Sweetwater Clifton City Spirit Award Presented by HUB

The New York Knickerbockers and Clorox are proud to announce Melissa S. Norden as the recipient of this month’s Sweetwater Clifton “City Spirit” Award in honor of Women’s Empowerment Night. Norden is a board certified lawyer who has been heavily involved in various non profits (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, New Yorkers for Clean Livable and Safe Streets, etc.) over the past 20 years working to support causes including but not limited to preventing animal cruelty, uplifting women in law, inspiring, empowering and educating people of all backgrounds, and now helping disadvantaged women find success in the workplace. Melissa is the Executive Director of Bottomless Closet, whose mission is to be the connection that inspires and guides disadvantaged New York City women to enter the workforce and achieve success. From their grassroots beginnings, they have grown into an organization that has served more than 46,000 women in need, amassed nearly 200 dedicated volunteers and roughly 200 referral partners, and has had over 1,000 workshop attendees just last year.

The Knicks and Clorox are honored to support Melissa as she continues to strive towards making a difference in the lives of women in New York City.

In honor of Pride Night, the New York Knicks are excited to recognize Leo Preziosi Jr. as the January 2021 City Spirit Award winner. Leo is the Founder and Executive Director of Live Out Loud. A Fashion Technology Institute (FIT) graduate and a former fashion designer and marketing professional, Leo dedicated his life to serving LGBTQ+ youth after discovering an article from Metro Source called “the gun in the closet.” The article described two students who committed suicide due to hostile school environments, seclusion, and trepidation. Consequently, he began gathering LGBTQ+ professionals to meet with high school students and discuss their experience as members of the LGBTQ+ community in the workforce. In 2001 he established Live Out Loud to battle the excessively high rates of suicide amongst LGBTQ+ youth because of bullying, prejudice, and detrimental living environments.

The mission of Live Out Loud is to partner with families, schools, and communities to provide LGBTQ+ youth (ages 13 through 18) with resources, role models, and opportunities that help them discover their voice and become leaders of change. Since its inception, Leo and Live Out Loud has assembled thousands of LGBTQ+ role models to high schools in the tri-state area. These role models vary from corporate powerhouses, grassroots activists to fashion designers. Through Leo’s leadership, Live Out Loud’s programming has expanded into not only bringing positive LGBTQ+ role models into schools, but taking youth into various workplaces, educating faculty and parents on adult allyship and inclusion, and providing scholarships and mentoring support to young scholars and leaders.

The Knicks are proud to celebrate Leo and his impact as he continues to motivate and support LGBTQ+ youth in the community. A donation of $5,000 was awarded to Live Out Loud on behalf of Leo Preziosi Jr.

The New York Knicks and Clorox are proud to recognize Elana Koenig as the December 2021 City Spirit Award winner. Elana is a 13-year-old cancer survivor, singer, speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Koenig Childhood Cancer Foundation (KCCF). The mission of the Foundation is to supply critical financial and emotional support to children who are battling to survive cancer and to empower all children to participate actively in philanthropy.

At eight years old, Elana was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a hostile bone cancer. After her chemotherapy concluded, she pledged to assist children who are fighting cancer just like she is. Since starting the KCCF in February 2020, Elana and KCCF have given back to youth struggling with cancer. Elana and the KCCF make their impact felt with support visits, toy deliveries, inspirational speeches, care packages, and special events. Despite starting with only $900 dollars in her piggy bank, Elana and her family have grown the KCCF into a remarkable, inspirational non-profit organization. In addition to her philanthropic efforts, Elana continues to spread awareness about childhood cancer through her musical talents and speaking engagements.

The Knicks are tremendously honored to celebrate Elana as she continues to give back and support children fighting cancer, and their families. A donation of $5,000 was awarded to the Koenig Childhood Cancer Foundation on behalf of Elana Koenig and the Koenig Family.

The New York Knicks and Clorox are honored to recognize Michael Abrams as the November 2021 City Spirit Award recipient. Michael is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. He has served for a total of 19 years, 8 of which included active duty. Following active duty, Michael enrolled in New York University’s Stern School of Business and graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance. Michael was frustrated by the lack of access veterans and military spouses had to business occupations and professions, so he founded The FourBlock Foundation. The Foundation provides veterans and military spouses with the necessary resources and tools to successfully achieve success in civilian careers following their service. The Foundation’s goal is to build and expand a national professional network that empowers veterans and military to establish professional connections, increase relationship-building opportunities, and grow career opportunities.

Programming includes a flagship Career Readiness Program for both veterans and military spouses, and an online career transition program. Due to FourBlock’s meaningful actions, veterans are leading organizations, launching innovative new ventures, and achieving new heights at top worldwide companies.

Under Michael’s leadership The FourBlock Foundation, which began with an inaugural class of 16 transitioning veterans in New York City, has now developed into a countrywide network of professionals striving to be leaders in their communities. The Foundation community now extends to over 3,000 members and 500 participating companies across the world including Tesla, Citi, Microsoft, and Boeing.

This November, the Knicks are honored to recognize Michael and his impactful work. A donation of $5,000 was awarded to FourBlock on behalf of Michael Abrams.

