“I come from a long line of ancestors, of women who survived wartime and postcolonial adversity, who fought for their voice and place in their country, their professions, and their families. I honor their memory with the work I continue to do with my students, to foster and cherish their voices through the written word.”

Kathleen (Kat) Alves
Associate Professor, English
Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies Initiative (BRES) Committee

“We all play a role in our collective journey to cultivate a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity, access, and belonging in our campus community. Having experienced various challenges as a minority—Muslim, Asian, and female—I am making space for others so we can jointly create a sense of belonging in this phase of our journey at Queensborough Community College.”

Trikartikaningsih Byas, Ph.D.
Professor, English
Advisor, Muslim Student Association

“My great-grandparents fled the anti-Jewish massacres that swept across Eastern Europe during the 1900s, with some family members settling in Cuba before they were forced to flee again during the revolution. As a child growing up in Miami during the 1980s, I also saw firsthand the devasting impact of antisemitism, racism, and discrimination in a diverse city that was marred by violence and segregation. Those foundational experiences are why I'm committed to creating programs that make meaningful connections between different groups of people.”

Laura B. Cohen, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Harriet & Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Center
Planning Committee, QCC Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center (TRHT)

I believe that learning mathematics can be empowering, and I view my role as a facilitator in that process. I am a product of a society and a higher education system where inequities and racism are built into our practices, policies, and structures. Thus, I have committed to a life-long process of (un)learning and equipping myself with the awareness and skills necessary to work on identifying and mitigating inequities and structural racism. If we want to transform our institutions into spaces where everyone is welcome and everyone can prosper, then we must transform our practices and programs so that they rest sturdily on the principles of inclusion and belonging.

Maria Mercedes Franco, Ph.D.
Professor, Mathematics
Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Queensborough Campus Center

“Having worked in the museum and local history field for twenty years, I’ve made it a priority to learn effective practices for making arts, culture, and history accessible to all. A key step in transformative learning is ensuring that our diverse student body see themselves reflected in stories of adversity and resilience. My hope is that everyone who enters our space leaves with a greater understanding of humanity and is inspired to be a better version of themselves.”

Marisa L. Hollywood
Associate Director
The Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Center
QCC Gallery & Museum Studies Program Advisory Board Member

“I advocate for inclusive environments so that we remain cognizant of the hard work and dedication of those who came before us. Remembering those who have paved the way (many times without recognition and fanfare) helps me to create opportunities for success in populations that traditionally have been marginalized. “

Kersha Smith, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Psychology
Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies Initiative (BRES) Committee
Member, Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA)