Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation
Formed in 1983 by a group of activist residents and merchants, the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation (CHLDC) is a non-profit community organization that works to strengthen the neighborhood of Cypress Hills, Brooklyn through housing preservation, economic development, community development, and the positive development of youth and families. A Partner Organization of PANY for five years, the CHLDC provides a wide array of educational and youth development programs, including child care, after school, college access, job training, adult education, and community development.
Growing Communities, Building Leaders
CHLDC currently has two exceptional Public Allies, Ivan Rahman and Cheyenne Rosado, who are focusing on the educational and leadership development of young people. One of their projects, Future of Tomorrow (F.O.T.), includes a leadership development program for more than 30 young people in Cypress Hills, focusing on education and a wide variety of social issues that most impact low-income young people of color.
Center for Neighborhood Leadership
What is CNL?
At its core the Center for Neighborhood Leadership (CNL) is a community development program. However, community development not in the sense of creating new residential or commercial spaces, but in the sense of enhancing the ability of local communities to have their voices heard, become more civically engaged, demand accountability and increase control of what happens in their communities. In the process, the communities become more stable and effective as well as more pleasant places to live, work and play. CNL does its work by finding, training and sustaining the work of neighborhood-based individuals who are committed to being agents of change in their communities.
What is one exciting goal you would like to accomplish with your Ally apprentices this year?
I would like to well train our current crew of Apprentice Allies so well as to make each of them invaluable to their placement organizations that all of them will be offered permanent positions at their placements by the end of May 2012.
Anything else you would like to share?
For me it has been a honor and a continuing pleasure during these past three years (since 2009) to meet and work with so many talented and intelligent Apprentices and Allies. I have learned at least as much as I have taught. I have been moved by their ideals, dedication and hard work. CNL thanks Public Allies for the opportunity.
