On July 24th El Puente celebrated their birthday and honored founder Luis Garden Acosta by launching their new project Our Air /¡Nuestro aire! This project unites artists, youth activists, community advocates, residents, elected leaders, academic partners, parents, and schools to study neighborhood air quality, develop solutions to improve environmental conditions, and advocate for the right to clean air and green open spaces through art and activism.
North Brooklyn, especially Southside Williamsburg, has notoriously high pollution levels. Early on, El Puente has been an advocate for a cleaner environment. They protested the building of the incinerator and have studied the community’s air quality for decades to protect it from rising asthma rates and other health hazards.
The Our Air /¡Nuestro aire! launch event included art making and performances. It also informed and alerted. Visitors were encouraged to sign a petition that will urge elected officials to either close the La Guardia Playground (S. 4 St. bet. Roebling St. and Williamsburg Bridge Ramp) or mitigate the high pollution levels through policies or green infrastructure projects.
The Greenline 