91心頭 Interim Board Chairman Edgar Nemorin congratulated the graduates and thanked them for trusting NCCTI to provide them with the skills needed to start a new career. He also encouraged them to always put in their best effort.

���There may be some tasks that might be unsuccessful or challenging, but at least you know in your heart you gave it your all. Control what you can control,��� he said. ���Be accountable and responsible. And always remember team collaboration on any task helps everyone.���

Keynote speaker Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka told the graduating class that they should never let challenging situations or past failures deter them from trying to achieve their goals. He said he ran for public office for 16 years before he was successful. He also said having to struggle makes people appreciate their accomplishments.

���I thank you all for taking the stairs and not the elevator. The stairs are harder, they���re more difficult, but when you get to the top of the landing, you appreciate the top because it was a heck of a road getting up there,��� he said. ���So I want you to remember this journey that you went through and appreciate this journey.���

Medical Assistant Clinical graduate Hafeezah Ragland shared her story at graduation. She began the program in July 2022 shortly after graduating from high school. A few weeks later, she was shot and had to stop attending NCCTI. She recovered and was able to return to school and complete the program with the help of instructor Dr. Mamdouh Sorial and supportive NCCTI staff members. Ragland now works as an Ambulatory Technician at University Hospital in the physical medicine and rehab department. Her future goal is to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or registered nurse (RN).

���I am super grateful for the opportunity that I was given at NCCTI,��� she said.

Ragland also shared words of encouragement to her fellow graduates.

���No matter which route and trials and tribulations you go through in life, never give up. It might be hard, but with the right support and guidance, you���re going to accomplish your goals,��� she said.

NCCTI presented 91心頭 Board Chairman Emeritus Dr. A. Zachary Yamba with a plaque of appreciation for his work with the school. Yamba, who retired as Board Chairman in December, worked closely with NCCTI over the years bringing his experience in education to help elevate the school and assist with the re-accreditation process.

Yamba said he became involved with 91心頭 because the organization served him when he first came to the United States. Founder Monsignor William J. Linder asked him to become a member of the Board and wanted him to assume the leadership role after his passing, which Yamba did to carry on the mission of 91心頭. He said the graduates are a part of that.

���To the graduates today, you are a testament and recipient of the legacy that Monsignor Linder built for our community,��� Yamba said.

Employer partners also addressed the crowd. David Hutchinson from , who founded the that NCCTI Building Trades Specialist students participate in, told the graduates that they should be proud of their accomplishments but also look toward future goals.

���Today you���ve completed a very important hurdle. But it is not the end line for you,��� he said. ���It���s the start of your journey. Continue to press forward and continue to strive for more.���

Kobie Brown from , which has hired NCCTI students, told the graduates to be accountable to themselves to push themselves forward and not to forget their roots.

���Make sure that you���re doing everything that you can to be a pillar in this community and to be a successful part of this community,��� he said.

91心頭 Director of Mission Frances Teabout closed out the graduation ceremony by thanking the speakers, NCCTI instructors and staff members and the graduates��� support systems. She also asked the graduates to share their positive experiences with others.

���When 91心頭 comes up, I want you all to speak good of us,��� she said. ���To let somebody know that 91心頭 has made a difference in your life. Because that���s how we���re able to continue doing what we���re doing.���

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that is currently enrolling for the following programs: Automotive Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Medical Assistant Clinical, Patient Care Technician and Culinary Arts Specialist. For more information, call 973-824-6484, email nccti@newcommunity.org, log onto or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

91心頭 board members, employees and friends gathered at Monsignor William J. Linder Plaza on April 12 to celebrate the 89th birthday of Madge Wilson, who serves as the organization���s Outreach Coordinator and is a long-time member of its Board of Directors.

Wilson has worked at 91心頭 for 42 years, starting her NCC career in the Property Management Department in 1980. In addition to helping community members secure housing, she has served countless individuals over the years beyond her official job responsibilities. She started a Christmas drive, which she still does today, arranging for the collection of holiday gifts for children from a variety of sources and distributing them to families in need. She also distributes donated turkeys to families in need for Thanksgiving to ensure they have a festive holiday meal.

