SUMMER AT AVENUE C PLAZA BEGINS

 

From ArtBuilt Mobile Studio

Summer at Avenue C Plaza begins! 

Join ArtBuilt Mobile Studio and community partners for Kensington Culture programming in June, starting with their Summer Program Launch this Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA). 

A series of weekly dance, embroidery, language, music, and art activities also begin next week. Be on the lookout for the month's calendar soon! 

See the Kensington Culture website for upcoming community events at Avenue C Plaza, Kensington Plaza, and neighborhood playgrounds, schools, and more.

Location

Avenue C Plaza

556 McDonald Avenue at Avenue C

Kensington, Brooklyn

(map)

BANGLADESHI SEEDLING GIVEAWAY (FREE)

Seedling Giveaway

Wednesday, May 21st

9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

 

Herbs and vegetables commonly used in Bangladeshi cuisine will be given away on Wednesday, May 21st, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Distribution will be on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.

 

The plants are intended for home gardens and large pots. They include tomatoes, luffa, eggplant, long beans, sweet peppers, tulsi, chilies, cucumbers, okra, sheem, bitter melon, pumpkins, bottle gourds, and more.

 

Location

Albemarle Playground

between McDonald Avenue, Dahill Road, Albemarle Road and Caton Avenue

behind P.S. 230 Upper School

entrances on McDonald Avenue and Dahill Road

Kensington, Brooklyn 

(map)

BANGLA FOLK FESTIVAL IN KENSINGTON

 

Bangla Folk Festival

Sunday, September 29th

noon to 8:00 p.m.

 

A Bangla folk festival in Kensington will feature

• live music: singing performances by renowned artists,

• dance: traditional folk dances of Bangladesh,

• BIPA showcase: students and teachers of Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA),

• shopping: clothing and crafts,

• food: authentic cuisine and treats,

• and much more!

Admission to the fair is free. All members of the public are invited to attend.

For a stall booking, call any of the four phone numbers on the flyer: 718-930-0688 or 917-674-4746 or 347-237-1628 or 917-673-1105.

 

Location

McDonald Avenue

between Church Avenue and Avenue C

Kensington, Brooklyn

RESCHEDULED: BANGLADESHI STREET FAIR

 

Bangladeshi Street Fair

Sunday, August 18th

noon to 8:00 p.m.

 

The Bangladeshi street fair and folk festival that was going to be held on Sunday, August 4th, from noon to 8:00 p.m., has been rescheduled for Sunday, August 18th.

 

The festival, hosted by Bangladesh Merchant Association, is free. It is open to everyone.

Location

McDonald Avenue

between Church Avenue and Avenue C

Kensington, Brooklyn

THIS WEEKEND: KENSINGTON CULTURE AT AVENUE C PLAZA: THE THIRD WEEKEND'S SPECIAL ACTIVITIES AND THE WEEKDAY ACTIVITIES AND PRACTICES (FREE, OUTDOORS)

Kensington Culture comes to Avenue C Plaza during the month of June. You're invited to participate in the free special activities and performances on weekends as well as the weekday activities and practices. 

 

Join ArtBuilt Mobile Studio and its partners Tuesdays through Sundays for free programming, arts and crafts workshops, performances, games, and more.

 

This weekend:

• Saturday, June 15th, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.: Print Away, with Cynthia Fortozo of Casa Cultural.
  
• Sunday, June 16th, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.: Family Portraits, free photo portrait by professional photographers Jordan and Anna Rathkopf.

 

Location

Avenue C Plaza

at the intersection of Avenue C and McDonald Avenue

Kensington, Brooklyn

 

 

KENSINGTON CULTURE AT AVENUE C PLAZA: THE SECOND WEEKEND'S SPECIAL ACTIVITIES AND THE WEEKDAY ACTIVITIES AND PRACTICES (FREE, OUTDOORS)

Kensington Culture comes to Avenue C Plaza during the month of June. You're invited to participate in the free special activities and performances on weekends as well as the weekday activities and practices.

Join ArtBuilt Mobile Studio and its partners Tuesdays through Sundays for free programming, arts and crafts workshops, performances, games, and more.

This weekend:

• Saturday, June 8th, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.: Jill Reinier of The Singing Winds will lead a workshop on crafting mosaic tiles.
  
• Sunday, June 9th, noon to 4:00 p.m.: Jill Reinier will lead a workshop on making, decorating, and flying your own kite.

