(Archived here for your reference, for your fond memories, and for your proof that, yes, the list is this long.)
See the list of our future events, also visible on our front page, and in our Calendar.
January 2021:
Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 6 p.m. EST, Reunion Committee Meeting
Join us—whether you have attended yet or not! Email Adam Kane (our Harvard liaison) to attend if you are new: 40thReunion_HAA@Harvard.edu.
Saturday, January 9, 2021, 5 p.m. EST, Class Social
Hear a very brief overview of our virtual reunion plans and then hang out with classmates in small groups. Contact: Susan@HR1981.com
Saturday, January 16, 2021, 3:30 p.m. EST, Book Club
N*gga Theory: Race, Language, Unequal Justice and the Law. We will be joined by the author, Jody David Armour ’82, Professor at USC Gould School of Law (and husband of classmate Phreda Devereaux). While reading the Book Club selection is encouraged, it is not required. Contact: Ruth@HR1981.com
Sunday, January 17, 2021, 3:30 p.m. EST, Harvard: Hearts Heads Hands.
Introducing and launching a coordinated set of activities to engage HR1981 in social justice from:
- Awareness/discussion, to
- Call-to-action/planning, to
- Sustained change agency
with tools and skills development along the way. Contact: Guy@HR1981.com
February 2021:
Tuesday, February 2, 6–7:30 p.m. EST, Reunion Committee Meeting
Join us—whether you have attended yet or not! Email Adam Kane (our Harvard liaison) to attend if you are new: 40thReunion_HAA@Harvard.edu.b
Saturday, February 20, 5–6 p.m. EST, House Socials
Register now. Catch up with your usual gang at your house, connect with housemates you’d never had enough time with, and meet housemates who hadn’t crossed your path. We’ll have Zoom breakout rooms for each house, including a default gathering place (“Dining Hall”), plus additional ones as crowd size demands. You will be placed in the breakout for your house, but you are free to move between rooms, or even houses.
Don’t worry about figuring out Zoom’s breakouts, we’ll have HAA staff support ready to pop you into the room of your choice. If you are willing to be an informal host for one of your House break-out rooms, please email Mark Spitz: MarkSpitz@HR1981.org
Sunday, February 28, 3–5 p.m. EST, The Civility Game
Register now. Help solve one of our nation’s biggest underlying problems—participate in The Civility Game trial. Led by Saul Perlmutter, Bonnie Bottoms, Steven Clark, Wilson Carroll, and Ruth Milkman, Ruth@HR1981.org. (Learn more about The Civility Game.)
March 2021:
Tuesday, March 2, 6-7:30 p.m., EST, Reunion Committee Meeting
Join us, whether you have attended before or not! Email Adam Kane (our Harvard liaison) to attend if you are new: 40thReunion_HAA@Harvard.edu.
Thursday, March 4, 2-3 p.m, EST, A Conversation with President Bacow
Register now. An HAA all-class Virtual Reunion Event.
Thursday, March 4, 3-4 p.m., EST, HR1981 After-Party
Register now. “After” as in “after A Conversation with President Bacow“. BYO refreshments! Hosted by Alice Hill and David Lawrence. Contact Alice@HR1981.org
Thursday, March 11, 7-8:30 p.m., EST, HR1981 and the Military
Register now. A panel discussion with classmates who chose to serve in the U.S. military. They will share stories of what they’ve learned as they fulfilled their roles in an organization that is so distinctively different than Harvard. Speakers: General John Hyten, Cecile Scoon, Frank Haluska, Andy Burris, and Jim Cremins (moderator), CremJ59@gmail.com. (Details.)
Sunday, March 14, 2-3:30 p.m., EDT, Health Care: This IS Who We Are
Register now. Health care is still a privilege, not a right. Classmates discuss inequities in the U.S. and in the world beyond. Speakers: Guy Fish, Steven Clark, Laura Riley, Dayna Bowen Matthew, Lisa Hirschhorn, Marilyn Butler, Paula Tavrow, Debbie Jacobs, Houston “Hootie” Warren, and Andy Pugh. (Details.) Contact: MWButler@gmail.com.
Thursday, March 18, 8-10 p.m., EDT, and monthly, The Speakeasy
Register now. (Third Thursday of every month.) Conversations hosted by Russ Gershon, whose career as a touring musician required decades of attendance at speakeasies and the like. Topics will begin but not end with classmates’ work in and around the arts. The floor will be open for Q&A and casual chat. (Details.) Contact: Russ@AccurateRecords.com.
March guests include Nick Newlin (musician, juggler, man of the theater), Heather Corbally Bryant (poet), and Susan Stevenson Borowitz (photography).
