Out of 8 Billion People…
Out of 8 billion people in this world, how is it possible that we somehow find the ones who change our lives forever?
I’ve asked myself that question more than once because that’s exactly what happened with Eve Goldberg and BigVision NYC.
The first time I heard Eve speak, it was through a screen.
She took my breath away.
Not because of what she had accomplished.
Not because of what she had built.
Simply because of who she is.
As she shared the story of losing her son, Isaac, I remember thinking…
How?
How does someone experience every parent’s greatest heartbreak and still choose love?
How does a mother’s love become so powerful that it creates hope for thousands of young people?
How does someone choose to build a future where others can find purpose, connection, and joy?
Whatever it was…
She stayed with me.
Long after the screen went dark.
Then life did what it so often does.
It surprised me.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d ever meet Eve.
And then I did.
That’s where our story began.
Over the years, our friendship grew naturally. We celebrated each other’s successes, supported each other’s work, and somehow kept ending up in the same room.
Then one day, Eve invited me to see what would become the permanent home of BigVision NYC.
BigVision NYC had already been changing lives for 10 years.
This wasn’t the beginning of the dream.
It was the moment the dream finally found its home.
As Eve shared her vision, she wasn’t talking about a building.
She was talking about young adults finding a place where they could become the people they were meant to be.
She wasn’t showing me a center.
She was showing me what faith and determination can accomplish when you refuse to give up.
Today, that 10-year dream has become exactly what Eve hoped it would be: a place where young adults find connection, encouragement, and the confidence to become who they’re meant to be.
Spend a few minutes inside BigVision NYC and you’ll understand why.
You hear laughter before you see who’s laughing.
Before long, strangers become friends.
Sometimes, all it takes is a conversation.
Music fills one room.
Creativity fills another.
Someone leaves a yoga class feeling just a little lighter than when they arrived.
Another evening, the room is alive with laughter during comedy night.
Every year, the 3-on-3 basketball tournament brings the community together to honor Isaac, reminding everyone that love has a remarkable way of bringing people together.
It isn’t any one event that stays with you.
It’s the feeling you leave with.
That’s what Eve built.
Not just a center.
A home.
Over the years, Eve and I have celebrated each other’s successes, supported each other’s work, and quietly reminded one another that there’s more than enough room for all of us to make a difference.
That’s what women supporting women looks like.
Not competition.
Connection.
Encouragement.
Showing up.
Believing in someone else’s dream as much as your own.
Bigvision NYC and Sober is the New Cool were born from different stories.
But they’re rooted in the same belief.
When people feel seen…
When they feel supported…
When they know they belong…
Lives change.
Maybe that’s why our friendship has always felt so natural.
It wasn’t until much later that I learned more about Eve’s family and the remarkable legacy they’ve built in New York.
It didn’t change the way I saw her.
It simply helped me understand her.
Some legacies are measured by brilliance.
Others are measured by the lives they touch.
Eve’s is both.
People often ask me why I love New York.
Yes, I love the skyline.
Yes, I love the energy.
But that’s not why I keep coming back.
I come back because New York introduced me to some of the most remarkable people I’ve ever known.
Eve is one of them.
Out of 8 billion people in this world…
Somehow, I found one of the very best.
Thank you, Eve.
Thank you for believing in young people before they believe in themselves.
Thank you for showing me what faith and determination can accomplish when you refuse to give up.
And thank you for reminding me that the greatest things we build aren’t made of concrete and steel.
They’re built one heart at a time.
By Contributor: Kim Bellas, Founder, Sober is the New Cool
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Who is Eve Goldberg?
Eve Goldberg is the founder of BigVision NYC, a New York City nonprofit serving young adults in recovery. She created the organization in memory of her son, Isaac, and has spent the past decade building it into a citywide community.
What is BigVision NYC?
BigVision is a New York City nonprofit founded in 2015 that builds sober community for young adults in recovery through arts, sports, fitness, comedy nights, yoga and social programming. In April 2024, it opened its permanent home in Midtown Manhattan, which houses the 309 Social Club, New York City’s only alcohol-free social club.
Why did Eve Goldberg start BigVision?
Goldberg founded BigVision after her son, Isaac, died of an accidental overdose in 2014. Isaac had struggled to find a peer community to support his recovery, and BigVision was created to give other young adults the sober community he couldn’t find.
Where is BigVision NYC located?
BigVision’s permanent home is at 309 E. 49th St. in Midtown Manhattan, a space that opened in 2024 after 10 years of programming across the city.
What is the BigVision 3-on-3 basketball tournament?
It’s an annual tournament held in Isaac’s honor that brings the BigVision community together each year, one of the organization’s signature events alongside comedy nights, music and creative programming.
Who is Kim Bellas?
Kim Bellas is a Sober Curator contributor and the voice behind Sober is the New Cool.