The New York Knicks and Clorox are excited to recognize Kate Barnhart as the June 2021 City Spirit Award recipient. For 20 years and counting, Kate has worked with homeless LGBTQ+ youth, including 5 years serving as Director of Sylvia’s Place, an emergency shelter for the LGBTQ+ homeless. With years of experience supporting the LGBTQ+ homeless youth, Kate Barnhart decided to make a bigger impact on her own by founding New Alternatives in 2008. New Alternatives is a non-profit organization whose goal is to increase the self-sufficiency of LGBTQ+ homeless youth and young adults by providing resources, such as long-term support, education services, community-building recreational activities, opportunities for self-expression, programs for HIV+ youth, and life skills training. These resources are meant to enable the youth to transition out of the shelter system and into stable adult lives, being comfortable enough to express who they are.

Kate recognized the need for an independent, stand-alone organization that would offer long-term guidance and support in NYC. New Alternatives has a zero-barrier-to-entry model that allows clients to walk in without a referral or identification and receive counseling and case management for the long term. The organization’s social workers are also able to foster lasting relationships that provide youth with a pathway toward self-sufficiency by doing the difficult work of addressing the underlying causes of homelessness, like trauma, addiction, and mental health.

Studies show that LGBTQ+ youth compromise nearly 40% of the homeless youth population in New York City and every night, these individuals have no place to call home. Kate Barnhart and New Alternatives are constantly advocating for change. She is committed to the care and well-being of these young people and is leading the fight to end this epidemic of poverty and homelessness in New York City’s LGBTQ+ youth population.

The Knicks are extremely proud to recognize Kate and her efforts in caring for the well-being of homeless LGBTQ+ youth. A donation of $5,000 was awarded to New Alternatives on behalf of Kate Barnhart.

The New York Knicks and Clorox are proud to recognize Peter Kerre as the May 2021 City Spirit Award recipient. Peter Kerre is a 40-year-old New York resident and activist who has received significant media coverage for his volunteer work and creation of Safewalks. Safewalks is a community safety program that Peter created in January 2021 after several reports of women being assaulted at the Morgan L subway stop started to increase. Kerre began volunteering on January 3rd, posting up at the Morgan L stop to ensure that community residents traveling alone made it home safely. Concerned that there was no police presence nor warnings despite the victim count being over 5, Peter created a call to action on social media, asking for volunteers to join his efforts in offering safewalks to local area residents who felt unsafe commuting home. Sure enough, Peter was able to gain hundreds of new volunteers through his social media work and it led to establishing Safewalks.

In February, after an extreme increase in subway deaths from continuous assaults, and xenophobic attacks on elderly Asian Americans because of the false accusations about COVID-19, Safewalks expanded into Chinatown Manhattan to increase their role in being there for Asian American communities. Currently, the program has teams based in Manhattan and Brooklyn but Kerre and the volunteers are making extreme efforts in assisting commuters all over New York City.

This month, the Knicks are tremendously proud in recognizing Peter and his efforts in keeping New Yorkers safe. A donation of $5,000 was awarded to Safewalks on behalf of Kerre.

The New York Knicks recognized Susannah Koteen as the March 2021 City Spirit Award recipient. For the past ten years, Susannah has owned and operated Lido Restaurant in Harlem and recently opened Bixi in the same neighborhood. She hires young adults at her restaurants, allowing them to grow within the business and gain valuable experience. Susannah is also the president of the board for Meals For Good, an organization that works with food pantries in the Harlem area to feed those in need in the community. When her two restaurants closed temporarily this winter, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Susannah, along with Indivisible Harlem and Meals For Good, raised money to purchase groceries for those restaurant employees who were out of work. In January, the group held its first grocery distribution where 22 restaurant workers received bags of fresh groceries, produce, canned foods, and other essentials.

Along with her involvement with Meals For Goods, Susannah is the co-president of the Frederick Douglass Boulevard Alliance (FDBA), a not-for-profit organization. FDBA's mission is to build a strong community, maintain a clean and safe boulevard, and improve the quality of life for its residents, visitors, and small business owners and workers. Susannah finds joy in serving and making a positive impact on the Harlem community through her organizations.

The Knicks are proud to recognize Susannah as she continues to positively impact her community. A donation of $5,000 was rewarded to Meals For Good on behalf of Susannah.

The New York Knicks are proud to recognize Kenny Stevens as a City Spirit Award recipient. Kenny has a passion for giving back and uplifting the Washington Heights Community. He started Dyckman Youth Enterprises, an organization that works diligently to address community youth’s needs by providing academic readiness and youth employment programs, in 1990. The organization teaches youth to utilize their athletic experiences as a model to help their overall academic, social, and career development.

Kenny is also the Dyckman Basketball Tournament CEO, a notable basketball league within the New York tri-state area. The tournament employs hundreds of community youth in the summer and facilitates scholastic opportunities. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenny has created virtual programs to keep youth connected to basketball and offer emotional support. Additionally, around the holiday season, Kenny gave away over 500 turkeys to deserving families for Thanksgiving. He also hosts annual back-to-school drives and sneaker giveaways for the community.