Saturday, March 20, 3:30-5 :30 p.m., EDT, Book Club: Evicted (NEW DATE)
Register now. We will discuss Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond. Classmates Stacy Scott and Steven Clark will moderate the discussion. Reading the book is highly encouraged, but not required; you can learn more about Desmond’s extensive work on eviction at EvictionLab.org. We hope to deepen our conversation on race and justice in America, and think together about the work ahead. Contact Ruth Milkman, Ruth@HR1981.org
ADDED: Notes from the Evicted Book Club (a Google doc).
Sunday, March 21, 4-5:30 p.m., EDT, Freshman Mixer
Register now. Remember freshman year, meeting and living with people from all over the place? The bonding and rivalries? Thayer sucks! No? That’s ok, we have you covered too. In this social we will organize by freshman dorm, with the option to zoom over to where you really hung out. And if you hated your dorm, or weren’t on campus freshman year, we’ll have options like the Freshman Union and Bartley’s Burgers. Contact Guy@HR1981.org
Wednesday, March 24, 7:30-9 p.m., EDT, Climate Change Solutions
Register now. Pecha Kucha and discussion. Climate change is a global – and local – challenge. Classmates on the front lines will briefly discuss the climate solutions on which they’re working, followed by discussion. Morry Cater, Dan Esty, Susan Israel, Ted Janulis, Dave Miller (moderator), Nancy Pfeffer, Roger Platt, Cara Seiderman, and Rob Stowe. Contact Robert_Stowe@hks.harvard.edu (Details.)
April 2021:
Thursday, April 1, 8-9 p.m., EDT, So Laugh, Already…
Register now. As we all know, the last 18 months have been a breeze. As compensation for having survived, join your classmates Dave Rothman, Mike Reiss, and Andrew Sellon for an evening of poetry that is intended to make you laugh, followed by some kind of socializing where we will contemplate the destruction of the environment, pandemics present and past, social injustice, insurrection, riot, and the death of the republic. Just kidding. Join us. Who knows? Maybe you’ll feel better. Moderated by Dave Rothman, RothmanDavidJ@msn.com
Tuesday, April 6, 6-7:30 p.m., EDT, Reunion Committee Meeting
Join us, whether you have attended before or not! Email Adam Kane (our Harvard liaison) to attend if you are new: 40thReunion_HAA@Harvard.edu.
Wednesday, April 7 6:30-7:30 p.m., EDT, Cocktails & Conversation
Register now. Limited capacity. An HAA all-class Virtual Reunion Event. An evening of cocktail making and conversation. A mixologist from Harvard Bartending will lead the group through the preparation (and drinking) of several festive cocktails.
(No cost. You’ll get a shopping list before the event.) More information.
Friday, April 9, 8-9 p.m., EDT, Single, Uncoupled, or Other?
Register now. Let’s get together over cocktails, wine, beer, etc. Maybe bring your favorite cocktail recipes to share. Of course, ANYTHING GOES! Contact: Caroline O’Brien, OBrien2day@gmail.com
Sunday, April 11, 2-3:30 p.m., EDT, A Tale of Two Viruses
Register now. Classmates reflect on the impact of AIDS and COVID-19: a Glimpses session (personal narratives). Speakers: Jeff Burack, Ann Stapleton, Neil Schluger, Russ Gershon, Janet Moos, Andrew Sellon, Mark Harrington, Ben Schatz, Peter Beilenson, Daphne de Marneffe, Jeff Galvin, Baird Smith Mallory, Jeffrey Saver, and Michael Stein. Moderator: Marilyn Butler, MWButler@gmail.com
Thursday, April 15, 8-10 p.m., EDT, The Speakeasy
Register now. (Third Thursday of every month.) Host Russ Gershon will welcome:
• Siri Smedvig, professional violinist and prolific painter;
• Brenda Prescott, whose first novel, Home Front Lines, focuses on the intersection of world politics and family matters around a trio of Cuban sisters and a US Air Force spouse during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis; and
• Doug Fitch, opera director, visual artist, and leader.
Russ will share a video feature about a giant pile of…well, salt, and expects to allow time for Q&A after each interview. (Details.) Contact: Russ@AccurateRecords.com.
