Note: Many of these support letters were written before April 8th, 2025 when Howard Brandstein was fired and locked out of the building; Howard had requested support letters and character references in the face of the Sixth Street Board’s ongoing campaign of defamation and threats against him.
Sixth Street Staff Letter in Support of Howard Brandstein
NYCHA LES 5 Tenants Association Letter of Support
East River Park Action Letter of Support
Noelle Sanchez Letter of Support
Individual Letters of Support:
Barbara Caporale
Ashley Carroll
Liz Diaz
Pete Dolack
Laylah Dunson
Hennessy Garcia
Jennifer Jager
Citlaic Jeffers Pena
Fran Luck
Tchan M
Matt Metzgar
Daniel Meyers
Steven Prestianni
Basil Reyes
Joan Reinmuth
Dr. Elissa Sampson
Annie Troy
Ivan Viera
Felicia Young
Ivan Viera
November 4, 2024
To Whom It May Concern:
I, Ivan Viera, am a life-long resident and activist of the Lower East Side. As part of my work in the community I served on the Board of Directors of Sixth Street Community Center for 23 years from 1998 – 2021 and as Chairperson of the Board for 22 of those years from 1999-2021.
During my tenure on the Board of Directors and before that time going back to 1984, I have known Howard Brandstein. I first met Howard when he was organizing and providing technical assistance to the building I homesteaded along with other neighborhood residents at 653 East 5 Street. Howard at that time worked for the LES Catholic Area Conference and was instrumental in getting our building into the City’s Urban Homesteading Program. His assistance was invaluable not only to my building but about 15 other homesteads in the neighborhood.
Howard was also instrumental in organizing RAIN Community Land Trust, the first in NYC for nine of the buildings, including mine, that he worked with. His extraordinary commitment, hard work and resourcefulness in serving the people of our community was greatly appreciated and recognized.
Howard continued this vital service as Executive Director of Sixth Street Community Center beginning in the 1990s. Before joining the Sixth Street Board, I worked in maintenance and childcare for a period of three years at the Center. Throughout that time I found Howard to be a respectful and thoughtful leader.
Subsequently when I joined the Sixth Street Board, I saw even more how Howard was a people person who cared deeply for our youth. Together with Annette Averette, Howard’s partner and Sixth Street Business Manager, he successfully led the effort to grow the Center’s programs while overseeing the physical renovation of the building Throughout my tenures on the Board I was impressed with Howard’s skill and leadership in providing much needed programs to the community for children, teens and adults. I especially enjoyed joining the bicycle trips that Howard organized and led for about 10 summers for the children of the Sixth Street staff and community. Throughout my time on the Board I witnessed Howard develop caring relationships with staff and volunteers that continue to this day.
Ivan Viera
Steven Prestianni
October 21, 2024
Greetings Howard,
And to whom it may concern,
The intent of this letter is based upon Howard Branstein’s request for a character reference in relation to circumstances underlying Howard’s presence at the Sixth Street Community Center.Firstly, it will be easy to write a message of support for Howard. Secondly, it saddens me that it even comes down to such a moment. Thirdly, if our Dear Annette was still living, no attacks or threats toward Howard would occur, nor be tolerated.
I, Steven Prestianni, know Howard Brandstein for about 25 years, and have been renting the Serenity Space at the Sixth Street Community Center since 2002 to the present, to teach yoga. The class has been either once a week or twice a week continuously for the past 22 years, and as a part of the ritual of the class itself, going upstairs afterwards and spending time communicating with Howard (and of course Annette while she lived and breathed) has been a part of the weekly ritual. Meaning, quite a bit of time and years speaking with Howard.
Mostly we speak of things concerning the community center, things concerning the community, things concerning our nation, things concerning our world, and things concerning our Earth.
There’s a pattern. Concern. And care.
Being with Howard means brainstorming in some way to find a solution to a problem, and/or examining problems from different angles.
To me he has exhibited nothing but pure integrity in his thought process, and even more importantly, with all his actions.
His actions toward positive human relations in regards to housing issues, food
issues and the preservation of the Sixth Street Community Center are too high to be counted.Literally.
He has worked endlessly to help and protect people.He’s been a surrogate grandfather to Annette’s grandchildren through a life
of connection. Not from duty nor obligation. From a place of genuine caring. From a place of trust.Of course no one is perfect, tho I can readily say that anyone casting negative shadows towards Howard’s character would do well to look in the mirror and ask themselves what their true motives might be behind trying to bring down a person who has given their life to create and sustain community, for communities sake.
Steven Prestianni, Director of Yoga
Matt Metzgar
October 16, 2024
To my fellow eco-urbanites and whoever it may concern !
I’ve known Howard for 34 years, both as an activist and organizer of social events, and as a professional carpenter.