The Knicks are proud to celebrate Kenny Stevens as he continues to enhance communities. A donation of $5,000 was awarded to Dyckman Youth Enterprises on behalf of Kenny.

The Knicks recognized Davon Russell as the September 2020 City Spirit Award recipient. Davon is the President of WHEDco, a community development nonprofit organization with the mission is providing families in the South Bronx with access to vital resources to foster the development of healthy and vibrant neighborhoods. Starting at WHEDco over 20 years ago, Davon was a part-time after school teacher. He has been a lifelong educator and mentor who believes in the transformative power of the arts.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Davon has focused on fostering housing & food security, providing quality child care and resources to the South Bronx community and essential workers, nurturing small impacted businesses, and facilitating distance learning for hundreds of children. Under Davon’s leadership and continuous efforts at WHEDco, tens of thousands of youth have grown up in enriching environments with a network of nurturing adults and education professionals for mentorship. Youth in WHEDco’s programming go on to attend high performing high schools and colleges and to become leaders within their communities, often exceeding expectations. Davon has created and implemented WHEDco’s early childhood and youth programs, spearheaded inclusive staff meetings and retreats, and overseen WHEDco’s operations and programming. All of his efforts build upon the organization’s mission in community development. In addition, Davon was appointed to sit on the NYC Department of Education’s Community Education Council.

In recognition of Davon’s continuous efforts, the Knicks donated $5,000 to WHEDco.

The New York Knicks are proud to recognize Ivy Brown as the August 2020 City Spirit Award recipient. Ivy has dedicated her life to service, even during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been instrumental in setting up food pantries, community gardens, and community events for underserved communities in the Morrisania area. In addition, Ivy works diligently with local shelters to provide daily essentials such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, socks, and other necessities to those in need.

Ivy serves as an instructional coordinator with SUNY Attain Lab, which operates out of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Non-Violence in conjunction with Morrisania Revitalization Corporation. In addition to her community endeavors, Ivy regularly instructs and assists students in gaining their GEDS, and other educational opportunities -- informative training, computer literacy, and career exploration tools. Last year Ivy organized a job fair in the South Bronx with major employers, attracting over 300 visitors to an area that suffers from high unemployment.

The Knicks are proud to celebrate Ivy Brown as she continues to enhance communities. A donation of $5,000 was awarded to the Utopia Resource Center, on behalf of Ivy.

The Knicks recognized Noëlle Santos as the July 2020 City Spirit Award recipient. Noëlle is the owner of The Lit. Bar, a bookstore and wine bar that creates a haven that inspires reading, encourages healthy social connections, highlights diverse voices, and increases intellectual visibility in the Bronx.

In 2016, the Bronx was left without a single bookstore. With 1.5 million people, ten colleges, and not one bookstore, Noëlle recognized an opportunity to create a sustainable, more accessible bookshop that could reflect and serve the unique needs of her community.

On National Independent Bookstore Day on April 27, 2019, The Lit. Bar opened its doors and became the only independent bookstore in the Bronx. With the onset of COVID just ten months later, Noëlle’s doors were quickly shut. She continued to serve her customers, however, with resources, virtual events, and anti-racist literature. The Lit. Bar was able to re-open its doors on July 24, 2020.

The Knicks are proud to celebrate Noëlle as she continues to be an influential and inspiring member of her community. A $5,000 donation was awarded to Dear Black Girl on her behalf. Dear Black Girl is a local non-profit designed to teach, love, and empower disenfranchised youth with a focus on young ladies. To learn more about Dear Black Girl, visit their webpage.

To learn more about and plan a visit to The Lit. Bar, click here.

In honor of Black History Month, the New York Knicks recognized The Dad Gang Founder Sean Williams as the February 2020 City Spirit Award recipient. A father of three, Sean created The Dad Gang in 2016 to change the way the world views black fatherhood. This quickly growing social movement has become the premier support group for young black fathers by sharing content that celebrates active black dads.

Recently, Sean launched a nationwide dad walk called “Strollin’ with the Homies” where The Dad Gang organizes a stroll through local parks around the country for dads and their children. Sean’s mission is to provide a safe space for dads of color to bond with their children and each other, creating a brotherhood amongst fathers as they spread their message throughout the country.

n recognition of Sean’s tireless efforts to his community, the Knicks donated $5,000 to The Dad Gang.

To learn more about The Dad Gang visit their webpage.

In honor of Pride Night, the New York Knicks recognized Destination Tomorrow Founder and Executive Director Sean Coleman as the January 2020 City Spirit Award recipient. A grassroots agency located in the South Bronx, Destination Tomorrow provides services to and for the LGBTQ community. They believe that no one should have to leave their neighborhood to access LGBTQ specific services. Sean founded Destination Tomorrow with a cornerstone of economic empowerment, offering clients skill building programs and services that provide academic enrichment as well as professional development.

As the founder of Destination Tomorrow, Sean became the first African American of Transgender experience to operate an LGBTQ center in New York City. He continues to play a key role in advocating for policies that directly impact the lives of millions of LGBTQ New Yorkers. He also serves his community as a part of Gilead’s National Transgender Advisory Group, The NYPD LGBT Advisory Board, Bronx Community Board, and the Transgender Legal and Education Defense Board, a national transgender led policy and advocacy agency.

