 Good afternoon and welcome to the 10th annual unsung heroes awards My name is Linda Brooks Burton. I'm the branch manager at the Bayview Wadden branch in Bayview Hunters Point And it is my pleasure to introduce to you our mistress of ceremonies for this program Veronica Dangerfield is a comic a motivational cheerleader and a friend to all She has been on national television and may be seen locally on KQED during pledge drive She has traveled all over the world, but found San Francisco to be the only place. She has ever helped felt homesick for She's also a patron and advocate of the San Francisco Public Library Who has worked on projects with us at the Bayview branch including the annual community youth debate and speak out? Please help me to welcome Veronica Dangerfield. Good morning one and all My name is Veronica Dangerfield. I usually tell everybody that I'm Rodney's only black child And you know as a stand-up comedian, but um, I this is a very very special day I mean we are here gathered together and And ways to celebrate each other and the members of our community and I'd like to try something out There's a word an African word that is very very precious to me my son Who's in the third grade now, which means that I'm in the third grade now Which is a lot harder than the first time around believe me He taught me this word and the word is called a shea Has anyone ever heard of that word before? Okay, I and what I'd like to do is I want everybody to get together And I'm gonna say a few words, and I want you to give me an a shea I say means to agree with or that it's very very very good I mean there's a lot of words that we might use like the kids are using tremendous now But our shea is an African word and it reaches deep into the spirit of all of us So I'm gonna say a few things and then I want everybody to say together a shea because I'm not gonna say anything but good news, okay? This is a wonderful day that we are blessed to be together with our health with our families to celebrate That was good. Have you done this before? Wonderful today is the day that we joined together and because we were here the Sun came out Wonderful and that the Sun came out. We all came together. We see that we have people here of all ages We have young people. We have older people and we're all coming together to manifest Better things not only for today, but throughout the history of each of our lives You guys are wonderful as we Introduce everyone Don't let that be the last time you say a shea if you hear somebody that has done something Wonderful something that you would like to do something that empowers you a shea way a shea way y'all I'm giving you permission. I say away Today this is when you know when I got up this morning I said there's gonna be a party today I'm going to be able to see all of my extended family that don't even know me yet So can y'all just say hi cousin Ronnie? That's right. I'm your cousin you didn't know that and I'm coming over for dinner tonight Now I would like you to acknowledge each other the divinity in each and every one of us by turning around and looking at Your neighbor saying our shea have a good day that this is a wonderful day can do do that now because this is a family reunion Say hello to your family alright and Now we're going to sing lift every voice and sing we is actually written down in your programs But most of us know the words and I know I'm not singing this by myself, right? I'm gonna have people coming up here you know, I'm not a singer but I give my heart into everything so excuse me if it doesn't sound as sweet as you'd like Can everybody stand? And you got you know, you got to reach down deep into your soul and bring it out There you go. I like to Welcome Regina Barundi on to the stage to give us our welcome Good afternoon everyone. My name is Regina Mnudry and it is a great pleasure to be your city librarian On this 10th anniversary of the unsung heroes awards So many people from so many walks of life do good things for our community providing counsel for teenagers Advocating for the rights of the underserved Providing a helping hand for whatever the need is the people being honored here today have gone that extra mile to help others our unsung heroes Awards program recognizes those who receive little recognition for the significant things that they do I extend my heartiest congratulations to the winners and I Especially extend my sincere and humble thanks to all of you who make this city a richer and better place for all of us Welcome to the library. I hope the program is wonderful. I know it will be wonderful Congratulations to you all. Thank you One of my favorite books in the world is the prophet and the prophet said and speak to us a friendship And he answers saying your friend is your need answered He is your field what you so with love and reap with Thanksgiving And he is your board and your fireside for you come with him with your hunger and you seek him for peace Please let me speak a little bit of cola. I can Tola Thomas. He's an administrator an orator a program planner a Listener Wow, I wish I was a listener. I'm gonna work on that a Peacemaker a husband a father and a friend Thomas has been executive director of the city for African and African-American arts and culture since 1991 his background is in the performing arts He obtained a professional distinctive diploma in theater arts from the University of Abaddon He holds a bachelor's degree in communication arts with specialization in theater arts and African comparative culture Anthropology from the University of San Francisco a mouthful and Also a master's degree in art administration from Golden Gate University he has over 30 years experience in artistic cultural and community economic development and empowerment programs He was a co-founder of Lego City Coral Coral and was and while in high school He co-founded the Lagos Jubilee Singers. He loves African classic music, which you know is called jazz in America He teaches the Yoruba language and culture classes in San Francisco in Oakland and has assisted in developing the same course-core curriculum in the school of black studies at the San Francisco State University He is currently collecting donated books and sending them to the impoverished African University libraries So if you like me have a hundred million books, please consider donating them Thomas Pauses that if children and youth are to survive the future then education of the mind is of primal importance Children must embrace the human library and wisdom of elders and understand the tools of technology Provided by computers and information systems Through the center programming technical