2022 Quad Spring Summer

RIVERDALE SPRING/SUMMER 2022

Creativity AT RIVERDALE

Art by Allie Wilkinson ’07

PLUS

TRIBUTE TO RUSS AMES RIVERDALE CREATORS ALUMNI PROFILES

In April, we welcomed the return of the Lindy 500, an entertaining event wherein various contraptions on wheels are created and raced by students in both the Middle and Upper Schools.

Contents XLIV | NUMBER 2

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CREATIVITY AT RIVERDALE Music, Arts, and Russ Ames

14 RECAP

Reunion and Homecoming

26 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Yohanca Delgado ’02 ARTICLES 02 03 20 29 30 31 32 44

BOARD LISTS LETTER FROM THE AAEC CREATORS NEW BOARD MEMBER STUDENT DIARY CROSSWORD CLASS NOTES IN MEMORIAM

Art by Allie Wilkinson ’07

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2021-2022 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Gwen Adolph Terri Austin, Secretary Bruce Beal Ellen Nachtigall Biben ’83 David Blitzer, Treasurer Edem Dzubey ’07 Ebby Elahi Chloe Epstein Anitra Hadley Sandra Kim Hoffen ’83, Vice Chair Mark Hostetter ’77 Chris James ’93 Kass Lazerow Marc Lipschultz Tiffany Austin Liston ’94, AAEC President Susan Moldow ’63 Anand More John Neuwirth, Vice Chair Dominic Randolph, Head of School David Rhodes Dan Rosen ’92, Chair Jackie Rosen, PA President Deborah Sonnenberg Philip (Tod) Waterman III ’84 Roy Weathers Vanessa Wittman Kazumi Yanai TRUSTEES EMERITI Michele Cohen Tom Israel Brad Karp Jane Lisman Katz ’65 Peter Lehrer Linda Lewis Lindenbaum ’54 Bill Mow ’55 David Roberts ’80 Harvey Schulweis Bob Staub ’52 Tom Strauss Jeff Vinik ’77 Tim Zagat ’57 Ada Zambetti Richard Zinman

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2021-2022 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Tiffany Austin Liston ’94, President Joe Goldschmid ’04, Vice President Sam Acunto ’01 George Anagnos ’76 Harrie Bakst ’03 Liz Strauss Clyman ’97 Stefanie Firtell Donath ’91 Edem Dzubey ’07 Lana Jacobs Edelman ’00 Tara Pfeifer Englander ’93 Danielle Englebardt ’94 Betsy Fields ’86 Paul Goldschmid ’96 Susan Golkin ’85 Maggie Heller Greebel ’99 Michelle Kirschtein Jacobs ’81 Tony Melchior ’73 Lara Englebardt Metz ’96 Phil Michael ’00 Shary Moalemzadeh ’89 Ally Peltz Pennock ’10 Omari Ramirez ’05 Amelia Levin Relles ’87 Michael Roberts ’08 Carolyn Braun Rosen ’92 Dan Rosen ’92 Peter Rosenblatt ’50 Jessica Elghanayan Shell ’95 Roger Sherman ’74 Andrine Wilson ’02 Jenna Langel Witten ’06 Ahmed Yearwood ’91 Jessica Endelson Zelnik ’98

LETTER FROM THE AAEC

Dear Fellow Alumni, We are both proud to be well into our second full year as president and vice president of the Alumni Association Executive Committee (AAEC). We are thrilled to represent the alumni community and to work in partnership with Riverdale’s alumni office to identify and provide content and opportunities that we hope stimulate conversation and thinking, engage our alumni with the school, and connect us all with one another.

This year, as part of the FalConnect network, we launched a brand-new career mentoring program for alumni looking to connect with one another and share or receive advice, feedback, or insight as they pursue careers in a variety of fields. So far, we have had over 70 alumni participate, and we look forward to expanding this during the coming school year. We have also continued our BIPOC and AWARE affinity spaces for interested alumni who are joined by similar aspects of their

identity to gather together and share their experiences, and we hope there will be new interest for additional affinity spaces as we grow. In addition, Riverdale offered a four-part coaching workshop this winter for alumni who are organizational leaders, educators, or parents interested in expanding their communication toolkit. We also partnered with the New Roads School on their Critical Conversations programming, which featured CNN Political Commentator Van Jones in January and contemporary artist Mark Bradford in March. Lastly, in April, we hosted our eleventh annual spring Career Panel, which offered an engaging snapshot of the fashion industry. If you haven’t already, we hope you will join us at our next alumni event, whether in person or virtually.

In the meantime, we hope you will please feel free to contact us with questions or ideas.

We look forward to hearing from you.

With warmest regards,

Tiffany Austin Liston ’94 PRESIDENT, AAEC

Joe Goldschmid ’04 VICE PRESIDENT, AAEC

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THE CLIFFORD ROSS FELLOWSHIP In 2017, noted multimedia artist and Riverdale alumnus CLIFFORD ROSS ’70 established a unique opportunity for graduating seniors to nurture their creativity and undertake an arts-based excursion resulting in a finished project. Crediting his own early creative experiences for contributing to the development of his artistic career, Clifford conceived of The Clifford Ross Fellowship as a means to deepen a young person’s burgeoning artistic vision, providing a unique opportunity that would offer exposure to new and meaningful experiences and inspiration, during the summer between Riverdale and college.

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“Travel experiences from my early teens through my early twenties were foundational to my life – and work. They were fuel for a lifetime of curiosity and further exploration,” explains Clifford.

“Being fortunate to have had such opportunities myself, it was a simple idea to extend it to others. To see nature in startling new climates, to be swallowed up in the art and architecture of other cultures, to dance to rhythms not previously heard...Well, I’m still dancing.”

Student projects to date have drawn on a range of influences and personal interests.

The inaugural recipient, JULIA COBB ’17, combined her creative pursuits with a commitment to ecological improvement and sustainability. After watching a documentary on climate change in her Integrated Liberal Studies course, Julia was inspired to create an animated film that would help educate people of a variety of ages and backgrounds. In her application for the Fellowship, Julia described storytelling through art as one of the most powerful tools in her arsenal and expressed an eagerness to explore animation further,

AT RIVERDALE having studied cell animation and claymation at Cooper Union during the summer of 2016. Most important, however, was her enthusiasm about the opportunity to travel to a place that had been visibly affected by climate change, as she anticipated being moved to create something especially impactful by her firsthand experience.

For the first two weeks of July 2017, Julia traveled to the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) at The Island School in the Bahamas, where she expanded her knowledge base and found inspiration in the world around her. “Partaking in a creative fellowship at Cape Eleuthera Institute was a rare opportunity for me to deepen my understanding of the environment, specifically of the ecosystem of the Bahamas. I was able to use the location of CEI to my educational advantage,” observed Julia. Drawing on the knowledge she gained, Julia developed a five-minute animated short highlighting the threats facing coral reefs and the fish that live within them.

The following year, ZOE STORZ ’18 traveled to Zhengzhou, Bali, Chiang Mai, and Beijing to observe, photograph, and research prominent temples in each city. After taking an art history elective at Riverdale during her senior year, Zoe found that both the curriculum and accompanying textbook did not adequately cover Asian art, and Southeast Asian art in particular. Her goal was to develop a tool to educate future Riverdale art history students and to help broaden their understanding of the subject on a global scale, by providing written and photographic illustrations of important spaces, which she then compiled and shared through an easily accessible website.

Zoe noted, “As an artist, I believe it is important to have multiple sources of inspiration, and this trip certainly stimulated my own creative process.