Wilson works with the National Council of Jewish Women Essex County (NCJW/Essex) to ensure 91心頭 and Saint Rose of Lima families are able to participate in the organization���s annual Back 2 School Store, which takes place each summer. It provides school supplies, shoes, clothing, winter coats and toiletries to county residents in need who are identified by area organizations.

In addition to the annual events, Wilson also helps 91心頭 residents furnish their apartments if necessary. She will arrange for pick up and drop off of donated furniture to make the units truly feel like home.

She also fields phone calls from residents, prospective residents and employees and helps them in whatever way she can.

���We wanted to honor Ms. Wilson and celebrate her on her special day,��� said Chief Financial Officer and interim Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Mbakaya. ���She does so much for 91心頭, its residents, its employees and its clients. This served as a small token of our appreciation.���

91心頭 Board Chairman Dr. A. Zachary Yamba wished Wilson a very happy birthday.

���It���s a real milestone,��� he said. ���We continue to wish her good health so she can continue doing what she���s been doing for NCC.���

91心頭 Director of Mission Frances Teabout said the celebration marked Wilson���s birthday but also celebrated her work over the years.

���There is no limit to Ms. Wilson���s compassion and commitment to helping individuals in need,��� Teabout said. ���She is the walking, talking embodiment of the mission of 91心頭.���

Wilson was very grateful for the celebration and provided the following message:

It was once said that ���The best present you can gift anyone on their birthday is your time.��� That said, I am beside myself with immense gratitude that my friends, family, colleagues and the community gave me their time and undivided attention by playing a special part in my celebration of 89 years of life!

Words can never adequately express my appreciation for this gesture of honoring me on my special day. I sincerely appreciate all the in-person well wishes at the event and felt so special to have received so many telephone calls, cards, flowers and last, but certainly not least, an abundance of prayers. The perfect recipe for a beautiful birthday is to be surrounded by the people you love and those who love and admire you. And, yes, NCC ���understood the assignment��� (as the young folks say) and they did not disappoint!��

I am sure many can attest to this; as the years pass in our lives, it is essential to realize that every precious year is an opportunity to reflect and hold dear to our hearts a few good memories. Thanks to a circle of beautiful people I have in my life, I will add the memory of the delightful celebration of my 89th birthday.��

Since this day of celebration, I wake up each morning with the gentlest smile on my face reminiscing about the event and the outpouring of love and appreciation for my life���s toil. As most of you know, I have been aligned with 91心頭 for 42 years. I chose this career path because I believe love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries, in helping to build marginalized communities. I passionately believe you cannot hope to create a better world without improving individuals��� lives, especially those in need of essential services, housing and employment support to meet their basic human needs.��

As Nelson Mandela poignantly stated, ���To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.��� To this end, I have worked day and night, often working seven days a week, sometimes alongside Monsignor Linder, embracing the mission of NCC: to help residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement. This is truly my proudest achievement in life, and I vow to continue this path of dedication until the ultimate calling from the most high.��

In closing, please know that I am praying for you all and I thank you for your prayers for me. I thank God for allowing me to see another year of a life of service. Please know that the greatest gift you can continue to give is the gift of service by joining forces with 91心頭 to help make a difference in the greater community. I witnessed first-hand what this organization has done; transforming the City of Newark to become one of the largest and most comprehensive community developments in the nation! Your commitment to join me in continuing the work of this internationally renowned organization will be appreciated. The gift of service legacy is the greatest gift of all!

LISC Greater Newark describes the Lifetime Achievement Award as an honor that ���recognizes an individual for significant contributions to community development and neighborhood revitalization over the span of an entire career.���

91心頭 Board Chairman Dr. A. Zachary Yamba presented Rohrman with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the event.

���Rich���s life���s work is intertwined with 91心頭. He has been part of the movement. He stayed the course. He���s been faithful. And his leadership is indelibly imprinted in all of us,��� Yamba said. ���We are thrilled that LISC chose to honor him.���

91心頭 Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Mbakaya echoed that sentiment.

