For years, Charles Rice-Gonzalez has been active in the LGBT community in The Bronx and beyond. On June 8 at City Hall, the longtime Distinguished Lecturer from Hostos’ English Department was celebrated by members of the New York City Council at its LGBT Pride Celebration.
The event, which honored five other activists, was organized by City Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Council Members Danny Dromm, Corey Johnson, Carlos Menchaca, Ritchie Torres, Rosie Mendez, James Vacca and Jimmy Van Bramer.
Addressing the crowd, Rice-Gonzalez said the event gave his work extra meaning.
“Today is about being valued. And I feel so valued. And I value The Bronx, value my family, my mother, sister who are here today, value my BAAD! family of artist who help me to own being a writer who wrote the first novel called Chulito about a queer Puerto Rican experience in NYC. I value my queer kin, and value my culture and history, a queer history that I plan to write down in a book. And so as I stand here today, and as each of us being honored takes the stage, certainly see us, and see the communities from which we come, see the shoulders upon which we stand, and sees us with girded shoulders upon which others can stand and take us into the future.”
Rice-Gonzalez activism in The Bronx goes back to 1990 when he worked with the LGBT organizations, including Gay Men of the Bronx (GMoB) and BAAD!, which he co-founded in 1998. Born in Puerto Rico and reared in the Bronx, Rice-Gonzalez is also a writer and a member of The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance.
Rice-Gonzalez has also helped bring awareness to issues outside The Bronx. On June 15, he helped to organize the “From The Bronx to Orlando” vigil for the victims of the shootings in Florida. The vigil was held on the steps of the Bronx County Courthouse and included Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and many other community leaders.
About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique Student Success Coaching Unit provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services.
Named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 28 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 24 colleges.