At the 14th Street Y, we are so much more than a gym! We believe in engaging the whole person, your head, heart, body and hands. In addition to our well known fitness center, group exercise classes and basketball gym, the Y has a theater, a gallery, an artist fellowship program (LABA), and culture programming for all ages.
Sustainability is also an important value to us. You have heard about fracking, and you know that we live on an island, but did you know that there are waterways that flow east to west under NYC connecting the Hudson and the East River? Did you know that New York City is one of the most water vulnerable cities in the US? One of our LABA artists, Anita Glesta was inspired by water, our concern for it, and her study of the story of Noah to create ‘Watershed’, a beautiful and haunting public artwork.
“Watershed”aims to build awareness and educate community members in and around New York City about water ecology, which is of the utmost importance for a city surrounded by water. The artwork will be projected on 14th Street and in the building.
To see a video of the proposed project in action, click here: http://vimeo.com/39670248
If this is meaningful for you, there is opportunity to support the Y and LABA as we work with Anita to raise awareness and educate the community about the importance of caring for our waterways.
Donate now to the “Watershed” project through our community partner, In Our Backyards at IOBY.org, and join us May 17th-19th to see Anita’s incredibly beautiful and consciousness raising artwork at the LABA Blueprint Festival. If you choose to donate to “Watershed” on Earth Day, April 22, your donation will recieve an additional $22 match. (example: $50 donation +$22 match = $72 donation towards this project!)
To learn more about LABA, The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture and our LABA House of Study, visit the Y website.
Shayna Kreisler is the 14th Street Y’s Senior Program Director, overseeing how all of our programming connects throughout the building. Questions? Email her at Shayna_Kreisler@14streety.org
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