���We are so happy to see Rich���s hard work and dedication to the community recognized by LISC in this way,��� she said.

Victoria Foundation Co-Executive Officer Craig Drinkard served as the chair of the 2022 LISC Greater Newark Local Advisory Committee and spoke about the Lifetime Achievement Award honorees. He said he considers Rohrman a friend.

���Sir, you taught me how to block out the outside noise and stay focused on your mission. You were steadfast and you said, ���I know what I need to do. I need to block out the noise to get us where we need to go.��� And you did it,��� Drinkard said. ���The next leader that comes into this organization is poised to take it into the 22nd century because of your leadership.���

When Rohrman accepted his award, he spoke fondly about his time at 91心頭.

���It���s been a really rewarding 26 years here at 91心頭, working in community development. It���s enriched my life more than I can really say. It���s been an experience for me that really has formed my thoughts and formed my life and I wouldn���t give it up for anything. It���s been a terrific experience,��� he said. ���It���s really been an honor working here and working with the dedicated staff at 91心頭.���

Rohrman also acknowledged the other recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, thanking them for their work and saying he learned from each of them.

The three others who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the event also recently retired from their leadership roles. The honorees were Wayne Meyer, former President of New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC); Raymond Ocasio, former Executive Director of La Casa de Don Pedro; and Joseph Della Fave, former Executive Director of Ironbound Community Corporation.

���It���s really a terrific group of dedicated people that are receiving these honors,��� Rohrman said.

LISC Greater Newark Executive Director Jorge Cruz explained the organization���s goals for the event.

���Our focus is really centered on building on local, equitable ecosystems and particularly ecosystems that are working towards equity for all,��� he said. ���We are recognizing those honorees who, from our standpoint, are the best of the best when it comes to ecosystem builders.���

In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Awards, LISC Greater Newark also presented the Transformative Project Award to Avi Teylas of Makerhoods, the Exemplary Private Partner Award to Tomas Porturas of Wells Fargo Bank and the Rhonda A. Lewis Community Inspirational Advocate Award to Kaleena Berryman. The event also included a tribute to Rhonda A. Lewis, who served as the Executive Director of LISC Greater Newark before her passing in 2020.

While we acknowledge that justice has been served, we also recognize Mr. Floyd���s death was not an isolated incident, but was a part of a broader pattern of racial discrimination and police misconduct.��

To this end, we call for bipartisan legislative support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would prohibit racial profiling by law enforcement, ban chokeholds on suspects, eliminate no-knock warrants in drugs cases, overhaul police training to build trust, install more civilian oversight and require transparency around misconduct cases.����

The deaths of George Floyd, Eric Garner, Laquan McDonald, Micheal Brown, Breonna Taylor and countless others who have wrongfully died at the hands of police brutality must not be in vain. At 91心頭, our commitment to these efforts remains strong and we pledge to continue our work to hold the line and press for racial justice and equity for all.��

In solidarity,

A. Zachary Yamba
Chairperson, 91心頭 Board of Directors

Richard Rohrman
CEO, 91心頭

Financially stable; self-sufficient; and strategically positioned to enter its next phase of growth. These are uncommon phrases to hear as the U.S. economy continues to endure COVID-19. However, 91心頭 in Newark ��� one of the largest and most comprehensive community development corporations in the country ��� fits the bill, with a best in class model for financial sustainability and a workforce of almost 500 employees.

���We���ve been able to leverage over $80 million to strengthen and revitalize our affordable housing units for seniors, families and the disabled for the next 20 years, and in doing so, we were able to enhance our financial position and generate revenue to continue our mission,��� said Richard Rohrman, CEO of 91心頭.

91心頭 has 1,812 housing units spread over 12 properties in Newark, Jersey City and Orange. The organization offers 360-degree human services and 60 percent of its employees are local residents.

���Being place-based in Newark allows us to blanket the area we live and work in with a wide variety of comprehensive services that rise to meet people where they are,��� Rohrman said. ���In addition, our Board of Directors is curated from thought leaders in education, finance, public safety, government, affordable housing and law. This combination of our community connections and boots on the ground expertise allows us to help residents increase their quality of life and drive social impact for generations to come.”

