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Every Friday at dinner time, a spry-looking Uncle Sam stovepipe hat, stars-and-stripes suit, surprisingly brown beard dances his way around the 11 sprawling buffet stations of ABC Restaurant. He twirls past a steakhouse featuring mounted longhorns, wagon wheels, and wood-paneled walls lined with U.S. license plates; a neon-accented diner serving fast food; and a McDonalds-style playground. Children mob the costumed figure, squealing with delight. Parents laugh, whipping out phones to capture the moment. Its all-American, family-friendly dining in Iraq.

With a flagship 1,800-seat location in the city of Erbil and a second 800-seat location in Sulaimani (also spelled Sulaymaniyah), ABC is one of Iraqs most popular restaurant brands, with often busy dining rooms, large social media followings, and billboards all over. Families and friend groups across sectarian lines Kurds, Arabs, Christians flock to the restaurant. The offerings are immense, with over 600 dishes, including Turkish kofta, Iranian tahdig, and Italian American spaghetti. Guests pile their plates with steak, one of the most popular offerings, and Instagram their sushi, which ABC is largely credited with introducing to Kurdistan.

A sense of wholesome kitsch pervades the restaurant, which is split into internationally themed sections across a sprawling, mall-like space. Its like an indoor version of Epcots World Showcase, though in this case, even the areas not explicitly mimicking America depict other parts of the world as if seen through rose-colored American sunglasses. The authentic Italian section sports faux cast-iron street lamps, brick walls, Italian flag pillows, and paintings of tourist attractions like the Colosseum. Theres a Mediterranean fish spot that wouldnt look out of place in New England. The same goes for the restaurants foreign dishes, which bear the stamp of Americanization; the sushi, for instance, mostly consists of California rolls with artificial crab, Philadelphia rolls sporting cream cheese, and Alaska rolls with salmon though nigiri does make an occasional appearance.

In ABCs fantasy in which Uncle Sam oversees culinary offerings from China, Mexico, and Japan America stands in for a modern, globalized community. This isnt a novel concept; businesses in emerging markets often emulate the U.S. in order to appear internationally integrated, equating Americanization with globalization. But the way this emulation plays out at ABC is entirely unique, capitalizing on northern Iraqs distinct sociopolitical climate, Erbils thirst for international visibility, and the endurance of American soft power. Ultimately, ABC is a testament to how people around the world interpret currents like globalization and Americanization according to their own surroundings and desires, transforming the global into the local and personal.

ABC Restaurant Group started in the Netherlands, after a Dutch restaurateur named Eric Meurs was inspired by a family trip to a Golden Corral in Florida. My dad thought, Wow, we have got to have one of these in Holland, says Maarten Meurs, Erics son and the current CEO of ABC Restaurant Group. In 2000, ABC opened its first location in the Dutch town of Velp. With its all-you-can-eat concept and unabashedly American decor, it quickly grew in popularity, jumping from an initial 150 seats to 500 in 2010 and then to its current size of 750 seats and eight buffet stations, a huge footprint in a town with a population of 18,000.

ABC Velp began attracting customers from near and far, including an Iraqi Christian named Nawzad Martani, who stumbled upon the restaurant in 2013 to celebrate his brothers birthday. Just like Eric Meurs, Martani was impressed. I found something special, beautiful, and new. I thought, We should bring this idea to Iraq, to Kurdistan, he says. Martani contacted Meurs, who at first thought he was being pranked for Bananasplit, the Dutch version of Candid Camera. But as Meurs and Martani conversed over the next few months, the prospect of opening an Iraqi ABC seemed less wild.

Martani wanted to open ABCs first Iraqi location in his home of Erbil, capital of northern Iraqs Kurdistan region. Although officially part of Iraq, Kurdistan has a high degree of autonomy, with its own parliament, presidency, armed forces, and border checkpoints sporting the flag of Kurdistan instead of the federal Iraqi flag.

Northern Iraq at large has a simultaneously storied and fraught multiethnic history, with Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs, Turkmen, Christians, and other minorities like the Yazidis living alongside each other. Much of the regions population are Kurds, often described as the worlds largest ethnic group without their own independent state, who were persecuted to the point of genocide under Saddam Hussein. When the U.S. (along with the U.K. and France) established a no-fly zone over their territory following the Persian Gulf War, Iraqi Kurds leveraged the situation to create the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG); the 2003 U.S. invasion allowed the KRG to further assert its autonomy. Since then, the region has enjoyed relative stability, and become one of the more pro-American parts of the Middle East (although its autonomy from the federal Iraqi government may be changing).

After inking the franchise agreement, Meurs flew to Erbil in 2014 to collaborate with Martani on constructing the restaurant only to hurriedly evacuate when ISISs lightning takeover of northern Iraq advanced within 25 miles of Erbil. The restaurant finally opened in December 2017. Meurs was initially skeptical about using one of ABCs two Uncle Sam costumes in the Erbil location, but general manager David Kurdi had an intuition that local customers would love the character. The restaurant and Sam were immediate and enduring hits. According to Martani and Meurs, over 2,000 people visited on the first day, and the Uncle Sam costume has been worn thin by ecstatic children since.

