The basketball-obsessed community of Brooklyn have yet another reason for optimism in their community. The newly refurbished Jackie Robinson Playground is bringing hoops and fun directly to the Bedford-Stuyvesant community.
In conjunction with BSE Global and the Social Justice Fund, the NYC Parks Department has managed to receive funding totaling of $2.1 million as an investment to provide safe and inviting spaces to the community, one basketball court at a time. The initiative, now serving the students of P.S. 21 Crispus Attucks Elementary, began construction during mid-July, starting with the courts at Sunset Park. With the renovation of Jackie Robinson Playground now complete, the larger Bedford-Stuyvesant community is free to enjoy the new court. Freshly installed backboards, nets, benches, and water fountains all come equipped with the court, whose canvas is a robust mirage of murals that pay homage to Brooklyn.
This new basketball court is not an isolated instance of triumph for NYC Parks. It is instead another chapter in a four project endeavor to bring change across the entire borough of Brooklyn. The SJF, a subsidiary of the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation, has moved the needle since its inception in 2020. The fund has committed approximately $50 million over the course of ten years in pursuit of addressing racial gaps in education, health, and wealth. For the Social Justice Fund’s executive director, Gregg Bishop, this particular venture is personal.
“It gives me goosebumps,” Bishop said. “I grew up in Brooklyn. It’s a blessing to be in this position. We’ve partnered with the local schools, because we also want to make sure that the kids stay active and safe.” Bishop, who is a Grenadian born, East Flatbush-bred native of Brooklyn, has received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from accredited schools in the state of Florida, specifically Florida State and Florida A&M.
Despite his accomplishments academically, Bishop cites his lack of proximity to basketball as something he regrets not having. “This court means that we see [school children]…The game of basketball is not just about what’s on the court, it’s about teamwork and really working together for one common goal… For us, we want to be that catalyst. We come in to really bring resources to the communities that really need it.”
Looking ahead in Brooklyn
While another chapter comes to an end, the job is anything but finished for NYC Parks and the SJF. The pair of institutions will continue to leave their mark on the communities they call home as well as the students that inhabit them, one Brooklyn basketball court at a time.