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Local Civic Leader Among Caribbeans Honored By City Comptroller
The event was co-sponsored by the Caribbean American Center of New York, the Caribbean Ame-rican Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Caribbean Women's Health Association, and the West Indian-Day Carnival Association. The event was held at SEIU 32BJ. "New York simply would not be New York without the Caribbean American communities that flourish here. Throughout the city, the traditions and culture of Barbados, the Bahamas, Guyana, Haiti, Jam-aica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, and all of the islands, are alive and well, " said Thompson. "Every year, Caribbean Americans are playing a greater and more visible role in government at all levels and civic endeavors," he continued. "We celebrate these contributions and this cultural blossoming. We also celebrate the strong bonds of friendship that exist between our city and the island nations of the Caribbean. With shared communities, shared histories, and shared dreams, New York and the countries of the Caribbean enjoy a special sense of fellowship." Brazela is Founder and President of the Friends United Block Association, which provides programs and services in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn, and helps community members address quality of life concerns. Brazela also established the Friends United Youth Center, which provides the youth of the community with training in computer skills, basic life skills, homework help, and even piano lessons. Monty Alexander, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, has spent a lifetime exploring the rich depths of musical and cultural diversity. He has been widely acclaimed for his ability to bring together the traditions of American jazz and Ja-maican reggae, and has been equally at home in a small combo or a symphony orchestra. Over the years, he has performed and/or recorded with artists from various musical genres, including Frank Sinatra, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shake-speare. Other honorees were Dr. Marcia V. Keiz, Presi-dent of York College. She is the founding editor of the New York Carib News; Dr. David Collymore, a graduate of Howard University Medical School, is a member of the Board of Directors and the Clinical Committee of the Community Health Care Associa-tion of New York State, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Clinical Affairs Committee of the Affinity Health Plan; Felicia Persaud is Founder of the news, public relations and advertising agency, Hard Beat Communications. She is the winner of a New York Association of Black Journalists Award and two Independent Press Association Awards for excellence in writing. She also provides pro bono public relations assistance to the Caribbean Immi-grant Services. The Sesame Flyers International Steel Orchestra performed at the celebration.
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