ABC managed to tap into a growing professional middle class in the region, which has partly been fueled by American influence. Over the past 20 years, conflicts including the U.S. invasion, the fall of Mosul to ISIS in 2014, and the subsequent war against ISIS have brought waves of migration into Erbil and the rest of Kurdistan, including many multiethnic professionals. Combined with rising oil revenues and active efforts by local Kurdish authorities to cultivate foreign investment, this influx of a professional class has made Erbil into a regional business hub. Along with the resources necessary to afford ABCs price tag, around $25 (30,000 Iraqi dinars in Erbil, 25,000 in Sulaimani), these residents have more exposure to non-Iraqi cultures, giving them a hunger for international offerings. In addition to ABC, English pubs and wine bars have also popped up in Erbils stylish shopping centers.

As Erbil cultivated a market for international businesses, ABC established a reputation among domestic travelers and Erbils more worldly residents as the place to satisfy the itch of wanderlust within Kurdistan. When were in Erbil, we must go to ABC and see what the hype is all about. Its like when you go to Dubai and try Saltbaes restaurant, says Abdulrahman Alsulaiman, a secondary school student who has traveled to ABC multiple times from his hometown of Mosul, a three-hour car ride away.

Especially if you have family members whove traveled extensively or are familiar with different cuisines and traditions, youll want a place with a variety of options, where each family member can enjoy their favorite dish. ABC has something for all ages, adds Alsulaimans father Ehsan Ali, a U.S.-educated computer science expert who previously worked for the United Nations Development Programme.

The restaurants international offerings go beyond the food. It has also specifically hired chefs from around the world: Ukraine, Nepal, the Philippines, India, and beyond. These chefs expertise in their own cuisines isnt the point; theyre not necessarily cooking the foods of their homelands. Their presence alone is a selling point. What sets us apart from other restaurants is that we have many foreign faces the people from Holland supervising, chefs from Ukraine, Martani says. The diverse staff may appeal to what certain Arab commentators call the khawaja complex, in which people prize foreign products and talent above local ones. When some customers see these foreign faces, theyll feel validated in their choice to dine with us, Martani adds.

While many have found ABC an easy way to show off luxury, Kurdistans distribution of wealth remains extremely uneven and precarious. Youth unemployment is high, the government sometimes isnt able to pay salaries to workers, and many Kurds are migrating abroad. Even as ABC emphasizes its international team as a selling point, the economic situation has forced the restaurant to walk a thin line. Kurdistan and Iraq at large have seen controversies over the proliferation of migrant labor; though other countries like the UAE have seen similar trends, such practices in Iraq recall the U.S. militarys history of using third-country national contractors during the Iraq War. Kurdi emphasizes that, even with the international chefs behind the buffet line, at least 65 percent of the restaurants employees are locals, and that ABC treats all employees according to international standards.

Despite the financial disparity between ABCs wealthiest customers and many Erbil residents, the restaurant remains an aspirational choice for more budget-conscious consumers. ABC offers a relatively accessible way to both fulfill and signal aspirations around wealth. Compared to the U.S., buffet-style meals in Iraq are relatively rare and special. Hotels or exclusive high-end restaurants may offer them seasonally or provide a spread of local food like rice and grilled meats for holidays like Eid al-Fitr. ABC allows patrons to partake in that kind of abundance and show off their access to international cuisines on social media without waiting for a holiday or schmoozing their way into a fancy venue. That year-round luxury has clicked with customers; Uncle Sam used to only show up at holidays, but now hes a weekly Friday night tradition due to popular demand.

And the upfront pricing still appeals to people trying to uphold traditional dynamics around hospitality. In the Middle East and North Africa, theres a culture of invitation where you take people to restaurants, and its like a demonstration of ones dignity to pay for everyone at the end, says Khadija El Alaoui, an assistant professor at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS), who specializes in American studies and international relations. In that situation, you might be worried that someone will eat a lot, and you cant pay for it. So even if 25,000 dinars might seem like a lot of money, at least you know from the very beginning whether you can afford it or not.

With its themed decor, costumed Uncle Sam, and status as a travel destination for families, ABC has all the hallmarks of a theme park. The similarities go deeper, though. The restaurant is the culinary embodiment of Disneyization, a sociological concept that describes how modern consumption opportunities worldwide have emulated the principles of Disney theme parks.

Like Disneyland, ABC embodies family-friendly fun and presents an idealized version of different cultures thats filtered through an American lens, says Tobin Hartnell, an associate professor in the social sciences at AUIS. This kind of safe but novel environment empowers visitors to pursue their fantasies and aspirations, if only for a moment. At ABC, customers can imagine themselves as affluent and global individuals, in part by having experiences that people in the West also have.

This certainly aligns with how Kurdi and Martani think about the restaurant. While some ABC customers might come to repeat personal experiences theyve had abroad, not all patrons are widely traveled. For those who havent had the chance, Kurdi sees ABC akin to an embassy of cosmopolitanism with a mission to familiarize visitors with international ways of life. Kurdi spent over a decade in Taiwan earning masters degrees in computer engineering and international business, working for multinational tech companies, and nurturing a passion for cross-cultural exchange. [Part of why Nawzad and I are doing this buffet] is to show people how we live abroad, he says.

Its a mission that resonates with some customers. If youre not able to travel and want to experience different cultures, its like the next best thing, says Harleen Love, a half-Kurdish half-Arab freelancer and aspiring pharmacist.

