Located in the northern regions of Brooklyn, New York, Bushwick is a vibrant neighborhood known for its colorful murals, local eateries, and a strong latinx community. But what has led us to the Bushwick we see today?

Bushwick is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Canarsee people, who lived in the area before the Dutch settled in the 17th century. For decades, the Canarsee lived and harvested the marshlands of Bushwick, planting corn and fishing the abundant rivers.

Soon after the Dutch settled, Bushwick became a part of the New Netherland and was given the name Boswijck in 1661. After the Revolutionary War, Bushwick became American territory and soon saw urbanization in the 19th century. Glue, brickworks, plaster, glass were produced in Bushwick factories employing the Bushwick working class population. Soon, Bushwick was known as the “beer capital of the Northeast,” establishing a well known brewery industry.

Thereafter, Bushwick continued to develop, building the Long Island Rail Road for the transportation of passengers, raw materials, and finished goods. With its success, Bushwick became an affluent neighborhood filled with mansions and theaters. In came the 20th century’s Italian community and culture, building churches we see today, such as St. Barbara’s Roman Catholic Church.

Today, Bushwick flourishes. Our neighborhood has become a home to a strong Latino community, integral to Bushwick. We are proud of our diversity, traditions, and history.

To learn more about the history of Bushwick, sanitation, and how you can be involved in our mission, check out the report at the link!

So far, we’ve explored both the historical origins and current events that appear in the Bushwick we see today. That being said, some questions might still stand, how can I get involved? Everyone here plays a powerful role.

To change the trajectory for the better, we have to work together and support each other in building a brighter, safer, more just and sustainable future we can all share. Together we must do the following…

• Attend City Council meetings and speak to your local council members.

Attend these meetings to share your opinion, hear what’s going on in the community, and listen to other perspectives.

• Join the Brooklyn Community Board 4.

This Community Board represents Bushwick, whose primary mission is to advise elected officials and government agencies on matters affecting the welfare of the district. Meetings are open to the public. Find the next meeting here.

• Sign up for a Clean Bushwick Initiative street clean up event.

Join a group of friendly volunteers to pick up trash along Knickerbocker Avenue and preserve the cleanliness of our parks. We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join us!

• Are you a Bushwick business owner?

Register your business to our Clean Bushwick Initiative Sticker Campaign to pledge for a clean, litter-free storefront.

• Aim to produce less waste

by shopping at package free grocery stores, such as Precycle. Take the next step and strive for a zero waste lifestyle by refusing single-use disposables and reusing as much as possible.

• Join the NYC Parks Department and become a Super Steward...

to protect our City’s parks, natural areas, and street trees. It’s easy, attend a volunteer event!

• Participate in the following organizations:

• Zero Waste NYC
• Sims Municipal Recycling
• NYC Gov Parks
• BK ROT
• Deliverzero
• LES Ecology Center
• Cup Zero

• Check out the following books:

• Waste Free World by Ron Gonen
• This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein
• Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreske and Erik M. Conway
• Dark Money by Jane Mayer
• Recycling Reconsidered by Samantha McBride
• Falter by Bill McKibben
• The Omnivore's Dilemma By Michael Pollan
• The Future Of Packaging by Tom Szaky
• Reusable Solutions by Ben Kogan