Ray Chambers is well known for his philanthropic efforts both in Newark and around the world — and for being mostly quiet about his profoundly impactful actions.
Tuesday night in Newark, at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the Newark Alliance — a transformative organization he helped found — Chambers offered insightful thoughts about how the business world could help the city in which he has dedicated so many of his efforts.
Chambers, referencing a poem read earlier in the night by Ysabel Gonzalez, the poet in residence at NJPAC, who spoke of the need to reach down and lift up, said the city has done wonders in its efforts — but still has a way to go.
“The gap is there,” he told an audience of a few hundred during a panel discussion.
Chambers addressed three key issues: Home ownership, internships and education.
He said organizations such as Blackstone on Wall Street should not be in the home ownership business. And while recognizing their right to get a return on their investment, he pondered a possible win-win situation:
“Can the resident have an option to buy that house in some type of discounted interest rate that Blackstone would provide to them?” he said.
His feelings on education – and how to address – went even further.
Chambers had positive things to say about educators and education leaders but said the impact of COVID was particular difficult in Newark – and requires a greater community effort to address it.
“Everybody is doing everything they possibly can do, yet our children, based on standardized testing, are still falling behind,” he said.
He wondered if the city could use the spirit of Newark Alliance, the uniqueness of people in Newark coming together – regardless of their background and station in life – to help in the fight.
“Can we in the private sector, every business, small or large, the churches, universities, reach down to try and close that gap and just take one student up,” he asked.
The effort is needed in and out of the classroom, he said.
Chambers noted the success the Chambers Family Foundation has had at his alma mater, West Side High, with an internship program in conjunction with Mayor Ras Baraka – and how both sides benefit from it.
“We have 150 West Side students that work this summer in different jobs, and we see firsthand, close up, what a challenge it is to be a child endure and all the things in the environment that don’t encourage them to get educated, exacerbated by the things they see on social media, which certainly don’t encourage that,” he said.
Chambers wants to see a complete effort from everyone involved in Newark – residents and commuters – to come together and help close some of the gaps.
“I think we’re getting very close to it, but the last mile is going to be the most difficult,” he said.
Chambers said this vision can be part of the mission of the Newark Alliance.
“It’s taking what we’ve already done with people working together in Newark and push that envelope until we touch every child in Newark,” he said.
