A Daily Dose of Real Life Inspiration from New York City Visionaries (Part I)

A few weeks back, I published an article about the “Heart and Hustle of New York City.” It’s my love letter to the city that has given me and so many so much over the years. There is no other place I would want to run my business.

I received some great feedback and some great stories of inspiration from members of the community: the people in our city that are “making the doughnuts” like only New Yorkers can do under these incredible circumstances. The people in our city who don’t have the time to have philosophical conversations about the future of the city because they are the ones actually making its future through their hard work and dedication.

In short, the response was inspiring and way too good for me not to share with you.

So for the next week I’ll be sharing some stories of inspiration. Share, spread, engage, contribute. The more we connect and support one another, the better off we all are.

Let me introduce you to just a few amazing people who are inspiring me these days. 

Meet Donna Walker-Kuhne. I’ve worked with Donna for almost 20 years. Not only is she a kind soul, but she’s also one of the most thoughtful marketers and educators in NYC. Her commitment to expanding the audiences in our city’s arts and cultural industries is unmatched. She has also been a driving force behind the growth of Harlem Week. Don’t stop Donna - we need you now more than ever!

DONNA WALKER-KUHNE, FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, Walker International Communications Group, Inc. 

How has the role of your surrounding community and its impact on your organization changed during COVID? The Harlem arts, business, and civic leadership has been extremely proactive in providing necessary services to the community in a consistent and dynamic manner. It has been wonderful to be a part of this movement - from raising funds to providing leadership and strategies that take care of our artists, families and seniors.   

What's the most inspiring thing you've witnessed during this past year? The rapid response of the Harlem community to take care of the local residents with food distribution (sometimes up to 2,000 meals daily), PPP distribution, and providing laptops for students.

Meet Erik Piecuch. I challenge you to find a more engaged bank in the Broadway and theatre district than City National Bank. Eric leads one of the most thoughtful groups of bankers I’ve ever worked with. I’ve seen firsthand not simply their kindness but their ongoing actions to support the community.

ERIK PIECUCH, SVP/TEAM LEADER, City National Bank

What has been the toughest part for you or your organization adapting to operating during COVID? I’ve found it challenging to keep in consistent touch with colleagues, clients, friends, and family. Like a lot of people, I’ve had to find new ways to maintain my relationships virtually, and it’s not always easy. Meanwhile, it’s been heartbreaking to see the Broadway community shut down, and so many clients and friends out of work. No industry has been hit as hard by the pandemic. That’s been one of the toughest things about the COVID crisis.

What's the most inspiring thing you've witnessed during this past year? Just last weekend, I got to participate in a truly inspirational event – I was on the host committee of a Quarantunes fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS that raised over $1.2 million, including $100,000 contributed by City National Bank. Over 1,000 people joined a Zoom call organized by Richard Weitz and his daughter, Demi Weitz. A truly phenomenal list of Broadway performers participated during the evening. It was amazing to be a part of and very inspiring to see the fundraising benefit such an important organization.

Meet Joe Leggio. I can’t even imagine what an “average day” in a NYC hospital must be like in 2020. But I know if there is anyone that can meet the moment, it is Joe and his hospitality and commitment to excellence in care for his patients.

JOE LEGGIO, ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/VP, EXPERIENCE SERVICES, Lenox Hill Hospital - Northwell Health 

What was the most valuable lesson learned during COVID-19? I feel it’s extremely important to share two of my most valuable lessons learned during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first is in the power of consistent, concise, and clear communication. When information was changing as fast as it did, having trust with our team was key to our success. The reality was that information was changing all of the time but ensuring it got to the right place at the right time made all of the difference. The second lesson is to remember to take care of yourself. As healthcare team members, we very often spring into action and only focus on others; that’s who we are. However, it’s important to remember that in order to be good to others, you must be good to yourself. Checking in with yourself emotionally, mentally, physically every day was extremely important. The biggest piece of that lesson is remembering to do that all of the time and not just in the middle of a pandemic.

What's the most inspiring thing you've witnessed during this past year? Still to this day I continue to be amazed and in awe of the tremendous support from our patients, families, and community members. Every day since our first COVID-19 case, people kept reaching out offering to help and support our front line healthcare heroes in any way they could. From providing free meals so staff didn't have to leave the building, to donating personal PPE to ensure we had what we needed to take care of patients, to coming out every night at 7:00pm to clap and say or even sing thank you. Feeling this incredible love and support was the strength we needed to succeed.

Meet Matthew Jozwiak. Before the pandemic, the number of food insecure families was gut-wrenching. Since the pandemic, the issue has only become more pressing. That is why I continue to remain in awe of the work that Matt’s company has done in feeding New Yorkers in the face of so many headwinds.

MATTHEW JOZWIAK, FOUNDER & CEO, Rethink Food

What has been the toughest part for you or your organization adapting to operating during COVID? Relationships, especially the close ones. We had to account for both safety and our mission during COVID. People were concerned about the team being out and about in NYC; the team was concerned about the massive increase in food insecurity. We had to make difficult choices almost every day. 

