HARLEM, NY—September 8, 2021 —The Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center today announced United States Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) will be presented with its celebrated Community Leadership Award, named for their founder, during the organization’s virtual anniversary gala on Wednesday, October 20, 2021.

“Congressman Espaillat has been an invaluable public servant not only for his constituents throughout Harlem, Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, but for the people of the United States,” said Patricia C. Jordan, Bowen Center Board Chair. “He is a strong advocate for those he serves because he listens to their needs and responds with action. Rep. Espaillat best exemplifies this award, and we are honored to present him with it.”

The Emma L. Bowen Community Leadership Award is presented to individuals and organizations whose dedication to their community has been invaluable. Recipients lead by example and work towards the betterment of their communities. Previous honorees include NYC Councilmember Mark Levine, Olympic trailblazer Wendy Hilliard, WBLS personality “Doctor” Bob Lee and Board-certified Emergency Medicine physician and healthcare advocate Uché Blackstock, MD.

2021 Community Leadership Award Honoree

Hon. Adriano Espaillat — US Representative Adriano Espaillat proudly represents New York’s Thirteenth Congressional District. Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the US House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill, and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat was sworn into office on January 3, 2017, during the 115th Congress and is serving his third term in Congress. (link to full bio)

The Bowen Center has been empowering individuals from Harlem and beyond to cope with mental health illness effectively and productively. Services provided include a therapeutic preschool for children with behavioral and developmental issues; outpatient mental health services for children and adolescents; programs for adults & seniors dealing with mental health and addiction challenges; a care management team that provides advocacy and services to home-bound individuals; a 20-bed residential addiction recovery facility, and a food pantry program that serves over 22,000 packages of food annually.

The 35th Anniversary Gala

In addition to the presentation of the Community Leadership Award, Bowen will bestow its Humanitarian Medal to The Reverend Al Sharpton and Cynthia Germanotta. The virtual gala will commemorate the Bowen Center’s 35th Anniversary, with a retrospective, musical performances, and client success stories.

For additional information including full bios please visit bowencsc.org/gala.

About Emma L. Bowen
Emma L. Bowen was a mother, community activist and fighter for justice who was always concerned about the well-being of her neighbors as well as her community. Recognizing that the roots of community mental health issues lie in the self-images of oppressed individuals and that these images were largely created and bolstered by the mass media, she organized Black people across the City of New York to take action against the broadcast industry. In 1971, her hard work and dedication resulted in the signing of a landmark agreement with the City’s television broadcasters – WABC, WNBC and WCBS that created positions of Community Affairs Directors and took positive steps to improve programming, and the hiring and training of Black people.

When Mrs. Bowen learned that the City of New York was planning to open a community-based mental health facility in Harlem without input from community members, she partnered with the late William F. Hatcher to bring the community and elected representatives together to establish the non-profit organization that would become the Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center, Inc., later renamed the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center, after Mrs. Bowen’s passing in 1996.

About the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center.
The Emma L. Bowen Community Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community-based organization established in 1986 and licensed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York State Office of Mental Health, NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports, and New York State Department of Education. bowencsc.org

Links
Hon. Adriano Espaillat – https://tinyurl.com/v2dkes5a
Headshot – https://tinyurl.com/3y85tz39