The Gracie Mansion Conservancy has long played an integral role in preserving and archiving the legacy of the historical Gracie Mansion and the legacy of New York City. The Gracie Mansion is one of the oldest wood structures in New York City dating back to 1799. Currently the home of Eric Adams, New York City’s 110th Mayor, its presence truly epitomizes how we are truly our ancestors’ wildest dreams.
On Monday, November 18th, some of New York City’s leaders convened at Gracie Mansion for the annual Gracie Mansion Conservancy Benefit Gala where Mayor Eric Adams presented the keys to the city to three distinguished honorees.
Hosted by award-winning journalist, author, and Senior VP of TheGRio, Natasha S. Alford, the gala was a night of elegance, community, and remembrance of the call of being of service to others. The evening included a live auction and performances by the Bella Voce Choir from Celia High School of Performing Arts, award-winning pianist Howard Watkins, and vocalist and actress Camille Caspers. Additionally, other notable guests included Susan L. Taylor, the prolific Editor-in-chief of ESSENCE from 1982 through 2000, the Gracie Mansion Conservancy Board of Directors including Camille Joseph Varlack, Chief of Staff to the Mayor and Chair of GMC, Sarah Carroll, Chair & Commissioner, New York City Landmarks Preservation, Treasurer of GMC, Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Sue Donoghue Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Secretary of GMC presented remarks.
Joseph Varlack ushered in the event with opening remarks, “As Chair of the Gracie Mansion Conservancy Board of Directors, it is my distinct honor to celebrate Black Excellence embodied in Darren Walker, Marc Morial, and Michelle Miller. They have not only reached the pinnacle of their respective fields but continue to break new ground, inspiring generations to come. Their dedication to public service and unwavering commitment to making a difference in our communities is nothing short of exemplary,” said Camille Joseph Varlack, Chief of Staff to the Mayor and Chair of the Conservancy Board of Directors. “Their achievements stand as a testament to the power of vision, resilience, and purpose. New York is deeply proud to honor these trailblazers, whose contributions uplift our city and pave the way for a more equitable and vibrant future for all.”
Honored for their commitment to public service, this year’s recipients have a long-standing track record of giving back to communities while using their platforms to raise awareness of the issues that matter most to New Yorkers and beyond. While the honorees have accomplished many great achievements throughout their respective careers, an undertone of humility floated through the atmosphere as they spoke throughout the evening.
The theme for this year’s gala was “Celebrating Black Excellence”, and this message was coupled with the idea of using influence to empower others while being of service and staying humble. Before Mayor Eric Adams prepared to present each recipient with a key to the city, he shared a compelling message on the true hidden heroes, including mothers. He reiterated that many people whose names we’ll never know are the true foundation for Black excellence.
He shared the motivational words, “Often, when we talk about Black excellence, we look at those who are prominent in stature, those who have done amazing things and are trailblazers and who have gone to prestigious institutions, and have made visible contributions to the success of the city, of the state and our country. And, we fail to realize the everyday people; your everyday moms and dads, uncles, and aunties who listened to the simple saying “The mind’s a terrible thing to waste.” [People who] left jars of pennies on top of countertops to help pay for the United Negro College Fund, and ensured that any of the HBCUs were able to educate some of the brightest minds– that is what we call Black excellence. Black excellence is your mother. Black excellence is my mom who had three jobs and used to iron clothing and clean houses for people who did not acknowledge her existence.” He further quipped, “And, as we celebrate great leaders that are notable, let’s never forget those who we don’t know their names… it’s because of them that we are who we are.”
Similarly, Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, a $16 billion international social justice philanthropy organization, shared that to be of service, “One must be willing to take risks.” Under his leadership, the Ford Foundation became the first non-profit in US history to issue a $1 billion designated social bond to stabilize non-profit organizations during COVID-19. A true trailblazer known for using his platform to bring awareness about climate change, institutional racism, and beyond, Walker expressed with great humility upon receiving his key to New York City that ”The highest, most honorable calling, is service to the public. I love this great city, New York City. I grew up in a small town in rural Texas, yet I remember the first time that I encountered New York. My grandmother was a maid for this family, and they had a magazine that had visual imagery of this city. I never imagined that I would have lived in this city for more than 40 years, and I will continue to serve and work hard to earn the privilege of this honorable key that I do not feel worthy of.” Again, the message of understanding that we stand on the shoulders of many echoed through the intimate dining space in a cozy room where we all sat for a delicious meal catered by Melba’s Restaurant.
Michelle Miller, an award-winning journalist, author, and co-host of “CBS Saturday Morning,” where she has covered a wide range of stories that vary from the killings of George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, and Michael Brown, to the nationwide outrage of the Emanuel 9 Massacre in Charleston, to profiling sexual assault allegations against high-profile celebrities was the next honoree to speak. Miller made it clear that she is aware of her accomplishments and the impact that she has made.
Miller stated in a conversation with ESSENCE earlier in the evening, that she fully understands that she would not have been able to make such an impact without the support of her community, and organizations like the NABJ. “Networking, the power of NABJ, the community of Black journalists who were out there when I was coming up. They fed the next generation, and they definitely fed me, and it was instilled in me [early on] to pay it forward. In the 90s and the early 2000s, I was struggling. We were all trying to find our way, and I learned to be a resource for others, providing them words of encouragement, just being there for others and saying, “I’m here for you”. Making sure that I gave others good counsel and then gave them a person [mentorship] when they went out into the world. And, I began to reap [over time]. I’m emotional right now because you don’t realize the things you say to people, and how they stick. But, it feels so good to hear this [and be honored] right now, because it means I mattered and really helped people.”
Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization was the last honoree to speak. He served as the highly successful and popular Mayor of New Orleans and as the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors echoed the sentiments of the night. Morial reverberated the notion that Black excellence is both ancestral and global, and permeates so richly through New York City because of our collective historical legacy. He stated, “The Black excellence in New York comes through New Orleans and Jackson, Birmingham, Atlanta, Charleston, Columbia, North Carolina. And it comes through Jamaica, Barbados, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. And, the Black excellence in New York has been shaped by the Black diaspora. The Black diaspora, not only of the Western world but of the world. This is why Black excellence here [in New York City] is different. It’s unique. It’s Caribbean, it’s African, it’s African-American, and it’s Afro-Latino. It is an amalgamation of an incredible number of cultures. We witness it in the music. We see it in the visual arts. We see it in the cultural celebrations that make this city special.”
In closing, Executive Director of the Gracie Mansion Conservancy Rhonda Binda shared, “The late, great, iconic Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said that ‘All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance, and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.’ GMC is proud to honor three visionary Black leaders who have profoundly and purposefully uplifted others, bringing dignity and inspiration to multitudes whom they have impacted through a higher calling of excellence in their fields.” While the night’s event was elegant, the aspirational undertone of the evening posed this powerful question, “What is the value of greatness and receiving honor, if it’s not with helping others?”
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