The honorable Demone A. Smith, legislator of the 7th district of Erie County, joined the friends of African American Studies when he made a generous contribution to the department's endowed lectureship fund.Mr. Smith noted that African American Studies is a vital community resource for educating constituents and all residents regarding the critical issues of race. He further observed that the department is in a unique position to train leaders for an increasingly global world and he is pleased to support such efforts.