My name is Corey Ortega and I’m President of the West Harlem Club. I am a young Dominican American born and raised in West Harlem to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. I have made a tremendous impact in my community as the co-founder of P’.A.L.A.N.T.E. Harlem, a tenants’ advocacy group that has organized thousands of tenants in NYC, improving their living conditions.

 

I joined with my mother in creating Give Be Grow, LLC. a growing child care service provider located on West 134th Street. As the business grew to provide child care services to homeless families, staff became organized by the United Federation of Teachers. In July 2012, I was elected to the Executive Board of the UFT Child Care Providers & elected Manhattan Chair. Since that time I have been deeply involved in labor issues affecting child care providers.  

 

For the past four years, I have worked as a Special Assistant for New York State Assemblyman Keith L. T. Wright, addressing housing, labor and quality of life issues for the 70th Assembly District. In my spare time, I have teamed up with Democratic District Leader Jamaal Nelson to Co-found the West Harlem & Washington Heights Progressive Democratic Club on Amsterdam Avenue off 131st Street. The club is a full-service community resource center offering immigration counseling, after-school programming, economic development assistance, cultural events in addition to traditional political and civic activities. If you have any questions please feel free to call me at 212-933-0307.