The $5,000 donation has been allocated to Destination Tomorrow.

To learn more about Destination Tomorrow, visit their webpage.

The Knicks recognized Stephanie Consiglio, Bianca Muniz, and Samantha Haase as the December City Spirit Award recipients. Stephanie, Bianca, and Samantha are Garden of Dreams Talent Show alumnae who have battled or are currently battling cancer.

In 2015, at 14 years old, Stephanie was diagnosed with stage 3 germ cell tumors in her pelvis. During her four months of treatment, she turned to her passion of dance to help her fight, never missing a practice or competition.

Bianca has been diagnosed twice, first with ovarian cancer at age 11, and second with breast cancer at age 21. Now, at 23 years old, she has completed her last round of treatment. During her time in treatment, Bianca turned to music to help her push through. She released her first EP in 2016, several singles in 2017, and her second EP in 2018.

15-year-old Samantha is currently being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This past year at the GDF Talent Show, she celebrated her love for music by performing “The Climb,” a song with a powerful message she believes aligns with her own journey.

The $5,000 donation was given to iDance4aCure, an organization that aims to raise awareness for childhood cancer and money for cutting edge research. After meeting at the Garden of Dreams Talent Show, the girls shared their stories and talents and helped raise over $17,000 for iDance4aCure.

The Knicks were proud to recognize Officer Erika Luna as the November City Spirit Award recipient. Erika has served her community for over 20 years as an NYPD officer, and recently became a peer counselor. The focus of the counseling program is to offer support and mental health and wellness resources to officers in need.

Erika is a key component to the NYPD’s plan to curb the drastic rise in police suicides in recent years and has gone above and beyond her counselor duties. In October, while driving home, she used her training to save a woman from nearly committing suicide in the Bronx.

The Knicks are proud to celebrate Erika as she continues to be a force in her community. A $5,000 donation was awarded to Thessalonica Christian Church in the Bronx, New York, on her behalf.

The Knicks recognized retired FDNY EMS Ivonne Sanchez as the April 2019 City Spirit Award recipient. As a Bronx, NY native, Ivonne was driven to have a career in saving lives, so she joined NYC EMS in 1988. During her distinguished career in emergency medical services, she responded to hundreds of emergencies, including the military helicopter crash in the Hudson River. She also responded on September 11, 2001 and during the entire recovery effort at ground zero. In 2002, Ivonne was forced to retire with disabilities sustained from these efforts and years later was diagnosed with World Trade Center lung disease and two battles with breast cancer. But her fight did not stop there.

Ivonne is a 9/11 first responders advocate and has been active with World Trade Center Health program efforts to get First Responders into Medical Monitoring programs. She is also a supporter of the current effort to re-fund the Victims Compensation Fund. She works with organizations, other first responders, and members of congress and the senate so that all first responders with WTC-related illness can have access to funds they desperately need. In honor of Ivonne’s commitment to First Responders, the Knicks donated $5,000 to the FealGood Foundation, an organization fighting for emergency personnel who face serious illness or injury across the country. State Senator Jamaal Bailey helped present the donation.

In celebration of Women’s History Month and in recognition of all she does for the community, the Knicks recognized Amy Chasan of Sweet Generation as the City Spirit Award recipient for March 2019. Amy has always been a passionate baker and when she left her career in education to turn her bakery, Sweet Generation, into a full-time effort, she knew it had to be mission-driven.

In 2014, Sweet Generation developed RISE - a youth internship program for the bakery that provides job training, hands on kitchen experience, and educational support for at-risk young adults. In January of 2015, Sweet Generation opened its doors to its first storefront located in the East Village. Since then, Sweet Generation has established a reputation as one of the best new bakeries in NYC. Amy and her all-woman team have worked tirelessly to ensure Sweet Generation is successful both in business and in supporting the community. The $5,000 donation will go toward RISE to continue the great work they are doing for the young adults in the program.

Click here to watch a video about Amy's story.

The Knicks are proud to recognize Kevin Livingston of 100 Suits for 100 Men. Inspired by the notion that if you are not a part of the solution then you are part of the problem, he opted to be part of the solution by creating a community-centered, non-profit organization that is making positive changes in the lives of men and women in the New York City area. Founded in 2011, 100 Suits has served the needs of underprivileged men and women in need of business attire to enter the workforce. The primary focus of the organization is providing solutions to help individuals get to a place of economic freedom and to reduce recidivism rates. 100 Suits also offers programs that collaborate with educational, workforce development, social justice and law-enforcement organizations and institutions throughout New York City.

The Knicks are proud to celebrate Kevin as he continues to lead by example and action. The $5,000 donation has been allocated to 100 Suits to help fund suits and programming for its constituents.

The Knicks recognized 15-year-old Tobey Beyer with the January 2019 Sweetwater Clifton ‘City Spirit’ Award. Tobey is very involved in his community, acting as a teacher’s assistant to 2nd graders and preparing and distributing meals for the homeless with his local synagogue. A lifelong Knicks fan, Tobey sought to combine his love of giving back with his love of basketball by hosting a 3-on-3 basketball tournament and fundraiser, with all proceeds being donated to the Garden of Dreams Foundation. In the summer of 2018, Tobey hosted the inaugural basketball tournament, raising $8,500 for the Garden of Dreams. Tobey also chose the Garden of Dreams for the $5,000 donation to a charity of his choice.