My first encounter with Mr. Brandstein was in the early 1990’s, when Mayor David Dinkins, and then mayor Rudolph Giuliani were attempting to dislodge the low-income inhabitants of 5 buildings on E13th St. I was busy collecting letters from neighborhood churches, community centers and assorted CB3 (Community Board) figures who might support us. Howard was immediately helpful with an excellent letter on Sixth Street Community Center stationary which praised and supported our housing efforts as a worthy example of people-power affordable housing. It was apparent to me that Howard had an instinctual organic understanding of the importance of human solidarity. I remember thinking at the time that it was almost too good to be true.
Over the years I deepened my appreciation of him, witnessing how he never turned any neighborhood entity away, if they needed a space to hold a meeting, a good-cause benefit, or a family event. I have had numerous opportunities to see this quality of Howard’s. One may regard it archaically as the quality of “probity”; the willingness at every turn to simply be good to others, take their concerns and issues seriously, yet within an overarching and all-embracing vision of humanity and ecological, green movement philosophy. His attention was nothing if not generous, and was always an invitation and a challenge, to participate in this or that dimension of community activism, and toward a vision of community solidarity– never preachy–which vividly expressed itself in the old synagogue building people often just regarded as “6th Street”.
Through the years it consistently amazed me: Howard’s steadfast vision was something of a singular institution in the East Village, and everyone just knew it without expressing it, for the reason that Howard was too humble to make his personal qualities the center of anything, let alone the center of the Center. What was clear was: for the most part Sixth Street existed only because of Howard’s humble, yet superlative dedication and social organizing. This included some incredible grant writing skills (with all the assiduous attention required to be up on trends). It was so obvious that without Howard (and of course the wonderfully complimentary skills of his institutional partner Annette), Sixth Street Community Center would have had no hope of flowering into the future, through the tribulations of NYC politics and economy. I have often been haunted by the thought that some real-estate developer’s foot would fall to beset Sixth Street with insurmountable problems leading to its demise.
Howard was always fair and equitable with professional tradespeople. When they realized I worked in a woodshop, he and Annette hired me to do work on the Organic Cafe. From then on, whenever I would walk in to say hi or request to use the bathroom, Annette and Howard might be holding court at the very tables I cut the corners off of. “It’s more ergonomic, Matt !”, Annette said once. Such an easy job for me, but it came with hilariously endless compliments, and apparent gratitude that I did the job right. Later, I bartered my skills fastening the “picture-molding” up along the walls in the main space (plus $200) to hang art for an event I was organizing. After Hurricane Sandy did some damage to the beautiful old stain glass windows on the top floor, Howard fielded a grant and hired me to restore one of them. He paid fairly, and on time. There were other things I worked on, and if the conditions of a job needed re-negotiating, he acted in good faith that YOU were being fair.
I could go on about how many times I’ve needed a social space–for a memorial, for a benefit to raise money for Louisiana victims of the Exxon Valdez disaster, for a beloved journalist who was travelling to an important revolutionary hot-spot that “main-stream news” wasn’t covering– whatever! As long as it enriched lives somehow, and contributed toward true awareness and social solidarity –Howard was always there.
I am forever grateful for that. I have benefited personally from Howard’s awesome generosity, and I know I am one of hundreds of people that feel this way.–Matt Metzgar
Laylah Dunson
October 12, 2024
To Whom It May Concern,
I have known Howard Brandstein for most of my life and have participated in the Sixth Street Community Center summer camp programs for many years as I grew up. Howard provided me with the opportunity to work as a counselor in the summer programs in 2018 and 2019. He organized fun bike rides, introduced me to the CSA program, and even allowed me to run my entrepreneurship business alongside Sixth Street programs during the summer. Howard has always been a great source of guidance, and I have witnessed firsthand what an excellent director he is. We even joined forces to defend the East River Park and support the environment.
Sincerely, Laylah Dunson
Jennifer Jager
October 14, 2024
My name is Jennifer Jager. I am a Manhattan resident who ran a small business here for 35 years. As a lifelong activist I have been chair of the Manhattan Greens and ran for State Committee in my district. I served on the Local Station Board of the listener sponsored radio station WBAI. I also served on the Pacifica National Board. In addition I am a member of the board of the environmental group No Spray Coalition which fights against the use of toxic pesticides in NYC.
I have known Howard Brandstein for more than 20 years. Personally he is a kind, considerate, generous and gentle person. Professionally he is an intelligent, creative activist who has dedicated his life to serving the community. Howard and the very special Annette Averette had a vision for a neighborhood institution which could serve the people of the Lower East Side. They fulfilled that vision with Sixth Street. Howard works hard every day making sure that Sixth street and all its wonderful programs survive and thrive in a difficult environment. He doesn’t just sit at a computer from a remote location issuing email edicts. He is hands on at the building doing the work.
