"I have everything I need right here. I have my family, I have my friends, I have my block.” Ariella, G-REBLS / Comida Pal Pueblo
“Hopefully this is an opportunity for our government and the people to really look at what America is about... and really make some bold changes.” Martha, Bushwick Grows! Community Farm
Nos Cuidamos /We Take Care of Us is a collaborative oral history project between the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project and Cities for People, Not For Profit, that began in April 2020, documenting stories about how residents of Bushwick, Brooklyn organized to meet each other's needs during COVID-19.
The full-length oral histories and transcripts are available on the Cities for People, Not for Profit website.
Mutual aid is an act of solidarity and care between neighbors. It stands in opposition to charity and topdown giving, because it is planned and executed by a community and for a community, to not just provide food and essential items but also to educate and organize. In Bushwick, mutual aid efforts have existed long before COVID-19, especially among low-income, POC, and underserved communities. In the past year, hundreds of people in Bushwick have bravely come together in partnership with their neighbors, supporting thousands of families and distributing food, PPE, essential supplies, and educational materials. COVID-19 has revealed more than ever how state and national “relief” policies fail to provide resources and services that are needed by many residents in Bushwick and throughout New York City.
Our deepest appreciation to all of the contributors and behind the scenes people who came together for this project, as well as our amazing narrators for sharing their time and stories. This collaborative oral history project was done in partnership with members from many groups committed to mutual aid in Bushwick, including MayDay Space, Bushwick Ayuda Mutua, Mi Casa No Es Su Casa, Comida Pal Pueblo, G-Rebls, and RiseBoro.