2024 Black Graduate Celebration
Apr
19
5:30 PM17:30

2024 Black Graduate Celebration

  • Kirsch Auditorium (32-123) and Virtual (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The Black Alumni/ae of MIT (BAMIT) are pleased to announce the annual Black Graduate Celebration. We will acknowledge the accomplishments of all Class of 2024 graduates, both undergraduates and graduate students. We will be joined by students, faculty, staff and alumni. Each graduate will receive a hand-woven, embroidered kente stole. Register here.

View Event →
Apr
20
6:00 PM18:00

49th Annual Ebony Affair

Join the MIT Black Students’ Union, Black Graduate Student Association, and Black Business Student Association for our 49th annual Ebony Affair Gala. Come enjoy incredible performances, delicious food, and a joyous celebration of MIT’s Black community alongside current students, alumni, newly admitted students, faculty, and staff. The dress code for the gala is formal.

This year’s theme is: “If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go.” — James Baldwin

Please purchase tickets no later than Monday, April 15th.

MIT Undergrads: $5
MIT Graduate students/Post-docs: $10
Students (non-MIT): $15
Faculty/Staff: $25
Alumni: $25
Guests of Faculty/Staff/Alumni: $25

View Event →
May
31
4:00 PM16:00

Black Alumni Reception and Class of 1974 Black Alumni Dinner

Exciting news: the Class of '74 is celebrating their monumental 50th reunion!

Calling all Black alumni to join the BAMIT reception on Fri, 5/31, at the Hayden Library from 4:00 to 5:30.

After the reception, the '74 Black alums will unite for a fantastic dinner at EVOO restaurant at 5:30. Organized by Don Wesson '74 and Woodrow Whitlow ‘74, this dinner is a golden chance for class members to rekindle those precious connections. Secure your spot at the dinner—it's a celebration you won't want to miss!

Register for the dinner and reserve your discounted hotel room to make this Tech Reunions weekend truly unforgettable. to make this Tech Reunions weekend truly unforgettable.

View Event →
BAMIT Trip to Ghana 2024
Jul
15
to Jul 26

BAMIT Trip to Ghana 2024

Are you ready for an experience like no other? Join Black Alumni of MIT on a journey to discover the natural beauty, powerful history, and rich culture of Ghana.  Led by our ground agent and our MIT Ghana alumni hosts, we’ll take you on an unforgettable experience through the heart of West Africa and one of the key economic engines of the African Continent.

Click here to download the full details including itinerary, pricing and registration.
REGISTER
BAMIT Ghana Trip Payments

View Event →

2024 Gospel Choir Presentation
Feb
24
8:00 PM20:00

2024 Gospel Choir Presentation

Come join with the MIT Gospel Choir Alums for a presentation of song, favorite memories over the years, and statements about the impact of the Choir on the MIT Community --- and beyond!  You will find songs, highlights of history, and never heard before testimonials of former Choir members.

Pull up a seat, with family and friends, and join with us, via Zoom, on this Saturday evening and don’t miss your opportunity to see this Look Back in History.

Register to let us know you're coming so you can get the Zoom link.

View Event →
Sep
30
12:00 PM12:00

BAMIT Annual Meeting During ALC

  • MIT Samberg Center (6th Floor, Dining Room 5) (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The BAMIT Annual Meeting is held during the Alumni Leadership Conference (ALC).

At the BAMIT Annual Meeting, in addition to the installation of Board Officers, we will provide information about plans for next year. Refer to the 2023 BAMIT Annual Report for a summary of the accomplishments over the past year.

We are looking at making the meeting accessible to those who cannot attend in person. To help us plan, please indicate on the registration form if you are interested in participating virtually.

 ALC will feature volunteer training; online keynotes and programs that will showcase inspiring faculty, alumni, and students; opportunities to reconnect with friends and peers; and the Leadership Awards Celebration that will honor the most dedicated volunteers.

 Click here to Register.

