October 11, 2021

NEW YORK-Mayor de Blasio today announced a $ 120 million investment in the renovation of the Brownsville One-Stop Center into a state-of-the-art girl empowerment center and community center for east Brooklyn. The current building, which will undergo complete demolition in 2023, will transform the site into a hotbed for science, technology, art, dance and cultural programming for young girls in the borough.

“There is no better investment in our future than to give girls a safe, positive and engaging place to learn and grow. I am proud to keep this promise today ”, declared Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This center will train the next generation of leaders in Brownsville and across our city, and it’s an important step in building a recovery for all of us.

“Over the past year, we have seen the impact of underrepresented women and girls of color in health and STEM fields, particularly black and LatinX women. With the new Brownsville Girls Empowerment Center, women and girls will be empowered to explore their passions and develop a 21st century skill that will prepare them for a life of success and invest in the development of their whole being. The new facility will introduce our community to state-of-the-art spaces such as creative spaces, digital media labs and design studios that will teach young girls to think outside the box and become designers. This center will be an anchor institution where girls will become innovators of progress in their community ”, declared Deputy Mayor Phillip Thompson.

“We applaud this project which will bring new resources to the community of Brownsville, focused on empowering women,” said HRA Administrator Gary Jenkins. “For decades, HRA has worked with local community providers to provide meaningful service to the community of Brownsville – and we are proud to be a part of the next phase of this effort, which will bring a reinvigorated service center to the neighborhood and women empowerment services to the next generation.

The Brownsville Girls Empowerment Center will be inspired by the Lower East Side Girls Club of New York (LESGC). The City will partner with LESGC to support the implementation of the program at the new site.

City officials will work with the community of Brownsville throughout the design-build process. Construction of the new site will begin in 2024.

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke will invest an additional $ 8 million in the facility.

“Our community is as strong as the women who use their talents and skills to build it, and I am privileged to have had a multitude of women who have empowered me to become the woman I am today.” hui. From my mother, Dr. Una Clarke, the first foreign-born African-Caribbean woman to be elected to New York City Council and women like the Honorable Congressman Shirley Chisholm who shattered the glass ceiling by being elected the first black woman elected to Congress, paving the way for me and other women to run for office and fight for greatness, today is a great day, ”said MP Yvette D. Clarke. “It is with this story in mind, that we thank Mayor de Blasio for partnering with me and fellow Councilmember Alicka Ampry-Samuels and Assemblywoman Latrice Walker, to shell out $ 128 million in total to transform the Brownsville Multi-service center, into a state-of-the-art girls empowerment center and community center focused on supporting nonprofit organizations that uplift our community through the disciplines of the arts, fitness and of STEM. Thank you to the Mayor of Blasio, who heard our plea for this investment and saw the need for this center as a commitment to raising the most vulnerable assets of our communities, our young women and girls as well as the city councilor Alicka Ampry-Samuels who used her authority in the Council to ensure this project was a priority, MP Latrice Walker who has been a constant partner in helping to navigate the intricacies of navigation and balancing all of the interests of the community involved and their teams for all their hard work.

“I applaud the mayor for investing in this one-of-a-kind girls empowerment center in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where there is a huge need for more community resources, especially those that raise girls and women.” , said Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, Chair of the Women’s Issues Task Force at the New York State Assembly. “By empowering girls, we are giving the next generation the skills they need and we are moving towards a more equitable future for all. We must close the gender pay gap, especially for women of color,” who currently suffer from an even greater pay gap than white women, compared to their male colleagues. I believe this investment in the future of our daughters will help achieve these goals. “

“The Brownsville Girls Empowerment Center will be a place where young girls can come to explore their interests, develop their gifts and fulfill their destinies. This center represents an opportunity and an uplift in the face of adversity. I am a proud representation of Brownsville and I I can’t wait for the Girls Empowerment Center to be a beacon of education. ” Special thanks to Mayor Bill de Blasio and to my fellow Congressman Clarke and City Councilor Ampry-Samuel, ”said Assembly Member Latrice M. Walker.

“The site of 444 Thomas Boyland has been important to our community since its construction in 1974. As a child, I visited this building for dance lessons and summer camp activities. I wouldn’t be the woman I am today if it weren’t for the house this building provided for much needed community programs and services. It is important to revitalize this space for the next generation. A big thank you to Mayor Bill de Blasio who answered our call and helped make this vision a reality. I am more than excited and proud to also stand alongside my colleagues and sisters in government: MP Yvette Clarke and State MP Latrice Walker to announce a brand new state-of-the-art Girls Empowerment Center. which will offer free programming all year round. for girls and young women in our community to connect, celebrate and channel their creative energy, ”said Board Member Alick Ampry-Samuel.

“We at the Lower Eastside Girls Club of New York are deeply honored to be an inspiration to the new Girls Empowerment Center in Brownsville and are honored to support the revolutionary leadership and vision of Congressman Clarke, Assembly Member Walker and City Councilor Ampry-Samuels said Co-executive directors Ebonie Simpson and Jenny Dembrow. “For 25 years, we have amplified the inner power of young black and brunette women and gender youth through free, innovative and radically imaginative programs. As this crucial initiative comes to fruition, we look forward to bringing our expertise and skills to ensuring that the youth of Brownsville and the incredible leaders who support them have a world-class space to thrive and achieve their dreams.

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