Democrat,

This week, New Jersey, Newark, CD-10, and the entire nation paid their respects to the Honorable Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. Congressman Payne was a true champion for his constituents and his legacy of advocating for progressive causes will always be remembered. The NJDSC has created a memorial page to honor the Congressman and to collect the many tributes he has received throughout the last week. We will continue to update the page as other tributes come to light.

Congressman Payne was not just my representative, he was a close, personal friend to me and my family. I was privileged to be asked to deliver a eulogy at yesterday’s service. My remarks can be found here. Others who delivered remarks include Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senator Cory Booker, Representatives Frank Pallone and Maxine Waters, Governor Phil Murphy, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, County Executives Joseph DiVincenzo and Craig Guy, Mayor Ras Baraka, and others. To view the entire service, click here.

Jackie and I extend our deepest condolences to the Payne family, to his friends, and to his constituents. As I said in my eulogy,

1. Don’t quit. Don’t give up on the legacy that this man has laid out, because he has saved thousands of individuals, not just in the state of New Jersey, the county of Essex, the city of Newark, but that body of work extends itself to the length and the breadth of this great country. So, as I say to all of you. Don’t quit, because he’s yielding the balance of his time to all of us to not quit.

In lieu of flowers, the Payne family has requested to please make donations to Donald M. Payne, Sr. Global Foundation, 111 Mulberry Street, Unit 5C, Newark, NJ 07102.

In other news, May is full of vibrant celebrations as we honor AANHPI Heritage Month, Jewish American, Military Appreciation, and Older Americans Month. As a state that is home to many diverse communities, New Jersey takes pride in the contributions of these groups to our remarkable state. To stay connected with the work that our caucuses do for civic engagement and advocacy, I encourage you to follow Team Coalitions. It is inspiring to see how these different communities come together to celebrate their unique cultures and contributions.

Governor Phil Murphy and the NJEDA celebrated the opening of HAX’s U.S. flagship headquarters in Newark, NJ. HAX is a startup development program focused on pre-seed hard tech companies, providing them with investment capital, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities.The 35,000-square-foot facility on Broad Street includes workspaces, labs and fabrication equipment. This initiative aligns with Governor Murphy’s administration goal of expanding the state’s innovation economy and positions Newark as a hub for manufacturing and technological breakthroughs.

HAX will serve as the flagship Strategic Innovation Center (SIC) in New Jersey. “Newark is an ideal location for entrepreneurs looking to collaborate, create, and hone their skills in the climate tech, industrial automation, and health care fields.” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. It has also committed to establishing relationships with universities such as the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Rutgers University, and Stevens Institute of Technology. I couldn’t think of a better place to make a technological hub for innovation than Essex County and I look forward to seeing the advancements that come from this venture.

Vice President Harris Kicks off her Nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour.

This week Vice President Kamala Harris embarked on a nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour. The tour will take her to various states across the country to showcase the efforts made by the Biden-Harris Administration in building economic opportunity, supporting communities, and delivering for the American people. The Economic Opportunity Tour is a testament to the administration’s commitment to invest in all of America, create an economy where everyone can thrive, and help underserved entrepreneurs access historic investments available locally to launch and scale their businesses, build wealth, and strengthen their communities.

To address the economic needs in New Jersey we will be launching the Economic Development Committee. The Economic Development Committee seeks to become a liaison between the NJDSC and small business community, and to function as a representative for economic impactful messaging.

— Chairman LeRoy J. Jones, Jr.

P.S. Don’t miss an informative event on May 11th in Monmouth County hosted by the Veterans Caucus, Older Adult Caucus, Emerging Leaders Caucus, and the NJYD Military & Veterans Caucus. We invite all to attend this event and demonstrate your appreciation for our veterans, military and older Americans, sign up here!