{"id":43059,"date":"2026-08-21T11:39:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T15:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/?p=43059"},"modified":"2026-09-02T15:02:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T19:02:16","slug":"mosaic-newsletter-summer-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/2026\/08\/21\/mosaic-newsletter-summer-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"MOSAIC Newsletter: Summer 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Bates<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

MOSAIC offers opportunities for Bates alumni to connect within and across the diverse identities and lived experiences that shape the Bates community. Grounded in the knowledge that affinity spaces are a vital part of fostering belonging, strengthening the community, and cultivating lifelong connections, MOSAIC events provide intentional space for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, first-generation-to-college, and international alumni to build lasting relationships that extend beyond their time at Bates. All allies, advocates, and supporters are welcome!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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JUMP TO:<\/h2>

\u2022 Meet Our “A Team”<\/a>
\u2022 What We’ve Been Up To<\/a>
\u2022 MOSAIC Book Club<\/a>
\u2022 Upcoming MOSAIC Events<\/a>
\u2022 Community Spotlight<\/a>
\u2022 Letters from Bobcats<\/a>
\u2022 Send us your thoughts!<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Meet Our “A Team”<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Whether you\u2019re new to MOSAIC or have been part of the community for years, we want you to get to know the people behind the curtain! In July, we welcomed our new Director of Alumni Equity & Inclusion Programs, Andrea Breau. Together with Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement \u2013 Identity & Affinity Programs, Adama Diaby \u201922, we\u2019re the new, self-proclaimed MOSAIC \u201cA Team\u201d!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bates<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What brought you to this work?<\/h3>
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Andrea: <\/strong>Curiosity. That\u2019s what brings me to any work I do. Legal scholar Mari Matsuda\u2019s reminder and invitation to \u201cask the other question\u201d has become my mantra. Creating spaces for genuine community-building within and across our differences requires gathering people together and identifying how our experiences within institutions are connected by the systems that shape them. As an educator, I\u2019m endlessly curious about people, our stories, what matters to us and why, and what we can learn from one another. This role lets me bring all of those things together, so it\u2019s a pretty great gig!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s something you bring to a community that helps others feel like they belong?<\/h3>
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Adama: <\/strong>I bring authenticity. As a native New Yorker, born and raised in Harlem, I think it\u2019s important to lead with honesty and stay true to who you are. I try to bring that into every aspect of my life, especially in a world where being performative can feel like the new aesthetic. I\u2019m intentional about creating spaces that foster authentic relationships and allow people to show up as their full selves, knowing they will be welcomed, heard, and valued.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What are you most excited about for MOSAIC this year?<\/h3>
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Andrea:<\/strong> The possibilities! I\u2019m new enough that I\u2019m still in the delightful phase of asking, \u201cWait, could we actually do that?\u201d I\u2019m excited to meet more MOSAIC alumni, learn what kinds of programs people want or need, and find ways to help alumni turn their own ideas into reality. I want MOSAIC to feel less like something Bates creates for alumni and more like something we create together.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s one thing you want alumni to know about you?<\/h3>
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Adama:<\/strong> I want alumni \u2013 especially young alumni like me \u2013 to know that I\u2019m still figuring things out, and I see MOSAIC as a space where we can learn from and support one another. These programs, conversations, and connections have helped me better understand myself, navigate predominantly white spaces, and connect with people who share my experiences. I encourage fellow alumni to take up space in MOSAIC and in other institutional spaces. Seeing Black alumni in spaces like the Alumni Council and Board of Trustees reminds me that we belong at the table and that our voices matter.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s something you\u2019d love to hear from alumni about?<\/h3>
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Andrea:<\/strong> What would make you say, \u201cOh, I\u2019d definitely show up for that!\u201d? Maybe it\u2019s something we haven\u2019t thought of yet. I\u2019d especially love to hear about the people, topics, traditions, and ideas you think MOSAIC could be making more room for. What helped you find belonging at Bates? How can we help create space for that kind of community-building after Bates?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s one piece of advice you\u2019d give your college-age self?<\/h3>
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Adama: <\/strong>Keep using your voice and creating spaces where you can show up fully as yourself. As a Black woman, there can be so many moments when you feel pressure to adapt, prove yourself, or navigate spaces that weren\u2019t created with you in mind. I\u2019d remind my college-age self that she doesn\u2019t have to wait for someone else to create a space for her. You have the power to create that space for yourself and for others.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What kind of connection do you hope to help create for MOSAIC alumni?<\/h3>
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Andrea: <\/strong>The kind that doesn\u2019t end when the event or program does! I hope MOSAIC can help alumni find old friends, make unexpected new ones, connect across generations, and feel more connected to Bates on their own terms. Whether starting, deepening, or improving connections with the college \u2013 all are a win in my book!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Bonus question: What\u2019s your most controversial Maine opinion?<\/h3>
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Andrea:<\/strong> I was born and raised in Lewiston, so I have too many! As someone who lived in California for a minute, I do maintain that the East Coast is the \u201cbest coast.\u201d But coastal culture doesn\u2019t define Maine. Working-class, inland Mainers have our own distinctive Maine identity. As a kid, York, Bar Harbor, and even Portland felt like faraway lands. I didn\u2019t eat lobster until high school. I didn\u2019t visit Acadia until well into my 40s (i.e., this year when I took my 10-year-old)! And finally \u2013 though this may not be controversial to a group of Batesies \u2013 I believe that Lewiston is the heart of Maine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adama:<\/strong> My most controversial Maine opinion would have to be the idea that Maine is only for true outdoor enthusiasts. As someone who has lived in the city for the majority of my life, I\u2019ve really enjoyed getting my feet wet with the outdoors. From Level 1 Maine coast chilling during AESOP to exploring trails with friends as an employee at my alma mater, I\u2019m a true testament to the fact that Maine creates space for anyone and everyone to appreciate the outdoors at whatever level feels right for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funny enough, part of me actually craves the outdoors whenever I return to city life, lol.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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GOT A BRILLIANT IDEA? <\/strong>Reach out to Andrea Breau (abreau3@bates.edu<\/a>) or Adama Diaby \u2019 22 (adiaby@bates.edu<\/a>) with questions, thoughts, or just your pure genius.
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What We’ve Been Up To<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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A quick highlight reel from a busy spring and summer \u2014 because nobody needs an annual report hiding inside their newsletter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WE ATE REALLY WELL<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Chef<\/a>
Chef Steve “To\u00fachef” Coupet \u201909<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To kick off Black History Month, MOSAIC hosted a one-of-a-kind dining experience in New York City with Bates alum and chef Steve Coupet \u201909, AKA To\u00fachef<\/a>. Thirty alumni and their guests \u2014 representing nearly 50 years of the Black experience at Bates! \u2014 gathered around small plates inspired by foods of the Black diaspora, with Steve sharing the history and cultural context behind the dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We kept the food-and-community theme going at MOSAIC Boston Bites, where alumni gathered at Black-owned BRED Gourmet<\/a> for Caribbean and Creole-inspired comfort food. Student leaders from the Student Center for Belonging and Community joined the fun and had a chance to \u201cbreak BRED\u201d with fellow Batesies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, a small group of alumni gathered in D.C. to paint a lasting sunset and create lasting memories at Black-owned business Sade Paint & Sip<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Out<\/a>
Out & Proudly NESCAC 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

