A few days ago, the most popular man in Jersey City, John Lynch, put me in touch with Angela McKnight, founder and CEO of AngelaCARES, to help cover the 2nd annual  Gala Celebration of Community Excellence: The Purple O.S.C.A.R. (Opportunity Servicing Community Achieving Recognition) Awards!

This Gala highlights and honors youth, senior citizens, and community organizations that are making a difference in the community.

I’ve been following Angela for quite some time now. She does such incredible things for the community and  has left a job in the corporate world to pursue her passions, which is making a difference and helping people in the community. Angela is such an inspiring person and this was the perfect opportunity to finally meet her.

I needed a purple dress for the purple carpet!! I enlisted friend and photog Nabil to join me for this one, namely because he is fun to hang out with and we work really well together. We had a blast… until he cut me off after my second vodka soda!! #turndown ?

We started the evening taking pictures of all the fabulous guests and honorees coming in, so I got to interview a few of them! The outfits were amazing on point!! I think my favorite part of this whole evening was being surrounded by so many amazing people who dedicate their lives to helping our community…. It was absolutely wonderful to watch. I even told Nabil “The positive Karma in this room is insane!”.

What’s your name? Angela V. McKnight.

What do you do? I’m the founder and CEO of AngelaCARES.

And what does AngelaCARES do? It’s a non-profit organization based in Jersey City, New Jersey. We take care of seniors to case management health and wellness; we have a mentoring program for the youth, and also support senior caregivers.

Can you tell me about tonight’s gala? Tonight’s gala is our second annual gala celebration where we’re honoring three youth, four senior citizens, two adults, and three agencies that are making an impact in the community.

What should we expect tonight? We [can] expect some surprises, some speeches from the honorees, and we’re going to do a nice unveiling. The entire event is about community, community centric, what we can do as to strengthen our community.

What are you wearing tonight? “American Living” – purchased from Macys

Beautiful! It’s gorgeous. Yes, it’s [a] purple dress.

Is everyone going to come wearing purple? Well, hopefully, we’ll see some people in here coming in in purple, whether it’s accessories or a nice dress or nice shirt.

Anything else you’d like to know about AngelaCARES? Yes, I want people to know we’ve been in the community almost four years, in October, and we’ve been very, very committed to strengthening our community. We love senior citizens; we want to be on a part of the village that takes care of seniors. We don’t let money deter us away from fulfilling our mission. We just go for it

How did you get into it? Well, my mom and grandmother, I watched them pass away, but I saw a void between the seniors in and out of hospitals and I said, “You know what? I can do this.” So I left my corporate job, making well over $100k to start my own non-profit. It’s almost five years now.

You must be so much more fulfilled now. I love it, I love it. Each and every day and I just want to know, “Who am I going to help today?”  

What are your future plans? My future plans [are]—I am the democratic nominee for the assemblywoman for the 31^st District and I will be expanding with AngelaCARES and I look forward to helping the 31^st District and the state of New Jersey.

Yay women in politics! Yeah! Women in power!

How long have you been in Jersey City? Born and raised in Jersey City.

How do you feel about the change? The change is great since the new administration has come in, we’ve seen changes whether people like it or not, but change is here and I’m looking forward to helping to make more [changes] in the community.

Do you have a favorite Jersey City hangout spot? The Light Rail Café, the burgers [are] nice.

Thanks Angela for having me!! 

What’s your name? Charnelle Bain.

What do you do? I am the event planner and caterer.

What are you wearing tonight? I am wearing a $5 T-Shirt, [an] H&M Jacket, and my tutu skirt!

What’s your name? Alex.

What do you do? I work for Crave Jersey City and Andy’s [Modern] Market.

What are you wearing? Today I have on a blue… evening gown.

Looks great! You look fabulous. I’ve got some little beading going on here.

Do you have anything to say about the event tonight? I’m really proud of Angela, she’s done a tremendous amount for the community and it’s affected me personally in immense ways.

Can you give me an example? Well, I was connected to Andy’s Market through Angela, so most of the work I’m doing now in Jersey City is because of her.

What’s your name? My name is Nancy Aleman.

What do you do? I’m the director of Community Outreach at Carepoint Health; I run the mobile medical van, and also I run do all the outreach for all Hudson County for our three hospitals.

Wow, you do a lot. I do a lot.

What are you wearing? This is Calvin Klein.

Very nice, very chic. Thank you very much.

