Cultivating Justice in the Garden State: My Life in the Colorful World of New Jersey Politics (Hardcover)
Born into a working-class Polish immigrant family in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Raymond Lesniak went on to become a major force in the tough and bruising world of state politics. In this remarkable memoir, he reflects upon his life and career fighting for social justice in the Garden State.
He recounts the many causes he championed in his forty years as a state legislator, from the landmark Environmental Cleanup Responsibility Act to bills concerning animal protections, marriage equality, women’s reproductive rights, and the abolition of the death penalty. He also delves into his experiences on the national stage as a key advisor for Bill Clinton and Al Gore’s presidential campaigns. With refreshing candor, Lesniak describes both his greatest achievements and his moments of failure, including his unsuccessful 2017 gubernatorial run.
Cultivating Justice in the Garden State is both a gripping American success story and a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the inner workings of our political system. It offers an insider’s perspective on the past fifty years of New Jersey politics, while presenting a compelling message about what leaders and citizens can do to improve the state’s future.
He recounts the many causes he championed in his forty years as a state legislator, from the landmark Environmental Cleanup Responsibility Act to bills concerning animal protections, marriage equality, women’s reproductive rights, and the abolition of the death penalty. He also delves into his experiences on the national stage as a key advisor for Bill Clinton and Al Gore’s presidential campaigns. With refreshing candor, Lesniak describes both his greatest achievements and his moments of failure, including his unsuccessful 2017 gubernatorial run.
Cultivating Justice in the Garden State is both a gripping American success story and a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the inner workings of our political system. It offers an insider’s perspective on the past fifty years of New Jersey politics, while presenting a compelling message about what leaders and citizens can do to improve the state’s future.
RAYMOND LESNIAK grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey. After a stint in the army, he earned his B.A. from Rutgers University and his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. He served in New Jersey’s General Assembly from 1978 to 1983 and in its State Senate from 1983 to 2018.
"Raymond Lesniak's heart and passion for animals and all those without a voice leap off the pages. Aesop said that no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. I wonder what he would say about Senator Lesniak's legacy of kindness which truly is stretching around the world? Be inspired by these words and by this warrior for the voiceless. I have been."
— Ashley Prout McAvey
"This is the must-read masterpiece of a man who has overcome personal and political challenges to become a national progressive force on the cutting-edge issues of our time. As a senator, a model of compassion, and a fighter without peer, Raymond Lesniak provides riveting lessons to us all on how to conquer the longest odds to change the world. It is an essential guide for everyone in every state who cares about social justice."
— Steven Goldstein
"I know of no other Democratic New Jersey state legislator who had a greater impact on salient statewide issues beyond his legislative district than Ray Lesniak. And these were issues that will affect basic values and the quality of life in the Garden State for decades to come....I have in the past taught New Jersey politics and government university courses, and this book would well qualify for the mandatory course reading list."
— Insider NJ
"Did Jared Kushner's Father Set Up Former N.J. Governor Jim McGreevey?" by Raymond Lesniak
— Vanity Fair Hive
"Raymond Lesniak: Settling Scores: Chapter 3 from Senator Lesniak’s Book, Cultivating Justice in the Garden State: My Life in the Colorful World of New Jersey Politics" excerpt
— New Jersey Globe
"Raymond Lesniak's heart and passion for animals and all those without a voice leap off the pages. Aesop said that no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. I wonder what he would say about Senator Lesniak's legacy of kindness which truly is stretching around the world? Be inspired by these words and by this warrior for the voiceless. I have been."
— Ashley Prout McAvey
"This is the must-read masterpiece of a man who has overcome personal and political challenges to become a national progressive force on the cutting-edge issues of our time. As a senator, a model of compassion, and a fighter without peer, Raymond Lesniak provides riveting lessons to us all on how to conquer the longest odds to change the world. It is an essential guide for everyone in every state who cares about social justice."
— Steven Goldstein
"I know of no other Democratic New Jersey state legislator who had a greater impact on salient statewide issues beyond his legislative district than Ray Lesniak. And these were issues that will affect basic values and the quality of life in the Garden State for decades to come....I have in the past taught New Jersey politics and government university courses, and this book would well qualify for the mandatory course reading list."
— Insider NJ
"Did Jared Kushner's Father Set Up Former N.J. Governor Jim McGreevey?" by Raymond Lesniak
— Vanity Fair Hive
"Raymond Lesniak: Settling Scores: Chapter 3 from Senator Lesniak’s Book, Cultivating Justice in the Garden State: My Life in the Colorful World of New Jersey Politics" excerpt
— New Jersey Globe
— Ashley Prout McAvey
"This is the must-read masterpiece of a man who has overcome personal and political challenges to become a national progressive force on the cutting-edge issues of our time. As a senator, a model of compassion, and a fighter without peer, Raymond Lesniak provides riveting lessons to us all on how to conquer the longest odds to change the world. It is an essential guide for everyone in every state who cares about social justice."
— Steven Goldstein
"I know of no other Democratic New Jersey state legislator who had a greater impact on salient statewide issues beyond his legislative district than Ray Lesniak. And these were issues that will affect basic values and the quality of life in the Garden State for decades to come....I have in the past taught New Jersey politics and government university courses, and this book would well qualify for the mandatory course reading list."
— Insider NJ
"Did Jared Kushner's Father Set Up Former N.J. Governor Jim McGreevey?" by Raymond Lesniak
— Vanity Fair Hive
"Raymond Lesniak: Settling Scores: Chapter 3 from Senator Lesniak’s Book, Cultivating Justice in the Garden State: My Life in the Colorful World of New Jersey Politics" excerpt
— New Jersey Globe
"Raymond Lesniak's heart and passion for animals and all those without a voice leap off the pages. Aesop said that no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. I wonder what he would say about Senator Lesniak's legacy of kindness which truly is stretching around the world? Be inspired by these words and by this warrior for the voiceless. I have been."
— Ashley Prout McAvey
"This is the must-read masterpiece of a man who has overcome personal and political challenges to become a national progressive force on the cutting-edge issues of our time. As a senator, a model of compassion, and a fighter without peer, Raymond Lesniak provides riveting lessons to us all on how to conquer the longest odds to change the world. It is an essential guide for everyone in every state who cares about social justice."
— Steven Goldstein
"I know of no other Democratic New Jersey state legislator who had a greater impact on salient statewide issues beyond his legislative district than Ray Lesniak. And these were issues that will affect basic values and the quality of life in the Garden State for decades to come....I have in the past taught New Jersey politics and government university courses, and this book would well qualify for the mandatory course reading list."
— Insider NJ
"Did Jared Kushner's Father Set Up Former N.J. Governor Jim McGreevey?" by Raymond Lesniak
— Vanity Fair Hive
"Raymond Lesniak: Settling Scores: Chapter 3 from Senator Lesniak’s Book, Cultivating Justice in the Garden State: My Life in the Colorful World of New Jersey Politics" excerpt
— New Jersey Globe