Tribute: Bill Pascrell

Bill Pascrell Jr., the spirited and devoted congressman from New Jersey, passed away in 2024 at the age of 87, leaving a profound legacy of public service and passion for his community. Born and raised in Paterson, Pascrell embodied the resilient spirit of his hometown throughout his life, from his early days as a public school teacher to his tenure as mayor and later as a 14-term representative in Congress.

Pascrell was known for his fiery speeches, dedication to working-class families, and advocacy for his district, which included diverse communities in Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic counties. A champion of healthcare reform, labor rights, and veterans' services, he also played a key role in restoring the state and local tax deductions that benefited New Jersey families. His ability to bridge divides and tackle contentious issues earned him respect on both sides of the aisle.

Beyond politics, Pascrell was a proud veteran, a lifelong baseball enthusiast, and a steadfast supporter of public education. His vibrant personality and unwavering commitment to service endeared him to his constituents and colleagues alike. His passing marks not just the loss of a leader, but also the loss of a steadfast advocate for the people of New Jersey and the values of community and perseverance.

Bill Pascrell and Maria Gillan at The Poetry Center

 

Bill was a longtime supporter of Passaic County Community College and the Poetry Center and a friend of Maria Gillan. Maria says:

Bill Pascrell was the longest serving member of the House of Representatives when he left us in August. Previous to his time in Washington, DC, he served as the mayor of Patterson for many years and also as representative in the New New Jersey state legislature. Clearly, he led a lifetime of service to the people of Paterson, NJ and the country.

But when I think of him, my first thoughts are about his enthusiastic support for The Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College in his beloved Paterson.

A few years ago when we had the 40th anniversary celebration for the Center, we invited him to speak. He came to the Hamilton Club and spoke about what the Center means to the city and region and how it is known far beyond New Jersey. He also surprised us by reading a poem of his own.

In his role in the legislature, he was fearless and spoke truth to power, and gave a feisty defense of the poor and the middle class. He never forgot where he came from. In the past few decades, he worked tirelessly to have the the Great Falls named a National Historic Park and to restore historic Hinchcliffe Stadium. Gratefully, he succeeded at both of those enormous projects before his passing.

Bill, we will never stop being grateful for all that you did for us and for the country. 

Archive photo of Pascrell and Gillan with Allen Ginsberg to the left
talking with students at an event at The Poetry Center

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Maria Mazziotti Gillan's newest poetry collection is When the Stars Were Still Visible (2021). Other recent publications are the poetry and photography collection, Paterson Light and Shadow, and the poetry collections What Blooms in Winter and The Girls in the Chartreuse Jackets, a pairing of her poems with her paintings.
Maria's artist website is MariaMazziottiGillan.com and her poetry website is MariaGillan.com.

Tribute: John Ming

The Poetry Center at PCCC lost a cherished friend and partner this past summer with the passing of John Ming. Anyone who has attended a poetry reading over the past 44 years at the Hamilton Club or in earlier venues has seen John with his video equipment recording the event.

John Ming was a longtime resident of Paterson, NJ, who made significant contributions to the community. John passed away suddenly at the age of 70 in August 2024.

He created Paterson's Public Access Channel and served as the AV Specialist for the city, managing the channel for 17 years. John was known for his dedication to the city and his passion for video and public access, overseeing programming, posting bulletins, and broadcasting Municipal Council meetings and live events.

“I am saddened by the news of the passing of my cherished friend, John Ming,” Mayor Andre Sayegh said on social media. “He was a Paterson Pioneer and a talented filmmaker. At the onset of the pandemic, we were in my office every day recording video messages reassuring residents that our city would defeat COVID-19. He will be dearly missed.”

Another side of John that was not as well known to the poetry community, is that he was also an accomplished independent filmmaker, recording artist, and author. 

He was working on a seven-part series titled "Malik Carter: Not Guilty." He was completing his mother’s book about Paterson.

John always had multiple projects he was working on, including second and third solo albums, "P-Town" and "The Romantic." He played keyboards for Full Strength Productions and Nucleus. He was at the keyboards for the band Touch of Class, which opened for The Jackson 5 during their 1976 U.S. tour.

From Maria Mazziotti Gillan

John Ming who was an enormously important part of The Poetry Center at PCCC. The videos and interviews he recorded and that we archive on our YouTube channel are a continuing reminder of his work with us.

John passed away this August. John began working with us in 1980 and quickly became an invaluable part of the poetry center team.

It is difficult for me to imagine going into the new year without John and his enthusiasm for the the poetry programs. 

John would always introduce me as his sister from another mother. John and I were born on the same day, of course many years apart, but we became good friends. He became a lover of poetry and was often moved to tears by listening to it.

He did an enormous amount of work to get ready for the readings, setting up the stage, podium, sound system and his audio and video equipment. He helped put together our new set and background to make it more interesting visually. 

After working together for so many years, it’s just difficult for me to imagine that he will not be there at our first reading this season and for the ones into 2025. Those of you who have come to the readings at the Hamilton club will remember John’s outsize personality and enthusiasm.

Dear John, I will never stop missing you and your presence at the readings. Thank you for all the work you did to help make the legacy of The Poetry Center live on.

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Maria Mazziotti Gillan's newest poetry collection is When the Stars Were Still Visible (2021). Other recent publications are the poetry and photography collection, Paterson Light and Shadow, and the poetry collections What Blooms in Winter and The Girls in the Chartreuse Jackets, a pairing of her poems with her paintings.
Maria's artist website is MariaMazziottiGillan.com and her poetry website is MariaGillan.com.