Nearly 300 community members gathered to celebrate history, service and sisterhood at the I Am My Sister Black History Month Legacy Awards, an evening that honored local leaders while also marking a transition for the organization’s future.
I Am My Sister is a Glen Cove–based mentoring and empowerment organization focused on uplifting girls and young women through leadership development, academic support and community service. With chapters in local schools, including Finley Middle School, the group promotes confidence, sisterhood and civic engagement while connecting students with mentors and positive role models.
The gala recognized several community members for their leadership and impact. Among those honored were Edward P. Norris III, Nicole Robinson-Helmus, Irma Gente, Officer Darren Pittman Jr., and Phyllis Barnett, each celebrated for service, mentorship and contributions to Glen Cove. A Glen Cove High School senior was also awarded a scholarship, underscoring the organization’s investment in the next generation.
Lela Watson, founder of I Am My Sister, opened the evening by framing the celebration as something deeper than an awards ceremony.
“Tonight is a celebration of legacy,” Watson said. “A celebration of excellence. And a celebration of people who make the community stronger every single day.”
She reminded attendees that history is shaped not only by well-known national figures, but by everyday people who commit themselves to service in their own communities.
“Because history is not only written in history books,” she said. “History is written by the people who show up, who serve, who lead, and who care. And tonight, we honor those people.”
Watson also announced that this would be the organization’s final Black History Month Legacy Awards gala. Beginning next year, I Am My Sister will shift its focus to celebrating local women community members, broadening its spotlight to recognize women making a difference across Glen Cove.
The announcement signaled a new chapter while maintaining the organization’s core mission of empowerment and recognition.
Roderick Watson, executive director of I Am My Brother, spoke about the importance of preserving and sharing Glen Cove’s Black history — stories that often go untold despite being rooted in the city’s landscape.
“We always complained that it was the shortest month of the year,” he said of Black History Month. “We forget that we have history here too.”
He referenced local landmarks and figures, encouraging attendees to reflect on the deeper history embedded in familiar places.
“Many of you all probably have gone to the Boys Cove, the Green Cove,” Watson said. “But did you know that particular building was created by the Pratt family so Black people had a place to worship that worked on the estates in Glen Cove?”
He also pointed to Brewster Street and Black World War I veterans, as well as the Samuel Pierce Apartments near the senior center.
“Did you know that the apartments next to it were named after a Black man that was born in Glen Cove that worked, I believe, in three administrations in the federal government?” he asked. “We don’t talk about the history, so that’s one of the reasons why we gave this thing.”
The awards, he said, are about honoring both past trailblazers and present-day leaders.
“We do it for the history — those in the past who we salute — and we give the flowers for the ones that are here, the ones that are still serving,” he said.
Youth leadership was also highlighted during the program. Allison Romera, president of the Finley Middle School chapter of I Am My Sister, spoke about how the club has shaped her and her peers.
“This club is important to me because it helps us build trust, leadership and confidence,” Romera said. “It teaches us how to support one another.”
She acknowledged the challenges students face in middle school.
“Middle school can be hard. There can be drama, bullying and other stuff, but I Am My Sister helps us rise above it,” she said. “We don’t have to be best friends, but we should be kind and respectful to our other peers and club members.”
“In this club, we lift each other up,” she added. “We shine together.”
Honoree Phyllis Barnett reflected on the broader civil rights legacy, referencing the recent passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson.
“His life reminds us that the fight for justice and equality for all people of color continues,” Barnett said. “We are still pushing, still advocating and still demanding dignity, and I’m proud to be part of that ongoing struggle in my own way.”
