Kari Brown is the owner of Lark Café, located in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. She lives very close to the cafe and is proud that her business has become a community gathering spot, hosting sing-alongs and story times for families in the neighborhood.

Naama Tamir owns the Lighthouse Restaurant in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn with her brother. They opened the restaurant four years ago to serve as a beacon—to bring people together for healthy, delicious food in a community atmosphere. One of the things that Naama most appreciates about living and working in Brooklyn is the sense of community, and she runs her business with eye towards giving back to the community.

Sarah Martin has lived in Harlem for nearly sixty years and has seen a lot of changes during that time. There are many things that keep her living in the neighborhood, but she also admits, “I don’t like walking around the area: the smell, the garbage, the trash—the quality of life that a lot of us are living leaves a lot of room for improvement.”