FEATURE FRIDAY
Over the course of the next month, we will be showcasing each of the final people and projects up for the 2022 Reshaping Rochester Awards!

The CDCR's Annual Reshaping Rochester Awards recognize exemplary regional initiatives and projects that positively impact people, neighborhoods, and the community. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with each finalist and the impact they have had on their respective communities.
Award for Activism

This award recognizes civic spirit, persistence, and determination in turning a vision into reality. There are six finalists in this category, and they are:
Clarissa Uprooted Project
The Clarissa Uprooted Project is nominated for its work to empower youth and elders to uncover the story of the Clarissa Street Village, a once thriving historically Black community, publicly shared with the community via documentary and exhibit.

The Clarissa Uprooted movement is a collaboration between the Center for Teen Empowerment and the Clarissa Street Reunion Committee. They have collaborated with several local organizations, such as the Rochester Community Television (RCTV)’s Youth Media Team, Rochester Institute of Technology, and University of Rochester.

Image Credit: Clarissa Uprooted Project
Gay Mills
Gay Mills (centered in photo) is nominted for her 30+ years as Executive Director of Genesee Land Trust, where she championed the preservation of green spaces and creation of a built environment that promotes access to and enjoyment of such spaces for all. Her work has touched 6,500 acres of land across a 7-county area, including 18 nature preserves.

Image Credit: Genesee Land Trust
Georgia Carney
Georgia Carney (second from the right in photo) is nominated for her mission of sustainability, connection, and empowerment in the Rochester community as founder of SewGreen@Rochester and Rochester's first Repair Café, as well as Deacon of the South Wedge Mission.

Image Credit: Kate Melton
Jayme R. Bermudez
Jayme R. Bermudez (left in photo) is nominated for his use of dance and theater as a safe space for underrepresented youth to bridge differences, reduce violence, and build community throughout Rochester. Most recently, he has worked with students at RIT National Technical Institute for the Deaf and Borinquen Dance Theatre.

Image Credit: Kate Melton
Patricia Corcoran
Patricia Corcoran (right in photo) is nominated for her leadership of the Friends of Mouth Hope Cemetary in its mission to optimize the cemetary's potential as a cultural resource through education, preservation, and promotion of its unique heritage.

Image Credit: Margaret Miyake
Strong Neighborhood of Play Partners
Steve Dubnik, Howard Konar, & Jett Mehta
Steve Dubnik (The Strong), Howard Konar (Konar Properties), and Jett Mehta (Indus Hospitality Group), pictured left to right, are nominated for collaborating and creating a new neighborhood beyond the reach of any single organization, prioritizing the importance of civic life and public realm above their own interests.

Image Credit: Dubnik, Konar, & Mehta
THE AWARDS LUNCHEON
Recipients of the 2022 Awards will be revealed at the

12th Annual Reshaping Rochester Awards Ceremony
Wednesday, November 16 from 11:30am - 1:30pm
at Harro East Ballroom.
This year's Urban Observations address will be given by Senator Cooney.
Senator Cooney was adopted from an orphanage in Kolkata, India and raised by a single mother in the City of Rochester. He made history in 2020 as the first Asian American elected to state office from upstate New York, and the first state senator in decades to graduate from Rochester City School District (RCSD).

Senator Cooney’s priorities for Rochester include poverty relief, job creation, downtown development, and increased funding for public schools. He was included in City & State magazine’s “40 Under 40” list and 2021 “Power of Diversity: Asian 100” powerful leaders list.

Senator Cooney began his career working on Capitol Hill for the late U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter and later served in the role of chief of staff for the City of Rochester under Mayor Lovely Warren. Prior to running for public office, Senator Cooney served as the senior director for community relations with Empire State Development (ESD) under Governor Andrew Cuomo. At ESD, he helped lead public affairs for large-scale economic development projects.
Tickets: SOLD OUT

Individual Tickets: $65
Student Tickets: $25
Tables of 8: $600
Notes on Accessibility:
*Pay-what-you-can tickets are available to anyone upon request, no questions asked.
*Event accommodations (such as ASL) are available upon request.
*Harro East Ballroom is physically accessible, as defined by the ADA.

If there are other areas of accessibility that we've missed, let us know!
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