William Allen wants Harlem to be civically engaged and use its power

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Having been involved in civic work since he was 10, William Allen has always focused on the Harlem community, so it’s no surprise he currently serves on Community Board 10, representing Central Harlem.

Allen has held several titles over the years, such as a Democratic District Leader for Harlem,  lecturer at several New York colleges, and independent consultant. On any given day, though, Harlemites can see him at any community event, working to bring resources to the people. He believes better communication and more civic participation are the keys to supporting residents, Black business owners, and families. 

“It’s not even about young people not participating. Older folks are not participating anymore … It’s horrible,” Allen said. “Harlem needs a strategic community education engagement plan, and that is, here’s how we get people engaged, here’s how we get them information, here’s how we engage them, and it’s how we hold each other accountable.”

Born and raised in Harlem, Allen was involved from a young age. His mother took him to the Frederick E. Samuel Democratic Club of Harlem, where he became active. He was a tutor for kids with his 140th Street Block Association and at age 13, became the first teenager appointed to a local community board, CB10. He later became elected as secretary under Lloyd Williams during Williams’s tenure as chair. His trajectory was influenced by wanting to be around elders and by the example of his parents and supportive neighbors, according to Allen.

“I think by me having a great love for the elderly, that saved my life,” Allen said — he grew up around the rise of the drug and crack epidemic in Harlem. “Being around them and their values and their history grounded me, so I was not the kid that used drugs or was disrespectful to adults or wanted to grow up faster than my age.” Allen also gives credit to having outlets like the Minisink Townhouse Summer Camp and encourages parents today to put their children in similar after-school programs. 

After graduating from LaGuardia High School, Allen attended Fordham University, where he became the first non-white Student Government Association vice president.

After losing his twin brother, Theodore, to gun violence, Allen transferred to City College, where he continued to be active on campus, becoming president of his graduating class and editor of the school newspaper. Around this time, he was also a trustee of the school board. 

In 1986, he helped establish the Harlem Churches for Community Improvement with several ministers. He had also been running a comedy club at the National Black Theatre. 

From 2018 to 2021, Allen served as national crisis director for the National Action Network (NAN), where he connected civil rights lawyers with people in 40 states. He said places like Harlem need a stronger presence of civil rights lawyers who are well-known to community members, the way they used to be more prominent when he was younger. 

On the topic of gentrification in Harlem, Allen said it is a result of a lack of civic education and awareness, and staying on top of issues in the community. 

“If you wait for me and politicians to do something for you, we’ve lost. When Black politicians were powerful is when our community exercised its own power,” Allen said. “We had the Masons, the Eastern Stars, Marcus Garveyites, NAACP chapters all over the place, Urban League, CORE. We were active as a community, so therefore those who we elected became powerful, because we saw ourselves as powerful.” This was Harlem political leadership during the time of Percy Sutton, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and others. He challenges people today to tap into resources like the church and get involved with tenant and block associations. 

Small Black businesses, Allen said, must tap into Harlem resources such as community boards, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, and civic organizations, so people will know who they are and they can access funds. 

In 2023, Allen rejoined CB10 after being appointed by Salam. He wants a system where the board is divided into 10 zones representing different blocks in the area. 

“Just imagine if all these leaders from every block [were] present or represented in those meetings. Just imagine how much more powerful our community would be,” Allen said. He is hopeful that, with an incoming new borough president, there will be movement on the idea, as they will have power over who is appointed to the board. 

“I don’t think I’m special. I just think I was present [and] because I was present, the opportunities emerged,” Allen said about his life of civic involvement. “I’m hoping that I’ve opened the doors for others to safely follow, and that it is so important to have young people in the room of power and decision-making.”