As humans, we naturally are drawn to other people who share similar interests. When we talk about community, we focus on a common thread used to bring people together to advocate and support one another. In its simplest form, a community is a group of people with something in common.
That sense of belonging that comes along with being a part of a community gives people a supportive group to help them cope with difficult challenges, brings them together to solve problems, as well as celebrate life’s lighter moments.
Whether it be through a physical group where members meet up on a regular basis, or via a virtual space like social media groups, connecting with your community is important, especially when you are new to the neighborhood.
Finding common connections with your new surroundings is beneficial to homeowners in a variety of ways. If the area is one that is completely new for you, finding organizations or groups within your neighborhood will allow for the opportunity to learn all about your new surroundings.
Whether that entails discovering local businesses to shop at, linking up with volunteer based organizations, joining a club. or discovering some of the history behind your town, creating these types of relationships with other people helps foster a sense of belonging.
One way to get involved is to check out the social events your local neighborhood has planned. Oftentimes seasonal events are organized for residents to get involved and enjoy some local hometown fun. Two upcoming fall events here in Brooklyn – Blocktoberfest 2022 hosted by the NY Brewers Guild on Satruday, October 1st, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The annual fall festival celebrates beer brewed here in NYC.
Two weeks later, on Saturday October 15th, there is a Fall Festival taking place at Atlantic Terminal Mall with a host of fun activities for children and families.
A strong sense of community has also been shown to have positive effects on both mental and physical health. Connecting with your community helps prevent isolation and teaches people how to be more empathetic towards one another.
Curious to learn more on how being connected to your surroundings is important to your overall well-being? We’re sharing a few of the ways in which community enriches people’s lives for the better.
Community Enhances Your Sense of Belonging
A sense of belonging is one of the most significant needs that humans have. It is what draws us together with other like-minded individuals who we can turn to for friendship and support. It is here where we discover common ground with those around us. When people find themselves as the “new guy in town,” it helps to get to know your neighbors. Lifelong friendships have been made between people who met by chance due to geographic location.
Community Encourages Social Support
Being part of a community enables us to show support to others. If you look within your neighborhood, you’re likely to find organizations that were created for the sole purpose of helping out the community.
In Brooklyn, The Kiwanis Club of Brooklyn is dedicated to helping local children and families through a variety of wonderful programs. Being a part of such an organization means you’re making a difference in the lives of others while helping to build a better community.
Community Reduces Anxiety and Depression
When people feel connected to a part of something bigger, it gives them a sense of purpose and need. Being able to help others, whether it be a nieghbor, or an organization, creates a feeling of accomplishment, and a sense of pride knowing that you have made a difference, no matter how large or small, in someone’s life. Providing support to others will in turn make others aid you in your time of need.
Community Builds Trust
When we build a strong sense of community, we’re also building trust with people who are not in our immediate circle. Connecting in a community allows you to step outside your comfort zone.
Oftentimes, when new to an area, it can be difficult to find some of the things we take for granted in more familiar surroundings. Doctors, childcare, petcare, repairmen, you name it, we all have questions when we move to a new location.
Social media is a great resource for connecting with people within your local area. If you search platforms like Facebook, you can find private groups geared towards your particular area. Instagram is another great resource to search for groups. Join and follow the ones you find valuable to obtain a wealth of information.
A great example on Facebook is the public group entitled, Brooklyn Food, dedicated to highlighting all things food related. On Instagram, check out Brooklyn Magazine, a page dedicated to all things for the borough. Whether you pose questions, or take notes on suggestions from other members, you are bound to find some true gems.
Social media has proven to be a valuable tool when it comes to connecting to your community. The internet is a great tool when it comes to finding local events and activities taking place in your neighborhood. Brooklyn residents can always check out the website, Happening Next, as well as Patch, to find out what is happening within the borough.
Community Provides Opportunites for Businesses
When people have a strong sense of community, they want to see their neighborood and its people flourish and one way in which to ensure that is by supporting local businesses. Whether it’s through online communities, or word of mouth, community’s assistance helps business owners interact with customers and gain valuable feedback.
There are many reasons why connecting with your community is important, finding a sense of belonging and purpose is truly at the heart of it all. Overall, it enhances our quality of life as well as enhancing our hometown.
It may come as a surprise but yes, there is a day recognizing one of our favorite caffeinated beverages.
