City Names Advisory Board Members For Inwood Tech Program

INWOOD, NY — The city has assembled an advisory panel consisting of members of Inwood community groups to help guide a new program that will identify how new technologies can solve problems facing the neighborhood, city officials announced.

The groups represented on the advisory board will participate in the launch of the NYCx Co-Lab program in Inwood, city officials said. The program, which was first launched in Brownsville last year, will seek to solve the neighborhood's self-identified needs using "innovative solutions" that connect through the cooperation of local residents, government, academia and tech entrepreneurs. The NYCx Co-Lab program is run by the Mayor's Office of the Chief Technology Officer.

"We’re excited to bring together a knowledge, passionate group of Inwood organizations and residents who will be stewards of the NYCx Co-Lab in Inwood," José Serrano-McClain, the program director of NYCx Co-Labs, said in a statement.

The initial advisory panel will include:

• Maria Lizardo of Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation
• Frank Diaz of American Association of Latinos in STEM
• Eddie Silverio of Alianza Dominicana Cultural Center
• Obed Fulcar 0f Friends of Sherman Creek Conservancy
• Dr. Joseph Barba of City College, Zahn Center for Innovation
• Yolise Fajardo and Yandra Castillo of Inwood Community Services
• Mino Lora of People’s Theater Project
• Michael Zigman of NYC First

These Inwood organizations represent a variety of perspectives and missions such as economic development, healthcare and education reform and environmental protection, city officials said. A full list of advisory board members will be finalized by the end of August, officials said.

The city Economic Development Corporation and the Mayor's Office of the Chief Technology Officer hope to launch Inwood's first NYCx Co-Lab Challenge in early 2019. The challenge engages tech industry leaders to come up with solutions to the needs identified by Inwood's advisory board. The city will then select proposals with funding and access to city infrastructure and neighborhood spaces, according to a press release.

The final advisory board will include eight individuals who will be selected based on applications. Neighborhood residents interested in applying can attend an information session at the Inwood Library on Broadway on Aug. 18. The session will be held at 3 p.m., which means it will be tough to get to for anyone working a full-time job. An online application form can be found here.

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