From firsthand experience, I have concluded that the combination of art and travel begets richer artistic expression, and learning about the intentions and beliefs of artists from around the world

can give art history students a better understanding of the correlation between art and culture.”

In summer 2019, JARED JIANG ’19 explored the course of the Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia, and photographically documented the daily lives of those who depend on this fundamental waterway for food, transportation, and employment.

Jared’s artistic aspiration extended to identifying, highlighting, and sharing with others the diversity that exists within these provinces that are home to people of different ethnicities, religions, and customs. His photography project was published in July 2020 on South China Morning Post’s Goldthread. The project was especially resonant for the region at the time given the intense flooding that was occurring in areas along the Yangtze River.

Reflecting on his experience, Jared shared, “Not only do I feel that the artistic work I created is a success, but also the experience of going on the journey has QUAD

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ABOVE: Clifford Ross receiving Alumni Achievement Award in 2015 from Head of School Dominic A.A. Randolph

far surpassed my hopes. I feel that I have truly been able to witness the vast spectrum of daily life, from the massive wealth of China’s futuristic cities to the more humble lives of the rural villagers. My experience has been made even more special as I have been able to connect with my family in China and meet such interesting people along the way.”

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While the pandemic created obstacles for subsequent recipients to undertake in-person travel experiences, their artistic exploration was encouraged in the hope that they might be fully realized at a later date. This year’s recipient, SAM MCINTOSH ’22, will have the opportunity to travel across the United States by car as he produces a series of photographs reflecting the physical form of the country, paying close attention to the country’s architecture and topography. He explains, “This will not be a social documentary project, but rather something of a visual survey of the country.”

Sam is grateful for the opportunity to “develop [his] artistic vision and aesthetic values, in an extended, intensive time period,” sharing, “Although I have previously spent entire days doing little else besides taking photographs, I have never repeated this for weeks on end; this project will allow me the opportunity to learn tremendously. Photography aside, this project will also demand and [provide] more independence and responsibility than I’ve ever had.”

BUILDING A LEGACY

The Erica Tishman ’77 Introduction to Architecture Course at Riverdale.

More than an illustrious architect who led a thriving career that spanned over 30 years, the late ERICA LINDENBAUM TISHMAN ’77; P’05,’07,’11

embodied Riverdale’s core values and mission, taking pride in her service to others and her ability to influence positive change.

Erica served as board chair for The Educational Alliance, trustee of Central Synagogue in Manhattan, and a longtime Riverdale trustee who was a vital member of the board and chair of the facilities committee. Erica assisted in the creation and implementation of two campus master plans, leading to completion of the Early Learning Building (formerly K-3 Building) in 1993 and the Upper Learning Building in 2016, both on the River Campus, as well as the Aquatic Center on the Hill Campus in 2017.

Erica continuously applied a mixture of professional passion for architectural design, construction, and project management with a devotion to serving others – and it was in that

cross-section that her family found a way to keep her memory alive while helping today’s students thrive. Her sister, LAURIE LINDENBAUM ’81; P’15,’19,’20, notes, ​​“Erica was devoted to Riverdale. She would have loved students to have the opportunity to learn about the field of architecture, which she found so gratifying, and for them to develop an appreciation for how physical spaces make a major impact on the quality of people’s lives.”

Established this year with support from family and friends, the Erica Tishman ’77 Introduction to Architecture course utilizes the construction and analysis of physical models to spark vital conversations about spatial thinking, architecture, and society at large. Through the exploration of relationships such as solid/void, light/ shadow, and accessibility/inaccessibility, along with the study of the elements of architecture including wall, roof, and opening, students begin to question the inherent meaning of structural decisions and expand their understanding of the designed world around them. Students build models using cardboard, plaster, and basswood sticks to examine various spatial qualities and construction methods while learning that architecture is as much about the building process and the built form as it is about systems of power and the lives that exist within them. “I think students see these big beautiful structures and don’t always connect those same architectural concepts to smaller things, like a studio,” says co-teacher and Visual Arts Chair Jason Ruff about introducing students to the fundamentals that ultimately contribute to how effectively a space, or structure, can be utilized. “Or, for example, considering how a sidewalk is designed, how the curbs need to be wheelchair accessible or how many steps it would take for someone with a walker to safely use a crosswalk. This

course challenges us to think outside of our own bubbles.” Independent project presentations offer the class additional opportunities to engage in critical dialogue that analyzes the intangible and tangible effects of architecture on individuals as they get a firsthand look at a diverse set of projects within the field.

This uniquely hybrid course is co-taught

by Jason from the Hill Campus and by Chae Yeon Park – a full-time architectural designer who holds a BFA from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago and an MArch from Cornell University – who instructs from her office at Leroy Street Studio, a firm founded and led by MARC TURKEL ’81. The class’s dynamic model gives students a firsthand view of the dayto-day work of an architect as well as the ability to receive valuable, professional feedback on their ideas in conjunction with hands-on support to make their visions come to fruition. “I take care of the things that happen in our physical class space while Chae teaches theory, introduces the projects, meets one-on-one with students virtually to review their processes, and pushes them forward,” says Jason about their collaborative partnership, “and the virtual component gives us the benefit of seeing everything in action – Chae’s architectural studio downtown, the material samples, where members of the firm work, and how everything comes together.”

The first of its kind, this course has created an outlet for students seeking to learn about architecture and urban planning, not to mention how these subjects can influence our daily life. “I have always been interested in architecture, so when I saw that this was an option, I jumped on the opportunity, and I’m so glad I did!” says ISIS RODRIGUEZ ’23. Recently, students were tasked with using a small box with QUAD

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ABOVE: (Left) Steven Tishman, Erica Lindenbaum Tishman, Laurie Lindenbaum, and Bob Horne; (Center) Project by Awa Diop ’22; and (Right) Dani Palin ’22 (L) Awa Diop ’22

a slight opening for a camera lens to imagine, devise, and capture how the space within it can be utilized – whether for a museum, kitchen, or bedroom – and used small figurines to further implement the more advanced concepts such as plaster form, airflow, and light exposure. In reflecting on the impact of the course, Isis continues, “Architecture has been an extremely gratifying experience that is filled with hard and rewarding work. In the class, we learn a lot about the precision and creative artistry required for this field from Ms. Park. Even over Zoom, Ms. Park is able to provide amazing insight into the practical applications of architecture.

From her, I have learned a lot about closely examining and reimagining the ways in which I interact with the space around me. Also, I have learned a lot about construction techniques from both Ms. Park and Mr. Ruff. They have both helped me learn how to use basic construction materials...to build intricate models. I am so glad this class is going to continue and so many more people are going to be exposed to the beautiful and extensive field of architecture!”

While primarily a hands-on course, students also have an opportunity to research and present on architects 8

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and buildings of their choosing, analyzing them through varying lenses to introduce topics such as Exploring Race and Privilege in Architecture.

Simultaneously, examples of work by architects including Betye Saar, James Casebere, Joseph Cornell, Gego, Rachel Whiteread, and Ruth Asawa are brought to the forefront. About the focus of study and these creators, Chae says, “It is extremely important to us that we present work by those who might find themselves outside of the center.

We talk openly about the problem of a western-centric (architectural) pedagogy, and each student is encouraged to grapple with the ways architecture can empower and exclude.

Each student is asked to articulate both the positive and negative in our ideas and our precedents…..we want to actively acknowledge the connection between aesthetics and power/politics.”

By centering the human experience and encouraging the creation and implementation of plans that incorporate equitable solutions, this course emphasizes our responsibility to foster an environment that serves varying needs, communities, and experiences in addition to the power we hold in contributing thoughtfully to those decisions.

