Spotlight | Uprose in Brooklyn

Welcome to Broadway Stages’ Spotlight, where we feature local shops, restaurants, organizations, individuals, and venues that provide goods and services to our community. This week, as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we sing the praises of UPROSE, Brooklyn’s oldest Latino community-based organization!

Broadway Stages works hard to ensure environmental progress, and we are also proud to be a woman-led organization and certified NYC M/WBE company. So, it is natural that we would have an affinity for an organization like UPROSE that is a women of color, intergenerational, multi-racial, nationally-recognized community organization founded in 1966.

UPROSE’s efforts occur at the intersection of social, racial, economic, environmental, and climate justice. It does so through community organizing, education, leadership development, and cultural/artistic expression. Primarily, UPROSE promotes climate justice and a just transition in the Sunset Park community in Brooklyn.

But the scope of their efforts is vast, from environmental justice and public health initiatives to the development of the waterfront and local brownfields. It also includes transportation, open space and air quality needs, and educational and youth empowerment campaigns.

With so many areas of focus, it is imperative that their different campaigns and initiatives naturally feed into, complement, and support one another. To guarantee this, they have adopted a set of six guiding principles.

The first principle is to be inclusive. This means ensuring everyone involved in decision-making has an equitable share of this world’s wealth and work. The second principle is putting an emphasis on bottom-up organizing. They do this by reaching out to new constituencies, all levels of leadership, and the organization’s membership base. Thirdly, they let the people speak for themselves. All relevant voices of people directly affected are heard.

The fourth principal is working together in solidarity and mutuality by consciously supporting each other’s work. Fifth is building relationships among themselves. This means treating each other with justice and respect, both on an individual and an organizational level, in this country and across borders. Finally, they have made a commitment to self-transformation. With this, they focus on changing from operating with individualism to community-centeredness.

UPROSE has achieved groundbreaking accomplishments in community-based planning, energy democracy, and just development. Their impressive achievements have included:

•          Organizing the largest gathering of young people of color on climate justice

•          Stopping the siting of power plants

•          Doubling the amount of open space in Sunset Park

•          Leading a successful urban forestry campaign

•          Sending Youth Leaders to 1st tier Colleges

•          Bringing back the B37 bus line

•          Sending youth leaders on scientific expeditions to Antarctica and the North Pole

With such a diverse and demanding agenda, it can be hard to keep track of all that is happening. So, Broadway Stages suggests you follow them on their Facebook and Instagram pages. They are informative and inspiring.

Broadway Stages is dedicated to a more equitable and flourishing New York City. And it gives us confidence that this is achievable step-by-step with allies like UPROSE. You can support them and their endeavors by volunteering, becoming a Block Captain, giving financial support, or attending their events.

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Sustainability in Action at Broadway Stages

Broadway Stages has been in film and television studio production business for forty years. In those four decades we have maintained our focus on meeting the demands of the industry and giving back to your community. Part of that commitment is our investments in environmentally sustainable initiatives, including being an early adopter of the green roof movement.

Broadway Stages boasts over 100,000 sq. ft. of green rooftop infrastructure across its studios in Brooklyn. Together with our environmental and arts partners — Alive Structures, Growing Chefs, Newtown Creek Alliance, and NOoSPHERE Arts — Broadway Stages has established a green corridor providing ecosystem and cultural services critical to the habitat.

“Our investments are intended not only to meet the growing needs of the film and television industry, but also to nurture the equitable prosperity of our community — economically, socially, and environmentally — well into the future.”

— Gina Argento, President and CEO - Broadway Stages

Broadway Stages demonstrates its commitment to environmental sustainability through actionable support of initiatives that provide equitable access to engage in, learn from, and enjoy the local environment. Such investments include:

●       Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, New York City’s first-ever fully operational organic rooftop farm managed by Growing Chefs: A 6,000 square-foot green roof organic vegetable farm located atop a warehouse rooftop owned by Broadway Stages in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

●   Solar panels that generate 1.2 million kilowatts of energy annually: 50,000 square feet of solar electric facilities on five of our soundstage buildings throughout Brooklyn.

