Borough Assemblies have begun!
Borough Assemblies — the second phase of The People's Money, NYC's citywide participatory budgeting process — are underway! In late January, Borough Assembly members from all five boroughs came together for the first time to launch their work on The People's Money, where they'll be deciding which resident-proposed project ideas will advance to the citywide vote this spring.
The kickoff session was all about laying the foundation: members got to know each other, learned about the city budget, and got oriented on the tools and resources they'll be using as they continue their participatory budgeting journeys throughout this month. The day also included presentations from City agencies, including the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department of Youth & Community Development, the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department of Small Business Services, the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, and the Mayor's Office of Food Policy. Assembly Members got to learn about these agencies' initiatives and consider what types of projects could make a difference in their boroughs.
It was a day of collaboration, learning, and big-picture thinking, setting the stage for the next steps: digging into community priorities, reviewing the ideas submitted by New Yorkers this past fall, and working towards the proposals that will eventually appear on each borough's ballot.
Borough Assemblies in Ethnic & Community Media
In January, we hosted an ethnic and community media roundtable to share updates on our Borough Assemblies and strengthen relationships with trusted local news outlets that serve New York City's diverse communities. The conversation created space to discuss how Borough Assemblies expand civic participation, elevate community voices, and ensure that New Yorkers from all backgrounds can help shape local priorities.
We're excited to share that this engagement led to thoughtful coverage across multiple outlets, helping bring the work of Borough Assemblies to broader audiences:
Ethnic and community media play a vital role in keeping New Yorkers informed and connected. We're proud to continue building these relationships to ensure that information about civic engagement opportunities reaches communities in the languages and spaces they trust most.
Civic Leader Spotlight: Khary Lazarre-White of The Brotherhood Sister Sol
This February is the hundredth anniversary of Black History Month, and we're honored to highlight Khary Lazarre-White — the Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Brotherhood Sister Sol — for this month's Civic Leader Spotlight.
Born and raised in New York City, Khary is a social entrepreneur, educator, activist, novelist, and civil rights lawyer whose work sits at the intersection of race, class, gender, education, organizing, and the law. At just 21 years old, Khary co-founded The Brotherhood Sister Sol (BroSis) in Harlem — an organization that has since become nationally renowned for its comprehensive approach to social justice youth development.
For nearly three decades, BroSis has provided direct services and political education to young people, trained educators across the country, and organized communities to advance meaningful social change. Khary's leadership has helped shape some of the most innovative and effective youth development practices in the nation, earning recognition from institutions including the Ford Foundation, Black Girls Rock, the Andrew Goodman Foundation, and Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network, among many others.
In addition to his organizing and legal work, Khary is an accomplished writer and speaker, contributing essays and opinion pieces to outlets such as Essence, MSNBC, and the Huffington Post. He's also the author of the novel "Passage," which was named one of The Wall Street Journal's "Best New Fiction" titles. His extensive public service includes appointments to numerous boards and advisory councils, including being a Commissioner of Human Rights for the City of New York.
Khary's lifelong commitment to education, civic engagement, and community-led change reflects the values that drive our work at the CEC. We're proud to spotlight his leadership and the lasting impact of The Brotherhood Sister Sol this Black History Month.
To learn more about Black History Month, check out this incredible interactive resource from BHM100.
Apply to serve on your community board!
Applications for community boards are still open in three boroughs!
Community boards are a key part of local democracy in New York City, giving residents a formal voice in neighborhood planning, services, quality-of-life issues, and more. Working with city agencies, elected officials, and local leaders, community boards ensure neighborhood perspectives are reflected in decisions on issues from essential services like sanitation to public transit to the city budget and more.
The deadlines for Brooklyn and Queens have passed, but applications are still open for New Yorkers in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island interested in serving on their local community boards — click the links below to apply!
Bring participatory budgeting to your community!
Are you part of an LGBTQ+ or youth-focused organization looking to civically engage your community? We want to hear from you!
