Tag: Community Engagement

Pinkster Day Celebration in Prosepct Park

Pinkster Celebration Returns to Prospect Park

April 9, 2025

Prospect Park Alliance is excited to open the 2025 season on Sunday, May 4 at the Lefferts Historic House with a vibrant celebration of Pinkster, featuring master drummer Chief Baba Neil Clarke, the Pinkster Players and friends. This dynamic event honors African cultural heritage in New York through music, storytelling, performances and more.

RSVP for the May 4 Pinkster Celebration!

Pinkster, the Dutch word for Pentecost, was historically the sole occasion each year when enslaved Africans in New York could legally gather with their families, engage in music and dance and trade goods. In doing so, enslaved Africans preserved their cultures, established new rituals and transmitted cultural wisdom to Africans stripped from their homelands and families, helping give communities the strength to endure the brutality of slavery. Over time, Pinkster transformed into one of the oldest African cultural festivals in what became the United States. In 1811, however, New York began outlawing this important centuries-old holiday, forcing African New Yorkers to preserve its traditions in private. Revivals of Pinkster have been growing in popularity since the 1970s and Chief Baba Neil Clarke has been a continuous spark, lighting the way for future generations in his work to preserve and continue the tradition.

Born and raised in Bedford Stuyvesant, Chief Baba Neil Clarke is a master drummer, performer and culture ambassador who received the Yoruba chieftaincy title, Alufopejo Awo of Osogbo in 2016, in recognition of his cultural preservation efforts. He has toured the world performing with artists such as Randy Weston, Harry Belafonte, Dianne Reeves and Miriam Makeba. Clarke is also a scholar who researches and teaches the history of percussion, and especially the role of the African drum in the Americas. His leadership in Pinkster celebrations spans decades and includes collaborations with institutions like Philipsburg Manor, Weeksville Heritage Center, and many others across the state—several of which still have Pinkster celebrations every year. “I got involved in Pinkster on invitation more than 20 years ago. It was just a drumming gig for me at the time, but it went well, and I kept doing it. Year after year, I learned more about the history of Pinkster through conversations, personal research and being immersed in the tradition,” shares Chief Baba Neil Clarke.

For Clarke, drumming is more than just music—it is a form of service and deep listening. “To be a drummer is to be of service. You must be able to listen,” he explains. “Being an African drummer is different from being in a drum circle. You are playing a specific rhythm for a ceremony or dance as a trained African drummer as opposed to jamming. That dynamic of listening to other ideas and what is being specifically expressed is very important.” He draws a parallel to New York’s built history: “I live in Bed-Stuy where people walk and gawk at the brownstones and their beauty. But how many are paying attention to the foundations? We take foundations for granted. Pinkster is a historical foundation of previously enslaved people and a historical foundation of the United States.”

Lefferts Historic House hosted its first Pinkster celebration in 1990 and now is in its third consecutive year reviving the Pinkster tradition as part of the Alliance’s ReImagine Lefferts initiative, which seeks to re-envision the mission and programming of the Lefferts Historic House museum to focus on exploring the lives, resistance and resilience of the Lenapehoking and the Africans enslaved by the Lefferts. The Pinkster celebration at Lefferts Historic House holds deep personal significance for Clarke. “It’s an honor and a privilege for Prospect Park Alliance to consider its importance and embrace Pinkster at Lefferts Historic House,” he says, “It is also a bit humbling. This is something very close to my heart and what I grew up doing. As a teenager we were frequently chased when we gathered to drum. To have an institution acknowledge and celebrate this history means a lot.”

Chief Baba Neil Clarke envisions a future where Pinkster is recognized as a state holiday akin to the Juneteenth national holiday, highlighting its profound significance in both New York and United States history. He emphasizes the importance of active participation, encouraging individuals to engage with the celebration firsthand to fully grasp its essence and contribute to its evolution. He is interested in imagining what Pinkster would look like if it had continued into the 20th century, envisioning African dancers, spoken word, jazz and gospel. “By maintaining the core of the heart and soul of Pinkster, we can then artistically imagine what it would look like if it were to have continued,” shares Clarke. This year, the Alliance continues to host part of the Pinkster tradition, inviting the community to partake in the festivities and deepen their understanding of the historical and cultural importance of Pinkster.

