SoCoNYC May Happy Hour

Hello Socially Conscious New Yorkers,

Hope everyone is enjoying spring! (although lately it doesn't feel too springlike) After you recover from the long weekend, please join us for the May SoCoNYC Happy Hour next Tuesday, May 27th.

SoCoNYC encourages you to invite your friends, family, or anyone you think would be interested in networking with a diverse group of young professionals. Our goal is not only to promote discussion of current events, but to share insights and best practices across sectors. All are welcome - for profit, nonprofit, activists, social butterflies, etc. Just come, have a few drinks, and get to know a really great group of interesting people!

So come join us next Tuesday to meet, chat, and network with other socially conscious New Yorkers!

Date: Tuesday, 5/27
Time: 6:30-9:00pm
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & Mercer
Directions: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th

RSVP: It's not required, but if you know that you will be coming, please let us know so that we have an estimate of how many to expect.

Best wishes,
Damian (damian.stanley@nyu.edu) and Alicia (abrindisi@gmail.com)

So NYC is back! April 29, 2008

We're happy to announce the triumphant return of Socially Conscious New York!

Who is this "we" you ask? We're your new organizers! While Abby, Heddy, and Marian are still active So NYC members, they have passed the administrative torch to us - Damian and Alicia.

Damian works at New York University and the International Center for Tolerance education in DUMBO. His work involves researching the systems of the brain involved in unconscious bias, prejudice and intergroup trust.

Alicia currently works at a nonprofit organization in the field of international education but also draws upon a academic and professional background in the for-profit communications sector.

We're both super excited to kick off the 2008 So NYC happy hours and encourage you to invite your friends, family, or anyone you think would be interested in networking with a diverse group of young professionals. Our goal is not only to promote discussion of current events, but to share insights and best practices across sectors. All are welcome - for profit, nonprofit, activists, social butterflies, etc. Just come, have a few drinks, and get to know a really great group of interesting people!

So come join us next Tuesday to meet, chat, and network with other socially conscious New Yorkers!

*Date: Tuesday, 4/29
Time: 6:00-8:00pm
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & Mercer
Directions: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th*

RSVP: It's not required, but if you know that you will be coming, please let us know so that we have an estimate of how many to expect.

Best wishes,
Damian and Alicia

So NYC Hiatus Explanation & Plan of Action

Dear Socially Conscious New Yorkers,

We apologize for the hiatus SO NYC has been on since the holiday season. The organizers, including myself, have all encountered personal and time consuming issues in the time since the last happy hour.

We very much believe in the mission of SO NYC and would like to see it continue. However, we have concurred that we are currently not able to put the time into this project that is required to keep it going.

Therefore, we would like to ask if any of you, the Socially Conscious NYC members, are interested in picking up the ball and running with it? We would love to pass on the blog, the information we have collected and the materials and connections we have made to individuals interested in continuing to be pursue the aims of SO NYC.

To have a unifying group that brings together self-identified socially conscious individuals from various fields was our original goal and we feel this method has been effective in beginning to address that goal. However, this project needs new initiative and dedication.

Please feel free to email us with thoughts, ideas, suggestions or if you are interested in taking on this project let us know a time in which you could meet to discuss your ideas.

Thank you all for being a part of this endeavor and we hope it will continue!

Sincerely,
Abigail Batchelder

September 2007 Happy Hour

Whether your back in school or working, start off Fall by expanding your network of progressive young adults over drinks!

Come out next Wednesday to meet, chat and network with other socially conscious New Yorkers. With a range of backgrounds and goals we are able to share our opinions and gain insight from each in a relaxed environment.

Date: Wednesday 9/19
Time: 6:30-9:00pm
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & Mercer
Directions: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th

We hope to see you there!

Summer and Fall 2007 Schedule

Greetings from the So NYC team (Abby, Marian and me - Heddy)! We hope you're staying cool in the heat and enjoying the last few weeks of summer.

I'm proud to inform you that "Socially Conscious NYC" celebrated our two year anniversary in July! It has been wonderful to meet many socially conscious New Yorkers during that time and an inspiration to see this community ever expanding. I hope that you enjoyed it as much as we have!

Onto the announcements: our monthly Happy Hour dates for the rest of the year are below. Please note that we've extended the happy hour a half hour in August to accomodate So NYC-ers' schedules. We will be playing around with the time to accomodate the largest number of people. Please stayed tuned for our monthly announcements to find out the exact times.

Abby, Marian and I are really looking forward to re-connecting with all of the "old timers" and meeting new comers at one or more of these events. And if you have any suggestions about So NYC, please do not hesitate to pull one of us aside at the Happy Hour, or email me at the address to the right.

August 2007
Date: Tuesday 8/21
Time: 6:30-9:00pm
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & MercerDirections: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th

September 2007
Date: Wednesday 9/19
Time: TBD
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & Mercer
Directions: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th

October 2007
Date: Thursday 10/25
Time: TBD
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & Mercer
Directions: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th

November 2007
Date: Wednesday 11/14
Time: TBD
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & Mercer
Directions: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th

December 2007
Date: Tuesday 12/18
Time: TBD
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & Mercer
Directions: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th

May & June Happy Hours

We hope you'll come and enjoy some cool drinks with you fellow Socially Conscious New Yorkers at our May Hang Out tomorrow and in June! Details are below. We look forward to seeing you there. And please spread the word :o)

May 2007
Date: Tuesday 5/22
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & MercerDirections: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th

June 2007
Date: Thursday 6/21
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Leela Lounge @ 1 West 3rd Street b/t Broadway & Mercer
Directions: Take D to Broadway-Lafayette or A/C/E; B/D/F/V to West 4th

Future event details to come in June!

Bamako Review

A group of SO NYCers and members of the African Studies Working Group at Columbia University went to see the movie Bamako.

Bamako is the acclaimed new fictional film from director Abderrahmane Sissako. Sissako who grew up in the Malian capital Bamako, has set his latest film in the courtyard of his father’s house. The courtyard becomes a court, as the film centers on the proceedings of a trial: the people of Africa versus the World Bank, IMF and globalized big money.

The story unfolds within the court, as Malians come to testify, telling of their personal experiences and how Structural Adjustment Programmes and conditionality has impacted upon their lives. Meanwhile, life for those living within and around the courtyard goes on: a relationship crumbling, a sick man dying, children fussing, cloth dieing and the rituals of everyday existence.

Unlike so many movies set in Africa, this film gives us a chance to hear from Africans themselves, without being mediated through the eyes of a white protagonist. Sissako provides the space for the people of Bamako who have been traumatised and dismissed by globalisation to give witness and share with us their testimonies and observations.

Personally, for me the most powerful, sad and beautiful moment was the chanted testimonial by Samba Diakité – an old man who sung in an un-translated Malian dialect. His lament took my breath away and was a fitting climax; as the film drew to a close, with his voice ringing in my ears I was aware that these stories of survival, suffering and personal strength will continue.

After the film, we came together to discuss in a bilingual conversation over dinner, with one table speaking in French and another sticking to English. It was a wonderful evening and an education in more ways than one – thank you to all those who came or, merci a tous ceux qui sont venus!