Named the 2015 Hometown Hero in Education, Abeda Khanam is a science teacher with the New York City Department of Education. Abeda is also a chaplain with the New York State Chaplain Task Force. She is a parental engagement columnist and advocate in the areas of family values, social justice, and mental health. She teaches Mental Health First Aid to her fellow New Yorkers, with the goal of creating robust families and resilient communities.