Black Power Players

Dr. Gilford T. Monrose is a pastor, philanthropist, and a proud husband and father. He proves that a flourishing city is not a soulless one, as he bridges the gap between communities, congregations, government, and law enforcement in his everyday work as the appointed Faith Advisor to Mayor Eric Adam, the lead pastor of Mt. Zion Church of God 7th Day and founding president, The 67th Precinct Clergy Council Inc., “The GodSquad”.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
Look for opportunities in all failures.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2023, and most looking forward to achieving in 2024?
Celebrating 23 years of marriage, leading a pilgrimage to Badagry, Nigeria to visit the point of no return, being the biggest cheerleader of my wife, Dianne, running the NYC marathon and receiving my honorary doctorate from Alliance Theological Seminary.

Do you have any movie/music/book recommendations for readers to check out in celebration of Black History Month?
“At Canaan’s Edge” by Taylor Branch

Is there a person or organization doing particularly inspiring work that you would like to spotlight?
Our NYC faith office, clergy projects: overnight faith-bed program for migrants, affordable housing, mental health working groups, launching of the Citywide Clergy Collective on Faith-led approach to end gun violence, “Love Thy Neighbor” Adopt-A-Shelter program.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Musa has been one of the top campaign managers and political consultants for the past two decades. In 2023, Musa served as the campaign manager to Surrogate’s Court Judge Bernard Graham, Judge Monique Holaman, Judge Marva Brown, and Judge Linda Wilson which turned out to be a historic victory, winning 20 of the 22 Assembly Districts in a highly contested race.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
Always believe in yourself, never doubt, stay focused, and remain humble.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2023, and most looking forward to achieving in 2024?
In 2021 Judge Rosemarie Montalbano was elected and in 2023 Judge Bernard Graham was elected to Brooklyn Surrogate’s Court. I will forever be proud of supporting both Judge Montalbano and Judge Graham. Throughout the years I have been blessed to stand with giants from the late Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson to Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and many others. 2024 will be very interesting and I look forward to the continued blessings.

Do you have any movie/music/book recommendations for readers to check out in celebration of Black History Month?
Black history is every month, pick up a book, go online, research and study the achievements and contributions made that will forever impact your life: NAACP, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Congressman John Lewis, Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., The Apollo Theatre, Sam Cooke, Motown, The Voting Rights Act of 1965, The Reconstruction Period, The History of the Sleeping Car Porters.

Is there a person or organization doing particularly inspiring work that you would like to spotlight?
Research and support the organization that represents your values and beliefs.

Dr. Michelle Morse is the inaugural chief medical officer and deputy commissioner for the Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness (CHECW) at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) where she leads the agency’s work in bridging public health and health care to reduce health inequities, guiding CHECW’s place-based and race conscious health equity programs, and serving as a key liaison to clinicians and clinical leaders across New York City.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
Recognize that power concedes nothing without a demand, and that the struggle for social justice, anti-racism, and health equity is a marathon not a sprint.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2023, and most looking forward to achieving in 2024?
I am most proud of our white paper on the racial wealth gap and its relationships to health as well as our two-year milestone running the Coalition to End Racism in Clinical Algorithms (CERCA). For 2024, I’m excited to start fielding a survey in NYC on the racial wealth and health gap.

Do you have any movie/music/book recommendations for readers to check out in celebration of Black History Month?
A book I would recommend is “Healing Justice Lineages” by Cara Page and Erica Woodland, and the album “Introvert” by Little Simz.

Is there a person or organization doing particularly inspiring work that you would like to spotlight?
The EqualHealth Campaign Against Racism and our recent trial on anti-Blackness in the Migration Industrial Complex.

