BCC received a $24,000 Campus Climate Change grant from CUNY. CUNY sponsored this grant initiative to help its campuses address the uptick in anti-Asian hate, antisemitism and other forms of discrimination.

BCC was awarded this grant for its proposal “Frameworks for effective conversations about race and religion.”

An interdisciplinary team of BCC faculty, staff and administrators wrote the proposal that utilizes Theatre in Education (TIE) techniques, interactive workshops, and a common read program to identify, develop and facilitate a framework for having difficult conversations about race and ethnicity, religious differences and issues of equity and diversity. 

The team of BCC faculty, staff and administrators that put forth a combined effort to facilitate this grant are:

• Dr. Monique A. Guishard, Associate Professor of Psychology, Department of Social Sciences, Chair of the BCC Senate Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Vice President (Faculty), Unity & Strength: The Association of Black (Diaspora) Faculty & Staff, Co-Chair, The Social Justice Network at BCC, Advisory Board Member, Womxn Up!
• Dr. James Webb, Assistant Professor of Communication Arts & Sciences, Chair of the BCC Senate Governance & Elections Committee, Theatre Director
• Mrs. Tiffany Dubon-Yard, Student Life Civic Engagement Specialist, Advisor, BCC Student Government Association, Vice Chair, The Association of Latino Faculty & Staff, Co-Chair, The Social Justice Network at BCC, Advisory Board Member, Womxn Up!
• Dr. Luis Montenegro, Dean for Academic Affairs

The project will build upon existing, successful anti-racist and social justice initiatives at BCC, including its Social Justice Leadership Certificate series and the BCC Reads program.

Monthly workshops will be held in conjunction with the BCC Social Justice Student Leadership Certificate series where students, faculty and staff will learn about frameworks for holding positive conversations about race and religion.

Through BCC Reads students and faculty will read and discuss a book that addresses racism on a practical level.

BCC will present three performances of the play Dissonance to be held at the College’s theater in late April or early May 2023. This community-wide event will bring to life an emotionally charged conversation about two lived realities separated by race. The director and cast will lead a discussion about race after the performance.