EL PUENTE DE WILLIAMSBURG INC

1. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENTEL PUENTE DEVELOPS THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES TO IMAGINE AND ADVOCATE FOR THEIR SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGES FACING THEIR COMMUNITIES. THROUGH SKILLS-BASED PROGRAMMING, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND CAMPAIGNS, EL PUENTE MEMBERS LEAD SOCIAL CHANGE.THE WILLIAMSBURG LEADERSHIP CENTER (WLC) HOUSED IN A RENOVATED FORMER CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LOS SURES, THE WLC IS EL PUENTE'S ORIGINAL FLAGSHIP SITE. SINCE 1982, IT HAS BEEN A HUB FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, CULTURAL EVENTS, AND GROUNDBREAKING INITIATIVES. IT INCLUDES A PROFESSIONAL DANCE STUDIO, ART ROOM, AND PERFORMANCE STAGE.211 SOUTH 4TH STREET, BROOKLYN, NY 11211 | 718-387-0404EL PUENTE BEACON LEADERSHIP CENTER AT MS 50SERVING OVER 1,300 PARTICIPANTS YEAR-ROUND, THE BEACON CENTER OFFERS BILINGUAL AFTERSCHOOL AND EVENING PROGRAMS IN BALLET, STREET JAZZ, ACTING, BREAKING, AND VISUAL ARTS. A PRE-PROFESSIONAL SUMMER ARTS CAMP SUPPORTS YOUTH AGES 6-13.183 SOUTH 3RD STREET, BROOKLYN, NY 11211 | 718-486-3936CORNERSTONE LEADERSHIP CENTERSOPERATING IN FOUR NYCHA DEVELOPMENTS (INDEPENDENCE TOWERS, TAYLOR-WYTHE HOUSES, WILLIAMS PLAZA, AND BERRY STREET), THESE CENTERS OFFER AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS DESIGNED AROUND YOUTH- AND FAMILY-IDENTIFIED NEEDS: FROM ARTS INSTRUCTION AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND FOOD ACCESS.SITES INCLUDE:- BUSHWICK LEADERSHIP CENTER- INDEPENDENCE TOWERS LEADERSHIP CENTER- TAYLOR-WYTHE LEADERSHIP CENTER- WILLIAMS PLAZA LEADERSHIP CENTER

2. ARTSEL PUENTE CHANNELS THE POWER OF THE ARTS TOWARD PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION. YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGE IN PRE-PROFESSIONAL VISUAL, PERFORMANCE, AND DIGITAL ARTS TRAINING, AND COMMUNITY ARTISTS INCUBATE CULTURAL ORGANIZING AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE CADRE NETWORK.AT THE HEART OF OUR APPROACH IS THE BELIEF THAT THE ARTS ARE NOT ONLY EXPRESSIVE BUT TRANSFORMATIVE: THEY CONNECT US, TEACH US ACROSS DIFFERENCES, AND OFFER PATHWAYS FOR HEALING. THROUGH FRAMEWORKS DEVELOPED BY OUR GLOBAL JUSTICE INSTITUTE-CREATIVE JUSTICE, TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY BUILDING, AND PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP FOR LIBERATION-WE GUIDE ARTISTS IN USING THEIR CREATIVE PRACTICE TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT THE MOVEMENTS ALIGNED WITH OUR ACTION PLATFORM FOR COLLECTIVE SELF-DETERMINATION.OUR PROGRAMMING INCLUDES:YOUTH ARTS & CULTURAL ORGANIZING COLLECTIVES (YACOC)OUR INTERGENERATIONAL YOUTH COLLECTIVES BLEND PRE-PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN VISUAL, PERFORMING, AND DIGITAL ARTS WITH CULTURAL AND POLITICAL EDUCATION. YOUNG PEOPLE EXCAVATE THEIR PERSONAL AND ANCESTRAL STORIES, CONFRONT SOCIETAL INJUSTICES, AND CREATE ORIGINAL WORKS THAT CAN LIVE BEYOND THE STAGE-ON THE STREETS, IN SCHOOLS, AND AT PUBLIC ACTIONS. COLLECTIVES INCLUDE:- MURALISTAS- EL PUENTE DANCE ENSEMBLE- LIBERATION CYPHER (BREAKERS)- SOUTHSIDE SINGERS (CANTANTES DE LOS SURES)- TEATRO EL PUENTE- DIGITAL ARTS BRIGADEEACH COLLECTIVE PARTICIPATES IN SEASONAL PERFORMANCES, COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING, AND PUBLIC ACTIONS, STRENGTHENING THEIR VOICE AS BOTH ARTISTS AND CHANGEMAKERS.ARTS & CULTURAL ORGANIZING COLLECTIVE (ACOC)THE ACOC IS A TEAM OF TEACHING ARTISTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZERS ACROSS EL PUENTE'S SITES WHO CO-DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT YOUTH-CENTERED, JUSTICE-ALIGNED ARTS PROGRAMS. ARTISTS ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE RIGOROUS PRE-PROFESSIONAL TRAINING WHILE ALSO FACILITATING CREATIVE PRACTICES THAT SERVE ORGANIZING GOALS. THIS COLLECTIVE MEETS REGULARLY TO ALIGN PROGRAMMING WITH EL PUENTE CAMPAIGNS AND TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN ADVANCING CULTURAL STRATEGIES ROOTED IN EQUITY AND LIBERATION.CADRE (COMMUNITY ARTISTS' DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCE EXCHANGE) CADRE IS EL PUENTE'S INTERGENERATIONAL, BIPOC-LED NETWORK OF ARTISTS, ARTISANS, AND CULTURAL WORKERS COMMITTED TO LIBERATION THROUGH COMMUNITY, SHARED RESOURCES, AND THE INCUBATION OF NEW CULTURAL WORK. MEMBERS MEET BI-WEEKLY TO CO-CREATE PROGRAMMING, RECEIVE ACCESS TO SPACE, AND DEEPEN THEIR PRACTICE AS MOVEMENT-ALIGNED ARTISTS.CADRE ALSO LEADS ONGOING COMMUNITY INITIATIVES SUCH AS:- THE PEOPLE'S MIC, A MONTHLY OPEN MIC CENTERING TRANSFORMATIVE STORYTELLING AND DECOLONIAL EXPRESSION- THE CREATORS MARKET, A SEASONAL EVENT UPLIFTING THE WORK OF GLOBAL MAJORITY CREATORS AND ARTISANS IN LOS SURES- THE SACRED CIRCLE SERIES AND CREATIVE LABS, OFFERING HEALING AND GENERATIVE SPACES FOR ARTISTS AS COMMUNITY BUILDERS