We are all CREATIVES ACTIVISTS ENTREPRENEURS OPTIMISTS THE FUTURE 7 PM 8 PM TUESDAY VIRTUAL AFTER PARTY ON JUNE 22, 2021 SHOWCASE EVENT INSTAGRAM LIVE THE NEW YORKERS for NEW YORK HISTORY On March 16, 2020 I had the profound privilege of taking on the role of CEO at CitizensNYC. For over 45 years, we have In a year like no other I’ve seen how the citizens of this city continue to fill in the gaps, often where federal and state institutions fall short. We are a village been working to improve of small business owners, activists, artists, and community gatekeepers improving New York City neighborhoods, and in a moment of crisis we believe we as a city must trust grassroots leaders, support them, and give New York City. them the right platforms to thrive. Think about what access to food and water—necessities that many of us OUR ORIGIN STORY IS ROOTED IN THE SPIRIT OF BIPARTISANSHIP. take for granted, even in a pandemic—looks like in a community that was already struggling before COVID-19 invaded our neighborhoods. In response, CitizensNYC quickly mobilized its resources to focus on the immediate needs In the 1970s, when New York City was facing communities—come together and improve the of struggling New Yorkers. We established two unrestricted grant programs massive cutbacks and citywide poverty during quality of life in their neighborhoods. focusing on the city’s hardest-hit communities, with an emphasis on keeping one of its worst financial crises in history, U.S. struggling businesses afloat, and meeting urgent community needs such as Senator Jacob Javits and Newsweek Editor-in- Neighbors have started block associations to access to food, water, and financial resources. Chief Osborn Elliott gave New Yorkers a tangible clean up and beautify their communities. They’ve built organic gardens, providing critical sources way to improve their neighborhoods and build As one of the nation’s oldest micro-funding organizations, CitizensNYC of food in areas without access to fresh fruits community. provides support to community leaders on the front lines of change in and vegetables and teaching their families about their own neighborhoods. But we’re so much more than grantmakers. Most In 1975, Elliott placed an ad in The New York science and nutrition at the same time. We’ve importantly, we are a communications platform for those whose voices Times, calling for “10,000 ‘greedy, heartless’ New seen groups come together to organize after- are often drowned out—or who never got a chance to speak at all. We are Yorkers to work for 5 years. For free.” More than school programs, adult education classes, theater #Allin4NYC. 10,000 responded, pitching in as city services workshops to raise awareness about bullying and were being slashed. violence, and so, so much more. So began nearly five decades of reinventing New Today, this spirit of local engagement still drives York City neighborhoods through resident-led our work. In 2021, our grantmaking priorities initiative and engagement. During the city’s ups focus on investing in communities hardest hit Dr. Rahsaan Harris and downs, Citizens Committee for New York by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is particularly #ALLIN4NYC Chief Executive Officer City has remained true to its mission: to help ravaging communities of color in our city. New Yorkers—especially those in low-income THE NEW YORKERS for NEW YORK Our Impact in New York City PROGRAM WELCOME IN 2020 Chris Ruggeri, Chair The New Yorkers for New York Awards Nicole Lee, The Future 402 87,000 $1,100,000 Presented by Dr. Rahsaan Harris Projects were funded Residents impacted In grants awarded Susan R. Cullman, The Activist Presented by Tom Israel and other special guests Sue Suh and TIME, The Optimist We awarded more than Presented by Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation $600,000 to 79 neighborhood businesses, owned primarily 122 Frida Polli, Ph.D., The Entrepreneur by immigrants, women, and Presented by Tony Yoseloff, xE ecutive Managing Member, people of color. Neighborhoods served DavidsonKempner and Eleonora Ziehler Rhina Valentin, The Creative In total to date, Presented by Nick Lugo, President, New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce we have awarded We are amplifying the voices of hundreds over $2 million in of community leaders on the front lines of change in NYC through our virtual CLOSING response to the programming, CitizensNYC: LIVE Dr. Rahsaan Harris, CEO pandemic to more than 600 resident- CitizensNYC has the largest network of led organizations grassroots groups in New York City. Our AFTER PARTY and neighborhood philosophy is that our grantee partners DJ Stormin’ Norman businesses. know their community best. Emcee Rhina Valentin THE NEW YORKERS for NEW YORK HONOREES the FUTURE Nicole Lee, The