Social Justice & Civic Engagement
Defining Social Justice & Civic Engagement:
Social Justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.
Civic Engagement or civic participation is any individual or group activity addressing issues of public concern.
Defining Civic Engagement & Social Justice at BCC:
At Bronx Community College, Civic engagement involves working to make a difference in the civic life of one’s community and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes. Civic engagement includes forms of political activism, environmentalism, and community and national service.
We provide rewarding and meaningful civic engagement opportunities to the student body and support student leaders in their effort to attain academic, personal and professional growth to become active and engaged citizens.
Social Justice & Civic Engagement Committees/Working Groups/Organizations
The Association of Latino Faculty and Staff serves as an advocacy and support organization for the Latino faculty, staff and students at Bronx Community College.
Justice@BCC strives to advance knowledge, awareness, and advocacy about social justice for our justice-impacted campus members and the Bronx community.
The LGBTQI + Resource Room at Bronx Community College works to foster an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environment for students, faculty, and staff of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.
M.E.N. is part of CUNY’s BMI (Black Male Initiative). As a university-wide initiative, CUNY BMI’s mission is to encourage, increase and support the inclusion and educational success of students from groups that are severely underrepresented in higher education, in particular African, African-American/Black, Caribbean and Latino/Hispanic males.
The Social Justice Network (SJN) is a volunteer collective of staff, faculty, administrators and students at Bronx Community College who began meeting and organizing in the summer of 2020.
SJN worked together to develop the co-curricular programming we believe our communities needed in response to anti-Black racism in the US criminal justice system, health care, & education in addition to anti-Latinx/a/o policies and xenophobia.
Student Government Association (SGA) is the representative governing body of the student population. We enable students to voice their opinions through campus committees and public Senate meetings.
Womxn Up! is a welcoming, safe, supportive and inclusive space to that serves the needs of womxn in the BCC Community. We are a home for connection, community, reflection, relaxation and sisterhood (not just cisterhood).
IMPORTANT DEADLINES
General Election: November 5, 2024
Voter registration deadline (new registrants): October 26, 2024
Change of Address Deadline: October 21, 2024
Absentee Ballot Application Deadline: October 26, 2024
Early Voting: October 26, 2024 – November 3, 2024.
Upcoming Events
| EVENT NAME | EVENT DESCRIPTION | DATE | TIME | LOCATION | COLLABORATORS |
| Week of Welcome (tabling) | Semesterly Event in which faculty, staff, and student leaders volunteer to table and assist students navigate the campus grounds for the first week of classes. | 8/28 through 9/4/24 | All Day (9am to 4pm) | Outside of Meister Hall | Student Life and several volunteers from different Student Affairs and Academic Affairs Departments. |
| City Agency Resource Fair | A resource fair for the BCC student body from NY City agencies that provide free or low cost assistance in several areas or can provide employment. | 9/3/2024 | 12-2PM | Meister Hall | Student Life & ASAP Career Readiness |
| America Needs You Information Session | ASAP Career Readiness and Transfer Services collaborate on Volunteer, work and internship opportunities with America Needs You. | 9/10/2024 | 12:30-1:30PM | ZOOM | ASAP Career Readiness & Transfer Services |
| Exhale to Inhale Trauma Informed Yoga | Exhale to Inhale will host weekly Trauma Informed Yoga classes the BCC Campus Community for the Fall 2024 semester. | 9/13,20,27 10/11,18,25 11/1,8,15,22 12/6,13 | 12-1PM | BC 311A | Student Life & WomXn Up! |
| Constitution & Citizenship Day | Explanation of the constitutional rights that students have, review of campus rights that students have and introduction to several student services. | 9/17/2024 | 12-2PM | Meister Lobby & Schwendler Auditorium | Student Life, Student Success, History Dept, WomXn Up, ASAP Career Readiness |
| National Voter Registration Day | Different tabling initiatives to get students, faculty, and staff registered to vote. | 9/17/2024 | 2PM to 4PM | Meister Under hang | Student Life, ASAP Career Readiness |
