Please join us this Saturday for the opening of Community Heroes: Fort Greene!
Community Heroes will kick off its 2018 portrait exhibition at 2:00 p.m. on August 18, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York at Commodore Barry Park and Fort Greene Park. The exhibition opens in tandem with the 11th year celebration of Old Timers Day, a reunion in Commodore Barry Park that is free and open to the public. On October 6, 2018, there will be a Community Picnic in Fort Greene Park.
Twenty individuals were selected as representatives of the community, or heroes, from a pool of over 140 nominations collected during a seven-month community outreach process. Each park will exhibit 10 portraits printed in large banners and shot by local photographers. Community Heroes seeks to tell the stories of the neighborhoods’ unsung heroes through the collaboration of newer residents and long-time residents, often people of color whose families have lived in the community for generations.
From December 2017 to June 2018, Zac Martin, Executive Director of Trellis, Creative Director Jasmin Chang, and Community Liaison Ivan Valladares, attended dozens of community gatherings, such as at the Community Board 2, the Walt Whitman and Clinton Hill Public Libraries, the GrowNYC Fort Greene Greenmarket, the Fulton Street Business Improvement District, and local tenant associations, including those at the NYCHA developments: the Atlantic Terminal Houses, the Farragut Houses, the Ingersoll Houses, and the Whitman Houses.
Community Heroes continues to collect nominations for heroes and seeks photographers to take their portraits. Twenty more portraits will rotate into the exhibition until its final month on July 2019. On October 6, 2018, Community Heroes will host a potluck picnic in Fort Greene Park to celebrate the heroes’ portraits, the organizers, and their collaborators. This event is also free and open to the public.
Event Photos
Spotlighted Heroes
News & Events
Aug 16, 2023: Celebrating Fort Greene Park Community Heroes
Wednesday August 16 was the Fort Greene Park Community Heroes Meet & Greet! So many people came out to support and celebrate their loved ones and neighbors! 1) The crowd cheering for this year’s Community Heroes! 2) Friends and family of Ms. Priscilla Douglas surround her. 3) Community Hero Tanja Richardson @Fatal_Star21 and her grandchildren pose in front of her banner 4) Filmmaker Tenisha Carrington @theenglishway_doc poses with family members of Dr. Josephine English in front of their banner 5) Aaron Zimmerman of @nywriters, a writing coach, and photographer Zahra Mirmalek @zahra.mirmalek who took his portrait 6) Janise Mitchell with her family in front of her banner. 7) Cheering for Carlos Jones of Switching Lifestylez @switchinglifestylez 8) Filmmaker Tenisha watches as Community Heroes share their stories 9) The crowd! So many neighbors and friends came together to celebrate! ❤️ @fortgreenepark @friendsofcommodorebarrypark @photoville @jointrellis #communityheroes #fortgreene #publicart #brooklyn
Aug 12, 2023: Celebrating Commodore Barry Community Heroes
Saturday August 12 was the Commodore Barry Park Community Heroes opening celebration, and it was filled with love and community pride! 1) Mary Fowler’s friends and family remembering her in front of her banner 2 ) Community Hero Coach Ron posing in front of his banner with friends 3 & 4) Coach Ron with youth writer Sonia who interviewed him to write his bio 5) Community Hero Eric Blackwell with youth writer Chloe who interviewed him and wrote his bio \ 6) The crowd listening to each Community Hero share 7) Seema & Rebecca of the @brooklynbookbodega sharing about the importance of having books accessible at home 8 The crowd listening to each Community Hero share 9) Community Hero Saleem Ali’s wife and daughter 10) Kesha Morse of Friends of Commodore Barry Park
Meet and Greet 2023 Fort Greene Community Heroes!
There's 12 new Community hero banners up in Fort Greene! Please join us for meet and greets in Commodore Barry Park and Fort Greene Park where you can meet the heroes, artists and youth writers! Community Heroes Commodore Barry Date: Saturday August 12 Time: 3:00PM-6:00PM Location: Commodore Barry Park, along the football field fence Community Heroes Fort Greene Park Date: Wednesday August 16 Time: 6:30PM-8:00PM Location: Fort Greene Park, along the hospital fence Please invite your friends, family and community!
Hiring Story Producer for Friends of Commodore Barry Park
OVERVIEW Friends of Commodore Barry Park is seeking a paid part-time story producer for the annual Community Heroes project which highlights everyday heroes who have nurtured and strengthened the surrounding community. Community Heroes Fort Greene is a collaboration between Friends of Commodore Barry Park, Fort Greene Park Conservancy and Photoville. Learn more about the project: communityheroes.nyc/projects/fort-greene/ Expected Start Date: Apr 10, 2023 Time Frame: 7 weeks (Early April - June) Hours: 60 hours total (roughly 8 - 10 hours per week) Exact schedule will depend on the timing of the photo and interview sessions. Hourly Rate: $25/hour This position will report directly to the members of Friends of Commodore Barry Park. To apply: Send a resume and coverletter to friendsofcommodorebarrypark@gmail.com by March 13, 2023. SKILLS REQUIRED FOR A STRONG CANDIDATE: Strong organization: scheduling, digital file management Clear and friendly communication Platforms: Google Docs, Zoom, Dropbox Proximity is a core value of this project, so applicants who live, work, or have a relationship with Fort Greene will be prioritized. ROLE DETAILS: The Story Producer role will begin after the 6 heroes for Commodore Barry Park 2023 have been selected, and span until each hero’s portrait and stories have been created. [...]
Fort Greene Park 2022 Community Heroes
Thank you to Carey Wagner for creating a video to honor the 6 Fort Greene Park Community Heroes for 2022!
Photos from the Meet and Greet (Fort Greene Park and Commodore Barry Park)
A celebratory walking tour for the launch of a new group of Fort Greene Community Heroes - six in Fort Greene Park and 6 in Commodore Barry Park! Heroes, artists, youth writers and collaborators joined the festivities to share about their experiences.
10/6: Neighborhood Picnic + Opening Celebration at Fort Greene Park
Join us for a picnic with neighbors, as we unveil new hero banners! Come meet and celebrate the community heroes and the artists featured in this exhibition. Please bring a snack to share!
6/15: Celebrating 6 new heroes at The Fort Greene Park Fling
We were so honored and excited to work alongside our neighbors and the Fort Greene Park Conservancy to once again celebrate heroes at The Fling. Deb Howard Eric Frazier James Roberts,”Brother James” Moshood Preston Riddick Dr. Yvrose Pierre
Fort Greene Park Director looks back on 2018
Dear Fort Greene Park Community: Looking back, 2018, my fourth year as Fort Greene Park Director, was an incredible year of growth and expansion. Much of what we accomplished would not have been possible without the neighbors who care for and support the park. Our 2018 operations makeover coincided with the Community Heroes NYC photography installation along the Brooklyn Hospital fenceline that celebrates everyday residents who organize and generously give time and talent for the good of the park and neighborhood. Read more here: http://www.fortgreenepark.org/news/2018/12/13/looking-back-on-2018-a-letter-from-park-director-dave-barker
August 2018 to July 2019
This exhibition is in two parks:
Commodore Barry Park
along the football field
Fort Greene Park
along the Brooklyn Hospital fence