Voices

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Your Voice Matters

Community Voices

Over the years, there have been lots of discussions about ways to make Northside neighborhoods safer, healthier and more fun places to live, work and play. Hear from people turning these words into actions.

Nicole Fenichel-Hewitt Still

Nicole Fenichel-Hewitt
Executive Director
The Art Effect

When young people are invested in an area and are learning about how to care for it … they steward it and they share with their peers, their parents, and their community how to protect it.”

Sarah Salem Still

Sarah Salem
Director of Development & Strategic Initiatives
Dutchess Outreach

 “We need to cultivate our community and our people so that they will be able to achieve stability themselves.”

Mario Johnson Still

Mario Johnson
Director of Upward Bound
Marist College

“… people are believers with their eyes, ideas are great they come and go, but when you actually put the shovel in the ground that’s a different story, then you know it’s real.”

Desiree S. King Still

Minister Desiree S. King
CASA & Compeer Program Manager
Mental Health America of Dutchess County

“We’re turning the back of our church into a beautiful garden, there are plots that people can adopt and take care of so that in harvest time we’ll be able to feed our citizens in this community.”

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Reverend Jesse Bottoms
Pastor
Beulah Baptise Church

“The people that are coming together now, are coming with the attitude of what can I do … they’re looking for the roles that they can play in making our city better.”

Zoraida Lopez Diago

Zoraida Lopez Diago
Vice President of Development, Communication, and Strategic Partnerships
Glynwood

“When I think of a healthy city, I also think of safety. I think of a place where people know their children can walk to school, and they can get good safe food at affordable prices.”

Jen Rubbo

Jen Rubbo
Director
Environmental Cooperative at the Vassar Barns

“I’m interested in the water quality of the [Fall Kill] creek … how we can make the creek more accessible to the people that live in the communities around it?”