2024 Brooklyn Org Changemakers Ball
Powerhouse Arts, 322 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
6:30 PM–11:00 PM EDT
Changemakers Ball
Our Annual Celebration of Brooklyn's Inspiring Changemakers and Nonprofits
Brooklyn’s Biggest Night Out Is October 23, 2024!
This year promises to be even bigger and bolder, at our new venue Powerhouse Arts.
Online individual ticket sales for the 2024 Changemakers Ball have closed. Ads, donations and sponsorships are still available. We have a waitlist for tickets. For inquiries, contact: BKO24@rebeccaevents.com OR 646-648-2964.
Sponsorship Opportunities | Underwriting Opportunities
Honoring Harsha G. Marti
The 2024 Brooklyn Org Changemakers Ball will honor Brooklyn Org Board Member Harsha G. Marti, Managing Director, General Counsel, and a member of the Executive Management Group at Warburg Pincus.
Harsha joined Brooklyn Org’s Board of Directors in January 2015 and served as Board Co-Chair from 2020 to 2024. As a long-time champion for racial justice and community-centered change, Harsha has had a critical impact through his leadership at Brooklyn Org during times of great uncertainty and unparalleled growth.
In early 2020, he helped launch the Brooklyn COVID-19 Response Fund, which raised and distributed nearly $3 million in just 16 weeks to the hardest-hit communities across Brooklyn. In 2023, Harsha co-led the development of Brooklyn Org’s groundbreaking strategic plan, which ignited our evolution from Brooklyn Community Foundation to Brooklyn Org, a new model aimed at democratizing local philanthropy.
Harsha is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Law Board of the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and was a board member of South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!) from 2005 to 2011. He received an SB in Materials Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a JD/MBA from the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and the Kellogg School of Management. Born and raised in New York City, Harsha lives in Fort Greene with his wife Meera, and their four children.
Host & After Party MC DJ Stretch Armstrong
Adrian Bartos, known professionally as DJ Stretch Armstrong, is an iconic New Yorker known for his work as a DJ and broadcaster. He is the former DJ and co-host of the highly influential hip hop radio show “The Stretch and Bobbito Show,” alongside Bobbito Garcia. Bartos co-hosted NPR’s podcast “What’s Good with Stretch and Bobbito” which began in 2017, an interview based cultural podcast which featured Dave Chappelle, Stevie Wonder, Lenny Kravitz, Erykah Badu, Rakim, Mahershala Ali, Beastie Boys, and more. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced Adrian “Stretch Armstrong” Bartos and Bobbito García as the 2023 NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees for radio.
Special Performance: Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet
We promise the evening will be one for the books — including a special performance from the amazing Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet dancers (pictured above).
Event Leadership
Hilary Ley Jager
Vivian Liao Korich
Vishal Sheth
Timothy Simons
Host Committee
Martha Berry and Curtis Cravens
Thomas Bettridge
Eva Ciko Carman and Jason E. Brown
Pat Courtemanche
Katherine and Peter Darrow
Michelle DeFossett and Victor Banks
David Flugman
Peter Furci and Suzanne Elio Furci
Faith Gay
Sarah and Michael Gerstenzang
Lauren Glant and Michael Gillespie
Steven Glenn
Stephanie and Jay Gromek
Nicole Gueron and Carter Strickland
Samidh Guha and Nithya Jayaraman
Hank and Karoly Gutman
Lesleigh Irish-Underwood
Hilary and Edwin Jager
Melissa and Zul Jamal
Mamie Kanfer Stewart and Justin Stewart
Robert Kessler
Lawanna Kimbro
Vivian Liao Korich and Daniel Korich
Deitra Mara and Anthony Santa Cattarina
Harsha and Meera Marti
Alison Maschmeyer and Guy Dorsainvil
Richard and Barbara Moore
Amanda and Patrick Nichols
Janet and Dave Offensend
Katherine and Ryan Ogg
Orrick Team
Randy Peers
Andi Philips and Paul Hinton
Lindsy and Gabe Pizzi
Melissa Prober and Dana Hughes
Jocelynne and Perry Rainey
Sabrina and Oleg Rezzy
Carley Roney and David Liu
Serena and Ted Roosevelt
Jennifer and Matt Roux
Shaheen Rushd and Jeremy Silverman
Pamela and Eric Rytter
Connie and John Sargent
Gabriel Schwartz and Jolie Curtsinger Schwartz
Rahul Sevani and Megha Chopra
Monica and Vishal Sheth
Nicholle and Timothy Simons
Ambereen Sleemi and Sean O’Neal
Cary Stathopoulos
Diane and Joe Steinberg
Rochelle and Shelley Stewart III
Christine Su and Matthew Ting
Susannah Taylor and Phil Marriott
Rabbi Rachel Timoner
Ashwin Vasan and Johanna von Braun
Sarah and Isaac Wheeler
Carmencita Whonder
Sarah Williams
*List in formation (as of 09/20)
2023 Event Highlights
Nearly 450 guests joined us for the second annual Brooklyn Org Changemakers Ball, an unforgettable celebration of Brooklyn and the dedicated nonprofit changemakers working tirelessly to end inequity and injustice across our borough. Thanks to your generosity, together we raised over $1 million for our communities!
The inspiring evening, taking place on October 12, 2023 at the Weylin in Williamsburg, also served as the official launch for our new identity as Brooklyn Org and our new hub for giving here at brooklyn.org.
Comedians Ana Gasteyer and Phoebe Robinson hosted the packed program, which featured performances by Brooklyn United Marching Band and Flex Dance as well as moving speeches from our honorees Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and Gabe Schwartz and Jolie Curtsinger Schwartz.
The evening’s record-breaking success was made possible thanks to the generosity our Host Committee led by Brooklyn Org board members Hilary Jager, Lawanna Kimbro, and Shelley Stewart III, our sponsors including Hilary & Edwin Jager, Stardust Fund, Judith & Alan Fishman, and many more, and our wonderful guests.
We’re so grateful to everyone who supported the Changemakers Ball and we can’t wait to do it again in Fall 2024!