Future, is a community advocate, entrepreneur, and candidate for The New York City Council, representing the 31st district. She is a CitizensNYC grantee partner with more than a decade of experience managing small businesses, serving as the founder of NSL Products and Services, Wink Beauty Parlour, and Journey Through Seth’s Eyes, which provides a safe environment and resources for children with special needs, all in her neighborhood of Far Rockaway, Queens. “I think I am actually IN LOVE with New York City. Everything I breathe is Queens. I’ve seen such a lack of resources in our neighborhoods and I decided to build upon that and bring those resources to us. With that unity together, we can make miracles happen.” THE NEW YORKERS for NEW YORK HONOREES the ACTIVIST Susan R. Cullman, The Activist, became the Co-Chair of the Republican Coalition for Choice in 1991 and spent her days on Capitol Hill and across the country, championing a woman’s right to choose. Even though she made a detour to Washington, she has been part of the fabric that has made New York in so many ways. Susan, whose family established roots in NYC centuries ago, serves as a board member or a former board member of several NYC nonprofits including Citizens Committee for New York City, The New York Women’s Foundation, The New York Landmarks Commission, Mount Sinai Health System, and many others. “Not just in this country but around the world women have been put on hold to be able to get to where they’d like to be. I’m very happy to be born a woman in this era in the United States. Maybe we are coming of age in a way where women can be encouraged to fulfill their abilities.” THE NEW YORKERS for NEW YORK HONOREES the OPTIMIST Sue Suh, The Optimist, is the Chief People Officer at TIME. She has spent most of the past decade at one of the world’s largest private philanthropies, the Rockefeller Foundation. Prior to Rockefeller, Sue spent five years in a variety of roles at the U.S. Departments of State and Defense in Washington, New York, and Tripoli, Libya, including a two-year stint at the U.S. Mission to the UN. A native New Yorker, Sue serves on the board of the Classical Theatre of Harlem and Special Olympics Asia-Pacific, and recently served on the board of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. She was a Fulbright Scholar in South Korea and a Presidential Management Fellow. “I’ve learned so much. Philanthropy really broadened my perspective on what are the tools and resources and ways that we can come together and make change.” THE NEW YORKERS for NEW YORK HONOREES the ENTREPRENEUR Frida Polli, Ph.D., The Entrepreneur, is an award-winning Harvard and MIT neuroscientist turned CEO. She was named one of Inc.’s Top 100 Female Founders in 2019, one of Entrepreneur’s Top 100 Powerful Women in 2020 and has received the MIT 100K, an HBS Life Science Award, a NARSAD Young Investigator Award. Frida is the CEO and co-founder of pymetrics, a company leveraging soft skill science and AI to make workforce decisions more accurate and fair. Frida, along with her husband Conor Bastable, Partner at Davidson Kempner Capital Management, further demonstrate their love for NYC as active supporters of The Urban League, Prep for Prep, and The Bowery Mission. “New York has always been on the forefront of many things. What attracted me to NYC initially is that it is just so diverse. There are so many different types of people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, different ethnicities. I just feel so at home, in diversity.” THE NEW YORKERS for NEW YORK HONOREES the CREATIVE Rhina Valentin, The Creative, is a leading figure in New York City’s entertainment industry as the founder of La Reina del Barrio, Inc., a media and television production company. Born and bred in New York City, Rhina is the talk show host of Colors of Rhina and has been the host of BronxNet’s OPEN Friday since 2006, and is a recipient of the 25 Bronx Influential Women of 2015 Award. She’s also a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, is an advocate for domestic violence awareness and is currently raising money for S.T.E.A.M. Programs in support of Puerto Rico, Colombia & West Africa. “The beauty of being born and raised in New York is that you get to experience different cultures in your upbringing. I liken this experience to the Caribbean dish sancocho. The beauty of sancocho is that it’s a slow-cooked dish which harmonizes distinct flavors and unique ingredients to become something irresistibly delicious. What’s better than that?” NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK BROWNSTONE Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Horvitz Frida Polli and Conor Bastable Sacha and Morgan Bale Anonymous Sharon King Hoge Joan Ganz Cooney Jody and John Arnhold | Arnhold PARK Adam R.