Tobey plans to continue the tournament fundraiser, and the Knicks and the Garden of Dreams Foundation look forward to partnering with him to continue his efforts.

The Knicks are proud to recognize Mike Simmel as the December City Spirit Award recipient. Mike Simmel founded The Bounce Out the Stigma Project with his father in 2005. Bounce Out the Stigma is an organization dedicated to educating the public, teaching healthy choices, and empowering youth with disabilities. It has now grown into a national campaign which includes inclusive basketball camps and clinics across ten states.

Mike developed epilepsy when he was two years old and was debilitated to the point where he could not participate in “regular” activities. But he and his family worked to overcome this adversity, using basketball as a catalyst. He was a third-year varsity starter, standout point guard, captain, and graduate of Don Bosco Prep. He later was the team’s assists and steals leader at the prestigious Hun School of Princeton as a postgraduate student. His bouts with seizures would continue through college, which led him down a tough road where he would eventually finish and get his degree at SUNY Purchase, where he was a two-year captain and team leader in assist and steals.

Mike has made it his mission to help connect with kids and tell his story to all in order to empower people with disabilities.

BUILD NYC is a nationally recognized college and career readiness non-profit, dedicated to igniting the potential of high school students through hands-on entrepreneurial learning. The Knicks and BUILD program, presented by Chase, currently serves over 300 students across eight partner high schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, where graduation rates are as low as 41%. Chymeka Olfonse has been the Regional Executive Director since the program launched in New York and has seen success in students as they create, launch, and sustain their own businesses.

The Knicks and Chase are proud to partner with this incredible program to change the lives of youth across the city.

In celebration of Autism Awareness Month, the Knicks recognized Kevin Brosnick, the executive director of the GRACE Foundation, as the April 2018 Sweetwater ‘City Spirit’ Award recipient. The GRACE Foundation was formed eighteen years ago by four parents in Staten Island. The foundation’s mission is to support, educate and enhance the quality of life for children, teens, young adults and their families who face unique social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication challenges daily.

The foundation provides programs in areas of social skills, performing arts, day habilitation, arts and crafts, physical and team activities, daily living skills and community service. GRACE strives to impact self-esteem, opportunity, and dignity and encourages all participants to approach each day with tremendous courage and hope, not allowing themselves to be defined or marginalized by autism. Kevin accepted the award on April 3 at the Knicks vs. Magic game.

The Knicks recognized Mary Keane as the March 2018 Sweetwater Clifton ‘City Spirit’ Award recipient. Mary is the executive director of You Gotta Believe, a non-profit organization devoted to finding permanent families for young adults in foster care. Mary is an outspoken advocate for the organization’s LGBTQ efforts and is the leadership behind all its programs. On top of her work with You Gotta Believe, Mary is a foster mom to almost two dozen teenagers and is currently the adoptive mother of 13 children. The Knicks are proud to celebrate and recognize the tremendous work Mary is doing in her community.

In celebration of Black History Month, the Knicks recognized the Black Fives Foundation. The Black Fives Foundation researches, preserves and teaches the pre-NBA history of African Americans in Basketball while honoring its pioneers. Their work brings proper recognition to this once-forgotten, but important history, while also revealing the crucial life lessons this history can teach us like leadership, character, collaboration, grit and community stewardship.

Founded in 2013, the organization is the only tax-exempt public charity dedicates to this work and maintains the world’s largest known collection of pre-NBA African American basketball artifacts in its archives. The foundation works with community organizations and mission-aligned brands across the country to create and execute programs in support of its mission, with the motto, “Make history Now!” These include exhibits, education presentations, artifact preservation and oral histories.

Board member Claire Fay accepted the award on the organization’s behalf on February 6th.

The Knicks recognized Alicia White as the January 2018 Sweetwater Clifton ‘City Spirit’ Award recipient. Alicia is the President and Founder of Project Petals, an environmental and community development organization in New York City that provides educational workshops and resources to communities in need. Alicia started Project Petals in 2014 to give back to the community that she grew up in Jamaica, Queens. Her organization has since grown to include Harlem and other communities around the world. The organization also seeks to foster youth leadership through the Youth Builders Program. The program prepares young people for careers that are needed to develop communities and make them more sustainable.

Alicia’s goal is not only to revitalize communities, but create capacity and build internal leadership. Alicia works around the clock to connect people with the necessary tools, funding, and connections they need to transform their communities. Her advocacy work stems from a passion for expanding the economic and environmental growth of communities in need. By not only advocating for communities, but providing them with the tools they need to advocate for themselves.

The New York Knicks are proud and honored to recognize Reginald T. Brewster, a former Tuskegee Airman and community lawyer. In 1941, Reginald was drafted into the United States Air Force where he was trained at the Tuskegee Air Force base, the first military base in the country to train African-American pilots. While at Tuskegee, Reginald served as the secretary to the base Commander.

