Mission Statement
Bridgewater Communities for Civil Rights (BCCR) is a community-based organization in Bridgewater, MA,  dedicated to defending the rights of all persons, while fostering open communication, providing opportunities to examine issues of social justice, and advocating for the elimination of bias and racism.

Tenets
BCCR’s community work is guided by the following tenets:
⮚      Compassion
⮚      Teamwork
⮚      Empowerment
⮚      Accountability
⮚      Action
⮚      Collaboration
⮚      Advocacy

​BCCR’s Four Pillars

• ​Educate—Host and participate in forums, discussions, and lectures on a variety of civil rights topics
  
• Mobilize—Engage in social justice and civil rights standouts and offer bystander training
  
• Create Networks—Attract supporters by collaborating with individuals, institutions, and community groups to expand   our mission
  
• Influence all levels of government—Advocate for policy change by attending local government meetings, serving on committees, and contacting State and National representatives
  

History of Bridgewater Communities for Civil Rights (BCCR)

     A group of local citizens in Bridgewater has formed an organization, whose goal is to ensure that Bridgewater is a safe, inclusive community, one of civility and respect for all.
     The organization, Bridgewater Citizens for Civility and Respect (BCCR), was established in the winter of 2015/2016, in response to two local incidents in which individuals were verbally accosted in public. The cause of this seemed to be that their appearance and perceived cultural identity was assumed to be Muslim. 
     BCCR responded by working towards its goal of enhancing and creating an atmosphere of community welcome and inclusiveness so that Bridgewater should be a place of civility and respect.
     In the Town, intolerant speech and behavior are unacceptable. The Town remains a safe and respectful place to live, work, play, conduct business, and attend school.
     A Proclamation stating these goals was unanimously approved on January 19, 2016, by the Bridgewater Town Council. An enlarged copy of the document was officially unveiled at the Academy Building on March 3, 2017. While deploring the incidents of hate speech and verbal assaults, the proclamation states that:
“The Town of Bridgewater respects the
rights of all persons in our town to:

• ​live without fear of verbal or physical assault
• exercise freedom of cultural expression through choices of attire, religious practice, and speech.

     BCCR is now inviting local businesses and civic organizations in Bridgewater to support this effort by displaying a copy of the Proclamation on their premises so that those who live, work, or shop in the town will be reminded about the type of culture of civility and respect that Bridgewater deserves. 

OUR NAME CHANGE:
In 2020, BCCR changed its name to Bridgewater Communities for Civil Rights.  Three factors motivated this change:

• Several members noted that the words “civility” and “respect” often had negative connotations among BIPOC (black and indigenous people of color) communities, and were frequently used as a way to keep people in their place.
• Over time, BCCR’s activities increasingly focused on standing up for and defending the rights of all persons.  The promotion of civil rights is truly our major focus.
• The use of the word “communities” indicates that our membership is not drawn strictly from Bridgewater and represents our desire to include citizens from our surrounding towns.

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