Communitas of New York

Fares Al-lahabi of CarbonCLAIR

In this episode, we explore the work behind CarbonCLAIR, a venture developing innovative air filtration technology to improve air quality in construction sites, infrastructure projects, and other challenging environments. Host Monique T. Marshall speaks with founder Fares Al-lahabi about transforming an engineering idea into a venture through customer discovery, community engagement, and real-world deployment. From conversations with commuters and climate justice advocates to pilots with Mount Sinai, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and construction partners, CarbonCLAIR demonstrates how innovation grows through listening as much as inventing. What begins as a technical solution becomes a venture shaped by the experiences of workers, residents, researchers, and industry partners alike. This thoughtful conversation explores how entrepreneurship can bridge science, public health, and business to create technologies that improve lives while building a more sustainable future. Visit our podcast page [https://communitasamerica.org/changemakers/podcast] for more information. Visit CarbonCLAIR [https://www.cipass.cuny.edu/carbonclair/]. Fares Al-lahabi is the CEO and Co-Founder of CarbonCLAIR, a climate technology company developing mobile air quality mitigation systems for construction, municipal infrastructure, and urban environments. A civil engineering student at Manhattan University, Fares has led CarbonCLAIR from an undergraduate-built prototype into active deployment pathways with partners including Mount Sinai, Skanska at Governors Island, and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. His work focuses on improving air quality for workers and communities through deployable filtration, particulate capture, and chemical scrubbing technologies. Fares has secured more than $200,000 in funding and support for CarbonCLAIR, participated in the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps program, and was selected as a New York Climate Exchange Climate Tech Fellow. He is also deeply committed to workforce development, having hired and mentored over 30 student engineers and interns through CarbonCLAIR. Fares previously served as President of the American Society of Civil Engineers Student Chapter at Manhattan University and has presented his work at regional, national, and international platforms. His long-term goal is to build technologies that positively impact people at scale and help create cleaner, healthier cities.

Arnyce Foster-Hernandez of Featuring the Café and Featuring the Center for Culinary Arts

In this episode, we hear about how the Harlem-based Featuring the Café creates a welcoming and hospitable environment for all; and also serves as a platform for Featuring the Center for Culinary Arts, a social-impact nonprofit that emphasizes workforce training to create pathways toward economic stability and second chances. Host Monique T. Marshall speaks with founder Arnyce Foster-Hernandez about what it means to build a venture shaped by lived experience—drawing from her upbringing between Harlem and a family farm in North Carolina, as well as her journey through public service, hardship, and recovery. Hear how the café functions not only as a food business, but as a space for connection, collaboration, and opportunity—bringing together local entrepreneurs, artists, youth, and neighbors in ways that restore a sense of belonging and shared purpose—and asks, what becomes possible when a neighborhood café is designed as a place of care, access, and collective growth? This thoughtful conversation highlights the realities of building a venture from the ground up, the importance of deep community engagement, and the powerful role entrepreneurs can play in creating spaces that nourish both people and possibility. Visit our podcast page [https://communitasamerica.org/changemakers/podcast] for more information. Visit Featuring the Café [https://featuringculinaryarts.com/] and Featuring the Center for the Culinary Arts [https://featuringculinaryarts.com/about-us]. Arnyce Foster-Hernandez is a visionary business principal, cafe owner, and aspiring TV/film scriptwriter with a diverse and accomplished background. With 33 years of experience in NYC/NYS government, community, and non-profit sectors, she has successfully managed large teams, overseen multimillion-dollar budgets, and led initiatives that have driven growth and revitalized partnerships. As the owner of a gourmet cafe, Arnyce combines culinary creativity with business savvy, creating a successful venture. Arnyce is married to her wonderful husband, Danny, and they have a miracle eight-year-old son, Danny Jonathan (DJ).