WE GOT OUT & PROUD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This winter, Out and Proudly NESCAC brought LGBTQIA+ alumni together in Boston, New York, D.C., and San Francisco for queer history, banned books, museum and library visits, and \u2014 of course \u2014 time to socialize. In May, MOSAIC also joined this year\u2019s Lavender Ceremony & Lavender Awards<\/a> celebrating graduating LGBTQ+ and allied students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WE CELEBRATED ALUMNI & STUDENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Benjamin Mays Black Alumni Society hosted its annual Spring Luncheon in D.C., honoring retired American television journalist and sportscaster, Bryant C. Gumbel \u201970, LL.D. \u201986; Co-Founder and Executive Director of the MAAFA Redemption Project, Rev. Marshall E. Hatch Jr. \u201910; and mathematician and current Provost of the University of the Virgin Islands, Dr. Camille A. McKayle \u201985.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Lavender<\/a>
Lavender Ceremony 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

MOSAIC also connected with graduating seniors\/soon-to-be-alumni through Spring Senior Chats and the Senior Toast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WE LAUNCHED SOMETHING NEW<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This spring we launched our Student Philanthropy Ambassador (SPA) Program. SPAs help connect students with alumni and give students a peek behind the curtain at how alumni support shapes the Bates experience. This year, we\u2019re hoping to bring even more students into the mix by expanding outreach and reducing barriers to participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AND THEN EVERYBODY CAME BACK TO BATES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Queer<\/a>
Queer Through the Years panel at Reunion 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

At Reunion, our \u201cQueer Through the Years\u201d panel brought together Bobcats whose experiences spanned four decades of queer life at and after Bates. Huge thanks to moderator Anthony Del Real and panelists Chris Tine \u201996, Tom Armet \u201901, Hallie Herz \u201911, and Erick Gredonia \u201921 for sharing their stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our MOSAIC Reception, hosted by the Student Center for Belonging and Community, gave students and alumni another chance to connect, reconnect, and grow the MOSAIC community \u2014 with remarks from our SCBC Director Tonya Bailey-Curry and President Garry Jenkins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MOSAIC Book Club: Round Two<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Our first virtual book club took us into Katherine Boo\u2019s Behind the Beautiful Forevers<\/em> and sparked lively conversations about ambition, survival, inequality, corruption, hope, and what \u201cgood choices\u201d even mean when the system around you is stacked against you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, on to the next book: new pages, new perspectives, new debates, and hopefully a few more \u201cWait, what did everyone else think about THAT?!\u201d moments. Bring your thoughts, your hot takes, and your favorite snacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\t

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