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January 23, 2009
Dear Families and Friends,
I write this letter from Washington, DC, on the eve of the inauguration, where together with millions of others, I will be honored to witness the historic inauguration of our 44th President, Barack Obama.
Warm Regards, Mary and the Voices Staff
Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address
VOICES Programs and events
9/11 Living Memorial Workshop Schedule VOICES is putting together its workshop schedule for 2009. If you would like us to come to your neighborhood, please contact us so we can consider including it in our schedule for the coming year. For more information, or to register for the workshops below, contact Michelle Doherty at VOICES of September 11th, (203) 966-3911 or by e-mail to mdoherty@voicesofsept11.org. You can also schedule an individual Living Memorial appointment at our Connecticut office.
New Brunswick, New Jersey Date: Tuesday, January 27th Time: 11:00am to 5:00pm Location: New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO), 120 Albany Street, Tower 1, 7th Floor, New Brunswick, New Jersey
KBW, New York
VOICES, New Canaan Date: Friday, February 6th Time: 10:00am to 3:00pm by Appointment Location: Voices of September 11th, 161 Cherry Street, Second Floor, New Canaan, CT
KBW, New York
Manhasset, New York
Teleconference Schedule: Voices of September 11th offers teleconference groups that are facilitated by our mental health professionals. The teleconference groups provide an opportunity for those impacted by 9/11 to talk with others that share their same experience. Please contact our office at (203) 966-3911 if you are interested in participating.
Tuesday, January 27th - Witness/Survivors Teleconference Group 11:00am to 12:00pm
In the News
Hillary Clinton Sworn In as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was sworn in as our nation’s 67th Secretary of State. To read the testimony she gave during her nomination hearings, visit the US Department of State. There, you can also find her welcoming remarks to the Department.
Prior to her swearing in, then New York Senator Clinton bade farewell to her colleagues in Congress. During her speech, she described in vivid detail and with obvious emotion her experiences in the aftermath of 9/11, visiting Ground Zero and working to provide assistance to all those devastated by the attacks. She noted her gratitude to many individuals in government and society, with a special nod to the 9/11 community, saying: “I've developed close and lasting relationships with many of the victims and the families of the victims of 9/11, and I applaud and thank them for their courage and their fortitude in not only fighting for the health benefits that were so desperately needed, but for the creation of the 9/11 Commission, for trying to do better on threat assessments, more resources for first responders, committed, despite their grief, to smarter policies to prevent future attacks on our nation.
To read Clinton’s farewell speech to the Senate in its entirety, visit Thomas.gov. A video is also available at C-Span.
Revamped White House Web Site The White House has redesigned its web site and there are many pages that might be of interest to our readers. These include President Barack Obama’s strategies for protecting the nation against 21st century threats. To learn more, click on Homeland Security Agenda.
Guantanamo to Close In one of his first acts as President, President Barack Obama signed executive orders that aim to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp within a year, end the Central Intelligence Agency’s secret interrogation program, and review the manner in which detainees will be held and questioned. His orders serve to end the Bush administration’s military commissions system for prosecuting terrorist suspects. Some 9/11 families have expressed anger at these plans. President Obama has acknowledged closing Guantanamo will be a complex and challenging undertaking.
The New York Times has consolidated its Guantanamo coverage on one page, including a history of the issue.
You can also learn more at the Washington Post and the Daily News, and read the Executive Orders directly at the White House web page, White House - Closure of Guantanamo Detention Facilities.
President Obama's Homeland Security Strategies To see President Obama’s agenda for protecting the nation against 21st century threats, visit the White House web page Homeland Security Agenda.
New Social Media Campaign Provides Tools for Emergencies
WE Count! 9/11 Health Survey In an effort to “uncover the true scope of the 9/11 health crisis,” Beyond Ground Zero Network (BGZ) is partnering with 9/11 Environmental Action (EA) to conduct a community health survey. The organizations will perform extensive outreach throughout Lower Manhattan over the next few months to create a broad database of 9/11 health symptoms and their effects. They are asking everyone with health problems related to 9/11 to complete their survey, available at Survey Monkey.
9/11 Victims' Compensation Fund Chief Kenneth Feinberg Writes Book The former head of the US government's Victims' Compensation Fund has written a book chronicling the process he and his department developed to compensate 9/11 victims. Kenneth Feinberg’s book, “What is Life Worth,” is a detailed examination of the difficulties involved in calculating compensation amounts. In a summary of its television interview with Feinberg, ABC News relates his story as well as those of several victims.
Read more at ABC News.
Second Death Linked to 9/11 Dust For only the second time since 9/11, the New York City (NYC) Medical Examiner has ruled a subsequent death was linked to the inhalation of dust at the site. On September 11th, 2001, Leon Hayward, an investigator for NYC’s Department of Consumer Affairs, helped rescue handicapped co-workers. He died seven years later, having suffered with severe breathing and memory issues, as well as seizures and other difficulties. Last week, the Medical Examiner said Hayward died from cancer caused by toxic dust at the site.
Read more at the NY Daily News.
Napolitano Testifies on Plans to Protect Nation Last week, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, who is President Obama’s choice to head the Homeland Security Department “breezed through” her confirmation hearing. “To secure the homeland,” she said, “means to protect our nation’s borders by finding and killing roots of terrorism and stop those who intend to hurt us, to wisely enforce the rule of law at our borders, to protect our national cyber infrastructure, and to prepare for and respond to natural and man-caused disasters with speed, skill and effectiveness.”
To read more about the confirmation hearing, visit the NY Times.
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