The infrastructure powering New York City’s neighborhoods shapes far more than how energy reaches our homes. From transportation and public spaces to climate resilience and economic opportunity, decisions about neighborhood development have lasting consequences for the communities they serve.
Brooklyn Level Up (BKLVLUP) believes residents should have a voice in those decisions. Founded in 2020 by CitizensNYC grantee partner and 2026 Elliott Fellow Allyson Martinez, BKLVLUP has grown into a dynamic community development corporation and social impact lab advancing environmental justice, collective wealth building, and community empowerment in Central Brooklyn. As one of BKLVLUP’s earliest funders, CitizensNYC has had the great privilege of witnessing Allyson’s vision and grassroots leadership flourish.
On Saturday, October 17, BKLVLUP brought that vision to life through Power the Block: East Flatbush Infrastructure Walkshop, a free walking tour supported through CitizensNYC’s partnership with National Grid. The event brought together community members, local advocates, and MIT graduate students to explore how future Interborough Express transit investments can strengthen existing neighborhoods through resident-led planning and equitable development.
With stops at Railroad Playground, Con Edison’s Gateway Park Substation, National Grid’s Canarsie Service Center, and the historic Wyckoff House Museum, participants explored the infrastructure powering their neighborhoods, the decisions shaping its development, and the role residents can play in determining their future.
The walkshop also builds on BKLVLUP’s broader vision to establish East Flatbush’s first Community Resilience Hub, a neighborhood space envisioned to connect residents with everyday resources and serve as a gathering place during emergencies. By making complex topics like energy infrastructure, climate resilience, and equitable development more accessible, BKLVLUP is helping residents better understand the systems shaping their communities and envision how those systems can better serve them.
This approach reflects the vision behind CitizensNYC and National Grid’s Community Energy Project, which seeks to build a network of Energy Ambassadors equipped to connect residents with resources, promote energy literacy, and respond to the distinct needs of their neighborhoods. Like Allyson, these trusted grassroots leaders draw on their local knowledge and relationships to make critical information more accessible and empower residents to shape their communities’ futures.
CitizensNYC is proud to stand with hyperlocal leaders like Allyson, who are equipping communities most affected by infrastructure changes with the knowledge, tools, and opportunities to have a voice in their future. We extend our sincere thanks to National Grid for its continued partnership and commitment to advancing energy affordability, community resilience, and grassroots leadership across New York City.