View Event →
Sep
25
to Oct 30

MIT MLK Leadership Awards Nominations

MLK Leadership Awards are given annually to students, alumni, staff, groups, and faculty members who embody the spirit of Dr. King’s work.

“Service to the community” is defined in the broadest sense and includes academic, research, religious, and secular contributions in which integrity, leadership, creativity, and positive outcome are apparent.

Nominations are open September 25 – October 30.

Submit your nomination.

The MLK Leadership Award Ceremony and Reception will be held on February 15, 2024, from 5:00 – 7:30pm, Samberg Conference Center, 6th floor. This event is open to the entire MIT community.

View Event →
Connecting with the African Diaspora via Ghana
Jul
23
to Aug 1

Connecting with the African Diaspora via Ghana

BAMIT is pleased to sponsor the inaugural “Connecting with the African Diaspora Via Ghana” trip. This year, the trip dates are July 23 – August 1. Travelers will discover the natural beauty, powerful history, and rich culture of Ghana. They will network with business and academic leaders, as well as MIT alumni residing in Ghana. They will also explore Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, rural villages, the picturesque and historic coast, and go on safari in Mole National Park. Five openings have become available on a first come, first serve basis for this trip-of-a-lifetime.

Click here to download the full details including itinerary, pricing and registration.

View Event →
Apr
27
7:00 PM19:00

The Battle for Affirmative Action: Pursuing Educational Equity

The Battle for Affirmative Action: Pursuing Educational EquityThursday, April 27 | 7:00PM to 8:30PM ET
Zoom Link to be provided after registering

VIEW THE RECORDED EVENT

Equitable access to education is a cornerstone of the fight for civil rights and a more just, healthy, vibrant, and economically robust society. Join us on Thursday, April 27, at 7:00 PM US ET as BAMIT welcomes Jin Hee Lee, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Legal Defense Fund, who will discuss the affirmative action cases pending before the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) and the implications of the Court's rulings on academic institutions and education in America.

Ms. Lee leads Legal Defense Fund’s representation of a multi-racial coalition of 25 Harvard student and alumni organizations, which serves as amici curiae in Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard, a case challenging Harvard’s affirmative action policy. As counsel for the amici curiae Harvard student and alumni organizations, Ms. Lee presented arguments to the First Circuit Court of Appeals in the Harvard case. 980 F.3d 157 (1st. Cir. 2020).

In this webinar, Ms. Lee will provide background information on affirmative action in education, the affirmative action cases pending before SCOTUS, and the organizations involved. She is uniquely positioned to share insights about the implications of the legal battles for academic institutions and what the range of ruling possibilities may mean for education in America and the rights of people of color.

Ms. Lee’s presentation will be followed by a Q&A moderated by Willard Stanback ’85. Please join us to explore this important topic and what it may mean for our community.

The following reference materials provide additional context for the session:

View Event →
Apr
22
7:00 PM19:00

48th Annual Ebony Affair Gala

Affair
Date: 4/22/2023
Time: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Location: Burton Conner Porter Room
Join the MIT Black Students’ Union and Black Graduate Student Association for our 48th annual Ebony Affair Gala with the theme Afrofuturism. Come enjoy incredible performances, delicious food, and a joyous celebration of MIT’s Black community alongside alumni, current students, newly admitted students, faculty, and staff.Purchase your tickets today or no later than Thursday April 18th.MIT Undergrads - $5
MIT Grads/Post-docs - $10
Non-MIT Undergrads (if you wanna bring friends) - $15
Faculty/Staff - $30
Alumni - $65
Guests of Faculty/Staff/Alumni - $65

EVENT REGISTRATION

View Event →
2023 Black Graduate Celebration
Apr
21
5:00 PM17:00

2023 Black Graduate Celebration

  • Ray and Maria Stata Center: Kirsch Auditorium (32-123) (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

CELEBRATION
BAMIT is proud to sponsor the 2023 Black Graduate Celebration, an annual tradition. At this joyous event we will recognize and honor Black undergraduate and graduate students who are graduating from MIT. The celebration will take place Friday, April 21, 2023, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, US Eastern Time, in Kirsch Auditorium.


