In Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month
The First Latina Director for the City of Lancaster, Pa
Milzy Carrasco serves as the Director of Neighborhood Engagement and was appointed by Mayor Sorace in 2018. She brings with her a passion for sustainable community development while fostering inclusion and equity for all Lancastrians. Milzy is the City of Lancaster’s first Director of Neighborhood Engagement. She uses her passion, experiences, and skills to ensure that Lancaster’s neighborhoods are diverse, vibrant places where relationships can grow and thrive.
Milzy has a big heart for her neighbors. Under her leadership, the Department of Neighborhood Engagement created the Neighborhood Leaders Academy, where residents receive training and tools to improve their community. The academy focuses on individuals of color whose voices are not always heard. In addition, Milzy has been instrumental in several of the City’s community programs, such as community and police engagement and launching a cross-department working group focused on neighborhood concerns.
Prior to her appointment, Mrs. Carrasco served twelve years as the Director of Community & Business Development for San Juan Bautista Church, the largest and only Hispanic Catholic Church in the Diocese of Harrisburg. She successfully led neighborhood efforts focusing on community advocacy and developing sustainable social enterprises benefitting residents of the southeast neighborhood of Lancaster City. Mrs. Carrasco previously held positions at the Emerald Foundation, where she led community development programming and fundraising efforts.
Mrs. Carrasco, a graduate of J.P. McCaskey High School, recently completed the Implementing Public Policy (IPP) program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She is also part of a global cohort of Bloomberg Harvard Leaders focused on leadership development and community engagement. In 2016, Milzy was named a “Hometown Hero” for her work advocating for vulnerable families in Lancaster. In 2019, Milzy received the YWCA’s Women of Achievement award for her continued community work and leadership. She serves on the boards of both the Community Action Partnership and Plaza San Juan Bautista Youth & Culture Center.
We must not forget to mention that Milzy is a proud “Boricua” with a family originating from the best town in Puerto Rico – VILLALBA ;). Daughter of Jorge and Mirta Rodriguez, two brothers Jorge and Ricky, and older sister Maria who grew up in Oakbrook Public Housing in the City of Reading till the age of 11 and moved to Lancaster where she graduated from JP McCaskey. She is the first Latina Director for the City of Lancaster. Congratulations Milzy, a Latin pride.
Palo Magazine