As intended, this course offers a platform for students to develop their futures as global citizens with a hand in creating structures that have the capacity to make a meaningful impact.

Its introduction into the Riverdale curriculum in the 2021-22 school year has been remarkably received and presents students and faculty with the flexibility to build, adjust, and fortify aspects of the class that can contribute to its overall success. “The thing that excites me [most] about this class is that, since this is its first year, the students have a much bigger role to play in the classroom,” says Kimi Krastev ’23.

“Our feedback and ideas have the ability to change the structure of the class, and this opens up a lot of opportunities for growth. It makes the class more exciting and thought-inspiring, and it encourages higher engagement levels.” Growing its curriculum dovetails with aspirations of taking students beyond Riverdale’s campuses to not only visit architectural studios and structures they’ve studied, but to inhabit spaces in real time with a new perspective. In considering this newly paved path of learning, there is no better way to memorialize a change agent like Erica than by sharing in her passion for architecture, dedication to service, and commitment to building a better future.

MUSIC AT RIVERDALE Since its founding, Riverdale has prided itself on introducing music into the lives of students. Not only were concerts held at the school, but the main school building contained three sound-proof rooms for musical practice. The interest in musical education increased as Riverdale expanded, and in 1923, the Board officially recognized the establishment of the Riverdale Music School.

Under the leadership of music teacher Richard McClanahan, students could focus and refine their musical pursuits.

Music was a near-constant presence in students’ lives through performances by distinguished musicians, student showcases, and afterschool activities. The Music School enhanced an appreciation of music that Riverdale sought to cultivate from its earliest days.

After its closure in 1981, as the school went through numerous changes, music

continued to play a significant role in the education that was offered. For more than a century, music has been woven into the fabric of the Riverdale experience even after the dedicated school closed. Students across generations share how their musical curiosity persisted, even while pursuing other passions, because of the way music permeated their time at Riverdale.

Rooted in the belief that an enriching academic experience encompasses an intentional array of dynamic opportunities, the annual Mark Sutton-Smith ’73 Assembly Concert just celebrated its tenth year of bringing phenomenal performances to the Hill Campus and, with it, exposure to a variety of artists and sounds. The concert series – established in 2013 by Dr. Donald King II with the support of his children, Katherine, David, and Donald, in honor of family friend, MARK SUTTON-SMITH ’73 – is meant to tangibly represent the power of incorporating music into the daily lives of young people, bringing to the forefront notable musicians, many of whom studied at Juilliard. It was musiccentered moments such as these, where an ordinary day of classes was marked with masterful melodies, that inspired Mark to extend beyond his work in technology for the National Basketball

Association (NBA) to explore musical composition. Mark was a prolific composer of multiple genres throughout his life, possessing what was described as a “knack for synthesizing ideas from different spheres of influence.” He composed critically acclaimed musicals, such as Stand by the River, The Usual, and Girl Detective; wrote the music for production 1812; and worked to create several rock and post-rock instrumental albums, including Make Your Move and Revolution Point; and forged a soundtrack for the online version of the classic board game Cosmic Encounter. To say music played a role in Mark’s life feels like an understatement and to name the school’s concert assemblies as the linchpin to something so greatly ingrained in his life speaks volumes about the importance of music to the Riverdale experience.

Following the inaugural concert featuring Riverdale faculty member Jacob Rhodebeck, Mark said, “I can honestly say that concerts like this that were presented when I was a Riverdale student changed my life. The playing was absolutely transporting and having them presented within the context of the school day somehow fused it with the rest of the curriculum. It became part of my life from then on.” For those reasons, the Mark Sutton-Smith ’73 Assembly Concert is both a meaningful tribute to Mark’s life and now a highly anticipated tradition. It has created a platform for the eclectic stylings of clarinet-violin-piano ensemble Zodiac Trio, twice Grammy-nominated wind quintet Imani Winds, and most recently, Grammy-nominated Aizuri Quartet – all QUAD

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known for their engaging, imaginative, and thought-provoking repertoires.

Following each concert, Mark’s close family and friends gather to delve deeper into the latest musical marval and reminiscence about the timeless music aficionado who embodied the many ways music binds our world.

One-of-a-kind musical experiences possess the potential to instill a special appreciation for music, making its presence an important part of our lives, particularly in times of challenge and change. In late 2020, NPR’s From the Top, America’s largest national platform for celebrating the talents of young classically trained musicians through broadcast and digital content, featured the motivational story of Riverdale graduate and Yale University student violist JACOB SHIN ’21 and how classical music is at the root of what is now known as his great “comeback story.” Jacob began by recounting the birth of his dedication to mastering the viola and his full immersion into

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playing before gaining admittance to the Manhattan School of Music Precollege.

Following years of rigorous practice and performance, the intensive independent school application process, paired with his eventual admission to Riverdale, caused a shift in Jacob’s priorities, leading him to lay down his bow and take his talents in an entirely different direction – varsity football. Jacob took to this new path with the same fervor that once led him to the strings and, while his launch into the game was successful, a concussion suffered at the outset of his junior year, followed by a second shortly thereafter, drastically impaired his ability to play and much more.

“At this point, my brain wasn’t working normally,” said Jacob when describing the internal injuries that contributed to his decision to repeat senior year. ” I couldn’t speak a full sentence and I had trouble communicating my thoughts and my feelings.” With recovery at the forefront and football fading into the background, Jacob considered rededicating himself to music, this time approaching the viola with a refined interest and profound purpose.

After again passing the pre-screening round for entrance into the Manhattan School of Music, Jacob was granted an opportunity to participate in a trial lesson with Patinka Kopec, who had previously taught him, and the real possibility of picking up where he left off years before. “One of the reasons I chose to teach Jacob again is that he has a beautiful sound,” reminisced Kopec when considering the reintroduction. While at Riverdale, Jacob supplemented his training by participating in the school’s orchestra and enrolling in multiple semesters of

music production and chamber music.

Jacob now describes music as therapeutic and something that “gets his brain working again” by presenting him with new challenges, goals, and feats, two of which included being chosen as recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award in 2021 and the Patinka Kopec Precollege Violin Scholarship. Before diving into “Sonata in F minor, Op. 120 mvmt 1” by Johannes Brahms, a piece that represents a renewed faith in his process and an appreciation for his abilities, Jacob reflects on his journey thus far and says, “Music definitely saved me.” At Yale, Jacob has continued playing the viola and studying music with the Yale Symphony Orchestra, Contemporary Music Ensemble, and through the LEAP Music Education Initiative, as well as taking part in private music lessons and music theory courses. Music grounded Jacob at a difficult time in his life while giving him the tools to explore a potential that spans beyond the stage as he inspires and empowers others, too.

Whether heard through the winding halls of Lindenbaum, reverberating off the walls of the gym, or resonating from studio spaces designed for the intricacies of musical collaboration, music exists at the core of the Riverdale experience, reaching each student in a unique way. Mark was moved by the spirited performances of his day while his own memorial namesake series went on to amplify the interests of Jacob, another budding musician, who recalls watching ETHAN COBB ’17 perform Schumann’s Adagio and Allegro in the eighth annual Mark Sutton-Smith ’73 Assembly Concert in early 2020.

The integration of music at Riverdale, alongside the presence of academics and sports, shows students that their seemingly conflicting interests can develop in harmony.

