Stoops Art Crawl celebrates 10-year anniversary in Bed-Stuy
Organizers say the goal is to embrace and honor the historical legacy of Black community members who transformed the neighborhood into a cultural stomping ground.
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Dozens of New Yorkers came together on Saturday to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Stoops Art Crawl in Bed-Stuy.
"The legacy of Stoops in Bed-Stuy, the legacy of block parties in Bed-Stuy... I want people to experience all the richness that this neighborhood has to offer," said Kendra J. Bostock, who created Stoops Art Crawl, also known as Stoops Bed-Stuy.
This year’s theme was inspired by Black utopia. Organizers said the goal is to embrace and honor the historical legacy of Black community members who transformed the neighborhood into a cultural stomping ground.
"It's the resilience, it's the persistence and the hard work of Black folks and Caribbean folks in this neighborhood that not only transformed it from the do-or-die Bed-Stuy that we used to know of, to the place of gentrification butts that are holding on to the cultural richness," Bostock added.
From music to dance, spoken words, and workshops, participants learned new and creative ways to express themselves.
"Throughout working with Stoops for the past decade, I found ways to transform my art and also respond to issues in the community," said theater artist Wema Ragophala.
Organizers said Stoops has also created an avenue for artists to share their talents and to highlight local businesses so people from the neighborhood can create organic connections.
