Following the success of the inaugural Summer Youth Series, the Office of Council Member Crystal Hudson worked with nearly one dozen community partners to organize its first ever Spring Senior Series. Our office has organized nine weeks (March 8 to May 10) of programming specifically to meet the needs and interests of older adults. From film screenings to dance classes to museum to ours to painting classes, older adults in District 35 will have the opportunity to take part in free programming and enjoy the rich cultural institutions that service the neighborhoods of Crown Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Prospect Heights.
- March
- April
- April 3 – Movement & Music with Mark Morris Dance Group
- April 4 – Brooklyn Botanic Garden Botanical Drawing Class
- April 11 – Bike Skills with Bike New York
- April 13 – Painting Class with Amani Heywood at Pratt Institute
- April 18 – Bike Skills with Bike New York
- April 18 – Guided Museum Tour: “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys”
- April 19 – Film Screening: Shadows (1959)
- May
Upcoming Events
Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Botanical Drawing Class
Thursday, May 2: 11am-12pm
Brooklyn Botanic Garden (990 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225)
On Thursday, May 2, Brooklyn Botanic Garden will host a special botanical drawing class on site at the garden for our district’s older adults. Botanical drawing is a great way to explore the diversity of plants. Learn basic drawing techniques in this introductory workshop. Attendees will also receive admission to explore the garden once the class ends. For more information on BBG and its activities, visit https://www.bbg.org/.
Community Bike Ride
Thursday, May 9: Time TBD
Location TBD
Join BikeNYC and CitiBike for the culmination of two bike-riding classes: a community bike ride. Whether you just learned how to ride or have been riding for years, this ride will be a chance for District 35 residents to explore the district and meet new neighbors.
Third Annual District 35 Mother’s Day Celebration
Friday, May 10: 11am-1pm
BAM Fisher (321 Ashland Place, Brooklyn, NY 11217)
Join Council Member Crystal Hudson in honoring our community’s mothers with our Third Annual District 35 Mother’s Day Celebration at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Friday, May 10, 2024. The event will feature a free gourmet lunch, live music, performances, awards, and raffles from local businesses.
Reservations open April 10 at 10am and will remain open until the event is at capacity. Make sure to RSVP by Thursday, May 9 to reserve your spot!
Past Events
Healthy Aging: Fitness for Older Adults
Friday, March 8, 2024: 11am-4pm
EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care Crown Heights (546 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11225)
Staying active as you get older is a great way to put your health first. Your local health ally, EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care, makes it easier to add fitness to your routine. Celebrate healthy aging with a day full of community and fitness for all abilities! This event is made possible through a partnership with New York City Council Member Crystal Hudson. As the Council Member for New York City’s District 35, she is committed to helping the Brooklyn community get the services and resources needed to keep older New Yorkers safe and healthy at home. Bring a friend! This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Participants are welcome to attend as many individual events throughout the day as they would like. For more information on EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care, visit https://www.emblemhealth.com/about/neighborhood-care.
- 11:00 – 11:15 a.m. Registration/Attendance
- 11:15 – 11:30 a.m. Welcome and Overview of the Day
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Line Dancing
- 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Zumba
- 12:45 – 1:15 p.m. Social Hour
- 1:15 – 2:00 p.m. Meditation
- 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. Congolese
- 2:45 – 3:30 p.m. Chair Fitness
- 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. Tai Chi
Film Screening: Chisholm ’72: Unbought & Unbossed (2004)
Friday, March 15, 2024: 10-11:30am
BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217)
Senior Cinema offers seniors 65 and older free admission to repertory classics, with complimentary popcorn and soda, on the third Friday of every month. On Friday, March 15, BAM will be screening the documentary “Chisholm ’72: Unbought & Unbossed” (2004), directed by Shola Lynch. The documentary centers on Brooklyn-based Congressmember Shirley Chisholm’s historic 1972 presidential bid. The film is 75 minutes long. It won a 2006 Peabody Award and was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Documentary. For more information on BAM’s Senior Cinema series, visit https://www.bam.org/senior-cinema.
