The Amazing Garden: A Film and Conversation on Community Gardening in NYC
Join us for an evening celebrating the legacy and future of New York City’s community gardens, inspired by the short film The Amazing Garden, produced and directed by Hiroko Tadano Neely and Deb Levine. The film tells the story of how, thirty years ago, a group of passionate neighbors transformed a derelict concrete lot on the Columbia Street waterfront into a lush, thriving green space—a powerful example of grassroots urban renewal. Following the screening, we’ll hear directly from three of the original gardeners—Launa Beuhler, Mildred Bishop, and Chris Curran—who helped bring The Amazing Garden to life.
In the second part of the evening, a panel of experts will reflect on the broader community gardening movement in New York City including Isak Mendes, Deputy Director of NYC Parks’ GreenThumb program, Steven Thomson, former President of the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust Board of Directors, and Kwesi Joseph, Urban Garden Specialist, Harvest New York.
Together, they’ll discuss the vital role community gardens have played in building neighborhoods since the 1970s and 80s, and the contemporary challenges they face—from gentrification and zoning pressures to food justice and climate resilience. We’ll also explore the future of the movement as its founding generation ages, and celebrate the enduring power of these spaces as hubs of nature, creativity, education, and connection.
This program is part of CBH’s Summer Screenings, a series of documentary films about Brooklyn.
Participants
Filmmakers:
Deb Levine is a writer, editor, and communications professional with more than two decades of experience creating digital content for the non-profit, education, and entertainment sectors. Deb currently serves as Head of Content & Marketing for Teach For All, a global network of 60+ independent organizations working to ensure all children can fulfill their potential. Previously, she was Editorial Director for Nickelodeon's website, Nick.com, and its related digital properties.
Deb is the author of two middle-grade novels (Kitchen Chaos and The Icing on the Cake) published by Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, as well as the children's book, Parker Picks (Simon & Schuster) and the non-fiction book, Love Miscellany (Skyhorse Publishing). Deb lives in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn with her family and is a deep believer in the importance of sustainable living and urban gardening. She has been part of the Amazing Garden community for more than a decade and is thrilled to be able to amplify the stories its founders have shared with her over the years.
Hiroko Tadano Neely is a Brooklyn-based community gardener and urban environmental advocate. She is the producer and co-editor of The Amazing Garden, a documentary celebrating the 30-year history of the Amazing Garden, a GreenThumb community garden located in the Columbia Waterfront District near Red Hook. In addition to leading the film’s creative direction, Hiroko also spearheaded its fundraising efforts, securing support from the NYC Green Fund to bring the story to life.
With over a decade of experience in business development and cross-cultural leadership, Hiroko recently transitioned into full-time urban horticulture. She currently works as a seasonal gardener at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and is enrolled in Cornell University’s Community Garden Leadership program.
Hiroko is passionate about storytelling, ecological education, and building accessible green spaces that foster deeper community connections.
Panelists:
Kwesi Joseph is an Urban Gardens Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Harvest New York. He focuses on vegetable production, integrated pest management (IPM), and improving soil health and plant nutrient density using compost, rock dust, and biochar. His work supports community-led approaches to managing soil fertility and building healthier, more resilient food systems. Kwesi holds an Executive MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson School of Business and a BS in Geology from York College, The City University of New York.
Isak Mendes is the Deputy Director of GreenThumb the community garden arm of the NYC Parks Department, where he has worked for over 10 years. Born and raised in New York City, community gardening is in his blood, from his childhood when his mother had him walk food scraps down to the compost bins at the 6/15 Community Garden in Park Slope, to his time now at the largest community garden program in the nation.
Isak began his career at the Lefferts Historic House as a museum educator and farm manager for historic plots. He served on the board of the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust. He holds a B.A. from Bard College and studied Landscape Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. After RISD he was a zone gardener for community gardens in East New York and Queens for the New York Restoration Project before moving on to GreenThumb. He lives in Sunset Park with his wife, two kids, and new dog, Ginger (named after his favorite ingredient in meal preps).
Steven Thomson focuses his work on engaging New Yorkers in community development, public space, and preservation advocacy to foster a dynamic and inclusive city. He currently serves as Director of Community & Intergovernmental Affairs at the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, and previously served as President of the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust, a grassroots non-profit organization that protects and stewards several dozen community gardens in Brooklyn and Queens.
Prior, Steven held positions as Director of Thought Leadership at the Central Park Conservancy and Vice President at Kasirer, where he advised organizations on community engagement in land use planning including the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's "Fight for Sunlight" campaign, open space access at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island. Steven has also held positions in public programs and communications at Brooklyn Historical Society, now the Center for Brooklyn History, and Van Alen Institute. He has written on the intersection of politics and public space for publications including CityLab, Curbed and the Architect's Newspaper.