Upon his honorable discharge due to a shrapnel injury, Reginald was afforded the opportunity to attend Fordham University, followed by Fordham School of Law. He began practicing law in the New York City area in 1951 and served as a community lawyer throughout the area for more than 50 years. He retired in 2007 at the age of 90.

Alvin Irby is an award-winning educator, comedian and author and is the founder of Barbershop Books. Founded in Harlem, Barbershop Books is a community-based program that creates child-friendly reading spaces in barbershops and provides early literacy training to barbers. Barbershop Books is the winner of the National Book Foundation’s 2017 Innovations in Reading Prize. They currently partner with more than 100 barbershops in over 27 cities and 18 states with plans to expand into 50 new barbershops across NYC by September 2018. The Knicks are proud to recognize Alvin Irby for his work in positively influencing our community.

Massimo DiDonna was recognized on-court as the winner of the Sweetwater Clifton Spirit Award for the month of April. Massimo is the President of the Carl V. Bini Memorial Fund, which was created to honor Carl V. Bini. Bini was a New York City Firefighter of 18 years assigned to Rescue 5 in Staten Island who lost his life during the September 11th terror attacks. The Bini Fund supports the community through scholarships, emergency grants and special needs assistance. Since its inception, the organization has allocated more than $150,000 in scholarships and has opened "Carl's House," a free community resource center. The $5,000 donation will go towards the fund and its mission to continue Bini's lifelong belief of helping others.

The Knicks honored Nelba Marquez-Greene with the Sweetwater Clifton Award award for March. Nelba is a clinical fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and founded the Ana Grace Project in memory of her daughter, Ana Grace, who lost her life during the Sandy Hook tragedy in December 2012. The Ana Grace project is dedicated to promoting love, community and connection for every child and family through three lead initiatives: partner schools, professional development, and music & arts.

Nelba, a member of the Garden of Dreams family since 2013, was honored for her tireless efforts to bring to life the light and joy that her daughter embodied and to teach children the important skills of empathy and love. The $5,000 will go towards Nelba’s mission of helping to connect students with one another.

The Knicks recognized Nicole Pulphus and Tiffanne Prentis from Harlem for their positive impact on the community through the Riverside Hawks Youth Program. This program provides academic guidance and support for student athletes through afterschool and tutoring programs, promoting the development of strong moral character, and helping ensure the youth achieve their pursuits. Both Tiffanne and Nicole have encouraged excellence in sports as a way of advancing excellence in academics and assisting young people in becoming valuable contributors of their community. They will donate their $5,000 to the Riverside Hawks program.

The Knicks recognized Founder and Executive Director of Hands That Make a Difference, Lisa Fields-Linnen, for her dedication and commitment to work with the youth. Lisa has been devoted to enriching the lives of young people in Harlem for 28 years and created Hands That Make a Difference as a safe-haven for at-risk youth. Lisa believes that unity will save our community and the Knicks are proud to support her mission of youth development and growth.

Abdul “Sleep” Johnson was selected as December’s Sweetwater Clifton Award Winner. Sleep founded the Community Board Athletic Leadership League (C-BALL) when he noticed the lack of youth involvement on the Bronx Youth Community Boards, where he served as Parks and Recreation, Youth Services and Historical Outreach chairman. C-BALL focuses on specialized games and activities, as well as job development opportunities and mentorship programs that are structured to educate the youth within the community and make them aware of their civic responsibilities. Sleep was honored in December and will use the donation money to help fund free activities for youth in the community.

The Knicks honored Tony Hillery as the November Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award recipient. Tony is the Founder and Executive Director of Harlem Grown. He founded Harlem Grown in 2011 to address the health and academic challenges facing public elementary school students in Harlem. Today, the organization serves over 2,500 students per year while growing and providing over 2,000 lbs. of fruits and vegetables to children and families in Harlem.

Tony was honored by Knicks Legend John Starks at center court of Madison Square Garden when the Knicks hosted the Dallas Mavericks on November 14th, 2016. The $2,000 donation will go to Harlem Grown to help support Tony’s mission of inspiring youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives.

Watch Tony's Story

The Knicks recognized Michael and Marc Guberti of Scarsdale, New York as the final Sweetwater Clifton “City Spirit” Award recipients of the 2015-16 season. The award, sponsored by ZTE USA, was presented by Allan Houston to the Guberti brothers on Wednesday, April 6 at the Knicks vs. Hornets game at Madison Square Garden.

Michael, a sophomore at Fordham University, and his younger brother Marc, a senior at Fordham Prep, partner with local corporations and entrepreneurs to host the annual “Teenager Entrepreneur Boot Camp” at Fordham University. The camp teaches youth how to identify their passions, create online and physical products, enhance their public speaking skills, boost their confidence and defeat their fears.

Through their efforts, Michael and Marc have instructed & inspired thousands of students in-person and online. The Guberti brothers have selected Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation and Eastchester Youth Soccer Association as the charities to benefit from the donation, in their name. As an added bonus, the CEO of ZTE, Lixin Cheng was present to match the Knicks donation, thus the charities will receive a total of $4,000!

