BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A southeast Queens native’s
efforts to transform underutilized
green spaces in
her community and beyond is
receiving recognition through
a special campaign celebrating
people who displayed their
leadership capabilities during
the COVID-19 pandemic while
influencing those in pursuit of
a brighter tomorrow.
Alicia White, founder and
executive director of Project
Petals, is one of four individuals
selected for the campaign
“Resiliency Rising” sponsored
by People Magazine and U.S.
Bank spotlighting her extraordinary
work to assist the public
in obtaining basic necessities
during the pandemic.
“It means a lot to me and the
communities I’ve worked with
and shows that the work we
are doing is being recognized,”
White said. “The work that I do
is not highlighted all the time.
It was flattering, but it was also
a positive moment. It’s been a
difficult year, especially with
the pandemic, and it was a good
surprise.”
White is a social entrepreneur,
urban strategist, adviser,
innovator and advocate with
a passion for expanding the
environmental and economic
growth of low-income and under
resourced areas.
Through Project Petals,
White focuses on the revitalization
and development of communities
in need. The organization
provides and helps people
access the tools and resources
that will help them prosper in
their environment.
“We work primarily in
under-resourced communities
throughout New York
City, which are usually underfunded
when it comes to green
space,” White said. “We create
sustainable green spaces that
community members can use.”
With a background in grantwriting,
White is able to receive
funding from foundations and
companies interested in sustainable
development and community
members through fundraising
initiatives, she said.
“When I started my own organization
I thought it would
be easy, but it’s not. Black-led
organizations by women don’t
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.4 COM | AUG. 13 - AUG. 19, 2021
get the same amount of funding,”
White said.
White also established
the Youth Builders Program,
where young people can learn
more about architecture, engineering,
program planning
and design.
The program gives youth
a chance to learn about these
careers while providing them
with access to mentorships
and professionals in order to
obtain internships, letters of
recommendation and an idea of
what they want to do after high
school, White said.
It also gives youth the opportunity
to improve their
communities.
For White, Project Petals
was her childhood dream
while growing up in Jamaica,
Queens, she said.
“It was my main inspiration.
I would travel to Manhattan
and go to Central Park
and see all of these beautiful
environmental spaces, and
I would think, ‘Why don’t I
have that where I’m from?’”
White said.
Years later, White’s mission
became clear when she saw an
Alicia White, founder and executive director of Project Petals.
abandoned lot on her way home
from work.
The access to the Long Island
Rail Road that residents
in her community used at the
time, according to White, was a
dirt path and acres of environmental
space that was used as a
dumping ground.
“There was a senior that
lived next door and she would
Courtesy of White
take care of the space by herself.
I saw her while coming
from the train one day and I
asked, ‘Do you need someone
to come out and help you?’ and
she said, ‘That would be great.
I’ve been doing this for years
and the city won’t help me clean
up because three city agencies
own the property,’” White said.
Read more on QNS.com.
Jamaica resident spearheads environmental
initiatives through nonprofi t organization
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