NA NEWS 16
FEINBERG MULTICULTURAL ASSEMBLY BRINGS ONE MAN SHOW TO NA The 2013 Feinberg Multicultural Assembly welcomed Dr. Michael “Mykee” Fowlin to NA to perform his powerful one-man show, “You Don’t Know Me ... Until You Know Me,” which tackles issues of race, discrimination, violence, and personal identity. During his performance, Dr. Fowlin slips in and out of nine characters who share their stories in a way that is both funny and poignant. Fowlin’s characters speak directly to the audience, inviting audience members to get to know them, sympathize with them, and learn from them. The performance struck a chord with the NA community. The event got the community laughing, sometimes crying, and certainly thinking. The effects of Fowlin’s performance have been powerful and lasting. During his show Fowlin describes his admiration for the oyster — who creates the beauty of a pearl from the pain of an irritant. The analogy inspired the new Oyster Club at NA, whose mission is to encourage dialogue, openness and an ever more accepting NA community. The club created an NA Compliments Facebook page, a forum that allows NA students to compliment each other anonymously. And one day everyone found the note “You are beautiful” attached to their clip in the administration corridor. NA students took the Fowlin’s performance to heart and pledged to carry on his message in a way that is uniquely Newark Academy. More Than a Decade of Feinberg Speakers The Feinberg Multicultural Assembly was founded in 2001 through an endowment gift made by Peter ’78 and Margie ’78 Feinberg. Each year the assembly features speakers who address a wide range of national and worldwide cultural topics with the aim of exposing Newark Academy students to new ideas and issues. As Peter Feinberg explained, “There is a lot more diversity at the school today than when we were students here, but we still feel there is work to be done in helping the student body develop a deeper cultural awareness, whether it is about race, religion, socioeconomic backgrounds or other issues.” Passing the Baton After stewarding the program on their family’s behalf for the last 10 years, Peter and Margie have put the Feinberg Multicultural Assembly in the capable hands of sons Louis ’08 and Nate ’13, who will continue to work with the NA administration to bring important and enlightening programming to NA students.
Louis Feinberg ’08, Jon Olesky ’74, Michael Fowlin, Don Austin, Margie Feinberg ’78 and Nate Feinberg ’13
NEWARK ACADEMY