For Immediate Release

July 31, 2025

Contact: Douglas Robinson

[email protected]; [email protected] 

NeighborWorks America Honors Resident Leaders with Prestigious Award

The Dorothy Richardson Award for Resident Leadership recognizes people who bring neighbors together for improvements, change

Washington, D.C. — NeighborWorks® America honored five resident leaders with its 2025 Dorothy Richardson Award for Resident Leadership. The honorees, who come from across the country, inspire their neighbors and lead their communities in promoting improvements and change, in preserving local culture, and in ensuring their communities are safe and healthy places to call home. The awards will be presented in a ceremony on Oct. 31 during NeighborWorks America’s Community Leadership Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

"The Dorothy Richardson Award for Resident Leadership honors community leaders who represent the very best of our communities – the very best of all of us,” said Marietta Rodriguez, NeighborWorks America’s President & CEO. “I admire them and am inspired by the work they do – not just today but all year long, because these leaders are a true testament of the human spirit. When facing challenges, they leaned in to make positive change for their communities.”

2025 Award Honorees

Chester Dewitt, Providence, Rhode Island, nominated by One Neighborhood Builders, increased health and community connection through the Bike Distribution and Repair project. The project was funded through the Nine Neighborhood Fund, a participatory budgeting project led by One Neighborhood Builder’s place-based initiative, Central Providence Unidos. The initial program plan was to distribute 50 bikes, helmets, and coordinate bike repair workshops for low-income residents of two target zip codes served by One Neighborhood Builders. 

Through Dewitt’s tenacity and community connections with additional stakeholders including recreation centers and libraries, he distributed 75 bikes and provided repair training to more young people through a partnership with Providence Bike Collective, a worker-run community bike shop. Dewitt’s role as the vice president of Chad Brown Alumni Association, a collective of former residents from the Chad Brown Housing Projects and surrounding neighborhoods, was important to the program’s success. 

“Chester is the type of leader who is constantly implementing projects, and identifying new needs within his community, meaning he doesn’t stop to celebrate his accomplishments. This award will provide an opportunity for Chester to slow down and see that his accomplishments are recognized and appreciated by the greater community,” said Dominique Resendes, Associate Director of Community Infrastructure.

Alpresteon “Sabrina” Billings, Yazoo City, Mississippi, nominated by Hope Enterprise Corporation, was pivotal in creating homeownership opportunities for residents of Roberts Estates, a single-family rental community originally financed through Low Income Housing Tax Credits. With the tax credits expiring and the tenants eligible to purchase their homes under the original lease-purchase agreement, Sabrina knew that her neighbors needed to know what to do to take advantage of this homeownership opportunity. 
 
Sabrina is working closely with all 40 households to make homeownership a reality, connecting the residents to homeowner education, credit management assistance, and vendors necessary to facilitate home repairs before closing, providing the guidance and resources needed for a smooth transition and the realization of homeownership dreams for dozens of families. 

“Her leadership, hands-on involvement, and unwavering commitment to equitable housing have empowered these families to achieve stability and generational wealth through homeownership. This initiative exemplifies her dedication to creating lasting opportunities for the residents of Yazoo City,” said Jena Reed, Vice President, Community and Economic Development.

Michael Duffy, Kansas City, Missouri, nominated by Westside Housing Organization, led efforts to help residents facing property tax increases of 300%or more due to gentrification obtain financial relief that kept them from being displaced. Recognizing the devastating impact of these increases on his neighbors, he advocated before the city council for Real Estate Tax Abatement Plan, administered by the Westside Housing Organization. 

As a leader in this initiative, Michael conducted outreach efforts that included community meetings, informational sessions, and one-on-one consultations with homeowners, bringing strong analytical skills, policy expertise, and a deep commitment to community advocacy. He worked closely with the volunteer team to develop clear guidelines for homeowners, educate residents on their eligibility, and assist in navigating the application process. He also played a key role in liaising between city officials, nonprofit partners, and community members to ensure the program remained accessible and effective.

“By ensuring that property taxes remain affordable, Michael not only prevented financial strain but has also helped sustain homeownership for those who need it most. These measurable and impactful outcomes underscore his dedication to creating equitable and lasting change in our community,” said Westside Housing Executive Director Carmen Lopez Murguia. 

Michael Ulibarri, Salt Lake City, Utah, nominated by NeighborWorks Salt Lake for his work mentoring and advocating on behalf of criminal justice-impacted youth, particularly those serving long sentences. Recognizing the barriers to successful reintegration — including lack of resources, stigma, and mental health challenges — he stepped forward to create programs and partnerships focused on reentry support. 

Michael engaged directly with incarcerated individuals, sharing their lived experience while also pushing for policy changes that address systemic gaps. His leadership and tireless recruitment of mentors, educators and mental health professionals to participate in reentry support efforts, ensured a comprehensive approach. These partnerships strengthened the initiative, providing tangible resources such as job training, housing assistance and mental health services, which were instrumental in its success. His work has helped build a bridge between institutions, community organizations and those most in need of support.

“Michael’s leadership is invaluable. His personal journey exemplifies resilience, transformation, and the power of second chances reinforcing the value of resident leadership in creating meaningful personal and community change,” said Bryce Garner, NeighborWorks Salt Lake's CEO.

Whitley English of Asheville, North Carolina, was nominated by Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO) for her work developing a community engagement program that fosters safe, healing, and nurturing spaces for children and families living in the Maple Crest Apartments at Lee Walker Heights, an apartment community jointly managed by MHO and the Asheville Housing Authority. Whitley’s work addresses the root causes of violence and promotes positive social change by taking action and promoting holistic healing. 

As a certified community health worker in violence prevention, Whitley is founder and leader of Generating Empowerment through Mindful Solutions or WNC-GEMS.  She has engaged more than 80 youth and families through events she has organized and led. By implementing evidence-based strategies, these programs work collaboratively with community stakeholders to reduce violence, support at-risk individuals, and build resilience within the community. These stakeholders include the very community the programs serve: resident leaders, youth, neighbors and community members.

“Whitley’s belief in holistic healing — the nurturing of mind, body, and spirit is fueled by her unwavering resilience and steady advocacy to empower, and heal — turning personal hardship into collective hope, and purpose into power,” said Geoffrey Barton, President/CEO, MHO. 

 About NeighborWorks America 

For more than 45 years, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp., a Congressionally chartered national nonprofit known as NeighborWorks America, has strived to make every community safer and more prosperous. Our network of excellence includes nearly 250 nonprofits in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and on Native lands. NeighborWorks offers grant funding, peer exchange, technical assistance, evaluation tools and access to best-in-class training as the nation's leading trainer of housing and community development professionals. NeighborWorks network organizations build homes and apartments, expanding the supply of affordable housing in every community; provide financial counseling and coaching that increases self-sufficiency; encourage resident leadership, and collaborate with local stakeholders in the areas of health, economic development, employment and education. In Fiscal Year 2024, for every dollar received from Congress, NeighborWorks network and NeighborWorks America attracted an additional $71 of investment from other sources.