#gwbaa

"#Voting is my birthright!" - Claire Crawford, a highly impressive 22 yr old #Atlanta native, #GWAlumni & #MetropolitanAME #ReadySetVote panel member summarized my entire weekend of #BlackExcellence #Leadership, #CommunityService & #Advocacy. Ladies & gentlemen, our future is bright like the sun!!! #IAmAME #GWBAA #HistoricallySpeaking #SpeakLIFE #UnspeakableJOY (at NW Washington DC)

A wonderful evening with #GW Black Alumni Association for A Legacy of Black Success celebrating the life and legacy of Reginald F. Lewis. #Lawyer, #entrepreneur, #philanthropist, CEO, devoted family #man, loyal friend—Reginald F. Lewis lived his life according to the words he often quoted; “Keep going, no matter what.” In 1965, the Rockefeller Foundation funded a summer school program at #HarvardLaw School to introduce a select number of black students to legal studies. Mr. Lewis lobbied for his acceptance and made such an impression that he was invited to attend Harvard Law School that fall — the only person in the 148-year history of the school to be admitted before applying. Lewis established the first African American law firm on #WallStreet. He focused on corporate law, and he also helped many #minority-owned businesses secure badly needed capital. A desire to “do the deals myself” led him to establish the TLC Group L.P. in 1983. His first major deal involved the $22.5-million leveraged buyout of the McCall Pattern Company. In October 1987, Mr Lewis purchased the international division of Beatrice Foods, with holdings in 31 countries, which became known as TLC Beatrice International. At $985 million, the deal was the largest leveraged buyout at the time of overseas assets by an American company. The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation had already funded about $10 Million to various nonprofits, organizations & schools prior to his death in 1993. This museum is one example of how his legacy continues to support & empower our community. #GWBAA Chair Christian A. Washington moderated a conversation between GW alumni Jean Fugett, LAW JD ’81, and J. Russell Fugett, GWSB MS ’07, the brother and nephew of Mr. Reginald F. Lewis. Lewis' aunt told me after the discussion that the land where this museum sits today was formerly #Baltimore's #slave market. Our evening included a self-guided tour of the museum exhibits, including the special video exhibit #QuestionBridge: Black Males, a real-time conversation with over 150 Black men from 12 U.S. cities covering themes of #family, #love, #education, violence, etc. Source: reginaldflewis.com (at Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture)