About the Biko Center

The Biko Transformation Center is a spiritual community located in East Bushwick and bordering the Ocean Hill and East New York area of Brooklyn. It provides leadership training, educational and entertainment programs and services for the neighborhood. The Biko Center works to develop the cultural life of the community and offer space for neighborhood activities and find funding to support our outreach programs.

Stephen Bantu Biko (1946 –1977) whose photograph is in our logo, was a non-violent anti-apartheid activist in South Africa. Since his death in police custody, he has been called a martyr of the anti-apartheid movement. While living, his writings and activism attempted to empower blacks, and he was famous for his slogan “black is beautiful”, which he described as meaning: “man, you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human being”. He also coined the expression, “I write what I like”.

Whether African, African-American, Caribbean, Latino, Caucasian or other experiences of the African Diaspora…our children, youth and adults can find a healthy gathering place, build support networks and advance their goals, and in the process become better prepared to succeed in our area and beyond. We collaborate with our block associations, neighborhood churches and organizations to produce events that give the community opportunity to explore and dialogue and cross lines of diversity. We instituted classes and a performance ensemble to develop and refine artistic skills for our youth. We have available space for rehearsal, study time, dance studio. Our Biko Arts Collective’s services available for reasonable rates. .

Our Building

The building was renovated by the Episcopal Society of St. Francis twenty-five years ago. The Episcopal Franciscan Brothers brought religious, spiritual, and practical services to the neighborhood for over twenty years. In spring of 2006, the brothers retired to their house in Long Island and leased the building to the new Biko Transformation Center.

Our Neighborhood

In the five years since Biko Center was founded, our neighborhood has evolved from being one of the lowest income areas in New York City. Investors have bought and built new stores and housing space. The dramatic contrast between the families who have resided here for generations and the new influx of young professionals and artists looking for affordable housing has made the community more diverse and dynamic. Biko Center addresses several community issues:

• the need for services such as training in computer literacy for the older and senior adults,
• the need for positive activities and skills building for the young adults and children,
• space for healthy and inspirational gathering to build dialogue and tolerance, study space with computer access for adults/teens,
• the need for space to rehearse, study and brainstorm for emerging artists.
  Previously, our evolving neighborhood was served by the St. Elizabeth’s Friary for twenty five years; the Franciscan Brothers hosted spiritual and arts events here and offered the main floor spaces for community events and church services. The Biko Transformation Center, a registered 501c3, carries on this tradition of outreach and has added new resources for the community’s emerging writers, musicians and artists. Classes in fitness, music and theater are offered at reasonable rates. We have open forums for presentations, rent the studio at affordable rate for gatherings, self help meetings and parties.

Seeing our neighborhood grow with new opportunities, new possibilities, encourages us all to help realize dreams that financial strife may have forced onto the back burner. Through working together as a community, we’ve seen the community gardens flourish, the streets become safe, more residents strolling down Broadway as new businesses open up, neighbors publish their first books, musicians produce their CD’s. We provide a place where artists can both promote and be inspired.
Seeing these changes, Biko Center aims continue to encourage community members to grow and change, because they have discovered their power to realize their dreams.

We are a can do group, rather than a do for group.

Biko Center Board of Directors & Staff

Ryan Buck President
Essie Duggins Treasurer

Ms. Joan Barclay 2009-present
Fr. Clarke Berge, SSF 2006-2007
Rev. Margaret Blackett 2006-2009
Fr. Tom Carey 2007-2009
Mayleen Cumberbatch 2006-present
Rev. Pierre Damus 2006-present
Rev. Joseph Jerome 2006-present
Ingrid Noble Joseph 2006-present
Sandra Legall-Leys 2006-2008
Br. Erick Michael, SSF 2010-present
John G. Robertson co-founder, 2006-present
Audrey Rowe 2006-present
Ivonne Waldron 2006-present
Nadine Whitted 2009-present

Nominees
Ed O’Connell
Rev. Kassinda Ellis
Trish St. Hill

Staff
Tyrone Owusu Slater co-founder, Program Director
Marcia Kresge Administrator

Biko Arts Collective Members

Tyrone Owusu Slater Leader, 2006-present
Leanna Browne 2009-present
Mayleen Cumberbatch 2006-present
Alex Kwabena Colon 2007-present
Aretha Crosson 2009-present
Yeshvir Daamineni 2007-present
Antonia Dixon 2010-present
Phyllisa Epps 2009-present
Francis Flores 2006-present
Erick Fungo 2010-present
Paul Gallimore 2008-present
Stephanie Gratzer 2010-present
Nickolas Heling 2007-present
Sharon Hunt Biblari 2008-present
Marcia Kresge 2006-present
James Lovell 2006-present
Leon Mayers 2008-present
Joseph Morris 2007-present
Rosalio Inojosa 2011-present
Shadeah Shepard 2009-present
Roberta Vigilence 2009-present
Brian Wade 2010-present
Gloria Williams Taitt 2007-present

Instructors

Terrence Butler, piano
Metaphysics, fitness coach
Phyllisa Mason, fitness, belly dance
DJ Sterotype, film writing, music editing
Rosalio Inojosa, computer literacy, video
Vera Dumont, Radio Active
Marcia Kresge, yoga, ballet stretch