Lighting the Way to a More Just Future

On Tuesday, November 1, Osborne Association celebrated its 2022 Lighting the Way dinner at 583 Park Avenue in Manhattan. We were thrilled to be joined by 300 guests who gathered with us to celebrate a transformational year at Osborne and helped us raise $1.1 million to support our work!

Hosted by David Remnick, Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of The New Yorker, this year’s event brought together our generous community of partners, donors, and sponsors for an evening of powerful stories about the impact of Osborne’s programs on the more than 10,000 adults and children we serve annually.

Osborne President and CEO Archana Jayaram smiling while standing at the podium. — Osborne President and CEO Archana Jayaram.

Editor David Remnick standing at the podium with his arm outstretched. — Editor of The New Yorker, David Remnick.

This year, we honored partners who deeply support our mission to transform the criminal legal system and are champions of this work: The Tow Foundation, our Partner in Innovation; Trinity Church Wall Street, our Partner in Mission; and Frank Baker, an Osborne board member and champion.

Their unwavering commitment to our work and community has allowed people like Charles Moore, a graduate of Osborne’s Longtermers’ Responsibility Project and proud co-facilitator, to transform their lives and give back to their communities. At the event, Moore shared that the program gave him, “the opportunity to review my history, my own victimization and trauma, and to think about how these circumstances affected my thinking and choices.”

Donor and funder support has also helped strengthen family ties. Valerie Donaldson, who benefitted from Osborne’s Kinship Reentry Housing Program, told the crowd that she has gained a support network of people with similar experiences, while rebuilding her relationship with her son, who reentered into her care.

As Osborne President and CEO Archana Jayaram shared, “we see the whole person, and we create opportunities for human growth and success.”

Additionally, we celebrated the contributions of Osborne’s former President and CEO Elizabeth Gaynes, to whom we awarded the Thomas Mott Osborne Spirit Medal for her tremendous contributions to the field.

Emily Tow standing at the podium looking onwards at the crowd. — President of the Tow Foundation, Emily Tow.

Susan Shah and Bea de la Torre of Trinity Church Wall Street standing at the podium together. — From left: Susan Shah and Bea de la Torre of Trinity Church Wall Street.

Frank Baker standing at the podium looking onwards towards the crowd. — Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Siris Capital and Osborne board member, Frank Baker.

Moderated by Osborne’s Center for Justice Across Generations Policy Manager Wendell Walters, our panel discussion, titled “The Journey Home: A Conversation Towards Success,” was a thought-provoking event highlight.

The panel of changemakers and lawmakers featured Lawrence Bartley, Publisher of The Marshall Project Inside; City Council Member Tiffany Caban; Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs; and Christina Green, Program Manager of Osborne’s Marcus Garvey. They inspired the crowd with their insights about the urgent need to strengthen reentry support for formerly incarcerated people, while also moving the crowd with their personal experiences of the reentry process.

Panel moderator and speakers sitting in a semi-circle together onstage holding microphones. The crowd looks up at them from below. — Moderator and panelists in order from left to right: Wendell Walters, Osborne Center for Justice Across Generations Policy Manager; Lawrence Bartley, Publisher of The Marshall Project Inside; Eddie Gibbs, New York State Assemblymember; Christina Green, Program Manager of Osborne’s Marcus Garvey; Tiffany Cabán, New York City Council Member.

Close up of City Council Member Tiffany Cabán holding the microphone and talking. — City Council Member Tiffany Cabán.

Close-up of panel speakers sitting and smiling at one another, Eddie Gibbs has one hand raised and the other holding a microphone. — Panel speakers in order from left to right: Lawrence Bartley, Publisher of The Marshall Project Inside; Eddie Gibbs, New York State Assemblymember; Christina Green, Program Manager of Osborne’s Marcus Garvey; Tiffany Cabán, New York City Council Member.

This year marks 89 years of service for Osborne Association. While this year’s Lighting the Way is now behind us, it’s not too late to donate and support our work to transform lives, communities, and the criminal legal system.

Text the word “Osborne” to 24365 or visit https://www.osborneny.org/donate and give today.

Thank you!