The Art Institute of Chicago Celebrates the Great Migration

Diana Palomar, Murrell Higgins Duster, Sandra Rand and Shawnelle Logan attend the opening gala for “They Seek a City” exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago on March 2, 2013.

By Sandra C. Davis, Chicago Contributor

CHICAGO, IL –The Art Institute of Chicago in partnership with the Leadership Advisory Committee (LAC), the Art Institute’s African American Affiliate Group, commemorated the lives and struggles of immigrants from Eastern Europe, Mexico and African Americans from the South that shaped the cultural, social and political landscape of Chicago with a stylized opening gala celebration for the exhibition, “They Seek a City: Chicago and the Art of Migration, 1910–1950.”

Held on March 2, 2013, leading philanthropists, politicians, industrialists and arts enthusiasts enjoyed a creative cocktail reception, dinner, exhibition viewing, dessert buffet and gaming lounge.  The night’s entertainment was provided by soul-singer Terisa Griffin, Redmink Productions (retro dance performances) and a jazz band.

“They Seek a City” exhibition, now on view in the Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago through June 2, 2013, highlights the works of pioneering 20th century African American artists: Margaret Burroughs, Eldzier Cortor, Walter Ellison, Archibald Motley, Elizabeth Catlett, Gordon Parks and more.  Several pieces are borrowed from the South Side Community Art Center and the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.

Leah Hope, award-winning reporter for ABC 7 News Chicago and LAC Leadership Advisory Committee Gala Chair, along with Sandra Rand, celebrated executive/philanthropist and LAC Patron Sponsor and Committee Member kept the eclectic event exciting and vibrant by mingling gracefully throughout the evening with the event planning company Strategic Events Solutions, Inc.

Gala Co-Chairs Lester and Nancy McKeever, Leadership Advisory Committee Gala Chair Leah Hope, Governor Quinn, Exhibition Curator Sarah Kelly Oehler, and President of the Art Institute of Chicago Douglas Druick

Leah Hope with Todd Brown and Dana Rice, co-chairs of the Leadership Advisory Committee

Leah Hope and Honorary Gala Chair Michelle Boone

Everett Rand, Trustee on the City Colleges of Chicago Board, Co-Founder of the annual Chicago Football Classic and President and CEO of Midway Wholesale Beverage, Inc.; Twyler Jenkins, Strategic Events Solutions event planner; and Tim Rand, Philanthropist, Co-Founder of the annual Chicago Football Classic and Founder of Majority Owner of Midway Airport Concessionaires

The Opening Gala Celebration Committee included Leadership Advisory Committee Gala Chair Leah Hope, Honorary Gala Chairs Governor Pat Quinn, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Michelle T. Boone, Programming Chair Ronne Hartfield, and Gala Co-Chairs Nancy and Lester McKeever.

“They Seek a City: Chicago and the Art of Migration, 1910–1950” is sponsored by the Exelon Foundation, Allstate Insurance, Cari and Michael Sacks, Splash – A Chicago Sun-Times Publication, Verizon Wireless, BMO Harris Bank, Denise and Gary Gardner, Chicago Community Trust, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Cheryl and Eric McKissack and the Macy's Foundation.

Visit the exhibition website here and make plans to visit! The exhibition is on view until Sunday, June 2, 2013.

About The Leadership Advisory Committee (LAC)
The Leadership Advisory Committee of the Art Institute provides counsel, fresh perspectives and support to the museum on all matters related to the engagement and advancement of African Americans in the life of the institution.

Story submitted by Sandra C. Davis
Sandra is a Purpose-Driven Marketing Communications/Branding Strategist and Writer, who connects people, events, nonprofits, and companies with complementary brands and social causes that share their missions and target markets in order to amplify each entities social impact.  Ms. Davis is the Creative Director of Lioness Communications and a member of the Chicago Ideas Week Cooperative.  On Twitter, follow @Sandraloves.

Photos: All photographs taken by Victor Powell, Powell Photography

New Report Offers Lessons for Philanthropic Field to Keep Up with Changing Face of America

D5’s “State of the Work” Report Features Efforts by Foundations to Increase Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Chicago, IL (Via Press Release) —The face of America is changing. Between 2000 and 2010, the population of the American South grew by 14%—and the Latino population in the South grew by 57%.  One in five Americans has a disability.  Fifty-seven percent of college graduates are women.  Same-sex couples live in 93% of counties in the US.

