AFTER GREENPOINT LIBRARIANS MARIA FALGOUST and SARAH MURPHY met at Long Island University’s Palmer School of Library and Information, they co-founded Desk Set, a casual literary group that meets periodically to socialize, sip Dewey Decimal-themed cocktails (613.96C would be… The Joy of Sex) and support good causes. The friends, who currently work at The Browning School, The NY Academy of Medicine Library (Murphy) and Saint Ann’s School (Falgoust), invite you to their May 16 event, “Dance Dance Library Revolution,” at Enid’s in Greenpoint (where Falgoust also works part-time). Let’s be clear: non-librarians are welcome! The evening will support Books Through Bars, a group that has provided reading materials to inmates for almost 20 years. Guests can bring one new or gently used paperback dictionary or thesaurus to donate in exchange for one free drink. In addition, money raised through the Bibliophile’s Raffle will be donated to BTB. The fun begins at 10:30 p.m.
ART:
IN CONJUNCTION WITH Brooklyn Historical Society’s oral history exhibit featuring Vietnam veterans, Brooklyn’s JOSEPH GIANNINI will serve as a panelist for BHS’ May 7 “Vietnam: Lessons Learned and Forgotten” discussion. Giannini was drafted into the Marines in 1966, and in August 1967 his platoon was among several defending the Khe Sahn Valley against the Vietcong. The Vietcong suffered heavily, but so did the Marines, and Giannini lost half his platoon. He is now married, has two children and has been practicing criminal law for more than 30 years. The panel, which is free and open to the public, will address the following questions: What are the similarities and differences between the two conflicts? What lessons did the U.S. government learn from Vietnam? Can history really teach? 6:30 to 9 p.m. at BHS.
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BROOKLYN TATTOO OWNERS AND OPERATORS WILLIE PAREDES and ADAM SUERTE celebrated their shop’s move to Cobble Hill at 99 Smith St. from its former Heights home with a tongue-in-cheek “There Goes the Neighborhood” party on April 24. The new space doubles as a gallery, showcasing work from local artists. Famous Brooklyn-based burlesque dancers Pontani Sisters entertained during the evening. All raffle proceeds from the party will go to Studios in Schools, an after-school art program at P.S. 15 in Red Hook.
SCHOOL:
IRENE LEON, principal of Cypress Hills Community School, P.S. 89 in Brooklyn, has won the 2008 MetLife Foundation Ambassadors in Education Award, a national award program that recognizes collaborative public school principals in 25 U.S. cities. Leon’s extraordinary efforts earned a $5,000 grant for her school. “Both the school and Ms. Leon have worked tirelessly over the last decade to create an innovative dual language instructional program that involves parents in all decisions, while effectively serving the neighborhood,” said NY State Senator Martin Malave Dilan, one of many who nominated Leon for the award.
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A RAPT CROWD OF ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE student-athletes and their classmates shared a long conversation April 24 with ANUCHA BROWNE SANDERS, the former NY Knicks executive who recently won a sexual discrimination suit against the team. For Browne Sanders, now the senior associate athletic director for marketing at the University of Buffalo, it was a homecoming of sorts. She started her basketball career in Brooklyn playing for St. Saviour High School, with several of those games taking place on St. Francis College’s court. Browne Sanders traced her journey for the students, from graduation from Northwestern to becoming one of the highest-ranking female executives for any NBA team.
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ALTHOUGH HE HAS A 3.94 GRADE POINT AVERAGE, political science and music-jazz studies major JONATHAN KUHR of Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus calls his selection as valedictorian “a breathtaking surprise.” A talented pianist, the Columbus, Ohio, native is a member of the University Honors Program and the winner of the prestigious Center for the Study of the Presidency and the Jeanette K. Watson fellowships. As a Watson fellow, he will work for a community advocacy organization in Kanpur, India, this summer. The salutatorian is Jacqueline Elaine Wright, a B.S./M.S. business student majoring in accounting.
AT THE UNIVERSITY’S 78TH COMMENCEMENT on May 15, three outstanding Brooklyn Campus graduates will received Distinguished Alumni Awards. Renowned art collector and real estate entrepreneur MERA RUBELLof ’68 is a partner in Rubell Hotels, LLC, and the Rubell Family Collection. Veteran executive JACK C. STOKES of ’73 is manager of media relations at The Associated Press. Business executive GUY E. MARGE of ’65/’67 is CEO and president of Storm Industries, Inc. Big-name talk show host and political voice TRAVIS SMILEYwill be the commencement speaker at the 10:15 a.m. ceremony (at the campus’ athletic field).
