Organizing Staff

Lucas Shapiro comes to FUREE after years of working as an organizer for a housing justice/community empowerment non-profit rooted in Hell's Kitchen.  As a Senior Organizer at FUREE, he works with members to fight for living wage jobs, affordable housing, access to healthy food, and a seat at the table in shaping local development.  After earning a degree in 'Studies in Social Change' from Ithaca College, Lucas moved to NYC to become the National Organizer for a progressive youth and student organization.  With 15 years of activist and professional organizing experience, Lucas Read more »

Desireé comes to FUREE with a background in LGBTQ youth organizing and housing organizing. As a Senior Organizer, she supports the leadership of  members and campaign development in our Youth Organizing group, FUREEous Youth and our Voter Engagement for Empowerment Project. Desireé has been organizing since graduating in 2006 from Hofstra University, where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology and Philosophy. She is a graduate of the Center for Third World Organizing's Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program. Read more »

Cheryl McCary has been a FUREE member since 2005 in our Downtown Brooklyn Accountable Development Campaign with an interest in saving the Underground Rail Road Station on Abolitionist Place (Duffield Street). She then canvassed in four of FUREE's voter engagement drives and contacted over 5,000 unengaged low income voters in and around Ingersoll, Whitman and Farragut Houses. Read more »