Violet Moss is a partner at Bolton-St. Johns. For more than 20 years, she has been a leader in public policy development, government relations and community engagement. Throughout her career, Violet has successfully advocated for legislative and regulatory outcomes, as well as millions of dollars in funding. In December 2020, Violet graduated magna cum laude with a master’s degree in Urban Policy and Leadership from Hunter College.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
You don’t have an infinite amount of time. Seize every moment, make good decisions.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2023, and most looking forward to achieving in 2024?
Growing my small business in 2023. In 2024 I would like to start a foundation.

Do you have any movie/music/book recommendations for readers to check out in celebration of Black History Month?
“King” by Jonathan Eig, “The Nickel Boys”, “The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo”, “Stamped from the Beginning”, “A Lesson Before Dying” and “Black Cake”

Philip O. Ozuah, M.D., Ph.D., is president and CEO of Montefiore Einstein, one of the nation’s preeminent academic health systems and top-ranked research institutions. A nationally recognized physician, leader, executive, researcher, teacher and author, his leadership has expanded access to care for underserved communities, recruited and cultivated outstanding talent, advanced programs of excellence, and fostered innovations in medicine and science across a rapidly growing and evolving health system.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
My younger-self had the good fortune of understanding education is the key to everything, including a purpose-filled life. I would remind the young-man whose dream was to heal children of what I’ve learned having spent 30 years treating families in the Bronx. Oftentimes, your patient’s health will be impacted by things physicians aren’t always trained to recognize. Young physicians must become familiar with social determinants and recognize the best medicine will fall short without examination.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2023, and most looking forward to achieving in 2024?
Montefiore cares for some of the poorest families who have some of the highest rates of chronic disease in NY. In the shadow of the pandemic, we worked harder than ever to keep our doors open to continue saving lives. In 2023 we’re seeing conditions at our facilities return to normal. We made great progress toward financial sustainability in 2023 and look forward to expanding our mission and building on our strategic planning in 2024.

Do you have any movie/music/book recommendations for readers to check out in celebration of Black History Month?
I believe everyone should read “The Warmth Of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson. It details an often-overlooked chapter in American history – Black Americans’ migration out of the southern United States from 1915 to 1970. Wilkerson tells the story through the lives of three individuals who make journeys north to escape Jim Crow. The title of the book is taken from a poem by novelist Richard Wright who left Memphis for Chicago in the 1920s.

Is there a person or organization doing particularly inspiring work that you would like to spotlight?
In 2023, we honored Dr. George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the fastest-growing healthcare union in the nation. Their mission is to stand up for quality healthcare, good jobs, and social justice for all. George Gresham is a fierce advocate and a role model. As I said in my tribute, “To know George is to see, firsthand, that his determination is matched only by courage, his integrity and his devotion.”

In December 2018, Speaker Carl Heastie elevated Assembly Member Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes to majority leader of the New York State Assembly, becoming the first woman and African American to do so. Peoples-Stokes has served Buffalo’s 141st Assembly District since 2003. An advocate with clear and principled service, she has always put people and policy before politics. Peoples-Stokes sponsored and passed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) in the NYS Assembly legalizing cannabis.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
Know yourself prior to committing your life to others.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2023, and most looking forward to achieving in 2024?

• Passing the Clean Slate Act: it is an advancement of the criminal justice reform agenda; MRTA (Marijuana Taxation and Regulation Act) led the way to Clean Slate.
• Securing up to $1 billion in state and federal resources to reconnect Buffalo’s Eastside community surrounding the Rt. 33 Kensington Expressway.
• Upgrading community schools to more specifically benefit schools in need.

Do you have any movie/music/book recommendations for readers to check out in celebration of Black History Month?
“Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent” by Isabel Wilkerson

Is there a person or organization doing particularly inspiring work that you would like to spotlight?
Kelly Diane Galloway, founder of Project Mona’s House. The mission of Project Mona’s House is to shine a light on human trafficking, restore those who have been victimized, and prevent it from ever happening again through education, legislation, and amplifying our voice.

