Dear Friends of the National Institute —
Okay, where to next?
Well, the end of 2021 is finally in sight. What a year it has been! Although we made great strides in the battle against the Covid19 virus the challenges continue; making this year difficult for many, many people, and we are not completely out of the woods yet.
Nevertheless, the National Institute has not been idle. We have continued to execute our mission to enlighten and inform, and to Celebrate Knowledge.
Early in the year, the Board made the decision to stay with a virtual program of activities for the beginning of 2021. After much consideration, we were determined to host our Gold Medal Gala in person earlier this month. With your support and the tireless volunteer efforts of your Trustees and Officers, we have managed not only to continue our educational content throughout the year and our grant-making activities, but also hosted a successful and inspiring Gold Medal Gala that contributed to the Institute ending the year in a strong financial position.
From the summer onward, we hosted four free online webinars on timely and important societal topics: diversity in cultural institutions, the future of food, the future of healthcare after the pandemic and the future of opera, hosted by NISS Trustee Angel Blue-Mielke. All four webinars were well attended and well received, and they helped us boost the National Institute’s reach and recognition substantially.
The Gold Medal Gala, honoring Kwame Anthony Appiah, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Amartya Sen at the Metropolitan Club in New York was a smashing success! Ticket purchases and donations for the event raised substantial funds for the Institute’s ongoing operations and our grant-making activities. The coverage of the event by the New York Social Diary was impressive.
Finally, our Grants Committee remained active throughout the year awarding two 2021 Dissertation Grants; one to PhD candidate Emma Gilheany, a doctoral candidate in Anthropology at the University of Chicago, where she studies indigenous sovereignty, settler colonialism, American imperialism, and the recent history of the circumpolar North; and another to Francisco Lara-García, a doctoral candidate and Paul F. Lazarsfeld Fellow in the Department of Sociology at Columbia University; who’s research examines the connection between locales of immigrant arrival, immigrant well-being and public policy.
The Board of Trustees is already busy discussing and planning our activities for 2022. Given the progress of the pandemic and associated vaccination efforts, we currently anticipate events will likely remain virtual for at least the first quarter of the year. Nevertheless, we are looking carefully at opportunities to resume our in-person gatherings once they can be conducted safely.
Thank you to one and all for all your interest and support during what turned out to be another challenging year. I invite you to click on the links above and visit our website to review what we have done and stay informed about what we are planning.
As 2021 recedes in the rearview mirror, I kindly request that you to continue to support our mission by clicking on the Donate button above. We also welcome you to join us as a Member and get more involved in our important work. Please feel free to contact me or any other of our Trustees and Officers to learn more.
In the meantime, please continue to stay safe and healthy. I wish all of you and your families and friends a wonderful and happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Fred Larsen
President, Board of Trustees