Climate Cafe South Brooklyn: A Place for Conversation, Connection, and Hope
Summers are getting hotter. Storms are stronger. Heavy rain can flood streets fast, leaving you wondering—what’s next?
We don’t have quick fixes for the climate crisis. But we can take small steps that make a real difference right here in our neighborhood.
We understand that feeling—we share it. That’s why we started Climate Cafe South Brooklyn.
We are a chapter of Climate Cafe NYC, an organization with a network of chapters across the city that offer nonjudgmental climate conversations through our non-profit, the Marine Park Young Adults Association. We don’t lecture or argue, we share, listen, and connect without judgment.
So, are you anxious, optimistic, uncertain, or simply curious? Your voice has its place here. We gather frequently in welcoming local venues such as Marine Park Coffee, where people of all ages congregate around a warm beverage to share and reflect, connect, and build resilience in our community.
Why We Started
Our non-profit organization unites people through events, youth support, and collaboration spaces. However, what we quickly realized was that there was a gap, a natural and friendly language, that people could use as they discuss climate change and the effect it has on our everyday life. Climate change was mentioned as a concern at a recent neighborhood gathering. Everyone had a voice: the local flood stories, the anxieties over air quality and asthma, and the experience of Hurricane Sandy. However, we realized something—discussing climate change in our everyday life is not easy. It becomes political, it becomes psychologically overwhelming, or it is closed down by saying, “There Is Nothing We Can Do.”
We believe that can be achieved through simple conversations. Not speeches nor instructions, but people living in the neighborhood listening to each other, exchanging experiences, and understanding that it is something that we all have to deal with.
What Is a Climate Cafe?
Consider entering Marine Park Coffee on Avenue S. The espresso aroma fills the air, the soft sound of the cups clinking is combined with the conversation flow, and the tables are filled with the familiar neighborhood faces. A small group gathers at one corner table, not to talk about the baseball score or the current news, but to exchange thoughts and emotions about something far less often discussed.
It may even be a parent who shares the discomfort they experience as their child inquires about what lies ahead.
It might be someone reflecting on the mix of hope and guilt they feel while tending their backyard garden.
It could be the plain relief of hearing someone say, “Yes, I have felt that way, too!”
This is the core of a Climate Cafe. It is neither a lecture nor a debate. There are no right answers or talking points. Instead, it is a free, respectful dialogue where everyone is listened to. We generally start with a couple of questions, including How Is The Changing Climate Affecting Your Everyday Life? or What Gives You Hope? The remainder of the conversation is based on that.
Sometimes, individuals recall the winters in Brooklyn when snow heaps remained there for weeks. Some talk of the storms, of drought or heatwaves on the far side of the world, as told by their parents or grandparents. Other times, action is quick—a shop switches to compostable cups or trees go in at Marine Park.
We keep things light, with laughter and stories to remind us we’re all human.
Why It Matters
The American Psychiatric Association calls that pit in your stomach over climate change “eco-anxiety.”
Suppressing such feelings can make them harder to manage. Perhaps the most valuable thing we have observed taking place in our Climate Cafe is the relief that comes from sharing them out loud in a safe environment.
Attendees have told us on several occasions that they simply hadn't known quite how much they needed to say it until they said it. Sharing lightens our worries, and we leave with fresh ideas knowing we’re not alone.
From Conversation to Action
We do not aim to distribute checklists and delegations. Nonetheless, when people connect in meaningful ways, action becomes a natural flow.
Certain previous discussions have rapidly evolved into community service, organizing a neighborhood litter pick-up, urging each other to carry our own mugs to our local coffee establishments, or even serving with a crew to plant trees.
Who’s Welcome?
The answer is simple—everyone. Everyone’s welcome—whether you’re concerned, hopeful, curious, or just listening.
We have opened our doors to teenagers who want to learn, retirees who have decades of local history to share, parents, business owners, and neighbors attending something like this for the first time in their lives. Each individual contributes something valuable to the table.
How to Join
We meet regularly, most often at Marine Park Coffee, and we announce our dates on our website and Instagram at @climatecafesouthbrooklyn. There is no fee to attend, and no requirement to register in advance.
Stop by, order your favorite drink if you’d like, and join the conversation.
Belonging to a Greater Network
Being part of this movement lets us share ideas. It inspires us to join projects beyond our neighborhood and know that these conversations are happening across the city.
We can’t stop every flood or heatwave. But we can make sure no one in our community faces climate uncertainty alone. You may have had a few silent doubts about the future, or you may have some hope to share with us. There will always be a chair, a warm drink, and neighbors ready to listen.