The New York Knickerbockers honored Tomi the dog as March's Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award recipient, presented by ZTE USA, for saving his family from their burning home in October 2015.

The three-year old Shiba Inu saved his owners lives when he ran upstairs and jumped on their bed as their Hicksville, Long Island home caught fire and filled with smoke, while they were sleeping.

Julia Haight, Tomi's owner, is grateful for Tomi's instincts. “When there's a fire, every second counts,” she said. Tomi also participated in the Westminster Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in February 2016, so the Haight family has a lot to celebrate.

Tomi and Julia accepted the award on March 5 at the Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons game. Tomi is the first dog to win the City Spirit Award. On behalf of ZTE USA and the Knicks, Julia and Tomi are receiving a $2,000 donation to a charity of their choice as well as a ZTE SPRO 2 Smart Projector. The award money will go to The NYC Shiba Rescue, Inc, which is an all-volunteer group dedicated to contributing to the quality of life of Shiba Inu in and around the New York City metropolitan area.

The New York Knickerbockers honored Dr. Latasha Jones, of the Bronx, NY, as February's Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award recipient, presented by ZTE USA, for inspiring her students to make a difference in their community.

Dr. Jones is a middle school teacher at The Walter Damrosch Day Treatment School in the Bronx, where she specializes in providing educational programs for children with social, emotional and learning difficulties and severe academic deficits. She not only educates her students in academics but also empowers them to be of service to others.

Four years ago, Dr. Jones decided to teach her students about the importance of giving back and joined Lead2Feed, a service learning program that nurtures a new generation of leaders, to show her students how impactful they could be to the lives of others. The Lead2Feed lessons provide opportunities for high levels of student engagement through collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, reflection and creativity. Jones and a group of students, also known as “The Feeding Angels,” raised a total of $35,000 to help feed members throughout the community who are in need. These acts of service provide her students with a sense of gratitude as they see firsthand the smiles that they put on the faces of those they serve.

Dr. Latasha Jones accepted the award on February 9th vs. Washington Wizards where Knicks Legend, Larry Johnson presented her with the Sweetwater Clifton medal. On behalf of ZTE USA and the Knicks, Dr. Jones is receiving a $2,000 donation to a charity of her choice as well as a ZTE SPRO 2 Smart Projector. The award money will go to The National Council of Negro Women Inc., Westchester Section.

The New York Knickerbockers honored the late NYPD Detective Joseph Lemm as January's Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award recipient.

Lemm was a technical sergeant who served in the U.S. Air Force and joined the Air National Guard after being discharged, served one tour in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. On December 21, while serving in the Air National Guard, Joseph's patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber, killing him and five other Americans in Afghanistan. Those that knew Joseph best describe him as a real-life superman, embodying honor to the end.

On behalf of Joseph, his wife Christine, and two children, Brooke and Ryan, accepted the award on January 31st vs. Golden State Warriors. They were presented the Sweetwater Clifton medal by Knicks Legend John Starks as well as a ZTE S Pro 2 Smart Projector by ZTE USA Chairman and CEO Lixin Cheng. On behalf of ZTE USA and the Knicks, the Lemm family is receiving a $4,000 donation to the charity of their choice - St. Anthony of Padua Church.

The New York Knicks have announced The Perez Family, of Brooklyn, NY, as this month's Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award recipients for volunteering their services to nonprofit organizations that benefit children facing life threatening obstacles. The award, presented by ZTE USA, is named in honor of Basketball Hall-of-Famer Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, the first African-American to play for the Knicks, recognizes individuals who have made a significant difference in the lives of others. Each month a winner is chosen by members of the Knicks front office staff and honored at center court during a Knicks game with a $2,000 donation in his or her name made out to a charity of their choice.

In September 2014 The Perez Family lost their 13-year-old son and brother, Nicolas after he fought a three-year battle with brain cancer. The Perez Family wanted to give back to the same organizations that helped make Nicolas' life memorable by assisting families who are experiencing the similar pain and struggles of having a child with serious illnesses and disabilities. The family volunteers with “The Starlight Children's Foundation,” “The Children's Brain Tumor Foundation” and “The Garden of Dreams Foundation.” In April 2015, the family created “The Nicolas Perez Memorial Scholarship” to promote Pediatric Cancer Awareness and award graduating eighth-grade students from Nicolas' middle school, MS 442 Carroll Gardens School for Innovation, with scholarships to help them prepare for high school.

The New York Knickerbockers honored the late Brian Beutel, of Bergen County, NJ, as November's Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award presented by ZTE USA winner for his generosity and kindness gestures for the Bergen County community.

Beutel, father of five daughters, collapsed during the “Battle of the Blue” basketball game for the “Tomorrow's Children's Fund,” a nonprofit organization that assists children who are battling cancer. Beutel not only lectured his daughters on the importance of giving back, but he led by example. He served as volunteer coordinator for the adult basketball league in his hometown of Westwood for the past decade and he often sat outside of shopping centers raising money for local charities. The award money will go to "Tomorrow's Children's Fund."