A TRIBUTE TO RUSS AMES Beloved faculty member Russell (Russ) Ames passed away on September 5, 2021. He was 91 years old. Russ attended Harvard University, where he majored in music composition and theory. Russ started his career at Riverdale in 1951 and quickly became involved with the musical theater program. He worked with Joyce Gardner of the Neighborhood School on a production of Ruddigore with sixth-grade girls and seventh-grade boys. Until this show, performers were solely Lower School students. After two years, he left Riverdale to serve in the U.S. Navy but returned in the fall of 1957. In 1967, he married Margaret Moore Ames and remained at Riverdale until 1977.

Russ was a highly talented pianist. He wrote songs and directed productions for the Hasty Pudding Club at Harvard. At Riverdale, he accompanied and directed over a dozen Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, as well as several Broadway musicals whose all-male casts created some entertaining moments. Perhaps his greatest pleasure derived from collaborating with individual singers in performances ranging from Sondheim to Mozart and Puccini to Brahms.

A few months ago, we asked members of our alumni community to share their fond memories of Russ.

We received an overwhelming response with many remembering him as a respected and admired musician, drama teacher, administrator, mentor, and friend. Here is a selection of the touching responses that were received.

Read all of the responses on the alumni portal.

MIKE O’NEIL ’60

I first met Russ when I was age eleven at Camp Mohican, the Rye YMCA boys camp located on the eastern shore of New York’s Lake George. He was the assistant director, a summer post he continued to hold through the years, but for his stint in the Navy. Always looking for new blood for Riverdale, he convinced my parents to let me attend Riverdale, arranging for a football scholarship. Camp Mohican – located in the heart of the Adirondacks – allowed Russ to pursue his passion for mountain climbing.

Besides myself, he [encouraged] several other Riverdale students to Camp Mohican to be counselors: JIM “THE COUNT” MCLELLAN ’53, TOM “THE WART” HERZOG ’53, DAVE LAHM ’58, PAUL JABLOW ’58, GEORGE FURST ’61, and ED GERSHEY ’60, to name a few. It was a marvelous time.

Russ played piano each morning infusing the campers with a certain level of culture, taking requests from the camp songbook – a compendium of songs ranging from Broadway hits to Tom Lehrer’s grizzly masterpieces. I’ve no doubt that Russ QUAD 11

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ABOVE: 1973 Quad Photo - Russ Ames guiding the case through one of the eighteen Gilbert and Sullivan productions he has directed.

put the songbook together. It was entertaining and eclectic – as was Russ.

I am terribly sad to learn of his death. In all respects he was a mainstay in my early life, and the world is a lesser place without him.

DAVID SCHEINBERG ’76

For those generations of Riverdalians fortunate enough to know Mr. Ames as not only an inspiring director of student musicals but also a savvy and trusted college admissions guidance counselor, his death is very sad news.

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He was a wonderful, warm, wise, and not least, witty man.

MARK HOSTETTER ‘77

Even in the Lower School, Russ Ames was a figure larger than life, giving us courage on the stage to boldly sing our loudest and to unashamedly become our characters.

And we were only 10 or 11, maybe 12, years old in those fourth- and fifth- and sixthgrade performances of H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado.

It was Russ Ames, together with Ernest McAneny ’25, who taught us to

over-pronounce all those phrase-ending consonants in our Lower School theme song, “Let’s Sing to the Lower School,” as well as joyously belt out the Riverdale anthem, “It Is the Spirit that Quickeneth.”

And then as seniors, larger-than-life Russ Ames became even larger as our lives became enmeshed with [him]once again, as he shepherded us successfully through the anxiety of the college process as Riverdale’s head of college admissions.

In fact, our entire senior class – boys and girls alike – in the spring of our graduation year, signed a petition pleading

for Russ Ames to direct the class in one final all-male production of Guys and Dolls. Our Class of ’77 may have been the last class to remember what it was like to be in separate boys’ and girls’ schools, since Riverdale went co-ed in our 7th grade, and we certainly remembered the Adelaide and Nathan, Sister Sarah and Sky, as portrayed by the boys’ school seniors of so many years before. So we all pitched in, as actors and sound tech, wardrobe and backstage, orchestra and lighting, and gave Russ Ames, and ourselves, a farewell to remember.

As I said, for our class, Russ Ames was, and will always be, Riverdale.

KEITH KRAKAUR ’77

As one of the 5th- and 6th-grade beneficiaries of Mr. Ames’s all-boys Gilbert and Sullivan productions, his

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: 1974 Yearbook Dedication; Richard Trefflich ’61 (L) and Russ Ames (R); 1966 Yearbook - Director Damn Yankees; Russ Ames

passing saddens me. He gave me the gift of fond memories learning about pitch, diction, stage presence, and group effort that lives with me a half-century later. I remain grateful for the life lessons he may not have realized he was teaching me, but teach them he did. Thank you, Mr. Ames.

DIANE WACHTELL ’79

I have incredibly fond memories of rehearsals for Iolanthe when I was a 6thgrade fairy, tripping hither and thither around 1973. I remember Mr. Ames

offering a nickel to the first person who could tell him what “hoi polloi” meant.

Because of Russell and his infectious enthusiasm for G&S, I went on to play the cello in the pit orchestra of the Harvard Gilbert and Sullivan Society throughout my college years, and my daughter followed in my footsteps on the violin. What a lovely legacy for an extraordinary man.

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Reunion and Homecoming ’21 The morning activities started with a “wake-up” yoga session hosted by instructor (and former RCS faculty member) Stephanie Simpson and a fun-filled magic show with magician Andy Peters. Another morning highlight included a glimpse of Riverdale’s renowned Integrated Liberal Studies (ILS) Class with Upper School English teacher and ILS Chair Ron Murison, during which he discussed Primo Levi’s Survival in Auschwitz.

In the session, he endeavored to replicate the student experience of beginning ILS and encountering Levi’s great work for the first time.

The events continued with the State of School Update with Head of School Dominic A.A. Randolph, Assistant Head of School for Operations Kelley Nicholson-Flynn, and Assistant Head of School for Student Life and Head of Middle School Milton Sipp. The trio shared their appreciation for the Riverdale community’s support during the pandemic; an update on the recent return to school and health status of our community; a review of academic and co-curricular work across the three school divisions, including experiential and outdoor educational programs; and both college and Riverdale admission and enrollment updates. To watch 14 QUAD

the full presentation, click here.

Also on the day’s schedule was an alumni panel discussion on the theater industry. The conversation was co-moderated by Middle and Upper School Director of Theater, Dance, and Film Laura Desmond and Lower School Drama Teacher Taifa Harris. Panelists included DREW COHEN ’86, P’25, president and CEO of Music Theatre International (MTI); actor and playwright ALEXA JUANITA JORDAN ’13; SADE LYTHCOTT ’95, chief executive officer of the historic National Black Theatre (NBT); and prominent Broadway producer JEFFREY RICHARDS ’65.

Questions for the panel included how the pandemic has affected the industry, how licensing agreements are handled, their thoughts on showcasing more stories about race and identity, and ways to further improve representation within the industry. Click here to view the panel discussion.

The day concluded with many Reunion classes gathering on Zoom to reminisce, reconnect, laugh, and share stories with one another. It was a fun and sentimental day – and we look forward to the likelihood of an in-person Reunion celebration in October!

ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Theater Panelists Jeffrey Richards, Sade Lythcott, Alexa Jordan, and Drew Cohen FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Alumni Awardees Priscilla Morales, Cipora Herman, Class of 1971 (Boys), and Class of 1971 (Girls)

While many of us have experienced Zoom fatigue this year, it did not dissuade our loyal RCS alumni from attending their Reunion festivities on Saturday, October 16, 2021. Unfortunately, restrictions prevented Riverdale from having on-campus events for the second year in a row, but alumni, students, faculty, and friends tuned in for the many virtual homecoming and reunion events that took place throughout the day.

