2000s
Rafael Chavez Santiago
Hispanic Organizer Hola! My name is Rafael Santiago. I was born and raised in Mexico. I fell in love with the city of Newark back in 2009. I evolved as a young adult in North Newark eager to grow and learn to master the language I enrolled in ESL in FOCUS. This interaction with a nonprofit allowed me to grow confidence in the new world and I was able to find the Latino Commission on AIDS in NYC. In this organization I discovered the passion I had for my Latinx community. With this passion burning I wanted to create change locally, where I found a new home New Labor in 2015. New Labor...Sky Lara
Born, raised, educated, and employed in Newark, NJ, I hold much love for my local community. I earned my Bachelor’s in Public and Nonprofit Administration at Rutgers University Newark to dedicate my career in serving local communities. After working with multiple environmental organizations in the City of Newark, I realized I wanted to protect the natural resources, ecosystems and environment to ensure the health and wellbeing of communities like Newark. I am going to earn my Masters of Science in Environmental Science and Policy at Johns Hopkins University to continue that work. Newark...Alisha Day
Alisha Day is a Fabulous Drag performer born in Newark, NJ. She is an essential worker by day, working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. By night she is a fabulous drag queen. Alisha is known for her high energy performances and fabulous hosting. She performs all throughout the tri-state area. Alisha Day is host and co-producer of Brick City Drag with her business partner Dr. Kareem Willis. This brunch experiences allows Alisha to use the powers of drag to create space for LGBTQ+ individuals, especially queer black and brown individuals in the greater Newark...Andrea Hayward
A retired transportation industry executive with more than 31 years of experience including strategic planning and implementation, supply chain management and general management for large corporation, Andrea Hayward is a dynamic and innovative executive with a comprehensive background leading large complex organizations and networks. Extensive leadership experience integrating companies and business units for improved operational and financial performance. A proven executive for accelerating growth, managing cross-functional teams, and developing “go-to-market” strategies. Significant...Denise Hinds
Denise Hinds is the Chief Program Officer for Youth and Family Wellbeing at Good Shepherd Services, where she oversees the agency’s foster care programs, child welfare, and juvenile justice residential programs, supportive housing and other programs for young adults.In 38 years at Good Shepherd Services, Denise has developed many innovative youth development-driven programs. Most notably, in 2002, she played a significant role in the development and implementation of the Chelsea Foyer, the agency’s first supportive housing program for young adults experiencing homelessness and...
John Calendo
John Calendo (b. 1948) has led a rich, full life, in which Newark entered the picture late and in somewhat marginal fashion. Thus this oral history departs a bit from tradition and centers his experiences at Newark’s Little Theatre and Cameo adult theaters rather than his full life story per se, though it touches on many aspects of his larger trajectory.John’s biography captures some of the other notable elements:
I graduated NYU in the spring of 1970. I joined Andy Warhol’s Interview a year after college. I was brought out to Hollywood to work on a script, stayed there...