Former NYC Health Commissioner Mary Bassett to headline People’s World awards luncheon

Dr. Mary Bassett, director of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University and former NYC Health Commissioner, will keynote the People's World Better World Awards Luncheon in New York on Dec. 9. | Fordham University

On Sunday, December 9, 2018, The New York Friends of People’s World will hold their annual “Better World Awards” luncheon. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Mary Basset, and awardees are Nelson Antonio Denis, Michael McKee, Gabe Falsetta, and Jill Furillo.

Dr. Mary Bassett is Director of the François-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University, as well as the FXB Professor of the Practice of Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health. With more than 30 years of experience in public health, Dr. Bassett has dedicated her career to advancing health equity. Prior to her directorship at the FXB Center, Dr. Bassett served for four years as commissioner of Health for New York City. As commissioner, she worked to ensure that every New York City neighborhood supported the health of its residents, with the goal of closing gaps in population health across the city.

Nelson Antonio Denis is a writer, film director, and former New York State Assemblyman. He is the author of the book War Against All Puerto Ricans. His award-winning films premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and have been screened throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Michael McKee is a driving force within the Tenant’s PAC of New York and serves as its treasurer. The organization’s mission is to give a strong public voice to tenants and make them a viable electoral force. They have led successful campaigns to elect officials who guide legislation to keep housing affordable in the New York City area.

Gabe Falsetta is a retired member of NY Local 6 of the International Typographical Union. He writes for People’s World and volunteers as office staff for the Communist Party and serves as a member of the latter’s NY State Committee.

Jill Furillo, a nurse, is the executive director of the New York State Nurses Association. She joined NYSNA to work with the rank and file activists to help transform NYSNA into a progressive voice and union for registered nurses. NYSNA led a campaign to keep hospitals open, winning a moratorium on all hospital closures in New York until an accurate and complete assessment of the health needs of distressed communities is carried out.

The luncheon will be held at 235 W. 23rd Street, 7th floor, in Manhattan from 2-6 p.m. Tickets are $40.00 and discounts are available for low-income, students, and unemployed at $10.00. To reserve tickets, contact aallen@cpusa.org.

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People’s World is a voice for progressive change and socialism in the United States. It provides news and analysis of, by, and for the labor and democratic movements to our readers across the country and around the world. People’s World traces its lineage to the Daily Worker newspaper, founded by communists, socialists, union members, and other activists in Chicago in 1924.