Alumni Award Presentations Once again, this year’s State of School Update concluded with the highly anticipated annual Alumni Award presentation. Each year, these awards are presented to dedicated alumni whose impact is felt at Riverdale and beyond.

First, the Ernest McAneny ’25 Alumni Spirit Award, which is given in recognition and appreciation of consistent, broad, and substantial service to Riverdale, was presented to PRISCILLA MORALES ’96. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of Riverdale’s Alumni Spirit Award than Priscilla,” remarked Assistant Head of School for Operations Kelley NicholsonFlynn upon presenting the award.

Priscilla has formally served in many capacities at Riverdale: as a student, an alumna, a history teacher, a student advisor, the Director of Diversity, the Director of Financial Aid & Outreach, and Dean to the Class of 2011. She was also a founding member of HOLA, the school’s Latinx student affinity group.

Priscilla’s eventual role at Riverdale as the first all-school Director of Diversity was, in her words, “in service to the school and to all

community members, especially those who felt unseen.” To read more about Priscilla, including her full bio, see page 17 for an interview with her sister and fellow alumna, DARCY-TELL MORALES ’00.

The second award, Riverdale’s Alumni Achievement Award, is conferred on a distinguished Riverdale alum who has demonstrated exemplary service and outstanding personal achievement within their chosen field or endeavors. Assistant Head of School for Student Life and Head of Middle School Milton Sipp recognized CIPORA STERNLICHT HERMAN ’91 with this award. Cipora is currently the chief financial officer for LA28, the organizing committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

She is responsible for leading the organization to deliver the Games within budget while enforcing an impact lens on spending to optimize the community benefits and minimize the Games’ environmental footprint.

Before her time at LA28, Cipora was CFO for the San Francisco 49ers, where she led the team responsible for securing the long-term QUAD 15

RECAP: AWARDS CEREMONY

financing for Levi’s® Stadium, the 49ers’ state-of-the-art home venue. The San Francisco Chronicle profiled Cipora, crediting her with having “blazed an uncommon trail” by becoming the first woman to serve in the position in franchise history.

Her ability to communicate complex topics across disparate audiences has served her well throughout her career. She served previously as the Vice President of Finance and Treasurer at Facebook, where she was instrumental in growing and scaling the organization and preparing the company for its initial public offering. Prior to Facebook, she served as Vice President of Finance and Treasurer for Yahoo! and held finance and banking positions at Siebel Systems, Hewlett-Packard Co., Agilent Technologies, and Goldman Sachs.

Currently, Cipora sits on the Board of Directors and serves as the Audit Chairperson for two public companies and is an advisor to early-stage technology startups. After Riverdale, she received her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, where she subsequently received a master’s degree in developmental economics and an MBA. The final award, presented by Head of School Dominic A.A. Randolph, was the Reunion Class Award, which recognizes a class that has united to display unsurpassed dedication and enthusiasm.

This year, the Class of 1971 was recognized for their strong and meaningful connection to one another and to Riverdale.

As Class Correspondent, JERRY FALL ’71, reflected,

“In thinking back to [our class’s] time at Riverdale, the recurring themes in my mind are those of change and transition. Globally, the nation was focused on the war in Vietnam, civil unrest, and space exploration among other things. Protests and student strikes were flaring up throughout the country. Revolution was the zeitgeist influencing politics, war, civil rights, music, drugs, and education. Not surprisingly, the Riverdale campus itself was a microcosm of these developments. And much changed during our four years on the Riverdale campus: The academic curriculum was dramatically loosened, younger teachers gradually replaced faculty icons, the school closed in protest of U.S. involvement in Cambodia, traditions like daily chapel and restricting the main entrance to upper classmen began to fade, ties and jackets were replaced by sweaters and jeans, boys and girls schools began the process of merging, the dormitory began to outlive its usefulness and eventually stopped housing boarders, and yet somehow we survived and the school thrived.”

Many members of the class expressed similar thoughts.

The early 1970s represent a period of great transition, but it was a transition that they experienced together and that, in many ways, brought them closer. Congratulations to Priscilla, Cipora, and the Class of 1971 for leaving an indelible mark on Riverdale and beyond.

2022

OCTOBER 22ND REUNION AND HOMECOMING CELEBRATION

Save the date!

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RECAP: Q & A

Q&A

Darcy-Tel Morales ’00 and Priscilla Morales ’96

“Riverdale came into our lives in 1990, when Priscilla was admitted as a seventh grader, after two years of hard work with Prep for Prep.

Darcy-Tell followed two years later, entering the Lower School as a fifth grader. When we think back on those years, we are not entirely sure that our parents realized the profound impact Riverdale would have on their daughters, but they trusted that the experience would be worthwhile. And it has certainly changed the trajectory of our lives!”

DARCY-TELL MORALES ’00 (she/her) born and raised in the Bronx, has always had a passion for the arts and education. After earning a bachelor’s degree in communications design from Pratt Institute, she worked for several college access programs, including Prep for Prep and the Harlem Educational Activities Fund for nine years.

Her work focused on youth development, leadership, and academic enrichment for middle and high school youth. After obtaining a master’s degree in learning and teaching from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, she went on to work at the NYC Department of Education and then Newark Public Schools, where she focused on parent engagement initiatives, before returning to non-profit work as the senior director for girls initiatives at the YWCA of the City of New York. She has experience starting and developing educational, leadership, and development programming for youth. Her current role as the managing educator for family and teen programs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art brings together her passion for the arts and working with young people. At The Met, her team works on all out-of-school programming for young people and their families.

She likes to think about how content and technique can help youth develop their own artistic voice while developing fun and engaging out-of-school programs that get young people interested in The Met’s collection. In her free time, Darcy-Tell is a maker who enjoys spending time with her husband and pit bull, and is deeply committed to social justice.

ABOVE: Darcy-Tell (L) and Priscilla (R)

After graduating from Riverdale, PRISCILLA MORALES ’96 went on to attend Yale University, where she earned her BA in history. After nine years back at Riverdale, Priscilla accepted a position at Greenwich Academy in Greenwich, CT as the associate director of admission and dean of the 9th grade.

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RECAP: Q & A

Priscilla is currently the associate head of school at The Park School of Baltimore, a progressive PreK-12 independent school in Maryland. Priscilla also holds an MA from Columbia University’s Klingenstein Center at Teachers College. She lives in Baltimore with her husband, Joe Pabón, and two children.

Priscilla and Darcy, give us an overview of your time at Riverdale and how it may have differed from one another?

PM: As the first one to begin at Riverdale, I felt that a lot of

my time was spent trying to understand the culture of the place, so that I could turn around and translate it for others, especially Darcy. I am an experiential learner by nature, so I threw myself into every possible academic and co-curricular endeavor. And because of the tremendous amount of support I received from all of the adults, nothing felt too off or out of reach for me. My six years on the Hill was spent soaking in the diversity of perspectives, identities, and experiences that surrounded me.

DTM: It’s always harder being the little sibling who’s following in the footsteps of a brilliant older sibling! I was lucky that Priscilla advocated for me throughout our shared time together and then after she graduated. We were very different students; I thrived in my art classes, took minimal AP courses, and overall didn’t apply myself in the same ways Priscilla did.

But her guidance and experience helped shape mine, and I am really grateful that we both attended Riverdale when we did.

What faculty members or courses made the biggest impact on you?

