Rochelle Levy-Christopher Receives 2022 Dana-Farber Community Service Award
Rochelle Levy-Christopher, Program Administrator with the Knowledge Systems Group, is the sole recipient of the 2022 Dana-Farber Community Service Award. Each year, this Institute-wide award recognizes “extraordinary dedication to and excellence in community service and outreach related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It was established to honor “leaders of change, mentors to others, and those who contribute to the cultural and racial diversity of their community with great impact.”
Originally from Harlem, New York, Ms. Levy-Christopher joined Data Science in 2018. In addition to managing the Knowledge Systems Group at Dana-Farber, Ms. Levy-Christopher serves as Scientific Project Coordinator for the Human Tumor Atlas Network Data Coordinating Center.
In 2019, Ms. Levy-Christopher launched The Black Literacy and Arts Collaborative (B.L.A.C.) Project, a 501(c)3, non-profit organization to educate, empower and uplift BIPOC youth and creatives at the intersection of art, culture, and activism. “By invoking radical imagination we encourage BIPOC communities to change landscapes all while inspiring new realities,” said Ms. Levy-Christopher. “Our goal is to support, educate and elevate BIPOC in order to create an equitable starting point between them and their white peers.”
In addition to her role as founder and CEO of The Black Literacy and Arts Collaborative Project, Ms. Levy-Christopher is a published poet, graphic designer and self-described “chronic entrepreneur and accidental activist,” dedicated to “Black Excellence ALWAYS.” She contributes to small BIPOC businesses and creatives by volunteering time to build brands, coach creatives, and entrepreneurs on the process of business startup and development as well as in her former role as Boston president of The Black Girl Social Club. Most recently, she has been recognized as a Forbes “For the Culture” member.
“Among my friends, I have always been the “social” one,” says Ms. Levy-Christopher. “I act as the informal event planner, bringing women together, and making connections. I’ve spent the majority of my life teaching and mentoring marginalized youth, working especially with young womxn. My goal is to create access and equity for BIPOC while also empowering and inspiring Black womxn across the globe to walk in their purpose, speak their truth, and model authentic sisterhood for generations to come.”
