PA'LANTE Harlem's Imagine a Diamond in the Rough Gala 2014

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About PA’LANTE Harlem

PA’LANTE Harlem organizes and empowers New York City residents to hold negligent property managers and landlords accountable for unsafe living conditions through community advocacy, outreach, organizing effective tenant associations, providing long-term technical assistance, and connecting individuals and tenant groups to free or reduced-rate legal services and housing benefits.

PA’LANTE’s goal is to end tenant exploitation in order to enable low-income community residents to remain in their homes and to ensure that those homes are safe and affordable.

Our Core Programs Tenant Organizing & Leadership Development We help residents to organize formal tenant associations and empower community residents to hold landlords accountable.

Mediation, Legal and Referral Services We provide direct legal and mediation assistance to residents of Northern Manhattan by acting as a tenant or tenant association representative.

PA’LANTE Kids :: Stand & Deliver We support the development of academic and social skills of the children residing in the buildings we represent.

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About theHonorees Keynote Speaker Scott Metzner is the founder and President of The Janus Property Company. Based in West Harlem, Janus has specialized in the creative re-development of upper-Manhattan’s neighborhoods for over 20 years, often working with not-for-profit organizations in various capacities. In addition to its early participation in numerous multi-family affordable rental programs as developer/manager, Janus also formed and manages the first institutional equity fund to directly revitalize New York’s low income communities without government subsidies or tax credits.

Janus is also leading a unique neighborhood revitalization in the Old Grid District of Manhattanville at West 126th and 127th Streets and Amsterdam Avenue in West Harlem. Following the community’s planning initiative, Janus has completed the adaptive re-use of several of the old manufacturing buildings and has taken a leading role in the rezoning of the neighborhood in order to allow for new construction that will provide the widest range of economic development and job creation possibilities.

Mr. Metzner is proud of Janus’ long-term friendship with P.A.‘L.A.N.T.E. Harlem and honored to be singled out for their work together.

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Evening Program

7:00 PM

Cocktail Reception

7:30 PM

Welcome Remarks Keith Wright New York State Assembly Member

Why PA’LANTE Video Presentation

Keynote Speech Scott Metzner Janus Partners

8:00 PM

Awards Ceremony Good Citizenship Joan Griffith-Lee Columbia Community Service

Outstanding Community Service Bertha Lewis The Black Institute

Juan Rosa Community Leader

Leader of the Year John D. Gorman, Esq. Tenant Attorney

Dinner 9:00 PM

Closing Remarks & Party

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Honoree John D. Gorman is a tenant attorney in New York City.

Since 1982 Mr. Gorman has been in private practice, concentrating almost exclusively on housing law matters on behalf of tenants. From 1998 to present he has served as a legal consultant to the housing staff of Asian Americans for Equality, Inc.; he also conducts weekly legal clinics at P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem to assist residents at risk of becoming homeless.

Mr. Gorman has successfully represented thousands of community residents and tenant associations in defeating landlords' attempts to avoid providing required services, keeping tenants in their homes and defending tenants from the effects of gentrification, displacement and harassment.

From 1980 to 1982, Mr. Gorman was Assistant Attorney-in-Charge for the Legal Aid Society of New York, where he supervised the Housing Law unit of the Legal Aid Society’s South Bronx office. At Mid-Hudson Legal Services, Inc., he was the Executive Director, responsible for the policy and fiscal management of a civil legal assistance program for indigent persons in the six-county Mid Hudson region. He was also responsible for grant work, labor relations, community relations, and client grievances. Mr. Gorman has also been a lecturer at the State University of NY, School of Social Welfare, from 1976-1978.

Mr. Gorman received a Masters of Social Work from the Syracuse University School of Social Work. In 1971, he received his Juris Doctor from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law and Jurisprudence.

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Honoree Honorees Joan Griffith-Lee came from Barbados many years ago to pursue an interest in criminal law. However, after completing high school and attending the School of General Studies at Columbia University, her major in sociology fostered her interest in community work. During her studies at Columbia, she was fortunate to secure a job with the Office of Government and Community Affairs that allowed her to work more closely with the University’s community partnerships. Joan has been with Columbia University for close to 25 years.

After completing her B.A. at the School of General Studies, she pursued a Masters in Public Management and Institutional Analysis (MPA) at the School of International and Public Affairs, which taught her more about how local, national and international NGOs function. Presently, Joan is the Director of Columbia Community Service (CCS), an on-campus campaign that raises money to help fund close to 60 local community organizations with specific project grants. For the last twelve years, she has worked on expanding the scope of the CCS Annual Appeal, which solicits employees and retirees of Columbia University, Barnard College and Teachers College for contributions. Because the expenses related to the project are fully paid by the University, 100% of the contributions are used to support a range of direct services that include: educational services for children and young adults; performing arts, recreational and leadership programs for young children; scholarships at daycare centers; food pantries; health promotion programs focused on the support and care of the elderly and teens with autism; housing advocacy and much, much more. The Columbia Community Service project also runs a food drive in the fall, and a clothing donation drive in the spring; it places student and employee volunteers with local service agencies, and manages the distribution of used equipment and furniture. Joan is currently working on a Fundraising Management degree at the School of Continuing Education.

Her ability to do her job is due to the support she receives from her colleagues and a wonderful husband. She has three children and a beautiful granddaughter. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at the local food pantry, spending time with her granddaughter and reading.

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Honoree Bertha Lewis is the Founder and President of The Black Institute (TBI), an action “think-tank” non-profit organization. Lewis founded TBI in 2010 to address persistent issues faced by people of color, both within the United States and throughout the Diaspora. Lewis has been an influential leader within the non-profit and political sector for over 20 years. She is the former CEO and Chief Organizer of ACORN, which was a large and powerful national organization that mobilized the urban poor at the grassroots and fought for their needs.