●   The acclaimed Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof and Community Engagement Center: A 24,000-square-foot green roof habitat for native birds and pollinators that is managed by Newtown Creek Alliance that is based at no-cost at our Kingsland Wildflowers facility. 

●  Green Corridor: 30,000 + square-feet of green rooftops across our facilities in Brooklyn.

●  Construction of a facility for the North Brooklyn Community Boathouse: A community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to enabling safe, responsible, human-powered boating and educating residents to be stewards of the waterways of Greenpoint and Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Through green infrastructure investments, Broadway Stages is helping to enhance client and community awareness and understanding of the long-term contribution that sustainable business practices make to community health and well-being.

The Brooklyn Book Festival

The Brooklyn Book Festival (BKBF) is New York City’s largest free literary festival. It connects readers with local, national, and international authors and publishers throughout a nine day celebration of literature.

Launched in 2006, the Festival began as a one-day event designed to address the need for a free, major literary event. It has since grown to include eight days of city-wide Bookend events. From it’s flagship Festival Day and Literary Marketplace, to the BKBF Children’s Day that celebrates childhood reading, they offer literary fun for everyone! 

In a city that is so large and wonderfully diverse, the BKBF seeks to embrace all of New York City’s constituencies. The Festival Day and Literary Marketplace, with 300 authors and 250 independent and major publishers, will occur on Sunday, October 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza and Columbus Park. Seven stages will overflow with conversation as authors come together to converse, read, and sign books throughout the day. Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Hilton Als, Toluse Olorunnipa, Robert Samuels, and Colson Whitehead will be on stage. Hilton Als will be awarded The Best of Brooklyn (BoBi) award. Festival Day also stages the largest book market in the Northeast!!

“We’ll have more than 200 publishers, some of them small, which means this is a major opportunity for people to get to see books that they might not find in bookstores,” said Brooklyn Book Festival Co-Producer Liz Koch. “Our favorite books don’t just appear in bookstores. They are created and produced by innovators who are thrilled to discuss their ideas with people who are interested in exploring.”

City-wide Bookend events (September 24, various times and locations) will take place in all five boroughs, as well as some virtually. These literary-themed events are presented in bookstores, clubs, libraries, cultural organizations, and performance spaces to create a literary celebration in all five boroughs.

This year, BKBF will again present a Virtual Festival Day (Monday, September 25, from 1 0a.m. to 5 p.m.) to include authors and audiences that are unable to  attend in person.

Children’s Day (Saturday, September 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Brooklyn Commons at MetroTech) will celebrate childhood reading as an act of love and a learning adventure – parents and guardians reading to children and children meeting their favorite authors. Families will enjoy a full day of readings, workshops, performances, book signings, and art projects with their favorite authors and illustrators.

Stay tuned to Facebook and Instagram for more information, and be sure to set aside the time (and space on your bookshelf) for these events!  Join Broadway Stages in celebrating diversity and cultural literature.

The JAHJAH Foundation and Broadway Stages Send Help Jamaica

In a world defined by diversity, the Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans at Home (JAHJAH) Foundation stands out as a beacon of hope, commitment, and unwavering dedication. Established in 2007 in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, just east of the community locally known as Little Caribbean and officially registered as a nonprofit in 2011, this remarkable organization has been on a mission to uplift Jamaica through the vision of its founder, Dr. Trevor Dixon. An accomplished medical physician who earned his degree at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Dr. Dixon, came to Flatbush at the young age of nine but has never forgotten his home Island of Jamaica.  The Foundation is driven by a powerful mission - to engage the Jamaican Diaspora and friends of Jamaica worldwide in the development of the nation. Their philanthropic efforts are concentrated in three core areas: health, social and human services, and education. Through strategic partnerships with Jamaica's public hospitals, schools, and communities, the foundation has been a driving force of positive change.

The JAHJAH Foundation tirelessly carries out its mission year after year, making a profound impact on the lives of countless Jamaicans. The foundation conducts annual mission trips to Jamaica, enlisting the help of 25 overseas volunteers and local individuals who generously contribute their time and skills. Their projects are wide-ranging, including: empowering healthcare, building infrastructure, providing medical equipment, promoting wellness, and supplying vital resources!