 

Location

Avenue C Plaza

at the intersection of Avenue C and McDonald Avenue

Kensington, Brooklyn

 

BANGLADESHI SEEDLING DISTRIBUTION (FREE)

Bangladeshi Seedling Distribution

Thursday, June 6th

10:00 a.m. to noon

 

From New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif:

On Thursday, June 6th from 10 AM to 12 PM at Albemarle Playground, Brooklyn Grange Farm is hosting a seedling giveaway that celebrates the cultural significance of Bangladeshi crops in collaboration with PS 230, the NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health, and HarvestShare. Reserve your plants here!

From the pre-registration form:

In collaboration with P.S. 230, NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health, and the Harvest Share Program, Brooklyn Grange Farm has lovingly grown some of your backyard favorites to help set you up for a bountiful season. Stop by to pick-up a seedling to take home and watch it grow!

P.S এর সহযোগিতায় 230, এনওয়াইইউ সেন্টার ফর দ্য স্টাডি অফ এশিয়ান আমেরিকান হেলথ, এবং হার্ভেস্ট শেয়ার প্রোগ্রাম, ব্রুকলিন গ্র্যাঞ্জ ফার্ম আপনার বাড়ির পিছনের দিকের উঠোনের কিছু পছন্দের জিনিসগুলিকে ভালবাসার সাথে বৃদ্ধি করেছে যাতে আপনাকে একটি প্রচুর মৌসুমের জন্য সেট আপ করতে সহায়তা করে। বাড়িতে নিয়ে যাওয়ার জন্য একটি চারা বাছাই করার জন্য থামুন এবং এটি বাড়তে দেখুন!

If you would like to join and plan on attending the Bangladeshi Seedling Giveaway event, please complete this pre-registration form. 

আপনি যদি যোগ দিতে চান এবং বাংলাদেশী সিডলিং গিভওয়ে ইভেন্টে যোগদানের পরিকল্পনা করতে চান, তাহলে অনুগ্রহ করে এই প্রাক-নিবন্ধন ফর্মটি পূরণ করুন।

Event Details (অনুষ্ঠানের বিবরণ):

When(কখন): Thursday, June 6, 2024 from 10AM-12PM (বৃহস্পতিবার, জুন 6, 2024 সকাল 10 টা থেকে দুপুর 12 টা পর্যন্ত)

Where(কোথায়): ALBEMARLE PLAYGROUND (1 ALBEMARLE RD, BROOKLYN, NY 11218)

 

KENSINGTON CULTURE AT AVENUE C PLAZA: OPENING WEEKEND AND THE WEEKLY ACTIVITIES FOR JUNE (FREE, OUTDOORS)

 

 

Kensington Culture comes to Avenue C Plaza during the month of June. You're invited to participate in the free events as well as the weekly activities and practices.

Join ArtBuilt Mobile Studio and its partners every weekend and on some weekdays for free programming, arts and crafts workshops, performances, games, and more.

Location

Avenue C Plaza

at the intersection of Avenue C and McDonald Avenue

Kensington, Brooklyn

 

POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD PERFORMANCE GROUP FORMING (FREE, INDOORS)

Rap/Poetry/Spoken Word Performance Group

Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. to noon

From The Singing Winds:

We are forming a Kensington-based performance group specializing in rhythmic poetry and spoken word performances in English, Bangla and Arabic.

If you - or someone you know - loves to rap, rhyme or recite in any of these languages, please join us as we develop new voices for Open Mic and Online performances.

This free group is for people who are ages 12 and up.

Location

NIA/PS 179 Beacon Community Center
202 Avenue C
Kensington, Brooklyn

"LITTLE BANGLADESH" STREET CO-NAMING

                    photo by Adv Shawkat Ali

Street Co-naming: "Little Bangladesh"

Sunday, October 16th, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The New York City Council approved a bill (Int 0480-2022) on July 14th to co-name the intersection of Church and McDonald avenues "Little Bangladesh." Mayor Eric Adams later signed it. The co-naming ceremony will take place on Sunday, October 16th, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif (Council District 39) invites all residents of Kensington to attend the co-naming ceremony. From her newsletter:

Kensington has the largest population of Bangladeshi immigrants in all of Brooklyn, and on Sunday, 10/16, at 1 PM at Kensington Plaza we’re making it official with a street co-naming ceremony of the intersection of McDonald Avenue & Church Avenue as Little Bangladesh. Come and celebrate with us!

