HBAS New York: Year in Review 2009 

Dear All,

Thanks to the support of committed alumni across the globe, 2009 was a successful year for the Harvard Black Alumni Society of New York. As we reflect back on the programming of 2009, I would like to affirm our commitment in the upcoming year to delivering events that are dynamic and inclusive with the aim of uniting Harvard’s Black alumni community and supporting them professionally, socially and intellectually – enabling them to be a powerful force for justice and truth in community.

Below you will find a summary of our 2009 programming. I urge you to contact me with any ideas that you have for the organization moving forward and I ask for your continued support and enthusiasm for the Harvard Black Alumni Society of New York in the coming year. 

Sincerely,

Enoch Woodhouse AB ‘07

President, Harvard Black Alumni Society of New York

“Has Our Nation Moved Beyond Race?” On March 2, 2009, the Harvard Black Alumni Society of New York, with support from the Harvard Alumni Association and the Harvard Club of New York, hosted a panel discussion on the impact of the election of America's first African American President on race relations in our country. Speakers included New York Times columnist Frank Rich AB '71, author David Frum JD '87, Harvard professor Jennifer Hochschild and Columbia professor Fredrick Harris; moderated by HBASNY member Brandon Terry AB '05. The panel discussion was followed by a reception. You can view the video and photos from this event at http://tr.im/HTgq.  

“Harvard Black Alumni Weekend” During the weekend of September 25, over 500 alumni and students gathered in Cambridge for the triennial Harvard Black Alumni Weekent to celebrate together the remarkable legacy of Black alumni at Harvard University. This event was made possible by the co-chairs of the weekend, Justin Alexander AB ‘03, Natalya Davis AB ’04 and Heather Johnston AB ‘86. The weekend featured events and panels on philanthropy, healthcare, the arts, finance and career development among others. Remarks from Harvard University President Drew Faust opened the weekend with others such as David Evans, James E. Johnson AB '83, JD '86 and Alphonse “Buddy” Fletcher AB ’87 delivering powerful testimonials on their formative years at Harvard. 

“Working to Address the High School Dropout Crisis: The Civil Rights Issue of Our Generation” On September 30, 2009, the Harvard Black Alumni Society of New York launched a year-long initiative on education with a panel discussion on the systemic problems facing public education and what we can do to get our students back on track.  This event was supported by the Harvard Alumni Association, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Scholastic, Inc. and the America’s Promise Alliance. The event sold out less than week after its first announcement, and engaged well over 400 attendees in dialogue around the dropout crisis. The discussion convened an esteemed panel of experts who stood at the nexus of policy and practice, representing academia, national service, teaching and policy-making. Dean Kathleen McCartney of the Harvard Graduate School of Education moderated the panel which included: Assistant Secretary Russlynn Ali (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights), Michael Brown, CEO and Co-Founder (City Year), Chancellor Joel Klein (New York City Department of Education), and Dr. Pedro Noguera (Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University). The event also featured remarks from The Hon. Michael Powell, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and current America’s Promise Alliance board member. For the full video and photos from this event, please visit http://tr.im/HTLC.  

The Harvard Black Alumni Society of New York’s initiative on education has continued with service events that have engaged HBASNY members in tutoring, writing workshops and other activities with high school students. On October 24, 2009, the HBASNY, in cooperation with the Harvard Black Law Students Association, hosted an essay-writing workshop for high school students applying to college at Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO). 

“Private Tour of Lincoln Exhibition at the NY Historical Society”  On November 6, 2009, the Harvard Black Alumni Society of New York, thanks to the help of HBASNY member Jacqueline Adams MBA ’78, held a private tour at the New York Historical Society of a new exhibition on Lincoln and slavery. After the private tour of the gallery led by a historian, attendees enjoyed a full dinner and networking. For photos from this event, please visit http://tr.im/HTgq.

“Annual Holiday Party” On December 9, 2009, the Harvard Black Alumni Society of New York celebrated the holiday season and the new year with over 150 alumni who attended our annual Holiday Party. This event was offered free for all guests thanks to the generous support of six committed alumni who made financial commitments to support the event: Daniel Houston AB '01 (The Parlor Club); Heather Johnston AB '86 (SoGood.TV); Kofi Kankam AB '97, M.Ed. '98 (Admit Advantage); Andwele Lewis AB '98, MBA '03 (Morgan Stanley); Abdel Reid AB '06 (3i); and R. John Smith AB '80 (Tax Law Office of R. John Smith). To view photos from this event, please visit http://tr.im/HTgq.