A Message from our Founder and CEO

We learned from COVID that what we have been doing for more than 10 years, incubating and developing a culture industry workforce, is critical. We kept our creative entrepreneurs employed, and they in turn trained community members in the skills required to secure well-paying jobs.  SoHarlem continues to open up new career paths to fashion and other industries that are seeking skilled talent.

The pause we all experienced with COVID afforded a rarity for a small community-based organization like ours; time to think and plan. We refined our programs to optimize the use of our space with safety protocols in place to protect our team; devised reasonable, accommodating schedules for them; and offered respectable wages. We took care of each other during this time of loss and isolation.

We are excited about the future of our neighborhood home base, the Manhattanville Factory District. Our partner the Janus Property Company has been working with our community for 30 years to develop this unique area filled with architectural wonders and rich history, as it has evolved into  a mixed-use and mixed-income community. We thank, Janus Property for providing us with our space and for restoring the Mink Building and other Factory District properties to the glory they deserve.

We look forward to welcoming you to SoHarlem and hope that you will support our community by shopping safely, or making a donation today.

Your contribution today is making a difference in the lives of so many of our fellow New Yorkers.

In Gratitude,

Janet