\n<\/p>\n
New York City\u2019s most elite hospital gave more than a million dollars to an \u201canti-racist,\u201d pro-LGBTQ+ theater company as it laid off a thousand workers, records reviewed by The Daily Wire show.<\/p>\n
New York-Presbyterian has donated more than 1.3 million to the People\u2019s Theatre Project since 2021, financial records<\/a> show<\/a>. In October 2023, Dr. Steven J. Corwin, then president and CEO of the hospital system, pledged to give another million to the theater \u2014 an arts program that \u201ccenters immigrants and members of the Latine, Black, and Queer communities\u201d \u2014 to build a state-of-the-art performance center.<\/p>\n As the hospital was bankrolling the \u201canti-racist\u201d organization\u2019s quest to \u201cbuild a world where the oppressed can find Liberation,\u201d it was struggling financially. In May 2025, it announced<\/a> it was slashing 2% of its workforce, laying off 1,000 people. In 2026 it came under fire<\/a> when it offered nurses a lower-than-requested annual raise, a cut the hospital blamed on the Trump administration\u2019s economic policies.<\/p>\n In October 2025, Corwin announced<\/a> he would step down in early 2026.<\/p>\n New York-Presbyterian\u2019s reputation took a serious hit in the final years of Corwin\u2019s 14-year tenure. It\u2019s financial troubles came as it became one of the most expensive hospitals<\/a> in the country. In March 2026, the Justice Department sued the hospital<\/a> for \u201canticompetitive contract restrictions that deny New Yorkers the choice of lower cost healthcare options.\u201d<\/p>\n All the while, it was supporting the People\u2019s Theatre Project.<\/p>\n In October 2023, Corwin appeared with New York Governor Kathy Hochul and \u201cHamilton\u201d composer Lin-Manuel Miranda to pledge $1 million to the construction of the Centro Cultural Inmigrante, a 19,000-square-foot compound featuring multiple theaters and a gallery, meant to \u201camplify the voices of New York City\u2019s diverse immigrant communities.\u201d The State of New York contributed $4 million.<\/p>\n \u201cNewYork-Presbyterian is proud to support the People\u2019s Theatre Project, and we look forward to the future of the Centro Cultural Inmigrante,\u201d Corwin said. \u201cThis will be a space where members of the community can come together to create meaningful social connections, build a sense of belonging, and help enrich the community and New York City through the arts.\u201d<\/p>\n It is unclear if the hospital ever made the $1 million contribution. Neither NewYork-Presbyterian nor the People\u2019s Theatre Project responded to a request for comment.<\/p>\n The relationship between the hospital and the radical arts organization dates back to 2009, when it was founded by Mino Lora, a leftist who has called for defunding the police and served on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s transition team.\u00a0That year, New York-Presbyterian partnered<\/a> with the group on \u201ca health-focused theatre-making program for children ages 5\u201312.\u201d New York Presbyterian\u2019s Corporate Director of Community Affairs, Monica Hidalgo, serves on the theater\u2019s board.<\/p>\n All told, NewYork-Presbyterian has given the People\u2019s Theatre Project $1,312,500 since 2021. During that time, the theater has produced such plays as \u201cThe Diamond,\u201d which \u201cfollows a group of detained immigrants who conspire against a dystopian government.\u201d Earlier this month, it hosted a reading of the \u201cSombraluz,\u201d a play about a marine whose life was \u201cshaped by the trauma of Guantanamo Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n The People\u2019s Theater Project also hosts outright political events, including a \u201crapid response\u201d and \u201csafe space\u201d to \u201cshare feelings, build resilience, and transform emotions into art\u201d in the wake of President Donald Trump\u2019s 2024 election. In January 2026, the theater hosted an \u201cundoing racism\u201d workshop.<\/p>\n \u201cAs an anti-racist organization, we believe in Equity for all,\u201d the group\u2019s website reads. \u201cWe see the full humanity and immense power that exists in immigrants, youth, people of color, the LGBTQIA community, and people living with disabilities. We work to build a world where the oppressed can find Liberation.\u201d<\/p>\n The People\u2019s Theatre Project works<\/a> with K-5 \u201cyoung artists\u201d to celebrate \u201ctheir identities and communities\u201d through theatre pieces and has a \u201csocial justice leadership program\u201d for adolescents in grades 6-12. The organization also partners<\/a> with elementary, middle, and high schools in New York City.<\/p>\n The organization views theatre \u201cas a catalyst for change,\u201d and its mission includes advocacy for progressive social causes such as dismantling systemic racism, immigrant rights, and LGBTQIA+ rights.<\/p>\n \u201cRacial justice is an urgent priority because systemic racism persists in our society, perpetuating inequality at every turn,\u201d the group\u2019s website<\/a> says. \u201cTheatre serves as a powerful platform to confront and dismantle these injustices.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n