The Drum: Brooklyn Org seeks to spark borough-wide social change in ‘Show Brooklyn Some Love’

Published in: The Drum

Highlighting grassroots heroes, the new awareness campaign invites every Brooklynite to get involved in justice and equity work in their own backyard.

Today, Brooklyn Org, the borough’s largest philanthropic arm dedicated to equity, justice and change, has unveiled a new out-of-home initiative crafted by Brooklynites for Brooklynites.

Dubbed ‘Show Brooklyn Some Love,’ the new campaign aims to illuminate and support grassroots nonprofits that are making strides towards a more fair and equitable Brooklyn. It also seeks to galvanize a new generation of Brooklyn residents and potential donors to support such organizations. Despite Brooklyn housing 30% of New York City’s population and nonprofits, it currently receives just 7.6% of charitable funding, reports the organization.

‘Show Brooklyn Some Love’ strives to rectify this disparity by spotlighting five standout nonprofits recently honored with the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize for their exceptional contributions to the community.

The highlighted organizations are Mixteca, which serves the health, social, educational and legal needs of immigrant communities; Groundswell, which brings together youth and artists to create murals for social change; Workers Justice Project, a worker center that fights for better work conditions and social justice for low-wage, immigrant workers; Arab American Family Support Center, which empowers immigrants and refugees with the tools they need to acclimate to the world around them; and Sure We Can, a recycling center, community hub and sustainability center.

Brooklyn Org, known for advocating for community action, racial justice and immigrant rights with relentless determination, rebranded from Brooklyn Community Foundation to Brooklyn Org in October 2024 with the help of Brooklyn-based creative agency Mother New York.

Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, president and chief executive of Brooklyn Org, said, “Brooklyn Org gives everyone a seat at the table and a role to play in driving social change forward in our borough. But you can’t know you’ve got a seat unless you’ve been invited. This campaign is our invitation to every Brooklynite to join us, donate and spark change.”

Mother New York developed ‘Show Brooklyn Some Love’ pro-bono.

“Brooklyn is a beloved borough, even outside New York. With the ‘Show Brooklyn Some Love’ campaign, we wanted to turn that love into an invitation,” said Nedal Ahmed, executive creative director of Mother New York. “Every action by Brooklyn Org and its partner organizations is an act of love towards Brooklyn and we wanted the whole borough to feel that and want to become part of it.”

Commencing this month, the campaign will feature guerilla posters and billboards ads throughout the borough, gracing subways, buses and streets. Its centerpiece is a full takeover of the Bedford Avenue station in Williamsburg, a symbolic nexus of old and new Brooklyn. Street pole banners will also be displayed in Downtown Brooklyn and Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass).

A first glimpse of the campaign premiered at the Barclays Center last month at the home opener for the New York Liberty’s 2024 season.