Interview Date: July 30, 2023
Oral History: Desseree Soto & Aaliyah Brown
Full Interiew
Desseree Soto, a devoted mother of 4, a Bronx native community leader and President of a non-profit organization El Rincón Criollo Centro Cultural Inc. Her organization is community based at the oldest and largest casita in NYC, Rincon Criollo, also known as La Casita de Chema.
Desseree conducts annual events that has been traditional at Rincon Criollo for over 40 years. She host events for the community such as Mothers Day, Father’s Day, Food Pantry Giveaways, Children’s Book Distributions, and Children’s Easter Magic Show.
She has worked for the Board of Education as a Paraprofessional and continues to serve children through her work at a school bus company.
Desseree became a member of the Historic District Council’s Bronx Borough Landmarks Committee, a preservation group that aims to preserve the historic characters of different neighborhoods in the Bronx, for her knowledge of historic places throughout the Bronx.
She is also President of the Melrose Garden Coalition, Huerto y Cultura. Huerto y Cultura is a coalition of community gardens working together to advance community development, empower local leadership, nurture families, strengthen economic development, and improve overall quality of life for the South Bronx.
Desseree Soto is a Music Advisory Board member for the Bronx Music Heritage Center where she assists in musical events & activities and also coordinates the Annual Melrose Parranda.
Desseree continues to keep the cultural legacy alive by playing an active role in the Bomba y Plena community and provides resources for the people in the Melrose community.
Interview Date: July 30, 2023
Aaliyah Brown was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science from New York Medical College and a Bachelor’s in Health Science from Mercy University (formerly Mercy College).
Aaliyah is currently a Transfusion Medicine technologist. She began her experiences in medicine as a medical scribe in various private practices and hospitals in NYC. Aaliyah explored her interest in public health by doing research in her undergraduate studies, where she presented at local conferences on public health issues in urban areas.
She also has been an educator for the last 10 years, starting as a reading tutor for 1st grade students in local elementary schools during her high school years and grew into roles of a teaching assistant and STEM tutor at Mercy University. Aaliyah added to her teaching experience by teaching a STEM program internationally in Jamaica in 2017.
Aaliyah’s community organizing experience began in 2020 when she joined her family’s legacy by joining the Board of Directors of a non-profit organization El Rincón Criollo Centro Cultural Inc. The organization is a community garden at the oldest and largest casita in NYC, Rincón Criollo, also known as La Casita de Chema. Aaliyah hosts cultural events, fundraisers, educational tours, and workshops. Aaliyah is also a part of Rincón Criollo’s Music Fest Committee.
In 2021, she became the Lead Youth Community Organizer for We Stay Nos Quedamos Inc. where she mentored youth community organizers who advocated for environmental justice. Aaliyah organized workshops that centered around community health, environmental justice and healthy food access while acting as a liaison between local community gardens and the youth team.