Fight Forward Finale: Building Community Power in a Pivotal Time

Join ANHD the evening of Thursday, October 22nd for the culminating event of our 2026 Fight Forward series, Building Community Power in a Pivotal Time, where we'll bring together leaders working across the New York City community development field for conversation, celebration, and connection.

As turbulent forces shape our present and the political landscape continues to change rapidly, we will explore how the community development movement can come together - not just to meet this moment, but to fight forward to a vision beyond it.

The long-simmering affordability crisis is coming to a full boil, and exacerbated by the current federal policy landscape. Tenants are dealing with stagnant wages and high rents - even for low-quality housing - while nonprofit affordable housing providers confront persistent rent arrears, skyrocketing costs, and shortfalls. After decades of struggle, we currently risk losing some of NYC’s most deeply affordable housing. Proposed changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) pose serious threats to BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses.

At the same time, we are in a moment of great opportunity and momentum. We must unite across sectors to ensure our communities can retain their hard-earned power and thrive. This will require action from our partners in government, and strengthened ties across individuals and organizations with divergent approaches to community development.

Featured speakers include Darrick Hamilton, the Henry Cohen Professor of Economics and Urban Policy and the founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School, and Jamaal T. Bailey, New York State Senator and Chairman of Committee on Insurance. The featured speakers will be followed by a panel including Yvonne Stennett, Executive Director of the Community League of the Heights (CLOTH), Jessica Clemente, CEO of Nos Quedamos / We Stay, and Sheila Garcia, Director of Organizing at Mothers on the Move (MOM), who will reflect on the challenges, new dynamics created by recent changes at the city level, and opportunities to build bridges to strengthen our movement.

Drawing on the rich history of community development in New York City, we will explore how to protect our hard-won subsidized housing, tenant protections, small business supports, and more - while building towards a New York City truly driven by community power.

The evening will conclude with a networking reception where you’ll have a chance to connect with people across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, exchange ideas, and build the relationships that drive community development across the city - with food provided by Salsa Caterers.

TRANSPORTATION

6 train to 103rd St

2, 3 trains to 110th St

M1, M2, M3, M4, M106 to 5 Av/E 104 St

M1, M2, M3, M4, M106 to Madison Av/E 104 St

M106 to E 106/Madison Av

M98, M101, M102, M103 to 3 Av/#E 106 St

Citibike docks at 5th Ave and 103rd St and Madison Ave and 106th St

PHOTOGRAPHY

You may opt out of being photographed at this event. If you prefer not to be photographed, place a red dot on your nametag (provided at check in), and we will ensure ANHD does not use or publish any photographs with your likeness. As an attendee, we ask that you be respectful of this policy, and not photograph any attendees with a dot on their nametag.

There will not be video or audio recordings of the event.

If you do not place a red dot on your nametag, you consent to be photographed and consent to ANHD using any images/footage in perpetuity with no further notice or compensation.

COVID PROTOCOLS

In-person attendees are asked to be fully vaccinated and comply with all New York City and New York State guidelines at the time of the event. We support masks to protect vulnerable populations and will have masks on hand at all events. ANHD will also have hand sanitizer available.

ACCESSIBILITY

All Fight Forward event spaces are fully accessible by wheelchair and are ADA compliant. If you have any questions or accommodation or service requests to fully participate with us, please contact Director of Operations Lauren Nye at lauren.n@anhd.org at least 15 days prior to the event.

#BuildCommunityPower