Toni Harp Returns To City Hall For Good

Virtuous. A leader. Unique. A powerhouse. Poised. A quiet storm. Empathetic. Committed.

Those were among the words that accompanied a joyous ceremonial unveiling and installation in City Hall of the official portrait of former Mayor Toni N. Harp. 

Dozens of community members joined city and state leaders at the Tuesday afternoon ceremony in recognizing the accomplishments and leadership of Harp as part of the portrait unveiling.

The portrait of New Haven’s 50th mayor, who spent more than three decades in elected offices including as a state senator and alder, is placed on the walls of the second-floor atrium alongside the paintings of her predecessors.

The event was emceed by Veronica Douglas of The Veronica Douglas Media Agency, President/Publisher of La Voz Hispana de Connecticut Norma Rodriguez-Reyes, and West Hills Alder Honda Smith.

As Harp pulled the red curtain off of the gold framed portrait, ​“Girl on Fire,” her campaign song, erupted in celebration. 

The portrait captures Harp penning a letter about the injustice of denying urban youth equal and competitive education. 

Standing beside the portrait, Harp took the microphone for the event’s final 40 minutes to discuss her proudest moments and accomplishments, like raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction, education partnerships with Southern Connecticut State University, fully implementing the New Haven Promise scholarship program, boosting community-based policing, reducing crime, supporting the creation of the Botanical Garden of Healing Dedicated to Victims of Gun Violence, developing and implementing New Haven’s Youth Stat program, implementing restorative justice practices, adding technical high school programming, increasing youth exposure to higher education, dedicating funds to community management teams, expanding the ShotSpotter network, restoring Newhallville’s former ​“Mudhole” into the Learning Corridor and other city neighborhood parks, reviving the Dixwell Q House, opening the Barack H. Obama Magnet University School, developing a small business academy, and removing the Hamden/New Haven Brookside fence dividing the neighborhood.

“We showed that it could be done,” she said. 

Senior Pastor Jose Champagne of the Church of God of Prophecy led the ceremony’s invocation. Champagne, who described Harp as a virtuous leader, said the number 50 symbolizes freedom and liberty which he said Harp brought to the city while mayor.

Speakers included CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven CEO William Ginsberg, State Sen. Martin Looney, State Reps. Juan Candelaria and Toni Walker, Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers, Bishop Theodore Brooks Sr., mayoral portrait artist Mario Moore, Mayor Justin Elicker, and former Mayor John DeStefano Jr. 

“When the history of our city and our time is written, it will record Toni Harp was one of the greatest of New Haveners,” Ginsberg said. ​“A great leader and a great person totally devoted to the people of her community. Thank you Toni for all you’ve done for all of us.” The Community Foundation has created a Toni N. Harp Endowment Fund for Youth and Seniors.

Several musical performances graced the crowd with uplifting and harmonious dedications to Harp’s leadership and legacy. 

William and Lisa Fluker performed their song ​“What Will It Take?” Teddy Brown passionately sang ​“This Is The Moment,” which brought Harp and the crowd to their feet in tears and cheers. 

Janice Smith performed ​“Wind Beneath My Wings.” The ceremony was closed with a violin performance by Angélica Durrell of INTEMPO. 

State Rep. Walker, with whom Harp co-chaired the state legislature’s Appropriations Committee, thanked Harp for ​“letting me stand on your shoulders” and giving her strength and confidence in herself in the face of confrontations. 

“You don’t understand what it’s like to be in a room, no offense everybody, with all white men and two little Black women controlling that meeting,” she said. ​“And she did with dignity. She did it with pride. She did it with data and conviction.” 

Walker recalled watching Harp ​“master” conversations with people by listening, understanding, and always giving ​“the feeling that they were alone with her when they were talking.” 

Alders President Walker-Myers joined the speakers who described Harp as a trailblazer. 

“You had a way of bringing all types of groups together that weren’t all the same in the same place, but bringing us together and having a real conversation with respect,” she said. 

She recalled often depending on Harp’s leadership to hold the Board of Alders together.

“You wasn’t just a mayor to me. You became a friend and family,” she said.

Harp was first elected to the Board of Alders in 1987, then to the State Senate in 1992. She won the 2013 mayoral election and went on to serve three two-year terms.

In her remarks, Harp recalled learning from her older sister that ​“thoughts are things” and carrying that with her throughout her life. ​“Communities make a city strong, but they must have the tools to do that,” she said. She stressed the need for collaboration, because a mayor can’t do the job alone.

While standing in front of an iMatter display reading ​“I’m still here,” Harp thanked city employees who served with her during her administration, including former Police Chiefs Anthony Campbell and Dean Esserman, former schools Superintendents Reginald Mayo and Garth Harries, and former Chief of Staff Tomas Reyes. 

Portrait artist Mario Moore said his inspiration for the piece came from witnessing Harp’s ability to control her office in a relaxed manner. ​“When I think of somebody of all the things and all that you have achieved in opposition that comes up against you, you have that level of ease and poise,” he said. 

After the ceremony community members lined up to get photos with Harp and the newly unveiled portrait. 

Former mayoral spokesperson Laurence Grotheer described the years of working with Harp as ​“the honor of my life.”

Watch clips of the ceremony here, here, here, and here.