Upcoming Events

Reclaim the Streets NYC is new collective committed to redefining public spaces as sites of positive community interaction. We envision a greater potential for city streets, parks, and (rapidly disappearing) empty lots than places we simply pass through in our daily routines. In a city as diverse as New York City, these could easily be venues for open exchange and reclamation.

We are eager for this project to transform from an exciting idea into a wonderful reality, but to do it we need your help! The first goal is to organize several days of action and celebration to take place this summer. We envision dancing, stencils, interactive projects, marches, music, gatherings, food, sharing, exchanges, creations of all kinds, hip-hop, anti-gentrification demonstrations, bicycles, walks, and on. We are open to just about any other act you can dream up that will redefine our streets as sites of community, companionship, solidarity, play and—most of all—possibility.

As our first act of reclamation, we will be MEETING in Tompkins Square Park for snacks and hopefully inspired banter. If the weather is disagreeable and our numbers are few, we can retreat to Bluestockings bookstore on Allen Street between Stanton and Rivington. We want to discuss and decide on specifics- what exactly do we want to do with this project? How will we convey our mission to the public? Do we want to use a centralized location for music and arts activities? Or if we want to actually block streets (legal repercussions), how we can work together? Should we have individual actions across the city on the same days? What dates should the action take place on? Everyone is welcome- we want collective action and will not be imposing any rules. So please come support and help us figure this out!

Our hope is to unite as many people with as many interests and areas of focus as possible, so whether you're an anti-gentrification activist, an artist, or just an enthusiastic person let us know if you'd like to get involved. That can mean helping us to organize the event (we aren't planning to control so much as facilitate), planning your own project, or just spreading the word. Even if you aren't interested at all, please do forward this along to anyone you think might be.

Lets make this happen!