The Neighborhoodie Awards
From left to right: Robert W. Walsh, Commissioner, NYC Small Business Services; Mayor Michael Bloomberg; ACCION USA President and CEO Gina Harman; Kevin Burke, CEO, Con Edison; Eileen Auld, New York State Community Relations Director, Citi
Last week, the NYC Department of Small Business Services hosted its seventh annual Neighborhood Achievement Awards at Gracie Mansion, the vacant mayor’s estate. (If you’ve ever seen Mayor Bloomberg’s extravagant, Upper East Side residence, you understand why he doesn’t live there.) Every year, the Neighborhood Achievement Awards, or the “hoodie” awards for those of you fluent in the local urban vernacular, honor NYC’s most dedicated community development organizations and inspiring small businesses. As one of twelve proud recipients, ACCION USA was recognized for our work serving the minority and women small business community, taking home the Minority and Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Advocate of the Year Award. Currently, ACCION USA’s NY portfolio consists of 96% minority and women clients. This comes as no surprise given that both of these populations continue to be disproportionally affected by the lack of access to business credit in the U.S.
It wasn’t until I attended the ceremony last Monday that I realized just how big of a deal these awards are within the city’s small business community. I guess mention of the Mayor as the event’s emcee in the invite was not an obvious hint for me. I figured these awards were your standard media-powered vehicle for showcasing the city government’s dollars at work. And, as an NYC taxpayer, I felt a catered evening at Gracie Mansion was deserved, seeing as how I pay one eight millionth of the rent. As it turns out, fancy cocktails and photos ops aside, my assumptions and cynicism were unfounded.
The Neighborhood Achievement Awards were a refreshing look at the organizations and entrepreneurs who are creating real change in our local communities, whether it be economic, social, or aesthetic. More importantly, it was a celebration of the close-knit network of neighborhoods that create the city’s five boroughs and make NYC, arguably, the city with the strongest sense of community. Especially at a time when gloomy economic news floods the headlines, positive reinforcement is a worthy reminder to us small business folks that we continue to play significant part in revitalizing our local economies and communities. I know I can speak for ACCION USA in saying we view our award as added motivation to advance our critical mission into our twentieth year serving the individuals who are the backbone of the NYC economy.
Tags: michael bloomberg, neighborhood achievement awards, new york city