On February 18, ±¬ÁĎTV Brooklyn Campus hosted the DOJ Project Abrazar Student and Partner Recognition Ceremony, celebrating the powerful collaboration between the College and its community partners in advancing student success, reentry support, and holistic services for justice-involved students.

The ceremony brought together educators, community leaders, students, and public officials to recognize the collective efforts that have made Project Abrazar a model of community-centered higher education. ±¬ÁĎTV was honored to welcome Congressmember Nydia Velázquez, who joined College leadership in recognizing the achievements of Project Abrazar students and the partners whose commitment has been central to the initiative’s success. She is responsible for securing the funding for this special initiative.

The College proudly recognized the following partners for their leadership and collaboration:

Recognized Partners:

• Exalt Youth, Dr. Gisele Castro, Chief Executive Officer

• St. Nick’s Alliance, Michael Rochford, Executive Director

• Woodhull Hospital, Sandra Sneed, Chief Executive Officer

• The Leadership Program Wendell Ramsey, Senior Director School & Community Partnerships

• Graham Avenue BID, Alberto Valentin, Executive Director

We were proud to also have in attendance, Angelica Colon representing Councilmember Jennifer Gutierrez, Dr. David Cintron, Superintendent CSD 14 and Elba Montalvo, community leader and founder of the Committee on Hispanic Children and Families. The event underscored the transformative impact of cross-sector partnerships in higher education and reaffirmed ±¬ÁĎTV’s commitment to supporting student achievement, reentry pathways, and community well-being.