From left, City School District of New Rochelle Superintendent Dr. Corey W. Reynolds, State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez, New Rochelle Council Member Martha Lopez, Miriam Cattan (a supporter of Council Member Lopez), Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle CEO Becky Mazzanobile, Assemblyman Steve Otis and Boys & Girls Club Chief Program Officer William Iannuzzi.
New Rochelle City Council Member Martha Lopez, Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle and State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez Unveil Designed for Young Adults to Bridge Communities, Break Down Barriers and Build Connections
New Rochelle City Council Member Martha Lopez, the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle and State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez have unveiled a pilot program, “How Well Do You Know Me?,” designed to empower young adults to serve as ambassadors for inclusive change by fostering dialogue, empathy and understanding across diverse racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds in the City of New Rochelle.The initiative responds to urgent social trends, an escalation in hate crimes and the rapid growth of racial and ethnic diversity among youths in Westchester County, all underscoring the need to nurture meaningful connections.Youths ages 17-24 who live, work or attend school in New Rochelle or surrounding communities can apply at http://bit.ly/4nEqRji.
“Once upon a time, this program was a dream; now, it is a reality,” Lopez said at a press conference attended by City of New Rochelle, Westchester County government and nonprofit officials and dignitaries. In addition to contemporary societal trends, Lopez was inspired to create the program by the differences and acclimation process she experienced after arriving in the United States as a youth. This program, she said, will connect young adults “from different paths of life to really get to know each other. We hope to do a lot of great things.”
Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle CEO Becky Mazzanobile is excited by the program’s strategic vision and cultivation of youth leadership. “We are developing youth ambassadors,” said Mazzanobile, who attended international school and embraces the richness of distinct cultures. “This pilot is extremely important. Participants will ask questions, seek bridges and collaborate from the perspectives of a variety of heritages and experiences to build connections to best understand and respect each other.”
State Sen. Fernandez, serving Westchester County and the Bronx in the 34th District, secured $20,000 to kick off the program and is grateful for the partnership’s ingenuity. “I believe this program can be truly transformative,” she said. “When young people from diverse cultures come together to talk, listen and learn from one another, they build connections and communities. By creating spaces for dialogue and understanding, we can lift each other up and move toward a future of harmony.”
Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle staff will lead curriculum that will offer storytelling workshops, history programs and speakers from diverse cultures, and also include educational trips to Washington, D.C.’s United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Participants will network, draw upon others’ experiences and collaborate on strategies to build a community-wide “How Well Do You Know Me?” foundation that endures beyond the pilot and can potentially be replicated across Westchester County.
Initial sessions will start with 20 students; community outreach will include student clubs at New Rochelle High School to ensure broad diversity. Sessions are expected to launch in October 2025 and will continue during the 2025-2026 academic year, culminating in a public event during which participants share their insights with peers and community leaders.
A New Rochelle resident since 2005, Councilmember Lopez serves District 1. She served as assistant director of the Washingtonville Housing Alliance in Mamaroneck for 18 years. From 2001 to 2009, she was Director for Hispanic Affairs for Westchester County and was appointed as Director Minority and Women-Owned Business Development in 2018. Learn more at https://www.newrochelleny.gov/95/District-1.
For 95 years, Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle has been an integral part of the community, offering quality, achievement-driven programming encompassing academics, mental wellness, fitness, leadership and civics. It serves 10,000 youths annually at 12 school sites and two clubhouses with impactful before-school, after-school, elective and summer offerings. Learn more at BGCNR.org.
State Sen. Fernandez’s duties include serving as Chair of the Senate Alcoholism & Substance Use Disorders Committee, positioning her as a leading voice in the fight against the opioid crisis. A daughter of immigrants, Fernandez’s passion for her community and desire to serve have been the driving forces of her career. Learn more at https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/nathalia-fernandez.
