Read the story as it originally appeared on nj.com | localtalknews.com.
William Narvaez, Deputy Register of the Essex County Register’s Office and a long-time trustee of The North Ward Center, received Essex County’s 2010 Estrella del Condado de Essex Awards. (Stars of Essex County).
Narvaez received the award along with Assemblywoman Nellie Pou, who represents the 35th District, during the county’s Sept. 28 Annual Latino Heritage Celebration in the Essex County Hall of Records.
With an array of colorful flags representing 22 Latino countries as the backdrop, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo led a spirited celebration to pay homage to the rich culture and traditions of U.S. residents who trace their roots to the Spanish speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
“We are honored to recognize Assemblywoman Pou and William Narvaez, two outstanding Latino leaders. Both of them have worked diligently to improve our residents’ quality of life,” DiVincenzo said. “Our cultural celebrations give us the opportunity to highlight the achievements of individuals from many different backgrounds, and learn about their heritage as well.”
As deputy register, Narvaez has been responsible for the supervision of over 30 staff members, handling OPRA requests and representing the Essex County Register’s Office at various events for 14 years.
Narvaez also served as Deputy Mayor of the City of Newark and held various positions with the Newark Board of Education, FOCUS and The North Ward Center.
Narvaez’s bilingual abilities in English and Spanish have allowed him to eliminate the challenges that come with language barriers to offer the best service to the residents of Essex County. His community affiliations have included serving on the boards of several community-based organizations throughout New Jersey and New York. He is a graduate of New York University, where he was the recipient of the Martin Luther King Scholarship from NYU.
“My mother only had a fourth grade education when we came to Newark and she has inspired me to work hard and achieve. She instilled in me the importance of education and I try to impart that to today’s youth as well. We as public servants have a tremendous responsibility because we have the trust of the people we serve and it is our job to continue working as a team to move forward,” Narvaez said. “I thank the County Executive for this honor on behalf of all Latino Americans.”
Adrianne Davis, co-founder of The North Ward Center, said she has known and worked with Narvaez for nearly four decades.
“Willie has been a tremendous asset to The North Ward Center and to the Hispanic residents of the North Ward,” Davis said. “We are so proud of him here at The North Ward Center for his contributions and hard work. He is well deserving of the award.”
Pou, who has been in the Assembly since 1997, is the first woman and first Hispanic to represent the 35th District. She serves as Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee and is a member of the Budget Committee, the Education Committee and the Joint Budget Oversight Committee.
“I want to thank the County Executive for this great award. I am honored to receive this, but I can’t do any of the work I do alone,” Pou said. “We have a great group of legislators in Trenton that are dedicated to government and social progress, that work hard every day on behalf of their constituents.”
