Awardees

Congratulations to the 12 Rediscover Your Heart awardees! Please see below for a brief description of the projects and the award committee's comments (in italics):

Sustainable Flatbush
Susan Siegel
Brooklyn, NY

A garden in Flatbush, Brooklyn will be turned into a space for the community to forge new inter-faith, inter-ethnic and inter-generational relationships in the community, building an empowered community of residents who collaboratively take ownership and involvement in the garden. Consciousness about healthy eating, sustainability and exposure to permaculture, composting, rainwater harvesting, nutrition education, financial and English literacy will further empower gardeners to take a more active role in personal and community development, thereby transforming lives and eventually the planet.

“Nice combination of community-building with environmental education and awareness.”
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The World Is Ours: Global Issues, Local Change
Gabriella Callender
Woodside, NY

This project will showcase artists-- native New Yorkers and NYC residents from around the world-- whose artistry speaks to the social issues of their people. Additionally, educators, grassroots organizers, public officials, and non-profit representatives will inspire dialogue and discussion about active solutions and responses to a specific social issue. The goal of this project is provide inspirational art, educational resources, and motivational empowerment to thousands of people who were previously inactive in dealing with the social issues of their community.

“Art and music can be very powerful tools for change.”
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Young Wheelers In Need
Linda Zhao
Brooklyn, NY

Young Wheelers In Need Project helps people with disabilities to purchase everyday living aids necessary for them to complete daily tasks without assistance. Truly, a person who has the right equipment for his/her level of ability is literally free of physical limitations. We all have the responsibility to look to the future and to help each other find ways to live fuller, more fulfilling lives. Adaptive equipment makes that future possible.

“A very tangible and beneficial project that deserves more support.”
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CALLE (Creating Artistic Links to Liberation and Expression)
Kira Neel
Brooklyn, NY

CALLE (Creating Artistic Links to Liberation and Expression) is a bilingual (Spanish/English) street theater project designed to empower high school aged youth to voice their visions and opinions through theater in an increasingly segregated city. The troupe will be responsible for developing bilingual plays to draw attention to issues affecting them in New York City, incorporating personal stories and research from interviews of characters and experiences of city dwellers. The focus will be on stories that may expose ideas and issues that do not commonly find a platform for articulation and dialogue.

“Using the power of theater to empower and bring people together.”
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Welcome to Rainbow's End
Steven Martinez
Brooklyn, NY

"Welcome to Rainbow's End" will be a film that explores a friendship between a group of young gay people of color and their life/struggle in New York City. This project represents a dream of bringing to screen characters that mirror the lives of so many people whose stories are invisible. It is designed to inspire people to see that underneath the color of our skin, underneath our sexual identity, and underneath the labels, we are all alike. The realities of all communities are rich and multi-dimensional and the struggles for success are universal; this struggle is one that all can relate to.

“Important stories to tell.”
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LinkEducation
Anna Markowitz
Brooklyn, NY

LinkEducation connects children with education opportunities by making it possible for parents, teachers and organizations to find education-related resources in their communities. Parents, guardians, educators and community members can easily visit LinkEducation.org to find information about quality and affordable education programs such as after school tutoring, homework help, and alternative schools simply by entering their zip code and key words. This allows users to make informed decisions about improving their children’s education.

“Very valuable project with potential to reach and benefit thousands of people.”
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Global NeED (Global Network for Educational Development)
Juliette Snyder
Philadelphia / New York

Global Bridge is a Secondary School in Cambodia which provides educational opportunities for students that previously had no access to schooling. The goal of the project is to connect this school with schools in the US, and thereby cross the bridge of global understanding. Through the Internet students of Cambodia will link with students in the US. They will be able to learn about each other’s cultures, teach one another language, and become sensitized to each other's challenges. This relationship will serve as a prototype in linking schools in the US with schools in other countries.

“Great initiative to build global connections and awareness.”
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Street Chat
Julie Troost and Jed Geiman
Brooklyn, NY

"Street Chat" is a simple pair of seats built on a mobile platform that creates a new space for passers-by to engage in an unlikely conversation with one another. Two individuals who would otherwise have passed each other by are invited by a moderator to take a seat and talk to each other. The two are given a list of questions to ask one another about who they are and what matters to them most, inciting a meaningful dialog between complete strangers. The interactions are videotaped and will be made into a documentary afterwards.

"Creative concept that can be replicated everywhere.”
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The Drop-in Dinner Series
Chitra Aiyar
Brooklyn, NY

The project aims to create a drop-in dinner culture - to develop and foster community so that on any given day, individuals who are looking for some good food or good company have a place to go and are made to feel welcome. Through conversation and the breaking of bread, people will foster new and real connections (in contrast with social networking sites) and begin to drop-in on each other, rather than waiting for formal invites.

“A simple yet effective project that can do much to build trust and friendships.”
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Response to Hate & Bias Music Video
Kirsten Connor
New York, NY

The project will be carried out by The CityKids Repertory Company (Rep), a reputable performing arts company that creates original material based on the issues that young people struggle with. The focus of Rep’s work will put toward the development of an original script and video responding to the need for people to see past negative stereotypes based on race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. This project aims to foster a cross-cultural conversation about confronting hate, which will transcend race, ethnicity, class, age and geography and inspire even more young people to do the same.

“Great inclusive cross-cultural project.”
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Threads That Teach Public School Program
Patricia Bradby
New York, NY

Threads That Teach aims to develop arts education in inner-city public schools through creative programs, which help young students acquire the necessary skills for success in today’s increasingly competitive society. Threads That Teach engages students with a hands-on, comprehensive arts curriculum. Student volunteers and part-time staff members enter existing arts classes in New York City public schools using art lessons to teach entrepreneurial skills, marketing, and money management. With these skills, students design and sell apparel from which all of the proceeds are put directly back into their respective school's budget for arts education programming.

“Great combination of art and business skills.”
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Design Your Future Support Group
Adam Bucko
New York, NY

The Design Your Future Support Group is a long-term support group for homeless youth of New York City who normally only have access to short term support programs. The group focuses on offering tools that can help youth overcome poverty, realize their full potential and be a force for change in the world. The group features innovative career and education programming where youth have a chance to be coached by and collaborate on creative projects with executives, creativity and contemplation based therapeutic and empowerment practices such as art therapy, yoga, meditation, acupuncture and massage, and strong emphasis on social responsibility and service to others.

“Important focus on the longer term impact of support programs.”