Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies Concentration

Associate of Arts (A.A) Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences

The new Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies concentration at Queensborough is part of a larger effort within the City University of New York (CUNY) to develop programs that advance racial and social justice. In the summer of 2020, CUNY received a $10 million gift from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to drive change across all 25 colleges and schools, with $3 million dedicated toward the Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies Initiative (BRESI), a historic initiative that seeks to reimagine and further develop Black, Race and Ethnic Studies throughout CUNY.

Housed with the English Department, Queensborough faculty members have collaborated to develop courses in this concentration that will expose students to the history, culture, and lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to lay a foundation of knowledge that advances racial and social justice. Learn more about CUNY's BRES program

Graduates of the Associate in Arts degree with a Black, Race and Ethnic Studies concentration are prepared for transfer to a four-year college to complete a bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.S.). Graduates can pursue a wide range of career options including law, counseling, academia, administration, social work, writing, and journalism.

Courses Offered

Introduction to Black, Race, & Ethnic Studies (INTE 219 – G2 (31771)

This interdisciplinary course will introduce students to the histories, literature, culture, and lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) as they navigate the institutional and social structures that help them strive and keep them oppressed. The course builds cultural competency and instructs students to explore how settler colonialism, imperialist capitalism, and other contemporary and historical inequities impede social justice. The course investigates the roots of racism, the construction of whiteness, and the perpetuation of anti-blackness. Further, it celebrates the hard-won victories that have helped to advance racial and ethnic diplomacy and ethnic joy.

Helpful Links:

For more information, please contact:

Chy Sprauve, Ph.D

Chy Sprauve, Ph.D (she/they)
Assistant Professor of Black, Race and Ethnic Studies (English Dept.)
Coordinator, Black, Race and Ethnic Studies Concentration, QCC-CUNY

Campus Cultural Centers

Kupferberg Holocaust Center

The KHC uses the lessons of the Holocaust to educate current and future generations about the ramifications of unbridled prejudice, racism and stereotyping.

Russian Ballet performing at the Queensborough Performing Arts Center

QPAC: Performing Arts Center

QPAC is an invaluable entertainment company in this region with a growing national reputation. The arts at QPAC continues to play a vital role in transforming lives and building stronger communities.

Queensborough Art Gallery exterior in the afternoon

QCC Art Gallery

The QCC Art Gallery of the City University of New York is a vital educational and cultural resource for Queensborough Community College, the Borough of Queens and the surrounding communities.