In order to make an effective change in a community, you
have to be willing to physically be a part of that change. Each month, the staff
at the Brownsville Community Justice Center dedicate one day out of the month
to performing a day of community service. Projects have ranged from painting
over graffiti on Belmont Ave. as part of our Belmont Revitalization Project to performing outreach in the community for
upcoming events. During the month of May, we had the pleasure of volunteering
at the community café at Neighbors Together. Neighbors Together has been a
staple in the Brownsville, Ocean Hill, and Bedford Stuyvesant communities for over 30
years. Not only are they a soup kitchen, providing hot meals to an average of
400 people each day, but they also provide other social service assistance as
well.
BCJC Staff at Neighbors Together. From left: Deron Johnston, Lisa Bernard, Jasmine Bowie, Jonathan Smith, Norah Covarrubias, Kellen Felmine, James Brodick, Titus Haynes, Elizabeth Farias, Brian Cousin, Erika McSwain, and Erica Mateo
The BCJC staff assisted in the community café, distributing hot
meals to the residents of the community, helping to clean and maintain the café
area, conducting surveys to help expand the services Neighbors Together offers, or
was simply an open ear for someone sitting in the café to talk to. Many of the
staff expressed that this was one of the most humbling and enjoyable days of
service we have done so far! We would like to thank Neighbors Together for opening their doors to us for the day!
Staff helping to distribute the food in Neighbors Together Community Cafe
On Tuesday, May 19th, 2015 Project Street Beat
partnered with the Brownsville Community Justice Center’s RISE Project to
provide sexual and reproduction health outreach services. Project Street Beat
held a youth workshop at the Brownsville Community Justice Center. Additionally,
Project Street Beat provided 55 Brownsville community members with free STI and
HIV testing. Project Street Beat will be partnering with the Justice Center to
provide monthly sexual and reproductive healthcare and outreach in the
Brownsville community! Follow our Instagram @wearebrownsville to stay up to
date on Project Street Beat’s next visit.
The Project Street Team van setting up shop for a day of
free testing!
On Wednesday, May 13th, 2015 the RISE Project at
the Brownsville Community Justice Center held its first “Fun on the Run “mobile
recreation day at 519 Rockaway. The Brownsville Leadership Project interns
engaged childrenin recreational
activities including bracelet making, book mark making, jump roping, hula
hooping, and frisbee. Fun on the Run aims to reactivate neglected spaces, provide recreational activities for children, and engage
community members. Fun on the Run will be travelling through Brownsville every Wednesday afternoon throughout the month of June. Follow our instagram @wearebrownsville to track Fun on the Run's location each week so you can come out and join the fun!
Brownsville Leadership Project interns work on arts and
crafts with neighborhood children.
Brownsville Leadership Project intern assists two young Brownsville
residents with bookmarks.
The Brownsville Community Justice Center hosted it's first, I Am Phenomenal, Shero Brunch on May 9th, 2015. This brunch was held in honor of the young ladies of the Brownsville Sisters Keepers, as they completed their first cycle of girls programming, as well as Justice Center's lady participants and all the phenomenal women of the Brownsville, Brooklyn community.
I Am Phenomenal, was the theme of the brunch. The hope was that every young lady of the Justice Center would understand how amazing and phenomenal they truly are. Being surrounded by so much greatness (Judges, Assembly Women, Leaders, Activist, Mothers and Sisters), they would have an expanded vision of who they can become. We enjoyed beautiful words of encouragement, great food & moctails, flower halo making, expressions of why we are phenomenal and of course SELFIES :) Enjoy this small piece of footage from this phenomenal day!
Brownsville's Young Adult Entrepreneurship Program has made some amazing strides and were recently published on Jay Corcoran's blog (Jay is Associate Director of the Career Management Library and New Media Center at Columbia University).
Not only were they published, but Columbia University produced a short film on their experience.
Many of these participants have benefited from supports across our programs and departments, and their bravery to try this "business stuff" out is a testament to what a great support system can provide our young people. All of the participants in this film have gone on to do amazing things (from internships, fund raising, full time employment, college acceptance, continued education, and more).
They are dope and Brownsville is proud of them. Check out Jay's blog post here.
The Brownsville Leadership Project was selected by the Community
Outreach department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to take part in an
event where current issues would be addressed through conversation between
Police and Brownsville Youth. On April 30th, 2015 an event called Hand in Hand
launched its first of many to come. The event kicked off right above John Jay's
'Jane Walk' view, with 3-4 youth, 2 officers, and a facilitator at each table.
Conversations covered racial issues, economic issues, and the myths that both
police and youth share about one another. Brownsville Leadership Project youth,
took the first steps to becoming change agents for their community. This
round-table mixer event helped to open the minds of youth who
participated, by providing them with a different perspective on what officers
go through on a day to day. Police officers also learned more about the deep
rooted challenges and issues young people face in small urban communities such
as Brownsville.
Brownsville Leadership Project Members were presented with a plaque for their participation and work in the community.
The Brownsville Leadership project collectively developed
questions a month prior to the event. Those questions were distributed to each
table, where 8-10 minute conversations were held before a bell rang, and
officers were instructed to switch tables. The two hour event ended in food,
awards presented to the youth for their participation, and free giveaways. The
efforts of both the Youth and Police Officers fostered an extremely successful
event. Both sides walked away knowing that although this may not change the
world, it is a great start to changing the communities they live and work in.
Round table exercise. Leader Kimora Brown (left) voices her opinion to Police Officer.
A full room of Police Officers and Youth ready to discuss issues, and create solutions!
Brownsville Leaders pose with the Police Officers, and are excited about the new relationships and understanding built!
On
Saturday, April 25th, The Brownsville Leadership Project along with
staff from the Brownville Community Justice Center joined the Van Dyke NextGeneration
NYCHA project and the Van Dyke Medgar Evers Cornerstone in a day of
beautification around the Van Dyke development. Our leaders worked hard to
recycle, pick up trash, and beautify the area. Additionally, our leaders ran
arts, crafts, and games for children, and helped serve lunch to the other volunteers. It was
great to see all our leaders out in the community creating positive change!
Leaders from the Brownsville Leadership Project prepare to start their day.
Leaders work hard to clean up Van Dyke.
Leaders show off some of the work they had been able to accomplish during beautification day.
A group of leaders discuss the strategy plan for the clean-up.
One of our Leaders shows off his artistic skills while doing sidewalk chalk with children at the Van Dyke Community Center
