NYCHA Employee Receives Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award

On March 15, Margarita Cabral, Senior Administrative Manager in the Lead Hazard Control Department, received a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award (also known as the Presidential Volunteer Service Award) for her community activism and advocacy. A White House-authorized certifying organization presented a surprised Ms. Cabral with her award while she was hosting a symposium on sickle cell awareness at Queens Hospital Center. Awardees typically put in at least 4,000 hours of volunteering to be considered for the award, and Ms. Cabral has been involved in a number of organizations throughout the years.

“I don’t know what my facial expression was,” Ms. Cabral recalled. “I was in total shock.” 

Ms. Cabral has long been involved in the Sickle Cell Awareness Foundation, which raises awareness of the disease and advocates for additional research on it. These efforts paid off recently when, in December 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Sickle Cell Disease Detection and Education Bill.

“Because of the folks rallying around us,” she said, “that became a reality.” 

Ms. Cabral is also involved in organizations such as the Chamber Coalition (formerly known as the New American Chamber of Commerce), where she is the VP for Clergy Affairs. She has been involved in numerous Chamber initiatives, including a recent gun violence awareness event in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, that partnered with elected officials, community leaders, police precincts, and church representatives. She was also involved in Foundation for a Drug-Free World (Americas Chapter), raising awareness about human trafficking and domestic violence.

Ms. Cabral joined NYCHA in 1999. Consistent with her desire to positively impact others, she became a NYCHA Change Ambassador in 2022, and is known for her advocacy of healthy living habits.

Ms. Cabral, who was born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, said it was her father, a community advocate, who inspired her love for advocacy and community work. 

Ms. Cabral said she is compelled to act “When you see people in need, and you want to make a difference. It’s a struggle, but it motivates me. When I started in NYCHA, some of my coworkers said to me, ‘Margarita, you can’t change the world.’ And I said, ‘Yes, I won’t be able to change the world, but if I can help one person at a time, I think I can do that.’” Ms. Cabral also believes that environmental, social, and economic advocacy goals are interconnected, the foundation for a sustainable future for all.

“I think if each and every one of us have that vision and we work together, we can achieve so much. We are called to serve, and when we execute our passion and purpose, we can achieve anything. I have a bold vision to accomplish my humanitarian dream.”