Several leading New York politicians were among academic and community figures who paid their last respects on Thursday, Aug. 28, to Dr. Eda F. Hastick, an academic and founding member of the Brooklyn-based Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI). Hastick died on Aug. 17 at the age of 88.
The family said Hastick, a St. Kitts native and widow of the late Dr. Roy A. Hastick, Sr., the Grenadian-born founder and first president of CACCI, died “peacefully.”
Hastick was also a professor emeritus at Brooklyn’s Medgar Evers College, which is part of City University of New York (CUNY). Several members of the Medgar Evers community attended and paid their respects to Hastick.
The political leaders paid tributes to Hastick in a funeral service that lasted more than two hours at her home church, Cornerstone Baptist Church, on Madison Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.
Among the elected officials who paid tributes and eulogized Hastick were: US Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn; Senate Minority Leader Charles “Chuck” E. Schumer; New York State Attorney General Letitia James; New York City Mayor Eric L. Adams; New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams; and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
Other elected officials were: State Sen. Kevin Parker, representative for the 21st District in Brooklyn; State Sen. Zellnor Y. Myrie, representative for the 20th District in Brooklyn; Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party and representative for the 42nd District in Brooklyn; Assembly Member Latrice Walker, representative for the 55th District in Brooklyn; Assembly Member Brian Cunningham, representative for the 43rd District in Brooklyn; and City Council Member Rita Joseph, representative for the 40th District in Brooklyn.
The following legislators paid tributes in the funeral program but were not present for the service: Gov. Kathy Hochul; State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli; Sen. Roxanne Persaud, representative for the 19th District in Brooklyn; Assembly Member Alicia L. Hyndman, representative for the 29th District in Queens; and City Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, representative for the 46th District in Brooklyn.
The Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc. also paid tribute in the funeral program.
In a eulogy, Clarke said she was Hastick’s “mentee, neighbor and friend.
“I believe I could speak for everybody when I say if only Eda could be here — the grand dame,” she said. “Dr. Eda Hastick, in a eulogy, looks like a daunting task. How can I summarize a woman who blazed a trail? She lived a life of extraordinary achievement.
“Dr. Eda Hastick was a renaissance woman, an activist, and community builder,” the congresswoman added. “She was the dear mother of the village that raised the child, she was a strategic speaker. Her love for Dr. Roy Hastick was a love story. I witnessed her love for Roy.
“She was dedicated for the upliftment of the Black community,” Clarke continued. “There were so many others who were the beneficiary. I was the beneficiary of great food, great food that kept me coming back time and time again [applause].
“The Hasticks built CACCI [and] made CACCI businesses a must-attend event,” she said. “Today, we lay her to rest; I’m overwhelmed. Her legacy will live on to her beloved children. I’m confident her legacy will continue for generations to come. Though she’s no longer with us, our memories will remain — Dr. Eda Hastick, the grand dame of Brooklyn.”
Adams said he had met the Hasticks over 30 years ago and that they gave him wise counsel, even from the back porch of their Brooklyn home, as he ran to be state senator, Brooklyn borough president and then mayor of the City of New York.
“They were so proud of their family,” Adams said. “I want to say thank you for what they’re poured into me and the community.”
In a video message, Schumer said Hastick, “for decades, was the pillar of our community.
“Generations will benefit from the fruits of her labor,” he said. “As we say goodbye to Dr. Hastick, I want to say thanks to Roy, Renee, and Camille (the Hastick’s children).”
James mused that she “did not get the opportunity to sit on the porch (laughter).
“Today, we have Caribbean music because of what this woman did for us,” she said. “She built a transformation of her people. Dr. Hastick was synonymous with the Caribbean community — after the Clarkes (former City Council Member Una S.T. Clarke, the first Caribbean-born woman to be elected to New York City Council, and her congresswoman daughter, Yvette).
“Alongside (Roy Hastick), she (Eda Hastick) co-founded the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industy,” the attorney general added. “Remember all that they did. Now, she’s joined her beloved husband, Dr. Roy Hastick. We call on your legacy. Stand up, stand tall and fight back [standing ovation].”
Williams, the son of Grenadian immigrants, noted the number of people who Hastick helped.
“The impact she had — I want you to understand that we didn’t get here without people paving the way for us,” he said before presenting a proclamation to the Hastick’s children. “So, I thank her. The Hastick family is a powerful, powerful name.”
Gonzalez described Hastick as kind, adding that he was “one of those people who was on the back porch, and I worked my way down to the food [applause].
“To the Hastick Family, we’ll always remember the legacy she leaves behind,” he said.
Dr. Patricia Ramsey, president of Medgar Evers College, also described Hastick as “a visionary, a trailblazer and foundation upon which our social work program was built — her passion and her unwavering commitment to social justice.