Kurdi and Martani even see the all-you-can-eat buffet as a kind of global instruction. In the restaurants early days, the concept was novel to most customers, and they tended to grab more food than they could eat, leading to massive food waste. Martani says people threw out 80 percent of the food in ABC Erbils first week. Kurdi and Martani saw this phenomenon of waste as contrary to their personal vision of global behavior, and used creative ways to combat it. Hosts next to the cashier explain the concept to diners, and TVs throughout the restaurant remind customers, in Arabic, English, and Turkish, not to waste food including references to the Bible and a common saying around Ramadan: The eyes are hungrier than the mouth.

However, El Alaoui suggests ABC isnt just a product of unidirectional cultural imposition from the United States.

My favorite geographer, Doreen Massey, says instead of roots we should talk about routes, says El Alaoui. Working alongside scholars like Himadeep Muppidi and Arjun Appadurai, Massey characterizes globalization as an interaction of continuing, multidirectional flows. In this frame, its unfairly exoticizing to expect individuals in the Global South to avoid emulating the West and adhere to some artificial notion of cultural distinctiveness. As Massey argues, the meaning of global can depend on context, and locals find a way to shape the global to fit their personal lives and aspirations.

Since ABC showed up, that context has shifted for business owner Rawsht Abubakr, who has already outpaced some of the restaurants offerings. ABC was the first restaurant in Kurdistan that offered sushi. It was exotic, and something you could easily Instagram, Abubakr says. Now I wish the Asian food section had more dishes than just sushi. I love Asian culture, and Id like to learn more about Asian food. As customers incorporate global cuisines into their own diets, ABC has propelled a restaurant scene that has outgrown its progenitor; several former employees have gone on to open sushi restaurants around Erbil.

Ultimately, just as visitors to Disneyland usually arent mulling the complexities of capitalism whilst riding Space Mountain, most customers arent actively thinking about American cultural imperialism when they dine at ABC Restaurant. Patrons flock to ABC for basic, human reasons. They want to bond with family and friends in a safe, welcoming environment. They want to explore. They want to enjoy life and feel like dignified members of a community both global and local.

To Americans, it may seem odd that Uncle Sam dancing around an American buffet has become so popular in Iraq; its easy to broadly assume the entire country would try to reject further influence from the United States given the history of conflict. Maarten Meurs still visits Florida on a regular basis, and says that Americans who hear about ABC often react with disbelief. But the diners of northern Iraq have made Uncle Sam along with steak, sushi, and a McDonalds playground into something of their own. Rather than seeing Uncle Sam as just the symbol of an American nightmare, theyve hired him as a mascot for Iraqi and Kurdish dreams.

Fatimah Fadhil is an Iraqi American student on a mission to become a cultural ambassador, one cup of coffee (or tea) at a time. Anthony Kao is a writer who focuses on international affairs and cultural criticism, especially in relation to locales with contested senses of nationhood. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Cinema Escapist, a publication that explores the sociopolitical context behind global film and television.

Dispatches from the Eater staff about the worlds culinary destinations worth planning an entire trip around

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Inside Iraqs American-Themed ABC Restaurant in Erbil, Kurdistan - Eater

The Iraqi authorities must ensure truth, justice and reparations for the killing of hundreds and maiming of thousands by Iraqi security forces, Amnesty International said today ahead of the four-year anniversary of the nation-wide anti-government protests. As an immediate step, the authorities should reveal the fate and whereabouts of people forcibly disappeared during the protest movement that began in October 2019.

During the mass protests, known as the Tishreen [October] protests security forces including anti-riot police, counterterrorism forces and members of Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), a large network of militias legally considered part of the Iraqi Armed Forces, used lethal force against protesters and pursued a sinister campaign of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.

Since the Tishreen protests, successive Iraqi governments have reneged on their promises to ensure truth and justice for the state and militia violence inflicted on Iraqi protesters, activists, and lawyers and their families. The meagre number of prosecutions and investigations which pale in comparison to the scale of the abuses clearly demonstrate that the authorities are not interested in accountability, said Razaw Salihy, Amnesty Internationals Iraq Researcher.

Justice for the Tishreen protests is long overdue. The Iraqi authorities must ensure independent and impartial investigations into crimes committed since 2019 against protesters, activists and their families, publish the findings and hold those suspected of criminal responsibility accountable in fair trials that meet international standards. They must also protect families demanding justice from reprisals.

While some families have continued to insist on calling for accountability and pursuing investigations left dormant, reprisals for speaking out have deterred other families from continuing their pursuit of justice.

In one stark case, the father of a human rights lawyer who was forcibly disappeared in October 2019 was killed in March of 2021 after campaigning for answers about his sons whereabouts. Amnesty International had warned of threats to the familys safety in November 2020 and called on the Iraqi authorities to ensure their protection.

The family of Sajjad al-Iraqi, another prominent activist who was forcibly disappeared in September 2020 in Nasiriya, has also been subjected to numerous threats by people believed to be linked to the abductors and to the PMU. These individuals have on several occasions called the family or come to their home to pressure them to drop their court case related to Sajjad al-Iraqis disappearance. Sajjad al-Iraqis activism focused on corruption issues.

Very few prosecutions of members of security forces or affiliated militias have taken place for their role in violence against protesters and activists.

The meagre number of prosecutions and investigations which pale in comparison to the scale of the abuses clearly demonstrate that the authorities are not interested in accountability.

