About Our Honorees
Damon Bolden was a longtime Brooklyn community activist and global citizen--sharing love, laughs and life with many. Sadly he passed away last October after a short illness. Throughout his life, he served many communities. A long term resident of BedStuy, Damon served as President of the Bainbridge Homeowners and Tenants Block Association (between Malcolm X and Stuyvesant) for many years. He also was a long term staff member at NY Cares, organizing volunteer events for communities throughout NYC. Originally from Philadelphia, PA; after graduating from Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ, Damon spent two years as an Americorp VISTA member in Dallas, TX, promoting mentoring programs for children of color, and then over ten recruiting and training others to become Americorps members themselves (based in Washington DC). Damon also spent six years living in Johannesburg, South Africa, working on human rights issues for LGBTQI+ communities. He is deeply missed by many.
There also is a scholarship fund set up in his name - https://rustinfund.org/2024/10/08/the-damon-bolden-memorial-scholarship/
Ancestor Larry Weekes was born and raised in Harlem, NYC. He studied at The Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and continued his education in advertising design and fine arts at institutions including New York Community College, City College of New York, the Art Students League, and the School of Visual Arts. After a career in retail management, he transitioned into graphic arts and later became a designer in the garment industry, working with brands like ECKO, PHAT FARM, and FUBU. His last career shift was as a Visual Artist. Larry worked in multiple styles and mediums and has exhibited widely with SONYA, the Fort Greene Photo Club, and the Fulton Art Fair, where he served as president. His work has been featured at FiveMyles Gallery, Dorsey’s Gallery, Restoration Plaza, Bailey’s Café, and other community venues. His work focused on creating connections to our histories and ancestors.
Monique Scott is an educator, poet, painter, avid supporter of community members making change, and a shoulder to lean on for many youths in Brooklyn, New York. After emerging from Labor Union work focused on young workers, Monique shifted her focus to supporting the development of Black youth in the community. She has taught in both private and public schools here in New York City and is committed to education reform in an untraditional sense. Over the last 20 years, she has supported youth development; offered academic and enrichment services; offered home school and parenting consultation services to Black families, and supported social justice and anti-oppression work throughout New York and various community organizations. In 2011, Monique opened Freebrook Academy and Freebrook Spaces while creating a team that would revitalize a historic mansion in Bedstuy, transforming it into a hub for community, entrepreneurship, education, and art. The space housed organizations and businesses like Breadlove, Ancient Song Doula Services, BMC, and more. After a fire and having her second child, Monique paused her work at Freebrook and the mansion. She took multiple positions at Brooklyn Free School. In 2019 and while at BFS, she began Freebrook Lab, a homeschool program to support families struggling with the new immunization laws at that time. In 2020, Monique became the Director of Brooklyn Free School. In 2024, She supported the transition of the school into a planning phase and recommitted to the reopening of Freebrook, in order to support Black youth in Brooklyn, in gaining the tools to affect change and become successful in this society. Currently, she is working to expand Freebrook services online, reanimate them here in Bedstuy, and reignite life in the same Mansion, in which she originally started Freebrook - 375 Stuyvesant Ave.
Ovila Lemon is 1 half of Mut'Sun. Mut'Sun pronounced (moot-son) is a signature name to describe the tag team efforts in painting collectively with her then 9yr old son Cleson. What sets her work apart is her vibrant use of color. Coming from over 20 years in the fashion industry, Ovila combines urban edge, Black culture and icons, to create her unique visual and wearable art. A lot of artists use color as if there are rules in creating art, in her eyes there are none and she teaches that to her son.
Additionally, Ovila founded and runs ART SO BROOKLYN, a traveling art course and camp providing high quality art technical training, practical experiences, and lessons about the business of art to low income Youth of Color. ART SO BROOKLYN provides an afterschool program, in studio art lessons, and camps during the summer and school breaks to train the next generation of visual artists and makers. This self funded endeavor has been a life saver for the youth and their families.
Richard Ainsworth Cummings Jr. is a globally renowned pianist, composer, and cultural ambassador whose decades-spanning career has bridged jazz, classical, and Caribbean musical traditions. His deep Bed-Stuy roots and global reach embody a lifetime of musical excellence and service. Trained at Juilliard Preparatory and steeped in both classical and global traditions, Richard developed a style influenced by jazz, soul, church music, and the rhythms of the African diaspora. A proud product of a musically gifted family and a spiritually grounded upbringing, he has shared his gifts across six continents, playing with greats like Noel Pointer, Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Hugh Masekela, Wayne Shorter, Zubin Mehta, and George C. Wolfe. He is committed to propagating world peace with performances for diverse national and world leaders such as Robert F Kennedy, Sr. and Nelson Mandela, all across six continents and in more than twenty-five nations.
Evangelist Valerie Ferguson is a born and raised BedStuy resident who loves the community and is committed to sharing that love and keeping neighbors informed. You can often find her singing “It’s a beautiful day in the Neighborhood” as she goes live on Facebook every morning at Jackie Robinson Park to share a motivational message and at numerous events across the neighborhood highlighting what issues they need to pay attention to and the people and organizations doing work to make things better. In 2019, while looking for summer activities for her own grandchildren but realizing cost was prohibitive, she was inspired to start her own Youth Summer Camp. She self funded the Summer Camp for 13 young people providing lunch and activities along with help from their parents, her own family and her Facebook followers. Ms. Valerie also helps to distribute food in her community to families in need donated by Brooklyn Borough Hall. Ms. Valerie has been featured in the community storytelling project “As Quiet As It’s Kept” through Bailey’s Cafe.
We want artists to be able to create where they live. We believe in artists’ ability to activate a space, inspire new ideas, and expand the creative culture of a community when they are able to create and share their work locally. We recognize that every community has creators, spaces, organizations, influential people, and resources. We know sharing these resources fosters strong connections rooted in community relationships and artistic collaboration. We also honor the diverse communication styles within our home community and lead by example, treating others with respect and generosity.
Your support aids us in these efforts.