The Foundation is more than an organization; it's a catalyst for positive change. Through their unwavering commitment and tireless efforts, they empower partners and supporters to make a lasting difference in the lives of Jamaican citizens. Their medical mission teams return home not only knowing they've given, but also feeling that they've received immeasurable rewards in return.

One of the most recent and significant milestones in the JAHJAH Foundation's journey is a donation made possible in part by Broadway Stages. This partnership enabled the foundation to acquire and ship an ambulance to Jamaica. This ambulance will serve as a vital lifeline for communities in need, providing essential medical services and timely response to emergencies. Broadway Stages’ support to their Brooklyn neighbors exemplifies the spirit of global cooperation and solidarity, demonstrating how unity and generosity can transcend borders and make a meaningful impact on the lives of those less fortunate.

The JAHJAH Foundation is a shining example of how a dedicated group of individuals can come together to effect positive change in the world. With their focus on health, social services, and education, they are actively building a brighter future for Jamaica. The partnership between JAHJAH and Broadway Stages serves as a testament to their shared commitment to local Brooklyn communities and the power of collaboration in making a difference. As they continue to uplift and empower areas in Jamaica, the JAHJAH Foundation inspires us all to look beyond borders and offer a helping hand to those in need.

Camp Brooklyn and the Bright Light Memorial Fund

Camp Brooklyn is dedicated to sending disadvantaged Brooklyn kids to sleep-away camp. Participants aren't just recipients of the camp magic, they actively contribute to its positive atmosphere, transforming lives along the way. In an effort to reach even more kids, Camp Brooklyn joined forces with funding collaborator VACAYA, and created the Bright Light Memorial Fund in memory of Camp Brooklyn Board member John Finen. This fund symbolizes community and collaboration by supporting LGBTQIA+ youth from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and providing them with affirming and empowering experiences at sleep-away camp.

The creation of the Bright Light Memorial Fund is being kicked off with a webinar series. The first will take place on September 18 and will feature the dynamic Rob Smith, Founder/CEO of the Phluid Project. You can register for the webinar here. 

In a world that still struggles with acceptance of diversity, these initiatives stand as beacons of hope, inclusivity, and transformation. Together, they create a brighter future for the LGBTQIA+ community — one filled with acceptance, joy, and boundless possibilities. Let's celebrate and support these efforts, lighting up the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth and paving the way for a more inclusive future.

Broadway Stages is proud to be on the board of Camp  Brooklyn and privileged to be a part of the change and opportunity offered to our kids.

Spotlight | Hook & Rail Meats in Staten Island

Welcome to Broadway Stages’ Spotlight, where we feature local shops, restaurants, organizations, individuals, and venues that provide goods and services to our community. This week, we travel to Hook and Rail Meats in Travis on Staten Island for pasture-raised beef, pork, chicken, and more!

Established in 2016, Hook & Rail Meats in Travis on Staten Island is run by Mike Ozga and his partner Jay Vario. This old-fashioned butcher shop takes pride in their work and the locally sourced, farm-fresh beef, pork, and chicken that they sell.

A true sign of their pride is seen in how they speak about their products. Ozga believes that the more questions asked, the better it is for everyone. Not sure what cut of meat is best for your dinner or barbeque? Just ask. Do you wonder what affects the flavor of the meat? Just ask. Was the cow Red Angus, Black Angus, or Swiss Semmintal? Where was the  animal raised? What was in its hay? Just ask. Mike or Jay will be happy to help; rest assured, they will know the answer!

Ozga, a Farrell High School graduate, received his food training at the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park. Earlier in his career, he worked at Ruddy and Dean’s, a North Shore steakhouse in St. George.

Ozga says that the product in the showcase ultimately is customer-driven. In addition to meats, you can find a refrigerator case with other specialized products like organic cheese, whole milk, local honey, and much more. “We’re working out of the box, which is great for people who know us... It’s how we have to keep the product at its freshest,” said Ozga.

There is little waste on grass-fed beef, pork, lamb and veal. Prime cuts like Tomahawk steaks and ribeyes are dry-aged. Chicken and pork trims will be turned into sausage and charcuterie. Applewood smoked, nitrate-free bacon chunks could be blended with ground beef for bacon-beef patties.