In a report released in June 2022, the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) was only able to identify the conviction of four unidentified armed elements since May 2021 and of six members of the security forces for targeted shootings, killings, and abductions. The report added: UNAMI/OHCHR was unable to identify any other cases that progressed beyond the investigative stage during the reporting period.

A family member told Amnesty International that they met with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani nine months ago and that he promised to follow up on Sajjad al-Iraqis case. On 22 March 2023, the Thi Qar Criminal Court convicted two individuals in absentia for kidnapping Sajjad al-Iraqi.

However, Sajjad al-Iraqis whereabouts remain unknown, and no arrests have yet been made in his case. A relative told Amnesty International: There is no interest in Sajjads case. It is just false promises and reassurances. It is just ink on paper.

Since 2019, successive Iraqi governments have formed numerous committees to investigate violations committed in the context of the protests at the national and governorate level, but these committees have failed to deliver on truth or justice.

The most notable was the Fact-Finding Committee, established by Executive Order 293 issued by then-Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on 18 October 2020 with the goal of gathering evidence, publishing a comprehensive report, and identifying those responsible for the crimes committed. Under the decree, the Committee has the right to refer cases to the judiciary, however there has been no transparency as to whether this has occurred.

In a letter from Prime Minister Shia al-Sudanis Office to Amnesty International on 2 April 2023, the Office said that the Prime Minister ordered in November 2022 the activation of the work of the [Fact-Finding] committee and outreach to representatives from the demonstrators. The Prime Ministers Office outlined measures the Fact-Finding Committee had taken, including having looked into more than 215 cases obtained from the Rusafa Central Investigative Court and reviewed more than 5,375 official documents that included medical reports, victim autopsy forms and reports of forensic experts, and the committee continues to examine documents received from courts of appeal.

The Prime Ministers Office also confirmed that reparations had been paid to the families of those killed, amounting to ten million Iraqi dinars for each victim.

However, reparations are not a substitute for establishing the truth or bringing perpetrators to justice, and nearly three years after it was first formed, the Fact-Finding Committee has yet to publish any findings.

Enforced disappearance is currently not a crime under Iraqi law and therefore cannot be prosecuted as a distinct offence. On 6 August 2023, the Iraqi Council of Ministers a draft Missing Persons Law and sent it to Parliament. The drafts stated aim is to help relatives of the missing learn their fate and be given access to reparations, including by setting up a national commission for the missing. Yet, this draft law does not criminalize enforced disappearance or outline penalties for perpetrators.

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Four years after Iraq's Tishreen protests, no justice for state and ... - Amnesty International

ISLAMABAD, Oct 3 (APP): Pakistan on Tuesday extended greetings to the people and governments of Iraq and Korea as the two countries celebrated their National Day and Foundation Day respectively.

On the occasion of National Day of the Republic of Iraq, we extend our heartiest felicitations to its people and Government, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

Also known as Iraq Independence Day, the Day is annually celebrated on October 3 to mark the countrys independence from Britain in 1932.

On the occasion of National Foundation Day of the Republic of Korea, we extend our heartiest felicitations to its people and Government, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

The Korea Foundation Day is celebrated the foundation of the first Korean state, Gojoseon, in history. The state was founded by Dangun, the Founding Father of Korea, in 2333 BCE.

Ishtiaq Ahmed is a Sr. Reporter who reports on Prime Minister, President, Foreign Office, and special assignments. Backed by 20-year experience, he has written for local and foreign newspapers. Reach out at 03335293238/ ishtiaqrao@gmail.com/ X: ishtiaqrao

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Pakistan extends greetings on Iraq National Day, Korea Foundation ... - Associated Press of Pakistan

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Is Digital Marketing Training Worth it - Kings of War

1. Michelle Jackson

Executive Director, Human Services Council

Michelle Jackson has a clear message for New York government leaders: Invest more in the nonprofit social services providers or there will be dire consequences. The executive director of the Human Services Council led this springs day without human services, during which over 100 nonprofits stopped parts of their services to show what would happen if funding wasnt boosted for salaries and employees left. The push for funding increases in New York City comes after this years state budget included a 4% cost-of-living raise for human service workers paid through state contracts.

Attorney-in-Chief and CEO, The Legal Aid Society

Under Twyla Carters leadership, The Legal Aid Society is taking on battles both inside and outside of the courtroom. The organization partnered with the American Civil Liberties Union and state Attorney General Letitia James on the policing of protests, a move that was later canceled when the PBA declined to approve the deal. The organization has been outspoken on such issues as protecting the citys right-to-shelter law, the need for federal receivership over Rikers Island and the number of eviction cases an attorney in the citys right to counsel program can effectively take on in Housing Court.

Executive Director, Coalition for the Homeless

In June, the Coalition for the Homeless issued a blistering report blaming New York Citys spiraling homelessness crisis on Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams. Dave Giffen defended its conclusions that the Adams administration did not expand its shelter capacity as the homeless population rose 18% and recommended the mayor reverse his involuntary hospitalization policy and finance more affordable housing. As thousands of asylum-seekers flooded city shelters, Giffen fought to keep New Yorks right to shelter policy intact and chided the mayors rhetoric that migrants will destroy the city.

