Jersey Shore Most Influential 2024 — Community: Nina Summerlin altering Asbury's West Side

Individuals with the greatest influence over a community are not always politicians. They are that neighbor that you've seen at every event around the city; the person passing out flyers for a free concert in the park; the ones protesting against injustice. They are just trying to make their home better for everyone.

If you think there's someone worthy who is not on these lists, email Executive Editor Phil Freedman at pfreedman@gannett.com. Please include a brief explanation of why you think they are deserving and contact information.

Nina Summerlin: Founder, President of Westside Citizens United

"We cry about a lot of things that we don't receive, but it goes back to don't always hold your hand out waiting for people to do stuff for you. We have to take initiative and do it for ourselves," Summerlin previously told the Asbury Park Press.

Westside Citizens United is a nonprofit that started as the Ridge & Bangs Revitalization Project in 2003, and "represented a comprehensive strategy to revitalize a targeted neighborhood.”

The nonprofit has assisted Asbury Park with street sweeping, sidewalk improvements, tree removal, and infrastructure improvements and beautification, such as murals. It also has partnered with community agencies to bring programs into the community for all ages.

Summerlin also co-founded the Springwood Avenue Rising, and is the coach/project director of Alliance for a Healthier Asbury Park, an initiative that has a focus on access to health information, healthy eating and food justice.

Laura Pople: President, Jersey Pride

Jersey Pride, Inc. is the nonprofit organization that produces the Garden State's annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Celebration in Asbury Park the first Sunday in June. Jersey Pride launched its annual parade and festival in 1992, and it has remained a constant for New Jersey's LGBTQ+ residents and their allies.

"It is about providing visibility for the community," Pople said. "It is about providing an opportunity for education and for advocacy. Because even in New Jersey — we are a comparatively progressive state — there are still many issues being challenged at a federal level or that are simply something we need to continuously drive positive messaging and legislation on."

According to the ACLU, there have been 494 anti-LGBTQ legislative measures introduced in state legislatures across the country this year alone. Even in the Garden State bills have been introduced that would, for instance, prevent trans students from participating in sports, or censor in-school discussions of LGBTQ people and issues.

"Over the last 30 years, the hostility directed toward the LGBTQ community generally has ebbed and flowed," Pople said.

Minister Steve Brigham: Founder, Destiny's Bridge

Destiny’s Bridge envisions being a community established for the temporary housing and care of homeless adults. The nonprofit's primary objective is "to provide shelter, sustenance and medical care, with opportunities for rehabilitation and training in employable skills to facilitate reintegration with mainstream society."

Amy Quinn: Deputy Mayor of Asbury Park

Quinn began her tenure on the city council in July 2013. She and her wife, Heather Jensen, were among the first same-sex couples to be married in the state that October. In addition to her work as deputy mayor, she’s an attorney for the Community Health Law Project in Neptune, a nonprofit organization representing people working to receive public entitlements such as Social Security benefits, Medicaid or food stamps.

Jen Souder: Asbury Park African American Music Project

AP-AMP is a volunteer-run, community-driven tax-exempt nonprofit organization working to preserve and share the music, stories, and heritage of Springwood Avenue, the heart of Asbury Park’s African-American community. The group hopes to raise $2.1 million to restore the historic Turf Club.

Diane Shelton: Community Outreach Specialist for Interfaith Neighbors, Co-Founder of Springwood Avenue Rising

Shelton presented the idea of the Springwood Avenue Plaque Project with Pamela Majors, a designated walk marking various points in the region's history. She has been instrumental in decorating the Westside with artistic murals.

Felicia Simmons: Activist, President of the Westside Community Center Renovation Association

A lifelong resident, Simmons has been an activist for the community, served on various boards and committees, and has been vital to the resurrection of the historic Westside Community Center.

Alexander Sauickie: Republican State Assemblyman

Sauickie has passed local legislation in Jackson and introduced a package of state legislation to help preserve land, educate local officials and provide towns with "resources to responsibly plan for the future." One of the bills (A-4729) sponsored by Sauickie proposes revisions in farmland appraisals for preservation purposes, so local governments can make comparable offers to developers.

Rev. Semaj Y. Vanzant Sr.: Founder of Encounter Christ Global Fellowship and Director of Relationship Management at Interfaith Neighbors

Vanzant has been vital to the Black community of Monmouth County, speaking out against gun violence both locally and nationally, as well as working on partnerships between local businesses and organizations that can uplift the community.

Rev. Jason Jennings of the Rebirth Church and Rev. Lyddale Akins of Triumphant Life Church

Jennings and Akins are focused on the community, especially the West side of Asbury Park, setting up events like "Heal Our NeighborHOOD." Jennings has served as Chaplain for the NAACP, and currently serves as Chaplain for the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. in Paterson. He is the founder and CEO of the New Jersey-based nonprofit C.A.R.E. Corporation, which focuses on issues of urban education, homelessness, and prison re-entry at the local and state level.

Atkins is a spiritual community leader and the pastor of Triumphant Life, a church where "everyone has a seat at the table regardless of personal history, family background, ethnicity or gender." Triumphant Life hosted its first gathering in 2002 in downtown Asbury Park before moving to Fort Monmouth in 2017. Triumphant Life is an Assembly of God church that has impacted the Monmouth County area.

MacroBites

In 2019, David Lewis Jr., Jarrette Atkins and Fritz Georges, having each served time in prison, turned their lives around and created MacroBites, a health-focused meal-delivery service that has grown from serving just Monmouth County to shipping nationwide. MacroBites, which was created as an extension of Lewis' work as a personal trainer, has a contract with Monmouth Medical Center, providing ready-to-eat, healthy meals to staff, patients and visitors at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch.

Dianna Harris: Neptune educator, Board of Education member and Neptune Black History Month Committee

An educator who has taken great pride in the West side community, Harris has actively kept the "two towns one community" vibe thriving as she helps orchestrate Black history and Juneteenth events.

Valeria Roberts: Owner, operator of Eddie’s Barbershop

For over 80 years, Eddie's Barbershop has been serving the people of this tight-knit Shore community. Roberts' father Edward Hinton first opened the barbershop in 1940. The oldest Black-owned business in Asbury Park, it remains in its original location, 1321 Springwood Ave. Known to most these days as "Ma," Roberts started as an apprentice to her father in 1961.

Tracy Rogers: Affordable Housing Advocate, Asbury Park Board of Education

One of the founders of the Asbury Park Affordable Housing Coalition, Rogers has been vocal and active in regard to holding the City of Asbury Park accountable for affordable housing obligations and needs of the residents.

Danielle Jones: Eatontown Councilwoman

A proud Black woman representing Eatontown, Jones has played a huge role in recognizing the township's local Black history, as well as working to turn Juneteenth into a municipal holiday.

John Gagliano: Wrestling coach, Howell

With over 500 wins for his alma mater, the coach lovingly referred to as "Gags" has been instrumental in molding generations of student-athletes into active members of the community, such as Howell wrestling alumni and former Deputy Mayor of Howell Thomas Russo.

Tova Herskovitz: Founder, Director of One Ocean County

Herkovitz founded the nonprofit One Ocean County to create connections between the Orthodox and non-Orthodox communities.

Cazzeek Brothers

A local nonprofit that has made a huge community impact, Cazzeek Brothers are known for their annual Easter picnic; a scholarship fund for high school students; a mentor and tutoring program; and their youth football and cheerleading teams.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Nina Summerlin: Jersey Shore Most Influential 2024