BFS Mourns the Loss of Camilla Church Greene
Camillia Church Greene ’60, who entered the Brooklyn Friends School when she arrived for kindergarten in 1947, and whose presence has been woven into the fabric of our community, passed away earlier this month. While our hearts are heavy at the loss of such a light in our world, all of us at BFS hold an immeasurable sense of love and gratitude for Camilla and know that her warmth, her strength, and her grace have left a mark that will forever live on.
Having spent her K-12 experience at BFS, Camilla will forever be what we refer to as a Lifetime Friend. She was the first African-American student to graduate from Brooklyn Friends School, and that is only one distinction that informed her vast accomplishments in our community.
“It is really difficult to put into words the magnitude of positive impact that Camilla had, not just on our school, but on me,” said BFS Head of School, Crissy Cáceres. “She has served as a beautiful mirror of all that we stand for and all that we should strive to remain known for as a school. Her heart was boundless, and she shared her hopes and beliefs in our community each time that we were together. I am forever grateful for having met a graduate who inspires me to lead in a manner that upholds her legacy, and that of so many.”
Camilla remained extremely close to the BFS community, often attending reunions, panel discussions, and meeting with students.
“One of the things that I have always recognized about the Brooklyn Friends experience was that I was a human being. I had no doubts about that,” she said. “What I had to layer on that was what does it mean to be an African-American within the context of being a human being. And one of the things that allowed me to grow at BFS was the concept of kindness. We were not allowed to be unkind to one another.”
Those who knew and loved Camilla will remember that kindness as well as her courage, her generosity of spirit, and the way she made people feel seen and valued. She consistently exhibited what it means to lead with strength and live with purpose.
After graduating from BFS, attending Upsala College, and earning Masters Degrees from St. John’s University and Fairfield University, Camilla carried hope, determination, and heart into her career as an educator. She also respected and loved Quaker education. In an interview in 2015, she stated, “I wanted to bring a Quaker style education to public schools.” She was always eager and willing to give back to the students of BFS. Throughout her life, she consistently encouraged students to “embrace humanity, learn to think from multiple perspectives, and take advantage of the diversity around them.”
One of Camilla’s final collaborations with a BFS student came in the spring of 2024, when her longtime mentee, Robin Riley-Casey, Associate Dean of Students at Muhlenberg College, introduced her to Isaiah Springer ’24, then a freshman at Muhlenberg. The two sat down to be interviewed by Crissy on the Muhlenberg campus and shared their BFS experiences. Despite the 64-year difference in graduation years, the two bonded with shared experiences, based on kindness, and their love of their friends and teachers at BFS. You can watch the full video here.
As we remember Camilla, one thing is for certain—her energy will always be present at Brooklyn Friends. She is most definitely now a Forever Friend.