Zenaida Karmody Hope Award

Zenaida Karmody was a beloved mother and passionate teacher who taught biology and electives at Richmond Hill High School in New York City. She believed deeply in the importance of education, hard work, and giving others the opportunity to build a better future.

At the age of forty-two, Zenaida was diagnosed with breast cancer and miraculously survived for another twenty years. During that time, she traveled the world, visiting more than forty countries, and helped as many people as she could. Despite her humble beginnings in a small village in Trinidad, where she grew up in a tiny home without running water or electricity, Zenaida went on to accomplish amazing things.

Her determination to pursue her passions never wavered. After her diagnosis, she completed beauty school, following her longtime passion for cosmetology. She loved making people feel beautiful and advocated for self-care, especially among cancer patients.

This scholarship honors Zenaida’s dedication to education, compassion for others, and courage by helping deserving students pursue their goals and reach their full potential. In doing so, we hope to carry forward the values she embodied and ensure that her generosity and belief in the power of opportunity continue to make a difference.

Zenaida’s impact will live on through the many lives she touched, and we are grateful for the opportunity to help carry her legacy forward.

Any high school senior or undergraduate student who is a BIPOC, first-generation college student and a resident of New York City may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they will pursue health, medicine, education, or cosmetology.

To apply, write a short essay telling us about yourself and how you plan to make a difference through your career