In the Fall of 2009, Jonathan and Georgina Ellis, residents of Welling Court at that time, reached out to Ad Hoc Art NYC in Brooklyn to see if we could help them beautify their neighborhood. The neighborhood had already been taking back their space with the community garden that lacked the city’s early approval. Alison and crew worked with the community to facilitate the project development and utilize the organization’s broad creative network to pull in artists to contribute. Some say it was one of the roughest parts of Queens for many years. People spoke of hearing hip hop for the first time ever on the basketball courts at the top of the block by the new water taxi stop.

11 years later, the rich history of community self-reliance continues to inspire.