What can you say about the gala tonight? I’ve very honored to receive this, I didn’t expect it. When I got the email and it said CarePoint was going to be honored, I thought, “Wow, that’s wonderful,” and then they called me up and they asked me for my bio, I was like, “My bio?” I didn’t know it was going to be me, so it’s really, really touching.

What’s your name? Takeisha.

And what do you do? I am a CEO [of] a non-profit organization here in Jersey City.

What’s it called? Forever Girls Inc.

What are you wearing tonight? Something simple, light, cotton, it’s hot outside.

You look great, you look beautiful. Thank you, you look amazing as well.

Can you say anything about the event tonight? I am anticipating a wonderful evening. I do a lot of different things in the community with Angela so I’m sure we’ll have some surprises and great things going on this evening.

What are your names? Nancy and Nicolas Chiaravalloti.

What do you do? 

Nancy: I am the director of neuroscience research at Kessler Foundation.

Nicholas: And I’m the director of community engagement at Saint Peter’s University.

Do you have anything to say about the event? 

Nancy: It’s a great event for a great organization, I think it’s fantastic that Angela does this and we’re here to support it.

What’s your name? Gina Verdibello.

What do you do? I’m an education activist, parent advocate, and a mother of three children.

What are you wearing tonight? I am wearing Francesca’s.

What are your thoughts about the event tonight? Well, I support Angela and all the things that she does and I’ve actually helped with my Girl Scouts troop with the Thanksgiving Fundraiser thing that they do. We’ve been actually working together a lot lately on lots of things. She’s great, I love Angela.

What’s your name? Debbie Peveler.

What do you do? I own a yoga studio.

Oh, lovely, no wonder you’re so tall and slender. 

What are you wearing tonight? This is actually a little thrift shop find.

I love it, and your eyelashes! Oh, you must have the faux eyelashes.

You look very Mod. Very 60s. Thank you, I am Mod.

Do you have anything to say about the event tonight? I’m so happy to be here and sponsor Angela, I love her to death and I love Nicholas Chiaravalloti, and I helped them with their campaign and I helped them in November. And I think they’re going to do wonderful things.

What are your names? I’m Stacey Rodgers. Nazarene Reanne Biggs.

You guys are the hosts of the event tonight? 

Stacey: Yes.

What do you guys do? 

Stacey: I’m a director for the state; I work for a contacted DYFS broker.

Nancy: I’m self-employed; I provide financial services to businesses and individuals.

Girl bosses! Love it! What are you guys wearing? 

Nancy: Oh!

Stacey: This is from actually The Limited, so it’s a black and white dress with little matching accessories and then the heart for tonight.

Nancy: She’s always so nicely accessorized. I have [a] heart too. And these are a gift from my sister so these are very special.

Where are you guys from? Where do you live? 

Stacey: Jersey City, born and raised.

Nancy: I wasn’t born but I was raised.

 

What’s your name? Tish Jackson.

What do you do? I was the director for the Resident Support Services for the Jersey City Housing Authority for thirty-six years. I retired, now I’m working at my family funeral residence, Jackson’s Funeral Service.

What are you wearing? I am wearing white-on-white and red.

Where did you get this lovely outfit? This was handmade at the Delta sorority luncheon; this woman makes all the clothes.

You look beautiful and I love the accent. Thank you, thank you!

Do you live in Jersey City? All my entire life.

How do you feel Jersey City has changed in the past few of years? It has changed for the better, but it also needs to move up to more that, because Downtown is fabulous, it’s like we’re not here. I lived here my entire life, growing up in Lafayette then moving up [to] what they call “The Hill,” and I’m there now, forty-something years. I’ve seen the change and I’m hoping it moves up so everybody gets a chance to smell the roses, because Jersey City is going to be on the map.

Do you have a favorite Jersey City hangout spot? My hangout spot is Emmanuel Pentecostal Church.

What’s your name? Ricky Figueroa.

What do you do? I’m a case worker for Hudson County Urban League.

What are you wearing now? This is something that my wife put together.

Do you have anything to say about tonight’s event? I love that I’m one of the biggest supporters of Mrs. McKnight and we’re here to do the stuff that we always do: help and support.

What’s your name? John Lynch.

