In Memory of Prof. Derrick Bell
Last Thursday, November 3, family, friends and colleagues bid farewell to NYU Law Professor Derrick Bell.
AABANY member Alice Young, Partner and Chair of the Asia Pacific Practice Group, asked us to pass along this message to friends and admirers of Prof. Bell to help endow the Derrick Bell Lecture Fund at NYU Law School:
As you know, my beloved professor, friend, mentor and advocate for civil rights, diversity and women is no longer a phone call away – to gently guide us, encourage us, and remind us that we can make a difference, whether we chose teaching, government, law firms, companies or non-profits. He convinced me to stay in law school despite my trepidation that I had made a completely unsuitable career choice, gave me refuge as his research assistant during law school, recommended me for my first law job – with the Office for Civil Rights during the Boston Schools Committee trial in my 1L summer, and was always available when I needed advice or a sounding board. When I received the Justice in Action Award from the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund in 2004, my first call was to Derrick Bell to ask him to be the presenter.
In case the information has not reached you, I wanted to share with you the website that has been created in his honor: www.ProfessorDerrickBell.com
His Memorial Service at The Riverside Church was attended by an overflow group of family, friends, colleagues, former and current students and admirers.
I wanted to let you know that the Derrick Bell Lecture Fund, set up in his honor several years ago, will only be fully endowed by NYU School of Law when it reaches a total of $225,000. The Fund is only now at $85,000 has a ways to go, so I urge you to donate whatever you can as soon as you can, to honor Derrick’s memory. It would be a fitting tribute to Derrick if we can reach the goal soon after November 3.
Contributions can be made online at :
You must designate on the form in the space marked ”Other” The Derrick Bell Lecture Fund for it to go specifically towards the endowment of the Fund .
Alternatively, you can send checks to NYU made out to “Derrick Bell Lecture Fund” (PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU DESIGNATE THE FUND)-
New York University School of Law
Office of Development and Alumni Relations
D’Agostino Hall
110 West 3rd Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012
Attn: Sara Rubin