Celebrating the opening of Marcus Garvey supportive housing!

Yesterday, Osborne board members and staff, partners, elected officials, and community members celebrated the opening of the Marcus Garvey supportive housing facility in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Marcus Garvey is Osborne’s first supportive housing program, specially designed to address the needs of older and formerly incarcerated people as they rebuild their lives. Osborne Board Member Yasmin Cornelius, Osborne President and CEO Archana Jayaram, and Program Director Christina Green were speakers for the event. Green, who is formerly incarcerated, attributed part of her professional success since returning home to the support she received from Osborne programs. She described her new role as the Program Director of Marcus Garvey as “paying forward” the support she received during her reentry. Jose Vega, a resident of Marcus Garvey, gave a moving speech expressing his gratitude for his mother and father’s support after his incarceration and his excitement for finally having his own wheelchair-accessible home. He ended his speech calling on other people living with a disability, “Don’t lose hope or faith.”

Thanks to L+M Development Partners, for their partnership in developing the Marcus Garvey housing complex. We also thank C+C Apartment Management, LLC, New York State Senator Roxanne Persaud and Assemblywoman Latrice Walker for supporting formerly incarcerated community members, our board members Jamie Rubin, Alison Novak, and Michael Ryan, and all of our incredible partners that attended in support of this celebration. We look forward to welcoming home our new residents of Marcus Garvey!