The Terrace Visibility Brigade, a group of pro-democracy neighbors, displays timely political messages on banners and signs on the 11th Avenue bridge, above the Prospect Expressway, every Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Like-minded people are welcome to participate.
The Terrace Visibility Brigade is part of the nation-wide Visibility Brigade movement, which has one or more chapters in almost every state.
Margaret Neill, the founder of this chapter, explains the impetus and the continuing need for it.
My husband Don and I have been doing this every Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. for 16 weeks, taking a break over the holidays. We are both artists who want to do our part to help bring people together during this divisive time in our country.
I got activated in the resistance during Trump’s second term. I started learning about activism thru the great leaders at Target Majority on the Upper West Side, the Indivisible Leaders, Brooklyn Indivisible, and the daily letters of Heather Cox Richardson and others, like Jessica Craven, who all advocated for working in your own neighborhood, hyperlocally.
Soon, I came upon The Visibility Brigade through a bridge action over the BQE by Brooklyn Visibility, part of Indivisible Brooklyn. I decided to spread the word on more bridges and to pick another bridge right in my own neighborhood. And so, I registered and became the leader of the 11th Avenue bridge over the Prospect Expressway (between 18th and 19th streets) with the Nationwide Visibility Brigade. We are on the map.
There are actions on McDonald Avenue at Fort Hamilton Parkway and Church Avenue and at Church Avenue on Ocean Parkway with Freedom Fridays, which I could also join, but I thought I’d try to activate neighbors closer to me.
We need to learn about each other and also come together during this divisive time in our country. We all can learn that there are ways we can push back and that we must. The words of Heather Cox Richardson ring in my ears: there are more of us than them and we can help to build a better future.
So, in that vein, I endeavor to bring joy and exuberance to our resistance and help others know they are not alone.
More and more people are joining. The kids really enjoy it. We usually have home-baked cookies. Plenty of signs and hot chocolate.
Please follow me on Instagram @terrace_visibilitybrigade, I just started the instagram page a few days ago.
Likewise, I am also working on a food drive to help bring groceries to the food pantry of The Center for Family Life in Sunset Park (https://www.centerforfamilylife.org/), a settlement-type nonprofit that is doing amazing work for the vibrant immigrant community all around us.
I am noticing that people seem to find some relief in connecting their feelings to action, and it’s great to be part of that transformation.
Sincerely,MargaretGet involved: Join us on the bridge every Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. or look into https://indivisiblebrooklyn.org/ and https://www.visibilitybrigade.com/.
