By Fern Gillespie
Bedford Stuyvesant’s historic Magnolia Tree Earth Center is blooming into its new era. After many years, the scaffolding blocking the organizations trio of beautiful brownstones and magnificent magnolia tree has come down. Now the beauty of the building and blooms are exposed.
“It’s an exceptional piece of architecture that we inherited from Hattie Carthan,” said Wayne Devonish, the board chairman of the Magnolia Tree Earth Center and a real estate executive. “What she did here has me inspired to getting it where it needs to be.”
Hattie Carthan left the Virginia section of Washington, D.C. to move to Brooklyn in 1928. By 1953, she settled in Bedford-Stuyvesant. A senior citizen, she was an early urban environment activist. She planted over 1500 trees in Bedford Stuyvesant.
When the New York City government slated the three buildings and the magnolia tree to be torn down, she challenged the city.
“She stood in the way, and told the City ‘you were not doing any of that. As a matter of fact, you’re going to landmark to brownstones, you’re going to landmark the tree, and I’m going to buy the brownstones from you,’” said Devonish. “So she bought the brownstones from the city and started and the nonprofit the Magnolia Tree Earth Center. I’m one of her biggest fans. What she did really has me motivated to be here and contribute.”
Magnolia Tree Earth Center is the first environmental space in Central Brooklyn focusing on issues about the environment. “When no one was thinking about the environment, especially in the 60s and 70s. The magnolia tree has been the only living landmark in New York State,” said Devonish.
“The three brownstones that overlook the park are worth around $6 million in property. It’s all in Black community hands hands. That really makes it unique. I saw the need to preserve this institution. But also the space. There’s nothing else like it around here.”
“It’s a community resource where folks can learn about the environment. Learn about gardening. Having workforce development and all sorts of interactions,” he said. “A lot of cool cultural classes happen here. This summer, it was a youth program with an energy institute, OSHA classes, plumbing class, and a flower show.”
To restore the building, Devonish galvanized the board and the community to raise $350,000. “We just dug deep and figured out a way. Go fund me and relationships. Construction was completed and fines were paid,” he said. “Now the beautiful brownstones can be seen without scaffolding in front.”
The next major hurdle is a 90 day campaign launching on August 1
It’s a fundraiser for the $150,000 new boiler so the building can be properly heated.
Devonish, whose family is from Guyana, was born in Bed Stuy.
He traveled to A. Phillip Randolph High School in Harlem and attended Hunter College, where he earned a degree in biology. His first job was at Habitat for Humanity and then he went to Keller Graduate School and earned a MBA. He owns a house in Bed Stuy.
These degrees are reflected in his careers as an advocate for environmental justice and home ownership. He is executive director of Bedford Central Community Development, where he has worked for 20 years.
“We function mainly doing financial literacy. But our biggest course is our first time home buyer course. We help folks get their first home and get hold of that money and get hold of all the professionals and Team they need to get their home,” he said. “Gentrification can really be battled efficiently, through home ownership.
As a renter, you were at the mercy of the market. Where, as once you get a home, you are pretty much locked in with the mortgage. As a homeowner you are in a way better position than someone who is renting.”
In 2010, he was inspired to create a 500 Men Making A Difference, nonprofit focusing on Black men and mentorship. “It came about because I saw a lack of men collectively engaged in community service. And my lack of having partners to do some of the Community Services that I wanted to do,” he said. “I decided why don’t I work with some positive guys.”
“We are getting our young people plugged and connected to to mentorship, workforce development. Also jobs that AI can’t take away like plumbing, electrical, flooring, and sheet rock installing,” he said. “We promote and facilitate people working with their hands. A lot of our members own construction companies and trade companies.
They are our internal teaching force.”
In August 2027, the 500 Men are going to bring 300 people to Ghana for 10 days. Devonish has been to Ghana many times to visit and assist in local projects. “In Ghana, we will experience the culture, look at relocation and investment opportunities, to do some tourism and work on an orphanage that we adopted.”
When 500 Men Making a Difference began in 2010, Devonish and the members were mentoring homeless young men. “We took these young men to Broadway shows, we connected with them on the weekends, doing workforce development and games like basketball.
We were talking with them,” he said. “ Now they are adults and they’ve joined our ranks. They reach back and do mentoring. The cycle is in full affect and keeps growing.