RSVP for the May 4 Pinkster Celebration. Plus, the celebration continues with Pinkster events throughout Brooklyn:

Saturday, May 17 at Wyckoff House Museum
Sunday, June 1 at Weeksville Heritage Center

Generous funding for the Pinkster Celebration as part of the ReImagine Lefferts Initiative is provided by the Mellon Foundation.

The Next Chapter at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside

March 18, 2025

After more than a decade of serving our community, the LeFrak Center at Lakeside will begin a new chapter this spring! Prospect Park Alliance has appointed its first LeFrak Center Director to oversee operations at the Center. The Alliance is also making physical improvements on site to renew this heavily used destination, including the popular Splash Pad; and bringing on board new operators for ice skating, rollerskating and other recreational offerings, as well as for the Center’s cafe.

“The LeFrak Center at Lakeside is one of the largest projects in Prospect Park Alliance’s history,” said Alliance President, Morgan Monaco. “We have been able to serve hundreds of thousands of community members each year with dynamic programs and activities, but also had a learning curve on how to ensure the best visitor experience. With the appointment of an Alliance Center Director, renovations to our facilities, and the upcoming selection of new operators, we are looking at a bright future.”

This month, Prospect Park Alliance welcomed Andrew Frey as the first LeFrak Center Director. In this role, he will oversee all operations and ensure the Center is well maintained and welcoming to all community members. Andrew comes to the park with many years experience in rink operations, including the last four ice skating seasons at Wollman Rink in Central Park. He has a personal passion for skating and opening up the sport to those who face barriers to access.

“I grew up playing roller hockey in the streets and schoolyards of Queens because we did not have access to a nearby ice rink,” said the Alliance LeFrak Center Director, Andrew Frey. “I come to this position not only with many years experience in operating local, seasonal rinks, but also as part of the LeFrak Center community. I have played ice hockey at the Center for the past four seasons, and look forward to ensuring we provide a first-rate experience to our community and wider access overall to ice and roller skating for everyone.”

“Prospect Park Alliance has been an integral part of hosting Gotham Roller Derby for many successful seasons as we’ve called LeFrak home for our bouts and practices,” said Gabrialle Landsverk, Head of Coaching at Gotham Roller Derby. “We are looking forward to continuing collaboration to bring skating events and community to the neighborhood.”

In addition to ice skating, roller skating, biking and boating activities, which will remain a core focus at the LeFrak Center, Frey is also interested in bringing more recreational, cultural and community events to the Center. The goal is to expand the offerings while building upon existing beloved events that have found a home at the LeFrak Center, such as Molière in the Park.

“The LeFrak Center has been the beating heart of Molière in the Park since our first season in 2019,” said Lucie Tiberghien, Founding Artistic Director. “We’ve been able to bring free theater productions of the highest professional quality to our beloved Brooklyn, in a splendid and unique setting. Last year, we awarded the Alliance our Shoulder to Shoulder Award for their commitment to building and sustaining communal spaces for people of all socioeconomic, cultural and racial backgrounds. We are thrilled to be able to double down on this commitment with the Alliance and LeFrak Center’s new management team.”

The Alliance also issued separate Requests for Proposals for recreational activities and the cafe, with the hope of making the cafe its own destination in the park, in addition to serving those enjoying the Center’s recreational activities.

“When it comes to the needs expressed by the community, access to high-quality, reasonably priced food and drink nears the top of the list, along with restrooms,” said Emily Krell, Alliance Vice President of Visitor Experience. “We are looking forward to offering a new cafe, along with well-maintained public restrooms and a renovated Splash Pad.”

The Alliance is in the final stages of selecting the new operators, and commencing planning for the summer season. In the meantime, ice skating will conclude the weekend of April 5 and 6, which will then be followed by repairs to the Center, including the Splash Pad, restrooms and other amenities. In May, the Alliance will welcome back Moliere in the Park for free performances, prior to the start of our summer season. More news to come as the transition gets underway.

Learn more about the LeFrak Center at Lakeside.

Pinkster Day Celebration in Prosepct Park

Community Writing Workshop: Mapping Black History in Brooklyn

February 3, 2025

Calling all writers and artists! This Black History month, join Prospect Park Alliance partners Voices of Lefferts and GrowHouse for a series of free writing workshops to record and map Black history in Brooklyn to create a collective archive. All genres of writing, as well as visual art, are welcome. Those selected will learn about the history of Black Brooklyn with local experts, work with a writing coach, and have their work published! 