| LA CASA DE MARÍA CONTRA LA VIOLENCIA DOMÉSTICA: STRUGGLES & TRIUMPHS Documentary Screening | The images of Puerto Rico in this documentary bring on such nostalgia for the island. It shares Vilma Luz’s journey as the daughter of a battered woman. Vilma makes a final promise to fix the home that her beloved mother Maria built as a secret refuge to flee her abuser. | 9/17/2024 | 5PM to 7PM | BC 211 | Student Life, WomXn Up |
| Latinx Heritage Month Kick Off Celebration | Celebration of Latin American music, food, crafts and services. There will be a live band, DJ, resource tabling, food, and arts & crafts on the Colston Plaza. | 9/19/2024 | 12-2PM | Colston Plaza | Student Life, Student Success, & ALFS |
| A workshop on “Children with Developmental Disabilities & Family” | Life can be difficult when caring for a child with Developmental Disabilities. This workshop will share valuable resources, encourage participants to celebrate their successes as well as their frustrations and difficulties, offer strategies for success and provide motivation to reach your goals, dream about the future and instill hope! | 09/20/2024 | 12pm-2pm | Zoom | Early Childhood Center/Gary Shulman |
| Lunch with Leaders | Career Development Luncheon for Students | 9/24/2024 | 12-2PM | BC 211A | MEN & Student Success |
| Exhale to Inhale Allyship Workshop | Eric McGriff, Prevention Specialist, and Crime Victims Treatment Center will be leading these workshops. | 10/1/2024 | 12-1:30PM | ZOOM | Student Life & WomXn Up! |
| Student Leadership Networking Social | ASAP Career Readiness and Student Life collaborate on introducing students to BCC’s students leaders in a networking social event. | 10/8/2024 | 12-2PM | BC 211A | Student Life & ASAP Career Readiness |
| Dominican Veteran Memorial | To give thanks and remembrance at America’s first Worl War II Dominican Veteran’s Monument. | 10/9/2024 | 10-11AM | WWII Dominican Veteran’s Monument | Student Success & Veteran Military Services |
| SGA Training: Justice Alliance Project with LaVerne King | LaVerne King will lead a leadership training geared for the SGA. | 10/10/2024 | 12-2PM | NH 117 | Student Life & The Justice Alliance |
| Playing with Pups De-Stress Event | The Good Dog Foundation will bring fully trained therapy dogs during midterm and finals weeks for the students | 10/10 or 17 12/12 or 19 | 12-2PM | BC 211A | Student Life, Social Sciences & The Justice Alliance |
| Coming Out Day | Celebrates and shares the untold stories of coming out in the LGBTQI+ Community. Panel Discussion | 10/11/2024 | 12-2PM | BC 211A | LGBTQI+, Student Success |
| Latinx Heritage Month Closing Celebration | Closing out LatinX Heritage Month with LatinX Comedy Night | 10/15/2024 | 4-6PM | Schweindler Auditorium or NI 104 | Student Life, Student Success & ALFS |
| A workshop on “Children with Emotional & Behavioral Disabilities” | Life can be difficult when caring for a child with Emotional or Behavioral difficulties. This workshop will share valuable resources, encourage participants to celebrate their successes as well as their frustrations and difficulties, offer strategies for success and provide motivation to reach your goals, dream about the future and instill hope! | 10/24/2024 | 12pm-2pm | Zoom | Early Childhood Center/Gary Shulman |
| BCC Alumni Networking Social | Alumni from different majors and career fields will be invited to a speed networking event with currently enrolled BCC Students | 11/14/2024 | 12-2PM | BC 211A | Student Life & ASAP Career Readiness |
| Social Work Information Sessions | Career and Transfer opportunities for students in the Social Work major. | 11/19/2024 | 4-5PM | ZOOM | ASAP Career Readiness & Transfer Services |
| Ask Gary, Social Services Program information | Our speak Gary will host a workshop :Any Social Service Issues and Questions you might have: What help is out there for me and my family? | 11/22/2024 | 12pm-2pm | Zoom | Early Childhood Center/Gary Shulman |
| Social Justice Student Leadership Certificate Series Closing Ceremony | To celebrate the accomplishments of those students who completed the SJSLCS program. To award and recognize the Kalief Browder Scholarship Recipient. | 12/6/2024 | 12pm to 2pm | BC 211 | Student Life, SJN |
Past Events
February:
- 2/15/22 Social Justice Movie Day
- 12 – 1:30PM Screening of Awakenings (1954–1956). Dir. Vecchione, Judith. Prod. Judith Vecchione, and Blackside (Production company). Public Broadcasting Service, 1986. Individual acts of courage inspire black Southerners to fight for their rights: Mose Wright testifies against the white men who murdered young Emmett Till, and Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama.
