PBKNY Key Connections

October 27, 2022

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Join the Phi Beta Kappa New York Association on October 27 at 7:30PM EDT for our 2022 Key Connections event. Key Connections is an annual national program that supports the career development of liberal arts and sciences graduates. During our virtual regional meeting as part of this program, we will provide an opportunity for members to connect and network over breakout rooms.

Please reach out to us at info@pbkny.org with any questions.

Disability Pride Month: Understanding Autism

August 25, 2022

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Please join the PBKNY Diversity & Inclusion Committee on Thursday, August 25 at 7PM EDT for a discussion on Naoki Higashida’s book, The Reason I Jump. The author, who is autistic and nonverbal, wrote the book at age thirteen to shed light on his experience with autism. His work details his way of seeing the world and the disconnect between his experience and how others perceive him. The book is 133 pages and audiobooks are available online.

 

The documentary of the same name follows five autistic individuals to highlight their diverse experiences in different parts of the world. The film is available on Netflix.

 

During the event, we will engage in a discussion about these two works, the broader topics of autism and disability rights, and how to provide better support for autistic individuals.

PBKNY Summer Social

July 12, 2022

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Get to know your fellow Phi Beta Kappa New York Association members at an informal, outdoor happy hour gathering in the East Village! Together we will chat, connect, and explore ways to collaborate to make PBKNY bigger and better than ever. 

 

Where: Royale* 
157 Loisaida Ave (between 9th & 10th Street)
New York, NY 10009

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*We will meet in the outdoor space in the back! (If it is raining, we will meet indoors.)

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When: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. EDT 

 

COVID-19 Information: Please note that this event will adhere to New York City’s most current COVID-19 guidelines. Proof of vaccination is strongly preferred. 

Asian Americans and the Labor Movement: A (Work)Force to be Reckoned With

May 23, 2022

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Join the PBKNY Diversity & Inclusion Committee on Monday, May 23rd at 7PM EDT for a moderated discussion with three exceptional panelists who have contributed and still contribute to America's labor movement. They will discuss their rich and unique backgrounds, the current issues faced by the AAPI workforce today, and insights into the future based on their roles in labor and employment.

Register with the form below to reserve your spot! For more information on the panelists, click here. 

Drink, Talk, Learn Party!

May 4, 2022

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After the success of the Young Professionals' first Drink, Talk, Learn Party back in 2020, PBKNY is excited to invite all members to grab a drink and partake in this festive symposium event on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:30PM EDT! In the spirit of spontaneous learning, members will provide brief presentations to party attendants on any topic of their choosing. 

Enlightening? Comical? Life-changing? The nature and subject of the lecture is up to you! We only ask that lectures should not exceed three minutesand that you include a presentation, either with PowerPoint, Google Slides, Press, or Canva. At the end of the party, attendees will vote on the "Best Presentation" and the "Most Unique Topic." There are a limited number of presentation spots, but plenty of (virtual) spots for audience members.

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Movie Discussion: "Passing," Race & Privilege

March 30, 2022

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Join the PBKNY Diversity & Inclusion Committee on March 30th at 7PM EST for a discussion of the 2021 film Passing. The film, which is available on Netflix, is set in the 1920s and tells the story of two childhood friends who reunite after many years. While both are Black women, one friend has skin light enough to be perceived as, or “pass” for white - and leads a very different life as a result. Attendees should watch the film beforehand, then join us for a conversation about the film's key moments, themes, and perspective on race in our society. 

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Professional Development Series: Interview Workshop!

March 15, 2022

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Join the Young Professionals Committee for a virtual session devoted to job interviews on Tuesday, March 15th at 7:00PM EST. The first half of this workshop will focus on interviewing strategies while the second half will be activities to put those techniques into practice.

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For questions, contact the Young Professionals Events Chair, David Zarowin. 

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PBKNY Annual Holiday Party 

December 16, 2021

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Celebrate the holidays with PBKNY! Join us on Thursday, December 16th at 7:30PM EST for our virtual Annual Holiday Party. We look forward to a festive celebration with our community, including an “ugly” holiday sweater contest* and an opportunity to connect with each other in smaller breakout rooms. We will also present the 2021 Scholarship Winners and celebrate our Toy Drive efforts in partnership with CancerCare.

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*The winner of our “ugly” holiday sweater contest will win a gift card to Book Culture, a local NYC bookstore!​

PBK-ify Your Resume

November 18, 2021

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Are you struggling to compile your past experiences into an aesthetically pleasing resume? Or perhaps stuck writing that cover letter? Do you have an upcoming interview giving you the jitters?

If yes, we implore you to join your fellow Young Professionals on Zoom for PBKNY’s first professional development event of the academic year! The event will be taking place on Thursday, November 18 at 7 PM. Expect time-tested strategies and activities designed to help you build your strongest resume to date! We look forward to seeing you there.

Questions? Please email youngprofessionals@pbkny.org

Critical Race Theory: Core Ideas and the Current Controversy

October 26, 2021

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Please join the PBKNY Diversity & Inclusion Committee on Tuesday, October 26 at 7PM EDT for a moderated discussion and Q&A with Professor Janel George, Associate Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center. Her work and scholarship focus on racial stratification and inequality in U.S. education. She has written about the resegregation of public schools, discriminatory school discipline practices, Critical Race Theory, and resource equity.