PM: Then Head of Upper School John Gulla was and remains a strong mentor in my life. His answer to every question or request of mine was always a booming “YES!,” which always made me feel seen and heard. The most challenging and fulfilling course [I took] was entitled Race, Class, and Ethnicity in New York City. It was a co-taught, interdisciplinary course focused on waves of migration to NYC and I simply loved it. Joel Doerfler and Larry Colan pushed me to understand critical concepts of identity and have most impacted my own DEIJB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, Belonging) work.

DTM: I have to give it up to the art department at Riverdale because without Ms. Stark, Ms. McKenzie, and Satish [Joshi], I would have never loved art as much as I do or had a portfolio prepared to apply to Pratt. I took my first art history class at Riverdale and it’s another reason I fell in love with art.

Additionally, I loved playing field hockey and track and field, and I think often about my experiences with Coach P, Coach Sommers, Ms. Hoskin, Ms. Matthews, and Mr. McMahon.

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And finally, I was fortunate to know Charissa and ABE FERNANDEZ ’92 and really admire their career trajectories post-Riverdale.

Priscilla and Darcy, you both work as educators.

What drew you to a career in education?

PM: My childhood dream was to work in journalism or as a lawyer but I always felt a pull to support and guide young people. For many reasons, educators have a beautiful and challenging job, the most important being that we are tasked with preparing the next generation for every possible adult journey. Every single adventure. Maybe it is because I am an older sibling but I love helping a younger person see themselves in any number of those adventures.

...because of the of support I received fr nothing felt too off or o

DTM: Riverdale! I saw the amount of access and resources we had at Riverdale and I have spent the majority of my career working to connect young people with the same or similar opportunities. Being in the out-of-school time space allows for a lot more creativity when it comes to learning and I have been inspired by the organizations and young people I’ve worked with. I feel fortunate to spend my career working with a wide range of young people from a variety of backgrounds, and I feel fortunate to reflect on my experiences at Riverdale as a guide for what is possible in the lives of young people.

Priscilla, what led you to initiate the first Latinx student affinity group, as well as years later, to become the first all-school director of diversity?

PM: HOLA was really born from the efforts of students of

tremendous amount rom all of the adults, out of reach for me.”

color who wanted to honor and organize an MLK assembly.

Without having the language for terms like “safe space,” we quickly realized that we really liked having the scheduled and protected time to meet with one another, which we continued to do well after the MLK assembly. This group, the Students of Color Coalition, was instrumental in making me feel grounded at Riverdale. While I felt supported by so many in the community, it was this group that helped me understand the experiences that I could not always easily unpack with others.

From my time with this group, I started to think about the space that Latinx students held at Riverdale. We were not a monolithic group; we had a wide range of racial and ethnic experiences. But I wanted to understand how we could better advocate for our Black friends and classmates, while connecting with our white friends and classmates, and support one another. I was also proud that in its first iteration, HOLA became a bit of a safe space for a number of first generation immigrant students at Riverdale, including those who were not of Latin American descent. It was as if we ALL needed to talk about our bilingual, bicultural experiences! Again, the administration supported this initiative without hesitation, and I credit Sra. Elena Rothstein for bringing enthusiasm and joy to all of us in this group.

After graduating college, then-Head of Upper School Kent Kildahl and I connected at a diversity banquet. When he contacted me about the director of diversity position, my experiences with students of color, first-gen students, and Latinx students all swirled in my head and heart. I felt like

this was an opportunity to give back to Riverdale, this was an opportunity to be of service to Riverdale, this was an opportunity to support so many students and families who might not always feel as seen and heard like I did at Riverdale.

I loved the position! In truth, if Kent Kildahl did not tell me that he could see me as head of school one day, I probably would still be director of DEI twenty years later.

Darcy, over the years you have been one of Priscilla’s greatest champions. Can you share your thoughts about your sister’s career and impact on education?

DTM: Priscilla’s the type of teacher and school leader we all deserve – thoughtful, funny, always learning, inspiring. She centers young people in her work and genuinely cares about their experiences in school, and is a huge advocate for them!

People don’t see the number of hours she spends reading or researching something for her school [or] students, and I know she does that because she genuinely cares.

I’m really proud of my sister and her work – I must talk about her a lot because colleagues in my field have said to me, “wow, your sister is so impressive.” So many of her former students are off doing amazing things in the world and the way that they draw from their experiences with her continues her legacy and impact on the world. I also wouldn’t be who I am if she wasn’t my sister. She has been my support and mentor my whole life, and I am truly lucky to be her sister.

Priscilla, you wrote a meaningful tribute about the Red Oak tree on the Hill Campus. Are there other places or experiences that were similarly meaningful to you at Riverdale?

PM: Oh, I so loved that Red Oak tree! I spent many hours sitting in its shadow. Another space that holds special memories for me is the old band room, which was housed in a larger garage-like space on the southern end of campus.

This classroom space and my music teacher, Ron Gibbs, was a constant for me during my entire six years at Riverdale.

I loved that being an orchestra player was another aspect of my identity at the school and one that did not change during my time there. But I would say my most meaningful experience at Riverdale was serving on the student council in 10th grade. Prior to this role, I was painfully shy and nervous about speaking in groups. My best friend, JUSTIN BRANDON ’96, pushed me to run for the position, which involved making a speech in front of the whole grade. It was nerve-wracking! But Justin’s faith in me and the support of my class, really changed how I saw myself. I would say that this was the moment I saw myself as a leader and as someone who could create real change in the world. I am forever grateful for that experience.

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CREATORS

Creators

JOHN JILER ’64 John Jiler ’64 wrote and produced the play Under Big Piney. The play, which took place as an online charity reading for the Southern Poverty Law Center, starred Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother Where Art Thou, Watchmen) and Gloria Reuben (ER, Lincoln).

Jiler developed the play at the Actor’s Studio, with director Leah Gardiner (for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf) It’s about an interracial romance that throws a small southern town into chaos.

JONATHAN GOODMAN ’77 The Good Foods: A Simple Lifelong Plan to Help You Lose Weight, Prevent or Reverse Diabetes and High Blood Pressure, and Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, written by Jonathan Goodman ’77, is a guide to eating that endeavors to help and/or reverse the effects of these life-threatening ailments.”

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JENNIFER WARREN MEDWIN ’87 Certified Divorce Coach Jennifer Warren Medwin ’87 has published a new book called Strategies and Tips from a Divorce Coach: A Roadmap to Move Forward, which includes everything you need to navigate a divorce. With it Medwin aims to help individuals move from overwhelmed to empowered and offers a comprehensive resource for one of life’s most difficult periods.

RACHEL SCHRAGIS ’04

Flowchart of the Declaration of the Occupation of NYC by artist Rachel Schragis ’04 is on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Occupy Wall Street movement grew out of calls for greater economic equality in the wake of the global financial crisis of 2007–08. It began with a group of activists who occupied Zuccotti Park in New York’s financial district in the fall of 2011. The list of grievances in Flowchart was collectively written, and Schragis, an artist and organizer, shaped them into a diagram. It was reproduced as a poster and handed out at Zuccotti to protesters and passersby.

DIDI DUNPHY ’77 Artist Didi Dunphy ’77 had a solo exhibition in 2021 titled Wishful Thinking at Whitespace Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. Her colorful and whimsical pieces “weave[d] in ideas referencing modernist principles of minimalism, surrealism, and pop culture through a blend of sculpture, print, and performance.”

GEORGE PETRIDES ’81 In July 2021, artist George Petrides ’81 engages with Greek art and history.