A co-name is also known as an honorary, secondary, or honorific name. The sign that has the existing name on it stays in place, and a second sign is added under it that has the co-name on it.

Location

Kensington Plaza

114 Beverley Road

in front of Walgreens, between McDonald Avenue and E. 2nd Street

Kensington, Brooklyn

BENGALI NEW YEAR 1429 CELEBRATION AT AVENUE C PLAZA

Bengali New Year 1429 Celebration

Sunday, May 29th, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Celebrate Bengali New Year 1429 at a free, outdoor event in Kensington, Brooklyn, on Sunday May 29th, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

You'll be treated to the music of sitar and tabla duo Morshed Khan Apu and Pinak Pani Goswami and melodious Bangla songs by Morvictus, a New York-based Bengali and English blended hard rock/heavy metal band.

The event is a joint production of Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA) and The Singing Winds.

Location

Avenue C Plaza

556 McDonald Avenue (map)

at the intersection of Avenue C

Kensington, Brooklyn

https://www.facebook.com/avecplaza/

COMMUNITY IDENTITY SCROLL AND POETRY SLAM

 

 

Prokash/Reveal

Saturday, October 9th, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 

A community identity scroll and a poetry slam will be presented at Avenue C Plaza on Saturday, October 9th, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 

 

The description of the event in Bangla below and the English-language translation that follows it were copied from the Arts & Democracy event listing at https://www.facebook.com/events/558295912087020?ref=newsfeed.

“প্রকাশ ”

পারফরমেন্স/ কৃতকলা

পরিচালনায় শিল্পী এবং সমাজকর্মী মনিকা জাহান বোস

সার্বিক সহযোগিতায় - আর্টস অ্যান্ড ডেমক্রেসী

শনিবার, ৯ই অক্টোবর, বিকাল ৪:৩০ থেকে ৬:৩০, এভিনিউ সি প্লাজা

আপনাদের সবাইকে আমন্ত্রণ প্রকাশের সমাপনী পারফরমেন্স এবং আবৃত্তিতে যোগদানের । জেন্ডার / লিঙ্গ , মানসিক স্বাস্থ্য, এবং অভিবাসন / বর্ণবাদ বিষয়ে আমরা ৬ টি কর্মশালা করেছি বাংলা এবং ইংলিশএ । এর মাধ্যমে আমরা কথা বলতে শিখেছি সমাজের ব্রাত্য বিষয়গুল নিয়ে। আমরা একটি অনুষ্ঠানে আমাদের এই অভিজ্ঞতা আর আর্ট , কবিতা আপানাদের কাছে উপস্থাপন করব ।

এভিনিউ সি প্লাজা অবস্থিত কেন্সিংটনে , ম্যাকডোনাল্ড এবং এভিনিউ সি রাস্তার মোড়ে । এখানে পৌছাতে জি / এফ ট্রেন নিতে হবে চার্চ এভিনিউ স্টেশন পর্যন্ত কিম্বা বি ৬৭ বাসে করেও পৌঁছানো যাবে ।

তহবিল অনুদানে - এশিয়ান ওমান'স গিভিং সার্কেল এবং নিউ ইয়র্ক সিটি ডিপার্টমেন্ট অফ কালচারাল অ্যাফেয়ার নিউ ইয়র্ক সিটি কাউন্সিলের সাথে

 

Join us Saturday, October 9 at 4:30 for a performance creating a community identity scroll and a poetry slam on the Ave C Plaza!

 

This performance is the culmination of Prokash/Reveal, a series of workshops led by Monica Jahan Bose that sparked bilingual intergenerational conversations, art, and poetry about identity, sexuality, gender, immigration, and more.

 

Getting there: Avenue C Plaza is located at the intersection of McDonald Ave and Ave C in Kensington and is accessible via the F/G trains at Church Ave and the B67 bus.

Prokash/Reveal is supported in part by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the NYC Council and the Asian Women's Giving Circle , a donor advised Fund of the Ms Foundation. 