Sixth Street and the people of the Lower East Side are lucky to have Howard working for them.
Citlaic Jeffers Peña
To whom it may concern,
My name is Citlalic Jeffers Peña. I was employed at Sixth Street Community Center from June 2005 to November 2012 as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program Coordinator. I have stayed connected to Howard and Sixth Street long after my time at the organization ended.
Sixth Street, Howard and Annette Averette’s mentorship played a pivotal role in my personal development and helped steer me in the direction of what eventually became life-long commitment to community based initiatives. I arrived at Sixth Street as a high schooler while volunteering at May Day Books; I had dreams of starting a rooftop garden, and asked Howard if I could organize a punk show at Sixth Street to fundraise for it. After the success of the fundraiser, Howard offered me an internship to help service the CSA.
What started out as a summer internship transformed into an opportunity to become a part of Sixth Street staff. Howard fostered a work environment of open communication and support for new ideas, processes and structures which always made me feel confident to share and discuss any concerns, proposals, or critiques openly and freely. Over time, I developed a vision to expand the program from a distribution point into a site of community engagement.
Howard championed my idea of creating committees made up of CSA members to organize community events, cooking demos, film screenings, and put out a weekly newsletter with recipes and political discussions around food justice and food safety. Our efforts increased the CSA’s membership to an average of 200 members per season.
Howard always ensured that we had the funding and resources to achieve our organizational goals and staff development, such as funding our trips to conferences and trainings. Through one of the conferences, I generated a new proposal to transform the payment structure by accepting food stamps, payment plans and a sliding scale share price based on income to make the program more accessible to community members on a fixed income. This was a lofty undertaking which required Howard’s approval and there were times when I had differences in how to bring this vision to fruition. Despite our differences, Howard always cultivated an environment in which I felt safe to voice my thoughts, critiques or differences without any fear of retaliation and instead encouraged me to bring forth data and evidence to support my ideas.
Throughout it all, Howard supported these efforts and offered guidance on how to turn our goals into accomplishments, a reflection of his devotion for his community, openness to new ideas, and collaborative practice. Howard’s devotion to Sixth Street and his staff is unparalleled, as executive director of the organization he was dedicated to elevate and encourage us to accomplish what we set out to do. I am grateful to Howard, Annette and Sixth Street for granting me a formative and foundational experience in food justice and community service.
Sincerely,
Citlalic Jeffers Peña M.A. CCC-SLP
Basil Reyes
October 16, 2024
Hi Howard,
This is my attempt to provide you a character reference that clearly relays your value to the 6th St Community Center and the neighborhood.
I’ve been living a block away for 20+ years. I’m originally from Texas and have worked for 10+ years for a settlement house in Brooklyn (the Cypress Hills Local Development Corp). I have been a member of the CSA at least since 2002.
Needless to say, I was happy to have found the 6th St Comm Ctr and farm share program it has coordinated. I appreciate how you and Annette cultivated the relationship with the farmer and secured us weekly deliveries of fresh produce. In my years down the street, I have never heard a negative comment about the Comm Ctr or of the staff & volunteers; that includes you.
This note is long overdue. Thank you for your commitment and your contributions over all these years. Your work at the Sixth St Comm Ctr has contributed to the physical health and safety of many community residents. If there is ever anything you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thank you in advance,
Bacilio (Basil) Reyes, Jr.
Barbara Caporale
Howard Brandstein is a founding member and Executive Director of The Sixth Street Community Center.
Howard Brandstein began his work at Sixth Street Community Center as a volunteer back in the 1980s. As a lifelong New Yorker and urban homesteader, he assisted Lower East Side and East Harlem residents in homesteading and sweat equity & helping establish HDFCs. His building is the twin to my subset of HDFC but his was able to get his stabilized. We both had HUD 312 loans and were incorporated under Article 11 of the not for profit housing finance law, He helped teach me to file NYC tax assessment appeals to keep the taxes down on my low-income HDFC, and helped my building navigate through the process with HUD when we were being foreclosed on and auctioned, and we worked in collaboration with him and UHAB and Brooklyn Law school.
Howard was at the forefront of the community garden movement in our Neighborhood (EV, Loisaida) and helped establish the first Community Land Trust (CLT) in NYC.
He is passionate about saving our planet and communities from racial capitalism, fights against displacement in our low-income working class neighborhood and is actively organizing a new CLT to be established on East 6th Street.
He helped me to obtain scholarship so I could participate in the Community Supported Agriculture program that he runs at the 6th St Center. He also helped my garden (6B Garden) obtain a discount from that farmer (Hepworth farms) for the free organic food that we cook for the community at our annual HarvestFest Feast, and contributes a free CSA share annually as a raffle prize (we sell raffle tkts for 1 buck, but that is our largest fundraiser.
