The annual gala of the Lycée Français de New York is the largest fundraising event of the year for the school, raising upwards of $2.1 million to support school programs and need-based scholarships. Guided by Lycée parents and co-chairs Mariana Abbadi, Virginie Chabran, Tihtina Mersie, and Eliza Ravelle-Chapuis, this year’s gala–Lead with Purpose : Vers une empreinte plus légère–takes place on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at Cipriani Wall Street.
Here, they talk about what to expect during Gala 2023.
“Lead with purpose : vers une empreinte plus légère” is such a great theme for the Lycée. What made you choose it this year?
We brainstormed the theme on WhatsApp chats every morning! We shared our inspirations, and very quickly decided on ideas of regeneration and sustainability–around what is enough for right now and a desire to leave the earth better than we found it. Caring for our environment is the most urgent concern of our time. As parents, we think it may be even a little closer to heart. It is a unifying theme that is inclusive of all living creatures on mother earth.
And, it’s for the kids! Each one is a future leader, and taking care of the earth is a natural part of the way their generation lives. So we decided to go down the path of leadership, which on a micro level is fostered in giving back to the school. Sustainability is a macro idea that’s about being stewards of the earth that is giving us so much.
We can sense the joy in your work together!
We’re serious about making a great event for the community and the school. Our goal is for everyone to have a blast and to support the school. We know how much work that takes!
Even though we just met, we feel like we’ve known each other since forever. We have a great mix of energies, with each of us bringing a different dimension to the work. The four of reflect the diversity of the Lycée in that we are Brazilian, French, Ethiopian and American and share the same spirit and values.
What is it about the Lycée that has touched each of you so much that you would volunteer to co-chair the Gala? It’s no small feat.
Eliza: I’m American, and I have always been interested in the French language and its culture. I learned to speak French later in life, and am so grateful to be able to speak with my children, who are half French and half American. I love that the school supports and helps celebrate the mixing of cultures and languages.
Mariana: I have four daughters at the Lycée, and my husband is an alumnus. It’s paramount for their education that they be exposed to a diverse environment across all dimensions. Making sure the community is well-balanced and keeping the financial assistance steady and growing is so important to me and to my family.
Tihtina: Even during Covid with masks, my daughter loved to be at school. She put on her mask, came to school, and felt cared for. What better way to give back to a school and community that has taken such great care of our students’ health and happiness through one of toughest times of the century.
Virginie: My kids changed when we moved to New York City, in a positive way! They were in strict French schools in Paris. At the Lycée, I saw them open up to different cultures, different people. I thought I should get involved at the Lycée as well.
The Gala is always an amazing event, and it seems to evolve constantly. What are you most excited about this year?
Our amazing team of decor volunteers is helping us think of ways to keep the environmental footprint of this gala as small as possible. We want to surprise you all, but let’s just say there will be a hint of the botanical in the room, and the majority of the decor will be reusable. Floral centerpieces will be donated to a local hospital the next day, and following in the footsteps of last year’s co-chairs, we’ll be donating leftover food to City Harvest.
Auction items will have a sustainable theme, with nature trips for the whole family, and great clean beauty and vintage options in the silent auction, that’s just the beginning.
We are especially excited about the student performance project! We are filming a flash mob dance to show during the event. It will be a community affair, the most inclusive we’ve ever had! Anyone who wants to take part can: students, teachers, staff, parents and guardians. You just need to learn the basic footsteps and come and be filmed on January 28th in John Jay Park.
Here’s the dance! Sign up forms and further details will be shared via email and in the school newsletter.
Gala 2023
Lead with Purpose: Vers une empreinte plus légère
Cipriani Wall Street
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Table Tickets here. (Individual tickets will be available soon. Check back!)
@lyceenewyorkgala
About the Author :
Elisabeth King joined the Lycée team in November 2011 as the school’s first director of communications. A francophile at heart, Elisabeth spent her junior year of college in Paris, and held her first job at the French Trade Office here in New York. She brings to the Lycée over 15 years of experience in media and communications in non-profits, government, news and business. She was previously executive vice president and director of strategy at ABI, Inc., a boutique public relations agency, and she worked as associate editor on two books co-authored by Todd Brewster and the late ABC News anchor Peter Jennings.