JCC launches second cohort of We Are All Staten Island Fellowship Against Hate

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. —The Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island is accepting applications through Dec. 29 for the second cohort of the We Are All Staten Island Fellowship Against Hate.

The fellowship program addresses increasing incidents of hate on Staten Island and New York City. The initiative brings together the Joan and Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes as part of the Partners Against Hate initiative, the Council of Jewish Organizations, and numerous Staten Island community organizations.

The program’s inaugural cohort included 16 Staten Island professionals from nonprofit, faith-based, and government organizations who completed a six-week curriculum.

Fellows participated in workshops covering legal perspectives on hate, experiences of hate and oppression across different communities, unconscious bias, conflict resolution, and coalition building.

Sessions took place across various Staten Island neighborhoods to showcase the borough’s diversity, and the program ended with educational visits to sites in Washington, D.C., and a graduation ceremony.

“After great success with our first cohort, we’re excited to launch a new cohort of WAASIFAH fellows,” said Orit Lender, CEO of the JCC. “Now more than ever, Staten Island needs to stand together against hate. We look forward to equipping these leaders with the tools they need to break down barriers and build a stronger community.”

Staten Island becomes the third borough to host the Fellowship Against Hate program, following cohorts in Brooklyn and the Bronx.

The fellowship targets mid- to senior-level leaders from Staten Island’s nonprofit, faith-based, or government organizations.

“This fellowship is an opportunity for those seeking to expand their community relationships and gain the skills needed to make meaningful and lasting change,” Lender said.

Participating organizations include the SI Immigrants Council, SI Pride Center, Catholic Charities of SI, St. Joseph and St. Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel St. Benedicta, Albanian Islamic Cultural Center, Wagner College Holocaust Center, El Centro, Council of Jewish Organizations, SI Inter-Religious Leadership, SI Hindu Temple, First Central Baptist Church of SI, and Project Hospitality.

Applications can be submitted at https://www.sijcc.org/weareallstatenisland.html.