The community gathered to unveil a collaborative mural honoring the spirit of 'One Crown Heights' and celebrated with food, games and performances in Brower Park
The Crown Heights community joined City Council Majority Leader Laurie A. Cumbo, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, State Senator Jesse Hamilton, community leaders and representatives of the Brooklyn Children's Museum, the Jewish Children's Museum and Project C.A.R.E on Sunday at Brower Park for the Third Annual One Crown Heights Festival and the unveiling of the historic "One Crown Heights Mural."
"Great artwork has a huge responsibility. Great artwork should create change, it should inspire us, it should create conversations," said Councilmember Cumbo. "People should have different perspectives. However you come to this mural, we hope it will inspire you to have conversations and to continue to get to know your neighbors, to get to know one another."
The mural, a cross-cultural project created under the direction of nonprofit arts organization Groundswell, has been in the works for almost two years. It celebrates the culture and diversity of the neighborhood and is a beautiful reminder to work toward strong community bonds, positive behavior and opportunities for the Black, Caribbean, Jewish and newer residents to come together as one.
Councilmember Cumbo also used the opportunity to commemorate the late Bill Howard, president of the West Indian Day Carnival Association, who passed a week ago.
"Bill was a fierce leader for bringing individuals together and was known for his incredible work to keep the legacy of Shirley Chisholm alive," said Cumbo. "If we all had an advocate like that in our lives, what remarkable people we would be. I was so proud to see the work he continued to do for the West Indian Day Carnival Association. The Carnival will never be the same without Bill Howard."
The celebrations kicked off with a march from the Jewish Children Museum along Kingston Avenue to Brower Park, and ended at the intersection of Prospect Place and Brooklyn Avenue for the unveiling of the mural. After speeches from local elected officials and community leaders, the festivities continued with food, games and performances in and around Brower Park. And while the rain put a temporary damper on the celebrations, it didn't stop the fun for too long.
Take a look at our photo gallery, read what the elected officials and community leaders had to say, and see the family fun that took over Brower Park.
