“KAC is a gift to a scene that has given me a lot” Up to 40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ+ Colby Xzavier King2025 Kiki Arts CollaborativeHuman Rightsmn Colby Xzavier King
1B+ people ride the subway annually Jenny Bright2025 Friends of the SubwayPlacemaking & Neighborhoodsmn Jenny Bright
Putting the Power of the Law Back Into New Yorkers’ hands “I'm an attorney building a world where the law is a tool everyone can use” 2.5Mlegal problems go unmet by attorneys Diana Imbert-Hodges2024 Defying Legal GravityCivicsmn Diana Imbert-Hodges
Helping Barbers Extend Their Reach to New Yorkers in Need “When we’re in front of a mirror as I’m cutting your hair, it’s like we’re reflecting one another.” Gregory Purnell2024 Look Good, Feel GoodPlacemaking & Neighborhoodsbk Gregory Purnell
Reinvigorating NYC theaters with a “backend-in-a-box” that supports theaters to use their spaces more “Now I get to say yes to thousands of artists every year” Meghan Finn2024 The Tank NYCCreativity & Culturemn Meghan Finn
Bringing garment manufacturing back to NYC’s historic garment district “The best ideas are born from the necessity to change our reality” Mi Jong Lee2024 Emmelle DesignJobs & Economic Growthmn Mi Jong Lee
Building Pathways And Support For Sex Workers To Choose Their Future “Christine has challenged powerful people to seek justice on behalf of women in need” Christine DeMaria2023 SWITCHJobs & Economic Growthmn Christine DeMaria
Proving that even the most difficult of crimes — homicide — can be treated with care “I really wanted to work in something that rewards truth telling and brings people together.” Erika Sasson2023Human Rightsbk Erika Sasson
Advocating for the one in 15 New Yorkers who live in New York City Public Housing 1 in 15New Yorkers Live in Public Housing Karen Blondel2023 Public Housing Civic AssociationPlacemaking & Neighborhoodsbk Karen Blondel
Expanding safe and loving spaces for people who use drugs “Sam embodies the essential virtues of New York: second chances, resilience, charm, humor, and inspiration” Sam Rivera2023 On Point NYCHealthmn Sam Rivera
Providing Resources to Aspiring Black Female Attorneys Only 2%of all lawyers in the U.S. are Black women Talia Scott2023 Legally Blk FundEducationmn Talia Scott
Protecting New York Families From Unnecessary And Harmful Separation 92%of NYC foster kids are Black or Latino David Shalleck-Klein2022 Family Justice Law CenterHuman Rightsmn David Shalleck-Klein
Creating A Healthy And Sustainable Food Ecosystem In Southeast Queens “Sustainability is something Black and Indigenous people of color have always practiced” Dianna Rose2022 Essential Kitchen Co.Environment & Sustainabilityqs Dianna Rose
Building A More Inclusive And Equitable Creative Economy In NYC “SCOPE OF WORK AIMS TO FUNDAMENTALLY SHIFT THE LANDSCAPE OF NYC’S CREATIVE SECTOR” Geneva White2022 Scope of WorkCreativity & Culturebk Geneva White
TEACHING FREE CODING CLASSES TO NYCHA’S YOUNGEST LEARNERS “These are the jobs of the future, and Hood Code gives our kids access where there is very little” Jason Gibson2022 Hood CodeTechnology & Scienceqs Jason Gibson
REDEFINING AND REVOICING NEW YORK CITY’S PUBLIC NARRATIVES Mark Winston Griffith2022 Brooklyn DeepCreativity & Culturebk Mark Winston Griffith
Fighting For Immigrants In The Armed Forces And Their Right To Stay In The U.S. “Cesar isn’t afraid to swim against the tide” Cesar Vargas2021Civicssi Cesar Vargas
SPARKING POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM AMONG NYC’S YOUNGEST LEARNERS Fela Barclift2021 Little Sun PeopleEducationbk Fela Barclift
Inspiring Foster Care Alumni To Support Young People “Aging Out” Felicia Wilson2021 What About Us Inc.Human Rightsbk Felicia Wilson
Creating Essential Community For Justice-Impacted Youth Serving Supervision Sentences “NO YOUNG ADULT SHOULD HAVE TO SURVIVE ALONE IN NEW YORK CITY” Five Mualimm-ak2021 Incarcerated NationHuman Rightsbx Five Mualimm-ak
Envisioning A Childcare System Where Providers, Families, And Children Can Thrive Jaime-Jin Lewis2021 Wiggle RoomTechnology & Sciencebk Jaime-Jin Lewis
REDEFINING COLLEGE ACCESS AND GUIDANCE FOR ALL YOUNG NEW YORKERS “Road to Uni creates leaders like nothing I’ve seen before” Cielo Villa2020 Road to UniEducationqs Cielo Villa
Reusing New York city’s organic waste and making it cool to compost “Recycling wasn't an option when I was a kid — NYCHA is designed to be wasteful” 33%of New York City’s trash is compostable Domingo Morales2020 Compost PowerEnvironment & Sustainabilitybk Domingo Morales
Welcoming new LGBTQ+ immigrants to New York through storytelling, community and human connection “I had to create a home here because in Nigeria, there was no longer a sense of home” Edafe Okporo2020 Refuge AmericaHuman Rightsmn Edafe Okporo
Manny grew up in fear of deportation, despite only knowing New York City as his home “You will not make a better investment in the future of New York City than Manny Castro” Manuel Castro2020 MOIAJobs & Economic Growthqs Manuel Castro
Addressing medical, behavioral, and social needs holistically “Suzette could be doing anything, but she chooses to focus on the most vulnerable children” Suzette Brown2020 Strong Children WellnessHealthqs Suzette Brown