But don’t take our word for how good it is. You can feast with your eyes on their Instagram page or listen to what one customer said about Hook and Rail Meats. “I have to admit, Hook and Rail Meats was truly something else. The ambience of this place is outstanding and so welcoming! ... Staff are incredibly pleasant. They’re accommodating, well-mannered, and always on their game. Overall, I had an excellent experience at Hook & Rail Meats.”

Hook & Rail Meats is located at 4174 Victory Blvd. in Travis. You can call ahead to have your order ready at (718) 524-5208. The store is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am-6 pm.

Broadway Stages loves to see a business that shares our work ethic, customer service standards, and pride in what they do. And we think you will, too. So, the next time you are in Travis, stop by Hook & Rail Meats and be sure to tell them Broadway Stages sent you!

Get in the Back-to-School Spirit with Movies About Inspiring Educators

Get in the back-to-school spirit with inspiring movies that celebrate educators who change the lives of their students for the better. Read on for a few of our favorites you might consider watching.

"Dead Poets Society" (1989)

Robin Williams scored an Oscar nomination for his iconic performance as John Keating, an unconventional English teacher at an elite New England prep school in 1959. Keating defies the school's stuffy culture and strict headmaster by encouraging his students to rip pages out of their poetry books, stand on their desks ("O Captain, my Captain!"), embrace the arts, and choose their own life paths ("Carpe Diem").

"To Sir, With Love" (1967)

Sidney Poitier had one of the most successful years of any actor in 1967, starring in three classic films – "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," "In the Heat of the Night," and "To Sir With Love." In the third of those films, he plays Mark Thackeray, an immigrant from British Guiana with no teaching experience who ends up educating troubled students at a secondary school in a tough part of London. He forgoes textbook methods to win over his students, taking them to museums and allowing them to discuss any topic they like. His students learn valuable lessons about racism, personal choice, and responsibility, and he learns how to make a difference in the world through teaching.

"The Miracle Worker" (1962)

Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft shine in this powerful retelling of the true story of Helen Keller and her tutor Anne Sullivan. Deaf and blind since infancy, Keller struggles to communicate with her parents and the outside world. Sullivan opens up a new world for her by never giving up no matter how difficult it gets. Duke and Bancroft won Oscars for their respective portrayals of the frustrated child and persistent teacher.

"Stand and Deliver" (1988)

Edward James Olmos earned an Oscar nod for his portrayal of real-life high school math teacher Jaime Escalante. In the early 1980s, Escalante taught math to working-class Latino students at a Los Angeles high school. The film follows him as he overcomes gang threats, the possibility of the school losing accreditation due to low test scores, and unmotivated students who lack confidence in their abilities to learn. Through extremely hard work and discipline, his students pass the AP Calculus exam, only for their scores to be questioned by skeptical education officials. Escalante never stops fighting despite the odds stacked against him and his students.

"October Sky" (1999)

Jake Gyllenhaal and Laura Dern star in this adaptation of NASA engineer Homer Hickam Jr.'s memoir. In 1957 in a West Virginia coal-mining town with limited opportunities, Hickam followed his dream of building amateur rockets with the inspiration of his cancer-stricken science teacher, Freida J. Riley. In the few years that she taught, Miss Riley touched hundreds of lives, inspiring her students to think big rather than follow in their fathers' coal-mining footsteps.

"School of Rock" (2003)

Jack Black earned some of the best reviews of his career playing struggling rocker Dewey Finn who can't pay his rent and lands a teaching gig at a prestigious prep school by pretending to be a substitute teacher. Dewey recognizes the talents of his students and encourages them to enter a Battle of the Bands, forgoing the standard lesson plans to teach his students about rock music and boost their confidence so they can follow their artistic pursuits.

"Goodbye Mr. Chips" (1939)

There are two film adaptations of James Hilton's novella about beloved Latin teacher Mr. Chipping – a drama from 1939 starring Robert Donat and Greer Garson and a musical from 1969 starring Peter O'Toole and Petula Clark. Both films follow "Mr. Chips" during his 44-year tenure at a British boarding school, where he begins his career as a strict disciplinarian then adopts a warmer approach after finding love.

We hope you have been inspired by our short list of movies about individuals who dedicated themselves to teach and help their students to dream. 

