“Is it safe to eat fish in Paerdegat basin?” This question was just one of dozens of burning questions answered at the first-ever game of Jamaica Bay Jeopardy. The event helped kick off our new initiative, Cycles of Resilience, and marked a milestone in the Institute’s efforts to involve residents in Jamaica Bay in environmental resilience initiatives for the region.
Funded by the Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust, the game was co-designed and organized by the Institute and our partners at the Center for the Study of Brooklyn and Public Agenda. Its conception and implementation was supported by a new neighborhood working group anchored by five Canarsie residents and leaders: Maria Garrett (Fresh Creek Civic Association), Harold Jones (Canarsie Community Development Inc.), Floyd Jarvis (Canarsie Alliance), Farah Lafontant (ioby), and Tanasia Swift (Billion Oyster Project). Jamaica Bay Jeopardy aims to share insights into Jamaica Bay’s unique past, present, and future as well as to help people connect with their neighbors while having fun.
“It is a fun way for people to learn more about their neighborhoods, Jamaica Bay, how climate change is affecting them, and what everyone (including public officials, staff, scientists, and residents) can do to prepare for the future. It is the first stage of an ongoing cycle that will involve hundreds of people in learning, mapping, discussion, decision-making, and collaborative action,” says Matt Leighninger, Vice President of Engagement at Public Agenda.
“An engagement process needs to be both informative and empowering, and Cycles aims to do both through four phases of engagement; the great thing about Jamaica Bay Jeopardy is that it’s fun and competitive in a way that gets people into learning about Jamaica Bay’s past, present, and future,” says Michael Menser, Professor of CUNY Brooklyn College and Director for the Center for Study of Brooklyn.
The April 4th event saw a range of community members as well as local media, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Resilience, and the office of NY State Senator Roxanne Persaud. Participants played to compete for prizes including plants from Kings County Nurseries, Institute hats, tote bags, and books. The grand prize of the night was a ticket to the Billion Oyster Party, worth more than $150, donated by the Billion Oyster Project. All those who attended were guaranteed a spot on the R/V CUNY I – the Institute’s state-of-the-art catamaran – for a summer tour in June.
“Jamaica Bay Jeopardy is proving to be an effective tool to not only inform residents in a fun way, but get them energized about learning more and coming up with ideas to support resilience in their community,” says Treston Codrington, Community Engagement Specialist with the Institute and a Public Engagement Fellow at Public Agenda.
If you missed out on Jamaica Bay Jeopardy last time, don’t worry! The Institute will host another Jeopardy night in June, and you can also play from home, work, school, or the Bay itself using our online version of Jamaica Bay Jeopardy. Check the Institute’s website for more ideas on how you can participate in enhancing the health and resilience of our beautiful Bay.