Saturday, April 17, 5-6:30 p.m., EDT, Mayor Forum
Register here. Panelists will share stories and perspectives of the personal challenges and rewards of serving as mayors of large and small municipalities. Panelists: Dave Miller (Toronto, ON); Bret Schundler (Jersey City, NJ); Dave Bindelglass (Easton, CT); Arthur Babitz (Hood River, OR). Moderated by Esme Murphy, Minneapolis broadcast journalist. Contact: FredGeyer@HR1981.org
Sunday, April 18, 3-5 p.m., EDT, The Civility Game (Trial #2)
Register now. Participate in the second Civility Game Trial and help solve one of our nation’s biggest underlying problems. (You need not have participated in the February 28 trial). Led by Saul Perlmutter, Bonnie Bottoms, Steven Clark, Wilson Carroll, and Ruth Milkman, Ruth@HR1981.org. (Details.)
Throughout April , Regional Socials (NEW EVENTS)
For each scheduled social: see all the details and registration info.
- European ’70s Wine & Cheese Party: : Sat. April 10, 7-10pm CET (1-4pm EDT)
- California: Saturday, April 17, 8pm, PDT
- Oregon/Washington: Saturday, April 17, 8pm, PDT
- Texas: Sunday, April 25, 4pm, CDT
- New England: Sunday, April 25, 5pm, EDT
- Upper Midwest: Sunday, April 25, 5pm, CDT
- New York/Tri-State: Tuesday, April 27, 8pm, EDT
- Miami/Florida and Japan: details coming
If your region isn’t listed, reach out to Barbara@HR1981.org to host. Holding a party was never easier!
Saturday, April 24, 3:30-5 p.m., EDT, Body Shop: Midlife Body Mechanics
Register now. How’s your body holding up? Hear what topnotch orthopedic surgeons and other specialists know about how to get through the day (and the long haul) with our bones and joints intact—and when it’s time to call the doctor!
Panelists: Don Pompan, Ben Rosenberg, and Chris Vogelmann. Moderator: Lois Nesbitt,
Panel discussion followed by Q&A and socializing. (Details.) Contact: LoisNesbitt1@gmail.com
Thursday, April 29, 8-9:30 p.m., EDT, Video Story Club (NEW EVENT)
Register here. Make new friends and deepen relationships with old friends through storytelling! We will share stories about ourselves, our families, and remarkable people who influenced our lives.
Story topics: Coming To America, Life Before Harvard, You Deserve Good Things, and Managing Pandemic Stress.
Breakout storytelling sessions will be preceded by videos of original music from singer-songwriters and hip hop artists, from the Concerts For Our Children’s Future @ Bashner’s Brooklyn Jam & Salon, by Richard Bashner, with Chris Owens as bandleader. There will be Audience Q&A with the Artists, and an After-Party in Paris (at 9:30pm).
Details. Contact: Richard Bashner at BrooklynLiveJams@gmail.com.
May Day Arts Weekend, 2021
Saturday, May 1, 5-6 p.m., EDT, Virtual Book Fair
Register now. See more details. See the books, at the HR1981 Virtual Book Fair.
More than sixty of our classmates have published books in the past five years including novels, memoirs, children’s books, poetry collections, history textbooks, philosophical monographs, and even a cookbook. Topics run the gamut from ancient ethics to modern medicine to future economies; self-help to social studies to science fiction; Oedipus to Henry V to Homer Simpson.
Join more than two dozen of these authors as they speed-pitch their works on Zoom, followed by an e-meet-and-greet on Sophya. Most importantly, there will be plenty of links to buy books and support our talented literary cohort. Host: Janice Edwards. Contact: Patric@HR1981.org
Sunday, May 2, 4-5:30 p.m., EDT, Art & Resistance in Covid Nation:
Listening To Classmates and Our Children For a Plan of Action
Register now. Twin pandemics of Coronavirus and social injustice are redrawing museum’s lines of admission, exhibition and the boundaries of creative expression at large. Who decides what constitutes art? What is the impact of the Black Lives Matter protests on what we consider beautiful, treasured, and worthy of public display? How do we define our reality or determine our future, from education to artifacts, funding to staffing, live to virtual, historical context to deadly current events?
Classmates: Harry Cooper, Peter Der Manuelian, Jacqueline Hicks Grazette, Vada Hill, Sara Riviera Cureton, Mary Schneider Enriquez, Karen Soohoo, and Ann Temkin.
Next Generation Contributors: Marcus Jamison (Lisa Davis), Hannah Lundell (Brit Lundell), and Weslie Turner (Wanda Whitmore).
Moderator: Wanda Whitmore. Contact: Patric@HR1981.org (More details)
Sunday, May 2, 9-10:30 p.m., EDT, Finding the Funny in Tough Times
Register now. With almost 150 years of combined TV writing experience (more than half of it on The Simpsons), classmates Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Susan Stevenson Borowitz, Patric M. Verrone, and Shannon Gaughan have a few thoughts about comedy in times of tragedy. We will only unmute them for the funny ones. Contact: Patric@HR1981.org
Other May 2021 Events
Throughout May, Regional Socials
For each scheduled social: see all the details and registration info.
