On August 1, 2023, we lost an exceptional and valued member of the CSSW community, Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver. From January 16th, 2018 until her passing, she served as New Jersey’s 2nd Lieutenant Governor, and the legacy that she left behind cannot be understated.
Lt. Governor Oliver was a true trailblazer in her profession - she was not only the first Black woman to serve as Lt. Governor in New Jersey, but also the first Black woman to become Speaker of the House and win a statewide office in New Jersey. During her swearing-in ceremony, she reminded her community that “while these moments are historic, we make history not in the moment, but in what we do with it.” Lt. Governor Oliver has paved the way for so many, particularly Black women and girls, to pursue their passions and advocate for themselves - not just in the face of injustice, but always. Her background in social work provided her with a unique approach on how to not only interrogate systems of oppression but work with communities to create solutions for some of the most difficult policy issues of our time.
Born and raised in an ethnically diverse community in Newark, NJ, Lt. Governor Oliver was an avid reader at a very young age. Throughout her early years, she took an interest in the Cradle of Civilization, the creation of various cultures, and the disparities within them. She was particularly interested in A Tale of Two Cities, a classic novel that explores themes of oppression, class struggle, and revolution. The story sparked something within Lt. Governor Oliver, and she began to imagine what society in the United States should look like, rather than accepting how it was at the time. She continued her education within the Newark public school system, going on to graduate cum laude from Lincoln University and eventually receiving her Master of Science in Community Organization, Planning, and Administration from CSSW.
Lt. Governor Oliver had quite an impressive track record during her time in office. As Acting Governor, she signed multiple bills into law that help folks of all ages access the care that they need. She established a Caregiver Task Force that provided resources to those that were taking care of elderly and/or disabled folks, enforced financial literacy education for all public school students grades 6-8, and strengthened equal pay for equal work by preventing employers from asking employees’ previous salary history. She also signed into law the Restorative and Transformative Justice for Youths and Communities Pilot Program within the Juvenile Justice Commission with the goal of keeping young people from entering and re-entering the juvenile justice system. Lt. Governor Oliver served as Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs where she was pivotal in growing initiatives for affordable housing, homelessness prevention, and more for New Jersey’s 564 municipalities.
The CSSW community mourns this great loss, and is profoundly grateful for Lt. Governor Oliver's advocacy work and commitment to social justice.
“If it’s about us, it can’t be done without us.” - Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver