Title:Hoyas celebrate ‘Black Joy’ at 5th biennial Black Alumni Summit

Over 300 attendees—the largest ever for the event—gathered together for the 5th biennial Black Alumni Summit (BAS) Nov. 14-17. 

Since 2015, BAS has celebrated the professional and personal achievements of Georgetown’s Black alumni community. This year’s summit asked attendees to reflect on the theme “Black Joy” while also discussing post-election results and the future of the Black community through topics such as finance, technology, leadership, athletics, and health. 

The summit, hosted by the Georgetown University Alumni Association’s Black Alumni Council, began Thursday at the Healey Family Student Center with a “Student & Alumni Networking Mixer: Navigating Post-Undergraduate Paths” panel moderated by Senior Associate Dean of Students Charlene Brown-McKenzie (C’95, G’23, Parent’27), who serves as executive director of student access and success, and executive director for the Institute for College Preparation.

The mixer was followed by a free screening of The Nickel Boys at the AMC Georgetown hosted by Kaya Henderson (SFS’92, G’07, HON’12), a member of Georgetown’s Board of Directors. 

The Friday and Saturday events included panels, social hours, and a gala held at The Ritz-Carlton in Washington, DC, with speakers representing a broad cross-section of Georgetown’s Black alumni community. Attendees enjoyed live musical performances from Courtney Nero (SLL’93) throughout the summit. The summit ended back on the Hilltop on Sunday with a Mass at Dahlgren Chapel. 

Thought-provoking panels

Co-chairs Mannone A. Butler (B’94, L’99) and Eric Woods (B’91) kicked off the summit by welcoming alumni, students, and community members. As Friday’s panels began, Woods told everyone to “never forget the magic that’s present in this room.” 

Over the weekend, attendees heard updates from senior vice president and chief of staff Joe Ferrara (G’96) and Robert Groves, then provost and now interim president, about Georgetown’s capital projects, AI initiatives, athletics achievements, and progress toward building a more inclusive community. 

Over the three days there were 13 panels with 50 speakers. With the summit being in DC just a week after the presidential election, politics was a hot topic and the focus of “2024 Election Recap” and “Navigating the Post-2024 Social-Political Mosaic.” 

On the topic of sports, “Athletic Experiences on the Hilltop” highlighted the impact of the NCAA’s Name, Image, and Likeness policy at Georgetown and how Hoyas Rising supports student-athletes. 

Jerome Williams (C’96, Parent’24, ‘25) shared how basketball and his Georgetown education changed his career. Williams graduated with a degree in sociology and minors in business and theology, and made the Dean’s List. He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1996 and after retirement became NBA’s global ambassador, a role he continues today along with serving as president of the JYD Project’s Shooting for Peace initiative, CEO of IP FAMBA—an NIL tech company that helps all student athletes to the pros and beyond, and owner of Peace and the Coffee Bean.

The “Black Health and Well-Being” panel invited discussions and debate about how to advocate for one’s health, where to seek help when there’s a physician shortage, and how to prevent health issues. Whether one chooses traditional or non-traditional medical treatments, attendees agreed that Black representation is important across all fields.  

During the “AI and the African American Community” panel discussion, a quick poll on the GU Alumni Events app revealed that only 20% of participants were concerned about the dangers of AI. Lockie Andrews (B’95) from the panel said she was “cautiously optimistic” about AI. 

“There’s a dangerous side because we’re not present,” she shared, referring to the low representation of Black experts in the development of artificial intelligence. 

Discussing finance in the Black community, the “Black Wealth” panel talked about using non-traditional sources of income to create generational wealth. Panelists suggested building relationships with local banks, including the 19 Black-owned banks in the country. 

Reacting to live-poll results showing that half the participants in the room were not confident in their personal finances, panelist Essya Hanachi (B’91), a finance leader who is a member of Board of Directors for SCO Family of Service, a nonprofit organization that helps New York City and Long Island’s community members with special needs, said, “asking for help in this moment is incredibly important” and encouraged networking with other attendees to find mutual support.

