Mayor Adams Holds First Catalyst Dinner of 'Breaking Bread, Building Bonds' Initiative, Prepares More Than 150 New Yorkers to Host Dinners in Future

March 3, 2023

Taking Place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Event Trained More Than 150 New Yorkers on Hosting Dinners as Part of Mayoral Initiative

B4 Aims to Organize 1,000 Meals with Diverse Group of New Yorkers Across City to Combat Hate and Foster Mutual Understanding

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams yesterday was joined by administration officials and members of The People’s Supper to host an inaugural catalyst dinner for his ‘Breaking Bread, Building Bonds’ (B4) initiative. Hosted at the iconic Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the catalyst dinner trained more than 150 hosts — comprised of everyday New Yorkers from all walks of life — on how to host their own dinners, which aim to convene diverse groups of New Yorkers and have them engage in conversations that promote mutual understanding and combat the rising tide of hate.

“Through our ‘Breaking Bread, Building Bonds’ initiative, we are doing something revolutionary: We are sitting down and talking with each other through the communal act of sharing a meal,” said Mayor Adams. “Our administration is engaging with every community across the city to host and attend dinners so we can break down silos, foster mutual understanding, and eradicate the scourge of hate. At a time when we are seeing increasing hate crimes against our Jewish, AAPI, and LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, this initiative will empower New Yorkers to recognize our common humanity and celebrate our diversity.”

Mayor Adams hosts a catalyst dinner for his ‘Breaking Bread, Building Bonds’ initiative with more than 150 hosts.
Credit: NYC Mayor’s Office

“Combatting hate starts with building bonds through the simple act of sitting down to a meal with your neighbors,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III. “By hosting these catalyst dinners, we are equipping everyday New Yorkers with the tools to become ambassadors of peace for their communities.”

“Last night’s catalyst dinner is building a movement of New Yorkers committed to fighting hate by embracing and celebrating the immense diversity of New York City,” said Mayor’s Office to Prevent Hate Crimes Executive Director Hassan Naveed. “These participants are committed to bringing the Breaking Bread, Building Bonds initiative to their neighborhoods and communities, and learn from each other and breakdown silos. I am confident that we will reach the goal of 1,000 dinners citywide, so we can continue to root out hate wherever it rears its ugly head.”

“New York City’s strength is its diversity. The ‘Breaking Bread, Building Bonds’ initiative seeks to celebrate our differences while highlighting all that we share in common,” said Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit Commissioner Fred Kreizman. “The Community Affairs Unit is grateful for its partnership with its sibling agencies and external organizations like The People’s Supper as we strive to foster stronger community ties across our city. We will stamp out hate together.”

“No matter where you come from — whether you’ve lived in this city for generations or migrated from somewhere else; no matter how you choose to build a family, the people in this City are grounded in our common identity as New Yorkers,” said New York City Commission on Human Rights Chair and Commissioner Anabel Palma. “I am so grateful to be a part of Breaking Bread, Building Bonds and look forward to the meaningful connections that will emerge. Our city is stronger when we are tethered by our commonalities rather than alienated by our differences.”

“‘Breaking Bread Building Bonds’ is an opportunity for New Yorkers of diverse faiths and ethnic groups to gather, engage in conversations, and better understand each other, which seeks to bring us closer in our city,” said Office of Faith Based and Community Partnerships Executive Director Pastor Gil Monrose. “Meals have traditionally been a gathering place for people of different cultures and world views to understand each other further and create a healthy community. The Office of Faith Based and Community Partnerships will continue encouraging communities to build meaningful, healthy relationships across the boroughs through ‘Breaking Bread Building Bond.’”

The B4 initiative launched in January of this year and aims to empower everyday New Yorkers to become community ambassadors, hosting dinners that break down silos between communities. Organized in partnership with The People’s Supper, UJA-Federation of New York, and several community-based organizations, the initiative aims to organize 1,000 meals of 10-12 diverse New Yorkers. Working with the Mayor’s Office to Prevent Hate Crimes, alongside the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, and the Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnership, The People’s Supper coordinates large-scale trainings such as catalyst dinners, provides support and coaching to dinner hosts, develops a toolkit and resource guide, and assists with matching participants to hosts.

In January 2020, then-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries announced the initial version of the ‘Breaking Bread, Building Bonds’ initiative, following a significant rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes. The inaugural dinner of the initiative was held later that month in Jackson Heights, and took place during Peace Week, which featured a series of events throughout the city dedicated to promoting peace and unity across cultures. The initiative was put on hold due to the disruption of in-person gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

###