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Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP)

@welcometocup

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Brooklyn based nonprofit using the power of art and design to increase meaningful civic engagement in partnership with marginalized communities.

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❤️ CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS ❤️

In a little less than two weeks, on October 7 at 6:30pm, CUP is celebrating its 25th year of Making Policy Public with youth and communities across the city. It's a birthday party, a reunion, a fundraiser, and a dance party all in one. We need help putting it all together for the big night!

Are you free October 7 during the day (11-6) or at night (6-10) to volunteer? We have four shifts: two for set up and two during the event.

If you are, DM us and we will share the sign up link!

All volunteers are fed delicious food from Queens Night Market vendors, appreciated, and encouraged to dance and eat cake with us. by @welcometocup

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7 days ago

As part of our birthday celebration on October 7, we're beginning a new tradition: The CUP CUP.

Each year at our annual celebration, we'll present the CUP CUP to two partners: one organization working with communities to defend their rights and organize for more just and equitable systems; and one education partner working to support the leadership and power of young people.

Why a cup? We couldn't imagine a better symbol to recognize the people who pour their imagination, generosity, and commitment into New York City’s communities every day.

This first CUP CUP is a collaboration with Brooklyn-based ceramicist and art director Lisa Larson-Walker (@l_l_w), whose hand-built vessels transform this everyday object into something joyous, personal, and celebratory.

This year we are proud to share that the first CUP CUP will honor and celebrate our long time partners in uplifting youth and the rights and wellbeing of tenants, Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School (@fannielouhs) and Housing Court Answers (@housingcourtanswers).

We can't wait to celebrate our partners and everything they've built. Click the link in our bio to celebrate with us on October 7, 2026! by @welcometocup

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6 days ago

📣 Advocates, did you run out of time to apply to Making Policy Public? We’ve extended the deadline to next Monday, September 21 at 12:00pm EST.

If you’re an advocate or organizer working with communities to know and assert their rights, benefit from public services, or organize to create more just and equitable systems, this open call is for you!

Making Policy Public is CUP's annual open call that invites advocates and organizers to propose a project that breaks down a complex policy, process, or system affecting social justice; and graphic designers and illustrators to work with us to create it.

👉 Click the link in our bio to apply!

💡 Want support to talk through your project? Sign up for office hours! CUP staff is hosting extra office hours this week to talk one-on-one with organizers and advocates about their applications. Click the link in our bio to secure your slot.

Note: The 2026 call for designers is now closed. Thanks to all the artists and visual designers who applied! We can’t wait to review your applications. by @welcometocup

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16 days ago

📣 Advocates, organizers, graphic designers, and illustrators! Apply to the Making Policy Public open call by September 14!

Here’s another behind the scenes look at one of our current Making Policy Public collaborations:

VOLS Incarcerated Mothers Project (@volsprobono ) and designer Sofia Oropeza (@_sofiaoropeza_ ) are creating a guide that supports incarcerated mothers with understanding how to navigate the family legal system and reunify with their children.

The team has met with formerly incarcerated mothers who shared their expertise and gave feedback on an early draft of the guide.

👉Swipe through to hear more from the project team, and go to the link in our bio to learn more and apply! by @welcometocup

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20 days ago

📣 Advocates, organizers, graphic designers, and illustrators! Apply to the Making Policy Public open call by September 14!

Here’s another behind the scenes look at one of our current Making Policy Public collaborations:

Safety Net Project (@ujcsafetynet) and designer Sarah Saad are creating a guide for homeless New Yorkers to know and assert their rights when interacting with police and other city workers on the street and during sweeps.

The team has held two community sessions where currently and formerly unhoused community members shared their experiences and gave feedback on early drafts of the guide.

👉 Swipe through to hear more from the project team, and go to the link in our bio to learn more and apply! by @welcometocup

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a month ago

📢 There’s less than one month left for advocates, organizers, visual designers, and illustrators to apply to CUP’s Making Policy Public Open Call!

We’ve invited an inspiring group of leaders in design and social justice to select the projects and artists we’ll work with on our 2026 Making Policy Public collaborations.

The 2025 Making Policy Public jurors are (clockwise from top left):

> Juan Giraldo, lead organizer at CASA (Community Action For Safe Apartments) (@casabronx), where they work with tenants to protect and maintain affordable and safe housing in the Bronx.

> Bo-Won Keum (@oboewonkenobo), an independent graphic designer, researcher, and educator, currently serving as the design director of the Brooklyn Rail and previously as a designer at The Marshall Project.

> John Lee (@johnleedraws), an artist, illustrator, and educator, whose work crosses over between commercial illustration, fine art and community activism.

> Ellie Rutkey, the Runaway/Homeless Youth Staff Attorney at The Door (@door_nyc), where she represents youth in their Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and asylum cases, and lead’s The Door’s weekly drop-in legal clinic. by @welcometocup

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a month ago

PLEASE DON’T FLUSH IS COMING TO GOWANUS!!!!!!

Before and after the performance, stop by resource tables hosted by our partners at the Van Alen Institute, Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP), NYCEM, Waterfront Alliance, Fifth Avenue Committee, the Center for NYC Neighborhoods, Fieldform, and more.

