Uncrowned Community Builders

"Excellence is never an accident; it is the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities."

So beautifully stated by Jerold Panas, Janique S. Curry is the embodiment of the aforementioned quotation. Brooklyn-born and Long Island-bred, Janique S. Curry shares her spot with her twin sister as the middle child of four daughters born to Edward B. Copeland and the late Janie Copeland-Liotta. She married William M. Curry (of Syracuse, New York) in 1994 and is the proud mother of one son, JayLin Matthew, and proud stepmother of two stepsons, Aaron and JaQuan Matthew.

A 1987 graduate of Half Hollow Hills High School East, Janique moved to the Buffalo area to pursue her post-secondary education at Buffalo State College, where she was awarded a Bachelor's of Science degree in Criminal Justice in 1991 and a Masters Degree in Adult Education in 2006. While an undergraduate student at Buffalo State, Janique immediately immersed herself in many student lead efforts that began building a foundation for her in the Queen City. She served on various campus organization boards and committees, and assumed leadership positions with the United Student Government, African American Student Organization and the NAACP. As a Student Assistant in Buffalo State's Minority Student Services Office, Janique was fortunate enough to be introduced to a bevy of campus and community leaders whose dedication to the uplift of the city sparked a genuine interest and dedication to serving the community and promoting the excellence in all of her efforts. She now worships at True Bethel Baptist Church, where the Rev. Darius Pridgen is pastor.

Janique is currently the newly-appointed Deputy Regional Director for New York State's 54th Governor Eliot Sptizer. In fulfilling her duties in this position, Janique serves as the Governor's regional representative for Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Orleans, and Genesee counties. Formerly, she served as the Community Relations Specialist & Grant Writer for the Continuing Professional Studies office at Buffalo State College. In her role as a Community Relations Specialist, Janique was, and continues to be, actively involved in a number of community-based organizations and committees that not only promote the Buffalo Region, but are also of personal interest to her. As a Grant Writer and then-Central District Representative for the Buffalo Board of Education, Janique, with the support of her colleagues, spearheaded the Buffalo Teacher Aide Training Academy in 2006, which educated and assisted all Buffalo Public School Teacher Aides in meeting the necessary qualifications outlined in the Bush Administration's No Child Left Behind Act. Because of her exceptional oratorical and presentation skills (as can be seen on archived Buffalo Public School Board televised broadcasts), Janique was, and continues to be, a highly sought-after conference presenter, making public appearances at local and statewide conferences speaking on topics including education and scholarship, government, grant writing, and the collaborative efforts of community-based organizations. Janique is also trained as a Paralegal and a New York State Commissioned Notary Public.

A former long-time member of the Mount Olive Baptist Church, Janique served as president of the New Membership Ministry, and participated in several other ministries including the Young Matrons Ministry, the Hospitality Ministry, Sunday School, and was additionally a Big Sister/Little Sister volunteer. She still maintains her relationship with her "little sister" to date. Putting her community relations and grant writing skills to work, Janique also served on the board for the Mt. Olive Development Corporation (MODC) and assisted with the grant writing and compliance tasks for funded projects.

A passionate advocate for community and youth development, Janique strongly believes in giving back to the community and mentoring young people, as a result of the outstanding mentors who have influenced her life and contributed to her success. Janique is one of the founding members and Vice President of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Awareness Tour, advisor for the Kappa Lambda Gamma Jr. Sorority, Inc., Membership Training Chair for the Junior League of Buffalo, charter member of the 2004 Rising Leaders - Leadership Buffalo Class, former staff advisor for the National Pan-Hellenic Council (Buffalo State College), and former campus advisor for the Phi Epsilon Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. She also has other community efforts tied to the Fruitbelt Task Force, YO Buffalo (Youth Opportunity Program), the New York State Alliance for Black School Educators, the Near East Side Task Force, the Commission on the Status of Women, Sister-to-Sister Conference Committee, Edison Street Baptist Church Development Corporation, and the Langston Hughes Institute. Her commitment and dedication to the success of youth has lead her to sit on various scholarship committees (the Buffalo State Alumni Association Scholarship Committee, the Junior League of Buffalo Scholarship Committee, and reviewed and recommended student applicants for the Buffalo Urban League) to promote and ensure the future success of our youngest leaders. Janique has also worked with the Erie County Family Court as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (C.A.S.A.), the Juneteenth Committee, the Young Miss Buffalo Pageant, INROADS, and Friends to the Night People in an effort to organize young people to become agents of change in their communities through avenues of education, etiquette, nonviolence promotion, volunteerism, and endless service to the elderly.

In all of her efforts in working toward the betterment of her community and everything connected thereof, Mrs. Curry believes that "the future does not just happen, it is created...Our destiny is not in the stars, but in ourselves. We may need to follow in the wake of those who have gone before, but what we do and where we go is ultimately up to us. The attitude of initiative is an on-going state of exploration that is never finished...a journey that never ends."