right here in Bay Ridge, where she so loved. It’s such an honor.”
“This keeps her memory alive, not just in our hearts, but in the minds of these young students,” Lehu continued.
Metropolis Council Member Justin Brannan, who represents the forty seventh district and thought of Seminara a detailed buddy and mentor, spoke about her enduring affect on the Bay Ridge group.
Council Member Brannan spoke of Seminara’s influence and thought of her a buddy and mentor.Picture by Arthur de Gaeta
“For Joanne, community always came first,” Brannan mentioned. “She believed your job as a human being was to leave the world a little better than how you found it. Her little living room on 78th Street felt like the old parlors of old, where ideas were discussed, policies were debated and plans were hatched.”
“Joanne’s compass was always pointed toward equity, fairness and integrity. When it came to speaking truth to power, Joanne had no fear,” he continued. “She was truly an inspiration to us all.”
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes echoed that sentiment and spoke of the legacy she left behind.
Members of Seminara’s household, together with husband Pierre A. Lehu and son Peter Lehu, spoke on the ceremony.Picture by Arthur de Gaeta
“To sit in that living room of hers, to hash out problems and come up with ideas to make the community and world better, that was special,” he mentioned. “I just can’t help but think about generations of students that will sit in this living room right here and draw that same inspiration from her name and her example and her integrity and their values.”