On behalf of Beutel, his wife Tamiko and five daughter, Vanessa, Olivia, Camilla, Sophia and Tatianna accepted the award on November 6th vs. Milwaukee Bucks. They were presented the medal and personalized jersey by Knicks Alum, Vin Baker as well as a ZTE SPRO 2 Smart Projector by Vice President of Strategic Marketing for Mobile Devices at ZTE USA, Andrew Elliott.

The New York Knickerbockers have honored Boys Club of New York Educational Services Director and Latino College Expo Co-Founder, Antonio Aponte of New York, as the Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award winner for the month of March. The Latino College Expo elevates the educational aspirations of the Latino community by offering an array of specialized services tailored to their needs.

In 1990, Antonio co-founded the Latino College Expo Inc., to help equip students with the tools and information needed to gain college access and achieve educational goals. The expo consists of leadership seminars that discuss a variety of college planning steps, including the application process, standardize testing, financial aid, scholarships and college sports. To date, The Latino College Expo Disbursed Over $100,000 in Grants to High School Seniors in the NY Area. Antonio has chosen to donate his $2,000 donation to the Latino College Expo Inc.

Antonio was honored on at center court of Madison Square Garden by Knicks Legend John Starks when the Knicks hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 19th, 2015.

Mott Hall Bridges Academy principal, Nadia López of Brooklyn, NY was February's recipient of the Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award winner. Nadia's dedication to her students' education encouraged an online fundraising campaign to raise money for an informative school trip to Harvard University that raised over $1 million, reaching the fundraising goal of $100,000 in just 45 minutes. The additional funds will go toward future academic trips and programs for Mott Hall Bridges students. She has chosen that the $2,00 donation will go to The Kids League of New York City.

Nadia received high recognition from community organizations and local leaders for the major role she plays in many students' lives. In a town where the graduation retention rate is historically low, Nadia's contribution helped Mott Hall Bridges Academy attain a 98-percent graduation rate.

Nadia was recognized on court at Madison Square Garden at the Knicks vs Miami Heat game.

Barbara Strong, of Rock Hill, NY was January's Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award recipient for establishing the Allyson Whitney Foundation - a non-profit organization that empowers and fights for the interests of young adults with rare cancers. After losing her 25-year-old daughter Allyson to a long battle of small cell cervical cancer, Barbara wanted to turn her daughter's dream of helping others into a reality. With the support of family and friends, Barbara was able to start the foundation and raise money for the cause through events and donations. The Allyson Whitney 5k Walk/Run is the organization's biggest success, raising over $70,000 that included over 800 participants.

Barbara accepted the award presented by Knicks Legend John Starks at center court of Madison Square Garden at the Knicks vs. Charlotte Hornets match up. The award money will go to the Allyson Whitney Foundation to improve the quality of life and provide emotional support for young patients.

Bruce Boyle Received the 2014 Surfers' Environmental Alliance “Friend of the Paddle” Award.

Bruce Boyle, of Sea Girt, NJ was December's Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award recipient for his dedication with keeping the New York waters safe and his contributions to numerous environmental charitable events. Bruce is the developer and owner of Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, which was transformed to an emergency rescue command center during the September 11th attacks. Since then, Bruce has been dedicated to overseeing the bodies of waters that surround the New York area and serves as a consultant for the marine industry throughout the northeast. On December 16th, Bruce accepted the Sweetwater Clifton City Spirit Award presented by Knicks Legend John Starks at center court of Madison Square Garden. The award money will go to the Surfers' Environmental Alliance (SEA), which contributes to environmental preservation and numerous autism non-profits.

Keith Caputo, of Center Moriches, NY was honored as November's Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award recipient for his fundraising efforts and warm support for people throughout his Long Island community. After the passing of his mentor and community hero, Anthony Parlato, Keith decided to follow Anthony's mission of helping someone each day. With the support of his family and friends, Keith started the “Helping Makes U Happy” charity to make a difference for members of local communities through fundraising, donations, and scholarship opportunities. Keith Caputo accepted the Sweetwater Clifton City Spirit Award presented by Knicks Legend John Starks at center court of Madison Square Garden. The award money will go to the "Helping Makes U Happy" charity to help support Keith's mission.

Felipe Lopez of Santiago, Dominican Republic, was the recipient of the Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award for the month of October for his continuous work helping to bring basketball efforts to the five boroughs. Lopez' greatest accomplishments are off the basketball court. After one of the most highly-celebrated high school basketball careers in New York City history at Rice in the Bronx, four years at his hometown St. John's University and a four-year NBA career, Lopez devoted his life to philanthropy. He has always felt a great responsibility to care for his communities - both with his Hispanic lineages and the New York boroughs. The self-founded Felipe Lopez Foundation is committed to establishing an environment for positive learning and healthy living, that includes providing youth with educational scholarships. He conducts clinics in local Hispanic communities and his weekends are spent at the Bronx Spanish Evangelical Church, teaching the neighborhood boys lessons to be used both on and off the court. Lopez' immense generosity earned him the title “NBA Ambassador” with the NBA Cares program.

Felipe Lopez accepted the Sweetwater Clifton City Spirit Award, presented by Knicks Great Larry Johnson, on center court at Madison Square Garden vs. the Toronto Raptors on December 13th. Lopez' award will be donated to Skyhoops Basketball and the Felipe Lopez USA Foundation.