Celebrating Bronx’s Power Women
Schneps Media will once again
celebrate the strong, female leadership
involved in the Bronx’s political, business,
cultural, healthcare, and other sectors at
the Power Women of the Bronx Virtual
Event.
A “star power” Bronx woman is
Debbian Fletcher-Blake of the healthcare
organization Vocational Instruction
Project (VIP) Community Services, Inc.
As CEO, Fletcher-Blake has provided
steady leadership to VIP as the Bronx
community battles the global fight
against COVID-19. Fletcher-Blake has
worked collaboratively both internally
and externally to ensure that VIP remains
open to serve patients and clients,
including providing COVID testing to
the community. Under DOH guidance,
VIP began providing COVID-19
vaccinations at the end of December
and will continue through the pandemic.
Fletcher-Blake has been active in building
culturally competent workforces, tackling
healthcare inequities and focusing on
strategies to eliminate disparities, and
working to ensure community members
are active participants in deciding systems
of care. Her vision and commitment to
improve the health and well-being of the
community is strengthened by her belief
that we are partners and together we
can heal, plan and work to achieve great
things. Under Fletcher-Blake’s leadership
and determination, VIP remains a reliable
and critical resource for the Bronx and
the surrounding areas.
In the realm of media strategy, one
Bronx native has made quite the splash.
Jennifer Blatus, a proud Mount Saint
Vincent graduate and former Bronx
journalist is a successful media strategist
at Stu Loeser & Co. In addition to
previously working on presidential
campaigns, Blatus was instrumental in
Congressman Max Rose’s successful
election campaign some years ago. For
Blatus, she wants to lead by example
2020 HONOREES
BRONX TIMES R 2 EPORTER, JAN. 8-14, 2021
to show that women have and deserve
positions of power not only in New York
City, but everywhere.
One honoree looks to historically
change the Bronx’s political landscape
by running for borough president –
Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez.
“You must fight for the next day,” she said,
adding that it’s important to women to
realize they have a right “to be in these
rooms” of high power.
As the Bronx’s 80th District
Assemblywoman, Fernandez previously
championed funding for Bronx schools
for those students of special needs,
supported non-profit organizations for
formerly incarcerated youth, along with
other progressive policies for the borough.
Shanequa Moore created I’Raise Girls
and Boys International Corporation as
a youth mentoring program in the north
Bronx eight years ago, since that time she
has exponentially grown her “vision” to
serve over 8,000 families and seven different
schools, working with public schools,
teachers, students, to provide mental health,
counseling, and art services to New York
City.
Register Today:
BronxPowerWomen.com
Thursday,
January 14 • 7pm
Irene Amato
CEO
A.S.A.P Mortgage Corp.
Yvette Bairan
CEO
Astor Services for Children & Families
Lucille Barbato
Partner
Spiegel & Barbato, LLP
Jennifer Blatus
Media Strategist
Stu Loeser & Co.
Elizabeth Bonilla
Paramedic
FDNY
Ninoska Carolina
Founder & Executive Director
Mott Haven Film Festival
Maggie Castro
Associate State Director
Hispanic Outreach
AARP New York
Grace Cerini
Office Manager
Capital Shield Agency
Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis
President
Hostos Community College
Cristina Contreras
Chief Strategy Officer
NYC HHC/Jacobi & North Central
Bronx
THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS:
Moore said being named a Bronx
power woman “came at a time that was
very needed,” explaining that she has
lately been overwhelmed in wanting to
keep seeing change in both the Bronx and
city for underserved youth – particularly
during COVID-19.
It was during then that her
organization actually found a way to
expand its own services, creating a
COVID-19 hotline and pandemic-related
mental health services as well. I’Raise
Girls and Boys also created a STEM
program along with computer coding
courses for girls.
You can pay tribute to these – and
other – amazing Bronx women on
Thursday, January 14 at 7pm. Register
today at https://www.schnepsmedia.com/
power-women-of-the-bronx/.
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