African Men of Westchester 25th Anniversary Celebration

The African American Men of Westchester (AAMW) is proud to announce its 25th Anniversary Celebration to be held on June 2, 2012 from 12:00pm-4:00pm at the Glen Island Casino, New Rochelle, NY.  This momentous event is designed to recognize 25 years of service to the people of Westchester.  As a (former member/Visionary Gala Honoree) we are asking that you come out and join us for this monumental occasion.

     During this 25 year period, AAMW has focused on collaborative efforts to provide a variety of programs aimed at strengthening families, improving the educational achievement of young people, and addressing a variety of issues that have a disproportionate  negative impact on the African American community.  The following is a partial list of the many AAMW sponsored programs:

♦  AAMW sponsored the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Family Day Celebration at the County Center which attracted more than 50,000 attendees over a 15 year period, to keep the legacy of Dr. King alive, and to participate in programs that included health screening, financial planning, scholarship availability, home buying counseling, etc.  Its successor, the MLK Youth Legacy Awards Luncheon attracts 500 people to honor six youth from throughout Westchester every year, who embody Dr. King’s teachings of responsibility, community service, and leadership over its 10 year existence.

 ♦  The Business Skills Olympics (BSO) is another program that is designed to prepare youth from throughout Westchester to serve as future business leaders critical to the economic vitality of the county.  Since 2003, 13 high schools in Westchester have sent 100 students annually to participate in a full day program to solve a Harvard Business School Case Study.  Business, academic, and civic leaders serve as facilitators, and judges to select three winners in this highly spirited competition.

 ♦ The Brotherhood Breakfast has brought together more than 6,000 business, civic, and political leaders over the past 20 years to recognize individuals, and corporations that make meaningful contributions to all aspects of life in Westchester.

♦ Domestic Violence Forum entitled “Men Speaking to Men About Violence Against Women”. Domestic violence is a fact of life that plagues all racial, ethnic, and socio-economic groups in the county, and AAMW, along with its partners, has sponsored a full day symposium consisting of keynote speakers, workshops, and seminars for men aimed at educating them about the damage  done  to women and families.   

♦The Environmental Forum is designed to educate young people in the African American community about issues such as lead poisoning, environmental asthma, etc. which disproportionately affect them. In addition, young people are taught to be future stewards of our environment.

♦Healthy People 2000, a series of Health and Wellness Fairs conducted around the county, provide free screening for the disease that affect African Americans at a higher proportional rate, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV/AIDS, and childhood obesity.

♦ Soccer, Golf, Tennis, and Basketball Clinics, which attract hundreds of young people from throughout the county, are designed to teach them teamwork, leadership skills, the benefits of a healthy life style, and the importance of education in all of their life pursuits.

    Due to your unwavering support throughout these many years, we would be honored to have you join us as we celebrate 25 years of service to the Westchester community. For questions, please contact me, Lawrence C. Salley, 25 Anniversary  Co-Chair, at L.C.Salley@Gmail.com, or 914-329-3530.