Guided Museum Tour: “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys”
Thursday, March 21: 11am
Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238)
On Tuesday, March 21 the Brooklyn Museum will provided an exclusive guided tour of it’s most recent exhibit, “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys,” for a select number of older adults. After the tour has concluded, attendees will have access to view the museum’s permanent collection.
Gordon Parks. Jean-Michel Basquiat. Lorna Simpson. Kehinde Wiley. Nina Chanel Abney. These names loom large in the past and present of art—as do many others in the collection of musical and cultural icons Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) and Alicia Keys. Expansive in their collecting habits, the Deans, both born and raised in New York, champion a philosophy of “artists supporting artists.” The first major exhibition of the Dean Collection, Giants showcases a focused selection from the couple’s world-class holdings. The Brooklyn Museum’s presentation spotlights works by Black diasporic artists, part of our ongoing efforts to expand the art-historical narrative. “Giants” refers to several aspects of the Dean Collection: the renown of legendary artists, the impact of canon-expanding contemporary artists, and the monumental works by such creators as Derrick Adams, Arthur Jafa, and Meleko Mokgosi. Immense pieces—including the largest ever by Mokgosi—are paired with standouts such as Parks’s seminal photographs, Wiley’s revolutionary portraits, and Esther Mahlangu’s globe-bridging canvases. The term also evokes the strength of the bonds between the Deans and the artists they support, and among the artists themselves. Along with examining these links and legacies, the exhibition will encourage “giant conversations” inspired by the works on view—critiquing society and celebrating Blackness.
For more information on the exhibit, visit https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/giants.
Movement & Music with Mark Morris Dance Group
Wednesday, March 27, 11am-12pm
Mark Morris Dance Group (3 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217)
Movement and music provide a creative approach to healthy aging. MMDG offers two classes specifically designed for older bodies. Move & Flow is a structured dance experience exploring multiple dance styles developed by the Mark Morris Dance Group for older people seeking a fun, creative approach to maintaining physical health, confidence, and a sense of well-being. Harnessing MMDG’s 20 years of research and development in creating accessible classes for people with movement challenges, Move & Flow sessions integrate dance technique, motor skill development, and social connection to create a uniquely enjoyable, musical and motivating exercise experience that treats elders as artists and dancers. Attendees will also receive a brief tour of MMDG’s facilities and community spaces. For more information on MMDG’s Movement for Older Bodies program, visit https://markmorrisdancegroup.org/dance-center/adult-classes/for-older-bodies/.
Movement & Music with Mark Morris Dance Group
Wednesday, April 3, 11am-12pm
Mark Morris Dance Group (3 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217)
Movement and music provide a creative approach to healthy aging. MMDG offers two classes specifically designed for older bodies. Move & Flow is a structured dance experience exploring multiple dance styles developed by the Mark Morris Dance Group for older people seeking a fun, creative approach to maintaining physical health, confidence, and a sense of well-being. Harnessing MMDG’s 20 years of research and development in creating accessible classes for people with movement challenges, Move & Flow sessions integrate dance technique, motor skill development, and social connection to create a uniquely enjoyable, musical and motivating exercise experience that treats elders as artists and dancers. Attendees will also receive a brief tour of MMDG’s facilities and community spaces. For more information on MMDG’s Movement for Older Bodies program, visit https://markmorrisdancegroup.org/dance-center/adult-classes/for-older-bodies/.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Botanical Drawing Class
Thursday, April 4: 11am-12pm
Brooklyn Botanic Garden (990 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225)
On Thursday, April 4, Brooklyn Botanic Garden will host a special botanical drawing class on site at the garden for our district’s older adults. Botanical drawing is a great way to explore the diversity of plants. Learn basic drawing techniques in this introductory workshop. Attendees will also receive admission to explore the garden once the class ends. For more information on BBG and its activities, visit https://www.bbg.org/.
