Caribbean-American Association Brings Colleagues Together for Heritage Month 

On June 8, NYCHA colleagues enjoyed a festive gathering and lunch in celebration of Caribbean-American Heritage Month.  

NYCHA’s Caribbean-American Association hosted the communal event in the 5th Floor Ceremonial Room at 90 Church Street for employee association members, co-workers, and special guests to share in the spirit of the heritage month.  

Home to one of the largest Caribbean diasporas in the world, New York City joins communities across the U.S. every June to recognize the rich and vibrant Caribbean culture and celebrate the heritage, traditions, and contributions of people of Caribbean descent living in America. 

One of the highlights of NYCHA’s annual festivities is the variety of delicious food offerings representing the Caribbean region. This year, attendees were treated to favorite plates from the islands such as arroz con gandules, peas and rice, jerk chicken, rasta pasta, pernil, fried tilapia, maduros, as well as Caribbean pastries and sodas.    

As part of the 2026 celebration, the employee association – led by President Sharon Kistoo and Vice President Paula Flynn – presented certificates to honoree Edith Irizarry-Oviedo, Career Counselor in HR Resource Fulfillment, and last year’s honoree Sherry Samaroo, Community Coordinator in the Lead Hazard Control Department. Sybille Louis, Vice President of Performance Tracking and Analytics, served as the event’s guest speaker.  

In addition to the authentic Caribbean lunch and employee recognition ceremonies, co-workers enjoyed playing trivia and bingo, Caribbean-style, with a few also taking home raffle prizes.