Meet Yusuf

Yusuf has lived in Harlem since 1969, “So I've been here a while, and I know the changes that have taken place here in Harlem, especially in Central Harlem… Back then, it was like a desert, you know, abandoned buildings and so much… other things going on, especially dealing with the drugs and all the other violence that was happening. Graffiti was all over the place back then. And just to see the transformation now is just amazing to me… I lived on 130th Street [and] 134th street in Harlem. And it's just been a great ride. And so I'm happy to see the positive changes in our community.” His family relocated to New York from the South, where he was born during the struggle for civil rights in Alabama, “I moved when I was young to Harlem. I was mostly raised on Long Island… Westbury, Long Island was my town…. I got here to New York [because] when my father got out of the war with the Vietnam War, he couldn't get a job after serving and getting shot and doing the things that he did being a sergeant in the army. When he was discharged, he couldn't get a job. So the federal government offered him two spaces to go. Either go to New York or go to California and have a position in the post office. So [we moved] to New York to Long Island. And I was a young boy still in school. It was kind of… a great change in my life. But I've adjusted very well. And being here for that long... 60 years or so of my life, being in New York City, especially in this particular area.”

“We’ve been [having the African American Day Parade] since 1969 in Harlem with the parade itself. So I want to see it last forever right here in Harlem…. My goal is to keep that focus, to showcase the absolute best of our community… And to commemorate our ancestors on that special day.”

Community service has been a large part of his Harlem journey. His values and the importance of being civically engaged were instilled in him by his grandmother, father, and mother. They led by example teaching him to treat people well and build up your family and community. Another major influence on him was Abe Snyder, one of the founders of the African American Parade. He first met him at a demonstration at Sydenham Hospital in 1980, “At one point, they was going to close all the hospitals in Harlem and leave just one hospital, which was Harlem Hospital... On 124th street and Manhattan Avenue was Sydenham Hospital. And in 1980, they wanted to change it and make it some kind of movie theater… And we organized together with the churches in the neighborhood. And I was asked to go over there, at that time I was a very young guy, and help take that hospital and make sure that people bring to the attention of the public that we're not going to allow you to come just take over our hospital, close it down… And we went in and took over Sydenham Hospital by force. And we made it an issue…. And that's where I met Abe Snyder, because he was one that was organizing the protest.” Abe Snyder would go on to ask him to join the board of the African American Day Parade, “That's how I got involved with this work I'm in now on another level because he introduced me to a lot of good people... I love Abe. He taught me a lot… Abe Snyder, that [is who] gave me all this tenacity to continue to fight on the level we're fighting now.” He says, “Abe Snyder was one of my great leaders… We used to walk the streets sometime at night, all night long, putting up posters and signs about what's going to become with the parade, and people just come, snatch them down, and you go right back and put them back up. See, that's the tenacity. That's the strength of us. We don't give up.” 

In his early days in Harlem, Yusuf recalls playing in empty lots, meeting up with friends and walking through the neighborhood, and a true sense of camaraderie in the community. “We had a lot of fun… ‘The good old days,’ I call them. People don't realize… the camaraderie, the friendship, the love we had for each other back then… You didn't have to worry about anything… You [trusted] people… You always had friendship… If you have something happen to you or your home or something, they'd be right there to support you. Those [were] good days.” That is the spirit of Harlem he hopes to preserve with the African American Day Parade. He takes pride in seeing professionals, children, and community members showcase their talents, “That's my goal… to keep the spirit of our people alive. Because once you lose your spirit, that's it…” Yusuf considers Harlem the epicenter of African American history and culture, a place to cherish and preserve. “We have some of the greatest people in the world [who] have been through Harlem and have lived in Harlem. Many of them still [live here]. And I think it's important for us to know that Harlem is our home…. People want to gentrify it and change it and make it other than what it is. Remember, we were first… downtown as African Americans… Then they moved us to Central Park, Seneca Village… Then they moved us to Harlem… Now it looks like they're trying to move us out of Harlem… That's why we want to hold on to our home, because it's important. We made the Apollo Theater, the Cotton Club, and all those different places in this Harlem. It was done by African Americans who really, really kept it together. Now we are still trying to hold it together.” He is very passionate about preserving and sharing Black history with future generations. He says, “Our history is not told like it should be told in the public school system and in the communities… But this is one history you can't erase. It's like listening to good old music, right? If you ever understand good music back in the 70s and the 80s and the 60s that never dies. See, same thing with us. You can't get rid of me. You can't get rid of… African Americans… We're going to be here and we're going to continue to do what we've been doing all of our lives, serving our people the best that we know how under all circumstances.”

“Harlem is just embedded in my spirit because it’s more than just a physical thing… It’s about what’s in your heart, the love for your community... It’s something deeper than just physical things we see around us, it’s what’s embedded in your soul, and that’s the experience for me in Harlem… I’m a soul man.”

Currently, Yusuf is the Chairman of the African American Day Parade and wants to see the legacy of the parade continue forever in Harlem, “We've been doing this since 1969 in Harlem with the parade itself. So I want to see it last forever right here in Harlem…. My goal is to keep that focus, to showcase the absolute best of our community… And to commemorate our ancestors on that special day. That's the key for us in the African American Day Parade, every third Sunday in September. We never want to forget our people and what they've been through. We want to highlight them.” With five areas of focus: education, business, health, culture, and politics, they aim to support educators and encourage higher education, support local and Black owned business, bring attention to the health of the community, spread the rich culture of Harlem, and encourage people to vote. They recently celebrated the parade’s 55th anniversary and look forward to continuing their work for many more years supporting Harlem.

Everywhere in Harlem is Yusuf’s favorite place. He enjoys being in the moment, taking in nature, interacting with people in the neighborhood, and appreciating what he loves most about Harlem, the culture and the people. “Harlem is just embedded in my spirit because it's more than just a physical thing… It's about what's in your heart, the love for your community. See, that's the Harlem experience. It's something deeper than just physical things we see around us, it's what's embedded in your soul, and that's the experience for me in Harlem… I'm a soul man,” he laughs.