Voces Ciudadanas, Inc.

Voces Ciudadanas is based in Sunset Park, Brooklyn and serves primarily migrants in this neighborhood. Voces Ciudadanas promotes the leadership of those directly impacted by an issue through involvement in grassroots campaigns and organizing. We are part of the steering committee of the Make Space for Quality Schools in Sunset Park campaign, a grassroots campaign to demand the immediate construction of public schools in Sunset Park. The campaign has raised the issue of overcrowding to the forefront of discussion in the neighborhood (See video of campaign at https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=loIx6K6cvAg). Additionally, we offer programs that contribute to empower our members. In the summer of 2015, we piloted a youth program, i-Change: Inspiration for Change. The purpose of the program is to provide a space where youth can come together, reflect, and talk about issues important to them. The program uses zines, self-published magazines, as a means of encouraging youth self-expression through writing and art. (See video of program at https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EeCgYdkVLME). Finally, Voces Ciudadanas organizes community events to encourage dialogue in the community. We organized an event where youth showcased their zines and the community had the opportunity to talk with youth about issues of importance to them.