When Stephanie Rivera, owner of Half Luna Empanadas, was recruited by a friend and colleague to serve on the BCAT board, she was somewhat familiar with the organization and as she learned more, she realized how much BCAT’s work aligned with her interests and values.
Stephanie learned about BCAT’s high school afterschool program from a friend’s Instagram post about her daughter helping to create a beautiful outdoor mural. Rivera then discovered BCAT’s Adult Workforce Program and began to refer the parents of her students from her previous not-for-profit job to BCAT as a possible option for workforce training. She was so impressed with what BCAT has to offer and how community-centric they are that she accepted a role on the board and has become a BCAT champion ever since.
BCAT’s recent move to 368 Sycamore Street on Buffalo’s East side cemented Rivera’s respect for BCAT. According to Rivera, “BCAT walks the walk. Moving to the East Side demonstrates their commitment to the community despite the fact that they had to overcome many challenges to do so. Most importantly, they were very intentional in meeting with community members to gain understanding, ask how they can help, and build trust – that speaks volumes!”
Rivera connects her work with BCAT to her personal experience as she recounts how the arts kept her engaged in school as BCAT’s high school afterschool program does for its students. She also sees the adult workforce program as a pathway to better jobs and careers for many and notes that her parents did not have access to similar programs when they initially moved to Bufalo years ago.
Having served as a board member since 2022 Rivera is now lending her time and talents to serving on the BCAT’s Leadership Cabinet for the Capital Campaign and is working to recruit young leaders to help support the organization.
“BCAT made a choice to support the community,” says Rivera referring to the East Side move, “they put the work in and it is great to be around those who want to see others succeed – it is inspiring and empowering.”