“She established a legacy of justice, service and healing,” she said. “Her vision was clear to carry out the legacy of dignity.
“She provided a safe haven for students,” Dr. Ramsey added. “As chairperson of special programs, she issued that no student was left behind.
“Dr. Hastick was an extraordinary woman,” she continued. “Her approach of a licensed clinical worker empowered everthing she did. Dr. Hastick’s impact on our college will never be overstated.”
Jean Joseph, a Dominican-born certified public accountant, who currently serves as CACCI’s president, honored “the life and legacy of Dr. Eda F. Hastick — a woman whose brilliance, compassion, and unwavering dedication shaped generations and uplifted communities.
“I extend my deepest condolences to her entire family, and, by that, I mean not only her beloved children, but also the CACCI family to whom she was so endeared.”
Joseph said she had known Hastick for over two decades — “not just as a colleague or community leader, but as family in spirit.
“From the moment I joined the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CACCI) in 2002, our bond — woven together by her late husband and CACCI founder Dr. Roy Hastick — became sacred,” she said. “Over the years, I witnessed Eda’s brilliance unfold in countless ways.
“She was a woman of quiet strength and fierce intellect, always moving with purpose and grace,” Joseph added. “Whether attending community events or dreaming up new ways to serve our people, Eda carried herself with a dignity that inspired everyone around her.
“She had a way of making you feel seen, heard, and valued,” she continued. “I watched her raise her children with the same love and intentionality she poured into her work — always nurturing, always guiding, always believing in their greatness.
“To me, Eda wasn’t just a trailblazer,” she said. “She was a sister in spirit, a confidante, and a co-dreamer. Her legacy lives not only in institutions and initiatives but also in the hearts of those who were blessed to walk beside her.”
The Hastick’s daughters, Renee Hastick-Motes and Camille Hastick, later told Caribbean Life in a joint statement that their mother was “a trailblazer who silently broke barriers.
“She was a strong woman who stood tall, showing us that anything is possible,” they said. “While helping dad bring to life his dreams, she never lost sight of her own, and she carried us with her every step of the way.
“Though, she will be deeply missed, we find comfort in knowing that she prepared us well,” Renee and Camille added. “We will continue to carry forward the legacy that she and dad built together.”
Hastick-Motes also said separately that “throughout her remarkable career, Dr. Hastick made lasting contributions in the fields of education, healthcare and public service, just to name a few.”
She said Hastick served as a licensed clinical social worker, and was director of college counseling services; chairperson of special programs at MEC; assistant chief of alcoholism services at Harlem Hospital; and an administrator at the NYC Department of Health’s Office of Mental Health.
Hastick-Motes said Hastick also served as president of CACCI’s Educational Foundation.
In addition, she said Hastick’s service to the public continued as a member of the Caribbean Research Center’s Educational Board; former chair of SUNY Downstate Medical Center Community Board; member of the editorial board of the Journal of Social Work Practice and Addictions; the Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention in Children and Youth; and former appointed commissioner of the NYC Human Rights Commission.
Hastick-Motes said Hastick received a doctoral degree from Columbia University; a Master of Social Work from Smith College, School of Social Work; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology/anthropology from Queens College, CUNY.
She said Hastick was born on Feb. 10, 1937 in St. Kitts to Charles and Amy Harris. The youngest in her family, she was raised by her older sister, Clemens, Hastick-Motes said.
In 1952, she said Hastick migrated to the United States, “beginning a journey that would define her as a true trailblazer.
“In 1985, she married the love of her life, Dr. Roy A. Hastick, Sr., and, together, they built a partnership and love story that profoundly shaped their community,” Hastick-Motes said.
“Her legacy is one of service, leadership and unwavering dedication to the advancement of others,” she added.
Hastick-Motes said Hastick is predeceased by her husband, Dr. Roy A. Hastick Sr., and sister, Clemens.
She is survived by her children Roy A. Hastick, Jr., Camille Hastick, and Renee Hastick-Motes (Davond); her grandchildren Ryan Chew (Brandi), Imani Hastick, Kristine Ortiz, Denise Motes, Neveah Motes, Davond Motes, Jr., and Daniel Ortiz; her cousins Janus “Jill” Adams, Dara Roach, and Ayo Roach; and several family members, friends, and the community at large.
“Her lifelong commitment to her family and community will be greatly missed,” Hastick-Motes said.
“Inspired by their lifelong commitment to the community and Caribbean diaspora, the foundation will foster innovation by collaborating, connecting, and partnering with both long-standing and emerging stakeholders,” she said.
“Together, we will carry forward their vision of empowerment, progress and lasting impact,” Hastick-Motes added.