Last Thursday, on May 21st, AYON Studio Principal Angel Ayón, AIA, and members of our staff attended the Save Harlem Now! 3rd Annual Gene Norman Preservation Awards Gala at The Riverside Church. The event honored individuals and organizations whose contributions to the preservation of Harlem's architectural and cultural legacies have made a lasting impact on the Harlem community.
As Vice President of the board for Save Harlem Now!, Angel delivered the closing remarks on the organization’s work and congratulated this year's honorees: Brent Leggs, Founding Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (AACHAF) and Strategic Advisor to the President and CEO at the National Trust for Historic Preservation; Voza Rivers, founding member and executive producer of the New Heritage Theatre Group, co-founder and chair of the Harlem Arts Alliance, co-founder of IMPACT Repertory Theatre, and co-founder and executive producer of HARLEM WEEK; the Harlem African Burial Ground Initiative; and Dra. Marta Morena Vega, author, editor, director, producer, professor, scholar, and cultural activist at the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute.
The gala brought together preservation advocates, community leaders, and supporters from across the city, reflecting the commitment of Harlem's preservation community. Named in honor of Gene Norman, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission’s only black Chair to date, whose own dedication to Harlem's heritage continues to inspire, the gala has become an important occasion for recognizing the individuals and organizations working to preserve Harlem’s legacy.
For AYON Studio, the evening was a meaningful reminder of why preservation work matters. As a community-driven firm committed to heritage conservation and preservation advocacy, AYON Studio wholeheartedly supports Save Harlem Now! in its mission to protect, preserve, and celebrate Harlem's irreplaceable built heritage.