Brooklyn Eagle: True progress comes from collective action and sustained community engagement

Published in: Brooklyn Eagle

The celebration of Black History Month resonates perhaps even more deeply this year than in the past as we reflect on the generations of activism, struggle, resilience and accomplishment that have brought us here. As our country’s political culture and the news headlines increasingly seem bent on dividing us, Black History Month is a reminder that true progress comes through collective action and sustained community engagement.

From the free Black communities that provided refuge across our borough to the vibrant cultural renaissance of Bedford-Stuyvesant to the civil rights leadership of Shirley Chisholm, Black history pulses through our borough’s streets, shaping who we are and informing the work we do at Brooklyn Org. Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we envision a society based on justice, equal opportunity, and love and respect for one’s fellow human beings. In our borough, perhaps the most diverse community on Earth, we see both the challenges and the profound possibilities that come with building such a society.

We see this work in action every day in the tireless efforts of nonprofits we support across Brooklyn. From legal aid providers ensuring residents receive the due process rights enshrined for all of us in the Constitution to community organizers and service providers supporting our most vulnerable neighbors, our nonprofit community is essential to addressing local challenges.

Yet, the contrast with this vision and the actions coming from the federal government this month could not be more stark. Nonprofits across our borough have been thrown into a state of fear and confusion as executive orders from the White House threaten to halt funding that has been approved by Congress. Such actions would have a profound impact on local nonprofits.

Many are already facing shortfalls due to inflation and payment delays on state and city contracts. Even the threat of losing federal funding has had an impact as some organizations have contemplated layoffs. It is clear that the point of these federal directives is to disorient and to instill fear.

The contrast between the celebration of Black History Month and the string of divisive executive orders, the first of which were signed on Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday, is heartbreaking. Simply put, these actions represent a breaking of trust with our communities.

Just one example, among the many nonprofits we support, of the organizations that could be affected is Good Call, one of the winners of the 2025 Brooklyn Org Spark Prize. Good Call is a technology-based service that provides immediate legal counsel to people who have just been arrested. It was widely used during the protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Will federal funding continue to flow to organizations like Good Call to provide legal services to Brooklynites if the administration believes that funding is going to help people protesting the administration? Could even the possibility of such action cause organizations to think twice about the work they do and how they do it?

The role of nonprofit organizations in advocating for social justice and human rights cannot be overstated. When communities face challenges or injustice, these organizations often serve as crucial advocates and support systems. Their ability to speak truth to power and stand up for constitutional rights must be protected. Any attempt to silence or constrain their advocacy work threatens the very foundation of our democratic society.

Brooklyn’s Black history teaches us that change requires more than good intentions — it demands sustained investment in community-led solutions. When we rush to judgment or let division guide our actions, we miss opportunities for meaningful change. At Brooklyn Org, we’ve learned that sustainable solutions emerge from deep listening, forging community connections and thoughtful dialogue, not from reactive responses.

The path forward requires us to strengthen, not weaken, the organizations that serve as the backbone of our communities. Brooklyn Org will continue doing everything we can to help our borough succeed in that work. We will work to muster the support —from financial donors, from volunteers, in any way we can — to keep these organizations going through the difficult months and years ahead. We must protect their right to advocate, their ability to serve, and their role in building the kind of society where justice, equity and compassion guide our actions and shape our institutions.

In Brooklyn, we understand that the well-being of each community member affects us all. As we move forward, let us honor our history to build bridges, foster understanding and work together to continue building the Beloved Community that Dr. King imagined — and that we know is possible.