March is Women's History Month, and a powerful woman taking on many challenges across the boroughs is Dr. Meisha Porter, the president and CEO of the Bronx Community Foundation.
Porter previously served as New York City's schools chancellor and is now the president and CEO of the Bronx Community Foundation. Her passion for community started by becoming a youth organizer in the Bronx at the age of 16 in Highbridge.
"My first friends in the Bronx came from being a youth organizer and being a part of that youth group. So, it was my entry into organizing, but also my entry into the relationships that I've had in this borough for decades now," Porter says.
Years later, she would become the New York City schools chancellor, a journey that she says took dedication.
"It's so often that folks just don't expect women to take on really powerful leadership positions, and there are so many amazing women in leadership right now across the city."
Porter is now taking on new challenges with the Bronx Community Foundation.
"I think the challenge for me is often ensuring that I am standing up as a Black woman who's a leader in my industry, but also representing well for my borough," she adds.
Porter told News 12 that she comes from a family of educators, and that her biggest cheerleaders and inspiration are her family.