Renee Flowers and the Gowanus Wildcats perform in Theater of the Liberated’s original play WOKE! at Gowanus Community Center on December 7, 2019. photo: Tom Oesau — Renee Flowers and the Gowanus Wildcats perform in Theater of the Liberated’s original play *WOKE!* at Gowanus Community Center on December 7, 2019. photo: Tom Oesau

In 2019, NOCD-NY partnered with the Gowanus Residents Association to help fellow residents reactivate the Gowanus Community Center and engage the Gowanus Houses community in preparation for the center’s approaching renovation and reopening. A committee of 11 resident leaders formed in October 2019, meeting weekly to establish values, build leadership, plan community engagements, and document programs.

The project selected a year-long residency with Theater of the Liberated (ToTL), founded and directed by resident and artist Imani Gayle Gillison in 2017. ToTL created and presented an original play, Woke, in December 2019; A Mother’s Day holistic relief event in May 2020; and Flight, a Juneteenth singing procession and art installation in June 2020. ToTL continues to host a mothers group, who meet weekly to discuss loss and transformation. They are preparing a video piece for release in early 2022.

Gowanus Houses residents and artists offer a blessing to their Wyckoff Gardens neighbors during Flight: A Juneteenth Song & Art Installation on June 19, 2020. photo: Tom Oesau — Gowanus Houses residents and artists offer a blessing to their Wyckoff Gardens neighbors during *Flight: A Juneteenth Song & Art Installation* on June 19, 2020. photo: Tom Oesau

The project has included multiple guest artists from across the city. Photographer Shannel Resto shot a community portrait series at Old Timer’s Day; Urban Bush Women hosted a Builders Leaders and Organizers Through Dance (B.O.L.D) workshop in the center; and guest artists Lenape elder Anthony Van Dunk; Masoom Moitra, Umesh Mangipudi; Kendra Ross and Brianna Abdullah added their creative spirits to the Juneteenth event.

The center has hosted cultural holiday celebrations throughout the year, including a Halloween Harvest, Pre-Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving Share, and a Black History Month series. The center also screened films, hosted a meditation series, and supported a resident-based COVID-19 memorial and recovery event.

Creative residents craft table centerpieces at a Pre-Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving Share event in November 2019. photo: Tom Oesau

Formerly a NYCHA-run program, the center was decommissioned almost two decades ago and the community has been advocating for its reopening since then. Reopening the center was one of Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition for Justice’s (GNCJ) top 5 dealbreaker priorites as the local coalition of residents and organizations engaged with the City around the neighborhood plan and rezoning process, a commitment the City has made. In September 2021, NOCD-NY joined the Gowanus Community Center Organizing Committee, the Gowanus Residents Association, and Theater of the Liberated for a community center planning session to proactively engage around how it will be designed and programmed for reopening.

New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and local Council Members Steve Levin and Brad Lander were able to dedicate a portion of the Speaker’s budget to help support the center in 2019/2020 through public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

We continue to support the community as a cultural partner as the community center transitions to a NYC DYCD Cornerstone. In the summer of 2024, longtime organizer VieMae Richardson-White and fellow resident leaders, after witnessing an influx of young families on the grounds, sparked the idea of a summer youth event. With matchmaking from Councilmember Shahana Hanif’s Office, NOCD-NY connected with Gowanus Mutual Aid to assemble funds to produce the event. Rather quickly, the partnership grew. Residents connected with the Nicholas Hayward Jr Foundation, pairing Gowanus Children’s Fun Day alongside the 26th Annual Nicholas Hayward Jr Day on August 25th. With help from additional partners including DYCD, future community center operator Grand Street Settlement, Arts & Democracy, and KAVI, we collectively organized a day of food, activities and games, an art corner with community vision board, facepainting, and fun giveaways. After such a successful event and collaboration, partners spoke of making this an annual tradition.

photo on previous index page: Theater of the Liberated with Urban Bush Women Co-Artistic Director Chanon Judson-Johnson