The FUREE Board
"So early in my life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise." - Malcolm X
Joy Chatel
Joy is a leader on the Downtown Brooklyn Campaign for Accountable Development and elected to the board in May of 2009. Joy has been a member of FUREE since 2004, taking a special interest in unfair zoning and irresponsible development. Over the years, she’s held the office of Title I chair and PTA President in Brooklyn’s districts 13 and 22 and received countless awards in advocacy and leadership. Joy has also fought hard for the preservation of her home, 227 Duffield Street, an Underground Rail Road safe house in Downtown Brooklyn. She is the proud mother of five children a grandmother of twelve and great-grandmother of two.
Beverly Corbin
Beverly is a leader on the Child Care campaign and was elected onto FUREE's Board in 2005. Beverly is a talented trainer who led sessions on Child Care policy in New York City for our child care campaign members and on Voting Rights and the Electoral Process for residents in the Gowanus Housing. She also presented FUREE Child Care Campaign demands to many New York City Council members. Beverly worked at the VA for 12 years, and was a proud union member. She is the birth mother of four and is raising a 7 year-old right now. Beverly is a fighter and says, "Don't ever let the world get you down – I've overcome obstacles and everyone else can too. Belonging to the Board is a great thing because it's belonging to something I know will get stronger."
Randy Leigh
Randy was elected onto FUREE’s Board in 2005—this is his 3rd Board term. He first got involved to support his wife, Jewel, a child care provider who is active on the child care campaign. After attending several meetings, he became actively involved in child care campaign, and along with Jewel has been an important leader in FUREE ever since. Randy is the proud father of three and grandfather of three. He is a retired postal worker, and a founder the International Brotherhood of African-American Postal Workers. Randy is also a Vietnam veteran.
Celina Lynch
Celina has been involved with the Downtown Brooklyn Campaign Steering Committee, fighting against displacement of low-income families in Downtown Brooklyn. Celina has been a member for nearly two years and lives in Ingersoll Houses. Celina’s extraordinary rise into leadership at FUREE is due to her natural ability to inspire and agitate others. Elected to the board in May of 2009, Celina values learning and welcomes change freely and is committed to developing helpful and constructive strategies to further FUREE’s causes.
Maisha Morales
Maisha is a Latina small business owner who was notified that the mall her store was located in was sold and received a nine-day eviction notice. Maisha was able to relocate at three times the rent but having incurred moving costs and the loss of her customer base, her business is now struggling to stay afloat. Disconcerted with the changes she sees in the neighborhood, Maisha joined the Downtown Brooklyn Campaign in 2007 to win concessions for independent small businesses that were priced out due to development in the area. Maisha appears in the media and fights on behalf of other small business owners as well as low-income families in public hearings, press conferences and meeting with developers. A mother of a 10-year-old son, Maisha was elected to the Board in May 2009.
Sandra Robinson
Sandra is a native New Yorker and has been a family day care provider in her Bedford-Stuyvesant community for six years. She has worked with youth for 25 years throughout New York State and California. She has one grown daughter, Kimberly, and two grandchildren, Nicola and Kwame, after whom her child care center is named. She has been an active and vocal leader of FUREE for over four years.
Diana Smith
Diana was elected to the Board of Directors in October of 2007. Diana was born and raised in downtown Brooklyn, New York. She finished school by receiving a GED. She worked for New York City (Human Resource Department) for 15yrs. She’s completed multiple computer training schools in Computer repair (A+) courses as well as computer office (Microsoft Word, Excel, and a little PowerPoint) with certificates. She’s in the process of completing her last semester at BEOC for Bookkeeping. “This is my first time working with an organization and doing outreach and I’m enjoying it and looking forward to learning more about organizing. I like working with people, helping other people. I enjoy learning new things. I’m willing to work wherever I’m needed as long as I’m free.”
