The Changing Face of Anti-Graffiti Efforts in Victorian Flatbush

A decade ago a few neighbors and I began painting over gang signs and related graffiti along Church Avenue. Since a lot of it was on the gates and we have regular jobs, we had to do it late at night or early in the morning. Because it was not sanctioned by anyone, we often skipped the whole part about getting permission.

Over time as word spread, John Broderick, FDC Executive Director and his then-Housing Director (and future City Councilmember) Jumaane Williams, approached me to put together an anti-graffiti task force. With some representatives from other neighborhoods throughout Victorian Flatbush, we began getting together once a month to strategize about graffiti, and approaching store owners about taking responsibility. We would get together periodically to paint over regular trouble spots. And we established a relationship with the post office to get donations of matching colors for the official green, blue, and red mail and fireboxes provided from the city. The idea was to get individuals to “adopt” a box near their door.

When Mark Dicus took over as ED of the Church Avenue BID, he threw in with us, providing supplies for the after party and additional clean-up materials, to focus along Church Ave.

The officers in the 70th precinct realized that going around painting over gang signs could be dangerous for us, and they started sending officers around to make sure it went smoothly. Today the 70th usually sends young volunteers from its 70th Precinct Explorers group.

The author, Nathan, pictured far left, with 70th Precinct Explorers.

Executive Directors of both the BID and FDC have kept up this event even in a climate of cutbacks. They have established relationships with volunteer groups like 70th Precinct Youth Council, Neighborhood Associations, afterschool programs, as well as merchant organizations, who send small groups of positive young people to help out.

When we started out, Jumaane had a few rules we tried to follow. We left work with some artistic merit up to the property owner. We stayed out of R.I.P. dedications. If there was a question about whether the community wanted a particular piece of work, we left it to the property owner. If there were enough indisputable gang signs, that had to come down.

Today, the paint day is called a “clean-up” day. The graffiti is not as it was a decade ago. The BID group used to meet at the corner of Church Ave and East 17th street because it was the worst corner. Today, that corner houses the new Downtown Natural Market and won’t be needing any paint. While we would love to take credit for the changes in this direction, there is a lot going on from Newkirk to Church that makes the graffiti issue just a small part of a bigger transition.

I wanted to go over this bit of local history for two related reasons. One is that people ask about what the event is and how it came about. The other is that as it has changed, some wonder where or if they still have a role.

Volunteers from a soccer team–their uniforms didn’t stay so clean.

Today the clean-up day is still what you make it. There are some groups of people who will come and volunteer to tackle a couple of big walls that have been either on their minds or were assigned them from lists submitted to the FDC and the Church Ave BID. At the annual clean-up day this Saturday, June 2, I believe Lauren Collins with the BID has her eye on reclaiming the wedding store wall across from the Cemetery on Church and E 21st Street. And Robin Redmond’s FDC crews will have two locations for supply pick-ups–and start from either FDC’s office at 1616 Newkirk Avenue or outside the Flatbush Food Coop (on Marlborough and Cortelyou).

But just as important are the smaller, more personal targets that you might see on your corner. If you walk by a mailbox everyday and wish someone would paint over the marker that keeps showing up there, I hope you will consider dropping over and grabbing a small container of the official color so you can adopt the spot near you. You won’t be sweated to go into hard labor on projects that don’t interest you. Jump in where you feel comfortable and skip out when you want.

Mailbox paint pickup team.

And when you are done, I hope you will swing by my house at 88 Buckingham for a hot dog and drinks, and to meet some others who throw in with us this year. We even try to eek out a bit of entertainment. Some of the faces are the same after 10 years, and some are new every year. Whichever you are, we will try to show you a good time.

Contact whichever of these groups is closest to you to volunteer, or to report incidents of graffiti you have seen around the neighborhood:

Church Avenue BID, 718-282-2500, x63237, info@churchavenue.org
FDC, 718-859-3800, paintme@fdconline.org

About the author: Nathan Thompson is a resident of Prospect Park South, and is the Assistant Secretary of the 70th Precinct Community Council.

The scans above are of articles originally printed in Flatbush Life.