When a construction executive is celebrated not for the towers she has built but for the doors she has opened, it signals a different kind of legacy. Elizabeth Velez, whose work has shaped New York’s skyline and its workforce, will be recognized this fall with an award that carries the name of a Harlem advocate who fought for dignity and mental health care.
Bowen Center to honor construction trailblazer advancing affordable housing, inclusion, and mentorship at 40th Anniversary Gala at Carnegie Hall
I’m deeply honored to receive a medal bearing Emma Bowen’s name. Her belief that everyone deserves dignity, care, and opportunity reflects what has driven me throughout my career.”— Elizabeth Velez
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Elizabeth Velez, a trailblazing construction industry leader whose work has expanded affordable housing and opportunities for women and underrepresented professionals, will receive the Emma L. Bowen Humanitarian Medal at the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center’s 40th Anniversary Gala, A Legacy of Care, A Future of Healing, on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at Carnegie Hall.
The medal honors Emma L. Bowen, a Harlem community advocate and co-founder of the Bowen Center who championed compassionate care and challenged mental health stigma. She believed everyone deserved dignity, support, and the opportunity to build a better life. The Center presents the medal to individuals who put those values into action by responding to need, challenging injustice, and creating opportunities.
Velez exemplifies that spirit by advancing affordable housing, championing diversity and inclusion, and mentoring the next generation. Her commitment has helped turn opportunity into a family’s first home, a promising career, or a door opened to someone too often overlooked.
“Elizabeth Velez understands that leadership is measured not only by what you accomplish, but by the opportunities you create for others,” said Patricia C. Jordan, Board Chair of the Bowen Center. “She has broken barriers in her own career and helped others overcome theirs—championing women, mentoring emerging leaders, and helping families build a more secure future. Emma Bowen believed that seeing a need meant taking responsibility and doing something about it. Elizabeth brings that same conviction to her work, and we are proud to honor her.”
For more than three decades, Velez has helped shape New York’s construction and real estate landscape through her leadership of the Velez Organization. Her career took an unexpected turn while studying business administration at Hofstra University. A successful proposal she developed for her family’s construction business brought the company into affordable housing, inspiring her commitment to helping first-time homebuyers achieve stability.
Although construction was not her intended career, Velez immersed herself in the industry, building expertise and relationships while advocating for infrastructure investment and policies supporting businesses and workers. In 2020, she became the second woman and first Latina to chair the New York Building Congress, helping guide the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout her career, she has championed mentorship and sponsorship to help women and underrepresented professionals advance.
“I’m deeply honored to receive a medal bearing Emma Bowen’s name,” said Elizabeth Velez. “Her belief that everyone deserves dignity, care, and opportunity reflects what has driven me throughout my career. Whether helping a family buy their first home or mentoring someone starting out, I’ve always believed that success comes with a responsibility to help others succeed. I’m grateful to the Bowen Center for this recognition and proud that Bowen’s anniversary gala will bring together community leaders, supporters, and friends to celebrate 40 years of care—and the lives it has changed.
The gala will unite community leaders, supporters, and friends to celebrate four decades of care. The evening will honor Mrs. Bowen’s legacy, showcase Bowen’s programs and dedicated staff, and recognize clients whose journeys demonstrate the power of care and support.
Bowen serves more than 5,000 clients annually through compassionate, culturally responsive care across the lifespan—from early childhood, Therapeutic Preschool, child and adolescent, and school-based services to adult and senior mental health care, addiction treatment, recovery support, and care management. Reducing stigma remains central to helping people seek care without fear of judgment.
Bowen’s commitment to treating the whole person also means addressing everyday needs that affect well-being, including access to nutritious food. Its food pantry is on pace to distribute approximately 125,000 food packages in 2026, supporting health, stability, and healing.
For tickets, digital advertising opportunities, and event information, visit legacyofcaregala.org.
About the Bowen Center
The Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center provides a comprehensive continuum of community-based mental health care, addiction treatment, recovery support, and essential services to individuals and families in Harlem and beyond. Serving people at every stage of life, Bowen connects compassionate care with practical resources and community support to help each person build a healthier, more hopeful future. Learn more at bowencsc.org.
Christopher Johnson
Geto & de Milly, Inc.
+1 2126864551
Why it matters: This recognition highlights a growing understanding that leadership in business carries a civic responsibility. By honoring Velez, the Bowen Center underscores how private-sector success can directly fuel public good—expanding housing access, diversifying an industry, and funding mental health services for thousands of New Yorkers.