Howard has been at the forefront of Climate Justice, and contributed valuable testimony and the community’s alternative ‘ecological plan’ for East River Park to stop its destruction in the name of ‘saving us from flooding’. He has longer term visions which he included into the ERPark plans such as decking the FDR to help truly adjust our impacts on the environment. He also provides meeting space for all healthy food, and clean power organizing initiatives and serves on statewide coalitions influencing public policy.
Howard is very easy going and has an amazing sense of humor. His gentle and supportive nature makes him great at enlisting volunteers to help with community initiatives. He talked me into making banners and posters for the SAVE East River Park Rallies, and recently got me to volunteer to help save the Sixth Street Center from foreclosure on the loans he obtained to make necessary upgrades and restoration of the landmarked (?) historic facade of the 1890s synagogue that houses his center. I am making fliers and helping with a campaign to raise 1.2 million dollars before they are sent for auction in June of this year.
He provides free meeting space for my garden, and a great discount for our annual volunteer recognition holiday party. This year he was voted in to serve as a community member representative on the Sixth Street and Avenue B Garden Board of Directors.
Howard is a visionary and is always helping our community. Even during the pandemic when his organization was forced to shut its doors and cease programming and earning $s, he still helped organize a free food box providing 80,000 food boxes to our mostly Asian families, and food for homebound seniors; for which he organized volunteers to distribute and deliver.
He and his late lifelong partner Anette, began the ‘organic soul cafe’ teaching non vegans like myself how delicious that food can be. They build a beautiful chef kitchen, and I leaned to and helped prepare healthy meals there, along with other volunteers. This was my first direct witnessing of a for-profit/NFP partnership. He has opened his centers doors to EV Loves. That very kitchen is now being used by EV Loves team of volunteers, and although he could be renting that space on Sundays for greater profit to support the Sixth Street Community Center, he is more passionately committed to addressing food insecurity and they serve several thousand meals each Sunday, especially essential now that we have new immigrants on the next corner of his center waiting for relocation (however I too do try to get a box or two). He has also used the center to collect and distribute. clothing and toiletries for those families and individuals.
Howard is an amazing community human resource and an inspirational leader. I have learned so much from him, as have others. He has a hand in creating all of the 6th St Center programs, from the CSA to the afterschool, summer, and Climate Justice programs for youth. It is amazing how he can multitask so many projects and programs, not to mention the advocacy campaigns, on behalf of our community, and the planet.
I thank you for considering Howard Brandstein as a 2024 recipient of a Village Award. He is truly a local hero:)
~Barbara Caporale
Dr. Elissa Sampson, urban geographer
Howard Brandstein’s unparalleled commitment to Lower East Side/Loisaida contemporary and erstwhile communities can be seen in many ways. Among other things, he has worked to ensure that Jewish immigrant history is visible in the adaptive reuse of a historic immigrant synagogue that in 1978 he helped turn into the Sixth Street Community Center. Its importance cannot be overstated: without visible resort to the past, we are impoverished in envisioning how immigrants and migrants fought for their rights then, and can now.
Howard has respectfully restored the building’s historic features in ways that have resonance today, including through the addition of murals that memorialize Clara Lemlich, the leader of the nation’s first female immigrant garment workers strike, the 1909 Uprising of the 20,000. This series of murals also introduces viewers to the neighborhood burning down in the 1960s-1970s and to a local history of fighting enslavement and fighting for Black and Latino/a rights. Keeping the building tied to its antecedents in opening it up to broader adaptive reuse, moors community in place.
Howard’s open commitment to the neighborhood can be seen more broadly in the early urban homesteading of vacant buildings that he organized to provide affordable housing as well as in the community land trust that he developed in collaboration with Lower East Side Catholic parishes. More recently, he organized the emergency response at Sixth Street Community Center to provide food, clothing and other essentials to the neighborhood after Hurricane Sandy, and then responded to the pandemic by partnering with mutual aid groups to provide thousands of meals to those in need.
The purpose of boards is to exercise governance intelligently and to fund raise; this one has to ensure that they stick to that original historic mission and in doing so, don’t erase history or the people who embody it.
–Dr. Elissa Sampson
Research Associate and Lecturer, Cornell University
Forthcoming volume, Cornell University Press:
From Popular Front to Cold War: The Interracial Left and the International Workers Order, 1930–1954
Annie Troy
To whom it may concern,
I have worked in the nonprofit sector of New York City for several decades and am currently full-time with a $70+ million nonprofit organization where to date this year, I’ve raised approximately $17 million to help underserved communities across the US.
