How does water, water infrastructure, and flooding in your neighborhood impact you + your livelihood?

Stories are powerful, important artifacts that show the effects of flooding and city policies and legislation on our lives. With a focus on community-based solutions to city-wide problems, this project chronicles first-hand accounts of flooding’s impact in Brooklyn waterfront neighborhoods. Given the growing body of data and increasing public awareness about flooding and climate disaster, the state of water archive views story as fact or “data” that should be drawn on in future city planning. The experiences of residents and community members are integral to understand how water impacts our bodies, wellness and livelihoods.

Share your water story! Call in to the state of water community hotline at (315) 280-8142‬. Tell a story, your thoughts, or share questions you have about the state of city water infrastructure. Take a few minutes to think about any of the following questions:

1. Has flooding ever affected you or someone you know in Brooklyn or New York City?

2. What are the effects that flooding has had on your life as a New York City resident?

3. How is your body affected by water? How do you connect and engage with it? 

4. Do you think the Mayor’s office and local city officials deeply consider the needs of community members as they work on climate policy and legislation?

The recordings shared via the state of water community hotline will be archived and shared to document the perspectives of NYC residents as we navigate climate change as individuals, communities, and as a collective whole.

state of water began as conversations with community organizations, neighbors and organizers in Red Hook and Gowanus. The stories in state of water will be gathered via phone hotlines, interviews, and outdoor “Listening Sessions.” These conversation based activations will take place in parks, libraries and community spaces in summer and fall 2023 across Brooklyn - and eventually, all five boroughs. The stories and findings of this ongoing project will be documented in a digital web archive available for public access at stateofwater.us - the archive is currently in development.

this project is in development with support from FloodNet’s Deluge microgrant program (summer 2022), More Art where Maya Simone was recently a 2022 Engaging Artist Fellow, and a recent residency to develop the project at Marble House (spring 2023). the support offered by these organizations and programs, in addition to deeply valuable community-based partnerships, make the growth of this work possible.

if you and your organization would like to learn more and support state of water as it develops, please contact Maya Simone and get updates about their work.