Laura Baudo Sillerman Memorial

Celebrating Laura

As Laura wished, her “shuffling off party” was held at Harlem Academy. On May 15, 2025, friends and family gathered to honor her memory by sharing the things she loved most: poems, songs, photos, and cherished friendships. This page serves as a tribute to Laura’s enduring impact on so many of us. 

Laura’s legacy also lives on through the Poets Terrace, a beautiful space just off the library dedicated to the Sillerman family in recognition of its unwavering support of Harlem Academy and its poetry program, which has inspired so many of our students.

If you are moved to support the Laura Baudo Sillerman Scholarship Fund at Harlem Academy, you may do so here

In Loving Memory

Laura will long be remembered for her service and counsel to a wide array of humanitarian, education and arts organizations including PEN America, the American Museum of Natural History and the Unterberg Poetry Center of the 92nd Street Y. 

An alum and a trustee of Marietta College in Ohio, she was key to critical fundraising efforts there and championed the construction of the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center and Legacy Library; the Sillerman Commons on campus is named in her honor. With her husband Robert, she was co-founder of the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy at Brandeis University. 

She was also president of The Tomorrow Foundation, a New York City-based charitable foundation, and served on the board of Long Island University's Southampton campus, where she was instrumental in bringing both the Southampton Writers Conference and The Southampton Review to national prominence. During summer conferences at the school, she was a legendary host to a vast community of writers, treating all - renowned authors and unknowns alike - with the same genuine interest and care. And she was the creative spark behind the summer All For The Sea concerts to benefit the college's Marine Science Program, featuring acts such as Paul Simon, Tina Turner and Crosby, Stills & Nash. 

In 2012, she joined the board of Harlem Academy, an independent K-8 school for promising low- income students, helping to facilitate the creation of a visiting poets program in partnership with the Poetry Society of America. In 2013, she established the Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets, helping to expand the scope of publishing in African poetry. 

She was also an accomplished poet, columnist and co-author, with Bruce Morrow, of Cousin Brucie: My Life in Rock 'n' Roll Radio (William Morrow, 1982). She wrote with such elegance, depth and insight that a simple email from her could be something of a literary event, calling upon the recipient to muster their inner poet in response. It wasn't a challenge or a test, it was simply an example that made people want to rise to the best that was in them. That was her effect on people and she was always at the ready to help them do that. In the end, that may be her greatest legacy of all. 
The Laura Baudo Sillerman Scholarship Fund

The Laura Baudo Sillerman Scholarship Fund honors the immeasurable difference Laura has made at Harlem Academy. Since the school's founding, Laura has been dedicated to the strongest realization of our mission, making the school a philanthropic priority and continuously helping to fulfill the needs of our students. 

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Memories with Laura

Friends and family shared photos and memories in honor of Laura. At the memorial, guests were invited to leave a “voicemail” sharing a story about her. Explore the photo album on the right to see moments from the memorial and photos shared by loved ones and listen to memories for Laura here.

Contact Us

Please contact Katie Steinbach at ksteinbach@harlemacademy.org or (212) 348-2600 ext. 5063 with any questions.
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Harlem Academy is an independent school (grades K-8) that drives equity of opportunity for promising students, guiding them to thrive at the highest academic levels and one day make a mark on the world.