Two remarkable women from the Caribbean community, Christine Yvette Lewis and Ninaj Raoul, have been recognized as 2024 recipients of the prestigious Just Brooklyn Prize for their tireless commitment to justice and empowerment.
Awarded by the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation, the prize celebrates local leaders who have quietly transformed their communities. Lewis and Raoul each received a $20,000 grant at a ceremony held at the Barclays Center on October 30, recognizing their decades-long dedication to immigrant rights and labor organizing.
Ninaj Raoul, co-founder of Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees (HWHR), has dedicated over 30 years to advancing the rights of Haitian immigrants. Born to Haitian parents in Chicago and later moving to New York, Raoul’s activism was spurred by her work with Haitian refugees detained at Guantánamo Bay in the 1990s. Her organization provides essential legal assistance and advocates for systemic changes, including securing work permits and permanent residency for refugees.
HWHR’s grassroots advocacy was pivotal in the passage of the 1998 Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act, granting legal status to thousands of Haitian immigrants. The organization continues to be a vital resource, empowering refugees to lead their own advocacy efforts. Raoul’s personal dedication, including offering shelter to Haitian women in her own home, has made her a legendary figure within the community and beyond.
Similarly, Christine Yvette Lewis, a Trinidadian-born labor organizer, has devoted her life to fighting for the rights of domestic workers. Immigrating to New York in 1989, Lewis leveraged her teaching background to advocate for fair wages and protections for immigrant workers. Her experiences of exploitation fueled her activism, leading her to join Domestic Workers United (DWU) in 2001. She played a key role in the passage of the 2010 New York Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, a landmark legislation providing legal protections to over 300,000 workers.
Beyond advocacy, Lewis is a multi-talented artist, poet, and educator, using her creativity to amplify the voices of domestic workers. Her work continues to address pressing issues, from legal assistance to food distribution, showcasing her enduring commitment to uplifting her community.
These Caribbean-American trailblazers exemplify resilience, leadership, and the transformative power of grassroots advocacy. Their recognition through the Just Brooklyn Prize underscores the vital contributions of the Caribbean community to social justice and community empowerment in Brooklyn.
