The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corp., also referred to as UMEZ, is a non-profit organization that seeks to revitalize economically deprived communities by using public funds and tax incentives as catalysts for private investment.
UMEZ’s mission is to sustain the economic revitalization of all communities of Upper Manhattan through job creation, corporate alliances, strategic investments and small business assistance.
The Empowerment Zone’s legacy will live on in the substantial investment that it has made in projects across Upper Manhattan.
"The zone has awesome potential," says Lloyd Williams, president and CEO of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, but revolutions don't happen overnight.
UMEZ Board of Directors Joseph J. Johnson, III (Chair), Nikisha Alcindor, Kevin Chavers, Maurine Knighton, Anthony Q. Fletcher, Amir Kirkwood, Harriet Michel, Diane Collier, Michael Smart, Maxine Griffith, Teresa Eyring, Keith Taylor, Ed.D.