Without much fanfare, the Brooklyn Social Justice Fund, part of the Joe and Clara Wu Tsai Foundation, has been helping New York City’s Parks Department renovate basketball courts across Brooklyn. It’s a $1.8 million imitative and so far has involved four parks, each decked out in Brooklyn Nets and, of late. New York Liberty colors.
That’s a worthy project, of course, but what makes it of greater interest is just how the Fund, financed by a 10-year, $50 million commitment from the Tsai family, chose which parks to be renovated.
It’s about curtailing gun violence in the borough, “upgrading courts in neighborhoods with acute levels of gun violence,” per the Parks Department; “providing local organizations safe and inviting spaces to offer anti-gun violence programs, foster community engagement and promote active lifestyles,” according to the Social Justice Fund
The renovations are a starting point for the anti-gun violence effort supported by the Social Justice Fund and NYC Parks.