In 2014, the International Coffee Organization declared October 1st as International Coffee Day, with National Coffee Day being celebrated two days earlier on September 29th. Both days give coffee lovers an occasion to celebrate their favorite beverage, which just so happens to be the most consumed drink in the world, as well as a great way to learn more about this ancient drink.
With a very long history, the start of coffee can be traced back to around 700 AD. As time progressed, so did coffee itself, receiving more attention and eventually progressing into the drink it is today. These days the caffeinated beverage is regarded as one of the greatest crops. It’s safe to say, coffee lovers have been enjoying their favorite “Cup O’ Joe” for a very long time!
If you are an avid coffee drinker, then you know what it feels like to smell the aroma of a freshly brewed pot. Day in and day out people all over the world wake up anticipating that first sip. Whether you need that first cup the moment you wake up, to get the day started, or even to help you make it through the day, there are so many ways to enjoy all of the different kinds of blends.
Did you know….
Nowadays, there are many different kinds of coffee to choose from. Whether you enjoy a latte, a cappuccino, an espresso, or maybe an Americano, the different blends, strengths, and flavors provide coffee lovers with an array of options.
With National Coffee Day right around the corner, what better way to celebrate than to try a a new coffee inspired recipe, a new flavor, or even a completely different brew than you normally drink.
Along with the larger coffee chains, there are many wonderful local coffee shops where you can grab your favorite brew. Brooklyn is filled with endless choices so ask around, check out your neighbored, or do a search online to discover some of the borough’s popular spots and hidden gems. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a few local shops to help you celebrate the day.
Sey Coffee – Located in the East Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, the cafe offers coffee lovers a unique experience. With it’s bright and airy atmosphere, this contemporary micro roastery serves a variety of the most dynamic and complex coffee selections. 18 Grattan Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Brooklyn Perk – Serving up peace, love, and unity along with their coffee, this local coffee shop, located in the Prospect Lefferts-Gardens section of Brooklyn offers cool vibes and a wide assortment of caffeinated beverages to choose from, along with a selection of sweet treats. 605 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225
Cup of Joe Coffee Co. – This vintage-inspired boutique coffee shop offers its customers the feel of a neighborhood cafe with the convenience of a quick service shop. Here you’ll find only the highest quality beans that are freshly roasted to perfection. 7407 5th Avenue, Brooklyn,NY 11209
Social House Cafe – This Williamsburg cafe offers not only an array of different coffees (the beans are imported directly from Italy) but their fall lattes, which include Nutella, lavender, and white chocolate, are the talk of the neighborhood. Along with your coffee, you can pick up a delicious French pastry or take a seat and enjoy a dish from their brunch menu. 60 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Pep Bakehouse and Coffee Shop – With four locations within Brooklyn, Pep Bakehouse and Coffee Shop is a true artisan bakery, serving up fresh croissants and pastries daily using only fresh, local, and natural ingredients. And when it comes to their coffees, they work with the best Italian and Columbian manufacturers. From the wide assortment of baked goods, chances are you won’t be leaving empty-handed.
To help celebrate this caffeinated holiday, the Brooklyn MLS has teamed up with some local coffee businesses in bringing you some of the finest roasts. From September 29th – October 1st, we’ll be giving away one coffee basket per day. Participants will have the chance to win one of the following three:
To enter, follow the Brooklyn MLS on Instagram and Facebook. Like our post, comment, tag a friend or two (more tags = more entries). Share the post to your Instagram story for extra entries!
However and wherever you choose to celebrate, Happy National Coffee Day!
Celebrated yearly, Black History Month is a time to learn and understand Black history and culture while going beyond the stories of racism and slavery to spotlight and celebrate Black achievement. It’s an opportunity for Americans to gain a greater understanding of the details surrounding a part of our nation’s history.
Many important events in Black history have taken place during the month of February. Prior to becoming a month-long celebration, Black History Month began in 1926 as “Negro History Week.”
Celebrated the second week of February, it coincided with Black abolitionist and writer, Frederick Douglas, and President Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays—two figures who played important roles in shaping Black history.
By the late ‘60s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement, Negro History Week was celebrated by mayors in cities across the country. By 1970, the event evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses, with Kent State being the first.
Six years later, President Ford recognized Black History Month, and in 1986, Congress passed “National Black History Month” into law.
It is important for Americans to be aware of and understand the struggle for freedom and equality not just in February, but all year long.
During this dedicated month in our country to celebrate the achievements of African Americans, one of the ways to do so is by supporting Black-owned business owners. The past year has been especially hard for small businesses trying to stay afloat during the pandemic and being able to show your love and support is extremely rewarding.