These free community workshops will take place every other Saturday from February 22 through May 31 from 3-5 pm at sites throughout Brooklyn, including Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park. 

Sign Up Today: prospectpark.org/mapping-black-history

Space is limited! Sign up by February 14. Participants will be selected and notified by February 18. Questions? Contact info@voicesoflefferts.org

Mapping Black History in Brooklyn marks the 400th anniversary of New York’s founding as “New Amsterdam,” which also marked the occupation of Lenapehoking, the native land of the Lenape, and the enslavement of Africans by the Dutch. This project builds on a Black History and Heritage Corridor established last year by GrowHouse. 

In addition to Lefferts, the workshops will delve into history at the Flatbush African Burial Ground, Center for Brooklyn History and Weeksville Heritage Center. Participants will explore a trove of archives, artifacts and research with experts and public historians, and selected writers will also work with a dedicated writing coach. This community effort will produce new interpretive signage at Black historic and contemporary sites, and will include publishing two special issues of Voices of Lefferts and producing a podcast series.

Writers and artists from across the borough with of all levels of experience are invited to share their stories, reflect on where we’re headed as a nation and to build an archive to combat the erasure of history by those aiming to turn back the clock on the study of history, civil rights, voting rights, reproductive rights and more. Organizers are also looking for community members to conduct oral histories, and volunteers who are willing to share their time, talents and skills on this timely and important project. 

Plus, Calling Young Brooklyn Visual Artists!

GrowHouse’s second annual Youth Design Competition for visual artists ages 15-24 kicks off on Monday, February 10! This is a chance for emerging creatives to showcase their work on signs all over Brooklyn, gain mentorship from professional artists and designers, and compete for a $1,000 cash prize.

Keep an eye out for more details to come in the coming weeks for passionate young artists who want to make an impact through design. Interested? Sign up for updates from GrowHouse to stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!

Celebrate Black History Month in Prospect Park

Celebrate Black History Month in Prospect Park! Join Prospect Park Alliance and our partners at the 67th Precinct Clergy Council, the Shirley Chisholm Cultural Institute and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Center for Health Equity & Community Wellness for family-friendly events in Brooklyn’s Backyard to honor Black history, create community artwork centered on peace, hear about the actual history of Black History Month and celebrate the legacy of Black trailblazers in Brooklyn.

Peace Over Prejudice: Black History Month
Sunday, February 16, 2–5 pm
Lefferts Historic House, Free, RSVP!

Join Prospect Park Alliance and the 67th Precinct Clergy Council for an afternoon of painting, history, food and community at Lefferts Historic House. This unique spin on the traditional “sip and paint” invites our community to contribute to a collective artwork, blending creativity and community-building, while standing against hate and recognizing Black history. 

Shirley Chisholm Superhero Cape and Resiliency Workshops
Sunday, February 23, 12–4 pm, Resiliency Workshop Begins at 2 pm
Lefferts Historic House, Free, RSVP!

Join Prospect Park Alliance, the Shirley Chisholm Cultural Institute and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Center for Health Equity & Community Wellness at Lefferts Historic House for a family-friendly event for all ages to create and showcase superhero capes inspired by the legacy of Shirley Chisholm and participate in an all-ages workshop beginning at 2 pm on Cultivating Resilience Through Self-Compassion.

Brooklyn trailblazer Shirley Chisholm was a superhero and so are you! Bring scraps of fabric or use of fabric provided to decorate your own superhero cape, inspired by Chisholm and her legacy as a beacon of perseverance and dedication in Brooklyn and far beyond. As a leader and an advocate for residents of Brooklyn and the country at large, Chisholm made a profound impact fighting for equality for all.

At 2 pm, join the interactive all-ages community workshop, Cultivating Resilience Through Self-Compassion, designed to help you navigate fear and uncertainty. Through guided activities tailored for all age groups, you will map the physiological signs of stress and joy in your body, identifying what triggers these feelings and what restores balance. By recognizing these cues, you’ll learn how to “breathe life” into the practices that bring peace and resilience. This workshop starts at 2 pm and lasts 90 minutes.

