Community Leaders and Elected Officials Deliver Action-Oriented Solutions at Landmark Event
Video of the event is available here; Photos from the event are available here.
(BROOKLYN, NY) – Brooklyn’s leading voices in public policy, education, entrepreneurship, community organizing, government, and innovation came together today for the first-ever symposium dedicated to creating a stronger and more equitable Brooklyn. The half-day event, hosted by the Center for an Urban Future and Brooklyn Org, and sponsored by Valley Bank and LinkNYC, explored bold, actionable solutions for ensuring all Brooklynites can benefit from the borough’s post-pandemic recovery.
The symposium featured Borough President Antonio Reynoso alongside Council Members Chris Banks, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Rita Joseph, who participated in substantive policy discussions with community experts and organizational leaders from across Brooklyn’s diverse neighborhoods.
A highlight of the event was ten rapid-fire three-minute idea pitches from Brooklyn-based leaders, each presenting innovative solutions to address pressing challenges around housing, economic opportunity, education, and community development. The format encouraged bold, actionable proposals that can be implemented to bridge existing gaps in access to well-paying jobs, affordable housing, healthcare, education, and technology.
The symposium built on CUF’s March 2024 report, 50 Ideas for a Stronger and More Equitable Brooklyn, expanding the conversation through expert insight and direct community input from Brooklyn residents sharing their own solutions and priorities.
The Ideas explored at the event included:
Michelle de la Uz, Executive Director of Fifth Avenue Committee, “We need to get more imaginative in thinking about the resources available to us in solving the affordability crisis. Imagine a Brooklyn without the BQE where hundreds of acres are available for housing or open space.”
Gregg Bishop, Executive Director of the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation’s Social Justice Fund, “Create a fund for creatives that invests a small amount, $5,000 or $10,000, that is a grant, not a loan, that helps small, upstart entrepreneurs in underserved communities across the city to help them grow their businesses and spur the city’s creative economy. This would be a clear signal that the city is open for business and there is a clear role for creative, patient philanthropy to play in making this happen.”
“Today’s symposium demonstrated Brooklyn’s remarkable capacity for innovation and collaboration,” said Jonathan Bowles, Executive Director of the Center for an Urban Future. “Brooklyn stands as a remarkable example of resilience, leading our city’s recovery with impressive job growth and entrepreneurial energy. But true progress requires ensuring all Brooklynites can benefit from the borough’s vast opportunities by having access to well-paying jobs, affordable housing, healthcare, education, and technology. The ideas shared today provide a roadmap for building a borough where prosperity is genuinely shared.”
“LinkNYC’s inclusive digital infrastructure powers a more equitable and interconnected borough for generations to come, but we’re just one piece of the puzzle,” said Nick Colvin, CEO of LinkNYC. “LinkNYC is proud to join the Center for an Urban Future, Brooklyn Org, and Valley Bank during this event to safeguard Brooklyn’s future and ensure all residents participate in the borough’s prosperity.”
“By bringing together Brooklyn residents, community leaders, and elected officials in authentic dialogue, today’s symposium embodied the collaborative spirit that makes Brooklyn so powerful,” said Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, President and CEO of Brooklyn Org. “When we unlock the collective wisdom of our community we are tapping into the energy needed to address our most pressing challenges. The ideas shared today weren’t just theoretical—they were grounded in the lived experiences of Brooklynites who understand what their neighborhoods need to thrive and what it will take to ensure that Brooklyn’s continued growth benefits everyone who calls this borough home.”
“Valley Bank is proud to have sponsored this vital conversation about Brooklyn’s future and to help advance the critical work of ensuring all residents can participate in the borough’s prosperity,” said Valley Bank CEO Ira Robbins. “By increasing financial access, supporting small businesses, and nurturing economic development opportunities that will touch all Brooklynites, we’re investing in the infrastructure that will power a more equitable borough for generations.”
Key speakers and participants included leaders from organizations spanning many policy areas, including education (Pratt Institute, The Marcy Lab School, NYU Tandon), community development (Brooklyn Org, Fifth Avenue Committee, Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation’s Social Justice Fund, El Puente), and economic development (Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, Propel).
The event was hosted by the Center for an Urban Future and Brooklyn Org, with generous support from Valley Bank and LinkNYC.
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About Center for an Urban Future
The Center for an Urban Future (CUF) is an independent think tank focused on creating a stronger and more equitable economy in New York and expanding economic opportunity for all New Yorkers. Over the years, CUF has written extensively about the aging population in New York. Learn more at nycfuture.org.
About LinkNYC
LinkNYC is the world’s largest and fastest free public Wi-Fi network. Each Link kiosk provides free superfast Wi-Fi, phone calls, device charging, access to social services, and displays content such as real-time weather, transit info, public art, and local information. The city-wide network has more than 18 million Wi-Fi users and has connected more than 30 million free phone calls. All of LinkNYC’s services are completely free to users and taxpayers, provided by CityBridge, a joint venture led by Intersection Media and Boldyn Networks. The second generation offering will deploy thousands of new kiosks, called Link5G, enabled with 5G wireless technology across the city. For more information about LinkNYC or to find a Link near you, visit www.link.nyc.