In a multi-cultural city like Brooklyn, our neighborhoods are filled with many wonderful small businesses. In an effort to turn the spotlight on these innovative owners, we’ve put together a selection of businesses you’ll want to support today and every day!
History & Culture
Weeksville Heritage Center – This historic site and cultural center situated in central Brooklyn is rich in history. Founded in 1838, Weeksville was a free African American community, the 2nd largest in the pre-civil war era.
By the 1850’s, Weeksville was a farming village that was home to 525 families who lived in wooden framed houses. Today, there are three remaining homes which sit on what was once known as Hunterfly Road.
It wasn’t until the 1940’s that most of the homes were taken over by urban renewal plans. The Kingsborough Housing projects were built and Weeksville was absorbed in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
In 1968, a historian re-discovered what was left of historic Weeksville, and through his work, the Hunterfly Road Houses were declared NYC landmarks and the Weeksville Heritage Center was born.
Their mission is to inspire, educate visitors on the history of Weeksville, and illuminate a pivotal aspect of Black history. 158 Buffalo Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11213
Food & Drink
Cuts & Slices – Located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, this local pizzeria is the vision of owner Randy Mclaran, who took his passion for food and a decade of restaurant experience to open up Cuts & Slices in 2018. Offering an array of innovative toppings (think chicken and waffles, jerk shrimp, and even a vegan daily special), customers regularly line up outside for a cut or slice. 93 Howard Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Happy Cork Wine & Spirits – The brainchild of Sunshine Foss, the entrepreneur has created a unique and different type of business for Black and minority owned wines and spirits. Happy Cork, located in Bedford-Stuyvesant, gives off a boutique feel with its charming decor. Along with wine and spirits, the store also features a small marketplace of specialty items from local makers of color and women artists.
51 Buffalo Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11233
Home & Design
BLK MKT Vintage – Founded in 2014 by Brooklyn-natives, Kiyanna Stewart and Jannah Handy, the two entrepreneurs took their love of vintage wares along with their experience and opened a brick-and-mortar shop that specializes in heirlooms, cast-offs, and curiosities that represent the richness of Black history and lived experiences. While their store is currently closed due to the pandemic, their online shop is open for business. 465 Marcus Garvey Blvd., Brooklyn, NY 11216
Rituals + Ceremony – A home goods and lifestyle store located in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, Rituals + Ceremony is the dream of entrepreneur Sarah Williams. Filled with unique and aesthetically pleasing products, Sarah wanted to create the kind of space she herself had been looking for; one filled with all things zen. Having found most of these kinds of places owned by white people, her vision was to have a similar spot she could walk into and see a familiar face. As many businesses have faced struggles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the store is currently closed, but the online shop is open. 717B Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Heath & Wellness
HealHaus – For anyone looking to nurture their mind, body, and soul, HealHaus offers a wide range of holistic practices that will help guide you on your journey. With a shared passion for healing and a desire to create a therapeutic and inclusive space inviting for all genders, good friends Elisa Shankle and Darian Hall designed a wellness center and cafe that is warm and welcoming. With an a la carte menu of experiences like Vinyasa yoga, mindful breath mediation, and couples therapy, people can explore different experiences that will help guide them in the healing process, all while feeling supported by those around them. 1082 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Brooklyn Braised – This farm-to-table meal delivery service is the brainchild of Christa Lynch that provides seasonally inspired menus offering healthy food options. Using ingredients sourced through a network of local farmers, the meals are prepared from their commercial kitchen and delivered to all parts of Brooklyn. Seeing a need in her Bed-Stuy community for healthy food options that fit into busy lifestyles, Brooklyn Braised is a proud minority, woman-owned and operated business that supports local and minority owned vendors across the country.
Style & Beauty
Papa Rozier Farms – This Bushwick boutique specializes in all-natural beauty products, while serving as a vehicle toward a more radical mission, to help build up Haiti. Owned by siblings Rubens Amedee and Fredeline Amedee-Benjamin, the two felt helpless after the 2010 earthquake that devastated their birth country. After starting an organic farm on rural land owned by their late grandfather, the natural, handmade beauty products are made from primary crops grown on Papa Rozier Farms in Haiti. While temporarily closed until May, all of their products can be found on their website. 96 Knickerbocker Ave, Brooklyn NY 11237
Free Edge Beauty Studio – With extensive experience, Raven Voorhees runs Free Edge Beauty which takes a personalized, diligent approach to nail care. A Coney Island native, Raven provides her clientele with a natural approach to nail care, as well as educating them with her extensive knowledge. In addition to understanding what’s in the products used, clients can find designs that are unique and fun. Appointments are required and can be made directly online. 567 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216
As one of the five boroughs that make up New York City, Brooklyn, is the most populous. If it were to be its own separate city, it would be the third-largest in the United States, right after Los Angeles and Chicago, although those stats may soon change. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough’s population has grown by 5.3 percent since 2010 and is likely to surpass Chicago in population for the first time since 1890.