- Canadian Social: The “Molson Mixer” Returns, Sat. May 15, 5 –6:30pm EDT
Register now. Welcoming past, present, and aspiring Canadians. (Details) - New York Picnic Potluck, Tue, May 18, 211:30am EDT
(For the fully-vaccinated.) Central Park, New York City.
(Details & directions & potluck specifics) Contact Mark Gluck, gluck@rutgers.edu - West Coast Late Show, Sat. May 22, 8-10pm PDT (11pm EDT)
Register now. Hosts: Steve Zelinger, Johanna Forman, Vivian Lee, Rick Raushenbush, and Joe McDonough. Contact: 2jomcd@gmail.com. (Details) - HR1981 Virtual Get-together from Japan, Sat. May 29, 5-7pm JST (4am EDT)
Join your classmates in Japan for a virtual Happy Hour! Anyone in Japan, in body or spirit, is welcome to join us! More info: Christina Ahmadjian, cahmadjian@gmail.com. - Cambridge Picnic, Satl June 5, 12-2pm EDT
Details coming. Contact: caraseiderman@me.com - Miami/Florida and more(?): details coming
If your region isn’t listed, reach out to Barbara@HR1981.org to host. Holding a party was never easier!
Tuesday, May 4, 6-7:30 p.m., EDT, Reunion Committee Meeting
Join us, whether you have attended before or not! Email Adam Kane (our Harvard liaison) to attend if you are new: 40thReunion_HAA@Harvard.edu.
Thursday, May 6, 3-4:15 p.m., EDT, HAA: A Conversation with Erin McDermott
Register now. Erin McDermott is Harvard’s Director of Athletics. (Details)
An HAA all-class Virtual Reunion Event. (More HAA programs & events.)
(This HAA event will not be followed by an HR1981 after-party.)
Thursday, May 13, 8-9:30 p.m., EDT, Video Story Club (NEW EVENT)
Register now. Make new friends and deepen relationships with old friends through storytelling! Breakout storytelling sessions will be preceded by videos of original music from singer-songwriters and hip hop artists, from Richard Bashner’s Concerts For Our Children’s Future @ Bashner’s Brooklyn Jam & Salon, with bandleader Chris Owens.
We’ll have Q&A and discussion with the artists, before a 9:30 pm After-Party in Paris. (Details) Contact: Richard Bashner at BrooklynLiveJams@gmail.com.
Friday, May 14, 5 p.m., EDT, WHRB Ghost Reunion (All Classes)
No registration necessary. Join in Zoom (or via tinyurl.com/WHRBGhosts). There will be breakout rooms by class years and by departments. (‘lo /Bawmr, yf3d)
Saturday, May 15, 3:30-5 pm, EDT, Keep Moving! How and Why We Need To Stay Active
Register now. Star athletes, coaches, and movement therapists discuss why staying active is critical to good health, what they preach, and what they practice. Turn off your Fitbit and tap into some authentic life lessons from people who were born to move. Panelists include Jay Foley, Bobby Hackett, Len Busch, and Lois Nesbitt, LoisNesbitt1@gmail.com. Panel discussion followed by Q&A and socializing. (Details)
Sunday, May 16, 3:30-5 p.m., EDT, Book Club: James Baldwin
Register now. Discussion of the movie I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO (documentary about James Baldwin), and the short book The Fire Next Time, by James Baldwin, which comprises these two 1962 essays: from The New Yorker, and from The Progressive.
Please watch the movie ahead of time — it’s available on Netflix, and on Amazon Prime Video, and elsewhere. Contact: Ruth Milkman, Ruth@HR1981.com.
Thursday, May 20, 8-10 p.m., EDT, The Speakeasy
Register now. (Third Thursday of every month.) Conversations hosted by Russ Gershon, whose career as a touring musician required decades of attendance at speakeasies and the like. This month: Alice Randall – novelist, teacher, cookbook author, songwriter, screenwriter; Stuart Fullerton – painter, teacher; and Chris Owens – musician, activist. Topics will begin but not end with classmates’ work in and around the arts. The floor will be open for Q&A and casual chat. (Details.) Contact: Russ@AccurateRecords.com.
