Power Reimagined: A Conversation with Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard and Malcolm Gladwell – Introduction by Mayor Michael A. Nutter
This event is co-hosted by the Columbia Club of New York and Fordham Law School’s Center on Race, Law, and Justice.
What does real power actually look like—and who gets to define it?
Power in your career. In your network. In your community. In your ideas. In the ventures you build. In the initiatives you lead.
And once you have it—how do you choose to use it?
Join us at Fordham Law School for a conversation with Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard, author of Power Reimagined, and Malcolm Gladwell, New York Times bestselling author and host of Revisionist History. The event will open with introductory remarks by former Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, David N. Dinkins Professor of Professional Practice in Urban and Public Affairs at Columbia University.
Bringing together members of the Columbia Club of New York and the Fordham Law community—including alumni, attorneys, academics, and professionals across industries—this evening is designed for those looking to exchange ideas, find collaborators, and expand their network among peers who are actively building, thinking, and leading.
From growing up in 1980s Harlem to senior leadership roles at BET, MTV, Nickelodeon, and ABC News, Sharif-Drinkard has spent her life redefining what real power looks like. In Power Reimagined, she challenges conventional narratives, showing that power is not defined solely by titles or institutions, but forged through strategy, resilience, and an unshakable sense of self-worth.
Together, Sharif-Drinkard and Gladwell will explore power not as abstraction, but as a practical force:
- Where does power truly reside—within institutions, or within networks and relationships?
- Why do formal titles so often diverge from real influence?
- How can individuals build and exercise power to create meaningful outcomes?
Because power is not simply something to understand—it is something to get, grow, and share.
Following the conversation, guests are invited to a networking reception and book signing—an opportunity to engage directly with the speakers, fellow alumni and professionals, and to experience firsthand how power often begins: through connection.
* Each ticket includes a signed copy of Khadijah’s new book, POWER REIMAGINED, as well as access to the reception. Please note that tickets are non-refundable. Tickets are available exclusively to members of the Columbia Club of New York and the Fordham Law community.
Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard
Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard is a deal maker and change agent with nearly 30 years of experience in media and entertainment. She serves as Senior Vice President, ABC News where she oversees Business Affairs. She has an undergraduate degree from Columbia University and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law, and she recently completed Harvard-CTAM’s Executive Education Program.
Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell is the author of five New York Times bestsellers — The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw, and David and Goliath. He is also the co-founder of Pushkin Industries, an audio content company that produces the podcasts Revisionist History, The Happiness Lab, Heavyweight, Cautionary Tales, and many more. Revisionist History is Gladwell’s journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past — an event, a person, an idea, even a song — and asks whether we got it right the first time. Gladwell has been included in the TIME 100 Most Influential People list and touted as one of Foreign Policy’s Top Global Thinkers.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
Mayor Michael A. Nutter (Professor at Columbia University/SIPA, Former Mayor of Philadelphia, Advisor at Dentons, Cities United, What Works Cities)