Outstanding Leadership in Queens
2004 Honoree of the Queens Federation of Churches

Movyn Bass

Movyn Bass was born and raised in the Virgin Islands. He is the oldest of seven children. During his teenage years, Movyn began to travel from St. Thomas to New York and attended school in both places. He attended Queens Community College where he majored in Liberal Arts.

He is a member of Community Church of God where he has played the piano and directed the choir. Movyn resides in Jamaica, Queens and is the father of two children.

Movyn has worked with the developmentally disabled for eight years at various agencies, the last being Quality Services for the Autism Community (QSAC). Over his career Movyn has held the positions of direct care worker, group leader and residential manager.

In working with the developmentally disabled, Movyn decided to become an advocate for this population because he felt they needed a voice. Movyn also realized that as a worker in this field, he and his co-workers needed a voice to respond to their working conditions. Movyn stood up for the rights of the developmentally disabled and direct care workers by organizing a union that could bring fairness and stability to the work force and improve the quality of care for the clients. For over a year Movyn worked with CSEA, Local 1000, AFSCME, to form a union at QSAC and provided solid leadership for his co-workers and colleagues in the community. Early in the organizing campaign Movyn lost his job at QSAC, but he continued to work on the campaign as an organizer.

Movyn believes that having a union is very important for everyone working for a private agency caring for the disabled. He is proud of his work with CSEA and believes deeply that he would make the same choices again.