Together Through Tapestry
Tapestry co-chairs Nikki Spencer ’92 and Nupur Chaudhury ’05 reflect on their work together and Tapestry’s future.
Supported by the Alumnae/i Relations and Development Office, the Tapestry Affinity Group contributes to the alumnae/i of color community of Bryn Mawr College by strengthening a connected network anchored in mutual trust and respect, advancing constructive and inclusive dialogue, and celebrating our diverse history and experiences.
Nupur Chaudhury '05: As one of the founding co-chairs of Tapestry, I am thrilled to write the inaugural Tapestry Talks column for the Bulletin. Tapestry was built out of the idea that Bryn Mawr’s alumnae/i of color (BIPOC, or Black, Indigenous, People of Color alums) have and continue to contribute to the College. But it was also borne out of the need for BIPOC alums to connect, share, and learn from one another.
Prior to Tapestry, specific ethnic and racial groups have organized amongst themselves—but with little to no support from the College and rarely across the spectrum of racial and ethnic groups. Tapestry aims to change that.
Nikki Spencer '92: As a founding co-chair of Tapestry, I have been honored and privileged to work with Mawrters committed to acknowledging and amplifying the experiences of the BIPOC alumnae/i that came before us. We are guided by the reality that our efforts are a continuation of their work and are only worthy of their legacy if we commit to Tapestry as an adaptive entity for the purpose of celebrating and supporting the College’s BIPOC community.
Tapestry is envisioned as a mechanism to hold space for BIPOC alums to explore and/ or reaffirm their connection (with all its complexity) to the College. Tapestry serves as a hub for BIPOC alums and students to engage with the past, present, and future of the College from a distinctly BIPOC perspective.
NC: We have begun to develop programming of, for, and by BIPOC alums: both the Casual Corner and Take a Break series provide a space for intergenerational conversations and connections, something so needed to build community amongst and between BIPOC groups. Our contributions to firstyear students of color traditions are a welcome invitation for current BIPOC students to connect with alums and to help them know that there is a cadre of folks ready to support their journey.
In the past three years of serving with Nikki, I am proud of the fact that through—and often because of—pandemics and protests, through elections and bans, we have created a consistent space and built a structure of consistent “open calls” for all BIPOC alums, regardless of class year, experience, or opinion to share their thoughts, stories, and opinions of being a Bryn Mawr BIPOC alum in the hopes of building a group that addresses our true needs. I am proud that we have activated a dedicated and determined working committee, a group of BIPOC folks who believe that there is more to contribute to the College than unrestricted dollars. That said, I am proud that we will continue to amplify the Black Alumnae/i Fund and to work in solidarity with each other. Information about the fund may be found at brynmawr.edu/ alumnae/black-alumnaei-fund.
And as a South Asian woman, I am proud of stepping up and supporting this initiative. In the U.S., South Asians have benefited from the organizing and hard work that the Black community, specifically Black women, have led for decades, and it is time for the South Asian community step up and work in solidarity of these struggles. This is no different at Bryn Mawr.
NC and NS: Together, we look forward to continuing the work of building a “more perfect” College through Tapestry, knowing that it will always be, in the words of Amanda Gorman, “simply unfinished.”
After Bryn Mawr, Nikki Spencer ’92 earned a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1995. In her professional life, she has almost 20 years’ experience managing commercial real estate and residential portfolios and works with executive teams on organizational development. Her BMC volunteer experience includes serving as founding co-chair of Tapestry, conducting admissions interviews, and hosting Bi-Co networking events. At her 25th reunion, she and Mary Elizabeth (Cave) Gump were elected class co-presidents.
Nupur Chaudhury '05 is a public health urbanist who looks at cities, communities, and connections through a grassroots lens. A bridge-builder and translator in the fields of urban planning and public health, she has developed and implemented strategies through nonprofit, governmental, and philanthropic systems to support residents, communities, and neighborhoods to build just and equitable cities. She is the principal of NupurSpectives Consulting and is based in New York.
This issue of the Alumnae Bulletin presents reflections from Black alumnae/i and students spanning 65 years in the life of the College.