A Lasting Tribute to Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey
Westchester County honored the extraordinary life, leadership and legacy of Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey with the dedication of the United States Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey Community Green at Kensico Dam Plaza.
For more than three decades, Lowey served the people of Westchester County in the United States House of Representatives, earning a reputation as a tireless advocate for the communities she represented and a powerful voice on behalf of families, children, environmental protection, health care, education and critical federal investments.
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said: “Nita Lowey dedicated her life to public service and to making life better for the people she represented. Her impact can be seen and felt throughout Westchester County, not only in the investments and initiatives she championed, but in the example she set as a leader of integrity, compassion and determination. It is fitting that this beautiful public space at Kensico Dam Plaza now carries her name and will serve as a lasting reminder of an extraordinary public servant and an extraordinary Westchester resident.”
New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin said: “Congresswoman Nita Lowey was an extraordinary public servant and a true role model for all of us in public life. I always admired her intelligence and integrity, as well as her ability to work across the aisle to get things done. She was always available and accessible to me and the people who needed her, which was truly appreciated. She was deeply committed to the ideals of public service and to making a difference in the lives of the people she represented, which are values I’ve always tried to embrace in my own work. Nita was a role model for women in politics, and really for all elected officials. It is wonderful to see her legacy honored with the Nita M. Lowey Community Green, a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman.”
New York State Assemblyman Steve Otis said: “For those of us Nita represented, she served with determination and dedication, fighting for critical funding for New York State and successfully bringing in resources regardless of who held the majority in the House. To the nation, Nita will always be remembered as a trailblazing leader whose skill and effective service brought breakthrough after breakthrough to benefit the environment, women’s rights, education, childcare, and public health. We honor Nita and recognize her special place in American history with this dedication today.”
Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey’s District Director Patricia Keegan said: “Thank you to Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins and the Westchester County Board of Legislators for dedicating this beautiful site as the Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey Community Green. Throughout her 32 years in the House of Representatives, Nita set a high standard for public service. She listened to her constituents’ concerns, helped solved their problems and partnered with them to make our communities even better places to live, work and play. May the Community Green – a free, accessible park for celebrations of our country’s democracy and our residents’ cultures as well as quiet walks at every season of the year – inspire all of us to carry on her work of helping our neighbors and protecting our democracy.”
Lowey represented parts of Westchester County in Congress from 1989 through her retirement in 2021. During her 32 years in the House of Representatives, she rose to become Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, becoming the first woman in congressional history to hold the position. She died March 15, 2025.
Throughout her career, Lowey fought to bring federal resources home to Westchester and the region while championing issues of national and international significance. Her leadership helped strengthen local communities, protect the environment, support public transportation, expand access to health care and education, and improve the lives of children and families.
The dedication ceremony drew hundreds of attendees, including elected officials from every level of government, family members, friends and residents whose lives were touched by Congresswoman Lowey’s decades of public service. Among those in attendance was former President Bill Clinton, who joined the community in honoring her extraordinary legacy.