Staten Island Legal Services is pleased to host its Eighth Annual Hon. Vito J. Titone Awards Luncheon to celebrate individuals and programs that improve the quality of life for all Staten Island residents. The awards are named for Judge Titone, who served on the Staten Island Supreme Court from 1969 – 1975 and was the first Staten Islander to serve on the Court of Appeals. His fairness, humor, and kindness made him a much beloved and respected figure.

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP has a rich history of involvement in public and community service, with pro bono service integral to its practice. The firm routinely ranks high in the annual Am Law 200 pro bono survey, and its attorneys do pro bono work in areas such as political asylum, LGBT rights, domestic violence, housing and homelessness, and criminal trials and appeals. Kramer Levin attorneys are working with SILS on an impact litigation project to benefit L’Unicorns, the first Latinx LGBTQ group on Staten Island. SILS filed asylum applications for the original founding members of L’Unicorns prior to January 2018. In January 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) changed its policies regarding the scheduling of affirmative asylum applications, resulting in an infinite backlog of cases and applicants stuck in an unprotected limbo. In response to this policy, Kramer Levin is litigating a mandamus action in federal court to force USCIS to schedule interviews for the L’Unicorns’ cases that are trapped in the backlog. With Kramer Levin’s support, L’Unicorns, through their own strength and activism, can draw attention to the injustice of how affirmative asylum applications are being adjudicated. We are pleased to honor Kramer Levin attorneys for their support to Staten Island’s first LGBTQ Latinx group.

Gloria Middleton is the President of Communications Workers of America Local 1180, and is the first African American and the first female to lead the 9,000 active member local. Previously, Gloria served as the Union’s Secretary-Treasurer since 2001, and has been the Local’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. She is a Steering Committee member of the Municipal Labor Committee and is an Executive Board member of the NYC Central Labor Council. Gloria has been honored in part by the Boy Scouts of America Greater New York Council; the Black Institute; NAACP; the Bill Lynch Democratic Club; and received Congressional recognition from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for her work with the CWA National Civil Rights and Equity Committee. CWA Local 1180 union membership is overwhelmingly comprised of women, women of color, and other minorities working as administrative and supervisory workers. In April 2019, under Gloria’s leadership, CWA Local 1180 obtained a $15 million settlement against the City of New York on behalf of Administrative Managers for years of pay bias based on gender and racial discrimination. We are pleased to honor Gloria Middleton for her history victory consistent with our mission.