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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline FEBRUARY 27, 2026 | The Indian Eye 16

NYC Announces 12 Community Project Grant Winners

to Combat Hate and Bias at Grass-Roots Level

The NYC Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes and NYC Commission on Human Rights award up to $10,000
each to 12 community organizations — in all five boroughs — to prevent hate, bias, and discrimination.

OUR BUREAU interfaith solidarity and anti-hate ad-
vocacy. Its Eid/Holi/Vaisakhi for In-
NEW YORK, NY
tercultural Solidarity project brings
or the fourth consecutive year, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and allied com-
the New York City’s Office for munities together through youth
Fthe Prevention of Hate Crimes roundtables and public celebrations
(OPHC) and the New York City Com- to counter Islamophobia, anti-Sikh
mission on Human Rights (CCHR) hate, caste oppression, and polariza-
proudly announce the 12 recipients of tion.
the 2026 Community Project Grants Bangladesh School of Fine Arts
to Prevent and Address Bias and (BAFA) (Bronx and Queens): The
Hate. Each awardee will receive up Bangladesh Academy of Fine Arts
to $10,000 to develop and implement (BAFA) is a Bronx-based cultural
creative community-based projects organization dedicated to preserving
aimed at reducing hate crimes, bi- South Asian arts and fostering com-
as-motivated incidents, and discrimi- munity empowerment. Its initiative,
nation across New York City. Stories of Us: Bronx Intergeneration-
This year’s winners include or- al Arts & Anti-Bias Circle, brings to-
ganizations and individuals working gether youth and elders through inter-
across faith communities, intercultur- Miah Artola (Manhattan): Miah munity-driven art experiences that generational workshops that promote
al spaces, and youth programs. is an interdisciplinary artist and edu- transform public spaces through sto- cultural pride and civic engagement
“The Community Project Grants cator whose work centers the expe- rytelling. His project, ONE NYC: The through arts and storytelling.
reflect New York City’s commit- riences of asylum seekers, refugees Imagination Lab for Belonging turns Big Apple Immigrant Center
ment to investing in the communi- and diasporic communities through stories into artifacts and data into art, (Manhattan): Big Apple Immigrants
ties most vulnerable to hate,” said painting, new media and interactive connecting New Yorkers across cul- Center is a Chinatown and Lower
Vijah Ramjattan, Executive Direc- installations. Her ongoing project, tures and celebrating the city’s collec- East Side nonprofit providing cultur-
tor of the Office for the Prevention Mixed Poetics, fosters cross-cultural tive spirit. ally and linguistically accessible ser-
of Hate Crimes. “Through these dialogue through multilingual collab- Yohanna Baez & Jasmin Ben- vices to immigrant families. Through
grants, OPHC strengthens com- orations and mixed media platforms ward (Citywide): Yohanna Báez and legal education for NYCHA and Sec-
munity-driven strategies that em- spanning film, dance, virtual reality, Jasmin Benward are multidisciplinary tion 8 residents, anti-bias workshops,
power everyday New Yorkers to be and performance. artists collaborating on The Map Be- and community-building events, the
part of the solution. Grevil King-One Music Group longing Project, a citywide initiative Center addresses misinformation,
“Community-led work is critical (Bronx): Grevil “Vell” King is a that transforms personal stories into promotes rights awareness, and fos-
to preventing hate and addressing the Bronx-based creative director, music poetry and audio tours. Through pub- ters cross-cultural connection.
conditions that allow bias to take hold,” executive, and community arts leader lic mapping and walking tours, the Staten Island Pride Center (Stat-
said Christine Clarke, Commissioner who founded ONE Music Group to project empowers residents to create en Island, New York): The Pride
and Chair of the New York City Com- support artist development and youth a shared digital “Belonging Map of Center of Staten Island supports
mission on Human Rights. “These empowerment. Through initiatives NYC,” amplifying marginalized voic- LGBTQIA+ and allied communities
grants support New Yorkers who are like Sounds of Solidarity, Vell uses es and fostering cross-cultural under- through advocacy, education, and
doing the hard, meaningful work of music and songwriting to promote standing across New York City. community-building programs. Its
bringing people together, strengthen- unity, resilience and cultural pride in Jewish Community Council of community dinners bring together
ing relationships, and helping build a underserved communities. Greater Coney Island (Brooklyn): diverse residents for dialogue on hate,
city where everyone belongs.” Homecrest Community Services The Jewish Community Council of bias, and intersectionality, fostering
(Brooklyn): Homecrest Community Greater Coney Island will launch Ho- understanding and inclusion across
The 2026 Grant Awardees:
Services is a Brooklyn-based non- locaust Survivors Against Hate, an Staten Island.
Jiayi “Zoe” Yue (Queens): Zoe profit serving immigrant older adults, initiative that amplifies survivor testi- Kayhan Irani: Kayhan Irani is an
is a 15-year-old youth advocate ad- youth and families through culturally mony to educate the public and com- Emmy Award-winning interdisciplin-
vancing mental health awareness responsive programming. Its initiative, bat bias and discrimination. Through ary artist and cultural worker whose
and youth leadership through civic Our Stories, Our City: Building Be- video and written storytelling, the practice blends storytelling, theater,
engagement and community-based longing, brings youth and immigrant project promotes moral courage and education, and participatory art to
programming. Through her work seniors together to counter hate and upstander action and aims to build a advance community healing and be-
with The International Foundation of bias through storytelling, dialogue more tolerant community. longing. Her project, There Is a Portal,
Freedom and Awareness, Zoe helps and digital media. Hindus for Human Rights engages adult English language learn-
equip young people across New York Michael Peterson (Brooklyn): (Queens): Hindus for Human Rights ers in immersive digital storytelling to
City with tools for empathy, conflict Michael Peterson is a Brooklyn-based is a grassroots organization advancing explore migration, identity, and col-
resolution, and inclusive action. artist and educator who creates com- pluralism and human rights through lective resilience.

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