These events are part of the Alliance’s ReImagine Lefferts initiative to re-envision the mission and programming of the Lefferts Historic House Museum in Prospect Park to focus on exploring the lives, resistance and resilience of the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking, whose unceded ancestral lands the park and house rests upon, and the Africans enslaved by the Lefferts family. By focusing on stories of resistance, resilience, empowerment and joy, while also recognizing the legacies of dispossession, enslavement and oppression, the Alliance seeks to create a safe space for engaging with our collective past as well as contemporary issues affecting our communities today.

New Year’s Eve Celebration Prospect Park

December 23, 2024

Ring in 2025 with live music a grand light display in Brooklyn’s Backyard! Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Prospect Park Alliance, in partnership with NYU Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Public Library, will present Brooklyn’s most spectacular New Year’s Eve Celebration at Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park. This free event will take place on Tuesday, December 31, from 10 pm until 12 am, with live music and a grand light display.

RSVP today to let us know you’re coming!

In light of the unprecedented drought conditions and recent fire, for the first time this year, this 44-year tradition will pivot from fireworks to a light show celebration in Brooklyn’s Backyard. The event will include live entertainment by Quintessential Playlist starting at 10 pm. A festive light show display will begin at midnight in the skies above Brooklyn’s Backyard, featuring beloved iconography including the Brooklyn Bridge, the Big Apple, the Statue of Liberty and more.

“Prospect Park is the best place to be on New Year’s Eve,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “It is a pleasure to team up with Prospect Park Alliance and NYU Brooklyn to ring in the new year with a time-honored Brooklyn tradition. Bring your friends and family to enjoy the colorful and exciting show that we have in store thanks to our partners’ hard work. As we welcome in 2025, I wish all Brooklynites health, happiness, and tons of fun!”

“Every year, Brooklynites look forward to ringing in the New Year with their neighbors in Prospect Park, and this year is no exception! We’re grateful to the Prospect Park Alliance for reimagining this tradition with a unique and inventive light show, and to Borough President Antonio Reynoso for his sponsorship and support,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “Come on down and celebrate the beginning of 2025 with a tribute to Brooklyn’s vibrancy and creativity, right in Brooklyn’s backyard!”

“New Year’s Eve in Prospect Park is a beloved, decades-long tradition and celebration near to the hearts of so many Brooklynites,” said Prospect Park Alliance President, Morgan Monaco. “We thank the Borough President, NYU Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Public Library for their generous support of this spectacular event. It is a special moment for our Brooklyn community to gather together in Brooklyn’s Backyard and ring in the new year with vibrant local entertainment and a gorgeous light display.”

“The Office of Community Engagement is proud to support the long-standing tradition of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Prospect Park,” said NYU Vice President of Government Relations and Community Engagement, Kyle Kimball. “We’re excited to join Borough President Reynoso and the Prospect Park Alliance in making this unforgettable event a reality for our community.”

“We can’t think of a better place to start the new year than with our next door neighbors in Prospect Park. We wish all Brooklynites a year filled with good health, good cheer and of course, good books,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library.

*Please note the light show is pending FCC approvals and weather dependent. In the event of extreme weather, please check prosepctpark.org for updates.

c. Bess Adler

Nature Walks With Bangladeshi Ladies Club

November 18, 2024

For the third annual City of Forest Day, a citywide day of stewardship and celebration of our City’s urban forest in late October, the Bangladeshi Ladies Club (BLC) and Prospect Park Alliance launched a new guided woodland tour for members of the Bangladeshi community, funded by the Office of Council Member Shahana Hanif. The goal of the program was to enable the BLC to introduce the park to members of their community so that they can make better use of the park for their health and wellness as part of their daily lives.

“For many women in the Bangladeshi community, their lives are focused on caring for their families,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif. “It is invaluable for their health and well-being to be able to take a moment to step back and enjoy nature and one another.”

The tour through Brooklyn’s Backyard, developed by Alliance naturalists and led by members of the BLC, explores scenic woodland trails with views of Brooklyn’s only Lake and last remaining forest, and some of the hundreds of species of flora and fauna that call the park home. The guided tour begins at the park entrance at Parkside Avenue and Prospect Park Southwest, which is the closest to the neighborhood of Kensington, home to Brooklyn’s “Little Bangladesh.”

“A key part of the Alliance mission is to increase access for the public to the park’s 350 acres of natural areas,” said Prospect Park Alliance President, Morgan Monaco. “We thank Council Member Hanif for supporting this partnership with the Bangladeshi Ladies Club, and we hope to replicate this program with other Brooklyn communities.”

