Spring 2012

Th e Dr. M art in Lu ther K ing

Le ad ership Pr ogr am Pres ents :

The Center for

Community Research

and Engagement was

established in 1997 to

develop partnerships

that integrate Seton

Hall University

Faculty, students, and

our neighboring

communities through

applied research,

active learning, and

action projects, aimed

at enhancing both the

learning environment

and community

capacity.

“Reaching for a Spirit of Service”

.

THE MLKSA FAMILY

The Martin Luther King Scholarship Association was founded in 1969, the

year following that of Dr. King’s death. Over the years, through this illustri-

ous and prestigious fellowship of scholars, students have been given op-

portunities to pursue careers to better their world. We scholars of MLKSA

have sought to better our community, on a local, national and global scale

through community service and outreach programs promoting social and

global awareness.

While we MLKSA scholars make it an objective to acknowledge Dr. King,

our aim is to embody his legacy and his mission—which is to improve the

world using academic excellence, global consciousness and a genuine, un-

conditional love for mankind. While all inductees of the Martin Luther

King Scholarship Association are inducted in their senior year of high

school, we humbly ask that you help us in our effort to change the world

around us. If you would like to contribute in any way, whether through at-

tendance, promotion or even monetary contribution, please reach out to

our program director Dr. Forrest Pritchett who can be reached at: for-

[email protected].

REV. DR. FORREST M.

PRITCHETT

Forrest Pritchett is a native of Atlantic

City, NJ who graduated from Delaware

State University with a Woodrow Wilson

Foundation Fellowship. He has completed

doctoral level study in Sociology, Nutrition

and Theology.

Throughout his forty plus years in New Jersey higher education, he

taught at Farleigh Dickinson, Rider, Princeton and Seton Hall Universities. He

was among the early pioneers who helped to integrate administrative and faculty

departments in the late sixties. He was instrumental in developing initiatives that

transformed these institutions into places that were more receptive to African

Americans and other diversified populations in the student and staff populations.

He also participated in developing curriculum that showed the uniqueness of

African culture and that reflected America’s ethnic heritage.

First They Came for the Jews

First they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out

because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out

because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me

and there was no one left to speak out for me.

This is a famous statement attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)

about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and

the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.

MLKSA knows how to throw a party... Dr. King's Birth-

day Bash that is! So how did our scholars celebrate the

life and legacy of Dr. King? This year Birthday Bash

was a learning experience featuring birthday ceremonies

of cultures in the melting pot that we call America. As

one of the largest multicultural organizations on cam-

pus, our audience reflected that same diversity and soli-

darity during the event on January 17th of this year.

Kudos to seniors, Alfred Merritt and Marcus Gerald for

chairing such an innovative program. Scholar, Delores

agrees, "Birthday Bash was one of our biggest events

this year, besides Expo. It had creative components,

high spirited and was well organized."

What really engaged the audience was the video seg-

ments from Seton Hall students and the presentation

and performances by various cultural organizations.

When asked her favorite part of the program, Norah,

class of 2013 said she also liked the presentations from

the various cultural organizations. Even our President-

elect Wallace, enjoyed the presentations and perfor-

mances. He said, "It was nice to celebrate MLK in such

a fun way, often times our conversations about him are

so serious; it was nice to speak on him in such a celebra-

tory light."

Dr. King was not a mere fan of diversity for diversity's

sake, he was an advocate of (but not limited to) diversity

in culture, education, and politics in order to dismantle

Jim Crow, and pushing for the overall progression of

our country. Sophomore, Vania said that she liked the

theme of diversity and how the celebration of various

cultures related to King's legacy. The theme of diversity

rang true for Birthday Bash this year. To further our

understanding of the legacy we strive to embody, we

listened to a speech by Dr. King. Not to mention this

was Vice President, Charles favorite portion at the end

of the program.

With an entertaining and informative program our ulti-

mate goal is to enlighten or educate our audience about

Dr. King and be proactive in our efforts to keeping his

vision alive. Junior, Tatiana could have not said it better

herself; " Attendees were offered an opportunity to ac-

tively participate in an event that aimed to honor the life

and legacy of Dr. King. Student voice is often a compo-

nent that is overlooked and disregarded, so I was glad to

see MLK scholars implement an interactive piece into

the program that would not only enrich the audience but

captivate their minds."

Written By: Monica Hall

On Tuesday, February 28, 2012, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Association hosted one of the

most anticipated events of the second semester, Celebration. In a program entitled ―I Dare You to Move,‖ scholars

came together to celebrate those who have positively influenced our generation, and inspired us to pay it forward.

To get the night going and to elicit uplifting vibes, the night began with a particularly enthusiastic game.

Pictures were displayed before the audience, who responded to the pictures by using noisemakers to express the lev-

el of inspiration they get from the concepts in the pictures, including family, faith, and knowledge. Following the

conclusion of the game, members of the audience were asked to write down goals that would help them to be in-

spires, inspire others, and celebrate being inspired and inspiring others.

Shortly after, the first speaker of the night was presented. Nicholas Frimpong, Seton Hall graduate in the

class of 2011 and employee for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, came and spoke about the nonprofit organization he

started and runs, WitnessHOPE. As he eloquently expressed, WitnessHOPE has the mission to promote and sustain

academic excellence, sportsmanship and healthcare for youth worldwide. Following Nicholas was the keynote

speaker of the event, Maria E. Alvarez, Seton Hall Alumni and Team Leader for the Partnerships Team in the Ca-

pacity Building Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB

Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She delivered an engaging and energizing oration in

which she both told her story from beginning to present and thoroughly conveyed the importance and necessity of

giving back.

Dinner was then served, and members of the audience had the opportunity to visit tables around the perime-

ter of the Main Lounge that were set up by various service organizations on campus, including Amnesty Internation-

al, The National Council of Negro Women, Skooled, Black Men of Standard and the Mshikamano Movement. After

dinner was served, the audience enjoyed an amazing performance by FLASH, the Filipino League at Seton Hall, and

the night drew to a close. While the objective of the night was to honor individuals that have dedicated their lives to

others, MLKSA was able to accomplish a more far-reaching goal; that is, to inspire the audience to give back to the

community in efforts to change the world.

Written by: Jehmeesah Walker

It is not often that past meets present but this year, the scholars were able to do just that. On March 25th, we hosted our bi-annual Alumni Banquet, where over 50 current and Alumni scholars gathered to celebrate our MLKSA family. Our program was opened by Rev. Dr. Pritchett who gave

great context and insight on the history of our scholarship and its current state. We had the pleasure of meeting and hearing from many great scholars of the past, in particular our Keynotes: Cheryl Butler c/o

1981, Timothy Lynch c/o 1998, and Michael and Colby Daferde c/o 2010 2008, respectfully. The theme and title of our banquet was, “Family Feud,” and the event sure lived up to the name; all in good fun, of

course! We broke out into three teams and played a heated game of Scholar Jeopardy , and everyone ended the game as winners, and the alumni were given a MLKSA pin as a token of our appreciation.

The event was a huge success! It was great for us current scholars to see how this leadership program will help us in the real world, and it put things in perspective for us. We patiently await 2014, when we have

another Alumni Banquet. Huge thanks to our Committee Chairs, Delores Sarfo-Darko and Jonathan Morales, the committee members, and all the scholars and alumni who made this such a worthwhile af-

ternoon.

Written by : Wallace Weaver

MLKSA Class of 2015 Presents: Is This Your S.E.X. Life?

As the Spring Semester rolled around, the Freshmen

Class of 2015 was excited to get to work on the annual

Freshman Program. Each year, MLKSA Freshmen are

responsible to put on a program about any interest and

how it relates to Dr. King’s dream the spring of their

Freshman Year.

One morning, before our Friday morning meetings with Dr. Pritchett, we all were

sitting around the table thinking about what content we wanted to put on with this

program. We bounced around a couple of ideas and finally we hit on one: Reality TV and the stereotypes portrayed to its

viewers. From there, we hit the ground running and never stopped. There was a sudden surge of energy which all seven of

us decided to feed off of. When it came to deciding the name, we thought back to a meeting we had with Dr. Pritchett. We

said, “Pritchett, what should we name our program?” His response: “SEX.” Of course he didn’t actually mean to name it

that, but that was his way of telling us to be bold and out there.

