Celestina León, the District Manager of Brooklyn Community Board 4 (CB4), has won a prestigious award for her commitment to public service. The Sloan Public Service Award, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Public Service,” is bestowed upon civil servants who exhibit exceptional dedication to serving the people of New York City. León, who has served as CB4 District Manager since 2017, was among six recipients chosen for the 2024 awards.
León’s leadership has been central to numerous initiatives in Bushwick, most notably the development of the Bushwick Community Plan. This comprehensive roadmap for responsible growth and neighborhood preservation was created through a deeply collaborative process. Rafael Espinal, a former Bushwick City Council Member who worked closely with León during the plan’s creation, emphasized her critical role.
“In my experience in city government and working on initiatives like the Bushwick Community Plan, strong leadership on community boards is critical,” Espinal told Bushwick Daily. “Celestina has consistently demonstrated the kind of leadership that is essential in this role. Her deep roots in Bushwick, tireless advocacy, and ability to navigate complex local issues have made a lasting impact on the neighborhood.”
Rafael Espinal, former New York City Council Member and one of the key figures behind the Bushwick Community Plan, worked closely with León during its development. Espinal, alongside then-Council Member Antonio Reynoso, convened over ten community meetings in the plan’s early phases, focusing on topics such as zoning, housing, and economic development. Espinal emphasized the value of León’s leadership in these efforts.
“During her time on my staff, Celestina consistently displayed qualities that have shaped her success: diligence, attention to detail, and a hands-on approach to addressing local issues,” Espinal said. “She was an integral part of our team, and her commitment to Bushwick was evident in everything she did—from volunteering in community gardens to building relationships with stakeholders. These experiences prepared her to take on the complex challenges of managing a community board.”
Beyond her work in Bushwick, León co-founded the Future of Community Boards Working Group alongside Susan Stetzer, District Manager of Manhattan Community Board 3. This initiative unites district managers from across the city to address shared challenges and strengthen the role of community boards. Her leadership in this working group resulted in the release of a comprehensive report in 2021 outlining key recommendations for improving community board operations and strengthening their impact.
“Celeste brought the 59 District Managers together to work collaboratively with agencies to enable us all to better serve our communities,’ Stetzer said in an interview with Bushwick Daily. ‘She has a unique ability to bring people together and direct an agenda while facilitating inclusive meetings for boards with very different neighborhoods and needs. The working group has empowered community boards by uniting us and helping individual district managers feel capable of making change.”
León will be honored at the CB4 public hearing and regular meeting on Wednesday, November 20th at 6pm in the Hope Gardens Older Adult Center (195 Linden Street) and the formal Sloan Award Ceremony on Thursday, November 21st at the New York Historical Society.
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