Benjamin H. Shepard

Benjamin H. Shepard is a Professor of Human Services at the New York City College of Technology (City Tech), part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. He serves in the Human Services Department within the School of Professional Studies. Dr. Shepard has been at City Tech since 2007, progressing from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor and ultimately to his current position as Professor. He also teaches at the CUNY Graduate Center. Beyond his academic role, Shepard serves as the chapter chair of the City Tech chapter of the Professional Staff Congress.

Dr. Shepard holds a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the City University of New York Graduate Center (2006), a master's degree from the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration (1997), and a Bachelor of Science from Pitzer College (1992). He also completed training in psychoanalysis at the William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis and Psychology's Intensive Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program (2005).

Dr. Shepard's research focuses on the intersections of social movements, community organizing, sexual politics, labor, and social work practice. His work examines creative play in social movements, tensions between public and private space, urban protest, queer theory, and harm reduction approaches. He approaches these topics through ethnographic methods, oral history, and narrative analysis, often drawing on his own extensive experience in activism and social services. His scholarship bridges the gap between direct action and direct services, exploring how community organizing can address urban inequality and social problems.

Dr. Shepard's publications reveal a consistent engagement with urban social movements, particularly those involving creative tactics, public space, and queer politics. His work shows an evolution from early studies of AIDS activism to broader examinations of urban protest, community building, and the role of play in social change. A recurring theme is the exploration of how marginalized communities create alternative spaces and networks for resistance and mutual aid, often through unconventional or playful tactics.

• Playboy Honor Role (2010) - one of twenty professors "who are reinventing the classroom"
• Lambda Literary Awards non-fiction finalist (2002) for "From ACT UP to the WTO"
• Scholar on Campus at City Tech (2015)
• Shortlisted for William Faulkner - William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition (2019) for poetry collection "We are officially inside a Kafka story"
• Finalist in William Faulkner - William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition (2017) for novel "Trying to Know Julie"

As an educator, Dr. Shepard has advised numerous students through field placements and mentored emerging scholars in social work and human services. His teaching portfolio includes courses on Trauma Informed Practice, Community Organization, Resource Development, Health and Social Welfare Policy, Research Methods, Community Mental Health, and Human Sexuality. Beyond the classroom, he has been instrumental in academic service, notably leading the successful "no more 24" campaign to reduce course loads at City Tech and serving on multiple committees including the Curriculum Committee and Appointments Committee. His blog "Play and Ideas" extends his educational mission to a broader audience, exploring connections between art, activism, and urban space.

Dr. Shepard's work is deeply connected to community-based initiatives, particularly through his involvement with the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space and various activist networks focused on transportation justice, HIV/AIDS services, labor rights, and environmental policy. His approach emphasizes "DIY urbanism" as a strategy for community empowerment and environmental justice.