CLP x Washington Square Park is rescheduled based on a few reasons:
- No special events permit- as required by the NYC Parks / Washington Square Park Conservancy for use of “equipment”
- NO KINGS DAY protests- while ASNEAA is a fan of democracy and freedom of speech, we were not prepared to accomodate large groups of people (outside of the normal traffic I observed during multiple site visits)
- PAUSE / REFLECTION is also revolutionary- the event planning experience provided opportunities for various community stakeholders to consider our human intersections and the overlap of communities we ALL serve.
After an eventful summer- as noted on the ASNEAA social media accounts; I needed to regroup too. Coming close to five years of CLP programming centering BIPOC communities is a professional (and personal) accomplishment- in the face of real backlash to DEI(S) initiatives. The current socio-political climate is reminiscent of ASNEAA’s early roots and why the organization was created in the first place- to unpack our complicated history in community, SAFELY. During the global COVID-19 pandemic; safety was a no-brainer for the ASNEAA DEI lens- connecting wholistic research on the human experience [at the time], not limited to public health and multicultural heritage throughout NYC. It was not that long ago, but it was brief moment where people were forced to care because we were ALL in the “same boat” of being socially quarantined around the world. Remember banging pots out of windows and making noise to celebrate healthcare workers because their work matters (still does!)- not to mention the millions of lives lost.
Starting a business during an unprecedented time is the ultimate test of adversity; especially when the business mission is addressing racism and systemic injustice. Some would say that’s a double whammy- including my landlord! The reality is my commitment to social justice has impacted me both professionally and personally and has consequences on my livelihood; including housing eviction and harrassment. This experience has exposed me to the limited capacity of public agencies, institutions, and offices to address the macro issues of the “needy” communities they serve.
The government shut down (currently the second longest in US history) feels like another layer in this “twilight zone”. I have made no reservations about the brokeness of the public welfare system- both as a social justice advocate and poor person- to anyone that will listen. As America approaches 250 years old (and my birth state, New York- the 400 years old mark), we might ALL need PAUSE / REFLECTION.
ASNEAA continues to scale our programming for real impact metrics on the multi-dimensional praxis (online + in-person) and refinement of the “social justice” business model. Our north star for the ASNEAA global lens and cultural heritage mapping is the United Nations (UN) and UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization). Here’s to long term goals, sustainable peace, and healthy collab-petition rooted in productivity that centers ALL people and places:
