Afro-Latin@ Project - The Future is Now: How African and West Indian Immigration is Reshaping Life in Bronx Neighborhoods

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The Future is Now: How African and West Indian Immigration is Reshaping Life in Bronx Neighborhoods

Conference
Bronx Neighborhoods
Fordham University, October 23 and 24, 2009

Goals: The conference will address the significant presence of African and West Indian immigrants in the Bronx and encourage critical scholarly and public policy attention to these communities. It will demonstrate the vital cultural, economic, religious and political contributions of these two immigrant groups and promote them as important sites for scholarly research. The conference will establish a connection between Fordham University and the immigrant communities and will act as a springboard for future collaborations, not only between the scholarly community and these immigrants, but also amongst the community organizations. It will also bring Fordham and the Bronx African American History Project local and national recognition for innovative research on immigration history.

Panel Sessions will showcase work both by academic researchers and by community organizations.   Themes addressed will include:
I. Immigration
II. Religion and Faith
III.Community Organizations
IV.Music and the Arts
V. Local Media (print, radio and television)
VI.Health and Gender
VIIEducation

Conference Overview: The conference will take place at McGinley Student Center on the Rosehill Campus of Fordham University over the course of two days in the Spring of 2009. It will involve approximately 18 panel presentations, art exhibits, and musical performances, and will require us to reserve the entire second floor of the McGinley Center during the two days of the conference.

The following is an outline of each day of the conference:

Friday
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00AM Address by President of Fordham University, Joseph M. McShane, S.J.
Morning Plenary Session
Plenary Topic: Scholarship on and policy issues for the Bronx’s African and West Indian communities
10:30AM-Noon Morning Panel Session
Noon-1PM, Lunch
1:00PM-4:30PM Two Afternoon Panel Sessions
5PM-Cocktail Reception, networking
6:00PM-10:00PM Dinner and live entertainment

Saturday
8:00AM Breakfast
9:00AM Address by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr.
Morning Plenary Session
Plenary Topic: Community Issues: Education, Citizenship, Health
10:30-Noon Morning Panel Session
Noon-1:00PM, Lunch
1:00PM-4:30PM Two Afternoon Panel Sessions
5:00PM Cocktail Reception
6:00PM-Midnight, Dinner and live entertainment

Projected Budget:   Conference on African and West Indian Immigration to the Bronx, Fordham University

Conference Vision
         We envision this conference as a major public event which reflects Fordham’s growing importance as a center for scholarship in African and African American Studies   and its commitment to building connections with the immigrant communities in the neighborhoods surrounding its Bronx campus. To do so, we have planned a two day event with a projected attendance of 450 people, about half of them scholars and graduate students, about half educators, religious leaders, elected officials and representatives of Bronx African and West Indian immigrant communities. The ideal setting for the event would be the second floor of McGinley Student Center , where the ballroom would be used for plenary sessions and entertainment, the lounge for networking, meals and an art exhibition and the Music Room, Rose Hill Commons and the Faculty Lounge would be used for panels.   Because we envision the Conference as a celebration of the dynamism and creativity of the two immigrant communities, as well as a place for policy discussion and scholarship, we have built in a strong arts component to the conference, with exhibitions of painting ,sculpture and quilt work by community artists in the McGinley Lounge, and entertainment by singers and musicians from the community on both evenings. We also plan to have dinners on both evenings catered by local vendors who provide African and Caribbean cuisine.
    If we follow this model- a two day conference and cultural festival free to its 450 participants- who have to register in advance- we would need a contribution of $30,000 from the President’s Office and the Office of Academic Affairs for food and entertainment, as well as the provision of free space in the McGinley Center . The Bronx African American History Project staff and student workers would assume all responsibility for organizing, publicizing and staffing the conference, along with the administrative costs that entails
The following are the areas for which we are requesting funding from the President’s Office and Academic Affairs
Continental Breakfast for Conference participants, two days, provided by Sodexho
$3000 per day, two days
Total Cost:                                                                                                                    $6,000
Entertainment During Continental Breakfast-African String Player and Singer
$500 per day, two days
Total Cost:                                                                                                                      $1,000
Buffet Dinner Provided by Community Vendors
$6,000 per day, two days                                                                                             $12,000
Entertainment During First Evening Dinner
Varied Community Artists                                                                                         $1,000
Entertainment During Final Evening’s Dance and Cultural Festival
Singers, Poets, Dancers, Band and DJ’s                                                                   $8,000
Printing Costs for Conference Program                                                                   $2,000

REQUESTED CONTRIBUTION FROM FORDHAM ADMINISRATION                      $30,000