BRIEF HISTORY:
NIA was formed in 2003 by the President Octavia Sutphin, and the 1st Vice President, Lisa McMorris; as well as, ex-officio board member Janice Spears and other community residents. They formed this organization to empower community residents through the stimulation of economic growth, because the urban communities here in the City of Trenton were and remain today, overwhelmed with a
chronic unemployment rate. Underemployed and unemployable individuals reside in these communities that are overwhelmed with dilapidated housing, neighborhood disinvestment, absentee landlords, and abandoned and boarded up properties along with vacant lots that continue to distress these communities with the threat of blight and imminent domain. These distressed areas contribute to high-crime, affording us security deficient communities. High-crime has plagued and devastated good, upstanding residents far too long. Street gangs have become omnipresent and growing stronger by the day. The majority of the violent and gang related activities in our communities is due to these disadvantaged communities. Housing and employment has been identified as a critical need, and crucial for the growth of our City. NIA’s board has grown to include additional members Alfred Tard-El, 2nd Vice Pres.; Tahirah Gurley, Business & Resource Administrator; Aziz Ali Bey, Street & Recruiting Coordinator; Larry Davis, Community Outreach Coordinator; and Victoria Vanable who all possess the same passion and fortitude as the founders to assist in our objective to initiate consistent, systematic investments in Trenton’s community residents, so they are self-motivated, contributing members of their communities, and leaders of our society. NIA (Neighborhood Improvement Association) a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit – Tax Exempt Organization
