Project Summary

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South Bronx Conversations for Change aims to build safe arenas for dialog between the police and South Bronx communities. Through a broad coalition of participants, we hope to build bridges of understanding, mutual respect, and an effective plan for change.

About me

I am a freelance writer, award-winning playwright, poet, public speaker and consultant who specializes in ethnic reconciliation and human rights. Former Director of Ethnic Reconciliation for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship--Southern California, I earned an MA degree in Human Rights, from Columbia University in New York City. I also earned an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) degree in Playwriting from the University of Southern California and a BA in Theater Arts with a minor in American Studies from Rutgers University. I am a co-founder and the executive director of NY Faith and Justice, a budding 100% volunteer, faith-based anti-poverty movement in New York City. I'm interested in this grant because the funding would give me the ability to focus my time and efforts over the next year to build our coalition, train study circle facilitators, launch conversation circles throughout the South Bronx, and implement follow-up measures to insure Action steps are implemented. Derrick Boykin is the Northeast organizer for Bread for the World, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending hunger worldwide. He is also Assistant Minister at Walker Memorial Baptist Church in the South Bronx and Derrick serves on the board of NY Faith and Justice. Flavia De Souza is an organizer with Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice in the South Bronx. She is working with our coalition to garner support for the conversations among youth.