Alejandro Victoriano Antonio is a long-time participant of the Unity Square community gardens. He shares anecdotes from his past in Mexico and the difficult road that has brought him to his present life in the United States. In his story, he explains the role that farming plays in his life, and the value that it brings to him, to his family, and to his community.
Read MoreCheyenne Garstad
Cheyenne Garstad is a survivor of sexual violence who has received services from The Center for Empowerment and now currently works for The Center For Empowerment.
Read MoreMaria Pellerano
Maria Pellerano helped build up the Landers community gardens when they first started. She is now the Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Read MoreMaya Wahrman
Maya Wahrman is a case manager and school impact coordinator for Interfaith RISE. Her faith and her experience of being an Israeli-American has helped foster her passion for her work.
Read MoreTerry Stokes
Terry Stokes is the Associate Pastor of Youth and Community Engagement at the Reformed Church of Highland Park, New Jersey. He charts how his faith has evolved through his time in various ministries.
Read MoreMark Stephenson
Franklin native Mark Stephenson discusses growing up in New Brunswick in the ‘60s and how the city and surrounding areas have changed since then. He also provides details into his personal life and his entrepreneurial careers.
Read MoreHector Perez
Hector Perez is a community organizer at Unity Square in New Brunswick who works at the Housing Resource Center and as the organizer of the Unity Square community gardens. He practices his motto of “We, not me” at his various jobs and committee obligations.
Read MoreGaby
New Brunswick resident Gaby details her life experiences as a transgender woman—including traumatic events in her past and periods of financial insecurity—and describes how these have shaped her approach to helping others.
Read MoreMariam Ali
South Brunswick resident Mariam Ali speaks candidly about their experiences and how they found the Center for Empowerment after they were the victim of sexual assault in 2018. They discuss how they stay connected with the project and the importance that the arts have played in their life.
Read MorePonciano Ramirez
San Juan Vallarta native, Ponciano Ramirez relocated to the New Brunswick area over six years ago, after coming to the US in 1988. He supports himself from selling goods and food as a cart vendor, and is grateful for his ability to continue to do this through the support of his community.
Read MoreDoraelia Aguilar
Doraelia Aguilar is a coordinator at Landers Garden. She discusses how COVID-19 has impacted the social aspects of the gardening community and the habits she hopes to teach her children through gardening.
Read MoreAngélica Martinez
Angélica Martinez is a coordinator at Landers Garden. She recounts the growing traditions she learned in Mexico and how they have inspired her gardens in New Brunswick.
Read MoreLaura Foley
Somerset resident Laura Foley describes growing up in Massachusetts and New Jersey. She speaks straightforwardly about the abusive relationships that have been a part of her life.
Read MoreNatalie Dawkins
Natalie Dawkins was a flight attendant for over twenty years. She describes her family and her love of flying and how, after being sexually assaulted by a coworker, she had to renegotiate these relationships.
Read MoreSeth Kaper-Dale
Reverend Seth Kaper-Dale of the Reformed Church of Highland Park discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Affordable Housing Corporation, a support services organization that Kaper-Dale started in 2005. He details how this work is a crucial component of his faith and of his ministry.
Read MoreAmanda Lazaro
When Brett Kavanaugh’s sexual misconduct case became public, Amanda Lazaro was triggered into confronting her own past experiences. After posting her story on Facebook, she found the Center for Empowerment and has been working through the Center’s workshops, programs, and one-on-one sessions. She is hopeful about her future.
Read MoreAustin Morreale
Austin Morreale details his work at NeighborCorps, a reentry program that assists people transitioning from Middlesex County Jail. Austin discusses the highs and the lows of his line of work, and advocates for a holistic approach to assisting those seeking help with reentry.
Austin is also featured in the oral history archive for an interview he gave for the Trueselves project. To read a more detailed discussion of his experiences as a transgender man, please refer to his October 5, 2017 interview.
Read MoreJohnny Wood
Johnny Wood details the hurdles that formerly incarcerated individuals face during the reentry process including securing housing, finding a job, and struggling to find reliable transportation.
Read MoreMichael Castaldo
Michael Castaldo is a single father who experienced housing insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. He describes the multiple transitions his family has faced during this time of uncertainty.
Read MoreSteven Russell
Former music teacher and retired church musical director Steven Russell has learned a lot about how to advocate for himself over his lifetime. His involvement with the Male Survivors of Sexual Violence group at the Center for Empowerment has helped him cope with sexual assault that happened over thirty years ago.
Read More