RELISH Certificate and Mentorship Program

On December 16, 2022, the Racial Equity in Supportive Housing Workgroup (RESH) graduated its first class of participants in the inaugural Readying Emerging Leaders in Supportive Housing (RELISH) certificate and mentorship program. The 24-week program was designed to provide Black emerging leaders in the nonprofit homeless and housing sectors with the management, leadership, and networking skills necessary for upward mobility.

Inaugural RELISH mentors and graduates

Twenty-eight participants successfully completed this unique and much-needed program. RELISH Scholars participated in a graduation ceremony held at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, where they were joined by their mentors, as well as family, friends, and fellow supportive housing industry professionals.

Congratulations, RELISH graduates! And thank you to program organizers and mentors including Jeannette K. Ruffins of Homeward NYC, Mark B. Jennings of Project FIND, Diane Louard-Michel of Lantern Community Services, Nicole Clare of BRC, and Tierra Labrada of the Supportive Housing Network of New York.

The Racial Equity in Supportive Housing (RESH) Workgroup is a volunteer affinity group launched in 2020 to examine and implement tangible solutions to advance leadership and racial equity for New York State supportive housing stakeholders who identify as Black.

Black people have been historically and disproportionately impacted by poverty and homelessness. In New York, nearly 70% of the homeless population is Black, and 80% of workers providing care for the homeless or formerly homeless are women of color. Yet, data show that the leadership of organizations providing services often does not reflect the populations they serve. RESH and RELISH work to advance equity—and improve the quality of life for Black people connected to the supportive housing sector.

Photo courtesy of the Supportive Housing Network of New York