Countless conversations take place everyday around race, identity and gender, but change is not always quick to follow. At Brookline for Racial Justice and Equality (BRJE), community members are bringing new meaning to the adage “actions speak louder than words.”
BRJE was founded 10 years ago as a means to address the bias within Brookline and to eliminate the institutional and systemic racism that impacts the community as a whole. BRJE has built and continues to build awareness through campaigns, walk outs and collaboration across education and activism fields.
Senior Brigitte Pimentel was introduced to the BRJE program by African-American and Latino Scholars Program Director (AALSP) Stephanie Hunt when she was writing her supplemental essays for college.
“I’m a student in METCO, navigating an identity within two different cities that are so far apart, and how that [experience] is also tied into race,” Pimentel said. “While [Hunt] was reading those essays, she recommended me for [BRJE].”
Dr. Raul Fernandez is both a senior lecturer at Boston University and the founding executive director of BRJE. Fernandez said that the 10-year-old organization has evolved significantly over time, including its shift to being a nonprofit in 2023.
“It was started first as a community organization, just educators and family members coming together to really focus on racial disparities and inequities within the schools,” Fernandez said. “Over time it morphed into a larger racial justice organization, still very much focused on education and what happens in Brookline’s schools, but also taking on other issues related to housing, immigration and policing.”
Pimentel said working at the program has opened doors for her into public policy and has provided ways to make a difference.
“I always believed that the things going on in Brookline are things that I have to put up with, and if I do have differing opinions, or if I think things should change, it’s something that I have to think about internally,” Pimentel said. “So for a program or organization like [BRJE] to exist, I was really grateful to join it.”
Junior Charlene Jocelyn is a youth fellow at BRJE and a member of Student Identity Protection Alliance (SIPA). Jocelyn said that BRJE’s goal of eliminating prejudice goes beyond simple gestures.
“What I appreciate about it and what makes it different is that it really aims to dig down to the root of a lot of issues, things like redlining and the subtle, historically racist structures in our systems,” Jocelyn said. “The organization aims to draw back to that history rather than looking for superficial, surface-level solutions.”
Fernandez said the program tries to build protocols to eliminate racial disparities in education and as a universal approach to bias.
“We want to introduce concepts around bias early, so kids understand not just that it’s unacceptable, but why,” Fernandez said. “‘Why is antisemitism wrong? Why is race-based bias wrong? Why is gender-based bias wrong?’ If kids understand that at a young age, it can actually prevent some of these things [impacts of bias] from happening later.”
Jocelyn said that her experience as a youth fellow has helped her become more proactive in Brookline and she hopes to see other students learn about and participate more with BRJE. Jocelyn has attended several town meetings and town hall events where said she gained insight about the select board and school committee.
“I really appreciate people who have the same passions for wanting to change things and make a difference,” Jocelyn said. “I really want to see more students knowing about BRJE, wanting to intern there and being more aware and engaged around race here in Brookline.”
According to Fernandez, the collaboration with the student fellows has been enlightening, and BRJE just received a grant from the Brookline Community Foundation to continue the fellowship program.
“For us, it’s a true fellowship. We’re providing mentorship, leadership development and teaching them about advocacy and organizing,” Fernandez said. “At the same time, they’re giving us tremendous insight into what’s actually happening at the high school and what issues students are facing.”
Fernandez said their intention is to bridge intergenerational gaps and form a multiracial, collaborative organization. BRJE held a Lessons and Legacies event on Wednesday, May 6 where Fernandez hosted two elders from the community and two high school students in a conversation on racial equity.
According to Fernandez, the elders he has collaborated with care deeply about the legacy they are leaving behind, and about the future for younger generations. Fernandez said that, as an organization, they aim to address the experiences of middle-aged and older community members but simultaneously support younger generations in their efforts to make a difference.
“We want to make sure that the issues young people in Brookline are facing are just as much of a priority as the issues anyone else is facing,” Fernandez said. “The goal is to see what we can learn from the past, while also recognizing that the way young people are experiencing this present moment is distinct, and that the future belongs to them.”