Brooklyn, (otherwise known as “Breuckelen” in the 1600s) was one of six small towns occupied by Dutch settlers. The land changed hands up until the 19th century when American settlers moved in and the city began to rise in notoriety. As the borough went through a transformation, it was renamed to its present-day moniker and in 1868 consolidated with New York City.
Dating back over 350 years, Brooklyn was a popular destination for immigrants in the United States, and today, it continues to be a sought-after place to put down roots. With an estimated population of 2.6 million people, it has long been known as a melting pot for many different cultures.
The residents, all from different cultural backgrounds, are what make the borough so unique. From their similarities to their differences, and even their grit, native “Brooklynites” often take for granted their “uniqueness” because it’s always been a part of who they are.
Like a magnet, Brooklyn continuously attracts new buyers. The beauty, history, and accessibility to mostly anything one might want, or need are big selling points when it comes to finding the perfect location.
Throughout the years, the different cultures and ethnicities are what have made up the rich tapestry of this city. As the years go by, the cultural map of Brooklyn has changed as a result of its population. The constant influx in immigrants moving in offsets the number of residents who move out of state to other parts of the country. So as one group leaves in search of real estate elsewhere, newer groups come in and replace them, and what we once believed to be an area highly populated by one culture may no longer hold true. Yet despite the changes, which can be seen and felt throughout all neighborhoods, the one constant that remains is the borough’s spirit.
Breaking Down the Brooklyn Neighborhoods
For example, in the middle of the 20th century, the Brownsville section of Brooklyn was compromised of mainly people of the Jewish religion whereas today the neighborhood is home to many African Americans, along with Bedford-Stuyvesant. The Jewish residents, both Hasidic and Orthodox, have also planted roots in neighborhoods such as Borough Park, Flatbush, Midwood, Canarsie, Crown Heights, and Williamsburg while those who are not as religious tend to settle in the areas of Park Slope, Ditmas Park, and Windsor Terrace.
Brighton Beach, which at one time was mainly a Jewish neighborhood, is now home to the largest concentration of Russians in the state. What first attracted settlers were the neighborhood’s proximity to the water; it reminded many immigrants of Odessa, their hometown which overlooked a harbor on the Black Sea. Today, both Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay boast large Ukranian and Russian populations and businesses and are appropriately nicknamed, “Little Russia” and “Little Odessa.”
You may also find certain neighborhoods popular amongst more than just one ethnic group. Bensonhurst, known as the “Little Italy” of Brooklyn, is also home to the borough’s second Chinatown (the first, and largest being in Sunset Park). It’s here you can also find the largest population of residents born in China of any neighborhood in New York City. Other neighborhoods in the Southern part of Brooklyn where the Chinese American population is present include Bath Beach, Sunset Park, Gravesend, and Homecrest, an area sometimes considered a part of Sheepshead Bay.
In addition to Bensonhurst, other neighborhoods in Southern Brooklyn with a large Italian community include Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge, Carroll Gardens, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Gravesend, and Bergen Beach.
Along with having a large Italian presence, Bay Ridge is also home to many Arab American and Muslim communities, as well as a large concentration of Irish Americans. Other Irish neighborhoods include Marine Park, Vinegar Hill, and Gerritsen Beach.
In the northern part of the city, the neighborhood of Bushwick boasts the largest Hispanic community within the borough. Approximately 80% of the population are Hispanic while the remaining percent are of Puerto Rican, Dominican, and South American descent. Other neighborhoods with a large Puerto Rican and Dominican population include East New York, Williamsburg, and Sunset Park, a neighborhood that also includes a large Mexican presence.
According to the 2010 Census the racial and ethnic breakdown of Brooklyn was as follows:
The Census, a survey conducted every 10 years in which the country counts its population, provides critical data used to bring services, products, and support for the people and their communities. The next Census is currently taking place this year; once the latest information is released in 2021, we’ll have a better understanding of the changes that have taken place over the last decade.