There are many ways to get involved, from putting up posters in your space to sharing information through your digital channels to expand awareness of the vote and help more New Yorkers understand how they can participate. Your organization can play a key role in connecting residents with the participatory budgeting process and amplifying the voices of New Yorkers in your neighborhood.
If your organization is interested in partnering with us to bring The People's Money to your community, reach out and let's collaborate! Together, we can make civic engagement accessible, fun, and meaningful for everyone.
Contact us at publicaffairs@civicengagement.nyc.gov to get started!
Know a creator who can help amplify The People's Money?
As we gear up for The People's Money citywide vote, we're looking for ways to reach more New Yorkers and get them excited to participate. One way we're doing this is by partnering with local influencers, content creators, or other prominent New York City voices who have strong followings and trusted connections in their communities.
We're especially interested in creators whose content focuses on everyday life — think food, culture, small businesses, local events, arts, fashion, humor, or city living — rather than just civic or policy topics. We want partners who reflect the diversity of communities across all five boroughs.
If you follow or know creators who could help us spread the word about the vote and inspire their audiences to get involved, we'd love your suggestions!
Email publicaffairs@civicengagement.nyc.gov or DM us on Instagram @nycccec with your recommendations by Wednesday, February 25 so we can review and identify potential collaborators. Your input will help make the campaign more engaging and inclusive for all New Yorkers, and you know your community best!
Join the Language Access Advisory Committee!
We are still recruiting members for the Language Access Advisory Committee (LAAC) in select languages! If you speak Russian, Haitian, Yiddish, or Bangla and are passionate about language accessibility, voting rights, and community engagement, we encourage you to apply.
LAAC members play a key role in shaping how New Yorkers access the ballot, supporting the implementation of NYC's Voter Language Assistance Program and helping ensure that limited English proficient residents can participate fully in civic life. Members provide feedback, share insights from their communities, and help the City improve resources and outreach for voters who need language assistance.
Learn more and apply at on.nyc.gov/laac!
Come to our public meeting on February 19!
Join us on Thursday, February 19 for a public meeting with CEC staff and commissioners to learn about our programs and initiatives! The meeting will take place at Spector Hall (22 Reade St, New York, NY 10007) and will begin at 11:00 a.m.
You must contact the Commission if you need reasonable accommodation for a disability or language assistance. To request a sign language interpreter or to request free interpretation for Spanish and other languages, please contact the Commission no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 16th, 2026, by calling or texting 917-587-9103 or by e-mailing info@civicengagement.nyc.gov. Closed captioning is available.
Para solicitar interpretación gratuita en español y otros idiomas, comuníquese con la Comisión a más tardar a las 5 p. m. del lunes 16 de febrero de 2026, llamando o enviando un mensaje de texto al 917-587-9103 o escribiendo a info@civicengagement.nyc.gov.
You can watch our October public meeting on our Youtube channel!
CEC at the UN: Advancing accessible and equitable civic systems
We're thrilled to share that our Chief Information Officer, Oscar Romero, spoke at a panel during the 64th Session of the UN Commission on Social Development.
Alongside a group of distinguished panelists, Oscar explored the intersections of technology, accessibility, and equity, sharing how these principles guide the work of the Civic Engagement Commission. He highlighted the CEC's experience partnering with community-based organizations to identify local priorities and implement projects that make a real difference across New York City.
We're proud to have contributed to a global conversation on building more inclusive and accessible civic systems and to help shape what equitable civic participation can look like in a digital future.
The People's Money Project Spotlight: Job training and support for single parents
We're excited to spotlight SOAR (Single-Parent Opportunity and Readiness), a winning People's Money project from the vote this past spring! This initiative, which launched earlier this month, provides job training and pathways to employment for single parents, helping foster long-term independence and economic growth.
Based at CAMBA's Cypress Hills Cornerstone site, SOAR will serve the neighborhoods of Brownsville, East New York, Starrett City, and Cypress Hills by connecting jobseekers to CAMBA's workforce development ecosystem.
Interested individuals can register for the program here or by scanning the QR code on the poster below. You can also email ThepeoplesmoneySOAR@CAMBA.org with any questions.
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