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month | Alexandria Villaseñor

September 15 - October 15 marks Hispanic Heritage Month. Join Broadway Stages in honoring Hispanic and Latino Americans’ values, culture, and contributions during this observance! Today, we introduce you to a young leader in the environmental field, Alexandria Villaseñor!

On September 23, 2019, Alexandria Villaseñor, along with 15 other youth activists, including Sweden’s Greta Thunberg and Brazil’s Catarina Lorenzo, filed a legal complaint with the United Nations, accusing five countries, namely France, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and Turkey of failing to uphold the reduction targets they committed to in their Paris Agreement pledges. Villaseñor was only 14 years old at the time.

A year earlier, on a visit to California, Villaseñor witnessed the effects of climate change in a very real and frightening way. While visiting in November 2018, she was exposed to the Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history. As an asthma sufferer, she became physically ill when caught in a smoke cloud. Soon afterward, she joined New York’s chapter of Zero Hour, a group of American youth climate activists.

Villaseñor soon co-founded the U.S. Youth Climate Strike movement, part of the youth-led international Fridays for Future campaign at the age of 13, and has gone on to found the climate education-focused non-profit Earth Uprising International.

Alexandria has become an internationally recognized environmental activist. She spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, alongside Greta Thunberg on January 24, 2020, and addressed the 2020 Democratic National Convention as part of their segment on climate change.

Villaseñor also serves on the advisory board for the national climate policy platform Evergreen Action. She received a scholarship from The Common Good public advocacy organization and is the youngest Junior Fellow of the World Academy of Arts and Sciences.

With all of these achievements, it is no surprise that her work has not gone unnoticed. She has received the Earth Day Network Youth Leadership Award, The Rachel Carson Environmental Justice Award, the Common Good American Spirit Changemaker Award, and the Disruptor Award from the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards. Politico named her one of the top 100 influential people on the climate change policy list. Seventeen magazine also named her as one of their 2020 Voices of the Year.

With a cause as noble and grand as the very world that we live in, it is good that we have champions like Alexandria Villaseñor. It is much more remarkable that she has done so much in such little time. Broadways Stages is proud to have allies like Villaseñor as we work toward  a safer, more balanced future for us all.

NOoSHERE Arts’ WE ARE NATURE: Rising and Falling | Earth Ethics

Broadway Stages is proud to support NOoSPHERE Arts’ performance series WE ARE NATURE, which runs throughout the summer. We invite you to enjoy visual arts, dance, music, and more as WE ARE NATURE: Rising and Falling | Earth Ethics is presented!

On Saturday, September 23, from 5:00 - 8:00 PM, NOoSPHERE Arts will present its third installment of the 2023 performance series, WE ARE NATURE. This event, held at Broadway Stages facility at  520 Kingsland Avenue, is an official NYC Climate Week event and  fundraiser for the conservation and restoration of the Amazon rainforest through the Boa Foundation.

The theme this year explores Nature’s Cycles. There are cycles in everything—seasons, circadian rhythms, cellular life, planetary systems, politics, and economics—and cycles in one realm affect cycles in others. Thinking about cycles can help us to discern structure, order, and patterns in the world around us and to realize that everything in life will ebb and flow—an encouraging thought in times of darkness.

As leading thinker and longtime NOoSPHERE Arts collaborator, Fritjof Capra said, ““Life, from its beginning more than three billion years ago, did not take over the planet by combat but by networking.”

The evening will be filled with beauty at every turn, all a celebration of the world around us. Brazilian Dancer and Model Alexandre Barranco will perform Becoming, a solo act inspired by the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Also presented will be the 6 Rs of Sustainable Fashion (RE-pair, RE-use, RE-design, RE-cycling, RE-make, and RE-duce) conceived by Artist and designer Isabelle Mesquita. One-of-a-kind artist Fantasy Grandma, will perform their piece Bottlecap as well.

Bringing words to ponder will be Brooklyn-based poet and recording artist Honeychild Coleman. Also speaking words of wisdom will be Benki Piyako, President of the Yorenka Tasorentsi Institute and Spiritual and political leader of the Ashaninka People. As always, the evening will welcome the aforementioned best-selling author and scientist, Fritjof Capra, as he expounds on the Systems Thinking theory and its role in our lives.