President and CEO, Win

Former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is showing that shes just as effective from a perch in the nonprofit world as she was in city government. The president and CEO of Win, formerly known as Women in Need, Quinn played a key role in getting the City Council to pass legislation to expand the citys housing voucher program over Mayor Eric Adams veto. Quinn is now calling on the Adams administration to do more for asylum-seekers. She is also opening a new Win shelter in Staten Island.

CEO, Robin Hood

Last year, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed Richard Buery Jr. to lead a panel of experts in rethinking the citys ailling commercial districts. The Robin Hood CEOs December report proposed 40 initiatives that would transform Midtown and other areas into 24-hour live-work neighborhoods. Buery, best known for creating the citys successful universal pre-K program, currently leads New Yorks largest anti-poverty organization. In May, Robin Hood hauled in $61.4 million at its annual benefit.

CEO, UJA-Federation of New York

UJA-Federation provided around $180 million in grants last year including emergency funding of $26 million to support Ukrainians in need around the world and $3.6 million for Ukrainian refugees in New York. The organization's one-stop social service Hub, launched in Queens in 2021, became a lifeline during the coronavirus pandemic, helping more than 14,000 people with job training, emotional support, food and other services. CEO Eric Goldstein is overseeing the construction and launch of another Hub in Brooklyn, which is set to open in early 2024.

Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York

When asylum-seekers began to arrive in New York City last summer, Kevin Sullivan found that immigration authorities listed the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York address by mistake. Sullivan ensured that migrants received food, clothes and financial assistance from the charity while informing the New York City Council that some slept in parks because shelters turned them away. This year, he helped open Catholic Charities Day Laborer Center in Yonkers to help newcomers find work and celebrated the maiden voyage of the Dorothy Day ferry.

President and CEO, Community Service Society

For nearly four decades, David Jones has advocated for low-income New Yorkers by pushing more insurers and hospitals to accept Obamacare coverage and leading voter registration drives. Jones used his seat on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board to push for expanded half-price fares for those below the poverty line. Last year, the Community Service Society sued to stop a state law barring convicted felons from serving on juries. This summer, Jones joined The Legal Aid Society to call on the New York City Housing Authority to reverse its $1.5 billion plan to demolish the Chelsea-Elliot Houses.

Editors note: David Jones is a member of City & States advisory board.

President and CEO, Brooklyn Community Foundation

Jocelynne Rainey arrived at the Brooklyn Community Foundation in December 2021 with the mission of advancing racial justice by supporting the boroughs nonprofits. She transformed the foundation into a participatory grantmaking organization, brought in a new chief operating officer and prioritized immigrants, women of color in STEM and LGBTQ+ groups. This year, the foundation distributed $100,000 grants to five nonprofits for its Spark Prize, another $1.48 million to organizations supporting seniors and then no-strings-attached $20,000 awards to five women changemakers for its new Just Brooklyn Prize.

CEO, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation

Named after a Catholic saint, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a charitable foundation aiming to strengthen New York states health care outcomes for vulnerable communities. Led by Monsignor Gregory Mustaciuolo, the organization has made recent strides to address maternal mortality rates and the health equity gap impacting New Yorks Black population. The foundation recently awarded $165 million in grants to support nonprofit organizations addressing these gaps in health care for underserved communities.

President and CEO; Deputy CEO, The Fortune Society

After 34 years of leading the Fortune Society and being one of New York Citys top advocates for criminal justice reform and prisoner reentry, JoAnne Page has announced her retirement, effective at the end of 2023. Pages record of accomplishment at The Fortune Society includes increasing the nonprofits staff from 20 to over 500 and its budget from $700,000 to $50 million. Page and Deputy CEO Stanley Richards who was named as Page's successorin September have worked this year to open three residences for those recently released from prison, created a boroughwide supervised release program in the Bronx with a food pantry and community center, announced a new affordable housing program and received a $10 million contribution from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

President and CEO, Chinese-American Planning Council

Wayne Ho has led the nation's largest Asian American social services organization since 2017, supporting over 280,000 individuals across their 35 locations citywide. The Chinese-American Planning Council provides social, economic and family empowerment services for Chinese American and immigrant populations, and it has taken a strong stance against anti-Asian hate crimes amid rising occurrences in the city. Recently, Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed Ho to the Contracting Advisory Committee, where he consults on matters of nonprofit fund management and human services contract procedures.

Editors note: Wayne Ho is a member of NYN Medias advisory board.

CEO and Executive Director, Met Council

David Greenfield has elevated the Met Council since taking the reins in 2018. As a tireless advocate for food security, the former New York City Council member has championed the inclusion of kosher and halal food provisions, a move recognized by the White House in its anti-antisemitism strategies. His leadership has extended to his appointment on the recently created New York City Jewish Community Council. Under Greenfield's stewardship, the Met Council has expanded its services throughout the city and widened its scope to address issues on a national scale.

Editors note: David Greenfield is a member of NYN Medias advisory board.

CEO and Executive Director, FPWA

Once New York City Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams shook hands on a $107 billion budget agreement in June, Jennifer Jones Austin decided to take a closer look. A month later, the FPWA issued a report tracking cuts in social services and staffing that Jones Austin said would worsen wage inequities for public sector jobs while also harming vulnerable New Yorkers. The anti-poverty leader was instrumental in creating the racial justice ballot questions that voters passed last year.

Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition

The New York Immigration Coalitions Murad Awawdeh has stood strong in the face of New Yorks growing migrant crisis. In addition to pushing for increased state funding to aid the incoming immigrants, Awawdeh has been an outspoken advocate for immigrant rights and critic of New York Citys handling of the crisis. NYIC is a coalition of over 200 member organizations serving a wide range of communities, many of which have banded together in response to the migrant crisis, providing material support while advocating for federal changes to work certification and housing support.

President and CEO, The Childrens Village

Matching children with loving foster homes remains a challenge with about 7,000 children in New York Citys foster care system. Jeremy Kohombans work helping thousands of children and families navigate foster care prompted former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to appoint him to the citys commission to close Rikers Island. Kohomban argued the Adams administration should stick to its schedule to shutter the jail and follow the commissions recommendations. In the meantime, The Childrens Village received a grant to work with the Fair Futures coaching program to help youth in detention with career development, employment and academic support.

President and CEO, Public Health Solutions

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed health care inequities, but Lisa David is fighting to ensure that the social safety net doesnt entirely disappear. David sought to keep her health clinics running even as post-pandemic budgets tightened and even opened a new Neighborhood WIC center in the Bronx last year to help women, infants and children receive nutrition. This summer, she celebrated the FDAs approval of an over-the-counter birth control pill, which her centers will likely distribute, and she honored longtime friend, Dr. Anthony Fauci, at Public Health Solutions annual gala in June.

President and CEO, Breaking Ground

Beginning her journey with Breaking Ground in 1999, Brenda Rosen has worked diligently to increase access to supportive housing across New York City. Breaking Ground now operates about 4,000 units of such housing, including the newly established 90 Sands supportive housing in Downtown Brooklyn. Through its Street to Home program and transitional housing units, Breaking Ground aims to alleviate New Yorks homelessness crisis. Rosen has also partnered with businesses to develop privately funded outreach to people experiencing homelessness and teamed up with the Partnership for New York City to launch the Homeless Assistance Fund.

CEO, Safe Horizon

After succeeding Safe Horizons longtime CEO Ariel Zwang in 2021, Liz Roberts helped the nations largest victim services organization lobby for the passage of the Adult Survivors Act. One year later, lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul passed the law giving survivors the ability to sue sex abusers that occurred after the victims were 18 years old. Last November, Roberts launched a campaign to inform the public about the one-year window for filing lawsuits, with E. Jean Carrolls lawsuit against former President Donald Trump among its highest-profile cases.

President; Westchester Community Foundation Executive Director; Long Island Community Foundation Executive Director, The New York Community Trust

The New York Community Trust and its affiliated organizations know how to get stuff done for communities and groups across the region. Amy Freitag, the president of The New York Community Trust, recently announced a new partnership with community foundations from around the country to create the Community Foundation Climate Collaborative to develop local solutions to the climate crisis. Laura Rossi, executive director of the affiliated Westchester Community Foundation, oversaw its recent grant awards, which include funding to the Council on American-Islamic Relations for a civic engagement and legal services program, an education and prisoner reentry program for Westchester County youth through 914United and funding for Riverkeeper to coordinate a countywide sewer consolidation campaign. Long Island Community Foundation Executive Director David Okorn led recent grantmaking to Housing Help to create an affordable housing coalition on Long Island, the Long Island Pine Barrens Society for land preservation and the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center to combat food insecurity in East Hampton.

President and CEO, Graham Windham

Kimberly Hardy Watson still gets emotional when she recalls being separated from her siblings and put in a foster home in the 1970s. Watsons experience has shaped how she has led Graham Windham, where she became the first Black woman to lead the 217-year-old organization two years ago. Graham Windham worked to help foster families cover the rising costs of baby formula last year. They have also continued to provide after-school programs, mental and behavioral health services, and career coaching to help children succeed.

Editors note: Kimberly Hardy Watson is a member of NYN Medias advisory board.

President and CEO, YMCA of Greater New York

Sharon Greenberger leads the YMCA of Greater New York, a nonprofit organization that reaches over 500,000 individuals through its 24 branches across New York City. The health and community organization offers programs to individuals of all ages and recently raised $1.35 million for its Rowe Scholars program, a college readiness and career development program for high school students in New York City. Greenberger has also announced a yearlong, free lifeguard certification program to address a lifeguard shortage at city pools.

CEO, FJC

Sam Marks has established himself as a leader in the world of donor-advised funds, a key part of the nonprofit sector that is not as widely discussed as foundations directly. Marks has led FJC in a number of areas recently, including a new program with The Fortune Society to create an innovative donor fund source for the prison reentry nonprofit. FJC leads NYC Boss Up, a nonprofit that has awarded grants to New York City Housing Authority residents to become entrepreneurs.

President and CEO, The New York Womens Foundation

Ana Oliveira is the president and CEO of the New York Womens Foundation, a philanthropy pursuing a mission of gender, race and economic justice. For the past 17 years, Oliveira has led the organization, increasing its grantmaking capacity to a $100 million milestone in 2021 while expanding philanthropic partnerships. In response to recent shifts limiting abortion access in many states, the organization has doubled down on its advocacy and investments in the movement for comprehensive reproductive rights.

President and CEO, Nonprofit New York

Nonprofit New York leader Meg Barnette has a long track record of leadership in the nonprofit sector. Prior to her appointment to the role in 2020, she spent nine years working for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York and spent time at the Brennan Center for Justice as well. Today, Barnette leads Nonprofit New York, offering support and advocacy to nonprofit organizations across the state, engaging with over 4,000 organizations within the last year.