How can the philanthropic field increase its diversity, advance equity, and improve its inclusiveness to keep up with these trends?  D5—a five-year effort to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in philanthropy—examines this question in its annual “State of the Work” report, released this week.

Featuring lessons learned from executives of the American Express Foundation, the Baltimore Community Foundation, Access Strategies Fund, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Capek Consulting, Russell Family Foundation, and FSG, the report draws on the successes and challenges of philanthropic leaders to create a more diverse sector in 2012.

“It’s vital that philanthropy stays ahead of the changing face of our constituencies in order to effectively meet the needs of those we seek to benefit,” said Kelly Brown, Director of the D5 Coalition.  “Unfortunately, philanthropy lacks a data collection mechanism to accurately answer whether, as a field, we are ahead of or behind these trends.  It is our hope that foundations will join us in improving this data collection—and then be transparent with the results so we can learn and improve.”

“The opportunity before us is tremendous,” said Brown. “If we get this right and grow diversity, equity, and inclusion in philanthropy, foundations will be able to draw on the power of diverse staffs and boards to achieve lasting impact, forge genuine partnerships with diverse communities, and increase access to opportunities and resources for all people.  We believe the cumulative impact of these efforts is a stronger sector that more effectively advances the common good.”

By the end of 2015, D5 hopes to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in philanthropy by:

• Recruiting diverse leaders for foundations—including CEOs, staff, and trustees;
• Identifying the best actions organizations can take to advance diversity, equity and inclusion;
• Increasing funding for diverse communities and ensuring that foundations offer all constituencies equal opportunity to access the resources they need; and
• Improving data collection and transparency to measure progress.

Kevin Griffin Moreno, a Senior Program Officer at the Baltimore Community Foundation, says his organization incorporated diversity into its strategic planning process to ensure that it had meaning in the way the foundation does business.  “I wanted to make sure that before we started talking to anybody in the community, particularly our grantees, about a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, that we—the board, staff, and volunteers—had a clear sense of what that meant for us.  We had to be prepared to demonstrate how we were adopting those principles and putting them into practice before we breathed a word about incorporating them into our grant guidelines, to the way we run initiatives or in the way we manage investments.”

While philanthropy has more work to do to stay ahead of the changing face of America, many leaders in the field are launching bold initiatives to get ahead of the curve.  In April 2013, leaders from 26 major foundations—including the California Endowment, Annie E. Casey Foundation, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and Open Society Foundations—met in Chicago to form an alliance and take action on issues that affect boys and young men of color.  The alliance seeks to “evaluate promising approaches, advocate for effective public policy and systems change, and invest in these young men as assets for America's future.”

As many leaders across the country are taking important steps forward, “State of the Work” 2013 profiles the lessons they have learned.  The report offers suggestions for determining how diversity, equity and inclusion can help increase effectiveness—and provides concrete ideas for how to translate those values into action.

The complete report can be found at http://www.d5coalition.org/tools/state-of-the-work-2013/.

Black Benefactors Giving Circle Hosts Meet & Greet in Washington, DC

Are you interested in learning more about giving circles?

Would you like to join a group of dedicated individuals and businesses who pool their monies for greater good?

Are you a nonprofit organization located in the Washington, DC region that serves the African American community?

If yes, then RSVP to attend The Black Benefactors Meet and Greet on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 from 5:30-7:30pm!

The mission of The Black Benefactors is to encourage philanthropy and community service among the African American community in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area; and to enhance the well being of Black children, youth and families through grants and in-kind support to local organizations.  The event is free with a cash bar.   Visit here to RSVP:  http://bbmeetandgreet.eventbrite.com/.

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Historic Home of the “Father of Black History” Wins $75,000 Preservation Grant

American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation award $1M in grants to restore 13 Washington, DC area historic places

The winners have been announced in the American Express and National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Partners in Preservation, the Washington, DC region’s first-ever preservation effort powered by social media.  The program provides $1 million in funding to preserve historic buildings, landmarks and icons.   Following three weeks of voting by the public, 24 sites were chosen via various social channels, including Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Instagram.   BlackGivesBack served as an official blog ambassador for the program, and as we previously featured, three sites with significant African American history were among the contenders. We’re proud to announce that all three received preservation grants!

Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church located at Scott Circle in DC will receive $90,000 to restore stained glass windows on the church’s primary façade.  The glass windows record the growth of the AME denomination – the first independent Black religious body in the US – from 1816 to 1896.

The Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site (pictured) located in DC’s Shaw community will receive a $75,000 grant to rebuild its front and rear façade in order to stabilize the home for public access.  The Woodson Home is a three-story Victorian row house that was the original headquarters of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) founded by Carter G. Woodson, known as the "Father of Black History." 

LAMB at Military Road School in Brightwood, DC will receive $60,000 to repair the exterior of the school building including its columns and cupola. This school was constructed on the site of one of the city’s first public schools built for freedmen, serving for many years as the only school available to African American students in the upper Northwest neighborhood of DC.

Sylvia Cyrus, executive director of ASALH shared with BlackGivesBack:

“The Association for the Study of African American Life and History is pleased the Carter G. Woodson home is among the 13 historic places in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia to receive a grant as part of Partners in Preservation's commitment to preservation efforts in the area.  We are extremely grateful to all who voted for Woodson's home.   As the founders of Black History Month and guardian of Dr. Woodson's legacy, ASALH will use this grant to fulfill our dream to restore the historic Woodson home as a national treasure to be shared with all who visit our nation's capital.  Our plans are to open the Woodson home to the public in 2015, which serves as ASALH's centennial year.  This grant will indeed move us closer to achieving our goal.  The immediate priority is to stabilize the site as a result of damage the site experienced due to the 2010 earthquake and hurricane.  It is truly an honor and a testament to Dr. Woodson's legendary contributions to American history and culture.”

During the voting period supporters used the hashtag #PreserveDMV on Twitter to show who they voted for:

I just voted for @woodsonnps Home to receive funding from @partnersinpres preservedmv.com#PreserveDMV
— HeritageSalonMag (@HeritageSalon) May 6, 2013

I just voted for #MetroAMEC to receive funding from @partnersinpres preservedmv.com #PreserveDMV
— E. Scott (@ElsieScot) May 10, 2013

The winner of Partners in Preservation that garnered the most votes is the Washington National Cathedral.   For earning the most points, the historic landmark will receive its full grant request of $100,000 to restore two bays of the vaulted ceiling inside the nave, which were damaged in 2011's earthquake.

“The D.C. Metro region has shown a true sense of community through its spirited support of their local historic places,” said Timothy J. McClimon, President, American Express Foundation.  “We hope the Partners in Preservation funding is just the first step in ensuring that these cultural sites are accessible for many years to come.”

For a full list of all grantees and participating sites, please visit preservationnation.org.

Alvin Ailey 2013 Spring Gala Raises $1 Million for Student Scholarships

Ailey Dancers Sean Carmon, Jacqueline Green and Collin Heyward

The Future and Present Stars of Ailey Shined on the Apollo Stage for a Memorable Gala Benefit

NEW YORK, NY - On May 7th, Ailey returned to Harlem’s world-famous Apollo Theater for a one-night-only event that featured performances by the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, rising stars of Ailey II, gifted young dancers from The Ailey School, and talented students from AileyCamp Washington Heights and Newark.  Ailey’s 2013 Spring Gala marked the first time all tiers of the organization have come together to perform on one stage.

The benefit, honoring Ailey Board of Trustees member Robert Kissane, raised a record breaking 1 million dollars for student scholarships to The Ailey School and the organization’s Arts In Education & Community Programs, including AileyCamp.   Artistic Director Robert Battle welcomed Honorary Chair Kimberly Chandler and over 900 guests, including Amsale Abrera, Bevy Smith, Emilio Sosa, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Emily Blavatnik, Judith Jamison, Terry McMillan, Khephra Burns and Henry McGee.  Gala co-chairs were Lynne and Anthony M. Carvette, Leslie and Tom Maheras, David E. Monn, and Almaz and Marc Strachan; and vice chairs were Michele and Timothy Barakett, Judith Byrd, Eboni Marshall Turman and Rossie E. Turman III, and Yelberton R. Watkins. Together with the stars of Ailey, attendees danced the night away at the post performance party, which featured music by special guest DJ Kiss.

Herb and Simin Allison with Artistic Director Robert Battle

Honorary Chair Kimberly Chandler and daughter Sacha-Marie

Student from The Ailey School, Robert Battle, Honoree Robert Kissane and wife Angela Kissane

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performing Alvin Ailey's Revelations

Students from The Ailey School performing Synthesis

Event Co-Chairs with Robert Battle and Honoree Robert Kissane

Join in the celebration as Ailey’s 21-city North American tour returns to the NY tri-state area for performances at Newark’s NJPAC (May 10-12) and Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater (June 12 – 16).  Visit here for more information.