What do you do? Everything! Professionally, I work in Digital marketing for PMDigital in New York City. I’ve been doing digital marketing for well over twenty-five years. Community-wise…

You’re the most popular man in Jersey City. That’s what I’ve been told; I’m honored to have the title. Community-wise, I’m the vice president of Jersey City Youth Foundation and I’m also on the board for the Jersey City International Television and Film Festival, so I’m honored about that and just overall, I’m in the community, I’m born and raised here, and I love just supporting events, especially events where we’re helping out people. Angela’s event tonight is about helping out seniors and mentoring youth, a couple of things, I’m also a Big Brother for Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

You do a lot. I do a lot, but this all comes into play. Here, they also want to mentor young folks to help out seniors so I think it’s only right that how a lot of people who I’ve met and they say that I’m the most popular, it’s all come out just through all these community events.

What are you wearing tonight? What am I wearing…? Let’s see, what am I wearing? SARAR, the tie is by SARAR too.

I would like to use this opportunity to make the following announcement!

On behalf of being a board member with the Jersey City International Television and Film and Festival, basically, our press release of today: Lights Camera Action! So through a grant, the Jersey City International Television and Film Festival for enhancing voluntarism through film, we have selected AngelaCARES for a feature documentary to be filmed, by filmmaker will be selected, it’ll be featuring the story to be premiered on a date to be determined telling the story of how AngelaCARES serves as an advocate and support system here for the seniors, their caregivers, and a mentor to the youth by educating and empowering them to volunteer.

We’re really excited to be able to do this. We’re also doing a documentary on the same thing for enhancing voluntarism for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and there’s one other charity or whatever we decide to select that’s about helping people. So we got a grant and we’re going to be dealing with three different organizations that help people.

What’s your name? Noel Garriga.

What do you do? Well, aside from being a dad, I help my son who runs a non-profit in Jersey City for five years. He started it as a sophomore in high school; he’s a sophomore in college now, so he’s going on for five years.

What is the non-profit? The non-profit is called Soxess and what it does, it advocates for the homeless. He started out in the Hoboken shelter and then he branched out by providing socks, not only for the shelter but for the five shelters within Hudson County, a psychiatric hospital, and Martin’s Place in Jersey City and so on and so forth.

Can you tell me how you feel about the 2^nd annual gala? It’s great, we were here last year, [and] my son was one of the honorees last year. It filled last year, [and] it’s going to fill this year, and it’s going to be even bigger and better and we’re really positive. Angela is amazing for what she’s done in the community and I know she has a lot more great things down the pipe that’s going to happen for herself, she’s a great asset to the community.

What’s your name? Pamela Roundtree.

What do you do? I provide holistic lifestyle changes through nutrition, meditation, yoga, as well as fitness

What’s your company name? New Body, New Mind, New Living.

I love it. Thank you.

What are you wearing? Right now I’m wearing a polo, Saint Laurent, with a little blazer, That’s about it.

Do you have any thoughts on tonight’s event? I think this event is great for the community; it’s great for the seniors, and all that’s involved. It really shows youth that’s being involved in the community as well as individuals [who] want to make Jersey City and the community a better place.

What’s your name? Shirley.

What do you do? I manage Light Rail Café.

What are you wearing tonight? I’m wearing a pretty, white long dress.

Where’d you get it? I got it at a thrift shop.

Oh really? Somewhere in New York, I don’t know.

What are your thoughts on tonight’s event? I’ve been excited about this event, I’ve been helping Angela work out everything and I think she does a great job giving back to the community, and the youth, and the elderly.

I see you always at the events and you’re a part of the community, is there anything else that you do other than managing the café? I like donating. I want to start helping kids and motivating children to do better.

What’s your name? My name is Cara Sullivan.

What do you do? I work for CarePoint Health Plans and I am out in Hudson County visiting doctors and solving their issues and recruiting them.

You grew in Jersey City? I grew up in Jersey City; I went to Academy of Saint Aloysius, which has since closed, I live in Bayonne now but I go back to Jersey City all the time for the restaurants and the shops.

How do you feel about the changes in Jersey City? I love it, very, very happy.

What are you wearing tonight? I am wearing a Calvin Klein dress, J. Crew shoes, and a Coach purse.

What can you say about the event? It’s fantastic; I love Angela and what she does for the community and that she’s honoring people and she really is out there every day and I’m so happy that she’s gained a political [standing].

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After the purple carpet photo shoots and interviews everyone sat down to get their eat on and the award ceremony started.

 

The Honorees came up to accept their awards.