Friends of Brook Park: World Beneath the Pavement

A living blog and composting archive of updates, fun announcements, crucial reports and other wonderful information for new volunteers, recent participants and stalwart supporters alike!

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Environment Story

Check out the new 2 minute television clip featuring our efforts to create the only waterfront park in Port Morris and Mott Haven neighborhoods of the South Bronx, and connected to our larger efforts to expand on the East River and up the Harlem River. With interviews of Harry Bubbins, Carol Zakaluk, and also highlights the work of our friends at Urban Divers, with their tipi set up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qPQIWnNqew

Leave a youtube comment!

Monday, December 03, 2007

We remember Sandra Hernandez






Sandra Hernandez was instrumental in helping to launch Brook Park. As a respected elder in the community she supported our efforts from the beginning and involved the youth from Freedom Communuty Center in our joint activities and events over the years. We look to dedicating a tree, painting a mural or naming a street or engaging in some action to remember her. Harry

From the prestigious Union Square Awards description...

SANDRA HERNANDEZ
founder & director, FREEDOM COMMUNITY CENTER

Sandra Hernandez is the founder and director of the Freedom Community Center (Freedom), which was created to improve the quality of life for residents in a four-block area of Mott Haven. It is staffed by volunteers who live in the neighborhood and dedicate their efforts to community service programs that increase availability of quality housing, enhance delivery of social services and build community capacity. Specifically, Freedom offers support to families as they relocate from homeless shelters, temporary housing or substandard housing by providing case management, information, leadership training and referrals. Freedom works with the elderly, substance abusers and the physically disabled to provide referrals for mental and health care, job training and placement assistance.

A walk down 139th Street reflects concrete evidence of Freedom's organizing work. At a 10-story building on the block, Ms. Hernandez helped organize a tenants' association that convinced the Department of Housing and Urban Development to make improvements. Several neatly fenced empty lots on the street are products of a march on the City Sanitation Department. Freedom plans to continue addressing issues raised by residents at open meetings. The goal is to make institutions accountable to the community and people that they are funded to serve.

455E 140th Street, Basement
Bronx, NY 10454
phone: 718-402-2236
fax: 718-402-2236

I leave you with some words From our sister Esperanza Martell...

Sandra was a powerful sister who dedicated her life to her family and community. She is the first of our Circle Sister's to pass,becoming our loving ancestor. She will be missed by all those that worked with her and were touch by her love. When Sandra came to the first Circles and experience its power of transformation. She made sure she broth us to her block. She is the reason CASA ATABEX ACHE is were it is physically. She is the reason the young women's program was created. She served on the CASA broad, learned every thing she could and with our support created the Freedom Community Center to supplement our work. Many of our young women begun with Sandra and at the age of12 came to CASA. We worked with parents jointly. She wanted to make sure our youth did not sarcoma to the street culture as she had. Her work to free her spirit from all the ills of capitalism was powerful. Sandra we learned so much from you. She was against the war being waged in her community and across the world. She went with us to Cuba, supported us taking community youth to Viegues,PR and was with us at peace demonstrations and many women rights conferences all over the country. She was generous, carriages, sister worrier and friend.
Beloved Sandra we will never forget you. To your family we send our love. We will continue to stand with the women and children of Mott Haven of the world. We Love You and Thank You for Being You. Con Mucho Amor.
Esperanza Martell



Funeral Information

St. Peters Church

427E 140th Street Between Willis and Brook Ave

Bronx, NY

Tuesday December 4th 3-9 pm (Viewing)

Wednesday December 5th 10am (Funeral)

Subject: Sandra Hernandez Passed away...

December 2, 2007


Dear Community Members:

It is with great sadness that I inform you that Sandra Perez, aka Sandra Hernandez, founder of Freedom Community Center, longtime community organizer and activist died on Friday, November 30, 2007,after a long battle with cancer.

Viewing will be held at St. Peter's Church on Tuesday, December 4th from 3 PM to 9 PM. Funeral Services will be held at St. Peter's Church on Wednesday, December 5 th at 10 AM.

St. Peter's Church
427 East 140th Street
(Btw Brook & Willis Avenues)
Bronx, NY 10454


Sincerely,
Joe Perez

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Teen Testimonial






Alexandria Fields Bronx Helpers December 2007

A few weeks ago, we, the Bronx Helpers went to Brook Park. The first activity we did was discussing the type of plants that were in the garden. The host, Harry Bubbins, had us taste some of the plant leaves that we were viewing. There were spearmint, licorice, tomatoes, radishes, and peppermint. I tasted all of them but I didn’t like any of them but the tomatoes. Even the tomatoes tasted kind of tart, though. I wouldn’t even have tasted half of the plants there but the other Bronx Helpers seemed to like it so I gave them a try.
After tasting the plant leaves, we moved onto harvesting some of the vegetables. It was freezing so I wanted to be working as hard as possible to get warm. I raked the plants and broke the soil and then when I was done I switched to shoveling. It was hard work but it was keeping me warm so I kind of enjoyed it. The other Bronx Helpers started placing hay on top of the soil when we were all finished harvesting. We had harvested potatoes, radishes, tomatoes, and some other vegetables. Jennifer and the other facilitators made a hot stew out of the harvest while we finished our jobs.
When I finished helping the Bronx Helpers place the hay on top of the soil, I took a break. I went to go sit by the campfire. I had never sat around a bonfire before. While I was sitting there, Harry asked some of the others and I that were finished to help the boys stack the wood they had just chopped. When I was finished with that, he asked me to return the shovels and rakes neatly to the tool shed.
When I had finished returning all of the tools, Jennifer said that we were going to walk through the labyrinth. I looked around I didn’t see anything but wood, the garden and some trees. Then they led us over to this concrete lot across the garden and then I saw it. It was a maze that had been colorfully painted onto the pavement. I thought it was kind of weird that we were actually going to walk through it, especially because it was such a narrow path. Jennifer had then asked Stephanie, one of the Bronx Helpers to lead us through and as we started going, it became sort of fun. Then it got confusing at a point and I couldn’t wait until we got out.
As soon as we did, the stew was ready and we all took pieces of vegetables out of it to eat. It was delicious. I especially like the potatoes. Also it really warmed me up. Harry then told me that since he saw that I was working the hardest, when it came time to eat toasted marshmallows, I could have the first one. We went over to a pile of twigs and he showed me which one to pick off to use to toast the marshmallows. After I chose one, we walked over to the fire and he showed us how to toast them. I never had toasted marshmallows before. They were so good. I had to be careful not to burn it though, which was difficult.
After that was done, we said good-bye to everyone there and when we walked back, I parted with the group at the train station to go home. Brook Park was a really good experience. I had done things that I never did before, such as harvesting plants and eating toasted marshmallows. Even though it was so cold, I enjoyed it and look forward to doing it again sometime.

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