From The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race:
The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race will host its annual gala and fundraiser, Celebrating Integration, on Thursday, Oct. 12, at Orange Lawn Tennis Club in South Orange. This year’s honorees— Gail Safian and Dr. Ahadi Bugg-Levine—support our towns in many ways through their volunteerism and leadership. It will be a wonderful evening of food, drinks, fellowship, and music by Essex Funk Collective.
Dr. Bugg-Levine is the president of Bugg-Levine, Inc., a consulting company that provides philanthropic strategic and research services to foundations and nonprofits. She has advocated for disability rights, women’s and children’s rights, the rights of marginalized racial and ethnic communities, and other constituencies, both domestically and internationally. She is the board president of JESPY House, has developed Black History Month events in South Orange, and selected and purchased hundreds of books to support a truly inclusive library at Seth Boyden school.
Ms. Safian’s professional career has been devoted to educating patients and professionals on healthcare issues in underserved communities, including raising awareness of sickle cell disease, and the creation of National Breast Cancer Awareness Week. She is the president of Durand-Heddon House and has directed the museum’s expansive Juneteenth celebrations since 2019 in close collaboration with the Coalition. In addition to historical interpreters and musicians, a major feature is the exhibit and award-winning book Ms. Safian authored, Slavery in New Jersey: A Troubled History.
“This is an outstanding event each year where we celebrate the community’s work toward integration,” said Nancy Gagnier, executive director of the Coalition. “These honorees have truly demonstrated their commitment to integration and inclusion in their careers and their volunteer work in our towns. I invite the community to come out and join us as we honor their many contributions.”
The theme of this year’s event is Growing Our Commitment to Equity & Inclusion, underscoring the Coalition’s commitment to building a suburban community in which people of different backgrounds, races and ethnicities live together, interact, form friendships, and feel welcome in all aspects of community life. Please join the Coalition in honoring these two outstanding members of the Maplewood/South Orange community. Tickets and sponsorships for the event are available via communitycoalitiononrace.org. Business and personal ads in the program are due Oct. 1. RSVP to attend the gala by Oct. 6.
Founded in 1996 by a diverse group of volunteers, the Coalition is a progressive, grassroots community group committed to racial integration. It creates strategies to support stably integrated residential neighborhoods, advocates for racial equity and excellence for all students in the schools, and brings the community together to learn, to build relationships across racial and cultural barriers, and to celebrate differences. Visit the website communitycoalitiononrace.org for more information.