Sunday, May 23, 5-6:30 p.m., EDT, Interest Group Social
Register now. In this social we’ll split out by extra-curriculars and interest areas, like Band, WHRB, The Crimson, Dorm Crew, Kuumba Singers, Freshman Football, Hasty Pudding, foosball, Lampoon, or finals clubs. Choose an interest area when you register and suggest new options; you’ll be able to move rooms at any time. Contact Guy@HR1981.org
Thursday, May 27, 10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., EDT, Harvard Commencement
Live stream. Main site. Principal speaker: Ruth Simmons, president of Prairie View A&M University, president emerita of Brown University and Smith College.
Pres. Bacow, in his announcement notes that “Having led a women’s college, an Ivy League research university, and a historically Black university, she has a unique perspective on how very different types of institutions contribute to the fabric of our nation”
Friday, May 28, 12-2:30 p.m., EDT, Radcliffe Day: Melinda Gates
Register now. Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin welcomes 2021 Radcliffe medalist Melinda Gates, philanthropist, businesswoman and best-selling author. Her focus at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is on improving the lives of women and girls, to accelerate positive change. This program will explore how best to increase women’s power and influence, with participants Iris Bohnet, Thasunda Brown Duckett, Drew Gilpin Faust, David Rubenstein, and Nikema Williams. (More details)
June 2021:
Friday, June 4, 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. EDT, HAA Annual Meeting: Kevin Young
Join the live stream. Pre-show at 11:45. Main program at noon.
(The afternoon of Commencement is traditionally the HAA’s Annual Meeting.
This year that meeting, and its featured speaker, are eight days post-Commencement.)
Kevin Young ’92 is an award-winning poet, author, editor, and the recently-named director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Friday, June 4, 1-2 p.m., EDT, HR1981 After-Party (NEW TIME)
Register now. Socializing, immediately following the HAA annual meeting, with address by poet Kevin Young. (Find out what you missed.) Contact: Susan@HR1981.org
Friday, June 4, 2-3:15 p.m. EDT, Conversation with Michael Sandel
Join the Zoom event. Featuring Michael J. Sandel, Professor of Government. (Details)
(Just in case: Zoom ID is 982 2353 7192, pwd 844124.) You can audit his Justice course.
An HAA all-class Virtual Reunion Event. (More HAA programs & events.)
June 5 & 6, 2021, 40th Reunion: Capstone Weekend
Join us during Harvard’s official virtual Reunion Weekend. We’ll have plenty of time for social interaction. Contact Kate@HR1981.org
Saturday, June 5, 12-2 p.m., EDT, Cambridge Picnic
Join us for a casual get-together near Harvard Square, at JFK Park, on JFK Street at Mem Drive, across from Elliott House. Bring a blanket or folding chair, and whatever you want to eat & drink. More details. Questions, or RSVP, to Cara Seiderman, caraseiderman@me.com
Saturday, June 5, 4-6 p.m., EDT, Glimpses
Register now. Glimpses was invented by HR1981 to help us get to know each other better. Come hear 5-minute talks about transformations, discoveries, silly adventures, and poignant moments. Between the talks we’ll enjoy photos and videos of our passions and projects. All the Glimpses are personal, and all speakers are classmates who have not spoken at a reunion. Contact Dan@HR1981.org or Kate@HR1981.org
Sunday, June 6, 1-2 p.m., EDT, The Story of Us: Reflecting and Envisioning
Register now. Please join your classmates for virtual brunch and an opportunity to reflect on our 40th Reunion and envision our goals for the next five years. Many of us draw joy, energy, and inspiration from connecting with each other, learning from one another, and growing in wisdom together. Charting our way through this virtual 40th Reunion has been both personally and creatively gratifying. In addition to parties, classmates designed a myriad of Zoom events featuring racial justice, politics, climate change, the arts, and medicine.
As new initiatives form, everyone’s ideas are welcome. Let’s get together to muse and
to collaborate on a collective vision for HR’81. Contact: bonniezbottoms@gmail.com
Sunday, June 6, 4-5 p.m., EDT, Memorial Service
Register now. Please gather with us for a virtual service to remember and honor our friends who have died, and also to celebrate our remarkable class with music, poetry, and reflections. Registrants will receive a PDF program prior to the event.
• See the Memorial Service Program (PDF)
• To share photos or memories: Go to the HR1981 Memory Board.
You can post photographs and memories. Questions? Contact Ruth Milkman.
• Event Contact: Caroline Cunningham Young
Sunday, June 13, 4-5:30 pm EDT, 40th Reunion Survey Presentation
Register now. Hilary and Todd Morrison will present the results of our class survey.