Left, Members of the Bangladeshi Ladies Club exploring Brooklyn nature. Right, Council member Shahana Hanif and members of the Bangladeshi Ladies Club. c. Bess Adler

Annie Ferdous, who founded the BLC in 2017 alongside friends and neighbors from the Kensington community, describes the group as “a special place for Bangladeshi women in New York. This collective is all about supporting women who juggle family, work, and everything in between.”

Following the inaugural walk, the group enjoyed a reception with refreshments on the park’s Penninsula. Farida Ruhul, another member of the BLC, reflected on the day exploring Prospect Park, “This was a beautiful experience for the members of BLC. We had a wonderful time together enjoying Prospect Park’s nature, meditating and even singing together. It is one of my favorite events we’ve had as a club.”

The BLC plans to offer the tour to members and the larger Bangladeshi community seasonally.

Learn more about upcoming events in Brooklyn’s Backyard and our work to engage our community.

Empowering Future Leaders in Brooklyn’s Backyard

September 10, 2024

If you’ve visited Prospect Park’s scenic woodlands this past spring and summer, stopped by the Boathouse for nature education activities or attended a community event at Lefferts Historic House, you’ve likely spotted the Prospect Park Alliance Woodlands Youth Crew and Park Youth Representatives in action helping Brooklyn’s Backyard thrive and engaging our community. These hardworking teams of teens have tackled restoration projects to sustain Brooklyn nature, delved into environmental education with youth and families and shared fascinating information about the park and its history with our community.

The Woodlands Youth Crew (WYC) is an essential part of the Alliance’s dedicated staff that works to restore and sustain Brooklyn’s last remaining upland forest. The program, which runs spring through fall, is team-based with a focus on collaboration. This beloved youth employment program provides teens with training, mentorship and professional experience in environmental conservation and park stewardship.

Led by Kevon Hines, the Alliance’s Woodlands Youth Crew Program Supervisor, the group expanded to 22 high school students this season. “The program is tailored for high school students, but if members wish to continue in college, they have the opportunity to become ‘near-peers’ and take on a mentorship role to help younger crew members become leaders in their work,” shares Kevon.

This year the crew is focused on critical ecological restoration in the Ambergill, a forested area that borders the park’s watercourse. They are removing invasive plants including English Ivy (Hedera helix) and Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria) which crowd out native plants that are essential for a healthy forest; as well as stabilizing eroding hillsides, dispersing native plant seeds on the cleared forest floor and planting a rich palette of native trees, plants and shrubs. The team learned about the various ecosystems in park, environmental stewardship and worked alongside Alliance Arborist Malcolm Gore to gain new skills such as tree pruning.

“One of the most rewarding aspects has been seeing the before-and-after transformation of our sites,” shares crew member Aidan Garnero. “We’ve learned to work together as a team. Seeing the cleared out areas that we’d finished weeding is extremely satisfying, as we know it’s a result of our hard work and determination. It’s also very rewarding to know that clearing fields of invasive plants allows for native species to be planted in their place to keep the park healthy. We get to make Prospect Park a better place while enjoying our day to day and learning valuable skills along the way.”

While the improvements in the Ambergill are a clear testament to the team’s dedication and skill, the program’s success also lies in the personal and professional growth of the crew members. Having returned for his fourth year on the WYC, crew member Antonio Martinez reflects, “Being a leader in the Youth Crew helped me realize things that I never knew about myself since I first started in 9th grade. Going into my senior year of high school now, this program has increased my confidence and productivity. It’s helped me to be a leader amongst my peers. I will forever be grateful to the Woodlands Youth Crew.”

WYC members soil mixing at Gowanus Nursery on a site-visit to collaborate with the Gowanus Canal Conservancy, where the team learned about street tree care.

The 2024 season also marks the 21st year of Prospect Park Alliance’s Park Youth Representative program where dedicated teens are in-action engaging our community in nature activities at the Audubon Center at the Boathouse and Brooklyn culture and history events at Lefferts Historic House.


Youth Representatives leading nature education activities at the Prospect Park Audubon Center (left) and supporting the opening reception for Ancestral Whispers at Lefferts Historic House (right)

The seven Park Youth Representatives participating in our nature programs were recruited from BASE High School, which specializes in environmental education, as well as Clara Barton High School just east of the park.

