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Past Village Awardees Inspire New Nominations

What makes our neighborhoods special to you? Whether it is Greenwich Village, NoHo, or the East Village, we all have a place, person, business, or organization that means the world to us. Now you can share that love and be part of a 32 year tradition (and counting!) by filling out a very simple and quick nomination form. Honor a restoration or building, person, organization, or business that deserves the spotlight. Just be sure to fill out the nonmination form by the March 15th deadline.

2022 Village Awards. text with images of past winners inside the font.
2022 Village Awards Nominations are open until March 15.

Each year, Village Preservation honors neighborhood institutions, leaders, business, places and organizations at its Annual Meeting and Village Awards. This fun event highlights and celebrates the invaluable people, places, and organizations that make our neighborhoods some of the most interesting and exceptional in the city.

To get you inspired, let’s look at an award winner from last year! This small business winner is a gem of our neighborhoods, and it took someone like you to nominate them: Casa Magazines.

You can get a real feeling for the impact, reach, and power of this small business by reading this July 2020 New Yorker Profile entitled “A Lighthouse for Magazines” written by Nathan Taylor Pemberton:


“David, an immigrant who lives in Astoria, first started coming to Casa Magazines at the behest of her sister Tammy, who wanted magazines she couldn’t find in Manila, their home town. ‘Everyone back in the Philippines always asks for T Magazine,’ David explained. Three years ago, she convinced Ahmed that he needed to be on social media to increase the store’s chances of survival.”

— “A Lighthouse for MagazinesJuly 2020.
Written by Nathan Taylor Pemberton for the New Yorker.

That customer’s advice was a gift to us all. Now you can follow Casa Magazines on Instagram, a very worthy follow. With the use of social media, the culture and community of Casa Magazines has grown to a global community of nearly 40,000 followers! Be it a Valentine’s Day weather report from one of our favorite neighborhoods or a reminder that we are all one community, Casa Magazines has a message that few small businesses can replicate. #LongLivePrint!

By submitting a nomination for a Village Award, you have an opportunity to highlight and honor something that is important to you and your neighbors. Imagine your favorite small business owner having an opportunity to make an acceptance speech like Casa Magazines’ owner, Mohammed Ahmed. One notable illustration of what made them so special abs worthy — Mohammed and his employee Ali Wasim continued to sell vital news to our community through Hurricane Sandy using flashlights.

Can you think of someone as deserving to nominate by March 15th?

As we celebrate the resilience of our communities of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, Village Preservation encourages residents and visitors to take a few moments to visit Village Preservation’s website and submit a Village Awards nomination by sharing basic information such as the name of the nominee, contact information (if known), and why this nominee deserves a Village Award. If available, one can also submit a photo or pdf along with the nomination. 

Nominations are open to the public, giving all New Yorkers an opportunity to put their favorites in the running for an award.

Village Preservation has honored hundreds of awardees over the past 32 years. This year’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards presentation will take place on Tuesday, June 14.  

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