Take the survey now! Contact: hmorrison1981@gmail.com
Thursday, June 17, 8-10 pm EDT, The Speakeasy (Third Thursday, monthly)
Register now. Conversations hosted by Russ Gershon, whose career as a touring musician required decades of attendance at speakeasies and the like.
This month:
- Pia Massie: filmmaker, teacher, activist
- Jessica Krash: composer
- Gregg Lachow: actor, director
- And a nostalgic trip to his hometown with host Russ Gershon.
Topics will begin but not end with classmates’ work in and around the arts. The floor will be open for Q&A and casual chat. (Details.) Contact: Russ@AccurateRecords.com.
Sunday, June 27, 2-4 pm EDT, Civility Game: Planning Meeting
Register now. Civility Game discussion: what to do next and how it will get done.
Contact: Ruth@HR1981.org
November 2021:
Saturday, Nov. 20, 11 am ET, Harvard Yale Game Watch Party
Hosted by the Harvard Club of Boston. Proof of vaccination will be required of all attendees upon entrance to the event. Details, menu, and tickets.
December 2021:
Sunday, Dec. 5, 3-3:30 pm ET, Speakeasy
Register now. Join us for 30 minutes of Speakeasy with Russ Gershon, who will discuss Ethiopian music, and his immersion in it. This short Speakeasy will be followed by a drop-in social (see below). One registration covers either or both events. Contact: Russ@AccurateRecords.com
Sunday, Dec. 5, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-in Social
Register now. Drop in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
Sunday, Dec. 12, 3:30-5 pm ET, Book Club: Heather McGhee’s The Sum of Us
Register now. We’ll kick off the second season of the HR1981 Book Club with a discussion of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee, moderated by classmates Steven Clark, Daphne de Marneffe, and Bonnie Zimering Bottoms. Reading the book is highly encouraged, but not required; to learn about McGhee’s extensive advocacy work, see HeatherMcGhee.com. We look forward to deepening our conversation on race and justice in America, and thinking together about the work ahead. Contact: DdeMarneffe@icloud.com.
January 2022:
Sunday, Jan. 9, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
Tuesday, Jan. 11, 8-9 pm ET, HR1981 Class Committee Meeting
Register now. Join us to plan class events, including ongoing Zoom get-togethers, and future in-person reunions. All are welcome! Contact: Kate@HR1981.org
Sun., Jan. 23, 3:30-5 pm ET, Deeper Connections (small-group discussions)
Register now. Intimate conversations to help get to know your classmates better. We’ll meet in breakouts, with suggested topics “What Matters?”, “The Rest of My Life”, and “The Rest of My Life in the Aftermath of Losses or Curveballs”.
Contact: Lee Rubin, leemail4@me.com
February 2022:
Sunday, Feb. 6, 3:30-5pm ET, Book Club: Invisible Man (Prologue) & Passing (2021 film)
Register now. In response to your suggestions, we’ve selected a shorter reading and a film: Ralph Ellison’s prologue to Invisible Man, his 1952 novel,and Rebecca Hall’s 2021 film Passing (on Netflix). While Ellison’s masterwork is well worth reading (or re-reading) in its entirety, his prologue stands alone. Ellison and Hall both grapple with the collective unconscious surrounding race and identity. Moderated by Steven Clark, Daphne de Marneffe, and Bonnie Zimering Bottoms. Contact: DdeMarneffe@icloud.com
Sunday, Feb. 20, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
March 2022:
Tuesday, Mar. 1, 8-9 pm ET, HR1981 Class Committee Meeting
Register now. Join us to plan class events, including ongoing Zoom get-togethers, and future in-person reunions. All are welcome! Contact: Kate@HR1981.org
Friday, Mar. 4, 7-11 pm ET, Lookie Lookie at Boston Harbor (LIVE EVENT)
Reserve tickets here. Russ Gershon’s bugalú band [which is, we insist, wonderful — Ed.] Lookie Lookie will play in Boston. All are welcome. See more details about food & drink, and enjoy videos of the band. Proof of vaccination is required.
