The morning hours of September 11, 2001 will forever be etched in our individual and collective memories. You’d be hard pressed to find someone who couldn’t tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

You’d be equally hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t at least know someone who knows someone who was personally touched by the tragic events of that Tuesday morning. Just ask Kofi Appenteng ’81, a partner with Thatcher, Proffitt, and Wood whose offices occupied the 38th, 39th, and 40th floors of the South Tower. In one of those quirks of fate that often brings a sigh of relief, Appenteng decided that Tuesday the 11th would be the day that he would keep a doctor’s appointment that he had literally been putting off for years.

“I had an 11:30 doctor’s appointment that morning,” said Appenteng, who was instrumental in the development of the Minority Faculty Search Committee during his years at Wesleyan. “I had been putting off a doctor‘s appointment for a long time and that was the day I decided to do it.”

On a normal day, Appenteng would have been heading toward work for the law firm that he‘s been with for the past 10 years, typically arriving between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. But on this day, he was home preparing for his doctor‘s appointment when the attacks happened.

“I found out about the first plane crashing into the one of the towers when a client of mine called me and told me to turn on the TV. When I turned on the TV, I saw the second plane crash into the South Tower.”

“When I saw what was happening I just started calling partners and developed a phone tree to account for people. It took until Thursday to account for everyone,” said Appenteng. Though everyone from his firm managed to escape the South Tower, Appenteng notes that one of his partners was in the office and reported that entire building shook when the plane hit the tower.

“Some people were actually in the office when the second plane hit. The Port Authority (in an attempt to protect workers from falling debris from the North Tower) told people to return to their offices.” Appenteng says that most of his co-workers did not heed the Port Authority’s directive.

“It’s been difficult for everyone,” Appenteng said reflecting on the aftermath of the attacks on the towers. “Knowing that I’m one of the lucky ones . . . the worse thing is sitting down thinking about this stuff and knowing that people were trying to get out.”

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The Alumni of Color Network, comprised of the leadership of the Asian Pacific American Alumni Council, the Black Alumni Council, and the Latino Alumni Council, makes use of the rich history and continuum of diversity that has been built at Wesleyan University over the last 30 years. Each council develops events and programs that reflect specific interests and experiences of alumni/ae of color, assists in drawing the entire alumni/ae of color community together through frequent communications and activities, and establishes ties to other alumni/ae of color, students and parents of color, and the University. The network works collaboratively with the Office of University Relations, the Office of Admission and Financial Aid, the Career Resource Center, and the Office of the Dean of the College to assist and support on and off-campus programs for communities of color. Furthermore, the AOC Network is a political presence within the University, and promotes and supports issues pertaining to communities of color via the Alumni Association Executive Committee, the Board of Trustees, and meetings with University administrators and current students. Regular events include participation in the New Student of Color Orientation Program; the Crimson & Brown Career Fair and Reception; Homecoming and the Dwight L. Greene Symposium; People’s Jam; the Marymount School Reception for Prospective Students of Color; and Reunion & Commencement Weekend.

Chairs: José Filpo ’91, June Jeffries ’75, Saeyun Lee ’93
University Liaisons: Dwayne Busby ’95 and Pat St. Germain

Alumni of Color Network Notes

June 2001
To kick off another century of exciting and provocative events designed to examine issues pertaining to communities of color both internal and external to the University, the Alumni of Color Network sponsored a several events with the theme of Alumni of Color in the World of Arts and Entertainment during Reunion & Commencement 2001. The weekend, the second year to combine Reunion with Commencement, was a huge success despite the wet weather.

On Friday night, May 25, 2001, Crowell Concert Hall was blessed with the sounds of Jay Hoggard ’76 and crew. On Saturday, May 26, 2001, the Black Alumni Council held their meeting. That afternoon, the Alumni of Color Reception was held in the Davison Art Center courtyard attended by numerous alumni/ae, students, family, and friends of Wesleyan. Then on Saturday evening, Steven Tejada ’97 made the crowd in ’92 Theatre laugh and cry with his one-man show “Boogie Down Journeys.”

