The Big Bronx Sancochazo of 2018 was tremendous success.  Over 300 people came from all over NYC and NJ to join us in a day of celebration and community! 

The day started with strong turnout of volunteers from Fordham University and BuildON! Thanks too our team of kitchen volunteers and WOKE FOODS for working the entire day in preparing and serving two delicious sancochos - traditional and vegetarian!

All who attended were able to take part in the activities listed below.

From our current Co-op Academy participants: performance by Black Conference Touring Company; make-up and eyelash bar by Mirror Salon and Spa; made beautiful cards with Cards by De; were introduced to cloud services and tips on mobile devices Div Tech; discuss housing options as single mothers with Generational Waves; learned about essential oils with High Mi Madre; blended vegetables and fruits for delicious juices with Mocho Village; participate in a creative art space with TRIBE Co-op; get information for mothers to be with Innatus Birth.

From our current co-ops in operation: got a demonstration on making paper beads with Ometeotl Domestic Violence Survivors Cooperative; received birthing information sessions for the entire family with Uptown Village Cooperative; got a demonstration on non-chemical cleaning products with Bio-Classic Cleaning Co-op; learned basic instructions on bicycle repair clinic with Bronx Messenger; learned about teas and tinctures with White Pine Community Farm.

From our community partners: participated in eco recycling arts and crafts with Regiven Environmental Project; participated in a blind obstacle led by Cooperative Home Care Associates.

RAFFLES 

Bronx Messenger raffled off a reconstructed bicycle won by a 12 year-old Alyssa from the community.  They take in donations of damaged bicycles, repair them and sells them at affordable prices.

DIV Tech raffled off a Best Buy Gift Card for anyone who participated on their online survey to determine their basic need and interest for tech services.  Sade Swift of Cards by De, a Fall 2018 Co-op Academy participant won the raffle.

DIV Tech is currently in our Fall 2018 Co-op Academy. Support their work by filling out their survey here:  DIV Tech Survey. 

ANNOUNCING OUR SOCIAL JUSTICE HOLIDAY MARKET

We were proud to announce the launch of Social Justice Holiday Market, a new Green Worker Cooperatives initiative to promote cooperatives in NYC.  

Join us on Sunday, November 18th from 2-7pm at Sweet Water Dance and Yoga* for our FIRST EVER social justice holiday pop up shop, where we will be bringing together cooperative businesses and other small businesses for your holiday shopping! 

*We will be in a shoe free space, so wear your coolest socks, or bring your fuzziest slippers. There will be a prize for the best socks/slippers. 

Vendors  application: Social Justice Holiday Market Vendor Application

TRUMP PIÑATA

We concluded our festivities by gathering the children and have them take a swipe for justice.  The piñata was filled with the items we hope for our community - flowers, wealth (chocolate coins) and buttons with empowering messages.  See video.

SPECIAL THANKS

This event is not possible without support from Brook Park for sharing their beautiful garden with the community, Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice for sharing their kitchen for food prep and tables, and The Point CDC for tables and general support.  And thanks to Cetiliztli Nauhcampa for leading us in ceremonial thanks and blessings before we feasted on our communal sancochos.  

CHECK OUT OUR PHOTO ALBUM

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

The Blessing led by Cetiliztli Nauhcampa

The Friendship Dance led by Cetiliztli Nauhcampa

OPEN MIC 

This year we had a great open mic.  We had dancing, poetry, yoga, and singing. 

POETRY

Nakeitha George recites a poem 

Omar Freilla recites an original

SINGING

Zoraida Martes sings a classic ballad

Dancing

Linda Dominguez's Bachata dance stylings.

Yoga

Alba Mota teaches us the Sun Salutation.

THE BIG FINALE

The Trump Piñata Children take a swipe for justice with crowds cheering them on with chants "Power to the People" and "Fuera!!"

Sancocho is not exclusively a dish from the Dominican Republic, but it is a meat stew that is considered a national dish and served year round.  Families throughout the Caribbean and South America have their own recipes and each have their specific style to reflect their culture and 

There are so many ways to make sancocho.  And in many families, there is always THAT one relative that makes it the best out of everyone else.  

We want to hear from you who makes the best sancocho in your family and what makes it so special?

We will share your story at THE BIG BRONX SANCOCHAZO this Saturday, September 29 at Brook Park!

September 24, South Bronx, NY - Green Worker Cooperatives held our annual “The Big Bronx Sancochazo” at Brook Park.  

Click on the image below to view our gallery of photos.

We began the day with cooperative members tabling and presenting short workshops, and community groups talking about their services or campaigns. We had an amazing rotating set of volunteers stepping up to cook with the chefs from our current Co-op Academy. Together we made two versions of our sancocho - vegetarian and meat stews for all. 

 Our kitchen was BUSY! There were so many people stepping in to give a hand to get more ingredients, to cut vegetables, and at one point, even to chop wood for the fire. 

Folks got to meet our current participant teams in the Co-op Academy who led the cooking, and everyone participated in some aspect of the two amazing sancochos. Thanks to WOKE Foods and Chulita’s Restaurant for cooking our delicious sancochazos!

 We had a several cooperative businesses on deck: POLIDO, instructing on how-to-ride-a-skateboard; Bio Classic Cleaning, demonstrating ecologically safe cleaning products; The House of Spoof Cooperative, teaching printmaking skills using recycled materials; Revolutionary Seeds, giving out soil-and-seed-balls for guerilla gardeners; and Ometeotl, showing off their wares using up-cycled materials to make elegant flower crowns and necklaces. 

We closed the day with several performances including traditional Aztec dancers, a belly dancing workshop, and modern Bollywood dance performance. As we ate the long-stewed meal we also listened to the alluring songs of Charles Duke, and watched live painting by a mural artist. We had about two hundred people throughout the event, this was probably the quietest part of the day, as people filled up on sancocho.

We want to thank the organizations, groups, and individuals that supported us - with necessary items, and batches of food - all to co-create the magic of our Sancochazo!

SAVE THE DATE!

The Big Bronx Sancochazo is our annual community event that takes place the last Saturday of September at Brook Park!

Thanks to our community and corporate sponsors!

Left to right: Bronx Power, Bronx Spanish Evangelical Church, Cetiliztli Nauhcampa, Charles Duke, DJ Joel Pratt, Friends of Brook Park, Jetro Restaurant Depot, La Morada Restaurant, The Point, Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice. 

Also thanks to our Bangra Dancers and Belly Dancer