Family, friends and neighbors gathered in Dyker Heights this weekend to celebrate the life and legacy of Rosa Casella, a beloved community advocate whose decades of service left a lasting mark on South Brooklyn. The corner of 71st Street and 11th Avenue was officially co-named “Rosa Casella Way” in her honor.
City Council Member Alexa Avilés, who sponsored the co-naming adopted in August, spoke at the ceremony about Casella’s extraordinary dedication to her community, calling the honor a “no-brainer.”
“It was a moment saying, ‘of course’ we would bestow one of New York City’s greatest honors so that not only family, friends and neighbors who knew this person and their family, but everyone else forever will ask who that amazing human was,” Avilés said.
Avilés added that she was “truly humbled” by Brooklynites like Casella, “who give their love and compassion to the community to make the world a better place.”
Casella’s influence in the borough spanned decades of civic work. Born in Italy, she moved to SoHo with her family as a child. She served as a member of Community Board 11 and spent 28 years as executive director of the Neighborhood Improvement Association (NIA) Community Services Network, where she helped develop programs supporting local youth, seniors and families in need. She died in November 2024.
Beyond her formal roles, Casella was known for her volunteerism and personal warmth. She contributed to numerous community service organizations, including the American Cancer Society and National Night Out, reflecting her lifelong pursuit in helping others.
Following her death, NIA released a statement describing Casella as “a woman of faith and family; a devoted mother and grandmother and loving friend and neighbor. Known, loved and respected by so many, Rosa will be so deeply missed and remembered fondly for her contributions, charm and ability to make others feel welcome.”
“Her greatest achievements in life were her children and grandchildren, and knowing that through her own experiences she made a difference in someone else’s life,” Avilés continued.
For her daughter, Giulia Atanasio, the street co-naming was an emotional tribute that captured her mother’s spirit.
“She was a dedicated member of the NIA Community Services Network for over two decades, and this is a perfect way to memorialize her,” she told Brooklyn Paper. Atanasio added that she was proud to “honor her mother’s memory.”
Additional reporting by Arthur de Gaeta