Sunday, Mar. 6, 3:30-5 pm ET, The Speakeasy — POSTPONED. New date TBD.Register now. Join us for another Speakeasy with Russ Gershon and his guest Jeanne Heifetz, who will discuss her various creative works. Contact: Russ@AccurateRecords.com
Thursday, Mar. 10, 8-9:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Nancy Boghossian. Join us at any time. Contact: Nan@HR1981.org
Sunday, Mar. 20, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
Tuesday, Mar. 22, 6:30-7:30 pm ET, 41st Reunion Live Event Planning
Register now. Join the live event committee, and help plan in-person events for later in 2022. All are welcome! Contact: 41stLive@HR1981.org
April, 2022
Sunday April 3, 3:30-5 pm ET, Book Club: Summer of Soul (2021 movie) & bell hooks essays— RESCHEDULED to June 5
Tuesday, Apr. 5, 8-9 pm ET, HR1981 Class Committee Meeting
Register now. Join us to plan class events, including ongoing Zoom get-togethers, and future in-person reunions. All are welcome! Contact: Kate@HR1981.org
Thursday, Apr. 14, 8-9:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Barbara Frankel. Join us at any time. Contact: Barbara Frankel
Sunday, Apr. 24, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
May, 2022
Sunday, May 1, 3:30-5pm ET, Deeper Connections
Register now. Intimate conversations to help get to know your classmates better. We’ll meet in breakouts, with suggested topics:
● “What Really Matters”,
● “Our families of origin. What was your family like? How did it influence you?”, and
● “Being mortal. (Thoughts on end of life or loss.)”.
Contact: Lee Rubin Collins
Tuesday, May 3, 8-9 pm ET, HR1981 Class Committee Meeting
Register now. Join us to plan class events, including ongoing Zoom get-togethers, and future in-person reunions. All are welcome! Contact: Kate@HR1981.org
Thursday, May 12, 8-9:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Nancy Boghossian. Join us at any time. Contact: Nan@HR1981.org
Sunday, May 22, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
June, 2022
Sunday June 5, 3:30-5 pm ET, Book Club: Summer of Soul (movie) & three essays by bell hooks
Register now. Please watch the Oscar-winning film, Questlove’s Summer of Soul (streaming widely), and read two essays by bell hooks, the prescient, prolific cultural critic and feminist who died in December: “Loving Blackness as Political Resistance” and “The Oppositional Gaze”, from her Black Looks: Race and Representation (1992).
UPDATE: Given recent threats to Roe v. Wade, please also read bell hooks’ essay, “Our Bodies, Ourselves: Reproductive Rights” [e-copy at OpenLibrary, from the wonderful Internet Archive], published as Chapter 5 of her book [PDF], Feminism is for Everybody (2000). Contact: Daphne de Marneffe
Thursday, June 16, 8-9:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Nancy Boghossian. Join us at any time. Contact: Nan@HR1981.org
Sunday, June 26, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
September, 2022
Tuesday, Sept. 6, 8–9 pm ET, HR1981 Class Committee Meeting
Register now. Join us to plan class events, including ongoing Zoom get-togethers, and future in-person reunions. All are welcome! Contact: Kate@HR1981.org
Wednesday, Sept. 14 – Sat, Sept. 17, HR1981 Roman Holiday
Event is fully-booked. If you’re planning to go, all the details are here.
[ADDING: See the HR1981 in Rome website, at Rome.HR1981.org]
Contact: 2JoMcD@gmail.com
October, 2022
Tuesday, Oct. 11, 6 pm ET, Reunion Planning Meeting (March, in Pasadena)
Join via Zoom. Planning for our March, 2023, reunion, which will be IN PERSON, in Pasadena. All are welcome. Contact: Liz Ryan
Sunday, October 16, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, in small or large groups, gently led by Dan Scherlis (for Jeanne Heifetz). Join us at any time. Contact: Dan@HR1981.org
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 6 pm ET, HR1981 Reunion in Pasadena: planning meeting
Planning for our March, 2023, reunion, which will be IN PERSON, in Pasadena.
All are welcome. Contact: Liz Ryan for the Zoom link.
November, 2022
Sunday, November 20, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz & Dan Scherlis. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
Monday, Nov. 21, 6 pm ET, HR1981 Reunion in Pasadena: planning meeting
Planning for our March, 2023, reunion, which will be IN PERSON, in Pasadena.
All are welcome. Contact: Liz Ryan for the Zoom link.
December, 2022
Sunday, December 18, 4-5:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
January, 2023
Sunday, January 15, 4-5:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
February, 2023
Sunday, Feb. 19, 4-5:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
Sunday, Feb. 26, 3:30-5 pm ET, Book Club: Derrick Bell book or story & film
Register now. We will discuss Faces at the Bottom of the Well (PDF of 1992 edition), a collection of stories by Derrick Bell (law professor, civil rights activist, author). This 1992 classic on the problem of racism was reissued in 2018 with a thoughtful foreword by Michelle Alexander (author of The New Jim Crow). If you can’t read the whole book, read “The Space Traders”, and watch the short film based on that story by Reginald Hudlin ’83 (director, ex-BET President and Black Panther writer). Contact: Daphne de Marneffe.