“These teens jumped into our programs with enthusiasm and willingness to take on new challenges, from leading nature exploration activities, assisting with summer camp programs, guiding nature walks and much more,” shares Audubon Center Public Programs Manager Camilla Wilson. “Each of the Youth Representatives has a strong and unique skill set, and their experience allows them to focus on their interests and strengths, as well as stretch themselves to take on new challenges.

Among the current crewmembers are Katt Blades, a returning PYR, who has always shown an aptitude in caring for the center’s animals and sharing this knowledge with our community. Breianna Lionel, known for her organizational skills, played a key role in data collection and analysis, helping to simplify the way data is collected at the center. Upon graduating high school, college-aged students can become Naturalists-in-Training and eventually a House Manager, overseeing the center during key programs and honing their skills engaging our Brooklyn community.

Four Youth Representatives from BASE High School also gained hands-on public programs experience at the Lefferts Historic House. “This summer, PYRs took on much of the daily museum operations, demonstrating their ability to adapt and lead in a dynamic environment. We could not do what we do without them,” says Lefferts Historic House Director Dylan Yeats. PYRs had the chance to lean into personal interests and identity in their work. “One of our PYRs, Soraya Serome, is talented in art and calligraphy so she helped create some of our exhibits and signage. Another PYR, Mordecai Dubois, is Trinidadian and helped with our sorrel-making workshops, adding his own personal touch to some of the recipes.”

The WYC and PYR programs not only equip youth with practical professional experience but also instill confidence, foster mentorship and support the next generation of leaders in parks and open spaces.

Learn more about Youth Employment Programs in Prospect Park.

Youth Employment Programs receive generous support from the Carol and Edmund Blake Foundation, the Gray Foundation, and New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.

NewYork-Presbyterian + Alliance Offer Mobile Health Services

September 4, 2024

As part of our commitment to addressing health disparities in our community, Prospect Park Alliance is collaborating with NewYork-Presbyterian to offer mobile sexual health services in Brooklyn’s Backyard at Grand Army Plaza every Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Recent months have shown increases in some sexually transmitted infections, throughout the country including New York City. This rise of rates in our city makes it all the more essential for our community to be knowledgeable on their  sexual health and have access to resources available in our community.

The full-service Sexual Health Mobile Medical Unit offers comprehensive sexual health care with a focus on addressing HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health disparities in our community, including those who are at risk for sexually transmitted infections and are not connected to services or face significant barriers to engaging in care in traditional medical settings. 

Learn more about the Mobile Medical Unit in Prospect Park. No insurance or ID is required to receive care.

Staffed by a team of NewYork-Presbyterian healthcare providers, the mobile unit has a fully equipped exam room, and offers the following services: gender-affirming and LGBTQ+ care, family planning services, routine laboratory testing, sexual health vaccinations, health education and hepatitis C screening. Patients are also offered the opportunity to be connected to social services, benefits enrollment and local healthcare providers. 

“In recent years it has become more clear than ever before how essential Prospect Park is for the health and well-being of the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home,” said Prospect Park Alliance President, Morgan Monaco. “Prospect Park is a place of comfort and healing to so many, and the pandemic illustrated how important access to quality health care is and how far we have to go to ensure everyone has access. Being able to offer direct and accessible healthcare in Brooklyn’s Backyard is crucial to help our community go from surviving to thriving. Teaming up with NewYork-Presbyterian’s Sexual Health Mobile Medical Unit was a perfect match to strengthen connections to much needed social, health and wellness services.”

The Sexual Health mobile medical unit is made possible through funding from the Dalio Center for Health Justice and the Division of Community and Population Health at NewYork-Presbyterian, and a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Learn more about Health + Wellness in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

c. Obed Obwoge

Get Into the Rhythm of Wellness in Prospect Park

August 7, 2024

Where do New York City’s top DJs, most vibrant fashion, family-friendly activities, fitness workshops and health and wellness resources come together? Right in the heart of Brooklyn’s Backyard at the Community Health Awareness and Family Reunion Day of Fun on Sunday, August 18, at Lefferts Historic House.