Those seeking restoration can experience the nurturing power of Sound Healing and its effects on the body & mind at Inner Sanctuary Activation with Boshko Boskovic. And the evening air will be filled with sounds of joy by Brazilian musician Denise Reiss at sunset.

While you enjoy all that is being presented, be sure to indulge on vegan bites by Mariana Tamiozzy and herbal elixirs by Crystal Drip Elixirs.

There is too much to be missed, so add this to your calendars!

NOoSPHERE Arts’ 2023 programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor, the New York State Legislature, Council Member Lincoln Restler, District 33, and Broadway Stages.

Broadway Stages’ Summer in Review

Summer is a time for growth, warmth, and vibrant energy, and Broadway Stages certainly embraced these themes throughout the summer of 2023. From supporting community and industry initiatives to celebrating cultural heritage and the arts, Broadway Stages played a significant role in various events that enriched the lives of our community. Let's take a closer look at our summer journey.

May: Recognizing Asian American Pacific Islanders

Broadway Stages started the summer by promoting  the significance of local Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) during the annual national celebration in May.  At Broadway Stages, we  understand and embrace the value of the diverse cultures that make up New York City. We recognize that this diversity helps to fosters inclusivity within our community.  We hope you will join us next May and throughout the year  in recognizing the contributions of our AAPI neighbors.

May: A Gift of Generosity: CCSO Food Bank - Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

On May 11, 2023, a ribbon cutting ceremony was hosted by Broadway Stages, in partnership with New York State Senator Jessica Ramos, John Bedoya, owner of Latino Bites, and Evelyn Heilbron, Executive Director of the Community Center Services Organization Corporation (CCSO).  The event celebrated Broadway Stages' generous donation of a 4,200 square foot facility in Elmhurst, Queens, to serve as a temporary food and clothing collection and distribution center for CCSO. This heartfelt donation, valued at over $210,000, included a 12-month no-cost lease to CCSO, a non-profit organization founded by Evelyn Heilbron in June 2020.  CCSO offers support and services for the entire community, without discrimination. They have been tirelessly working to combat hunger in the community, distributing up to 800 packages of non-perishable food and fresh vegetables every Monday since 2020. Broadway Stages is proud to support this initiative, that helps to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors.

May: Growing Goodness at Eagle St. Rooftop Farm

As summer approached, Broadway Stages celebrated the start of the local harvest season at the Eagle St. Rooftop Farm, stewarded by the Founder of Growing Chefs, Annie Novak.. This urban organic farm prioritizes sustainability and environmental practices including composting and rainwater harvesting, to reduce waste and conserve resources. By growing a wide variety of crops using heirloom and open-pollinated seeds, the farm promotes biodiversity and preserves genetic diversity.

June: Kicking Off Pride Month with Solidarity

June marked the beginning of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and Broadway Stages wasted no time in showing their support. Under the theme "Strength in Solidarity," we celebrated the accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ community throughout New York City. Our commitment to inclusivity and diversity is a testament to Broadway Stages' dedication to fostering an equitable and accepting community.

July: We Are Nature

In June, Broadway Stages also announced the continuation of the "We Are Nature" performance series curated by our arts partner NOoSPHERE Arts, led by Sol Kjøk. This rooftop performance series combines art, environmental activism, and community-building, revolving around the theme of "systems thinking." This unique series offers an opportunity to celebrate the interconnectedness of all things while exploring the beauty of the natural world. As part of this initiative, the 2023 Broadway Stages Arts Residency Award recipients were celebrated.  The award supports non-intrusive, sustainable artwork that engages with the community and raises environmental awareness. The recipients, Ezra Campelli and Jeremy Clemente, created the installation Westerlies that aims to break down the boundaries between humanity and nature, offering a fresh perspective on the interconnectedness of life.

July: Celebrating Italian Heritage and Sustainable Agriculture

Broadway Stages joined the local celebration of Italian heritage with the Giglio Feast hosted by Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, a vibrant event that ran from July 5 to 16. Our support f this annual event highlights our  commitment to embracing and honoring the diverse cultures present across our city. Additionally, we promoted the Queens County Farm Museum, a space dedicated to sustainable agriculture and local history. The museum's mission aligns with Broadway Stages' values of promoting education and sustainable practices in the community.