Bicycle Skills: Session 1
Thursday, April 11: Time TBD
Commodore Barry Park (Eastern Entrance – N. Elliot Place between Flushing Ave and Park Ave)
You’re never too old to ride a bike! Join us on Thursday, April 11 at Commodore Barry Park for a lesson bike handling from Bike New York, co-sponsored by CitiBike. Participants will receive a free CitiBike for use during the event and will learn the ins and outs of cycling in New York. In this class, riders will learn how to adjust their helmet, choose an appropriately sized bike, and perform a brief inspection to ensure the bike is road-ready. The event will take place in the southeast corner of Commodore Barry Park, south of the pool in the paved area.
Painting Class with Amani Heywood at Pratt Institute
Saturday, April 13: Time TBD
Pratt Institute (Building TBD)
Join artist Amani Hayward on Saturday, April 13 at Pratt Institute for Perrier and painting class. Participants will learn some basics on color theory before embarking on their own paintings, using supplies provided by Pratt. For more information on the Pratt Institute and its continuing education initiatives, visit https://www.pratt.edu/.
Bike Skills: Session 2
Thursday, April 18: Time TBD
Commodore Barry Park (Eastern Entrance – N. Elliot Place between Flushing Ave and Park Ave)
You’re never too old to ride a bike! Join us on Thursday, April 18 at Commodore Barry Park for a lesson bike handling from Bike New York, co-sponsored by CitiBike. Participants will receive a free CitiBike for use during the event and will learn the ins and outs of cycling in New York. In this class, riders will learn how to adjust their helmet, choose an appropriately sized bike, and perform a brief inspection to ensure the bike is road-ready. The event will take place in the southeast corner of Commodore Barry Park, south of the pool in the paved area.
Guided Museum Tour: “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys”
Thursday, April 18: 11am
Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238)
On Thursday, April 18 the Brooklyn Museum will provided an exclusive guided tour of it’s most recent exhibit, “Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys,” for a select number of older adults. After the tour has concluded, attendees will have access to view the museum’s permanent collection.
Gordon Parks. Jean-Michel Basquiat. Lorna Simpson. Kehinde Wiley. Nina Chanel Abney. These names loom large in the past and present of art—as do many others in the collection of musical and cultural icons Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) and Alicia Keys. Expansive in their collecting habits, the Deans, both born and raised in New York, champion a philosophy of “artists supporting artists.” The first major exhibition of the Dean Collection, Giants showcases a focused selection from the couple’s world-class holdings. The Brooklyn Museum’s presentation spotlights works by Black diasporic artists, part of our ongoing efforts to expand the art-historical narrative. “Giants” refers to several aspects of the Dean Collection: the renown of legendary artists, the impact of canon-expanding contemporary artists, and the monumental works by such creators as Derrick Adams, Arthur Jafa, and Meleko Mokgosi. Immense pieces—including the largest ever by Mokgosi—are paired with standouts such as Parks’s seminal photographs, Wiley’s revolutionary portraits, and Esther Mahlangu’s globe-bridging canvases. The term also evokes the strength of the bonds between the Deans and the artists they support, and among the artists themselves. Along with examining these links and legacies, the exhibition will encourage “giant conversations” inspired by the works on view—critiquing society and celebrating Blackness.
For more information on the exhibit, visit https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/gia
Film Screening: Shadows (1959)
Friday, April 19, 2024: 10-11:30am
BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217)
Senior Cinema offers seniors 65 and older free admission to repertory classics, with complimentary popcorn and soda, on the third Friday of every month. On Friday, April 19, BAM will be screening the film “Shadows” (1959), directed by John Cassavetes. According to the Criterion Collection, “John Cassavetes’s directorial debut revolves around a romance in New York City between Lelia (Lelia Goldoni), a light- skinned black woman, and Tony (Anthony Ray), a white man. The relationship is put in jeopardy when Tony meets Lelia’s darker-skinned jazz singer brother, Hugh (Hugh Hurd), and discovers that her racial heritage is not what he thought it was. Shot on location in Manhattan with a mostly nonprofessional cast and crew, Shadows is a penetrating work that is widely considered the forerunner of the American independent film movement.”. The film is 82 minutes long and is listed on the National Film Registry by the USA’s National Film Preservation Board. It was also nominated for four 1961 BAFTA Awards, including Best Film. For more information on BAM’s Senior Cinema series, visit https://www.bam.org/senior-cinema.