The ‘Queen of Harlem' helps underserved families in her neighborhood
NEW YORK (PIX11) — To many, Michelle Smalls is considered royalty. She is an influencer, a real estate broker, and the owner of seven businesses. But her selfless contributions to the underserved and underprivileged are what earned her the title of the 'Queen of Harlem.'
Smalls is incredibly modest about her countless acts of kindness. For nearly two decades, she's pulled from her own pocket to help ease the financial burden of struggling families in the Harlem neighborhood where she grew up.
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Every year she's held a massive winter coat and toy drive, a free back-to-school event providing school supplies, and an Easter giveaway with baskets and outfits for Easter Sunday. Every event has drawn long lines of grateful families.
'It's refreshing to see that a little bit of money could just change so many lives. People don't understand. Giving really helps me out. It really changed the dynamics. I don't even think about my childhood trauma no more because now I'm able to help someone out and not go through that trauma,' said Smalls.
Smalls' mother was a drug addict. Her father was murdered when she was just a year old. Most would think her future was written in stone. She'd prove them all wrong.
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'Actually not having a father made me stronger than the average because I had to do a lot more than the average. I sold drugs, I went to jail, and I didn't want that for me. I was very smart in school, but I had nothing, so I did what I had to do,' said Smalls.
Now she runs beauty salons, a real estate business and a juice bar, sharing her success by investing in the future of Harlem. She is creating safe spaces and positive programming to keep kids off the street.
Smalls used her own money to start the Marcus Garvey Summer Basketball Tournament, and when the coaches recently asked her to help save their Public School Athletic League basketball program and Brandeis High School, she didn't hesitate.
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'Everything that we needed she got it for us. And we were able to get more kids. On Saturdays we averaged 75 kids. Now we're getting a hundred something kids. And those additional kids are lives saved,' said coach Evander Ford.
A year ago, one of the program's star athletes, 18-year-old Ashley Ballard, was gunned down in Harlem. Her death inspired Smalls to launch a junior high basketball tournament this winter. Ballard's mother is deeply moved.
'The fact that she found the light, I guess, at the end of this dark tunnel, I really appreciate that because the work that she does is the work that we need. What I love about her is it's genuine. I wanna help. I don't want to be in the spotlight. Lets get it done for the kids. I just want the public to know. We need more Michelles. We need more Michelles,' said Krystal Minor.
Smalls treated the tournament-winning team with a $5,000 cash prize and tickets to see the Brooklyn Nets, inspiring them to stay focused an achieve their hoop dreams.
'A big thank you because without her and her efforts, we might not be able to be here today,' said 13-year-old Cameron Gray.
Smalls said seeing the joy in their faces is the greatest reward of all.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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