Interview with Ashanti Walker, Family Advisory Board Fellow at United for Brownsville
By Katherine Pantazis
Ashanti reads with her three children and several other readers at a Brooklyn Book Bodega event held in collaboration with United for Brownsville and the Greg Jackson Center.
I recently had the privilege of chatting with Ashanti Walker, Family Advisory Board Fellow at United for Brownsville and a longtime member of their Family Advisory Board (FAB). We talked about how United for Brownsville collaborates with the Brooklyn Book Bodega (BBB) and what she envisions for the future.
How would you describe your work for United for Brownsville?
The work at United for Brownsville is definitely community-led. The residents that live in the neighborhood–we are the stakeholders, so we have a say in what it is that we want to see happen in the community.
Right now our focus is childcare and early interventions, and working with families that have children 0-5 years old. We just really like to highlight all the work that the parents are doing already–share it with the community who may not know about techniques to get your children to read or to get your children more socially developed. So that’s what the FAB (Family Advisory Board) does.
We just love what we do–the community work. It’s not like a job–I’m doing what I love.
How did you get connected with the Brooklyn Book Bodega?
I’ve been following the Brooklyn Book Bodega for some time now. My family has gone to their pop ups and their events at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and even here right in my community at East New York Farms.
As I started working as a staff member for United for Brownsville, I was told that we were collaborating and having an event at the Greg Jackson Center, because that’s where United for Brownsville is based. So I was like, “Oh, that’s amazing! I love the Brooklyn Book Bodega!”
My children–my son especially–he always leaves with at least 10-15 books and we have no where to put them! And he reads all fifteen, he definitely does, so that’s why it’s really not a big issue. And then we recycle the books. We give them back to the community unless it's one of his favorites–then he'll just read it again.
How do the FAB and United for Brownsville collaborate with the Bodega?
We’ve done a couple of tabling events with different organizations. The Bodega had an event at the Brookdale Hospital and the FAB tabled with the Bodega. FAB members also volunteered to host the pop-up event at the Greg Jackson Center where a lot of families came out.
One recently was the Juneteenth event–the Brooklyn Book Bodega was a part of that as well. There were FAB members supporting United for Brownsville and the Brooklyn Book Bodega.
What kinds of impacts do you see from that collaboration?
Definitely families come out–they just love the fact that there are so many different types of books that they’re like, “Wow, I didn’t even know that this existed–I can build my home library.”
There are books that are culturally relevant, so families just love that. There are books children love–I know my son likes anything with magic and dragons and all of that. All the different genres–they just cater to the children.
Even for adults, there are journals, teaching materials. I know I've gotten plenty of teaching materials and workbooks from the Brooklyn Book Bodega to teach the children at home. That’s been a huge help to me because stuff can get really expensive. I definitely thank the Bodega for being one of the number one resources for my homeschooling journey.
How do you envision the relationship between the FAB and the Brooklyn Book Bodega going forward?
I would love to have us host at the Greg Jackson Center at least twice a month during the summer months, and then extend it throughout the fall. It’s beautiful indoors and we have a beautiful outdoor space, so if we could keep this going all year round, I think that would be just lovely for the community as a whole and for the collaboration with the Bodega.
It would be great to collaborate with all the other events that happen throughout the summer. They have the block party in Brownsville every year. This year it rained so I know some people were upset about that. But I think that next year it’s not gonna rain, so it’s gonna be even bigger and better!
Also, just collaborating with other events that they have in the community, like staple events, to join with the Brooklyn Book Bodega, I think that would be amazing. A lot of people would definitely know more about Brooklyn Book Bodega and also know to recycle their books at the Greg Jackson Center, and our little library and all the community libraries around the city.
Have you noticed that people are getting more and more aware of the Bodega?
Oh, definitely. I have a lot of friends and families that go to the events at the Navy Yard and at some schools. We always share whatever the Bodega is doing like hosting or needing volunteers. We share everything on our social media platforms.
What are the biggest challenges to growing your relationship with the Brooklyn Book Bodega and keeping this momentum going?
So far the only challenge that I can see is probably the rain! Most of the volunteers with the FAB don’t like to volunteer outdoors in the rain, especially because we’re all parents and sometimes we have to bring our children, and that's just too much to commit to!
If you have enough events scheduled, then hopefully you’ll have one that’s not on a rainy day.
Exactly!
Is there anything else that you want to tell me about how you have experienced the relationship with the Bodega?
I just appreciate the Brooklyn Book Bodega’s mission and also their collaborations because when we collaborate with the Bodega we get to meet their collaborators and build more relationships, and that network just keeps growing, and I love that.
Do you have any advice for the Bodega as they grow, expand, and move forward?
Just continue staying true to your mission. You’re doing such a great job already. Just keep on staying true.
Katherine Pantazis is a writer based in Brooklyn. She has also worked as an early childhood educator and attorney. When she isn’t reading, she might be in an art museum or playing outside with her kids.