More than 200 friends and supporters gathered at the Orange Lawn Tennis Club on October 16 for an unforgettable evening honoring the legacy and leadership of Carol Barry-Austin and Audrey Rowe—two people whose dedication has shaped the Community Coalition on Race since its earliest days.

The night was filled with warmth, remembrance, and joy. We celebrated Carol Barry-Austin, a founding trustee whose fierce advocacy for equitable and integrated schools touched generations of families in our community. And we honored Audrey Rowe, our longtime Program Director, who has worked for more than two decades to bring neighbors together across racial and cultural differences to build a shared vision of an inclusive community. Audrey’s tribute was capped by a standing ovation and the love of family and friends—including her daughters, Panya Rowe and Solana Rowe (SZA)—whose presence made the celebration even more meaningful.

A lively auction led by former Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca, with generous contributions including signed SZA tour items and special local experiences, helped raise the energy—and the impact. The dance floor stayed full thanks to the Essex Funk Collective, whose music brought the room together in joy.

We are thrilled to share that the evening raised over $80,000 in support of our work to foster racial equity, stable integration, and meaningful connections across our community.

This tremendous success was made possible by the generosity of our donors, attendees, and sponsors. See the Commemorative Journal here. Our heartfelt thanks to the following sponsors:

Anita Gundanna
Audrey Rowe
Delon Nelson & Terri Cannon-Nelson
Jocelyn & Richard Ryan
Julie & Thomas Pauly
Kelly Quirk
Kristien Webber
Melanie Girton
Michael Rufino
Mikki & Derek Murphy
Fred & Susan Profeta
Jessica Dixon-Ebner & Prospect Church
Terry Martin
William Vaughan

To everyone who attended, bid, danced, volunteered, supported, remembered, and celebrated with us: thank you. Your commitment fuels our mission to build and sustain a community where integration is not just possible—but thriving.

We look forward to continuing this work together.

Here are a few fabulous pictures from Tracy Sham Photography...more to come soon!