I’m a little late with this, but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to showcase one of our participants. In October, Kingsborough hosted a Diversity Symposium that brought together students, faculty, college staff members and outside guests to discuss this year’s topic: Creating Safe Environments. In addition to the college’s “safe zones” (offices designated free of discrimination of race, gender, sexuality and color where students and staff members to ), the campus has a no tolerance policy for acts of discrimination. The Diversity Symposium opened discussion for campus members to talk about what it means within the college and in the outside world.

NRC CHW student, Desi K. Robinson (who, earlier this month, interviewed Project Rise students during a segment on WBAI) led a round table discussion on how racism plays out in 2014–how racism is identified, discussed and addressed in today’s society, and how important it is to open dialogue within local communities to create systems of support so all individuals are afforded basic human rights.

CEWD’s location, on the campus of Kingsborough Community College, provides opportunities not available in other workforce training programs. Participants enrolled in our programs not only have access to basic college services (the library, tutoring, enrollment assistance, etc.), but, more importantly, to the collaborative and supportive environment that is a college campus.