Dawn M. Pinnock is the commissioner for the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). She is a proud, native New Yorker and a transformative leader with over two decades of experience at some of the City’s largest municipal agencies. As commissioner, she has led teams that developed a community hiring model, launched mandatory sexual harassment training for City employees and made the City’s civil service process more accessible to current and potential City employees.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
Life isn’t an event, it’s a journey – find the joy in every phase.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2023, and most looking forward to achieving in 2024?
I’m most proud of making government jobs more accessible through a series of community hiring events – in just four months, we engaged over 14,000 job seekers using this innovative hiring model. As a nationwide leader in municipal fleet safety, we’ve seen a 20% reduction in crashes using inventive speed limiting technology. In 2024, I’m looking forward to advancing people-centered initiatives that will position the City of New York as a great place to work.

Do you have any movie/music/book recommendations for readers to check out in celebration of Black History Month?
“Stamped From the Beginning” is a captivating documentary based on Ibram X. Kendi’s book. It captures the genesis of anti-Black ideas and shows how those ideas have impacted America across time. The documentary also highlights Black women who were ahead of their time (Ida B. Wells, Phyllis Wheatley, and Harriet Jacobs), who used their voices and the power of their pens to document the atrocities endured by enslaved Africans and Black Americans during and post-slavery.

Is there a person or organization doing particularly inspiring work that you would like to spotlight?
Cecile Noel, the commissioner of the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic Violence and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV). Under her leadership, ENDGBV provides training and prevention programs, and ensures survivors of domestic and gender-based violence receive the services they need to care for themselves and families. While challenging, she continues to serve as an unwavering advocate for survivors and operates with grace and unmatched professionalism. I admire her journey and I’m proud to call her my colleague.

Dr. Meisha Porter is The Bronx Community Foundation’s inaugural president and CEO. Dr. Porter previously served as chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest school system in the nation. Before becoming chancellor, she served as the Bronx executive superintendent where she invested in sharpening school leaders’ equity lens and building collaborative practices across schools. Having dedicated her career to the Bronx, Dr. Porter has demonstrated the importance of proximate leadership, developing an understanding of the value of community voices through her earliest-work as a youth organizer. Under Dr. Porter’s leadership, the Foundation recently went through its first-ever strategic planning process directly engaging with over 1,000 community members to build a blueprint for the Bronx, and launched the foundation’s first participatory grants process.

Michael is the current President and CEO of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the largest community development finance institution in the country. Michael has over 30 years of experience in financial services, beginning as a part-time teller in a local bank and, most recently, serving as the CEO of the nation’s first and largest publicly traded African American-operated bank. Michael is an expert at connecting people to capital and creating access for individuals, businesses and communities to thrive.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
If something matters, never give up.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2023, and most looking forward to achieving in 2024?
As president and CEO, I am most proud of LISC’s current projections ending the year with approximately $100M in private fundraising that supports diversity and depth across our network. From programs that strengthen housing development capacity and preservation, to disaster resiliency for small businesses, to home repair across the country; LISC is getting it done. In 2024, I look forward to continuing to partner with my colleagues to achieve even greater reach and impact.

Do you have any movie/music/book recommendations for readers to check out in celebration of Black History Month?
“The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson

Is there a person or organization doing particularly inspiring work that you would like to spotlight?
The Society for Financial Education and Professional Development (SFEPD), is one of the first nonprofits to deliver customized financial literacy programs and professional development opportunities for people in communities nationwide. Many Americans, especially first-generation college students and individuals from communities of color, did not have access to the knowledge they needed to successfully manage their finances. SFEPD teaches financial management skills to individuals of all ages and backgrounds, with a special focus on students attending HBCUs.

Brian Quiara has substantial public policy experience at the highest levels of New York State government. He’s worked for Gov. Kathy Hochul and held senior policy-making positions in the state’s executive chamber for several administrations. Now at Statewide Public Affairs, Quiara’s broad expertise is helping expand Christopher Duryea’s government relations, communications and issue management firm with offices Upstate and in New York City.