What’s the most inspiring thing you've witnessed during this past year? One night during the height of the protests, I was handing out masks to people on the street. One young kid grabbed all the masks out of my hands and said something rude. His friends who witnessed were about half a block up and he joined them. I was walking home in the same direction, and the young man came back and handed me the masks and said, “I am sorry, you are just trying to help. Thank you for caring.”

Meet Rachelle Pereira. To say this moment calls for leadership is a tremendous understatement. In a world where no decision feels like a good decision, it’s inspiring to hear the incredible guidance Rachelle offers NYC leaders navigating tough decisions with insight and, as importantly, compassion.

 RACHELLE PEREIRA, CO-FOUNDER, EQUALibrium Group

How do you think you or your organization will be different in 2021? We miss seeing our clients face to face – but now that we see the ease and impact of virtual delivery, this will be a permanent and perhaps even preferred mode of delivery. I predict that our new normal will be a hybrid of working in person and virtually, picking the right mode of delivery for the organization and their objective. We now have a entirely new way to engage with clients who have staff members living around the world and we can make training more cost effective by reducing the need for travel, space rental, catering and the like. Saying that, we can’t wait for the opportunity to break bread together, have quality in-person conversation, and give our wonderful clients a big hug.

What's the most inspiring thing you've witnessed during this past year? We have been a witness to the way organizations have coped with the double pandemic of COVID-19 and the national reckoning of racial injustice. It has been incredible to be privy to the inner workings, heart-breaking decisions, and strategic moves companies have been making in light of these acute challenges. And time and time again, I am inspired by how HUMANS are at the center of the conversation. This moment has forced us all to see our humanity and encouraged us to bring our fullest selves to the workplace and work together to push forward and build back better.

Meet Sarah Haberman. You don’t need me to tell you the importance of storytelling. But in a world where our ability to tell stories in arts and cultural venues may have been put on pause, Sarah’s amazing work of keeping us inspired through the power of storytelling is moving.

SARAH HABERMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, The Moth

What's the most inspiring thing you've witnessed during this past year? The power of storytelling to bring people together. We've heard such great feedback from our community about how our podcast, livestream shows, and workshops have helped people feel less alone during this time of social isolation. Hearing that was inspiring and gave us the confidence and determination to forge on and find new ways to connect and expand our reach. Seeing the reaction has also shown us that our virtual formats have succeeded in reaching new audiences and should continue in some form after the pandemic ends.

What are you most proud of from your organization in how it has operated during this unique moment in time? I am proudest of our team’s commitment to storytelling and presenting the best possible experience for our community across any platform. I'm in awe at how The Moth team stepped into this moment with so much strength, determination, and willingness to adapt 600+ live shows and workshops for the virtual space. That's not an easy feat! From the beginning, they were committed to problem-solving and not panicking, taking the time to learn new platforms, and also to being okay with the potential of failing a bit. I am very proud of us for being so willing to take those chances. Without failure, you can’t innovate. Lastly, their resilience, positivity, and dedication to this cause is a source of inspiration for me personally, as well as for others on this team, and hopefully, for those in our storytelling community.

Meet Vincent Gassetto. The impact on our city’s public education system during this crisis has been profound - particularly on the families in underserved areas. This is why the world needs more Vincents. Now more than ever, our city’s students need our attention. And I remain in awe of the work Vincent and his supporting administration at MS 343 are doing under a remarkable set of circumstances.

VINCENT GASSETTO, PRINCIPAL, M.S. 343 (District 7/South Bronx)

What has been one of the biggest challenges for you or your organization during this time? There have been many challenges brought on by this pandemic as well as the social unrest and injustices that plague our country. I am not here to school anyone on that (pun intended) but do want to ensure everyone is aware of an issue that is still so hard to fathom exists. Reliable Wi-Fi connectivity! The biggest issue to remote learning by far has been getting students online consistently. More than half of our students struggle daily with consistent/reliable connectivity that prevents them from learning at their full capacity. We talk about gaps in education and social inequalities all the time in this country; but the one issue that seems simple to fix (only need money) that will have a profound impact on our youth is ensuring that every student in a public school has fast and reliable connectivity. To be clear, this is not just a school issue but also one pertaining to human rights. Every child needs and deserves access to information in order to grow and have the same opportunities, no matter their social status or zip code, as their counterparts. Most of our information is received virtually at this point, so let’s make sure everyone has access to it!

What's the most inspiring thing you've witnessed during this past year? If I had to sum this up in one word, that word is resiliency. I serve one of the poorest congressional districts in our country. This community was devastated, as were so many others, by this pandemic. However, students and families stayed engaged in the learning process from day one and most did everything in their power to ensure that was not interrupted. Many people had every excuse in the world to disengage and quit but I guess that’s just not the NY way! I also have to shout out my staff for their dedication and creativity. You often hear the horror stories of schools and teachers not doing what people expect from them. Well, I’m telling you that teachers from our school, and across the city (my wife is a teacher and is amazing!), took this challenge head on and found ways to ensure instruction was accessible and impactful. All of this happened in an instant, but these people put their hard hats on and went to work. I strongly believe that we were forced to find new and innovative ways to teach that will stay with us moving forward and will definitely make us stronger.

The inspiration never gets old to me. We need it now more than ever.

I’ll be sharing more throughout the week!

UPDATE, 10/28: Here's part II of interviews.

Comment below with your stories of inspiration!