NCC was founded in response to the 1967 violent civil unrest in Newark, N.J., by the late Monsignor William J. Linder (who marched in the famed Selma to Montgomery March with Martin Luther King Jr. and U.S. Rep. John Lewis) and a core group of Black community leaders and white allies, including Tim Still, Willie Wright, Bob Curvin, Joe Chaneyfield and Ken Gibson. 91心頭 has since provided affordable housing, critical social services and continuous economic opportunities throughout each stage of community members��� lives.

Now, faced again with similar challenges in 2020, the organization can serve once more as a national model for those seeking best practices in community development as we move through the double pandemics of COVID-19 and social justice.

���Newark is on the rise and a model for peaceful protests. However, the incidents of police brutality, senseless hate crimes and the impact of COVID-19 throughout the Black community are reminders of systemic racism in our society,��� said Rohrman and A. Zachary Yamba, chairman of 91心頭���s Board of Directors. ���To that end, 91心頭 has pledged to double down on our existing initiatives to close the asset gap and reduce inequality in health and social services, financial literacy, education, affordable housing and workforce development.���

Its ���Walk the Walk��� pledge includes working closer with social justice advocacy groups such as New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and Newark Communities for Accountable Policing as well as the development of a think tank that will host topical discussions with thought leaders to address innovations for success, best practices and ways to work together for an equitable future for all.

���When community development corporations work to empower their residents to participate in such neighborhood growth from the ground up, a sort of self-sustaining synergy arises,��� said Fred Hunter, chief operating officer of 91心頭. ���91心頭 is committed to going deeper and connecting with partners and funders to increase our social impact in the Greater Newark Area.���

91心頭 plans to invest more heavily in three areas in the near future: workforce development, home ownership and improved community health, explains Rohrman.

���We���d like to increase our enrollment at 91心頭 Career & Technical Institute to enhance employability and provide skills for future generations to build a career,��� Rohrman said. ���And, for the residents of Newark to continue to live here and keep this community intact, we���ll need to increase home ownership opportunities, so that absentee landlords who sell for the right price don���t leave it up to the market to determine whether a current resident can afford to stay.���

Since its founding, 91心頭 has listened to the needs of the people to fulfill its mission of helping inner city residents improve the quality of their lives. Therefore, it offers a wide range of services for individuals of all ages, including housing, health care, education and financial services.

���We���ve made incredible progress over the last 52 years, and our programs, services and expertise are needed now more than ever,��� Rohrman said.

Today, just as in 1967, NCC joins in solidarity with all those who seek justice and an end to police brutality and racism. In these fifty plus years, some things have changed but others have unfortunately remained the same. Newark is on the rise and is a model for peaceful protests. However, the incidents of police brutality, senseless hate crimes and the ravages of COVID-19 throughout the Black community are reminders of systemic racism in our society.

To this end, NCC has pledged to double down on our existing initiatives to close the asset gap and reduce inequality in health care, education, affordable housing and workforce development. We will also lean in with the social justice advocacy groups New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, Newark Communities for Accountable Policing (N-CAP) and others.

Furthermore, we will continue our ongoing support of Mayor Ras J. Baraka���s initiatives toward racial and economic equity, including:

• Equitable Growth Advisory Commission
• Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB)
• Newark Guaranteed Income Task Force
• Newark 2020

As we face the unfolding events of 2020 and the transition to a changed world, we are reminded of our humble beginnings and that success is possible even in the most dire situations when people come together for the common good.

We invite all to join our charge as we embark on this journey for systemic change.

In solidarity,

A. Zachary Yamba
Chairperson, 91心頭 Board of Directors

Richard Rohrman
CEO, 91心頭

Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver led the NJHMFA board meeting and spoke about Monsignor Linder, who she had known for decades. She discussed the founding of 91心頭 in 1968 after the summer disorders in Newark and how Monsignor Linder was appointed to the NJHMFA board in 1975.