I have known Howard Brandstein since 1985 when I was Assistant Director and then Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity on the Lower East Side, renovating 40+ units of affordable housing on East Sixth Street. Howard was with the Lower East Side Catholic Area Conference, coordinating the local affordable housing and homesteading movement with Fr. Don Sakano. Howard frequently convened neighbors to discuss housing needs and map strategies. It was a crucial time when developers were flipping local properties without regard for traditional residents, and much of the affordable housing that exists in the Lower East Side today comes from that era, largely due to Howard’s, Carol Watson’s, and Fr. Don’s efforts.
In 1990, I was a largely volunteer Executive Director of Sixth Street Community Center for nine months, raising public / private grants. Howard at that time chaired SSCC’s board, donated generously, and had recently completed the Center’s renovation. He ensured SSCC served as a true community center, where all staff and constituents were local low-income traditional residents, primarily living in the nearby NYCHA developments, working together to meet the needs in their own neighborhood.
What staff at that time lacked in college diplomas, they more than made up for in commitment and in their ability to network through their deep contacts in the neighborhood. By living nearby, they flexibly covered evening and weekend schedules to serve working families and supervise income-generating, community-building events and rentals. During the summer, they turned the block into a play street and recruited up to 100 children per day from NYCHA for SSCC’s summer program. New funding was fairly simple to find due to staff’s cultural and community competence and their documenting SSCC’s focus on local low-income residents.
Howard and I have continued to touch base about SSCC’s needs. In 2020, I found the opportunity and wrote the proposal to New York Community Trust that resulted in a two-year grant award of $150,000. In that NYCT grant competition which had just five awardees, two of the five awards were for proposals I had written. I assisted with SSCC’s successful proposal to the Pinkerton Foundation, a funder that I had worked with for years to support other groups. I’ve also had occasional contact with Jen Chantrtanapichate about records and potential funding.
Through the decades, Howard has shown leadership and financial commitment to the Center and to the neighborhood, including working onsite weekends and evenings – something the Center requires and in the past, was shared among the staff. We’ve discussed methods to secure SSCC’s future and restore its focus on underserved community residents:
October 22, 2024
- ● Increase/restore a community presence with a staff of local low-income traditional residents, especially NYCHA residents, who work onsite and in person to accommodate working families, weekday and non 9-to-5 programs, via flexible scheduling and their local networks,
- ● Restore the board to at least the minimum size required in SSCC’s bylaws.
- ● Require 100% of board members to donate significantly annually and find others who willalso donate. Fundraising is a board’s main duty and many funders require documentation.
- ● Continue and increase SSCC’s involvement in the Land Trust and other local efforts tocollaboratively respond to community needs, as Howard and SSCC did post-Sandy.
- ● Continue Howard’s local and citywide partnerships and networks that in the past fiscal yearrescued the Center and its building from default, and resulted in generous state funding.Even recently, other local nonprofits have reinforced the continuation of their long-term leaders. Howard’s leadership and long track record are respected by elected officials, funders, nonprofits, and SSCC’s neighbors. To these key stakeholders, his continued leadership and hands-on program services demonstrate SSCC is committed to stability, sustainability, and to being a true community center.
All the best to everyone with SSCC,
Annie Troy, NYC
Linda Austin
To Whom It May Concern,
Hope all is well with you. My name is Ms. Linda Austin (TA President, LES group 5).
I am writing this letter on behalf of Mr. Howard Brandstein.
He has been very beneficial to our community. We have been working along-side of one
another For over 10 years.
He is a man of great character, and integrity with pure intentions to do a greater good for
our neighborhood. He is intense and it shows through his actions. We both share the vision of providing low-income housing for people that have low incomes.
He goes above and beyond to ensure we don’t lose that. He puts in the footwork to do so. And, produces the blueprint. Not for any selfish reasons, but for others to live as
comfortable as possible given their current circumstances.Respectfully,
Linda Austin
TA President (LES Group 5)
Ashley Carroll
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing this letter to provide a character reference for Howard Brandstein, a dedicated community activist and a steadfast advocate for the residents of the East Village. Over the years, Howard has proven himself to be an invaluable resource and a passionate defender of tenants’ rights, consistently placing the needs of the community above all else.
Howard’s contributions to the East Village and Loisaida are both significant and enduring. When I faced challenges with tenant-landlord issues, Howard not only guided me through understanding my rights as an NYC renter but also provided unwavering support and practical solutions. His depth of knowledge and commitment to justice are unparalleled.
One of Howard’s most remarkable achievements is his leadership in organizing tenants to fight for rent stabilization rights and to resist the co-op conversion and gentrification efforts that threatened the cultural fabric and affordability of our building on 4th Street. Through his tireless efforts, he brought residents together, educated us on the issues, and galvanized collective action to protect our homes and preserve the character of our neighborhood.
