That is a shameful act for humanity. We don't want it to happen here or anywhere. Let's stay together against such an uncivilized crime.
Bridget ElderIf the Kensington World's Fair taught us anything, it's that we, as a community, embrace the cultures, religions, and backgrounds of everyone who lives here. All neighbors must unite against any hate crimes directed to fellow Kensingtonians. We need to stand with our brothers and sisters to let the world know that hurtful words and actions are not welcome here.
We all live here in Kensington together, and while we might not agree on everything, we must be civil and kind to one another. There is no place in Kensington for bigotry and cowardice. The ignorance and venom of this vile act will, not be accepted by this Kensington resident. We must build bridges, not destroy them.
As an immediate neighbor of the Masjid Nur al Islam on the corner of Chester and Church Avenues, I would like to publicly state that many of us in the community find this blatant display of hatred despicable and very unsettling. Though we have had our issues over the years concerning our quality of life and the volume of the call to prayer, we are appalled that this sort of cowardly bigotry would happen to one of our neighbors.
I hope as a community we can reach out a hand and help them feel welcomed here in Brooklyn. After the Kensington World's Fair this past Sunday, I know many of us felt a real bond with our neighbors and that our vision (see below) had been accomplished, at the very least, for the day.
In a neighborhood as diverse as ours, I think we all need to make an extra effort in moving towards our goal of being a unified, cohesive, and respectful community.Maggie TobinWest Kensington Action Group
Vision Statement for Kensington World's Fair:Our vision is to bring the people of Kensington from all backgrounds together for an exciting day of music, dance, art, food and fun! Through communication, education, and the arts we can build a cohesive and vibrant community. We believe that as we all come to understand, respect and know one another, we can create one strong and unified voice and be better advocates for our community!The Kensington World's Fair Committee
How to take action on our mosquito problem
Hi all,
I called Brad Lander's office today, and they would like everyone to call 311 to report this problem to establish a paper trail of complaints. Tell 311 that you want to report a terrible mosquito problem in the neighborhood to the Department of Health. Let them know the mosquitoes are coming up from the sewer drains in front of our houses and in the street. Tell them that it is a standing water issue (even beneath the ground) and that the Health Commissioner has asked for these complaints to be filed
Please send a record of your complaint number, address, and any letters or other documentation to Brad Lander's assistant, Jessica Turner, who will work with us on this: JTurner@council.nyc.gov, tel. 718-499-1090, fax 718-499-1997. Also, please let me know so I can work on compiling a master list.
Brad Lander will be meeting soon with the Commissioner of the Department of Health to discuss several matters, and this will be on the agenda.
Please take a moment to call 311 and report this problem. There is power in numbers. Don't forget, these Asian tiger mosquitoes are vectors for various diseases, including West Nile, dengue and chikungunya, to name a few, so are not only a nuisance but also a health risk. (I actually wrote an article about them for The Washington Post, if you'd like some more information:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/15/AR2008081503123.\html).
Maybe if we get some assistance from the city on this, we will be able to enjoy our gardens next year......
Please click on the label "Culver Estates" below this post to read previous posts on this subject.I am pleased to announce that the City Council approved the Culver El Rezoning today. By combining the strengths of the initial proposal (developed by community organizations and elected officials in 2005) with changes suggested by community members and achieved by the Council, the rezoning we passed today will create much-needed and long-term affordable homeownership, preserve commercial and manufacturing jobs, and set a path for addressing open space and school over-crowding issues in the surrounding neighborhoods.
This weekend my Grandmum came to visit us in Brooklyn. Uncle Medwin brought Dim Sum over then we walked to the Kensington World's Fair up the street from our apartment. My mommy got Henna on her hand.
When visiting our neighborhood's World's Fair yesterday, I was filled with Kensington pride. I found myself thinking "Wow - I truly live in the coolest area of Brooklyn!" Where else do so many worlds collide? I enjoyed the smells and tastes of the Mexican, Thai, and variety of South Asian fare. I stopped to listen to the music that made my feet tap along to the beat, and I was riveted by the children carrying and marching along with the larger-than-life puppets. Sadly I only had an hour to spare, but I am so glad that I didn't miss this rich event! I can't wait until the next one...
I thought the Kensington's World Fair was a great experience. It was so nice to see so many new people and learn a lot about different cultures. The performances were really great to watch, and the tables were from so many different countries that I didn't know we had living in our neighborhood. It was nice seeing everyone with a smile on their face and interested in learning.