- 6:30 – 8PM Screening of Ain’t Scared of Your Jails (1960–1961). Dir. Bagwell, Orlando. Prod. Orlando Bagwell, and Blackside (Production company). Public Broadcasting Service, 1986. Black college students take a leadership role in the civil rights movement as lunch counter sit-ins spread across the South. “Freedom Riders” also try to desegregate interstate buses, but they are brutally attacked as they travel.
- BCC COLLABORATORS: OSL, ALFS, SJN, WomXn Up!, Library
- 2/17/22 – 5/5/22 Lifting As We Climb Writing Group: Virtual Writing Space for BIPOC BCC Faculty
- BCC COLLABORATORS: SJN, WomXn Up!
- 2/22/22 6 – 8PM A Tribute To African American Leaders In The Criminal Justice Profession
- BCC COLLABORATORS: CRJ, SJN
- 2/23-24/22 at 7PM “The Bluest Eye: A virtual Public Reading with panelists Angela Davis, Edwidge Daticat, Glory Edim, Honoree Fanonne Jeffers, Jacqueline Woodson, Jesmyn Ward, Kimberle Crenshaw, Leila Mottley, Mahogany L. Browne, Nikole Hannah-Jones, & Tayari Jones.
- BCC COLLABORATORS: WomXn Up!, ALFS, SJN
March:
- 3/8/22 12 – 1:30PM Self Care, Wellness and You: Discussion on the Importance of Self-Care in Black and Brown Communities.
- BCC COLLABORATORS: OSL, WomXn Up!, ALFS, SJN
- 3/10/22 12PM – 2PM Her Story/ Her journey: Highlighting Latina Womxn Faculty at BCC.
- Panelists:
- Dr. Melissa Coss-Aquino – THESIS, English
- Dr. Barbara Flores-Caballero – Education & Reading
- Dr. Marjorie Garrido – Psychology
- Dr. Marjaline Vizcarrondo – Criminal Justice
- Panelists:
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- BCC COLLABORATORS: WomXn Up!, ALFS, SJN, OSL
- 3/11/22 12:00-2:00PM Miss Representation – Screening
- Trailer: https://youtu.be/a8SfHcf_pvM
- Written and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. Miss Representation exposes how mainstream media and culture contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America.
- Discussion Questions: http://influencefilmclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Miss-Representation-DG.pdf
- 3/11/22 2:30-3:30PM Self Care through Movement and Breath.
- BCC COLLABORATORS: OSL, WomXn Up!, ALFS, SJN
- 3/15/22 Tuesday Meditations with Prof. Kelvin Cooper and Friends.
- BCC COLLABORATORS: WomXn Up!, ALFS, SJN
- 3/16/22 12:00-2:00PM My Name is Pauli Murray – Screening
- Resources:
- Civil Rights Leader & Trailblazer
- Pauli Murray GLBT History
- The Pauli Murray Website
- Exercise – Letters to Pauli Murray
- Resources:
- 3/24/22 12 – 2 PM Domestic Violence Awareness & Prevention Workshop with Dr. Gadsden.
- BCC COLLABORATORS: CRJ, SJN
- 3/25/22 12 – 1:15PM LatinX Mental Health Discussion with Dr. Frances Melendez – Clinical Psychologist & Alexis Francisco – LCSW
- BCC COLLABORATORS: WomXn Up!, ALFS, SJN
- 3/30/22 4-6PM Social Emotional Training with Author, Dr. Barbara Flores-Caballero. Topic: “Applying Social Emotional Intelligence in our Professional Practice”
- BCC COLLABORATORS: WomXn Up!, ALFS, SJN, OSL
- 3/31/22 12-2PM WomXn Up! Resource Center Womxn History Month Closing Celebration.
- BCC COLLABORATORS: WomXn Up!
Library Resources
Documentaries, along with a multitude of other educational films, can be accessed at Academic Video Online (Alexander Street).
*To access the films users will need their CUNY login credentials: Username= firstname.lastname##@login.cuny.edu; Password = your CUNY login password.