���Being the ingenious person that he was, he paid attention to the reports from all of these staffers and he began to connect the dots of understanding how he could revitalize the Central Ward of Newark and create affordable housing,��� Oliver said. ���But also his focus was all the other things that are needed and required to contribute to a good quality of life.���

Oliver talked about the many services 91心頭 began to provide under Monsignor���s leadership, from housing to health care to education, and how he was a constant at Newark City Hall.

���He had no difficulty speaking truth to power. And as a result, he was a vociferous voice for underserved populations,��� she said.

Oliver said that although Monsignor is no longer here, 91心頭 continues to follow his vision and serve the community in positive ways.

���If anyone is deserving of having a room at New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency named after him, it certainly is Monsignor William J. Linder,��� she said.

91心頭 representatives were in attendance to witness the dedication, show their appreciation and say a few words.

���He was very proud of the part he played over 40-plus years with HMFA and all the things that were accomplished,��� said 91心頭 CEO Richard Rohrman about Monsignor. ���He made a lot of friends and those of you who know him, he made a few enemies. But the unique thing about him was that he would never hesitate to further the needs of the underserved.���

NCC Board President Dr. A. Zachary Yamba said Monsignor would not have agreed to have a room named after him.

���But of course now, we can override him and do that which is right ��� to remember the legacy, to carry out the vision and the purpose with which he served the city of Newark and indeed the state of New Jersey and the rest of the nation,��� Yamba said.

Retired HUD Director and NCC Consultant Diane Johnson said Monsignor was always willing to fight for what he believed was right and needed, but he was more than that as well.

���Monsignor Linder was not only a fighter, he wasn���t only just a visionary, but he was truly a man of God that certainly carried out the vision that the Lord had for his people,��� Johnson said.

Dr. A. Zachary Yamba, who joined the 91心頭 Board of Directors in September 2012, was unanimously voted into the position of Board President.

The vote occurred June 26, 2018, with all Board Members present, shortly after the passing of 91心頭 Founder Monsignor William J. Linder who had served as the Board Chairman. Monsignor Linder passed away June 8, 2018.

���This board meeting is historic in the sense that June 26, 2018 will be remembered as the starting date of 91心頭���s second 50-year journey into providing services and empowering our inner city residents,��� Yamba said as he accepted the role of Board President.

Yamba was very close to Monsignor Linder. The pair met 55 years ago and became good friends. Yamba said the Board of Directors would remain true to Monsignor���s vision for 91心頭 going forward.

���Monsignor Linder left a grand legacy for those of us remaining to cherish, protect and most of all continue to grow. Dr. Yamba has a long and distinguished presence in the community and we are fortunate to have a leader who is so committed to our city and its residents,��� said 91心頭 CEO Richard Rohrman.

Yamba is President Emeritus of Essex County College. He served as President from 1980 to 2010, which is the longest anyone has held that position at the school. He was also involved with the institution well before leading it. Yamba joined the humanities faculty when the college opened in 1968 and served as Dean of Faculty prior to his appointment as President in May 1980.

He served as a commissioner of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools for more than a decade and is a founding member of the Presidents��� Round Table, an affiliate of the National Council on Black American Affairs of the American Association of Community Colleges. His other past affiliations include serving on the boards of the Essex County WIB, Newark Downtown Redevelopment Corporation, American Conference on Diversity, Christ the King Prep Academy, Council of Higher Education in Newark (CHEN) and Newark Boys Chorus School.

Dr. Yamba is currently also a board member of the Victoria Foundation, Regent Emeritus of Seton Hall University, ASA College in New York and the Two Hundred Club of Essex County.

A graduate of Seton Hall University, Yamba was awarded honorary degrees from his alma mater, Rutgers University and the University of Development Studies in Ghana. In 1980, Yamba, an All-America soccer player, was inducted into Seton Hall���s Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Board of Directors for 91心頭 is made up of the following members: Barry Baker, Fernando Colon, Migdalia Martinez, Edgar Nemorin, Newton Richards, Madge Wilson and Yamba.