He was featured in a show in Mykonos, Greece, in July 2021 in addition to commercial exhibitions at art fairs and galleries, including a show in Monaco in August 2021 and in London in October 2021. His work can be found on 1stdibs.

PHIL PROCTOR ’58 Phil Proctor ’58 played a TV executive in the 2020 film Bad President. The movie is about how Donald Trump got elected as the President of the United States of America in 2015 by making a deal with the Devil himself.

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CREATORS

Alida (Allie) Wilkinson ’07

Alida (Allie) Wilkinson ’07 was born and raised in New York City and received a B.A. in visual arts and art history from Bowdoin College.

Her works have been exhibited in galleries across the United States, notably at Slag Gallery, Pen + Brush Gallery, Deanna Evans Projects, and Corridor Gallery. Her debut solo show in New York opened at Slag Gallery in January 2022. She has been an artist-in-residence at the Byrdcliffe Residency (NY, 2021) and the 77Art Residency (VT, 2019).

Her ink paintings are held in private collections in the United States, France, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn.

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1.

2.

COULD YOU SHARE A BIT ABOUT

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BEGIN

YOUR APPROACH TO AND THE

CREATING—AND TO CONTINUE

INTENTION BEHIND YOUR ARTWORK?

CREATING?

I use ink and water to render both figurative and abstract subjects on translucent mylar.

These materials create an effect of controlled chaos, which feels important considering my work often explores themes of human volatility and vulnerability. My paintings prompt both connection and confrontation; they grant the viewer access to each subject’s inner world, at the same time as they give agency to the subjects.

I come from an artistic family, so that was always a source of inspiration for me. I was also incredibly lucky to have wonderful art teachers, all the way from elementary school through college. Having that guidance and reinforcement was so important to me growing up. Today, it’s more of the same—the people who surround me inspire me to keep going. Being an artist is not a well-defined path, so you sort of have to blunder along and forge your way—which is impossible without a strong community.

3.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE

PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR WORK?

I hope people see themselves in my work. Perhaps not reflected back exactly, but I hope that there’s an intimacy, a vulnerability, in my subjects that feels familiar to people who are experiencing the work.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A Familiar Secret III, 2022, ink on mylar, 96” x 40”; Installation shot, A Self Apart at Slag Gallery; Interior IV, 2021, ink on mylar, 40” x 98”; Allie in front of A Familiar Secret I; 2021, ink on mylar, 40” x 95”

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CREATORS

Mitsuko Alexandra Yabe ’10

Website: https://www.llghtchlld.com/about IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8324750/

DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC AND/OR STYLE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

As a singer-songwriter, I focus on writing Pop/J-pop music. Being a music producer, I incorporate a lot of analog electronic sounds, like Moog vintage synthesizers. I’m definitely retro and futuristically inspired. I love ’80s synth pop and ’70s rock n’ roll. When I work with these sounds, I like to warp them with plugins to make it a completely different sound and blend it with 808s for example, and create fat driving rhythms. I like to think that many of my 24 QUAD

songs are high-energy, although I also write ballads. Some of the artists I like to listen to are Prince, Michael Jackson, FKA Twigs, and Björk. I really identify with avant-garde artists like that, as well as the more major artists. I want to bring eccentricity within the veneer of pop so that a lot of people can enjoy it while still discovering and enjoying specificity and intriguing elements that go into it.

I think there’s probably something in there for everyone.

Née Mitsuko Alexandra Yabe, lIghtchIld grew up between two worlds of Tokyo and New York City.

Her music career began with the study of classical violin under the tutelage of Roberta Guaspari and Lynelle Smith of Opus 118 Harlem School of Strings. She found success at an early age, performing for Quincy Jones, for President Obama, with the NY Philharmonic, at Carnegie Hall, and at Lincoln Center. lIghtchIld has gone on to collaborate with film directors and composers as a music editor on several soundtracks, including Boots Riley’s Sorry To Bother You (2018), Radha Blank’s The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020), and Lena Waithe’s Beauty (2020) coming to Netflix soon.

She has worked with major studios including Warner Brothers/New Line Cinema, Universal Studios, and HBO, and many of her independent films have been featured in Sundance Festival, Toronto Film Festival, and American Black Film Festival. She is the founder of LIGHTCHILD, a music and motion picture-focused creative studio that works on client projects as well as original works in development. lIghtchIld has made a name for herself by reinventing ’80s pop sounds to illuminate modern anxieties. Her debut EP, “No Strings Attached,” and her first full-length album, 01001, which she wrote, composed, provided vocals for, and produced herself, are scheduled to drop in 2022.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BEGIN MAKING MUSIC AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CONTINUE CREATING?

I’ve played music my whole life. I started with piano when I was four and then violin at 10. When I was at Riverdale, I was knee-deep into my classical music phase. I played in the orchestra and spent a lot of time there during my lunch just practicing. After school, I was in a string ensemble with Opus 118 [Harlem School of Music] so we did some tours and we had the opportunity to perform a lot at incredible venues like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.

I feel like having that early experience of being on stage solidified my idea of performance and drove me to make music in general – to give energy back to the audience. Catching a glimpse of people’s faces from being on stage excites me. What else inspires me?

Random things, perhaps something strange that can happen in my day or nature or it could be just a color or shape – it’s not really limited at all. I also say traveling inspires me to make music because of the different countries, languages, and food, all of that when my senses are hyperstimulated. In fact, my impromptu trip to Berlin inspired me to write my album. What inspires me to keep creating? In some ways I’d say it’s the good times and the bad times, the struggles that I go through or that other people are going through and tell me about; the stories that we create and need to express really continue to inspire me. I also work in film and TV, so seeing high-quality visuals from features and independent films also inspires me to keep pushing the envelope with my music and the album art and so forth.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR WORK? HOW DO YOU HOPE THEY FEEL LISTENING TO YOUR MUSIC?

Thematically in my music, I explore the two points, darkness and light, because

of my name. I go by lIghtchIld now, which is the English translation of my Japanese name, Mitsuko (“Mitsu” - 光 Light, “Ko” - - Child). There’s always a Yin and Yang.

Life is a balance between darkness and light and without one, you can’t see the other. I guess I would like for people to take away this sense of philosophy, a sense of my perspective, and why everything happens for a reason – even the struggles can make you a stronger, a better person – and not give up and reach for hope. One of the recent songs that I put out is called “Nightmares” and it’s an eighties synth

pop record. In its official press release, I explained how this single “[came] from my attempt to turn my vulnerabilities into memorable melodies. I wanted to create quotable lyrics, propulsive rhythms, and haunted atmospheres, making it the perfect track to gear up for Halloween.

Most importantly, I wanted to a heartfelt message about hope to my listeners.”

(Starlight PR, 2021) So it’s the dichotomy between how you transform energy and how you repurpose everything that you’ve gone through to become a better person. I hope people feel inspired by that.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Yohanca Delgado ’02 Yohanca Delgado ’02 was born in New York City to parents from Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Her recent writing appears in New York Times Magazine, TIME, The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, The Paris Review, One Story, A Public Space, and elsewhere. She is a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts fellow and lives in California, where she is a Wallace Stegner fiction fellow at Stanford University.

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Excerpt: The widow arrived at LaGuardia on a Sunday, but the rumors about the woman who had rented a big apartment, sight unseen, had taken an earlier flight. We had already reviewed, on many occasions and in hushed tones, in the quiet that comes after long hours of visiting, what little we knew about the widow and her dead husband.

About her life in the old country, we asked the obvious questions: Were there children? Cheryl heard from a friend who still lived in the Dominican Republic that they had only been married a year when he died. Had her husband been rich?

