![\"Scholarship](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Scholarship-recipients-.jpg\")
Scholarship recipients honored during the gala and inducted into the Alumni: L-R , Michelle Peschier, Kalina Condell, Jadyn Persad, and Denisha West.Nikita Nelson<\/p>\nAngela Cooper, president of the Brooklyn-based Trinbago Progressive Association of the USA, Inc. (TPAUSA), says her organization last month hosted its highly anticipated Crown of Care Gala \u2013 Scholarship Fundraising Dinner and Awards Ceremony at the elegant El Caribe Country Club on Strickland Avenue in Brooklyn, honoring \u201cnursing excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Held on Saturday, May 9 \u2014 during National Nurses Week and on the eve of Mother\u2019s Day \u2014 Cooper, a native of Tobago, Trinidad\u2019s sister isle, said TRAPUSA paid tribute to \u201can extraordinary group of Chief Nursing Officers whose leadership continues to transform healthcare delivery and improve the quality of patient care throughout New York City and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the honorees included: Dr. Esteen Ladson Barnes, chief nursing officer, NYC H + H \/Harlem; NYC Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, the Haitian-born chair of the Committee on Hospitals and a registered nurse by profession; Devon A. Bennett \u2014 chief nursing officer, NYC H + H \/Elmhurst; Althea Senior-Morris, chief nursing officer, NYC H + H \/ Woodhull; Ann Marie Whyte Akinyooye, chief nursing officer, NYC H + H \/McKinney; Dr. Abbi-Gail Baboolal \u2014 chief nursing officer, NYC H + H \/Queens; Mary Deady-Rooney, interim chief nursing officer, NYC H + H \/Metropolitan; Naomi M. Henry, retired director of nursing; and Legacy Honoree
Opal Sinclair-Chung, chief nursing officer, NYC H + H \/Kings County.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cooper said the distinguished honorees received Crystal Awards, Congressional Proclamations, Senatorial Proclamations and Assembly Citations in recognition of their \u201cextraordinary service, leadership, and commitment to healthcare excellence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe evening brought together distinguished healthcare leaders, elected officials, community advocates, scholarship recipients and members of the Caribbean Diaspora for a powerful celebration of leadership, compassion, scholarship and service,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cooper said the evening also marked the formal launch of the TPAUSA Scholars Academy, spearheaded by Scholarship Committee Chair Noel Blackburn.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
She said the initiative was created to establish a \u201clasting pipeline of mentorship, scholarship, leadership, and community engagement for future generations of young leaders of Trinidad and Tobago heritage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cooper said scholarship recipients honored during the evening and inducted into the alumni were Michelle Peschier, Kalina Condell, Jadyn Persad, and Denisha West.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scholarship recipients honored during the gala and inducted into the Alumni: L-R , Michelle Peschier, Kalina Condell, Jadyn Persad, and Denisha West.Nikita Nelson<\/p>\n
Funds raised during the gala will support scholarships, educational initiatives, and TPAUSA\u2019s upcoming international medical mission to Trinidad and Tobago, scheduled for July 2026, Cooper said.<\/p>\n
She said the mission, themed \u201cHealing Beyond Borders,\u201d will bring healthcare professionals, volunteers, medical supplies, and educational outreach \u201cdirectly into communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago, as part of TPAUSA\u2019s continued commitment to healthcare access and humanitarian service.\u201d<\/p>\n
In her opening remarks, Cooper reminded patrons that the gala was \u201cmore than an event \u2014 it was a celebration of purpose, leadership, compassion, and legacy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She emphasized that honoring nursing leadership represents \u201can investment in the future of healthcare and community wellness.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
Cooper said a defining moment of the evening came during the keynote address, delivered by Dr. Patricia Ramsey, president of Medgar Evers College, \u201cwhose powerful words resonated deeply throughout the ballroom.\u201d<\/p>\n
Referring to the nursing profession, Dr. Ramsey said, \u201cThe Cap is the Crown,\u201d reminding attendees that the nursing cap symbolizes \u201cdignity, sacrifice, leadership, and humanity.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cooper said the gala also featured distinguished remarks from several notable leaders and community advocates.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
She said Lisa Scott-McKenzie, commissioner of the New York City Department for Aging, spoke \u201cpassionately about the critical role nurses play in strengthening communities through compassion and service.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cooper said Scott-McKenzie applauded the honorees for their \u201cunwavering commitment to healthcare excellence\u201d and acknowledged the \u201cprofound impact nurses continue to have on families throughout New York City.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Remarks were also made by Mary Tang Yew, Acting Consul General of Trinidad & Tobago, who commended TPAUSA for its \u201ccontinued commitment to celebrating nursing leadership while simultaneously investing in future generations through scholarships, mentorship, and educational advancement,\u201d according to Cooper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said Tang Yew praised the organization for serving as \u201ca strong example of Diaspora leadership and community empowerment.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
Cooper said additional remarks were delivered by Blackburn, who emphasized the importance of educational access and mentorship in shaping future leaders, noting that the scholarship initiative represents \u201cmore than financial support \u2014 it is an investment in the future of healthcare, leadership, and community service.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also shared his vision for the academy as \u201ca lasting pipeline for mentorship, scholarship, and professional development for generations to come.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Cooper said the evening climaxed on \u201can emotional and celebratory note with the surprise distribution of red roses to every woman in attendance in honor of Mother\u2019s Day.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said guests were also captivated by an \u201cinspiring dance tribute\u201d performed by Kijana Lewis of the dance group Something Positive, \u201cwhose performance paid homage to the strength, grace, and resilience of women and caregivers everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cooper said she, Master of Ceremonies and Head of the Scholars Academy Samuel Clarke, and Scholarship Selection Committee Chair Akeilia Murphy-Bruce \u2014 all \u201cproud Tobagonians\u201d \u2014 delivered a spontaneous rendition of the classic anthem \u201cLean on Me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe unforgettable moment brought the audience to its feet, as guests throughout the ballroom joined in chorus, creating a powerful atmosphere of unity, joy, and cultural pride,\u201d Cooper said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBlending elegance, inspiration, music, culture, and purpose, the Crown of Care Gala was described by many attendees as an Emmy-worthy Caribbean-styled production that celebrated not only healthcare excellence but also the enduring power of community, compassion, and service,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
For TPAUSA, Cooper said the Crown of Care Gala was \u201cnot simply an awards ceremony \u2014 it was a declaration of service, cultural excellence, and an enduring commitment to the health and well-being of communities both throughout the Diaspora and across the Caribbean.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Led by Cooper, alongside Chairman and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Daniel L. Beckles of Trinidad, \u201cthe organization continues to bridge healthcare advocacy and community empowerment between New York and the Caribbean,\u201d Cooper said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For more than three decades, she said TPAUSA has \u201cremained committed to healthcare outreach, educational advancement, scholarships, humanitarian initiatives, and medical mission work throughout underserved communities.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Angela Cooper, president of the Brooklyn-based Trinbago Progressive Association of the USA, Inc. (TPAUSA), says her organization last…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":253274,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[98,100,99,9,24,63],"class_list":["post-253273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn-headlines","tag-brooklyn-news","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=253273"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253273\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/253274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=253273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=253273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=253273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}