So we took Dr. Pritchett’s advice and named our program, “Is This Your S.E.X (Stereotypes, Entertainment, ex-

pectations) Life?” Once the name for the program was established, excitement in the room reached a new peak and we

established a standard that we wanted to set for our program and programs going forward.

At our program, had treats and prizes to give away. During the program, we showed different reality TV show

clips that portrayed stereotypes about different races and groups of people. Examples of shows that we showed were Jer-

sey Shore, Run’s House, and Bad Girls Club. We split the program overall into two main categories: Negative Reality TV

Shows and Positive Reality TV Shows.

Everyone in attendance had a great time and the freshman class grew closer. The Is This Your S.E.X. Life? Pro-

gram has definitely set the bar for future MLKSA freshman classes to come!

Written by: Ashley Jefferson

Scholar Spotlight

A scholar, a friend, an only child, a Harry Potter fan, a leader, a seafood lover,

a future doctor… All of these characteristics describe one person in the Martin

Luther King Scholarship Association (MLKSA)—Charles Farmer. Charles

Brandon Farmer is the epitome of what, not only a MLKSA scholar should be,

but of what anybody would aspire to be. He has been a dedicated member of

MLKSA throughout his four years at Seton Hall University. Charles has

chaired a successful Birthday Bash program, Scholar Buddies, and provided

his feedback and expertise as the vice present of MLKSA. Charles has also

been an influential leader in the Seton Hall community. He was named Out-

standing Black Male of the Year by the Black Student Union. In addition, he

exemplified superb leadership abilities with his positions as a Tutor In Resi-

dence (TIR) and president of the Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre Health Professionals Honor Society.

Charles was able to juggle all of these activities while majoring in biology. Charles mastered the art

of balancing studying time with work, and fun activities. In doing this, he has maintained a 3.9 GPA. It is

obvious that Charles’s passion definitely lies with science and medicine. When Charles was 10 years old,

he went on various hospital visits and witnessed how the doctors were respected, knowledgeable, and pas-

sionate about their jobs and aspired to become one. From that point on, Charles devoted his life to achiev-

ing his dream of becoming a doctor. He committed his summers to doing research at various colleges and

programs including Seton Hall, New York University, and Cornell University. This is where he gained ex-

perience and information about the various careers in the medical field and made his decision to become an

emergency medicine physician in an urban area.

All of Charles’s hard work and dedication has paid off. He has been accepted to nine different med-

ical schools including Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and New York University to name a few. Fol-

lowing medical school, Charles will complete a few years of residency before he begins to practice in the

emergency room. For now, Charles will graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Biology Degree from Se-

ton Hall University and relax for the rest of the summer before tackling medical school next fall.

Charles is truly deserving of the scholar spotlight because of his academic excellence, his spectacu-

lar leadership qualities, and his overall embodiment of MLKSA standards. His lifetime goal is to develop a

summer research internship program for minority students to provide them with the opportunities that he

was given throughout college. This coincides with the MLKSA mission to help people in need and im-

prove the world using education, cultural awareness, and an everlasting love for others. Charles keeps the

values and morals of MLKSA in his heart and mind and will continue to do so in the future. This makes

him the number one candidate for the 2012 MLKSA Scholar Spotlight.

Written by: Ariel Snell

Scholar Spotlight

Arguably one of the most selfless, hardworking, patient and noble students

on Seton Hall campus is Latisha Ann Harris. Majoring in psychology and

non-profit, Harris has spearheaded many organizations on campus.

As the National Council of Negro Women president, Harris has reorganized

the group. From increasing membership to utilizing social media outlets to

inform the public about events, NCNW now has a larger audience. Similarly

as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Association president and sec-

retary, she’s kept scholars motivated and accountable for obtaining each goal

set. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. As secretary

and chair of the political awareness committee, she’s successfully organized

three voter registration drives—to name a few.

Upon reflection, the senior admits over-extending herself has been her big-

gest challenge.

―I have to use time management skills and have to use my passion to decide

what I can and cannot do without burning out,‖ she added.

She has learned many lessons along the way.