March, 2023
Sunday, Mar. 19, 4-5:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: JeanneHeifetz@gmail.com
Thursday, Mar. 23 – Sun, Mar. 26, HR1981 In-Person Reunion in Pasadena
Join us! Check out the details.
April, 2023
Sunday, Apr. 16, 4-5:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: Jeanne Heifetz.
Sun. Apr. 23, 3:30-5 pm ET, Book Club: More Faces at the Bottom of the Well
Register now. We will continue discussing Derrick Bell’s collection of stories, Faces at the Bottom of the Well (PDF of 1992 edition), focusing on the stories “The Space Traders,” “The Rules of Racial Standing,” and “Racism’s Secret Bonding.” All classmates are welcome, even if you missed the last meeting.
This 1992 classic on the problem of racism was reissued in 2018 with a thoughtful foreword by Michelle Alexander (author of The New Jim Crow). If you can’t read the whole book, read “The Space Traders”, and/or watch the short film based on that story by Reginald Hudlin ’83 (director, ex-BET President and Black Panther writer). And if you’ve time, enjoy this short story by Ursula LeGuin, which Bell mentions in “Racism’s Secret Bonding.” Contact: Daphne de Marneffe.
May, 2023
Sunday, May 21, 3:30-5 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: Jeanne Heifetz.
June, 2023
Sun. June 11, 3:30-5 pm ET, Book Club: On Critical Race Theory, Victor Ray
Register Now. For a brief overview of critical race theory, see this Meet the Press Q&A: “What is ‘critical race theory,’ really?” with sociologist Victor Ray for useful context of his 2022 book, On Critical Race Theory: Why It Matters & Why You Should Care.
We will also have a discussion to plan readings for next year; we’d love your input! Contact: Daphne de Marneffe.
Sunday, June 18, 4-5:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: Jeanne Heifetz.
July, 2023
Sunday, July 16, 4-5:30 pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: Jeanne Heifetz.
October, 2023
Saturday, Oct. 14, 3:30-5:30pm ET, Author talk: The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness (The Harvard Study)
Register now. Discussion with Marc Schulz of the famous Harvard Study on Adult Development, and co-author of The Good Life, focusing on practical considerations for our age group. Topics might include: retirement, renewal, and pursuing what matters most. Led by Daphne de Marneffe.
Hosted by the new HR1981 Caring Community, an open group of classmates seeking to expand and strengthen our relationships with each other, offering support, growth, solace, and community. More details are coming soon about this initiative, or contact Joe McDonough.
Sunday, Oct. 22, 4-5:30pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, gently led by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: Jeanne Heifetz.
November, 2023
Sunday, Nov. 12, 4:00-5:30pm ET, Book Club: 1984
Register now. Book Club returns, starting with George Orwell’s 1984 (read it online), with a discussion led by Lee Rubin Collins and Eve Leeman. Contact: Daphne de Marneffe.
Sunday, Nov. 19, 4:00-5:30pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, hosted by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: Jeanne Heifetz.
December, 2023
Sunday, Dec. 3, 4:00-5:30pm ET, Book Club: What White People Can Do Next
Register now. We’ll discuss What White People Can Do Next: From Allyship to Coalition by Emma Dabiri. Contact: Daphne de Marneffe.
Sunday, Dec. 17, 4:00-5:30pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, hosted by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: Jeanne Heifetz.
January, 2024
Sunday, Jan. 21, 4:00-5:30pm ET, Drop-In Social
Register now. Drop-in socializing, hosted by Jeanne Heifetz. Join us at any time. Contact: Jeanne Heifetz.
Sunday, Jan. 28, 4:00-5:30pm ET, Book Club: What White People Can Do Next (Reprise)
Register now. We’ll continue our discussion of What White People Can Do Next: From Allyship to Coalition by Emma Dabiri. All classmates welcome. (It’s fine if you didn’t join us last time, or haven’t read the book!) Contact: Daphne de Marneffe.
February, 2024
Sunday, Feb. 25, 4:00-5:30pm ET, Drop-In Social (DATE CHANGE)
Register now. Drop-in socializing, hosted by Jeanne Heifetz. (Not the usual 3rd Sunday, in honor of President’s Day.) Join us at any time. Contact: Jeanne Heifetz.
March, 2024
Sunday, Mar. 10, 4:00-5:30pm ET, Book Club, Susan Faludi ’81’s Backlash (2020 edition)
Register now. We’ll focus on the Preface to the 2020 edition and Chapter 14, “Reproductive Rights Under the Backlash.” All classmates welcome (even if you haven’t done the reading!) Contact: Daphne de Marneffe.
