PLAYING OUR PART

THE Y EXPANDS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Y ended 2024 and started 2025 with an eye on expanding opportunities for members of our communities to be civically engaged. Across the city, the Y hosted 24 voter engagement events before the November election. Many of these events featured voter registration opportunities from partners such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA), Brooklyn Board of Elections, Brooklyn NAACP, Brooklyn Voters Alliance, League of Women Voters, MinKwon Center for Community Action, NYC Votes, Office of Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Unite NY, and the Williamsbridge NAACP.

The Y’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee also hosted a special civic engagement event for Y staff, with Council Members Kevin Riley and Yusef Salaam serving as guest speakers. The event featured a powerful panel with representatives from our partners at Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA), NALEO Educational Fund, NYC Votes, and OCA-NY. In the coming year, the Y will partner with NYC Votes to host special trainings for Y staff and to offer voter registration and education at a staff event that brings together hundreds of young Y staff members from across the city.•

(top) Sharon Levy, YMCA Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, moderates a panel featuring Omar Suarez, Director of Partnerships & Outreach, New York City Campaign Finance Board (NYC Votes); Malikka D. Karteron, CEO/President, Global25 and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Angela Li, President, OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates; and Orlando Ovalles, Northeast Director of Civic Engagement, NALEO Educational Fund; (above) Council Member Yusef Salaam addresses Y staff.

Council Member Kevin Riley tells Y staff that voting is an extension of the good work they do in their communities.

Voter outreach events across the city