Please Don’t Flush is a municipal comedy about a community board scheduled to vote on a mysterious waterfront development that neighbors and seagulls and plumbers are worried will increase inland flooding. Instead, the board is derailed by planning their bi-annual gala, celebrating their second-vice-chair’s half birthday, and locking the anti-anti-anti-development coalition in the bathroom.

Developed in deep partnership with NYC Emergency Management and the Waterfront Alliance, Please Don’t Flush is part of the Flood Sensor Aunty extended universe, a play which toured twenty public spaces across New York City, and was covered in Grist, NY1, the CITY, and more.

Team:

Written and directed by: Sabina Sethi Unni
Performers: Ray Jordan Achan, Fahad Ahmad, Amr Kotb, Amar Bains, Kshithij Hegde, Jess Balgobin, Jill Cornell, Maribelle Flint, and Josabeth Simisterra
Music Director: Tom Lee
Sound Engineer: Maxi Glenn
Illustrator: Abbie Preston
Costume Designer: Zen Tunsaringkran
Press: Off Off Bway PR
Videographer: Max Czerski
Photographer: Jesse Herndon
Prop Fabrication: Caitlin Eder
The Tea Stand: Miles Kirsch by @welcometocup

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a month ago

📣 Advocates, organizers, graphic designers, and illustrators! Apply to the Making Policy Public open call by September 14!

Here’s another behind the scenes look at one of our current Making Policy Public collaborations:

Make the Road NY (@maketheroadny) and design team Lunch Special (@lunchspecial_) are creating a guide that explains young people's rights when interacting with police and ICE at school.

The team has held two bilingual community sessions where they got feedback on early drafts from twenty young people from Staten Island, Queens, and Brooklyn. In a few weeks, they'll have their last community session before they get ready to send it to print!

👉 Swipe through to hear more from the project team, and go to the link in our bio to learn more and apply! by @welcometocup

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a month ago

📣 Advocates, organizers, graphic designers, and illustrators! There’s three weeks left to apply to our Making Policy Public open call!

Making Policy Public is CUP's annual open call that invites advocates and organizers to propose a project that breaks down a complex policy, process, or system affecting social justice; and graphic designers and illustrators to work with us to create it. Together, we create an accessible, print resource that uses art and design to make policy public.

Earlier this year, we kicked off our 2026 Making Policy Public collaborations and they’re all under way!

UHAB (@uhab) and design team Jonell Joshua (@jonell.joshua) and Lyz Ward (@thisiscurio) creating a guide that explains how tenants living in rent-stabilized buildings with neglectful landlords can start a “Tenant Takeover” so they can improve their building conditions, change how their building is managed, and create permanently affordable housing in their neighborhood.

The team is working on more developed drafts that incorporate feedback from their second community session where eight tenant organizers shared their experiences fighting to take control of their buildings across the city and what they’d most want to see visualized in the project.

👉 Swipe through to hear more from the project team, and go to the link in our bio to learn more and apply! by @welcometocup

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a month ago

There’s just over three weeks left for advocates, organizers, graphic designers, and illustrators to apply to CUP’s Making Policy Public Open Call!

Making Policy Public projects support different kinds of organizing and advocacy work. Advocates choose a format that aligns with how they work and reach their communities. Designers will know what format they’ll work on, once selected.

🤔 Want to know the different formats that are available? Curious what we mean by “small” and “large” format? Watch this video!

Deadline to Apply: Monday, September 14 at 12:00pm EST

👉 Click the links in our bio to apply and learn more! by @welcometocup

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a month ago

🌟 That’s a wrap on another incredible summer! 🌟

We’re proud to celebrate another successful summer with our SYEP participants! 🙌🏽💙

This year, our younger SYEP participants took part in our CUP Program, in partnership with the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP). Through this hands-on experience, our youth conducted interviews with neighborhood residents and community stakeholders, exploring the impact of underinvestment in their communities and the importance of creating stronger, more equitable neighborhood. 🏙️🎤✨

A HUGE thank you to our amazing partners at CUP and our SYEP partners at CCM (Community Counseling and Mediation) for helping make this summer meaningful, engaging, and successful! 🤝🏽
And most importantly, THANK YOU to our incredible youth! 👏🏽 Your hard work, curiosity, voices, and dedication made this summer one to remember. We are so proud of all you accomplished! 💪🏽❤️

#SYEP #YouthPower #YouthVoices #CommunityEngagement #CUP OurYouthOurFuture by @welcometocup

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a month ago

CUP is looking for advocates and community organizers to collaborate on our next series of Making Policy Public projects!

Making Policy Public invites advocates and organizers to apply to create a project that breaks down a complex policy, process, or system into an accessible, visual resource. The goal of Making Policy Public is to use the power of art and design to increase knowledge of the policies, processes, and systems that affect our neighborhoods and communities.

Deadline to Apply: Monday, September 14 at 12:00pm EST.

Advocates and organizers — do you want support with your application? This year we’re offering two kinds of support:

🗓️ Office Hours: Every week, our team has office hours to talk through your proposal or questions. To sign up for a slot, go to the link in our bio.

✍️ Draft Applications: For grassroots organizations with a budget under $1 million, you can submit a draft application to get feedback from CUP staff. If you want to submit an early application or have questions about this process, reach out to Clair Beltran, at clair@welcometocup.org.

👉 Click the link in our bio for more information and to apply! by @welcometocup

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2 months ago