Howard’s advocacy is not limited to specific campaigns; it is his life’s legacy. He has always championed the best interests of the community, mentoring and empowering those around him. His ability to inspire others and his willingness to share his wealth of experience make him not only a leader but also a pillar of support for all who know him.
Knowing Howard means knowing someone who will always fight for justice and fairness. I am grateful to have him in my corner and proud to call him a friend and ally. His dedication and integrity make him a true asset to any cause or community he champions.
Sincerely,
Ashley Carroll
BeSomeOne Worldwide
Daniel Meyers
October 25, 2024
To Whom It May Concern:
I reside on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. I am the Vice-President of the Village East Towers (VET) Board of Directors and the co-chair of its Emergency Task Force; a founding member of East River Park Action. I am a former President of the New York City Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. I was co-counsel, in the Attica Brothers federal civil rights case.
I first met Howard Brandstein one morning, in the East River Park ( before its destruction). I was a jogger and Howard was a runner… a real runner with stamina, balance, focus, energy, drive and dedication. He was a role model for park runners and those who wanted to up their game. I jogged in admiration. Howard’s running demeanor carried into to his role as the Sixth Street Community Center’s Executive Director.
Howard was deeply involved in organizing the community to oppose the destruction of the park. His team efforts were extraordinary. He gathered petitions against the city’s plan, wrote articles published in the Villager, Village Sun and other newspapers, testified at various public hearings, including Community Board 3, the City Planning Commission and the Manhattan Borough President. He helped organize demonstrations against ESCR’s disastrous plan. He marched and rallied in events that he and his team helped to organize. He advocated for “decking” over the FDR Drive, a now recognized concept of preservation.
As a participant in various events held at the Sixth Street Community Center, I am reminded of the result of Howard’s leadership… this was true whether meeting in a crises, a cultural necessity or a purely social gathering.
I am inspired by Howard’s decency and admire his team and his position of leadership in our shared community. Using the description given by Joan Reinmuth: “the 6th Street Center is one of the brightest stars in our local universe.”
Daniel Meyers
Felicia Young
October 30, 2024Subject: Reference for Howard Brandstein, Executive Director of Sixth Street Community Center
Dear Sixth Street Community Center Board of Directors:
I am pleased to write this letter affirming my support and recognition of Howard Brandstein, the Executive Director of the Sixth Street Community Center, with whom I have had the pleasure of collaborating since 1994. I first became acquainted with Howard when I joined the Center as a full-time tenant on the third floor, serving as the Dire ctor of Earth Celebrations. Over the past three decades, I have continually been impressed by Howard‘s unwavering commitment to initiatives that address the vital needs of our community, such as urban environmental advocacy, support for community gardens, affordable housing, sustainable agriculture, and other challenges that confront the Lower East Side neighborhood. Howard‘s professionalism in managing a multi-use space-home to a variety of groups with diverse missions and activities-has always been exemplary. Since 2020, Earth Celebrations has rented space at the Sixth Street Community Center for our Ecological City: Art & Climate Solution Workshops, which run from March through May each year. Howard‘s steadfast dedication, leadership, and reliability have been instrumental to the success of our workshops and other projects. He is not only a highly respected figure at the Sixth Street Community Center, but also a valued pillar in the broader community, tirelessly supporting initiatives that contribute to the well-being and vitality of the Lower East Side.
Please feel free to contact me at your convenience if you require additional information about my experiences working with Howard. I am confident in recommending him as a dedicated and impactful leader.
Warm regards,Felicia YoungExecutive Director, Earth Celebrations
Fran Luck
To whom it may concern,
My name is Fran Luck; I have lived on the Lower East Side for over 50 years and have been an activist against the gentrification and the erasure of our truly unique neighborhood – which is how I met Howard Brandstein, who was/is also a fighter in this struggle. I currently produce and host a weekly radio program on WBAI, a radio station dedicated to social justice. I am also a member of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA} project run by the Sixth Street Community Center.
I have seen first-hand the evolution of the Sixth Street Community Center, as it has taken on so many local important issues – from stopping evictions (The Anti Displacement Project} to environmental justice, to feeding people during a hurricane and a pandemic, to educating neighborhood children (day camp every summer} to fighting City Hall when necessary.
Most importantly, I have seen first-hand the daily struggle of Howard as the Center’s Executive Director, to keep it all together and the Center solvent in the face of gentrification and rising costs. This work has involved reaching out to countless individuals, groups, grantmaking institutions, banks – and more – and daily doing the often frustrating and detailed work involved (and succeeding! Howard recently procured a low-interest loan for the Center that will keep it going for a long time}.
