Young Patrons Of The Apollo Celebrated The Arts In Sag Harbor

At the cusp of August, a new generation of Apollo Theater supporters gathered in Sag Harbor for a summer soirée. The evening celebrated the storied cultural institution , with proceeds benefiting the Apollo’s ongoing work to uplift Black artists and creatives. The event was hosted by a dynamic group of young patrons—Ashley Oden, Veronica Graves, Kenneth Chenault II, Sophia Dennis, Marley Pavlin, Charles Phillips III, D’Aundre Getachew and Olivia Heard—who all came together to champion the Apollo’s enduring legacy and its commitment to the next generation of Black talent. The afternoon began at the Graves residence, a home built more than 50 years ago by co-chair Veronica Graves’ grandfather. Guests then continued to the Oden residence, where co-chair Ashley Oden spent summers after her family purchased their Sag Harbor home nearly two decades ago. The gathering brought together a dynamic group of young art patrons and professionals, with attendees working across industries from Google and Meta to JPMorgan and beyond. United by a shared commitment to preserving and advancing Black culture, the group came together to support the Apollo Theater and its enduring legacy. “The Apollo was originally built as a sanctuary to protect, elevate, and amplify Black creatives,” Oden, a co-chair and product manager at Google, tells ESSENCE. “In an era where Black spaces, histories, and voices face renewed opposition, institutions like the Apollo are not just historic landmarks—they are vital…