HOMECOMING FAMILY WEEKEND
November 2001

The weather was cool but the welcome was warm as alumni and friends arrived at La Casa on Saturday morning during Homecoming Weekend. The brunch was sponsored by LAC, Ajua Campos and La Casa. It was coordinated by Avy Gonzalez '00, Vaness Mieles '98, and Andrea Rosario '97. Wesleyan students, alumni, family and friends were treated to fresh coffee and genuine New York bagels. We are hoping this would become an annual event . So next year we look forward to your attendance.

That evening BAC held their Ninth Annual Dwight Greene Symposium featuring Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. P'03. The audience was astonished, excited, and educated by the multimedia presentation of the history and the creation of Africana Encarte (both the encylopedia and the CD-Rom). The event was a huge success filling every seat in Crowell Concert Hall and still people crowded the doors wanting to get in. Next year, again during Homecoming Family Weekend, the Tenth Annual Dwight Greene Symposium will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2002. It is an event not to miss, so we hope to see you there.

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The mission of the Wesleyan Asian Pacific American Alumni Council (WAPAAC) is twofold: first, to create and maintain strong social and professional relationships between Asian Pacific American (APA) alumni/ae, students, faculty, administrators, parents, and alumni/ae of color and other members of the University community; and second, to contribute to the ongoing work of the Alumni of Color Network. The organization is designed to be a resource for the APA community and sponsors activities in collaboration with the Office of University Relations, the Office of the Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, the Office of the Dean of the College, the Career Resource Center, and other offices as necessary. Furthermore, WAPAAC is an advocate for social, political, academic, and other issues pertaining to APA communities internal and external to the University. Regular events include: participation in the New Student of Color Orientation Program; Volunteer Weekend; the Crimson & Brown Career Fair and Reception; Homecoming and the Dwight L. Greene Symposium; People’s Jam; Lunar New Year celebrations; Prospective Student Receptions; and Reunion & Commencement Weekend. The national chair and regional representatives work together to create and implement events that best serve the needs of the APA community.

Chair: Saeyun Lee ’93
SDL18@columbia.edu or apaac@wesleyan.edu

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The Black Alumni Council (BAC), established in 1983, is a national alumni organization comprised of African American graduates of Wesleyan University. The BAC is intended to provide a means whereby graduates may continue a relationship with the University, further its goals, support its programs and students, and create opportunities for interaction with the University community. It also provides a chance for nurturing and networking among the alumni/ae and the continuation of a heritage of familyhood attained as members of the undergraduate organization, Ujamaa. The BAC has sponsored numerous panels and award ceremonies: for example, the annual recognition or Vanguard Award is given to alumni/ae whose careers and characters have made an impact not only on the University community, but also on their own larger communities. In addition, summer stipends are given to students under the auspices of the BAC Memorial Award, which honors the memory of deceased alumni/ae who were active in the organization. It also sponsors annual alumni reunions at the end of the school year and at Homecoming. The BAC also promotes the Dwight L. Greene Symposium, a forum on ideas and trends relating to Wesleyan’s engagement with diversity. The officers are chair, vice-chair, treasurer, secretary, and events coordinator; these positions function in the traditional mode in that as a group, they create and implement events.

Chair: June Jeffries ’75
junemj@aol.com or bac@wesleyan.edu

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The Latino Alumni Council (LAC) strives to increase communication between Latino graduates and the students, administrators, and other alumni/ae of the University. Through events on and off-campus throughout the year, alumni/ae are invited to contribute to the current life of the University. Latino alumni/ae are asked to share their experiences and expertise at events organized in collaboration with the Office of Admission and Financial Aid (Marymount Reception for Prospective Students of Color), the Career Resource Center (Crimson & Brown Career Fair and Reception), and the Office of the Dean of the College (New Student of Color Orientation Program). Social events like Reunion & Commencement Weekend, Homecoming, and People’s Jam in New York City serve to bring community members together to socialize, network, and reminisce. Many of these events are organized in collaboration with the Alumni of Color Network and the Office of University Relations. In an effort to recognize both the contributions of outstanding Latino student leaders and the legacy of former faculty member and Dean of the College Janina Montero, the LAC awards the Janina Montero Prize each year to the Latino senior who has promoted the health, visibility, and participation of the Latino community at Wesleyan University.

Chair: José Filpo ’91
jafago@aol.com or lac@wesleyan.edu

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