Can you imagine what ten years means to communities of struggle? A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history (Mohandas Gandhi ). Gandhi said this during the time of civil disobedience but why would I apply this to today and the Bronx River ? It is not always easy to deal with the situations and struggle you face but there are people out there in our world who are willing to do something about it. Ten years a decade of work and activism is no easy job, it is no easy choice rather a will and a testament kind of situation . The will and testimate of the Bronx River Alliance has stood the test of time and today we look back and say yes we did it and we continue to work on it. The it being ofcorse the Bronx River, flowing through some of the most wealthiest communities in the North and the most poorest communities in the nation in the South Bronx. You can get and idea of what history lives on its banks, the Bronx River is the only freshwater river in New York City and it has seen some of its worst days. At one time there were over two thousand cars and tires laying underwater, there was no aquatic life or river front parks. If you wanted to canoe on the river you have to find open spots between the different factories that polluted the river. I remember one of my fellow Youth Organizers saying in a documentary "the river reminds me of antifreeze" you know the stuff you put in cars and trucks.
I feel at times I to can relate to the story of the development of the Bronx River. Ten years ago I had no idea what organizing meant , ten years ago I never knew what the Bronx River was or what it meant to be part of such a huge family. Ten years ago we did not have Concrete Plant Park and or Hunts Point Riverside Park or even the Green way and Blue way which continues to undergo improvements. It is fascinating, to know that a community can come together for such good and such optimism.
I remember what concrete plant park looked like when I first started organizing for the Bronx River. I remember seeing this polluted pit in the ground where homeless people would go to take cover from the cold. I remember when the City was removing the polluted soil from the new Starlight Park, in fact I was in middle school. I went to CS214 ,Lorraine Hansberry Academy located next to Drew Gardens and every morning i would take the BX36 bus to school. I would look over to my left and watch trucks and construction workers remove soil. I still go past it everyday or when I can and watch as it develops, I remember a time when i used to go under the blue 174Th street bridge to fish and test the water quality. It is just inspiring to see what has occurred in my community and it was not all do to my work but work like my co-workers and myself, I will one day see myself looking back and saying "wow this was bad but now its so good I love it, I will also look back and say it was unbelievable but as the years passed I grew up and I began to see the change."
I feel at times I to can relate to the story of the development of the Bronx River. Ten years ago I had no idea what organizing meant , ten years ago I never knew what the Bronx River was or what it meant to be part of such a huge family. Ten years ago we did not have Concrete Plant Park and or Hunts Point Riverside Park or even the Green way and Blue way which continues to undergo improvements. It is fascinating, to know that a community can come together for such good and such optimism.
I remember what concrete plant park looked like when I first started organizing for the Bronx River. I remember seeing this polluted pit in the ground where homeless people would go to take cover from the cold. I remember when the City was removing the polluted soil from the new Starlight Park, in fact I was in middle school. I went to CS214 ,Lorraine Hansberry Academy located next to Drew Gardens and every morning i would take the BX36 bus to school. I would look over to my left and watch trucks and construction workers remove soil. I still go past it everyday or when I can and watch as it develops, I remember a time when i used to go under the blue 174Th street bridge to fish and test the water quality. It is just inspiring to see what has occurred in my community and it was not all do to my work but work like my co-workers and myself, I will one day see myself looking back and saying "wow this was bad but now its so good I love it, I will also look back and say it was unbelievable but as the years passed I grew up and I began to see the change."
ALL THE EXPERIENCES IVE HAD OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS
(some photos may be seen twice)
Song dedicated by Dart Westphal
some helpful websites or things to look at that involve the last 10 years
Hero's of the Bronx River were honored at the Bronx River Alliance- Upstream Soiree
Which was held at The New York Botanical Garden
A decade ago a band of passionate community leaders joined together to reclaim the Bronx River as a clean, accessible and valuable resource in the heart of the Bronx. Today the river is a source of community pride, where people come to paddle, bike, picnic and learn. Thank you for joining us as we celebrated the work of so many who have made the river better and more beautiful year by year.
The evening included buffet dinner catered by Abigail Kirsch, cocktails, music by Ibrahim Gonzalez, silent auction, and festivities to celebrate ten years on the Bronx River. Cheryl Wills of NY1 joined us as the master of ceremonies for the evening.