‘Black Joy’

Attendees had the opportunity to submit videos expressing what “Black Joy” means to them as a Hoya. They watched the compilation together. 

“The video was a way for us to capture everyone’s memories of what made their time here at Georgetown special,” says Josephine Bias Robinson (SFS’91) in the video. 

Robinson, along with Karlyn Lothery Kieffer (B’95), both part of the BAS program committee, reminisced about some of their favorite places on the Hilltop: the former Black House at 3619 O St.; New South Dining Hall; Gaston Hall, where they’ve attended gospel choir, performances, and Star Search; Village A, which lacked grills back in the day when parties were held there; and Harbin Hall. Some alumni in the audience cheered as they recognized those spots and recalled their own memories. 

During the gala, attendees heard from Julia Farr (C’88, Parent’19, ’21, ’24), executive director of the Georgetown Alumni Association, who thanked the Black alumni leaders and community members for the summit. 

“It’s a joy to work alongside the leaders of the Black Alumni Council, who bring resilience, vision, and dedication to all they do for our alumni family,” said Farr. “They also bring spirit, fun, a sense of humor, compassion, kindness, and love.”

“Our connections to each other have always made us stronger, and our commitment to uplifting our community remains as critical as ever,” she continued. “However, without the joy that you bring and create together, we would not have the wings to take flight.” 

Connecting the community

The summit also seeks to develop support networks for graduate students. Le-Marie Thompson (G’03) received a master’s degree in Communication, Culture & Technology from Georgetown and attended the summit for networking opportunities and meaningful conversations. 

“These were powerful sessions and conversations you can’t have anywhere else,” says Thompson. “The Black Alumni Summit is a gateway for grad students to connect with the rest of the Hoya community. I found out there are people that get together for an alumni restaurant club and walking tours. I look forward to coming back and making more connections.”

The event’s app provided an option to opt-in for networking so attendees can stay connected after the summit. 

“Everything we need is in this room,” said Butler, reminding people to opt-in to share businesses and resources. “We’re stronger when we’re together.”

Crafted by and for Black Alumni

This was the second summit hosted under the Black Alumni Council umbrella organization, which was created in 2022 by the leaders of longstanding Black alumni groups. Black alumni leadership at Georgetown has a proud history dating back to the 1970s, with trailblazing alumni laying the foundation for fostering community, advocacy, and connection across generations. 

“This gathering felt like the heartbeat of our Black community at just the right time,” says Yasmeen Mayes, associate director of Alumni Affinity Programs and Engagement at the Office of Advancement, who helped organize the last two summits. “There was joy, there was celebration, and most importantly, there was connection. It was a reminder of the power of coming together.”

The Black Alumni Council was founded through the collaboration of three cornerstone organizations: the leadership of the Black Alumni Summit, the Georgetown University African American Advisory Board (GUAAAB), and the Soul Hoya Alumni Group. It serves as a university-wide council for all Black alumni across all Georgetown campuses.

“This summit is a true reflection of the vision and dedication of our Black alumni,” says Mayes.  “Our Black Alumni Summit committee members worked collaboratively to craft content they knew would resonate with their peers. I’m incredibly honored to have been part of this collective effort and partnering with such passionate alumni volunteers. We’re excited to see how the summit will continue to grow and inspire even more in 2026.”

Upcoming events

The Black Alumni Council will be hosting a virtual community forum on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, at 7 p.m. for a chance to engage, learn, and participate in community conversations with the Black Alumni Council Board of Advisors. 

The annual Patrick Healy Dinner will be held Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. The dinner, which was created as a reception during Homecoming in 1975, became an official university event in 1992, hosted by GUAAAB during MLK weekend. This year, due to the presidential inauguration, the dinner was moved to a later date. The event honors members of the Georgetown community who have made tremendous strides in leadership, scholarship, and community engagement. 

Attendees reuniting with classmates, socializing, and making new memories at the 2024 Black Alumni Summit.