Location

Avenue C Plaza

557 McDonald Avenue at Avenue C

Kensington, Brooklyn

 

Twitter: #AveCPlaza 

Facebook: https://facebook.com/avecplaza

 

THREE TO FIVE GUEST SPEAKERS, A RAFFLE, AND REFRESHMENTS AT THIS MONTH'S NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING (FREE)

Albemarle Neighborhood Association Meeting
Thursday, November 21st, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The guest speakers at the next Albemarle Neighborhood Association (ANA) meeting and their probable speaking order have been announced. They'll discuss subjects that are of interest and importance to our neighborhood and community.

• 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: An FDNY representative will discuss fire safety issues.

• 7:00 p.m. to 7:20 p.m.: Moinul Alam and, possibly, his daughter, Manijaah Armin Faria, will represent the Bangladeshi community.

        Mr. Alam is

• the owner of Architrade Contracting, LLC,
• General Secretary of Church McDonald Bangladeshi Business Association (CMBBA),
• CEO of M&M Academic Support Tutoring Center;
• President of Bangladeshi-American Center of North America (BACONA), and
• a member of the Executive Committee of The Kensington Stewards.
  

         Ms. Faria

• maintains M&M Academic  Support Tutoring Center,
• helps set up meetings for BACONA, and
• is a member of Muslim Student Association (MSA).

• 7:20 p.m. to 7:40 p.m.: Uniquia Parker is Recreation Coordinator for The Kensington Family Shelter. She creates and organizes events and tasks to prepare family members to function well in life's endeavors and to build self-esteem.

One possible additional guest speaker is

• John Venable, Customer Relations Coordinator, Office of the Brooklyn Postmaster, United States Postal Service (USPS).

Five gift certificates from Foodtown  will be raffled off for Thanksgiving.

Foodtown and ANA will provide refreshments, which will be served after the meeting.

Meetings are free, and all residents are welcome to attend. The next meeting will be held in March 2020.

Location
Hanid Room
Flatbush Jewish Center
327 E. 5th Street
corner of Church Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn

The Hanid Room is on the lower level and is accessible by stairs and by elevator. 

BENGALI NEW YEAR CELEBRATION AT AVENUE C PLAZA IS FOR EVERYONE

Bengali New Year Celebration

Saturday, April 13th, noon to 6:00 p.m.

Celebrate Bengali New Year 1426, whether you're Bengali or not. The day will feature Kids' Entertainment, Face Painting, Magic, Cotton Candy, a Kids' Contest, Dress as a Bangladeshi, Rickshaw Ride, Rally with Boishakhi Masks, and a Performance.

Everyone is invited to join the celebration.

Schedule of Events

• Noon: kids’ face painting, magic show
• 1 p.m.: "Dress as a Bangladeshi" contest
• 2 p.m.: performances: live band plus Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA), South Asian Cultural Collective
• 2 p.m.: rickshaw rides
• 4 p.m.: rally gathering
• 4:15 p.m.: speakers
• 4:30 p.m.: rally starts with Fogo Azul, NYC, an all-women drum band, leading masked celebrants in a walk around the Avenue C Plaza area.

Location
Avenue C Plaza
Avenue C at McDonald Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn

INTRODUCING AMI BANGLADESHI, A NEW MULTIMEDIA SERIES

A Guest Post from Ami Bangladeshi

Dearest neighbors,

It is our pleasure to introduce you to Ami Bangladeshi, a new multimedia series documenting stories within the Bangladeshi small businesses where many of us shop daily.

Each installment of the series includes a short, intimate video interview with a shop owner or employee about their lives outside of work, along with photographs of the shop. During our interviews we ask merchants to talk about their backgrounds, families, and pastimes—the stuff you talk about when you go to the same place several times a week and form an unspoken friendship.

Our main goal with Ami Bangladeshi is to highlight a group of people who add tremendous value to our daily lives without even knowing it. People who are there when we need a specific type of condiment or to be spoken to in our native tongue. We are so lucky that they are still around for us despite all of the digital and chain competition they face.

Even though we’ve have grown up frequenting these shops in the neighborhood, we have always been too busy/too oblivious/too self-absorbed to really know the people who shelve our groceries, ring up our orders, and pack our bags. We’ve rarely gone beyond “hello,” “how much,” or “thank you.” With this project, we are forcing ourselves out of norms and comfort zones, and inviting you to do the same.

Our inaugural story, out now, is from Bangla Nagar at 87 Church Avenue. Read, watch, listen at AmiBangladeshi.nyc.

