The New York Black Nurses Association, Inc. (NYBNA) and the Caribbean American Nurses Association, Inc. (CANA) last Friday, Feb. 27, honored distinguished Trinidadian-born nursing leader Jocelyn Alleyne during the 38th Annual National Black Nurses Celebration at Frederick Douglas Academy, 2581 Clayton Adam Powell, Jr. Blvd., in Harlem.
The event was held in conjunction with Omega Chi Chapter, Inc., Theta Chi Chapter, Inc. and Kappa Eta Chapter, Inc. – members of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc.
Alleyne, RN, MS, has over 50 years of experience in the field of nephrology nursing.
Each year, the Brooklyn-based CANA honors a nurse from one of the Caribbean nursing organizations.
Each nursing organization nominates a nurse, and a selection is made by an appointed committee. This year, Alleyne was selected.
“We appreciate Ms. Alleyne’s clinical strengths and contributions to nursing,” CANA said.
Alleyne was presented with the award by CANA’s Vincentian-American President, Olga Husbands, doctor of nursing practice (DNP).
“I feel a deep sense of gratitude to be recognized as the honoree of the CANA 2026 Nurse Award,” Alleyne told Caribbean Life afterwards. “To be honored by the people I admire most, my fellow nurses, my peers, is always very special – also to be honored during Black History Month, where Black leaders are recognized.
“This year also marks my 61st year of being in this profession,” she added. “This recognition is a joyful reminder of why we do what we do, and it is an inspiration for the younger nurses to keep reaching higher, and to keep this profession alive from generation to generation.”
The award event was held under the theme, “Nurse Unapologetically Professional: Our calling, Our Science, Our Practice.”
Alleyne said the ceremony reflected on the death of Alex Pretti, an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, who was killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis during recent protests. Audrey Dupree-Sealy, Ph. D, RN, made the presentation, Alleyne said.
Karines Reyes, RN, New York State Assembly Member for the 87th District, delivered the keynote address.
“One of her take home messages: There is a need for nurses to be in the forefront of government, where policies pertaining to health care are being made,” said Alleyne, adding that Reyes “stressed that those people making policies about health care have no knowledge about the needs of the community.”
Alleyne said the assemblywoman also spoke about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on nursing.
After graduating from nursing school in her native Trinidad and Tobago in 1969, Alleyne said she migrated to the US a year later, where she has since made significant contributions to the nursing profession.
Specializing in nephrology, Alleyne said she has held a variety of leadership roles, including overseeing dialysis, transplant services, and critical care units in prominent academic medical centers in New York.
She said her career is marked by a commitment to patient safety, nursing education, and workforce development.
A past president of the Brooklyn-based Trinidad & Tobago Nurses Association of America (2001–2004), Alleyne has been deeply involved in professional associations, contributing to nursing policy, education, and mentorship.
Over the years, she has received numerous awards for her service, including recognition by the Trinidad & Tobago Nurses Association of America for her years of dedication to the profession.
Outside of her professional achievements, Alleyne said she is “a proud mother” of two daughters, and enjoys jazz music and cruising, which, she said, allow her to “unwind and appreciate new experiences.”