View the recorded event

The theme the students have chosen for this year’s celebration is The Ache For Home. The program will include remarks from student speakers, a short performance, a keynote, and a networking reception immediately following.

 We are delighted to announce that our keynote speaker will be Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. An activist, a legislator, and survivor, Congresswoman Pressley is the first woman of color to be elected to Congress from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Throughout her career as a public servant and as a member of Congress, she has been a champion for justice and healing: reproductive justice, justice for immigrants, consumer justice, justice for seniors, justice for workers, justice for survivors of sexual violence, justice for the formerly and currently incarcerated, as well as healing for those who have experienced trauma. Congresswoman Pressley has fought to ensure that those closest to the pain are closest to the power - driving and informing policymaking. In Congress, she has been a champion for justice and healing: reproductive justice, justice for immigrants, consumer justice, justice for seniors, justice for workers, justice for survivors of sexual violence, justice for formerly and currently incarcerated individuals, and healing for those who have experienced trauma. She has also turned her experience living with alopecia into action, becoming a leading voice fighting to raise awareness and support for the alopecia community across the nation.

Congresswoman Pressley currently serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the House Committee on Financial Services. Prior to being elected to Congress, she served on the Boston City Council for eight years, and was the first woman of color elected to the council in its 100-year history.
 
Tickets are $20.

The event is free for current students and BAMIT members. Option to participate via livestream for free is available.

EVENT DETAILS & REGISTRATION

When registering, graduating students will be asked to fill out a separate form.

View Event →
Innovation Unscripted with Dr. Cato T. Laurencin – MIT (Register by 4/9)
Apr
13
5:30 PM17:30

Innovation Unscripted with Dr. Cato T. Laurencin – MIT (Register by 4/9)

The National Science & Technology Medals Foundation (NSTMF) is hosting an evening fireside chat with Dr. Cato T. Laurencin at Pfizer, Inc.’s Cambridge Campus near MIT on April 13, 2023 from 5:30pm-8:00pm ET.

PLEASE NOTE: Visitors must register by April 9 in order to attend this event. Visitors will be required to show a government issued identification to Security, sign a confidentiality agreement, wear an identification badge, and expected to be escorted to attend the event.

EVENT DETAILS & REGISTRATION

View Event →
The Chicago Black Alumni of MIT (ChiBAMIT) Celebrates Prof. Wesley Harris
Mar
25
3:00 PM15:00

The Chicago Black Alumni of MIT (ChiBAMIT) Celebrates Prof. Wesley Harris

Save the Date  
The Chicago Black Alumni of MIT (ChiBAMIT)
Celebrates
Prof. Wesley Harris
A Fireside Chat and Discussion: Looking Back to Move Forward

In 2022, Professor Harris was elected to be the next Vice President of the National Academy of Engineering. This honor coincides with the 50th anniversary of Professor Harris joining the faculty of MIT. In recognition of this latest milestone in an extraordinary life of academic excellence, activism, and service, the Chicago Chapter of the Black Alumni of MIT (ChiBAMIT) is honored to host an afternoon of celebration and conversation with Professor Harris. In addition to celebrating Professor Harris, we anticipate a candid and compelling conversation as Professor Harris shares his thoughts on the critical questions facing our community and our world, informed by his unique perspective on where we are, and how we got here. As we look to the future of ChiBAMIT, informed by the thoughts and perspectives shared, this event will also serve as an opportunity to reconvene ChiBAMIT and to reconnect with Black MIT alumni across the Chicago region. 

REGISTER HERE

View Event →
2023 BAMIT Research Slam
Feb
23
7:30 PM19:30

2023 BAMIT Research Slam

"Research is formalized curiosity.  It is poking and prying with a purpose." 
-- Zora Neale Hurston
 

Join BAMIT in celebrating the outstanding "formalized curiosity" of Black MIT alums and students at the 2023 BAMIT Research Slam, Thursday, February 23, 2022, at 7:30pm Eastern.