―I’ve learned to stay persistent and always reflect on the very thing that drives me,‖ she said. ―My God-

given passion for helping others especially urban youth is the source of my strength.‖

Harris also reveals that her shyness and timid nature left her anxious, however. Her unyielding leadership

throughout the last four years has helped her rise above the situation.

She said, ―I knew it was something I had to overcome so I could meet my goals and do what God has

called me to do.‖

After graduation, Harris will move to Atlanta to begin her Teach for America position. She is not sure

what the future holds, but is after three things: to leave an imprint, make my mark and change lives.

Written by: Wendy Quansah

Choosing to attend Seton Hall has proven to be one of the absolute best decisions I have

made to this very day. Though I’ve always been a pretty decent student, athlete, and servant

leader, my experiences here at Seton Hall and in MLKSA have allowed me to see the substan-

tiality in excelling as each of those things, and they have coaxed me to understand that is

imperative to the struggle that I do excel, especially as an academic and as a servant leader.

Being in New Jersey is a bit different from being in the south. The northeast moves at a mod-

erately faster pace, and coming here I was able to see much more of the world than one

might in Newport News, VA. Being here, I not only got see so much more of what society has to offer, but I also came to

see that the potential for us to influence society in a progressive manner is essentially limitless.

Seton Hall University has afforded me a number of opportunities that I truly do not believe any other institution

could have given me. As a student here, I have had the opportunity to run as a Division I Big East Athlete, in the #1 cross

country conference in the nation, under one of the most revered track coaches in the entire history of track and field. Hav-

ing participated in a diverse array of organizations, I have been able to expand my network in a manner no other school

could allow me to.

Honestly, the list of phenomenal experiences I have had here goes on forever, but perhaps my favorite experience has

been becoming a member of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Association. In MLKSA, I am surrounded by a group

of intelligent, respectable, ever-succeeding, driven, morally inclined, and dedicated individuals. At any point, though one

may have accomplished a great deal, because the accomplishments and developments of the other scholars keep on rolling

in—be they in the community, on campus, in the classroom, or in any other arena,— it is understood that there is always

more to be done and more to contribute. Because of this, MLK scholars have come to be known as some of the most ex-

cellent students on campus as well as in the community.

I am proud to say that I was accepted into a number of great law schools, a feat one might hopelessly consider to be im-

probable during those late night, nerve-wrecking LSAT study sessions. However, as much of an accomplishment as it was,

I cannot say that it was really the works of my GPA and LSAT scores that got me in. The opportunities MLKSA has provided

me with were exactly what opened the door and allowed me to have many of the experiences and to make many of the

accomplishments I needed to in order to make my application impressive. From community service efforts, to developing

necessary skill sets, to having the learning experiences my personal statement was centered around, it seems that from

the moment I received the call informing me that I was a recipient, MLKSA has been doing wonders in my life that are so

immaculate that I will benefit from them for the rest of my life. For this, I am far more grateful than I will ever be able to

express. Even still, the blessing I have received from MLKSA that is the dearest to my heart is having an additional family.

Each and every scholar, especially my 2012 brethren, inspires me incomparably, and I care for and appreciate every single

one. I have truly developed a genuine love for my MLK sisters and brothers, and I will never EVER forget how they have

inspired me to soar.

I have decided to embark upon this journey towards becoming a lawyer in hopes of putting myself in a position where I

can truly be considered an impressive individual, to make sure that my mother knows that not one of her efforts and sacri-

fices as a young single mother were in vain, and most importantly to serve and assist others as so many have done for me.

I would not and could not possibly have come to be where I am today were it not for the helping hands of so many peo-

ple, including those in MLKSA. As I begin the next chapter of my life as a member of the University of Miami School of Law

Class of 2015, I intend to do so proudly representing my parents, my family, Seton Hall University, and of course, the pres-

tigious…the honorable…THE Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Association. Rest assured I will never forget a second of

my time here.

