Your greatness is measured by how well you serve your community.

The focus of your career has been on supporting civil rights and equity, diversity and inclusion, and advocacy on so many important issues. In March of 2021, you were hired as the City of Somerville, Massachusetts’s first director of racial and social justice.

Tell us about this role and what you hope to accomplish within it.

It's an absolute honor, as it's the first position of its kind both on the East Coast and in the state of Massachusetts. There are other roles that work with diversity and inclusion, but this particular position is charged with eliminating institutional and structural racism within the

systems of the City of Somerville. A great task, and a collaborative one, because transformative change doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't happen in isolation. It includes all the stakeholders that will be impacted by the decisions that we ultimately make.

The most important thing for me during these first days in my position is to listen to as many people as possible in the community, whether they are residents, workers, government officials, or police officers. I want to be aware of the history and story behind everything – and also hear every side of that story.

How did you become interested in this type of work and what does it mean to you?

I have a background in education, and I'm an attorney as well, so I decided to go into diversity practice because it was another way for me to serve my community and merge my love for education and helping others empower themselves.

This is actually my life’s work, because since I was little, I've noticed that our communities of color face a lot of inequities, disparities, and barriers. Involvement with a local community center first taught me about activism and advocacy, and as early as the age of seven, I would go to rallies with my parents, such as to prevent gentrification of our Williamsburg, Brooklyn neighborhood. My dad taught me to know my history, the struggles within it, and what it is I have to do to serve my community. And now, it is even more imperative for me because I have a son, and I want to leave this world a bit better for him.

What attracted you to Pace?

I applied to Pace as part of a dream. I felt that I needed a school that was going to challenge me and foster that passion I had for learning, so when they offered me the most scholarship money, it was an easy choice. And, I have to say that my experience was awesome. I forged friendships with my professors, and was really was able to be transparent in the sense that, I was a kid coming from Brooklyn, and I didn't have much money. When I wasn’t able to afford a computer needed for a class, they made it happen, and when campus living expenses exceeded my scholarships, I spoke to various deans, and they listened. I feel super blessed.

As a Dyson student, you majored in both journalism and political science, and later attended Massachusetts School of Law, becoming an attorney. What made you pursue these studies, and would you recommend a double major to students who are considering a law degree?

I felt that journalism would expose me to the world and to differences in cultures and ideologies, and political science would help me interpret, which is what ones does in law school. My focus was first, on what kind of attorney I wanted to be, and secondly, what major would help me develop the skills needed for that job. I did a double major because I was ambitious, but in retrospective, it would have been great to enroll in a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree program.

Who has been your inspiration?

My parents built me up to be a person who would not only realize the worth of working hard for something, but also of valuing community, identity, and fighting for the things that matter. Human rights, social justice, anti-racism, those were the things that they instilled in me, and I'm so very grateful. My father was aware of the importance of being in touch with my feelings, culture, and history, and encouraged journaling. My mom would talk to me about the sheer power of being a female, and not allowing people to look down on you. All of that was them building resiliency in me and pride as a Latina woman.

Do you have any advice for our current students?

The voice that I heard very clearly in my head was always my father's voice, which said that, when you wake up in the morning, make sure that you love what you're doing, and that you're serving your community. I believed what my father said to me that I'm going to be great, that I'm going to do something with my life, and that doing something with my life is not about me. It's about what I'm doing for my community. Your greatness is measured by how well you serve your community. Listen to those who tell you about your greatness.

If you are passionate about achieving a dream, even in the toughest of times, pursue that dream, and you will be fulfilled.

When Artisha Mann-Cooper ’12 was growing up on a secluded farm in Charleston, South Carolina, her summers would often be spent at the home of her aunt in Maryland where she would watch with fascination old movies from the 1930s such as Smilin Through and The Wizard of Oz.

Her journey to being a successful film producer, multi-hyphenated artist, and entrepreneur today, however, initially was not a linear one. Mann-Cooper attended a local college instead of an art school she was accepted to, majoring in Economics and Finance, and heeding the advice of her mom, who was concerned for her daughter’s future security.

She continued on a traditional trajectory until the stock market crash of 2008, a time which forced Mann-Cooper to face her fears and heed the whispers of her heart from those earlier southern summers, and enroll in the MFA in Acting program at Pace’s Actors School Drama School.

“One of the hardest things I could do was to leave a stable career for my dream, but I realized that nothing is really stable. If you are passionate about achieving a dream, even in the toughest of times, pursue that dream, and you will be fulfilled,” she said.

It was the late James Lipton, creator and long-time dean of the Actors Studio program, who first awakened her interest in production. As an intern at Bravo, where Lipton’s Inside the Actors Studio talk show aired, Mann-Cooper would often shadow him and watch him make decisions for the show, as she kept a keen eye on the budget as part of her role.

His influence on the blooming artist was epic.

“I learned from James Lipton that I didn’t want to be the person looking for an opportunity, but the person who makes my own,” she said.

