BKLYN COMMONS HOST DESTINATION BED STUY ART OF HEALTHY LIVING
Live Symposium Honored Pioneers in the Food Justice Community
Bed Stuy Arts Stroll held its second Destination Bed Stuy symposium. This time, the quarterly affair held once again at BKLYN Commons, brought a range of health and wellness experts together to discuss the healing properties of art, food justice and nutrition. Panelist included former musician and artist Bless Roxwell, Founder of LifeBEam Energetics who discussed her transition from music into wellness and finding one’s life purpose as a key. Roxwell shared how she uses Reiki healing, meditation, and coaching as therapy. Pratt Institute’s Art Therapy program graduate students Rivka Polisky and Brittney Moskowitz were on hand to discuss how art and wellness are vital to one’s whole body.
The program also included discourse with Trinidadian born Food Justice pioneer Dennis Derryck of Corbin Hill Food Project and Jamaican native Ena K. McPherson of Tranquility Farm. Both stressed the importance of food quality, healthy choices and controlling food sources and choices as related to farming and growing food in the community. EM Arts’ Emory Moore, Jr. and Yoga Instructor Natasha Johnson shared the vital need for engaging in exercise as a tool for living a longer, healthier life. Emory who creates and runs movement exercise programs for children in both the charter and public-school system, stressed the importance for kids to engage with outdoors, “Children need to spend less time in front of the television and video screens,” stated the physical fitness expert. “They need to spend more time engaged with any type of movement to prevent obesity.”
In addition to the lively discussion, Community Board 3’s District Manager Henry Butler presented community gardener Ena K. McPherson and farm-to-table pioneer Dr. Dennis Derryck with a special citation on behalf of Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams while Jamila Pringle-Fynes presented a special citation from the Mayor of New York City to the two urban farmers. Citi Bike, New York City’s largest bike-share program, were on hand to present a safety presentation and provide passes to all attendees. The evening ended with a food demonstration from both Community Kitchen and Corbin Hill Food Project chefs on healthy green options and using simple menus to cook and eat healthily.
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