Daniel Maloney of Sol Cacao Craft Chocolate

In this episode, we explore the work behind Sol Cacao, the Bronx's first bean-to-bar chocolate factory and a family-founded venture. Through their work, the three Maloney brothers bring single-origin chocolate to people while reconnecting them to the origins of their food. Host Monique T. Marshall speaks with co-founder Daniel Maloney about what it means to build a venture rooted in family, agriculture, and a commitment to working more closely with farmers across the globe. Hear how Sol Cacao partners directly with growers—supporting fair wages, preserving generational knowledge, and honoring the role of soil, biodiversity, and cultivation in shaping both flavor and livelihood. From the health benefits of dark chocolate to the philosophy of "let food be your medicine," the venture challenges disconnection from what we eat while creating pathways for education, craft, and local opportunity. This thoughtful conversation highlights the power of food as a bridge between land, culture, and community, and the role entrepreneurs can play in inspiring the next generation of chocolate makers, eaters, and artisans. Visit our podcast page [https://communitasamerica.org/changemakers/podcast] for more information. Visit Sol Cacao: Bronx Craft Chocolate [http://www.solcacao.com/]. Daniel Maloney is one of three brothers behind Sol Cacao, a chocolate manufacturing company based in the Bronx. With a passion for chocolate, sustainable agriculture, and technology, he combines these interests to craft high-quality chocolate while driving innovation in the industry. Through Sol Cacao, Daniel is committed to building ethical supply chains, empowering farming communities, and creating sustainable manufacturing jobs in the Bronx.

Neville Green (aka "The Burnout Prevention Guy") of Haus of Ananda

In this episode, we explore the work of Neville Green, also known as "The Burnout Prevention Guy," founder of Haus of Ananda, a social-impact venture focused on stress management and the improvement of overall well-being through a trauma-informed, holistic approach. In conversation, Monique T. Marshall finds out what it means to build a venture that collaborates with marginalized groups, professionals, and institutional partners to address the systemic and lived realities of chronic stress. Hear how Haus of Ananda evolves from a virtual wellness group into a space of care—supporting BIPOC and LGBTQ individuals, as well as high-achieving professionals and caregivers—through education, somatic practices, and programming that meets people where they are—and asks, what happens when we build chosen families that not only acknowledge burnout, but actively create space for rest, healing, and collective resilience? This thoughtful conversation highlights the importance of listening to lived experience, centering care and connection as the foundation for change, and the powerful role entrepreneurs can play in shaping healthier, more sustainable ways of living and working. Visit our podcast page [https://communitasamerica.org/changemakers/podcast]. Visit Haus of Ananda [https://www.hausofananda.com/]. ——— Neville Green-Waterman on wellness: "Burnout does not happen because you are weak. It happens because systems are misaligned." An engineer and lifelong problem solver with more than two decades of experience working in high-pressure environments across nonprofit executive leadership, corporations, and startups; he operates at the intersection of public health, health policy, business operations, and organizational strategy. He brings a practical, evidence-based approach to complex human and organizational challenges. Known as The Burnout Prevention Guy, Neville helps high-achieving professionals, leaders, and caregivers perform under pressure without burning out. His perspective is grounded in lived experience, including years of leadership under constrained resources, caregiving for ailed and aging parents, mentoring at-risk youth, and more than 17 years as a yoga, mindfulness, and life coach. These experiences shaped his belief that burnout is predictable, preventable, and solvable when the whole system is addressed. That belief led him to found Haus of Ananda, a trauma-informed wellness collective that became the foundation for his current work. As he prepares for a 2026 relaunch under The Burnout Prevention Guy brand, Neville is focused on helping people build sustainable performance, clarity, and resilience without sacrificing their health or ambition.

Gail Schorsch of Bronx Eats

In this episode, we explore the work behind Bronx Eats, a social-impact venture that empowers communities by increasing access to fresh produce while building confidence around cooking and nutrition. Host Monique T. Marshall speaks with founder Gail Schorsch about what it means to build a venture that collaborates with schools, local organizations, and community stakeholders to address both the visible and invisible gaps in food access and education—and asks, what happens when we use food as a gateway to build community, share knowledge, and support long-term health? Hear how Bronx Eats moves beyond food distribution alone by integrating hands-on cooking education, mobile programming, and community partnerships that meet people where they are. This thoughtful conversation highlights the importance of listening to community voices, building trust through consistent engagement, and the powerful role entrepreneurs can play in creating healthier, more connected communities. Visit our podcast page [https://communitasamerica.org/changemakers/podcast]. Visit BronxEats [https://www.bronxeats.org/]. Gail Schorsch is the founder and director of Bronx Eats, a nonprofit increasing fresh food access in underserved Bronx neighborhoods and empowering residents through professional cooking demonstrations and nutrition education. Bronx Eats features relatable chefs sharing the Bronx's rich local flavors through affordable, culturally relevant recipes. The organization also partners with NYC public schools and offers monthly fresh produce giveaways to families across the Bronx. Gail brings a unique combination of teaching expertise, culinary training, and market-management experience to her work building sustainable food-access programs.