No, our sources in the old country said, poor as a church mouse, with a big family to support out in el campo. Had the husband been handsome? Yes, in a rakish sort of way. And with what we knew we created him in our minds: medium height with a mop of curly hair and an easy laugh, walking down Saona Beach in a white linen guayabera, dropping suddenly to one knee. We ourselves felt a flutter in our hearts.

On the day the widow finally arrived in New York, the rain came in fast, heavy drops that sounded like tiny birds slamming into our windows. She emerged from the taxi with a single battered suitcase and, little-girl small, stared up at our building as the rain pelted her face.

Behind us our men and children called out for their dinners, but we ignored them. We would

wonder later if she had seen our faces pressed up against the windows, on all six floors, peering out over flowerpots full of barren dirt.

We watched her until she made her way out of the rain and into the lobby. Those of us lucky enough to live on the fourth floor squinted through our peepholes or cracked open our doors as the super carried her suitcase to the three-bedroom apartment she was renting. How could she afford it?

The little widow walked behind the super, her gait slow and steady on the black-and-white tiles of the hallway. He was rambling about garbage pickup and the rent. She was younger than we expected her to be, thirty, maybe. The amber outfit was all wrong for the chilly autumn weather. She was from Santo Domingo, but she looked like a campesina visiting the city for the first time, everything hand-sewn and outdated by decades. She wore an old-fashioned skirt suit, tailored and nipped at her round waist, and a pair of low-heeled black leather pumps. Seeing them made us glance down at our own scuffed sneakers and leggings. On her head, she wore a pillbox hat, in matching yellow wool sculpted butter-smooth. She dressed her short, plump body as though she adored it.

Instantly, we took a dislike.

An excerpt from “The Little Widow from the Capital” featured in The Paris Review print issue (Issue 236, Spring 2021). To read the full story, visit their website; To hear a reading of this short story by author Yohanca Delgado, listen to The Paris Review podcast, Season 3, Episode 19, “A Memory of the Species.”

(Story begins at the 10:25 mark.)”

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

I relearned a valuable lesson about the power of the small, incremental gesture — in generosity, yes, but also in the work of writing.

What inspired you to begin writing stories and what inspires you to continue telling them?

Narrative has always been my preferred mode of thinking. I figure out what I think by telling myself stories. My work often celebrates Latinx women and explores the contours of the diasporic experience. But I think the hopeful work of storytelling, of writing to share with others, is always the same: to bring us together in the common experience of living.

How has keeping a kindness catalog shaped your perspective and/or influenced your work?

I started that practice during the first pandemic lockdown. It was a time when I was literally alone, but also felt marooned in my writing. For an emerging writer, the pressure to produce and to prove yourself can be overwhelming to the point of paralysis.

As a perverse way of amping up the pressure on myself, I started listing all the people I would disappoint if I didn’t write, all the people who had nurtured my desire to be a writer over the years.

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So many of the gestures I was moved to record were small. I relearned a valuable lesson about the power of the small, incremental gesture — in generosity, yes, but also in the work of writing.

Who are some writers that inspire you?

That list changes every day because there are so many writers I look up to and learn from!

Some of the contemporary powerhouses I always return to: ZZ Packer, Edward P. Jones, Justin Torres, and Carmen Maria Machado. I adore the way Vivian Gornick writes New York.

How did your experience at Riverdale impact you and your path as a writer?

Dr. David Nicholson, who taught Upper School English when I was at Riverdale, showed me I was a writer. He took a short story I’d written for a homework assignment, made copies and had the class read it because he thought it was a good example of a short story. It was about a girl who shoplifts a necklace at the mall, and it was called “The Red Necklace.”

I don’t think I’d ever been so proud of anything in my whole life, especially because weeks earlier, I had turned in that same assignment, only for Dr. Nicholson to hand it back a day later with a note to the effect of “You can do better. Rewrite this.” I owe him a tremendous debt. He never let me take the lazy route, and he made me feel like I could do anything.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading a delightful short story collection by Chris Gonzalez called I’m Not Hungry But I Could Eat. I’m also savoring the other collaborations in Janelle Monáe’s forthcoming The Memory Librarian and Other Stories of Dirty Computer.

I’m lucky to have co-authored a story with Janelle that brings the Dirty Computer universe to New York.

NEW TRUSTEES

TO OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER

Anitra Hadley ANITRA HADLEY P’28,’30,’30,’34 (BS, Cornell University ’98; MPA, New York University ’07) is senior advisor for NYC Kids RISE, a nonprofit organization that provides families, schools, and communities with a way to work together to invest in and save for their children’s futures—a scholarship and savings program designed to make college and career training more accessible and achievable for public school students. Previously, she served as Director of Business Management for Harlem Village Academies; COO of East River Development Alliance; and Assistant Vice President in Operational Risk Management at JPMorgan Chase. Anitra also served for six years, including two years as Chairperson, on the Board of Girls, Inc. of Westchester County. Girls, Inc., serves girls aged 5 to 18 with evidence-based programming delivered by trained professionals who focus on the development of the whole girl, supporting, mentoring, and guiding girls in an affirming, pro-girl environment.

At Riverdale, Anitra is an active member of the parent community. She currently co-chairs the Lower School Parents of Color, having served previously as a head grade representative for the Parents Association, an Annual Fund volunteer, and co-chair of the Lower School Annual Fund Committee.

STUDENT LETTER FROM DIARY HEAD OF SCHOOL

Grader h t 8 n a m o Highlights fr d a visit from e d lu c in g n ti e chool me se affected S o th le d lp id e M h ly ld k u co The wee d him how he e k s a I . r e m Chuck Schu insurance. t u o h it w e r x fi by the Bron eally enjoy. r I h ic h w t, r prints in a I am making ck). rom the tru f m a e r c e ic with nding the day e ( e ic ct a r p Lacrosse . in geometry it n u w e n a tarted In math, we s

da eos. I learne id v e m o s d he hoot and watc a K a id d es. e w e ortant figur p im At Homebas d n a y r men’s histo lot about wo ts, current even t u o b a g in lk ta history class y in Rome. it r n u a o ti f is o r h lf C a h ient We spent ed about anc lk ta e w lf a h r and the othe ss project e r P e ic Ju e th Week, I was in ct je o r P l o o n, try many ch a S tt a le h d n a id M M r in o F es multiple stor e factory. r th u e to e s d to n t a , o ies and g make smooth , s d o o f d e s Schedule plant-ba Student t Ar den Stu

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Girls School 1947 Logo ABOVE: A photo of the entrance to the Riverdale Country School for Girls found in the 1965 yearbook.

RIGHT: The R.C.S. Primer found in the yearbook from 1966; In February 2022, we asked alumna for feedback on a selection of logos from the Riverdale School for Girls that were in our archives. A majority selected the logo found in the yearbook from 1947 to the right. They also shared with us their memories, which you can read here on the Riverdale website.

Riverdale Country School 5250 Fieldston Road Bronx, New York 10471-2999 www.riverdale.edu

NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID WATERBURY, CT PERMIT NO 118

46%

48%

100%

of all gifts come from our alumni community

haven’t missed a donation in 5 years

of Annual Fund support impacts our students

For decades, the Riverdale Alumni Community has contributed to the Annual Fund for so many reasons. Make your gift this year in support of our current students, in memory of a teacher who made a difference, or in appreciation of the friends you made along the way.

This year’s Annual Fund ends on June 30, 2022—make your donation before it’s too late!

Visit www.riverdale.edu/donate or contact the Development Office at 718-519-2745 or annualfund@riverdale.edu