CEO, Harlem Childrens Zone

Kwame Owusu-Kesse officially took over Harlem Childrens Zone five months into the COVID-19 pandemic, but the promotion didnt stress him out. He immediately started working with schools to reduce their COVID-19 risks during their September 2020 reopenings, then plotted an expansion of Harlem Childrens Zones model to six different cities. Last year, Owusu-Kesse secured a $100 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to close the achievement gap, and Harlem Childrens Zone co-sponsored an education summit with the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Executive Director, Citizens Committee for Children

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennifer March welcomed the expanded federal child tax credit which would help 3.5 million New York children. But additional funding for children has been harder to come by. Her Citizens Committee for Children calculated that child care costs take up half the median income of families with young children even as pandemic dollars dried up and New York City Mayor Eric Adams budget proposals slashed funding for universal prekindergarten. March also demanded the city to eliminate the 90-day eligibility rule for receiving housing vouchers.

President and CEO, Urban Resource Institute

Recently celebrating his 10th year at the organization, Nathaniel M. Fields leads Urban Resource Institute, a nonprofit seeking to end cycles of domestic violence, trauma and poverty. Fields leadership has been integral in URIs establishment of its People and Animals Living Safely and Economic Empowerment Programs, addressing the complexities of domestic and economic abuse, and supporting survivors with a trauma-informed client approach. URI has also made strides in support for youth experiencing trauma and homelessness, through its Relationship Abuse Prevention Program.

President and CEO, United Way of New York City

Grace Bonilla leads United Way of New York City, a city-based nonprofit organization supporting low-income communities through collective impact. Working alongside government and private sector actors, Bonilla supports the mission of increasing economic mobility for all New Yorkers. As the organizations first Latina president, Bonilla brings her lived experience as an immigrant to the table, motivating her pursuit of equitable solutions to long-lasting systemic inequalities. The group recently sponsored a report highlighting the true cost of living doubling citywide since 2000, straining many households.

CEO, City Harvest

Since 2006, Jilly Stephens has led New York Citys largest food rescue organization, City Harvest. City Harvest has collected and distributed over 1 billion pounds of food to individuals suffering from food insecurity in the past 40 years and has reported a 70% increase in demand at local food pantries since the onset of COVID-19. Recently opening new headquarters and warehouse space in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, City Harvest has set a goal to distribute 75 million pounds of food by the end of this year.

President and CEO, The Bronx Community Foundation

Meisha Porter wasnt going to stay on as New York City schools chancellor when Eric Adams took over as mayor, but the veteran educator found a nice fit when she took on the role to lead the new Bronx Community Foundation in 2022. The Bronx native helped launch a Bronx Cannabis Hub to assist dispensaries with their licenses, partnered with the New York City Council to help asylum-seekers settle into the city and helped fund the Small Business Security Initiative to protect the boroughs bodegas. Now, shes leading the foundations first strategic planning process.

Executive Director, United Neighborhood Houses

Susan Stamler leads the United Neighborhood Houses collection of 38 community centers and housing units across New York state. The Queens native has accumulated over 16 years of collective experience at UNH, a century-old organization providing programs for New Yorkers reaching from childhood to senior-focused support. In her current role, Stamler oversees strategy, fundraising and advocacy, including recent efforts to advocate for the Our City, Our Vote legislation, or Local Law 11, allowing green card holders, permanent residents and noncitizens with work permits to vote in city elections.

President and CEO, The New York Foundling

A former New York City deputy mayor, Melanie Hartzog has led The New York Foundling since leaving City Hall last year. The child welfare organization has been touting a number of successes, including a 40% decrease in mental health crises in the citys public schools for students participating in a Foundling program and that 95% of students transitioning out of foster care have moved into permanent housing due to a Foundling program. The Foundlings Bronx-based charter school for foster care students has shown a positive impact on graduation and academic success.

President and CEO, Samaritan Daytop Village

Originally established as a Queens community center, Samaritan Daytop Village is a 60-year-old human services organization with programs ranging from mental health care, substance abuse treatment, employment and housing support services. Mitchell Netburn leads the organization as president and CEO and brings over 30 years of experience working within human services and governmental sectors. Previously, as the head of Project Renewal, Netburn oversaw a $80 million budget, serving 15,000 clients suffering from housing insecurity.

President and CEO, Childrens Aid

Phoebe Boyer has spent almost a decade as the president and CEO of Childrens Aid, where she has worked diligently to strengthen the organizations programming for children facing poverty in high-risk neighborhoods across New York City. In addition to bolstering the organizations various academic, health and community programming, Boyer has remained an outspoken advocate for the importance of nonprofits and the 2022 Nonprofit Sector Strength and Partnership Act, which would allow nonprofits to have more of an impact on policy creation within their expertise areas.

Executive Director, Good Shepherd Services

Named executive director in 2019, Michelle Yanche has spent 30 years working her way up the ladder at the youth and family development organization Good Shepherd Services. At one of the largest nonprofits serving youth and families in New York City, Yanche oversees the expansion and implementation of their 90 programs, directly impacting over 30,000 individuals and families. In August, GSS hosted its third annual book bag giveaway, aiming to ease costs for 100 children this school year amid concerns about inflation.