Written By: Jehmeesah Walker

Scholar Spotlight

On April 13th,

2012, MLK

Scholars at-

tended the

annual Relay

for Life event and joined other organizations on cam-

pus in the fight against cancer. Organized by Colleges

Against Cancer, Relay for Life is now a tradition at

Seton Hall, where students enthusiastically come to-

gether for a single cause. Every year, the Seton Hall

Community looks forward to participating in this won-

derful event. As a Servant Leadership Organization,

MLKSA attends this event every year, and each MLK

Class is responsible for forming a Relay for Life Team.

Relay for Life is an event that inspires people to join in

solidarity with the brave individuals who are battling

with cancer. and survivors.

The Opening Ceremony included words of welcome

and gratitude from the Colleges Against Cancer Relay

for Life Committee, testimonies from survivors, and a

prayer to bless the night. Afterwards, members from

various organizations on campus began to relay, walk-

ing the track in unison. Throughout the night, there

was a variety of entertainment and on site fundraising

activities, such as performances, dancing, and hair

donations for “Locks of Love”, public non-profit or-

ganization that provides hairpieces to financially dis-

advantaged children in the United States and Canada

under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair

loss from any diagnosis. One of the highlights of the

night was the luminaria ceremony in honor of cancer

patients, lost loved ones, and survivors. This ceremony

was followed by a walk where everyone attending re-

layed together. It was a great and inspiring night of

coming together as a community for the cause of sav-

ing and preserving lives.

Written by: Norah Rivera

Spring Community Service Social -Relay For Life-

The Consequences of Complacency: Why Elections

Matter

The 2008 election cycle was a banner year for the

minority population of the United States of America

and not just because we elected am African-

American president. We also elected a strong Con-

gress. As a direct result the Affordable Care Act and

Wall Street Reform were passed, a new START was

ratified; gays and lesbians are able to serve openly in

the US military, and so on and so forth.

However, in 2010 some people became angry with

the direction the country was taking and others had

become complacent. We allowed Republicans and

the Tea Party lambast our values and our president

without any sense of recourse. As a result, the Re-

publican controlled House of Representatives has

released a budget that has undermined social pro-

grams, the ―Ryan Budget,‖ tried to yank funding

from Planned Parenthood because they are the largest

provider of abortions in the country even if only a

miniscule portion of their budget actually goes to

abortion, and more. Things are even worst at the

state level where budgets are being slashed, unions

are being attacked at an institutional level, and social

services are being limited.

I am a Democrat and this is obviously biased but

even if you are a Republican you can see the conse-

quences of elections are far reaching. Democrats

have permitted same-sex marriage in ten states, they

have voted for bailouts, and support entitlement

spending. At the end of the day no matter what party

you support elections have consequences.

The onus is on you – educate yourselves, get out

there and vote.

...After much deliberation, I've concluded peo-ple say that surety is pride, or so it would appear or seem. So pardon me if I say it, but I swear to keep the truth naked, but I think I know what you really mean: What they say or try to clearly imply is that "arrogance is not bowing down on your knees to men who'd wish to keep you down and just keep you around and make life worse than it seems. Oh yeah, you can dream alright, but dream within our means, dream with your voice on mute, unless you dream of what's approved Do what's been done--do what's been proved. In conclusion, arrogance is not standing up, and humility is not sitting down. The latter's not a front, the former's not a smile, and neither has a voice to sound. People fear what they don't understand, I thank God that I can, my head's high because I lay in His hands, if that's something to hide, pardon my foolish pride, but I think I'll just stand strong where I am. Because arrogance is not firm belief and it certainly is not being who you are, no, arrogance is closely assessing someone who you've only watched from afar.

Written by: Christian Powe,

I got something on my mind, so much I want to say so many questions I want to ask and feelings I want to convey, to ask you what you see-- (since to me the mirror's reflection's so com-monplace)-- when you take a look at me... But before we get to that, let me digress a bit off track, as hopefully you'll answer this one question for me: What is arrogance? Can you spell it? Is brash self-confidence or blatant intelligence? How could you tell if it was plausible, because someone articulates thoughts to make it clearly audible? What would you call self-conceit? The swagger in my walk or the strength in my talk when I speak? Oh I understand, maybe it's misconstrued, was I not supposed to disagree or have a differ-ent view? I'm sorry, pardon me if I reach for a star and tru-ly believe I could reach it or tell you that the world is round and actually believe it, having found a cause worth fighting for, and not be afraid to dream it out loud, out-powering the clamor of your doubt... the heat held within, the fire ablaze without. Was it arrogance when I spoke of the pride of Africa?

