Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes and the Commission on Human Rights name distinguished winners of $10,000 awards from all five New York boroughs

NEW YORK – New York City’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC) and the New York City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) proudly announce the selection of 10 recipients for 2025 Community Project Grants to Prevent and Address Bias and Hate. These distinguished awardees will each put their $10,000 award toward creative projects designed to reduce hate crimes, bias-motivated incidents, and discrimination.

The winning projects reflect a diverse array of innovative strategies toward building awareness and respect across different communities and cultures.  They include educational campaigns, community events, and art exhibits that seek to proactively advance community safety in ways that go beyond traditional law enforcement and criminal legal systems.

“The Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes is excited to provide opportunities and access for this cohort of visionary leaders and organizations dedicated to creating a safer, more inclusive New York City. These project grants demonstrate a proactive and innovative approach to combatting hate and fostering understanding and inclusivity among New York City’s diverse communities,” said Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes Executive Director Vijah Ramjattan.

“At the Commission on Human Rights, we are proud to support the 2025 Community Project Grant awardees, whose innovative projects will help create a more inclusive and welcoming New York City. These initiatives harness the power of community-driven action to reduce hate and bias, fostering safer and more diverse spaces for every New Yorker, regardless of their background. I am personally inspired by the creativity and commitment of the awardees, and I am confident their work will have a lasting, positive impact for our city,” said New York City Commission on Human Rights Chair and Commissioner Annabel Palma.

OPHC and CCHR are committed to fostering inclusive relationships between New Yorkers, enhancing community-led responses to acts of hate, improving incident reporting, building social cohesion, and developing educational programs that increase cultural awareness and respect across all communities.

The agencies invite all New Yorkers to engage with the awardees’ initiatives and participate in the ongoing conversation about tolerance, respect, and harmony in our neighborhoods.

The 2025 Community Project Grant Awardees:

1. Red Hook Art Project (Brooklyn) 

“Power, Privilege, and Identity” is an intergenerational art project that addresses bias and discrimination by highlighting the voices and stories of Red Hook’s youth of color and seniors. Through collaborative artmaking, the project creates powerful portraits that reflect the resilience and diverse experiences of residents, bridging generational and cultural divides and challenging stereotypes.

2. Coleridge Ashaan Mitchell (Bronx) 

The Words Matter NYC campaign addresses language-based bias and discrimination by promoting cultural awareness, respectful communication, and inclusivity in diverse communities. Through social media engagement and community initiatives, it aims to educate New Yorkers on the impact of language, foster cross-cultural understanding, empower communities to combat bias, provide multilingual resources, and encourage reporting of bias incidents.

3. Right to Be (formerly Holla Back) (Brooklyn) 

Right To Be will conduct Bystander Intervention Trainings to Combat Hate Crimes in NYC, aimed at addressing rising hate, bias, and discrimination. These trainings seek to empower bystanders to foster a safer, more equitable city while preventing violence against affected communities. Each session adapts Right To Be’s existing interventions with specific NYC resources and focuses on areas including support for immigrant/refugee communities, combating Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, aiding trans communities, and addressing anti-AAPI harassment.

4. Staten Island Immigrant Center/El Centro Del Inmigrante, (Staten Island)

Staten Island Immigrant Center/El Centro aims to empower Staten Island’s immigrant community through education, advocacy, and access to essential resources. They will focus on creating a resilient community against hate and discrimination by offering Know-Your-Rights workshops, language access initiatives, and culturally sensitive events to addresses systemic inequities, ensuring that historically underserved immigrant groups receive vital support..

5. Hindus for Human Rights, (Queens) 

Hindus for Human Rights aims to promote interfaith and intercultural understanding in Queens’ South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities through community days of action. The events will include roundtable discussions addressing disinformation and mobilizing support for vulnerable community members, culminating in a Langar meal to foster connections. These initiatives will also address the unique challenges faced by these communities in Queens, promoting grassroots action and building solidarity within New York City’s diverse landscape.

6. The Voices of the Youth Changes Everything, (Queens) 

The 2025 Juneteenth in Queens Festival, themed “The Family Reunion: Honoring Legacy and Tradition,” will promote cultural pride and historical awareness. Participants will gain insights into Black history, civic engagement, and social justice while fostering stronger community ties and support for Black-owned businesses.

7. Julia Kito Kirtley (Redlotus artwork), (Brooklyn) 

“Love is the Message” harnesses NYC’s underground dance scene to promote unity, challenge hate, and celebrate diversity. This project features a multi-generational cast of local dance artists across various styles like Hip Hop, House, and more, set to a diverse music lineup. Events will be held in Manhattan and Brooklyn featuring live performances, a panel discussion addressing hate crimes, and interactive art creation where the audience can contribute messages of love.

8. Christina Blacken (The New Quo), (Brooklyn)

The New Quo utilizes storytelling experience that celebrates the beauty of sharing real stories where diverse storytellers share transformative events and beliefs they’ve let go of, highlighting a new form of leadership rooted in personal wisdom. Via inspiring tales, ice breakers, and tips for uncovering personal stories, individuals will  harness narrative intelligence for community building and meaningful change.

9. T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, (Manhattan) 

T’ruah will equip community members to engage in conversations about antisemitism with others in their lives, whether in their neighborhoods, at work, with friends and family, or online. These trainings and conversations will have a ripple effect, by empowering others to learn about antisemitism, and to break down barriers and feelings of fear or frustration between different communities. Community members will learn to   take action when they become aware of antisemitic incidents, and this will have a broader impact on New York City.

10. APNA: Know Your Rights Workshop- APNA Center, (Brooklyn) 

APNA Brooklyn Community Center aims to prevent hate crimes and discrimination through community-led, creative initiatives outside the legal system. Their program will promote cultural understanding and inclusion via workshops on hate crime prevention, Know Your Rights, storytelling, restorative justice, and community dialogue. They focus on empowering marginalized communities.

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Media Contacts
Noah Pransky [email protected]
Laura Brantley, [email protected]