The evening included buffet dinner catered by Abigail Kirsch, cocktails, music by Ibrahim Gonzalez, silent auction, and festivities to celebrate ten years on the Bronx River. Cheryl Wills of NY1 joined us as the master of ceremonies for the evening.
Introducing The Hero's
In 1998, lifelong South Bronx resident Majora Carter trailed her dog down a dead-end street and discovered the Bronx River. Despite decades of debris from illegal dumping, she recognized the river’s potential as a community resource. While working at The Point CDC, Majora applied for seed money to restore the site. Leveraging additional resources and developing transitional uses like community events and boating programs, proved pivotal to the eventual creation of the $3.2M Hunts Point Riverside Park - the first new park of the Bronx River Greenway, the first South Bronx waterfront park in over 60 years, and--the site of her wedding in 2006! Majora served as founding Chair of the Bronx River Working Group and co-leader of the Greenway Team, helping shape the creation of the Bronx River Alliance, and the search for its first Executive Director.As founder and director of Sustainable South Bronx from 2001 - 08, she pioneered green-collar job training & placement systems, green infrastructure policy and projects, and developed effective communications to broadcast the value of the work incubated on the Bronx River. This MacArthur "genius" Fellow hosts the Peabody Award winning radio series, The Promised Land, from American Public Media, and is president of her own consulting firm, Majora Carter Group, LLC.
As Bronx River Coordinator for Partnerships for Parks, Jenny Hoffner began combing the Bronx in 1997 for community organizations whose missions might connect them to the river, sought out additional partners from the public and business sectors, and brought them all together in what would became the Bronx River Working Group. Her working mantra was to raise awareness of the river by engaging imaginations and cultivating dreams. She organized a diverse constituency, united disparate perspectives and, together with Working Group partners, developed a sustainable and dynamic structure. By 2001, when the Working Group created the Bronx River Alliance as an enduring presence, it had grown to more than 60 partner groups and had attracted more than $100 million in public sector commitments to river and greenway improvements.Jenny served as acting Executive Director of the Alliance during its first year and then went on to direct Partnerships for Parks. She now lives in Atlanta and serves nationally as Director of the Water Supply Program for American Rivers.
In 1994 Alexie Torres-Fleming became the founder and first executive director of Youth Ministries for Peace & Justice, working to rebuild the South Bronx neighborhoods of Bronx River and Soundview/Bruckner by preparing young people to become prophetic voices for peace and justice. As YMPJ's youth consulted residents about the most pressing issues facing the community, they identified the importance of adding green open spaces. Recognizing what the Bronx River could mean to residents, Alexie led YMPJ in saving the Concrete Plant as a park site, improving and protecting Starlight Park, and forging a Bronx River Greenway that would be a source of respite, pride, health and learning for the people of the Bronx. Alexie was a ready partner in the Bronx River Working Group and served as the first chair of the Bronx River Alliance, from 2001 to 2005, laying the groundwork for the organization.She has gone on to be the interim executive director of the Sisters Foundation and a Senior Fellow for the Funders’ Collaborative for Youth Organizing. She is also the first Director Emerita of the Bronx River Alliance board and continues to be a potent voice for community visions and empowerment.
Dart Westphal’s contributions as an environmental advocate began with grassroots efforts to rebuild the Bronx in the 1970s, designing and building green open spaces, including many parks and community gardens that now thrive in the South Bronx. He served on the team that developed the 1993 Bronx Greenway Plan and worked with the committee that developed the plans to start the Tour de Bronx and the Bronx Parks Speak-Up. At the Speak-Up residents came together with local elected officials and the Parks Department to discuss current problems and brainstorm solutions. At the third Speak Up, the Bronx River was a main topic of discussion, and its participants were natural partners for the emerging Bronx River Working Group. Dart became the second chair of the Bronx River Alliance from 2005-2008, and continues to be an active member of the board. Throughout his career, from the early days at the South Bronx Open Space Task Force to work at NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and as president of the Mosholu Preservation Corporation, Dart has always made sure that development and improvement of open spaces is part of the community development mix.Currently as a Senior Associate at the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, Dart helps increase the effectiveness of nonprofit leaders and their organizations.
(credit to) http://www.bronxriver.org/soiree (credit to)
**Photos soon to come from various sources**
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