July: Kingsland Wildflower Festival

In July, Broadway Stages hosted the 7th Annual Kingsland Wildflower Festival, along with the rooftop garden stewards, Newton Creek Alliance and garden designer Alive Structures. We opened our doors to local residents welcoming them to explore our  lush 24,000+ square foot green roof garden. This event offered immersive music and dance performances, along with engaging activities for all ages. Our 7th annual event was among our most successful with an estimated 1,000 locals attending to learn about local environmental initiatives and connect with native plants and birds.

August: Strengthening Community Bonds

August began with Broadway Stages' donation to National Night Out events held across Brooklyn (94th precinct) and Queens (104th precinct), emphasizing our commitment to building stronger community bonds and promoting neighborhood camaraderie.

As the summer came to a close, Broadway Stages also joined in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, promoting an exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library created by Roc Nation. The exhibit showcases the incredible journey of iconic Brooklyn native, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, and the impact of hip-hop on culture and society. Among the works filmed at our first soundstage in Astoria were music videos and many from the hip-hop genre!  Broadway Stages remains dedicated to preserving and promoting cultural heritage and the arts.

Broadway Stages' summer of 2023 was a season of community engagement, cultural celebration, and environmental awareness. It is our hope that our commitment to local initiatives, fostering inclusivity, and celebrating diversity makes a positive impact on the lives of residents and visitors alike.  As the seasons change, we continue our efforts to be a pillar of support and a source of inspiration to our neighbors, our community and our city.

Spotlight | 5 Boros Basketball

Welcome to Broadway Stages’ Spotlight, where we feature local shops, restaurants, organizations, individuals, and venues that provide goods and services to our community. This week, we bring you the story of a local nonprofit, 5 Boros Basketball!

When Broadways Stages thinks of the neighborhoods where we live and work, we take great pride in the fact that there are so many good people who are commitment to giving back; something that is also part of our business philosophy  Today, we shine the spotlight one such neighbor, Rick Atson, Director of 5 Boros Basketball (a.k.a. 5 Boros and 5B), a non-profit youth basketball program.

A Greenpoint native, Atson loved playing basketball when he was growing up. His passion for the game and commitment to community gave way to 5 Boros Basketball that has been empowering disadvantaged youth living in NYC since 2010. In 13 years, 5 Boros have earned over 300 championships and helped to change lives! At 5B, the game of basketball is used in tandem with academic support to help strengthen the participants’ self-esteem, self-discipline, leadership, teamwork, and generate a sense of accomplishment.

5B is open to boys ages eight to eighteen and is completely free for all participants. Atson has said he never wanted to tell a kid they can’t play because they don’t have money. No one is turned away and he has players from each of the 5 boroughs, living up to its name, and hosting 50 to 60 kids each season!

The caliber of the program has nurtured talented players, offering a better chance of obtaining scholarships, which can make a profound difference in making college affordable. In fact, over 50 players have gone on to play Division 1 NCAA Basketball on full scholarships. Now that is something to brag about!! 

Beyond the court, Atson and his crew also look out for the players. They provide one-on-one tutoring and mentoring, particularly those considered most at risk. The tutoring/mentoring program encourages the kids to stay in school, stay healthy, and be team players. The program also provides exposure to successful leaders in corporate America and their local communities. The program continues to positively impact the participants, improving their lives. But don’t take our word for it. You can follow the achievements of 5 Boros and its young men by following them on Instagram and Facebook.

To ensure all those who want to participate can do so free of charge, 5 Boros depends on the kindness and generosity of sponsors. If you or your organization want to support this worthy cause, click HERE. One hundred percent of all donations go directly to helping the kids, from  obtaining gym space, to travel expenses and the cost of entering tournaments.

Next time you hear the sounds of kids playing on the courts of your neighborhood or in the local gym, remember that it’s not just a game, it’s also the opportunity for a college education, and maybe even a career. The discipline and commitment to the game can translate into success!

Our sincere thanks and accolades to Rick Atson for his continued dedication to our community and the future of our youth.