The event is the brainchild of Brooklynites James Frazier and DJ T-Groove who established the Family Reunion Initiative when they saw firsthand how coming out of the pandemic that many fell out of traditional primary care and health screenings. The initiative engages the Brooklyn community in the importance of health and wellness by leveraging family-friendly community events with music, fashion and more. The event includes a celebration of the 30th anniversary of iconic Moshood Fashions; a book signing with the legendary Harold Dow of The Dow Twins for their new book “50 Years of Disco Reflection: The Dow Twins Legacy”; free health screenings, Zumba and aerobics with instructor LyneLuvDance; music by DJ T-Groove, DJ ADAPTA and DJ Debonair, hosted by Sherwin XL; and much more.

From producing television shows to managing musicians, Frazier is immersed in the ways entertainment can bring people together. “I was looking at the data in our community about high blood pressure and diabetes and knew we needed to do our part. It’s powerful to bring people together in a party type of setting, and to have that celebratory space be a place for health education and resources. There is really a need for this.” 

It is also Frazier’s music industry connections that first introduced him to the Alliance. “I learned about Lefferts Historic House from my longtime collaborator DJ Vic Black of the Gangstarr group. I came out to the Lefferts Historic House, met the Prospect Park Alliance team and learned about the work happening here and thought, ‘This is a gem!’ I knew we had to collaborate,” shares Frazier. “My partners and I are already on the ground doing this work out in the community, so it was truly a no-brainer to connect with Prospect Park Alliance. The work happening with the Alliance’s ReImagine Lefferts initiative is a natural fit alongside our work to engage our community while addressing the clear need for health resources.” 

“Prospect Park is a place of comfort and healing to so many – whether through the wellness benefits of spending time in nature, finding community at public programs, and making memories with loved ones, the park is truly where life happens.” shares Prospect Park Alliance President, Morgan Monaco. “Teaming up with the Family Reunion initiative to offer park-goers essential wellness support and education here in Brooklyn’s Backyard while fostering joy and celebrating with loved ones is core to what our open green spaces are all about, and what make them so essential to our community.” 

“The goal is to unite the community as a whole, regardless of race, gender, and class, to foster a real nurturing environment without fear, and to support our youth with the correct tools so they can in turn empower their peers,” says DJ T-Groove. The Family Reunion team launched their first Prospect Park-based event at Lefferts Historic House in 2023, inspired by the work of Noel Hankin, a giant in the ’70s and ’80s in disco clubs in New York City, who catapulted the disco industry worldwide. Back for a second year with many new community collaborators, this can’t-miss event will bring the community together through community partners, local businesses and nonprofit organizations, all with a shared vision or a thriving Brooklyn community.

RSVP Today to join the Community Health Awareness and Family Reunion Day of Fun.

c. Caroline Ourso

Alliance Cuts the Ribbon on Accessible Fitness Area

August 6, 2024

In July, Prospect Park Alliance joined Council Member Shahana Hanif and community members from Good Neighbors of Park Slope to celebrate the ribbon cutting for the Adult Fitness Area and Harmony Playground Improvements in Prospect Park! Funded through District 39 Participatory Budgeting, the expanded fitness area offers new equipment that is accessible for people of all abilities in our community so that everyone can make the most of health and wellness in Brooklyn’s Backyard. Improvements also include new seating, plantings and safety surface to enhance the visitor experience, as well as a new sandbox sunshade structure at the adjacent playground.

“Prospect Park is a destination for health and wellness in countless ways—whether you come to the park to spend time in our serene woodlands, to exercise, take part in an event or public program, and so much more—we all can feel the ways in which the park is essential to our community,” shares Prospect Park Alliance President Morgan Monaco. “The Alliance’s founding mission is to ensure that the park is accessible to everyone, and that all feel welcomed and able to make the most of all that Brooklyn’s Backyard has to offer. Key to this goal is having intergenerational park destinations like our fitness area at Harmony Playground, which is an intergenerational destination for wellness and allows our community to be their happiest, healthiest selves.”

 

The project was advocated for by Community Members of Good Neighbors of Park Slope, whose members joined the ribbon cutting for a demonstration of the accessible fitness equipment. c. Caroline Ourso

Through this funding, the Alliance has also enhanced Harmony Playground with a sandbox shade structure to help a beloved park playground remain an accessible space for fun even throughout the hot summer months. The last phase of the project will restore the adjacent lawn areas at the Bandshell, and work will begin this fall.

Learn more about Capital Projects + improvements underway in Prospect Park.