Through it all, Howard has maintained his warm connection with the people of the neighborhood. Because of his daily presence at the Center and his availability to those who come through its doors (which could not be done “remotely”), he has been the “glue” that holds together the community and the sense of community that has grown up around the Center. Howard has also organized many events that have drawn in people in the neighborhood and beyond and added to support for the Sixth Street Center.
For all these reasons and more, I consider Howard Brandstein to be one of the most dedicated public servants I have ever known — a true treasure on our local scene and a person whose efforts (and. successes!) should be accorded the greatest respect at all times.
Sincerely,
Fran Luck
Executive Producer, Resistance: Multicultural Feminist Radio@ WBAI
Joan Reinmuth
10.22.24
I am Joan Reinmuth, a retired nurse from Belleview Hospital, a local community activist and performer with a “solution based” history.
To whom it may concern Re: Howard Brandstein.
Does Howard brush his teeth after every meal, I can’t be sure. Does Howard help old ladies across the street, probably yes, but does that define character, again not sure. But what I am sure of is that he is a leader at the 6th Street Community Center, and that Center is one of the brightest stars in our local universe… it was started by a Big Bang and Howard Brandstein was integral to that mix. The heating, cooling, shrinking and expansion defines the core and activist role of 6th St.
Today it plays major in our community’s education, our place in the world and of course our safety.
The team at 6th St. has hosted strategy workers for every significant operation that neighborhoods like ours fight just to keep hope in orbit… and that (for us) is the meaning of character.
I have seen, heard and been inspired by Howard Brandstein… his coherent leadership and the cumulative achievement of his team is the tested definition of character.
Not everyone can say there was “standing room only” crowd at their birthday celebration, Howard can but probably doesn’t, and that takes character.
Hennessy Garcia
To whom it concerns;
My name is Hennessy Garcia. I worked at Sixth Street Community Center from November 2022 to August 2024. I am writing to advocate for Howard’s character. During my time at SSCC, I was hired as the climate justice organizer. My job was about engaging with coalitions, and seeing how SSCC can plug in. Additionally; I would co-facilitate the teen climate justice program.
Although I had issues with Sixth Street as an entity, I did not have an issue with Howard as a boss and manager. He was most likely to be present during the teen program, which means if God-fobid something happened that my former co-worker and I may was not be able to respond to on our own; he would likely be present. The direct manager who oversees the teen program was not often physically present when the program was occurring. The teens in the program actively enjoyed Howard’s presence. The few times in which Howard led a workshop the teens were entertained and very engaged. The favorite workshop the teens liked was the one where Howard took us on a tour and gave a really interesting history of the community gardens of the Lower East Side.
Howard, also often checked in on me to see how I was doing and would always ask what I was working on. He was also very encouraging when it came to pieces of climate legislation I was contributing to for Sixth Street. It was easier to confide in Howard about anything personal going on than my direct manager. Howard made the healing I had to do after being in the Intensive Care Unit and hospital for two weeks of my life in February easier. The period of February to March was one of the hardest periods of my life because I had to process that I almost died and after that experience, I knew for me to heal I had to do the things I love. One of them was my job. Howard, is part of the reason I stayed at Sixth Street for so long. He made me feel safe. He advocated for me to be paid. He also taught me so much about the Lower East Side that makes me appreciate the area and its history so much more.
I have two favorite moments with Howard. My first one was when we accepted the Proclamation by Assemblymember Harvey Epstein together. It was really meaningful to have his presence and I could tell he was super proud of the work my co-worker and I did to make it happen. My second favorite moment was when we were tabling for the Loisada festival in June. I taught him a dance and it was really funny and great that he went along with it. It also meant a lot to me because as a Puerto Rican, he was actively learning about my culture.
I hope one day to return to Sixth Street. I do not know what the future holds. I do not know in which capacity that will be in. I do know that I will not feel comfortable working there without Howard being there.
Sincerely,
Hennessy
Liz Diaz
October 25, 2024
To whom it may concern,
I have known Howard Brandstein for 26 years. During this time I volunteered or worked at Sixth Street Community Center located on 638 E 6th St, NY, NY 10009 to help serve our low-income community.
I have always known Howard to be honest and trustworthy. He is always willing to go above and beyond to help others. He is respectful of his staff and volunteers at the Community Center and gets long well with everyone at the Center and in the community.
I recall many occasions when Howard would stay late to complete a projects with a deadlines or until the last community member went home. During the time we worked together, he was often given additional responsibilities and assumed a leadership role while encouraging others on his team.
If any additional information is required concerning my association with Howard, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for time and consideration.
Respectfully,
Liz Diaz
Pete Dolack
To whom it may concern:
I am writing this letter of recommendation to express my admiration and respect for Howard Brandstein and the work he has done over the years for the Sixth Street Community Center. The Sixth Street Community Center would simply be unimaginable without Howard.
