Fern Gillespie
Under the current White House administration, federal grants indicating any support of diversity and racial justice are proposed to be eliminated. At the philanthropy nonprofit Brooklyn Org, it is the opposite.
“Racial justice is an ongoing practice that we center in our work,” stated Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, President and CEO of Brooklyn Org. In April, Brooklyn Org announced that $1.8 million in new grants were presented to 17 nonprofit Brooklyn organizations working to advance racial, social, and economic justice across the borough. The nonprofits receiving support were selected for their work to address urgent and long-standing issues impacting communities across the borough.
“Today, nonprofits need reassurance that they will have the resources to operate. Our role at Brooklyn Org is to stand firm, provide stability and mobilize greater support in this moment of crisis,” announced Dr. Rainey. “We will be working relentlessly to serve as a counterweight to the chaos. We will bork to galvanize donors and stakeholders to increase their giving and fund nonprofits at higher levels to close the gaps that the federal government creates.”
These nonprofit grantees have missions that focus on immigration, essential workers, older adults, neighborhood institutions and education initiatives. Grantees include: Fort Greene Park Conservancy, Griot Circle, The Opportunity Hub, Project Guardianship, Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn, and Street Vendor Project.
“It’s been a joy to be able to provide services to older adults and to be recognized by Brooklyn Org, one of the organizations in Brooklyn that really supports community organizations,” grantee Selma Jackson, President of Age Friendly Central Brooklyn, told Our Time Press. “We are so excited that we were selected to be one of the grantees for 2025. We provide cultural and community events for our older adult members.
Age Friendly Central Brooklyn also collaborates with high school programs with senior and youth projects. Recent activities have ranged from a special bus tour of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Trail from New York to Canada. Recently, the group visited the Jackie Robinson Museum and met Robinson’s son David. “We were excited. Most of the members are from the age group who saw Jackie Robinson play at Ebbets Field,” said Jackson. “I think that older people are looking to explore this period in their lives where they are enjoying and having interactions, they didn’t have time for because they were so busy.”
In addition to Age Friendly Central Brooklyn, several nonprofits headed by Black executives received a Brooklyn Org grant. Cool Culture, now celebrating 25 years, is headed by Candace Anderson, Executive Director. It has provided access to New York City’s arts and culture to over one million families of color and families experiencing poverty to freely explore museums, festivals, and cultural activities without financial barriers. Documented, an independent nonprofit newsroom co-founded by veteran journalist Mazi Sidahmed, is dedicated to covering New York City immigrant communities. It provides reporting and resource guides in English, Spanish, Chinese and Haitian Creole.
Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, under the leadership of Ninaj Raoul, Executive Director and Co-Founder, was founded in 1992 to respond to the human needs of Haitian refugees and immigrants in the U.S. fleeing persecution. Based in Flatbush, it provides direct service, organizing, and political education in the movement to defend Black migrants and stop anti-Black deportation. Kindred Bakery BK, founded by educators Qiana Daniels and Nigel Thompson, is based in Flatbush and provides hands-on training in creating artisan breads in professional kitchens.
The program equips participants with STEAM and practical skills. The Flossy Organization, founded by Jibreel Jalloh, Executive Director, is based in Canarsie and provides a dynamic educational experience designed to cultivate advocacy, civic engagement, and social justice skills among participants across generations. United for Brownsville, headed by Co-Executive Directors David Harrington and Anita Luckett, facilitates collaborations between families and social services to create equitable solutions to inequities. The Weeksville Heritage Center, directed by Dr. Raymond Codrington, President and CEO, contains one of largest free Black communities in pre-Civil War America.
Several grants were awarded to Hispanic women heading racial justice nonprofits. At the Laundry Workers Center, Rosanna Rodriguez, is the Co-Executive Director and advocates for laundry workers getting decent pay, workers comp, job tools and respect from bosses. The Envision Freedom Fund has Rosa Santana, Co-Executive Director, working with underserved communities in criminal cases and immigrant issues. At Workers Justice Project, Ligia M. Guallpa, Executive Director, assists low-wage immigrant worker on achieving better work conditions and social justice.
The Brooklyn Org grants give nonprofits the opportunity to expand their services. For Weeksville Heritage Center, it’s program expansion. “With this generous support from Brooklyn Org, we will expand our educational partnerships and strategic planning,” stated Dr. Codrington. “It will ensure Weeksville’s story of Black self-determination and community building remains relevant and accessible to young people throughout Brooklyn who deserve to see themselves reflected in the stories we tell.”
Brooklyn Org reviews funding applications on a rolling basis and announces new community grants twice a year. The next grantmaking announcement will be made in fall of 2025.