2 Harlemites Honored As 'Manhattan Heroes' By Borough Prez

HARLEM, NY — Aiming to recognize New Yorkers who made an impossible year feel a bit more bearable, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer named three people as this year's "Manhattan Heroes" — two of whom call Harlem home.

The first hero is Pamela Stewart, a mother and parent advocate from Central Harlem, whom Brewer appointed to Community Education Council 5 in 2015. In September, Stewart launched the Harlem Laptop Initiative for Students in Need, which has raised more than $44,000 and given way more than 60 laptops to students.

Stewart prioritizes students in temporary housing and students with special needs to get laptops, contacting principals herself to confirm which students have the greatest needs, Brewer said.

"During this year’s first event, held at P.S. 154, I watched students and families’ faces light up with joy and gratitude as they received laptops they could use for remote learning," Brewer wrote in Monday's announcement.

Finally, when the pandemic hit, Stewart used her position as CEC 5 president to expand the food pantry at Abyssinian Baptist Church. After learning from neighbors that undocumented families in Central Harlem were struggling to find food and shelter, she also worked with Brewer's office to match those families with organizations that could help.

The second hero is Carey King, director of Uptown Grand Central in East Harlem.

The nonprofit, an inescapable presence in East Harlem, converted Pleasant Avenue and East 101st Street into Open Streets over the summer, creating brand-new community spaces for eating and socializing.

"Unlike most Open Streets, Carey took full advantage, lining up fitness classes, movie nights, COVID testing, a mobile library, and a playground," Brewer said. The Pleasant Avenue street even featured a 72-foot-long community table, allowing neighbors to have socially-distanced meals while supporting nearby restaurants.

"In a way, as one East Harlem pastor told Carey, 'This is the future of church' — everyone is welcome," Brewer said.

Related: East Harlem Open Streets Still Thriving As Summer Ends

Through Uptown Grand Central, King also organized a "Cash Mob" event in October, where a $20 ticket gave neighbors access to tastings from a slew of restaurants along 101st Street. The effort raised $2,000 for the eateries.

During the holiday season, King started a weekly market under the train tracks at East 116th Street, selling trees, wreaths and treats from neighborhood businesses.

The third hero hails from further Uptown: Dr. Jason Compton, who converted his Inwood optometry office into a pop-up COVID-19 testing site.

To submit your own nominee for a Manhattan Hero, email the Borough President's office at info@manhattanbp.nyc.gov.