Yours,

Samiha & the Ami Bangladeshi Team

AmiBangladeshi.nyc

WINNING PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROJECTS ANNOUNCED

The Capital Project for Kensington, "Resurface the Soccer Field in Albemarle Playground," and the Expense Project for Kensington, "Women's Self-Defense for the Resistance," are among the winning projects in this year's participatory budgeting vote.

Projects are paid for from tax money that the city government allocates to New York City Councilmembers' budgets. 

The other winning capital projects are

• Replace Derelict Kindergarten Sinks at P.S. 282
• Make P.S. 118 Schoolyard Accessible and Safe
• Senior Fitness Playground
• Harmony Playground Improvements

The other winning expense projects are

• Media Lab at Park Slope Women's Shelter
• iPads to support P.S. 77 students with autism
• Study of Endangered Bats in Prospect Park
• Outreach Plan for Elementary School Diversity

A complete list of the projects that were voted on is on Councilmember Brad Lander's website.
  

IMMIGRATION LAW SERVICES FREE

                                Free Immigration Law Services
              Two Wednesdays per month, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Free, confidential immigration law services are available in Kensington in City Councilmember Brad Lander's office at 486 McDonald Avenue, in partnership with CUNY Citizenship Now! The services are available to everyone.

Services are offered two Wednesdays per month, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Find assistance with relative petitions, naturalization and citizenship, and immigration documents replacement and renewal.

Shahana Hanif, Councilmember Lander's Bangladeshi Community Liaison, staffs the office. To schedule an appointment, call Ms. Hanif at (347) 480-4792 or send her an e-mail at shanif @ council.nyc.gov.

If interpretation is needed for a language other than Bangla, please tell Ms. Hanif when you call or e-mail her.
 
Location
Office of Saboor Waizun Medical PC 
486 McDonald Avenue
between Church Avenue and Avenue C
Kensington, Brooklyn

TIME CHANGE FOR "STAND IN PEACE AND SOLIDARITY WITH KENSINGTON'S BENGALI COMMUNITY"

The time for the gathering has been changed. It will start at 2:00 p.m. and end at 3:00 p.m.

--------------------

Kensington Stands in Peace and Solidarity
Friday, December 15th, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Stand together in peace and solidarity with Kensington's Bengali community on Friday at Avenue C Plaza. 

All Kensington residents, whatever your religion or ethnicity may be, are invited to be a part of Kensington's collective commitment to help our Bengali neighbors be safe and to make sure their rights are protected.

Mosque and interfaith leaders, Bangladeshi associations, the office of City Councilmember Brad Lander, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) will be gathering to speak about the Bengali community.

Everyone's presence is desired and is important at a time when anti-Muslim attitudes are on the increase, bolstered by government policy.

Kensington will stand in peace and solidarity on Friday, December 15th, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location
Avenue C Plaza
at the intersection of McDonald and Avenue C
Kensington, Brooklyn

STAND IN PEACE AND SOLIDARITY WITH KENSINGTON'S BENGALI COMMUNITY

The time for the gathering has been changed. It will start at 2:00 p.m. and end at 3:00 p.m.

---------------------------------

Kensington Stands in Peace and Solidarity
Friday, December 15th, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Stand together in peace and solidarity with Kensington's Bengali community on Friday at Avenue C Plaza. 

All Kensington residents, whatever your religion or ethnicity may be, are invited to be a part of Kensington's collective commitment to help our Bengali neighbors be safe and to make sure their rights are protected.

Mosque and interfaith leaders, Bangladeshi associations, the office of City Councilmember Brad Lander, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) will be gathering to speak about the Bengali community.

Everyone's presence is desired and is important at a time when anti-Muslim attitudes are on the increase, bolstered by government policy.

Kensington will stand in peace and solidarity on Friday, December 15th, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location
Avenue C Plaza
at the intersection of McDonald and Avenue C
Kensington, Brooklyn

CHILDREN'S ART & BANGLA RECITATION CONTEST (FREE)

Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts Inc. and M&M Academic Support Tutoring Center will jointly present Children's Art & Bangla Recitation Contest on Saturday, March 4th, at 2:00 p.m.

Children in different grades in school will be given different subjects to draw. Art paper will be supplied, but the artists should bring their own coloring tools.

The competition is free and open to all.

Event location

P.S. 179 Cafeteria

202 Avenue C

between McDonald Avenue and E. 2nd Street

Kensington, Brooklyn