CUNY's Programs Assert the Necessity of Race Education Amid Opposition
- CUNY's Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies programs are expanding research and training on issues of race and social justice.
- The programs received significant financial backing from the Mellon Foundation, which awarded $10 million to support educational efforts.
- CUNY aims to make BRES a core part of academic training, asserting its necessity in contemporary education.
On November 7, 2024, the City University of New York (CUNY) announced its commitment to race-focused education through the Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies (BRES) graduate programs. These programs aim to expand research, education, and training on race and ethnicity at a time when there is significant opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. CUNY received a historic $10 million donation from the Mellon Foundation in 2020, aimed at enhancing racial justice education across its colleges. Associate Professor Van Tran, a co-director of the BRES Collaboration Hub, emphasized the importance of integrating BRES programs into core academic training to prepare graduates for meaningful careers that contribute to discussions on equity and justice. This initiative stands as a countermeasure to existing threats to the inclusion of race studies in educational curricula, asserting that understanding these themes is fundamental to a rigorous educational mission.