Dark skies, heavy rains, rising waters. These are just some of the bad omens for flooding and climate change that New Yorkers are all too familiar with. The looming possibility of home flooding is an event that nobody wants to face, but one that can happen regardless.
But what if there was an entertaining way to become informed? That’s where the play “Flood Sensor Aunty” comes in. The performance seeks to double as both a source of entertainment and community disaster preparedness, arming communities across Queens with knowledge to protect themselves and their neighborhoods from floods and other climate related events.
“I work in community organizing and outreach, so I know all too well that the strategies that we conventionally use to reach people are not enough. We need to be creative in meeting people where they’re at and host workshops in bars and chai shops and community gardens, sprinkle our public education into plays and storytelling events and board game nights, and find trusted messengers who can help us do so with culturally competent approaches,” said Sabina Sethi Unni, writer and director of “Flood Sensor Aunty.”
All too often when issues of public importance are raised — such as aforementioned floods — people will say that education and awareness are a be-all, end-all solution without acknowledging the challenges that come with bringing about said education.
But so far, “Flood Sensor Aunty” has brought a blend of fun and public awareness through outdoor performance at various parks and public spaces in communities around Queens, ranging from locations in Richmond Hill, Jackson Heights, Astoria, Long Island and, this upcoming April, here at QC.
The performance at QC is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23rd at 5 p.m., taking place between Kiely and Klapper Hall.
When asked why QC was chosen as a performance location, Unni said:
“Queens College excites me as a space for performance not just because the campus has so many beautiful outdoor spots to perform, but also because the Urban Studies Department takes a needed intersectional approach to studying our built environment, teaching students about Asian American Community studies, environmental justice, social practice art and more.”
There are some challenges faced by outdoor performances such as handling permits with regard to sound or parks, language access in an outdoor space and the need for lots of coordination among various partners across various boroughs. But these challenges are well worth taking on if it means more public awareness bundled alongside entertaining performance.
Some of the issues tackled by “Flood Sensor Aunty” are extremely relevant for people in New York City, especially now with issues of flooding as a result of weather events or climate change becoming the focus of many discussions. According to Jill Cornell, a Community Outreach Specialist at NYC Emergency Management, some key takeaways for audiences of “Flood Sensor Aunty” are as follows:
“The best way to protect yourselves from disasters is by knowing your neighbors, and if you live in a basement apartment and it starts flooding, go upstairs, not out the front door.”
The performance coming to QC seeks to deliver these takeaways alongside encouraging community and family preparedness through methods such as creating go bags, installing flood alarms, developing plans of action for extreme weather and knowing your neighbors and community members around you.
For anyone interested in attending the performance this April, Unni said, “If you don’t enjoy the performance, I will make sure you get a refund (the performance is free). After the performance, we’ll have a fun and informative talkback (with prizes and free goodies from NYC Emergency Management) hosted by Queens College’s very own Professor Natalie Bump Vena and tenant organizer Maansi Shah where we’ll be talking about stormwater flooding in Queens, what you need to know about the upcoming Jamaica rezoning, and more!” This upcoming performance at QC will certainly help continue the entertainment, fun, and crucial public education that “Flood Sensor Aunty” provides to various communities around Queens.