I got there late, to find a large, friendly crowd at the Kensington World’s Fair. Neighbors were proudly celebrating the beautiful children, who were performing on stage, the delicious food, sold at stalls and eaten by everybody, and their handicrafts, being perused and purchased. Kids and grownups were obviously having a wonderful time.
Congratulations to all of you who organized a fabulous Kensington World's Fair! I felt so proud to be part of the fair and this community. From the passport to the incredibly wonderful music and arts this was a truly multi-cultural fair celebrating the diversity of many folks in this neighborhood. I imagine you all might be very exhausted, but I hope you all are feeling joy and pride as well.
A lot of time and effort went into presenting the Kensington World's Fair held Sunday, Oct. 24th.
It was a beautiful day with warm sunny skies and friendly faces. There was an aura of community, everyone sharing in the day... diverse ethnic foods, the performances were wonderful.Celebrating the different cultures within our community with music, dance, clothing and the children made it even more special.
A special Thank You to all who put the event together... I have to give a really special Thank You to Jessica from Brad Lander's office who helped with the vendors to secure their tables. She literally walked me through the application process... her time and patience is greatly appreciated.
Thank You to the volunteers who helped set up the event with the tables and canopies, the stage as well as the cleanup..
It was also nice to meet the many people who post on the KWT blog as well as meeting and making new friends within our community.
I personally enjoyed connecting with everyone who stopped by the Essential Oils/Champissage booth. Would like to send out a congratulations to the winners of our booth...
Carolyn.. Winner of the Deluxe Spa (Champissage and KV Foot Massage)...Johanna ... Winner of the Day at the Spa (Champissage) andClaudia... Winner of the Thieves Waterless Hand Cleaner.The event was a huge success. Being the pioneer of the first Kensington World's Fair, I would definitely partake in one held next year!!!
We were thrilled to be part of the organizing team for the Kensington World's Fair. It was a fantastic event, truly highlighting the incredible diversity of the neighborhood and bringing people together to celebrate it. The entertainment (from the PS 230 choir to Slavic Soul Party to Cynthia King's dancers and everyone well), the activities (my seven-year-old daughter did just about every one), the fantastic food, the weather, and--most of all--the organizers, volunteers, and participants came together to make it a remarkable day.
Photos:Special thanks to the very-hardworking organizing team--Bridget Elder, Annie Ferdous, Veronica Guzman, Trina Hickey, Jasmina Nikolov, Joy Rich, Maggie Tobin, and Jessica Turner (from my office, so of course my special thanks to her)--and to the great sponsors (Boro Gas/Boro Fuel, Rob Chowdhury, and Church Avenue Car Service) and community partners (PS 230, 66th Precinct, the Masons).
I hope it will be more than just one great day--that it will help build relationships, community, and energy across the neighborhood's diversity for working together to make Kensington an even better neighborhood for all of its residents. We got some great responses at our table on things people love about the neighborhood and things people would like to improve. So ,in addition to pausing to savor and say thank-you for the great celebration, we're looking forward to getting busy working with everyone to build on the Kensington World's Fair in the days to come.
Brad
"Baby Flying Teaspoons Encourage your child’s uniqueness and creativity from the very start of life. Songs emerge magically as your baby discovers, plays, and interacts in class.
Musical connections nurture and deepen the relationship between the parent/caregiver and the baby and encourage the child's natural curiosity.
Joanne’s CD, The Flying Teapot is also used, along with multicultural music. There's movement, instrument play, balls, scarves, connections, and fun. You’ll be amazed at your child’s own expression.
Joanne's vision is to create nurturing and joyful environments for babies and very young children."
"A few practical matters: A lot has been going on around Kensington; jazz concerts in the E. 4th St. garden, a new wing of Jaya Yoga recently opened, and more is to come soon. In particular I'm looking forward to the Sean Casey Halloween Party on Oct 31 from 12 - 5, and the Kensington World's Fair, this Sunday Oct. 24 from 11-4 featuring live music, dance and food from around the world."
"This is ridiculous!" said Kevin Ryan, owner of Denny's Bar, a family business in Brooklyn's Kensington neighborhood. "I'm relying on people to come in who are Giants fans — and they're walking out, even though I pay for the football package."
He blames his debacle on "typical billionaire behavior, against the small businessman like me; and regular, everyday people get caught in the middle."
Ryan said he expected to lose "a good amount of money over three big events": the Giants' 28-20 win over Detroit and the first two games of baseball's National League Championship Series between San Francisco and Philadelphia.
