One person can make a difference, by Karen Broughton and family

I had many reservations when the Red Hook Star Revue asked me to write this article; but I knew George did not personally know my mother and had only heard of her; so I thought I would write it.

Here we go! If I told it all; it would be a book. So let me give you a snippet of who my mother was and will continue to be remembered as forevermore.

The difference she made in her Red Hook Community stretched far beyond the boundaries of Red Hook; that made her synonymous with “Red Hook.” When people would and still mention Red Hook, its’ often asked, do you know Emma Broughton?

Emma Broughton, one of eight children who was raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She was the wife of Jesse Broughton, mother of five, grandmother of nine, great-grandmother of 11, daughter-in-law, aunt, teacher, social worker, mentor, advisor, counselor and much more.
She never helped anyone to talk about it or to grandstand, it was just a labor of love. The selfless way she tackled issues and helped people was what got her noticed in many arenas. People casually speak of the “Real Deal”, she was the “The Real Deal”; and you knew it from the moment you met her. The former Brooklyn Borough President, Marky Markowitz, affectionately, called her the “Mayor of Red Hook”.

Helping others was just like breathing to her. She more or less just liked and enjoyed helping others. I know she had no knowledge of the vast impact that she had on the Red Hook Community and its’ residents and organizations. Helping others was her desire and her destiny. There was no problem too small or too big. She would find a way over, around, or just move that mountain out of her way. She never tired helping others.
She would tackle any issue from stop signs, traffic, safety in the neighborhood, police and community relations, jobs for the community, and New York City Housing Authority.

Whenever a new entity wanted to enter the neighborhood; she always fought for resident hiring first; and community enrichment. She was a Board member for Community Board 6; Friends of the Red Hook Library, A member/board member of the American Legion Brooklyn Chapter, and many more organizations she was affiliated with.

One of her goals was one of the fights we are now experiencing; making sure there are enough pre-k seats for all children. The same fight Assemblyman Ortiz has for a long time championed; and continues to pick up the mantle to fight for. She would be proud he is continuing the fight for our children. She felt all children should be educated as early as possible. She was always a familiar face at P.S. 27; where she worked and P.S. 15- The Patrick Daly School in which I attended. Her many visits to P.S. 15 was half to see what was going on; and half was being invited by one of my teachers to talk about my behavior.

That’s another story I could tell.

There was no end to what she did or no place she would not go.

She just wanted to live in a community that could have and experience the best of living standards and its’ environment. She wanted the Red Hook Community to be lifted up for all of its’ beauty.

I many times wonder what she would think of the direction in which Red Hook is going since her passing four years ago.
Always more to do.

I think she would be happy with Red Hook; but not satisfied, because she would believe there is always something more than can be done.

Let’s all continue to take notes, create ideas, and champion causes such as Emma Broughton, Assemblyman Felix W. Ortiz, and Judge Alex Calabrese; and the world will continue to be a better in which to live.

Karen Broughton is the Red Hook Community Liaison for Assemblyman Felix Ortiz.