Message from the President
It is with great pleasure and deep pride that I serve as president of The Society, Incorporated, Harbor City Maryland Chapter. This honor has been bestowed upon me by an elite group of visionary women who love the arts and are committed to exposing youth to the artistry found in all artistic genres. As a chapter, Harbor City Maryland takes this commitment seriously and endeavors to not only explore, promote, and create opportunities to showcase youth talent, but to also nurture and mentor talented youth yet discovered.
In the words of Pablo Picasso, “Every child is an artist…”. As president of the Harbor City Maryland Chapter, my primary role and ultimate goal is to ensure that the youth of our community are provided with opportunities to develop skills and appreciate the arts through the programming events sponsored and supported by chapter members. To that end, I invite and encourage “you” (individuals, group, and community organizations) to support our chapter events and consider partnering and collaborating with Harbor City Maryland Chapter on our scholarship and mentoring activities. Your support will elevate our programming goals and help us find the artist in every child by showcasing the artistry of the arts!
Artfully yours,
Debra A. Mahone, Ed.D.
Chapter President,
The Society, Incorporated Supporting the Arts, Harbor City Maryland Chapter
A Renaissance of Artistic Focus: Our History, 1983 and Onward
Four amazing and visionary women in May, 1983 conceived the idea of organizing a group of professional women of color who shared the goals of friendship and service. The outcome of their efforts, in April 1992, was the establishment of The Society, Incorporated, as a national organization to promote friendship among members and serve as a resource in the arts for young people.
The Society, Incorporated, Harbor City Maryland Chapter, a Prince George’s County based organization, was chartered November 11, 2017, by seventeen artistically inspired women, led by Renata "Toni" Roy, Chartering President and Sharon Collins, Chartering Vice President. The Chapter strives to promote friendship and social exchange among members, function as a resource for young people in the arts and promote educational, civic and cultural experience within the community.
Our primary goal:
To expose youth in Prince George’s County Maryland to high quality experiences and opportunities in the arts thereby equipping them to engage, compete and excel in literary, performing, visual, and instrumental arts as either contextual or participatory equals.
Our objectives include:
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producing a sustainable and substantive arts program to fill critical gaps in traditional access points to artistic pathways and/or careers;
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increasing student engagement in the arts through exposure to different genre;
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raising the self-esteem and confidence of young people through support of their artistic endeavors; and
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showcasing the artistic skills and talents of youth to the community at large.
Our signature program is the annual Dr. David C. Driskell Achievement Scholarship Award, which is a tribute to the late Dr. Driskell, an award-winning artist, an honorary member of The Society, Incorporated Supporting the Arts, and a past resident of Prince George's County, home to Harbor City Maryland Chapter. Through this signature scholarship we are able to leverage the alignment of our vision and mission with Dr. Driskell’s vision and passion to support youth in the arts; and offer soft skill development and mentoring to students as they prepare for college and future careers.
Other community partners and collaborators in our mission have included the NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics Program (ACT-SO), the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA) and Prince George's County Public Schools. Through these partnerships and other outreach efforts we endeavor to provide a bridge for the youth in our community to more fully appreciate and access the arts as an effective and creative way to build connections, increase scholastic engagement, understand diverse cultures, and enjoy healthy life experiences.
Elected Officers
President
Debra Mahone, Ed. D.
Vice President
Lynnette Haynes
Recording Secretary
Marion Brown Flamer
Corresponding Secretary
June Clayburn
Treasurer
Vanessa Lamb
Financial Secretary
Sharon Collins
Parliamentarian
Constance Davis
Nominating Committee Chair
Marion Brown Flamer
Members
Lydia Dorman
Espanola F. Hughes – Turner
Sheila T. Hughes
Arvella Johnson
Delores Johnson – Cooper
April Randall
Cleopatra White
Dianne Whitfield – Locke
Passion Statement
My passion for the arts began as a child, when I developed a love for operatic music. Over the years, I became a trained opera singer, who received a full scholarship to Howard University, resulting in a Bachelor of Music degree from the College of Fine Arts.
While my desire to become an opera singer was my childhood dream, I hesitated after graduation to pursue that dream. As I reflect on it now, I know that as I considered a career path as an opera singer, I saw very few at the time, who looked like me. I needed mentors to encourage me, support me, and most of all, keep me focused on my dream.
As a member of the Harbor City Chapter of The Society, Incorporated, I look forward to being that mentor to help support and mentor youth in the arts to help them realize their dreams.
— Lady Marion Brown Flamer