A gathering of goals
The mission statement, endorsing “advocacy on behalf of the black community of Harvard University and its affiliates (and) providing a means of communications, interaction, and counseling,” may sound simple, but the work of the Association of Black Faculty, Administrators and Fellows (ABFAF) is anything but. In recent years, the group has supported black students who feel unfairly maligned by fellow students; supported black students who mounted the “I Am Harvard” campaign; supported black Harvard police officers who were seeking advancement in the department; and sponsored major receptions that have attracted faculty, staff, and students from across the University. “For minorities on campus, the problems we confront can sometimes seem insurmountable. Many may think there is no one who has experienced some of the problems they have to deal with. Affinity groups can provide comfort and support,” said Robert P. Mitchell, assistant dean for diversity relations and communications in the Faculty of Arts...