Bristol Community College Office of Multicultural Affairs receives 2020/2021 Heroes of Peace Award
Bristol Community College’s Office of Multicultural Affairs was recently honored as the recipient of a 2020/2021 Heroes of Peace Award on Monday, September 20, at a ceremony outside of Government Center in Fall River, presented by Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan and the Fall River Youth Violence Prevention Initiative.
The “Heroes of Peace” award was created in 2010 by the Peace by Piece Steering Committee to recognize the many individuals and groups who are providing a positive message of hope and compassion in Fall River. Awards are presented in the categories of “Youth,” “Individual” and “Agency/Group” to those in the community who are instrumental in overcoming violence, refusing to be a bystander to aggressive acts and understanding that the world will become a better place because of kindness. This year’s ceremony also included an acknowledgment of the International Day of Peace, honored globally on Tuesday, September 21.
Bristol Community College’s Office of Multicultural Affairs oversees several initiatives at the college including the Multicultural Student Center, Multicultural Student Center Leadership Program, Multicultural Student Clubs, Bristol’s Student Lounge and more. The office also facilitates the college’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast and Day of Service, as well as frequent, public social justice forums, providing actionable items and educational opportunities about various social justice issues.
Bristol’s Multicultural Student Center welcomes and supports students, faculty and staff of all cultures, identities, backgrounds, abilities and orientations both on-campus and virtually. The center strives to provide the Bristol community with a safe, inclusive space to socialize with peers, complete course work and connect to resources or opportunities to remain engaged and successful in college.
The Fall River Youth Violence Prevention Initiative is a collaboration of dedicated partners focused on empowering the community at large to become involved in the reduction and ultimate prevention of youth violence in Fall River. Its mission is based on the philosophy that no one program, organization, grant or approach can solve the problem of violence and that only a collaborative expansion of various violence prevention efforts will enable Fall River to move closer to achieving that shared vision of peace for which every community strives.
The 2020/2021 Heroes of Peace award recipients include:
Youth
Annika Lewis
Dakota Patin
Trinity Rodriguez
Summa Slater
Individual
Bobby Bailey, Community Volunteer
Jessica Cyr, Family Support Worker Family Service Association
Derek Foulds, Vice President of Community Support Services at Family Service Association
Charlie Merrow, CEO of Merrow Manufacturing
Agency/Group
Blessed Trinity Parish
Fall River Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Multicultural Affairs, Bristol Community College
United Way of Greater Fall River
RivaRocks
For more information about Bristol Community College’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, please visit www.bristolcc.edu/multiculturalaffairs.