Inspired by a changing world and industry and having witnessed other women of color make great strides (namely, Issa Rae, creator of Awkward Black Girl, and Kerry Washington, cast in Scandal), Mann-Cooper found herself at a decision point.

One year out of ASDS, she used the only $1,800 at her disposal, which was initially intended to pay for a dress for her upcoming wedding, to instead create her own science-fiction digital series called Jayde. Mann-Cooper entered this work into the Trailer Cash Festival, which garnered the attention of a line producer with whom she associate-produced the film Sugar!, and continued to work with prolifically.

Since then, she has branched out to other roles, including production manager, writer, director, and actress, working for companies such as Nickelodeon, Lionsgate, and VH1, as well as Oscar-nominated directors and independent filmmakers.

Most recently, the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t stopped Mann-Coopers from bringing her creative projects into the world.

Goodbye, Butterfly, a thriller described by Mann-Cooper as “Lovely Bones meets Prisoners,” reached #1 on iTunes for three weeks in a row despite being released during this difficult time. In addition, she has been working on six film projects, three of which are near completion this year, and hosts a podcast, Two Legit to QT, with her best friend and fellow ASDS classmate d’Arquoia Connor ’13.

A true artist and recent New York City Women in Film honoree, Mann-Cooper is a great proponent of creating for the sake of creating, recognizing that if she had not produced her own material, she would not have been taken notice of. She also understands the frustration many have regarding moving their career forward, and to this end, has utilized her experience in both business and film to help artists find tangible ways to complete their goals as a coach and author of an eBook.

“I meet with my clients and my A-team (Artistprenuers) throughout the month and I find solutions and resources for them to complete their goals,” she said.

The cultivation of friendships has been a key element to Mann-Cooper’s success, and as she reminisces about the life-long ones she developed at Pace, she advises students to also nurture strong relationships with their peers.

“I had an opportunity to grow with fellow students and many of them have been my collaborators and champions. I am grateful to Pace for those relationships as the dream means nothing without a good group of people to share it with,” Mann-Cooper said.

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The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University announced today that the 2021 Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy will be awarded to Ugandan climate justice advocate Vanessa Nakate and Professor Wang Xi, an environmental law scholar and advocate with Kunming University of Science and Technology in China.

Ms. Nakate will receive the 2021 Award in recognition of her citizen diplomacy in bringing the voice of her generation to global environmental campaigns and for her inspiring climate activism in Uganda and beyond. Since December 2018, Ms. Nakate, who is 24, has been making many strides both in Uganda and on the world stage. She was the first Friday for Future climate activist in Uganda and is also founder of the Rise Up Movement, which seeks to amplify the voices of activists from Africa.

Ms. Nakate has sought to draw global attention to the impact of climate change on poverty, hunger, disease, conflict, and violence against women and girls. She spearheaded a global campaign to save Congo’s rainforest, which is facing massive deforestation, and is working on a project that involves installation of solar and institutional stoves in schools. Ms. Nakate holds a degree in Business Administration in Marketing from Makerere University Business School. Her book, entitled A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis, will be published this fall.

Becoming an academic after China started to reform and open up in 1978, Professor Wang Xi is one the of the top environmental law experts in China. He will receive the Award for his outstanding contributions to the formulation of environmental laws in China. The advancement of environmental law in the largest and fastest-growing country in the world is of vital importance to the advancement of global environmental law.

He is also recognized for his leadership internationally through his tireless work enabling the international academic exchanges between the Chinese environmental law scholars and their overseas counterparts under the framework of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Dr. Wang Xi is Director of the Platform for Research on Ecological Civilization and Environmental Rule of Law at China’s Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST). Prior to joining KUST in 2019, he taught at Shanghai Jiao Tong University from 2002 to 2018 and at Wuhan University from 1984 to 2001.

The prestigious Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy was established in 1997 by the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, in cooperation with the Haub Family, to honor the legacy of Elisabeth Haub (1899 – 1977), a noted philanthropist and advocate for strong laws for the conservation of nature. The award is chosen yearly by an esteemed jury of individuals and was first established to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the United Nations Stockholm Conference and the 5^th anniversary of the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit.

“The Elisabeth Haub School of Law is proud that our No. 1 ranked environmental law program trains lawyers to understand the intersection between climate justice, the environment and the law,” said Haub Law Dean Horace Anderson. “We are honored this year to shine a light on two individuals from different parts of the world who work tirelessly in different ways to defend the environment.”

“We need to strengthen the environmental rule of law around the globe and break unsustainable consumption patterns,” said Professor Jason Czarnezki, Associate Dean and Executive Director, Environmental Law Programs, and Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law. “We are both inspired by and indebted to Vanessa Nakate and Professor Wang Xi, and they well deserve our recognition and support.”

“The Elisabeth Haub Award for Environmental Law and Diplomacy recognizes the innovation, skill, and accomplishments of lawyers, diplomats, international civil servants and other advocates who work to create the world environmental order,” said Pace University Trustee Liliane A. Haub. “It is our hope that with this award, we are making a statement in support of those individuals and communities who are fighting to create a more sustainable planet.”