Press release/Photo credit: Christopher Duggan for Alvin Ailey

Annual Career Fair & Exhibition to Introduce STEM Careers Among Atlanta Youth

SEM Link to host 6th Annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Career Fair & Exhibition

ATLANTA, GA - Atlanta area youth and families are invited to a free STEM Career Fair and Exhibition hosted by Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link Inc. (SEM Link) on Saturday, May 11th from 10 am to 2 pm at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) Student Center Ballroom.

The annual event will feature STEM professionals and graduate students from organizations such as Albany State, American Chemical Society, Coca-Cola, Clorox, Georgia Tech and Popeye’s Louisiana Fried Chicken to share their passion for STEM, discuss their careers, conduct hands-on demonstrations and showcase real world applications of math and science.

“So many students go through school disliking STEM because they are intimidated by it and don’t fully realize the opportunities in these fields.  By engaging K-12 students in hands-on STEM demonstrations we are not only introducing them to an array of STEM careers, but in many cases, unveiling opportunities and possibilities that they may otherwise have never been introduced to,” stated Dr. Kenyetta A. Johnson, SEM Link board member and Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Georgia Perimeter College.

Support for the fair is provided by the Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Space Consortium Grant, Coca- Cola African American Technical Network and American Chemical Society Georgia Local Section.

To register, visit http://semlink6thatlstemfair.eventbrite.com/.   For more information, contact Ms. Stephanie A. Lee, STEM Career Fair Coordinator at stephaniealee@semsuccess.org.  Learn more about SEM Link by visiting www.semsuccess.org. 

Related posts
Catching Up With BlackGivesBack Contributor Tokiwa Smith, Founder of SEM Link
Creating the Next Generation of STEM Professionals of African Descent

Source: Press release

The Insider: Darryl Smith Jr., Senior Class President, Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men

Our latest Insider will accomplish an important milestone next month - graduating from high school. Meet Darryl Smith Jr., senior class president at Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men - Englewood Campus and future entrepreneur.   Darryl and his classmates beat the odds so often associated with young black males and they have much to be proud of.   Members of Urban Prep’s class of 2013 have been accepted to over 115 four-year colleges and universities including Cornell University, Morehouse College, Howard University, The University of Notre Dame and The University of Pennsylvania.   A smiling Darryl is pictured wearing a red-and-gold striped tie that signifies his college-bound status. He plans to attend Beloit College in Wisconsin this fall.

Read on to learn Darryl’s thoughts on the youth violence crisis in Chicago, his most memorable experience as a student and his advice for freshmen students in this second in a series feature on Urban Prep Academies.

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation! Please share with us, what are your career goals and how did Urban Prep support you?

My career goal is to become an entrepreneur and someday open a community based mental health clinic for youth.  This idea was inspired by my interactions with Urban Prep’s Founder and CEO, Tim King.  His passion and vision for opening Urban Prep closely align with my own goal of beginning a community clinic.  He showed me that my dream can become a reality, no matter the obstacles in your way.

What are your thoughts on the violence epidemic among Chicago's youth? How can adults and the community support youth to make sure they are safe, stay in school and graduate?

My thoughts on the violence plaguing Chicago’s youth are not positive.  It’s completely criminal that my fun and exposure to certain parts of the city are limited because I fear for my safety when traveling anywhere outside of my house -- and that includes to and from school.

Adults need to stop stereotyping, and step out of their comfort zones and adopt an at-risk child as a mentee.  I feel that the youth won’t grow if the teachers (elders) are too afraid to work with them.

You will soon join the ranks of Urban Prep alumni. What is one of your most memorable stories of your time there?

After a rough start during my freshmen year, I was very disgruntled with the school and wanted to leave.  However, I gained a small circle of friends that helped me get through the rough times.  If I had left Urban Prep because of those bad experiences, I wouldn’t be the man I am today.  Staying here made me a man.  It helped me realize my potential for overcoming adversity and staying focused on the end goal; becoming an Urban Prep Man!

What advice would you give to the new freshman class entering Urban Prep this fall?

Just as I tell my little brother, Dominic Smith (Urban Prep-ENG class of 2016), recognize that the challenges placed before you by other students, teachers, principals, coaches, etc. are all part of a larger plan to build you up into an unbreakable man.  Go with the program, it works.

Anything else you'd like to share?

You’re going to hear about my success soon; and when you do, trust that I will owe a big part of it to Urban Prep.

We look forward to hearing about your success Darryl!  Read the first post in this two-part series here.