To introduce myself I have known Howard for about 25 years. I have been an active participant in New York City literary activities and activist work for about 30 years, ever since I moved to the city. Howard and the Sixth Street Community Center have consistently provided a home for a range of activities, including literary, musical and other types of performances, as well as for activist events, enriching the community. I personally have been a participant in several events over the years and have attended countless others. All these are in addition to the range of regular activities that regularly assist the community in terms of food and so many other necessary areas of life.
None of this would be possible without the work of Howard and, until her untimely passing, Annette Averette, who created the Center and nourished its growth. Without Howard Brandstein, Sixth Street Community Center would not exist. It’s as simple and basic as that.
Howard has worked tirelessly for decades on behalf of the Lower East Side community and remains a force for good in the community. I have seen his extraordinary dedication to the Center, the Lower East Side community, the constituents of both the Center and community, to the family of Annette, and to the general betterment of the world. In the quarter-century that I have known him, Howard has always had a positive attitude, not only in his consistent warm, friendly and professional relations with those who interact at the Center but in conceptualizing and implementing the many beneficial projects the Center has undertaken over the years.
It would be very difficult, perhaps impossible, to imagine someone else who could fill the roles of Howard as well as put in the time, effort, planning and organizational flair that he puts into his work as executive director. So many of us in the community have benefited from the work of Howard; the Lower East Side would be a lesser place without having the Sixth Street Community Center. A community anchor of this magnitude doesn’t just happen nor does it function on its own. Quite the contrary, the Center is a vital community anchor precisely because of the work of Howard and his extraordinary dedication to the Center and the community at large.
I join the Lower East Side community in saluting Howard’s decades of work and service. Without Howard’s work and service, there would be no Sixth Street Community Center, and we can’t afford to lose the Center and the services it provides under Howard’s leadership. To conclude on a personal note, I have been honored to have been Howard’s friend for the past quarter-century. Besides his work around the Center, he is also a kind and warm person who does not hesitate to lend a hand to those undergoing difficult times. Our community is better for having Howard among us.
Pete Dolack
Activist, Trade Justice New York Metro
Activist with several other organizations, including the No Spray Coalition and New York Workers Against Fascism
Director and lead organizer, the Alternative New Year’s Day Spoken Word/Performance Extravaganza Labor and economists columnist, CounterPunch
Author of two political science/history books and more than 300 articles published in at least 40 outlets
Frequent radio guest on several syndicated programs, including Pacifica Radio
Tchan M
May 8, 2025
To whom it may concern,
I am writing this letter as I feel so outraged and appalled by the shocking news of the removal of Howard Brandstein from Sixth Street Community Center. The manner Howard has been fired from Sixth Street is despicable and cruel. Howard, now at the age of 72 years old has been unconditionally dedicated and devoted to his work to serve the community and the neighborhood of the Lower East Side through Sixth Street. Howard is the pillar of Sixth Street. It would not exist without him as he was one of the founders almost 50 years ago. I have always seen Howard being present at the Center and involved in so many projects, programs, events and offerings and in partnership, collaboration, cooperation with the involvement of the community, neighborhood, schools and local farms. Howard has shown only love, passion and generosity for his work. He had great relationships with all the members, participants and volunteers there. He has been an ongoing creative and inspiring force due to his exceptional professional knowledge and expertise but also and especially because of his human qualities. Howard deserves only respect and recognition for all he has brought and contributed to the unique role and gift that Sixth Street has been for the community. His value is irreplaceable. The continuation, the life and the meaning of Sixth Street, without honoring and recognizing him as an essential part of the success of the Center would be impossible.
Sixth Street is rooted in a spirit of community and neighborhood with a long history and impact in the Lower East Side.
A new legal structure needs to be created to reflect a harmonious and peaceful work environment that supports a vision and a purpose of service to others instead of a self-oriented attitude with hidden motives that are contrary to the very meaning of the Center. Actually, it is extremely concerning, as the future of Sixth Street is now threatened by such behaviour and by the people perpetuating it. What are the real motives behind all these false accusations, harassment, aggression and psychological abuse towards Howard? Sixth Street needs to be protected, to be managed and organized by people with the qualifications and the sincere and honest mindset necessary to be truly serving the great purpose of such a place. Howard needs to keep working at Sixth Street not only because of his amazing work but for all of us, as through Howard, Sixth Street has been an historical lighthouse and part of the vibrant and unique spirit of the LES community and neighborhood and I would add NYC.
We should have only profound gratitude and recognition for all that Howard has made possible for us at Sixth Street.
We should simply say “Thank you Howard” from our hearts…
Tchan M