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Over the past few months, activists have targeted Critical Race Theory, the 1619 Project, and other efforts to illuminate the ways that racial power has impacted and continues to impact social relations. They have asserted that schoolchildren are being indoctrinated with Critical Race Theory, and that CRT advocates reverse racism. The campaign succeeded in inducing over 20 states to pass laws banning the teaching of CRT and other progressive approaches to racial justice. Professor George will analyze the current controversy, explaining the core ideas of the Critical Race Theory approach and its opposition to a "colorblind" narrative of race. 

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Professor George published an article for the American Bar Association's Human Rights Magazine, which you can find here, that provides an overview of the points she will discuss during our program: A Lesson on Critical Race Theory.

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The Insular Cases: Rights and Representation in the U.S. Territories

October 6, 2021

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Please join the PBKNY Diversity & Inclusion Committee on Wednesday, October 6 at 7PM EDT for a discussion with Alejandro Ortiz, an attorney with the ACLU Racial Justice Program. He will provide an overview and discuss the history of the 1901 U.S. Supreme Court cases known as the Insular Cases, their relevance today, and the ACLU's current and ongoing work fighting to ensure equal rights for peoples in US Territories, people who historically were prevented from having the same legal rights as mainland Americans. Guests are welcome and encouraged to attend. 

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“The Insular Cases are a series of opinions by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1901, about the status of U.S. territories acquired in the Spanish–American War, and the periods shortly thereafter. When the war ended in 1898, the United States had to answer the question of whether or not people in newly acquired territories were citizens, a question the country had never faced before. The preliminary answer came from a series of Supreme Court rulings, now known as the Insular Cases, which responded to the question of how American constitutional rights apply to those in United States territories. The Supreme Court held that full constitutional protection of rights does not automatically (or ex proprio vigore—i.e., of its own force) extend to all places under American control. This meant that inhabitants of unincorporated territories such as Puerto Rico—’even if they are U.S. citizens’—may lack some constitutional rights (e.g., the right to remain part of the United States in case of de-annexation). Today, many legal scholars refer to the Insular Cases as a constitutional justification for colonialism and annexation of places not within United States boundaries.” (Wikipedia, Insular Cases)

 

For more information from the ACLU:

 

Fitisemanu V. United States: ACLU Amicus Brief

 

“Nationals” but not “Citizens”: How the U.S. Denies Citizenship to American Samoans

 

ACLU, Partners Urge Supreme Court to Uphold Puerto Rican Residents’ Constitutional Rights

Key Connections

October 3, 2021 and October 14, 2021

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This year, Key Connections will have two components - an in-person casual meetup in Sheep Meadow, Central Park (West Side between 66th and 69th*) and our (virtual) Annual Meeting during which we will share our 2021-2022 Board of Directors Slate.

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We are excited to have our first in person event since February 2020 and provide a space for our members to connect. 

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To keep our community safe, we ask that all members joining us bring proof of vaccination to be checked upon arrival. For members that want to connect virtually, we invite you to sign up for our (virtual) Annual Meeting on Thursday, October 14th at 7:30 PM.

COVID-sations: Womxn in COVID

June 27, 2021

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Due to the success of our COVID-sations event in April, we look forward to sharing the latest information regarding COVID, vaccines, travel, and safety guidelines set by health organizations on Sunday, June 27th at 1PM EDT. For this session, we have invited a panel of womxn to speak and help lead the conversation about COVID and the challenges they have disproportionately faced during the pandemic. From women in the workplace, to vaccinations for

pregnant women, to unpaid care work, we will discuss the impact of the pandemic from the perspective of womxn of different backgrounds and learn how womxn navigate specific challenges faced as a community.

 

Womxn noun, plural wom·xn [wim-in].

 

A woman (used, especially in intersectional feminism, as an alternative       spelling to avoid the suggestion of sexism perceived in the sequences m-a-n and m-e-n, and to be inclusive of trans and nonbinary women): (Dictionary.com)

 

Guests - friends and family are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Kindly have each participant use the RSVP form to receive the meeting information.​

PBKNY Discussion: How Can We Recognize and Combat Racism?

April 22, 2021

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Hate crimes have been rising since the start of the pandemic. As Americans, it’s our shared responsibility to condemn bigotry and racist attacks and root out prejudice in our midst.

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Join us for a discussion about how we can identify bias, inequity and hate and do our part - as individuals and in our communities - to build a better future for us all.

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We will be joined by Frederick M. Lawrence, Secretary and CEO Secretary of The Phi Beta Kappa Society. Fred will give a short background talk on the nature of bias crimes, how they are different from otherwise similar but non-bias motivated crimes, and the case for increased sentencing of bias crimes. 

 

Following Fred’s introduction, we will open the floor to questions and comments. We will discuss the following questions:
1. How can we identify bias, inequity, and hate?
2. How can we combat racism?
3. How can we do our part - as individuals and in our communities - to strive towards equity?

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Please find the Opening Remarks from this event by Frederick M. Lawrence on our YouTube channel here.

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