.

...as an undergrad student he received his Bachelor’s degree in

Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing

and a Master’s degree in Higher Education, College Student

Personnel administration. He has enjoyed the challenge of

working with students and helping them achieve their fullest

potential.

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a

humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you

cannot be successful or happy.

-Norman Vincent Peale

Dr. Gloria Essoka

In 2006 I retired as a nurse educator at Hunter-

Bellevue School of Nursing of the City University of New

York and became a Distinguished Visiting Professor in the

College of Nursing at Seton Hall University, spring, 2007. My

original assignment was as chair of the Family Nursing De-

partment and classroom teacher. Due to the resignation of one

department chair and illness of the other, I am temporary chair

of all three departments in the college. Responsibilities in-

clude creating and managing faculty assignments, maintaining

communication and an open door, acting as liaison among staff

and administrators, advocating for faculty, keeping abreast of

students and their progress, chairing department meetings and

maintaining awareness of any issues that have an impact on

faculty and students by attending many college committee as

ex officio member.

My primary campus involvement is as chair of a Middle States

Steering Committee and advisor/mentor to MLK students.

To MLKSA: your organization, expectations and support of

students is clearly visible in their success as students, innova-

tions in human service activities, and leadership as they plan

and execute activities with, for and through their peers. If your

aims in life emulate those of MLKSA, you will all rise to star-

dom!

Gloria C. Essoka, PhD, RN

Fredline M'Cormack-

Hale's research interests include gender, development

and democratization in post-war states, with a focus on Sierra

Leone. She teaches courses in the Whitehead School of Diploma-

cy, as well as the Freshman course, Journey of Transformation.

Her current research agenda explores the role international organi-

zations play in promoting democratization following state col-

lapse during the process of reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Quote for scholars: ―Education is for improving the lives of others

and for leaving your community and world better than you found

it.‖ and "You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough com-

mitted fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog

uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation." Marian

Wright Edelman

John P. Wargacki, Ph.D.

John P. Wargacki, Associate Professor of English, was

born in Newark and raised in Linden where he currently resides.

His careers as an English major have spanned journalism, political

consulting, and corporate public relations, before finding his voca-

tion in the college literature classroom. He completed his M.A. in

English at Seton Hall University in 1991, while working as a po-

litical consultant, and earned his Ph.D., also in English, from New

York University in 2000. He is passionate about the arts,

especially poetry, as well as music and theatre. He is active in his

hometown parish, St. Theresa's Church in Linden, where he serves

as a cantor. He also sings with the St. Paul's Singers, St. Paul the

Apostle Church in Manhattan, and he is a member of The Cele-

bration Singers of Cranford.

Brett Pulliam

Brett Pulliam currently serves as Student Development

Specialist/Recruiter for the Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Plus Program

which is a special academic program funded through the Educa-

tional Opportunity Fund (EOF) at Seton Hall University. In his

role, he handles the recruitment, admissions, financial aid, person-

al counseling, and academic advisement for the students of the

program and has served in this capacity for eight years. His office

is located in the College of Arts and Sciences room 234 and his

door is always open (literally and figuratively)...

Few MLK Advisors

2011-2012 E-board Members

Latisha Harris Charles Farmer

President Vice President

Omar Ahmad Jessmarie Lora

Treasurer Secretary

Norah Rivera

Director of Community Service

Upcoming 2012-2013 E-board Members

Wallace Weaver Monica Halll

President Vice President

Norah Rivera Monica Arismendez

Treasurer Secretary

Kailan Butler

Director of Community Service

A journey to D.C.

Staff & Contributors

Editor in Chief: Franck David Nelson

Newsletter Committee: Franck D. Nelson(co-chair)

Shanei A. Deberry(co-chair), Monica T. Arismendez,

Wendy E. Quansah, Ariel Snell & Elizabeth Dudley

Photographers: Shanei A. Deberry & Norah Rivera

Special thanks to Sierra deGroot, Christian Powe and