06/12/2026
"My parents actually met while volunteering at a community event, so being involved in the community has always felt natural to me. In high school, I coordinated volunteer opportunities for other students and spent my own time volunteering in a hospital and nursing home. Later, I realized I wanted to focus not only on helping individuals, but also on addressing the larger systems that create barriers in people’s lives.
That path led me to Hunter College’s Community Organizing program—and, unexpectedly, to Queens Community House. My very first class at Hunter in 2007 was Community Organizing 101, taught by Irma Rodriguez herself. Receiving an award that bears her name nearly two decades later feels incredibly meaningful.
Today, I serve as the Senior Community School Director at PS 14Q in Corona. Every day is different, which is one of the things I love most about the work. I help connect students and families to resources, support school-wide initiatives, build partnerships, and create opportunities that help our community thrive.
To me, being a community builder means taking the time to listen to people, understand their stories, and build trust. I love connecting people with one another and helping create opportunities for support and collaboration. I’ve learned that people are craving community and connection, and when given the chance, they genuinely want to help and care for one another.
One partnership that has been especially meaningful is our collaboration with QCH’s Queens Childcare Network. Since 2021, they have been a trusted resource for the families we serve through parent workshops, referrals, and educational programs. Knowing I can connect a family to their team and trust they will be treated with care and compassion makes an enormous difference.
As both a community school director and a parent of a Queens public school student, I see every day how much schools matter. They can be places of learning, but also centers of connection, support, and opportunity. That’s what continues to inspire me about this work and about Queens itself—a borough filled with resilience, diversity, and neighbors who care deeply about one another."
—Allison Brown, Recipient of the 2026 Irma Rodriguez Queens Community Builder Award
