NEW ROCHELLE, NY (March 7, 2025) — RXR, the City of New Rochelle, and The Lincoln Park Conservancy joined forces on March 7, 2025, to host a community event in Downtown New Rochelle, unveiling a plaque featuring “Unforget,” a poem by Rashaun Allen that pays tribute to the city’s enslaved population and its rich Black heritage. The ceremony, held in Clinton Park Plaza, capped the city’s Black History Month programming with a blend of poetry, food, and history.
The event featured a reading of “Unforget” by Allen, a poet and academic, whose work reflects on the enduring legacy of slavery while weaving themes of remembrance and hope. Westchester County Poet Laureate Phylisha Villanueva also performed her poem, “Speaking Up is in the Interest of My Ancestors,” before the plaque’s dedication. Remarks came from New Rochelle Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert, RXR Senior Vice President Jarrod Whitaker, Lincoln Park Conservancy Executive Director Linda Tarrant-Reid, and City Historian Barbara Davis.
“Through Rashaun Allen’s powerful words and this permanent tribute, we honor the African Americans who shaped our city and recommit to inclusion and progress,” Ramos-Herbert said. “I’m grateful to RXR and The Lincoln Park Conservancy for helping preserve New Rochelle’s history.”
The afternoon wrapped up at Two Clinton Park with Caribbean cuisine from Jolo’s Vegan Kitchen and a guided tour of “History Restored: Black Entrepreneurship,” a new exhibit at the New Rochelle Public Library curated by The Lincoln Park Conservancy. Tied to the 2025 Black History Month theme of African Americans and Labor, the display features historic photos of Black businesses in New Rochelle and beyond. It runs through February 28 and returns June 1 at the library’s Lumen Winter Gallery.
RXR, the master developer behind Downtown New Rochelle’s revitalization, emphasized its commitment to the community. “We’re honored to celebrate New Rochelle’s roots alongside our partners at the City and The Lincoln Park Conservancy,” said Joseph V. Graziose, RXR’s Executive Vice President of Construction & Development. “This tribute ensures that history lives on in a place we’re deeply invested in.”
Allen, whose ancestors were enslaved in the Caribbean and North America, called the project a personal milestone. “Writing this poem sets my heart ablaze,” he said. “It’s a privilege to honor New Rochelle’s enslaved people.”
The Lincoln Park Conservancy’s Tarrant-Reid praised the effort. “This tribute values the African American community’s history here,” she said. Angela Davis-Farrish, chair of the New Rochelle African American Advisory Committee, added, “The Ancestors are rejoicing from the soils of the earth.”
RXR’s decade-long redevelopment has transformed Downtown New Rochelle, delivering 1,000 rental apartments across projects like 360 Huguenot and Two Clinton Park. Beyond construction, RXR has supported the community through initiatives like a $1 million COVID Relief Fund in 2020, $500,000 in grants for local nonprofits in 2022, and $100,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle in 2023.