Editors note: Michelle Yanche is a member of NYN Medias advisory board.

President and CEO, SEO

William Goodloe is the president and CEO of Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, an organization offering programming and mentorship to students and young professionals who are historically underserved and underrepresented in higher education. SEO supports over 7,000 students nationally, and its recent shift to a fully virtual program model has led to the expansions of its eight-year tuition-free SEO Scholars program and the establishment of the SEO Tech Institute and Leadership Institute.

CEO, YAI

Kevin Carey took the reins of YAI formerly the Young Adult Institute in June following seven years as a top executive at the organization. YAI board Chair Jeff Mordos praised Carey as a stellar executive to lead YAI, which supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. YAI has been conducting increased outreach with elected officials, inviting state legislators to tour its programs in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Westchester County. YAI staged a successful Central Park Challenge in June to highlight neurodivergent people and people with disabilities. Carey succeeded George Contos, initially as interim CEO.

President and CEO, SCO Family of Services

When SCO Family of Services needed a new leader this year, they didnt need to look far. Suzette Gordon joined the Long Island human services organization four years ago as its first legal counsel and has since served in different capacities running its marketing, human resources and press departments. She also developed policies for its COVID-19 task force. In 2022, SCO Family of Services held its inaugural career readiness fair for foster care youths in Briarwood and reopened its Genovese Family Life Center in Jamaica for families dealing with trauma.

President and CEO, Camba

In order to tackle New York Citys rapidly growing housing and homelessness crisis, Joanne Oplustil has sought to provide transitional and affordable housing developments. Construction has been underway at Cambas $39 million state-financed supportive housing building with a new primary care center in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and its 323-unit rent-stabilized project in Bedford Park, Bronx, with priorities for formerly homeless families in shelters. In July, Camba announced plans for a 200-unit Crown Heights, Brooklyn, high-rise for seniors with a community teaching kitchen and a food pantry.

Founder and CEO, Man Up Inc.

Andre Mitchells influence does not stop at the door of Man Up Inc. it goes all the way to Gracie Mansion. Mitchell has served since June 2022 as New York Citys first gun violence prevention czar. Mitchell has outlined a plan to address many of the root causes of violence and gang participation, noting that his goal is to show that gun violence is not an answer. Mitchell has also implemented an action plan to address management issues at Man Up following a city Department of Investigation report.

Executive Director, Covenant House New York

For the past eight years, Shakeema North has been dedicated to youth and community development at Covenant House, an organization aiming to end youth homelessness. Recently named executive director of the organizations New York wing, North has created and bolstered youth development programming, which has proven to be crucial amid reports of increasing rates of youth homelessness in the city. As executive director, North continues to bring awareness to the cause even organizing an event where high-profile actors slept on the streets among individuals affected by housing insecurity.

President and CEO, Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth

The Berkshire Farm Center works with children and families in need in 55 counties across New York. The center oversees 550 foster homes and in 2022 worked with more than 8,000 children. Among the services the center provides are programs to keep families together, reunite foster children with their families and unite children in shelter care with family members or sponsors across the country, as well as education programming for children in detention. Center President and CEO Brian Parchesky has pressed Gov. Kathy Hochul to make child welfare a top priority.

President and CEO, The Doe Fund

Jennifer Mitchell has the herculean task of managing The Doe Funds hallmark prisoner reentry program and supporting housing portfolio at a time when street homelessness is rising, as well as replacing the organizations indefatigable founder, George McDonald, who died in 2021. Mitchell, who started her career at The Doe Fund, returned in January as the organization secured a $53 million construction loan for a 200-bed transitional residence in Brooklyn. Mitchell has since strengthened its certificate training program for construction jobs and broken ground on a $71 million 151-unit supportive housing development in the Bronx.

CEO, JCCA

A lawyer by trade, Ronald Richter spent the majority of his career working as a juvenile rights lawyer, family court judge and commissioner at the New York City Administration for Childrens Services. Since 2015, Richter has led the child welfare association, JCCA, overseeing a $120 million annual budget and supporting about 17,000 individuals annually with foster, mental health and juvenile justice support. Despite years of positive impact on New Yorks youth, local officials have raised concerns about dangerous conditions in JCCAs Westchester facility for youth with behavioral issues.

President and CEO, Westhab

For nearly a decade, Richard Nightingale has led Westhabs expansion in the region while helping more than 9,000 unhoused families find permanent housing and more than 8,000 people find job opportunities. In 2019, he inked a deal for a new Port Morris, Bronx, office consolidating its city-based workforce. Then, Nightingale secured about $35 million in financing for a 63-unit affordable housing project and community center in Yonkers, which opened in 2021. This year, Westhab opened a shelter in Queens to meet the needs of the citys growing adult homeless population.

CEO, Fountain House

With years of experience in litigation, policy development and social advocacy, Ken Zimmerman became an advocate for mental health reform following the death of his son in 2016 due to serious mental illness. In 2020, Zimmerman founded the Mental Health Strategic Impact Initiative, a think and do tank aiming to transform existing mental health support systems. Last year, Zimmerman was named CEO of Fountain House, a national nonprofit providing mental health support, direct services and policy advocacy. Fountain House was previously led by Dr. Ashwin Vasan, whos now New York Citys health commissioner.

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The 2023 Nonprofit Power 100 - City & State