Letter from Ebony Cawthorne, Former Youth Program Coordinator at Sixth Street Community Center
November 6, 2025
To whom it may concern:I am writing to provide a formal statement in response to the situation at Sixth Street Community Center and my work there during the years 2022 to 2024. Having served as a member of the Sixth Street Community Center team during that period while Howard Brandstein was the Center’s Executive Director, I feel compelled to speak to the integrity, leadership and community impact that Howard demonstrated during my time there. I would also like to express deep concern over the Board of Directors’ actions and decisions that lead to the termination of Howard and the shutdown of vital programs.
During my initial years at Sixth Street, the afterschool program was a vibrant, mission-driven space rooted in the organization’s long-standing values of social, environmental, housing, economic, and racial justice. The program provided diversified offerings in arts, environmentalism, and climate justice awareness for elementary-aged youth — work that directly served and reflected the diverse fabric of the Lower East Side community. I was drawn to Sixth Street because of its commitment to accessibility and community support, including its sliding-scale tuition for families, stipends for teen program participants and community-centered initiatives like the CSA and meal distribution program during the height of the migrant crisis. These were tangible examples of a nonprofit deeply aligned with its mission.
Under Howard’s leadership, that mission was upheld with care and consistency. Howard was attentive, responsive, and engaged — often going beyond his executive duties to support program operations directly. If a staff member was running late or out sick, Howard would step in himself to help with after-school pickups and smooth transitions. He made it a point to regularly check in with staff during program hours, ensuring we had the materials, support and clarity needed to carry out our work effectively. His leadership cultivated a culture of teamwork, respect and accountability.
In contrast, during my final year at the organization, I observed a marked decline in administrative responsiveness and staff morale under Deputy Director Jen Chantrtanapichate, who was directly responsible for the program’s supervision and management. She was frequently unavailable during program hours, often appearing only once or twice a week and leaving before program activities began. More concerning, however, was her disregard for staff input and well-being.
A clear example of this occurred at the start of the fall session in 2024, when staff raised concerns about the enrollment of a child whose guardian disclosed significant behavioral challenges. Multiple staff members, myself included, expressed that we lacked the necessary training and support to accommodate the child safely. Despite our concerns, we were told to “feel out” the situation and revisit it after a month. Within a week, the child experienced an emotional episode and physically struck me and proceeded to engage in physical self-harm — an incident that took place while the Deputy Director was absent. Howard was present during the time of the incident and called the child’s guardians immediately after ascertaining that the other youth participants and staff were safe.
Following the incident, I and other staff members repeatedly voiced our discomfort with how the matter was handled. In one-on-one discussions with the Deputy Director, I made clear that I felt emotionally drained and unsupported, especially given the absence of clear leadership or corrective measures. Rather than receiving understanding or solutions, I was told by the deputy director to “move on” from the incident — a response that reflected a lack of empathy, accountability, and managerial awareness.
This pattern of dismissiveness became increasingly evident. Staff feedback about program
quality, communication and workload was consistently minimized. Many of us who had once
taken pride in the program’s positive reputation began to feel unheard and undervalued.
Ultimately, I made the difficult decision to leave the organization not because of Howard, but due to the deteriorating conditions that emerged under the Deputy Director’s leadership and the Board’s lack of oversight. I left because of the strain of an unbalanced workload, the low pay given my responsibilities, the lack of proper guidance and supervision, and the absence of professional development opportunities. The Deputy Director’s hiring of unseasoned childcare workers created constant instability and forced me to take on the role of sole disciplinarian, which was neither sustainable nor fair. What was once a collaborative, mission-aligned environment under Howard’s direction had devolved into a workplace defined by burnout, disorganization, and disregard for staff welfare.Howard, on the other hand, continued to be a stabilizing and supportive presence, addressing day-to-day issues, assisting staff directly and ensuring that the organization’s mission remained community-centered. His dismissal represents not only a loss of capable leadership but also a symbolic departure from the values that once made Sixth Street a trusted institution.
I share this statement not out of personal grievance, but out of a deep concern for the erosion of an organization that once modeled integrity, responsiveness and justice-driven programming. The current culture of hostility, neglect, and disconnection from the community stands in direct contradiction to the historic mission of Sixth Street Community Center.
I believe that a transparent, fair, and community-informed review of the current boards’ past actions and decisions is in order. The community, staff, and youth deserve a Sixth Street that once again reflects the compassion, accountability, and justice it was founded upon.
Respectfully,
Ebony Cawthorne
Former Youth Program Coordinator at Sixth Street Community Center
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