Here's What We're Doing

Yoriko Kishimoto '77 was the first Asian elected to the Palo Alto City Council in 2001. In 2005, she was reelected to the council and is currently serving as vice-mayor. She has fond memories of Asia House, WASP (Wesleyan Asian Students Party), and Malcolm X House, and appreciates the room and support the University gave her to grow.

Joseph Wright '79 MD, MPH has been a pediatric emergency physician at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. for the past 15 years. During that time, he has had the opportunity to instruct and train several Wesleyan alumni of color. He recently accepted appointments as executive director of the Child Health Advocacy Institute (CHAI), and as vice chair of Pediatrics for Child Advocacy.

Nancy Vélez '85 is currently a major gifts officer at Sarah Lawrence College after she spent time working at Thirteen/WNET, PBS's flagship station and serving as director of leadership development projects for Prep for Prep. She has also managed to find time to continue her passion for singing. Vélez is a two-time Apollo amateur night winner and has appeared in two Spanish operas in New York City. She has performed throughout the New York area in musical theater productions and as a background vocalist for different composers.

Stafford Smith '87 teaches photography at Lycoming College, a small liberal arts school in central Pennsylvania. His current body of artwork, "The Family Portrait Project," attempts to redefine the family portrait and expose the falseness inherent in all photographs. He has had several shows of this work and is now looking for a publisher. To see more of his photos, please visit http://www.staffordsmith.net.

Sample from "The Family Portrait Project," by Stafford Smith '87

Dwayne Busby '95 and Gabrielle Busby welcomed Aizha Mykael (pronounced Asia Michael) into the world on September 20, 2005.

Aizha Mykael Busby

Crystal Scott '98 graduated from Rutgers Law School in 2003 and has since been admitted to the New York State bar.

Don Kim '01 hosted the Lunar New Year Celebration at his home in Minnesota. He recently passed the California bar and is attending business school at the University of Minnesota.

Liz Simmons '03 is completing her master's in teaching at Tufts University and is a full-time intern at a pilot high school in Boston.