17 NEW YORK CITY GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS
RECEIVE $700,000 IN AWARDS
--------------------------------------------
Community leaders to be honored at upcoming Union Square Awards
ceremony
----------------------------------------
December 2008
Seventeen New York City organizations will be honored at the
annual Union Square Awards celebration on Saturday, December 6th.
Seven will receive the prestigious Union Square Award and a $50,000
grant for exceptional efforts addressing the critical social and
economic issues facing New Yorkers. Ten will receive the Union
Square Arts Award and a $35,000 grant in recognition of innovative
work in the arts with youth and families in low-income communities.
“With minimal resources, these organizations are making
extraordinary contributions to local neighborhoods. Given the
current economic situation, their work is vital to New York City,”
says Executive Director Iris Morales.
Named after the park on 14th Street where New Yorkers have organized
and spoken out about major social issues since the nineteenth
century, the Union Square Awards program was created to recognize
and encourage initiative in serving New York City communities.
The awards realize an anonymous donor’s dream of honoring
New Yorkers who have taken action to improve people’s lives
and advocate for social change. Since its inception, the Union
Square Awards has granted more than $13 million to organizations
that have not received either substantial funding or public accolade.
This year’s awardees work with diverse populations across
the City including young people, new immigrant communities, the
formerly incarcerated, and the disabled. They join 186 organizations
that have previously received the Award since its founding in
1998. Awardees will be recognized at a special ceremony at the
historic Riverside Church in Manhattan.
Recipients of the Union Square Award
Adhikaar is a women-led organization that provides advocacy and
social services to the Nepalese community in Queens.
The College and Community Fellowship provides educational and
other re-entry programs that primarily serve formerly incarcerated
women.
The Disabilities Network of New York City creates coalitions
to build community, shape policy and expand opportunity for New
Yorkers with physical, visual and hearing disabilities.
The New York State Youth Leadership Council is a network of young
advocates committed to the advancement of immigrant youth through
leadership development and advocacy.
Rights for Imprisoned People With Psychiatric Disabilities is
a grassroots, direct action organization working for the rights
of prisoners and former prisoners with mental illness.
Vamos Unidos is a Bronx-based organization founded by low-wage
Latino/a immigrant workers, primarily street vendors who organize
for social and economic justice.
Youth Represent provides comprehensive, quality criminal and
civil legal representation and social services to youth under
24 years old.
Recipients of the Arts Award
Cool Culture offers programs that provide low-income families
access to New York’s arts, cultural and scientific institutions.
Freedom Train Productions promotes new political theatre that
features Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) characters
written by up-and-coming Black LGBT playwrights.
Girls Write Now is a creative writing organization that offers
girls from New York City public schools a safe environment that
fosters their creativity and independent voices.
The Laundromat Project uses the space of local coin-ops to provide
communities of color living on modest incomes access to visual
arts as a tool for personal and social transformation.
Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture without Borders celebrates Mexican
culture in the United States and promotes understanding of Mexican
traditions among immigrants, artists, educators and the public.
The Multicultural Music Group offers performance, instruction
and professional development in multicultural music to promote
global understanding, cultural awareness, and academic achievement.
Renaissance E.M.S. provides young people in the Bronx with music
instruction, vocal training and other programs that maximize their
potential and encourage community participation.
T.W.W./Talks with Wolves provides children and youth with programs
in writing, visual and performance arts that integrate African
and Native American cultures.
Urban Word works to ensure that New York City youth have a safe,
supportive, dynamic and challenging community in which to discover
and use their voices through written and spoken word.
Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls (Rock Camp) is dedicated to using
music to promote self-expression and self-esteem while building
bridges of communication to combat racism and stereotypes.
The Union Square Awards is a project of the Tides Center whose
mission is to actively promote change toward a healthy society
– one founded on principles of social justice, equal economic
opportunity, a robust democratic process, and environmental sustainability.
For more information about the Union Square Awards, please visit
www.unionsquareawards.org.
Home |
Programs |
Awardees |
Arts Awardees |
Nomination & Selection Process |
Special Achievement |
Grants Program |
Press/News
News/Press
