معرفی
Raymond Figueroa Jr. is a Lecturer at the Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment within the School of Architecture at Pratt Institute. He also serves as a Taconic Faculty Fellow at the Pratt Center for Community Development.
- Education: Cornell University – College of Human Ecology
His research and professional work focus on urban sustainability, community organizing, and policy advocacy. He explores how community gardens can function as critical green urban infrastructure, emphasizing equity, resilience, and regulatory protections. His projects integrate environmental justice, soil health, and urban planning through an equity lens.
Ray has received grants from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the National Academy of Medicine, and other institutions to advance urban agriculture and health literacy initiatives. He actively collaborates with environmental law firms and city agencies to translate research into legislative action.
Scientific Awards & Grants
- Cornell University, Institute for Community and Rural Development: Innovator Award [Co-Recipient]
- Natural Resources Defense Council: New York City Grassroots Environmental Advocate of the Year Award
- PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH (PAR) grants from NYC DOHMH, National Academy of Medicine (Health Literacy Project), and National Academy of Medicine (Nutrition Mapping of Food Marketing to Youth Project)
Ray is President of the New York City Community Garden Coalition and Co-Founder/Director of Brook Park Community Garden – Youth Farm’s Alternatives-to-Incarceration programs. His work bridges urban design, policy, and grassroots activism.