In 2014, Bertha Lewis was named in City & State’s annual list of the top 100 most influential & powerful political leaders in New York City and #43 in The New York Observer’s “Political Power 80” list. She was featured in Essence Magazine’s 2011 list of 28 Most Influential Black Women and was named by Crain’s New York magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Women of New York, she was named as one of the “Influentials” in politics by New York Magazine.

Leading the Black Institute, Bertha Lewis continues to battle economic inequality and discrimination against immigrants. She fights for environmental justice and quality schools in America’s cities. In the fight for equality and justice in America, Bertha Lewis stands out as a strong, effective and outspoken leader.

Bertha has lead the fight for citizenship and immigrant rights by advocating at the city, state and federal levels for Caribbean and black immigrants. She’s been an integral part of the low wage workers campaign, guaranteeing higher pay and sick days, as well as working with developers to create a landmark community benefits agreement to secure affordable housing, living wages, local hiring and training programs for the community. Bertha’s brought together a dynamic interfaith coalition of clergy that engages in social justice issues that impact their congregants and community at large. She’s assisted in mobilizing and organizing NYCHA residents to build community pressure in opposition to the nearby Marine Transfer Station as TBI continues to pioneer coalitions along other diverse community groups and conduct original research and polling, through community outreach and continued grassroots organizing.

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Honorees Honoree Juan Rosa was born in the Cibao Valley of the Dominican Republic in November 1984, Juan Ignacio Rosa is a public servant who has worked for the New York State Assembly, the New York City Council and the Manhattan Borough President's Office. His family settled in Washington Heights after arriving in New York City from the Dominican Republic in the early 1990s.

Mr. Rosa was educated in the New York City public schools system and earned a Bachelor's degree (Political Science) and a Master's degree (Public Administration) from the City College of New York. Mr. Rosa’s greatest passion is bringing people together to identify and tackle common challenges. His moral values can be traced back to his parents, who taught him to accept and respect people as they are and to always lend a helping hand when someone is in need. Juan's commitment to his community is a product of his many years of working at Alianza Dominicana, Inc. as a teenager and young adult, which taught him that people have an obligation to use their skills on behalf of their community's advancement.

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Board of Directors

Alex J. Cruz Anthony D. Giordano John D. Gorman, Esq. Asfaha Hadera Tony Hasbun Elsia Vasquez Mark Weinstein, Esq.

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Special Update

PA’LANTE Secured $1.5 Million in Rent Refunds to Tenants

Preserving Our Affordable Housing Stock

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Event Committee PA’LANTE Harlem extends a special thanks to those who have made our gala a smashing success.

Gabriel Bencosme Pin Bencosme Alan Carlton Susan Elizabeth La-Rose Wendy Olivo Huascar D. MuĂąoz Maritza Rojas Luisa Maria Rodriguez Rosalba Rodriguez Yashica Simon 17

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Stand & Deliver

Meeting with Assembly Member and NYS Housing Chair Keith Wright at the State Office Building

Every year, a select group of teens are selected to intern at PA’LANTE Harlem. They work in a professional office setting where they learn marketing, segmentation, tenant advocacy and most importantly, they engage in community service.

Our 2014 Stand & Deliver program focused on helping our youth understand the many complexities around housing. Together, they interviewed local elected officials, community residents, tenant leaders, and with senior management staff at governmental agencies including the New York City Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) and New York State Homes & Community Renewal. The group also met with Nima Navabi– the slumlord of 545 West 146 Street who made Public Advocate Letitia James’ list of the City’s 100 worst landlords– after assisting the tenants in two of his properties lodge housing code complaints with HPD.

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Nairee Taveras

When I first volunteered to be apart of PA'LANTE Harlem I was not aware of what I was getting myself into. It was a way for me to get off of the streets and focus on something more useful. I went from being in the streets in a negative way to a more positive way.

Never in a million years did I imagine myself advocating for people living in terrible conditions. I made a great decision by sticking to PA'LANTE. PA'LANTE isn't just any organization: PA'LANTE Harlem is a family.

Elsia Vasquez is one of the most hardworking women that I have been fortunate enough to meet and work with. She gives her volunteers an opportunity to emerge themselves into the organization by assigning roles. The faith she has in her people is incredible and gave me the incentive to not let her, the organization, or myself down. PA'LANTE not only has a great environment, but its purpose is blessing to those who stumble upon it. The only reason that I am not there now is because I've gone away to college: however, when I get back to the city I will surely be paying PA’LANTE Harlem a visit!

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Special Update

Summary of Our Work Legal SVCS (w/Pro-Bono Atty.)

169 fam.

Tenants Rights Workshops

400+

Leadership Development Workshops

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Technical Assistance/TA Formation

60+

Legal Workshops

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Rent Refunds

$1.5m

Apartments Repaired

3,000+

Legal Rents Established

60+

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Honorees Save the Date

TIL Tenants Coalition February 2015

New Website palanteharlem.org March 2015

Demystifying Housing Spring 2015

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FOCUS 2015

PA’LANTE is helping organize a coalition of tenants living in City– owned buildings in an effort to assist them in becoming homeowners. Tenants living in these City Owned properties (TIL & ANCP) have been waiting, on average, 15 years, for the opportunity to own.

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The P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem Board of Directors Salutes John Gorman, Esq. & Proudly Welcomes John to the Board

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470 West 126 Street New York, NY 10027 (212) 491-2541 palante@palanteharlem.org JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA www.palanteharlem.org www.facebook.com/palanteharlem http://greatnonprofits.org/org/palante-harlem-inc

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