Black MIT alums and students will have 5 minutes to present their research using only 1 slide in a fast-paced virtual pitch competition. Prepare to be impressed! The breadth of research projects and the intellectual talents of our Black colleagues will inspire and delight. Competition judges will award up to $2,000 in prizes.

You can join the fun too, learning about new ideas, asking questions, offering constructive criticism, and giving encouragement. You can also participate in the live polling which will contribute to an audience-choice award to complement the judges' communications awards.

Slam Presenters: 

Crystan McLymore - MIT
Cadence Payne '20 - MIT
Quilee Simeon '21 - MIT
Jonas Sogbadji - MIT
Julia Wilcots '22 - Princeton
Michael West '20 - MIT

REGISTER HERE to receive the Zoom link.

Warm regards,

BAMIT Board of Directors

View Event →
The ComMITment: An MIT Sloan Office of DEI Capstone Event
Feb
23
6:00 PM18:00

The ComMITment: An MIT Sloan Office of DEI Capstone Event

MIT Sloan's Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion presents The ComMITment, its capstone event for students. Join us Thursday, February 23 from 6pm to 7:30pm at MIT's Wong Auditorium, Building E51, 2 Amherst Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.

This year's ComMITment speakers include Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, U.S Chief Diversity Officer, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and U.S. Special Envoy Jessica Stern, U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. 

Discover how Ambassador Abercrombie-Winstanley and Special Envoy Stern lead global efforts aimed at improving equality and gain valuable insight into how their work at the State Department seeks to address challenges marginalized communities face.

View Event →
MIT MLK Leadership Awards
Feb
7
5:30 PM17:30

MIT MLK Leadership Awards

  • E15 Bartos Theater, MIT Media Lab (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The MIT MLK Leadership Awards are given annually to students, alumni, staff, groups, and faculty members who embody the spirit of Dr. King’s work. Frank Ahimaz, Senior Lecturer, Finance at Sloan, and member of the BAMIT Board of Directors, and Moana Bentin, Senior Associate Director, Communities, were both recognized as MLK award recipients in February. We are thrilled that their tireless efforts on behalf of our community were recognized at an awards ceremony and luncheon. Be sure to watch the videos highlighting Frank and Moana’s work. The February 8 luncheon with MIT President Sally Kornbluth, Keynote Speaker Angela Davis, Master of Ceremonies Myles I. Noel (’24), Undergraduate Speaker Nicole Harris (’24), BSU Co-Chair, and Graduate Speaker Jaleesa Trapp, PhD Student; MIT Media Lab, can be found here. (edited) 

View Event →
2022 Black Graduate Celebration
Apr
16
3:00 PM15:00

2022 Black Graduate Celebration

Theme: Supreme Court Justice

The Virtual 2022 Black Graduate Celebration was held on Saturday, April 16, 2022. We acknowledged the accomplishments of all Class of 2022 graduates, both undergraduates and graduate students.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Chanda R. Prescod-Weinstein, Assistant Professor of Physics and Core Faculty Member in Women’s Studies at the University of New Hampshire.
Congratulations to the Class of 2022!

To watch the webcast, please go to: BGC Webcast or enter http://web.mit.edu/webcast/bamit/s22/ in your web brower.

View Event →
2021 Black Graduate Celebration
Apr
24
3:00 PM15:00

2021 Black Graduate Celebration

You are cordially invited to the Virtual 2021 Black Graduate Celebration on Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 3:00 pm ET. Our keynote speaker is Adriane Brown, SM ‘91, Managing Partner at Flying Fish Venture Fund. This is a special time for our community to come together to acknowledge the graduates and their remarkable accomplishments.

To watch the webcast, please go to: BGC Webcast or enter http://web.mit.edu/webcast/bamit/s21/ in your browser. After the BGC, join us via Zoom in congratulating the graduates at the BAMIT Community Fellowship Gathering.

View Event →