In February of 2022 BRIC convened the third cycle of the Intergenerational Community Arts Council (ICAC). Public housing residents and neighbors from Fort Greene and Downtown Brooklyn spent a year collaborating with BRIC artists and staff to create values-driven programming by, with, and for their communities.
In June, the ICAC held an event celebrating their collaborative work “Resources for Joy,” a free book of community-sourced poems, practices, recommendations, and recipes for healing and inspiration designed through virtual gatherings during COVID-era lockdowns. Over 1,500 copies of “Resources for Joy” have been shared with local residents and partners since first being published, offering Brooklynites an alternative interpretation of what kinds of “resources” are essential during times of trial and challenge.
Uniting our communities through a shared goal of healing, artistic creation, and celebration is at the core of our work at BRIC. Can we count on you to help support that work in the year ahead?
As poet Najee Omar, the ICAC’s Artist-in-Residence, wrote in the preface to “Resources for Joy”:
“Joy is the feeling of music playing anywhere and everywhere. When we say joy, what we mean is the thing that lifts us up. Like family. Or returning to the sacred place that invokes peace and relaxation.
When we say joy, what we mean is turning toward the sun. Or whatever makes you feel warm & good & gives you energy. We like to think of joy as something that makes you laugh, that nudges and checks up on you, that comforts you.
Joy is to be kept, nurtured, and grown. It is what you deserve. Joy is yours.”
This December, please consider a tax-deductible gift to help BRIC and the Intergenerational Community Arts Council bring joy to Brooklyn.
P.S. A gift to BRIC means you are a Member with benefits all year long. See our membership levels here to pick the benefits that are right for you.