support of resident organization and through resources for the entire community Thomas Foster's a collective vision purpose and action which unites us all Cola Thomas is recognized for his leadership and commitment and making the center his center a place for all to enjoy and Be proud of for his leadership and commitment in building his home for all We I found in the bog of a Gita that the welfare of each of us can only be found in the world for our ball, please Welcome Cola. I can told Thomas to the stage Thank you very much. I want to thank everybody for coming to honor all of us here this evening and Particularly grateful to Olujumari for making this possible We're all heroes and heroines in our own ways this will not be possible without everybody's support and Making San Francisco a great place to be I'm grateful to my parents who are in Africa I'm grateful to anti-non-seasy. Professor Kayu. I'm grateful to Baba if I am me a liberal Who is our spiritual leader and he's here with us this evening? I'm grateful to a whole lot of people and I'm most grateful to my family for supporting me to offer to San Francisco what I do and My colleagues in the arts. I'm also grateful to you without you This will not be possible and for everybody that's here today. May God Abundantly bless you all. Thank you St. Francis of Assisi said the deeds you do today may be the only sermon some people were here Michael Dorn the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are Michael Dorn is the founder of the mission agenda an organization of ten of tenants of single-room Occupancy hotels along the 16th Street Corridor and the Mission District his friend rich Richard Marquez Nominated him for an unsung hero ward and told us about him as follows I first met Mike two years ago at the SRO tenant conference Almost immediately I saw Mike's leadership and humor take over the room He won the majority of tenant activists and conference planners to his ideals of planning communities on the basis of spirituality togetherness and looking out for each other Ashay Together we built mission agenda to provide service assistance an organization Supporting to SRO tenants in over 55 hotels in the mission Recently we received funds to launch an anti-tobacco Industry organizing an educational initiative Directed at people living in the street shelter and hotels where careless smokers and building safety codes violations have frequently caused Serious fires Marquez says I have learned through Mike that not all heroes are heroines our college educated are well-paid professionals on a different tip Mike is real and His realness comes from his commitment to his sobriety Ashay his life of living in an SRO hotel ashay and Being proud of his African-American ancestry his wit his humor his genuine struggle to love people and serve our community We agree and we are proud To sing Michael Doran's praise today cuz after today he is no longer an unsung hero Come on up Michael. It's a lot to swallow. You know Yeah, a lot to swallow and I'll say ashay Well First of all Wow, it's nice to see all you beautiful people out there And I've been thinking ever since I was nominated to be presented with an award and stuff What I would like to say I would say like right now. I think I would take another course in communication That means, you know, maybe I can communicate with people it might want to be a car salesman or a politician Because they all got something to sell you know But to get to the real side of things I did write some speech and it comes from the heart And I want to get to let everybody know what I think about life and people ashay Goes like this I am deeply honored and pleased to accept this award First I like to give thanks to my savior Jesus Christ Then my family for being loved me and supported to me But most of all I like to thank You Richard requests would stand up. I like thank Richard requests For having the sight and recognition of someone who has made and is making a difference in my life I myself had vision of making change all my life When it comes to helping other people I Learned early in life Not to put someone on the pedestal Because you could be letting yourself and others down for disappointment But always keep the faith in the person never give up on the person Get back to what I was saying because I pretty much lost wet where I was at but I'm gonna get back to it No problem. She said I can take a little bit over three minutes if I had to okay Okay, I Have many opportunities to make some changes in life Over the last fairs year and a half. I have been involved in an organization called the mission agenda That works with homeless people and other organizations around the city Wow around the city. I want to thank the San Francisco library and The other organization for choosing myself and others for this proud moment And I will continue my work and efforts to do the right thing in life. I Like to give a round of applause to the mission agenda Over there the mission agenda the mission agenda is our family away from our home family. I like to thank the men Women children for supporting us today, especially the children because we all know they are our future. I like to say God bless you all and I'd like to say I was reading the program is many people in the past that came a Part of my life in San Francisco, California. I know several people on here and God bless everybody I'm glad they accept his award. Thank you very much Shea Michael well done. I'd like to read a quote by Nelson Mandela Playing small doesn't serve the world There's nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure about you We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us It is not just in some of us. It is in every one of us Hashi Hashi and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same as We are literate as we are liberated from our fears our presence Automatically liberates others and that is what I'm talking about when I'm talking about dr. Wayland Fuller Fascinating man just fascinating. We are so so privileged to have you here today, sir dr. Fuller came to San Francisco in 1947 with a wave of black immigration that was occurring at the time But could not practice his profession as a pharmacist until he was licensed by the state of California So do you know what he did? I'm gonna tell you what he did with three degrees and a license from the state of Michigan Dr. Fuller accepted a position as a truck driver With a shoemate pharmacy on the corner of third and Pallew in the heart of the Bayview Hunters Point area Shoemates pharmacy had a chain of pharmacy and dr. Fuller Would haul and deliver merchandise as well as empty the garbage from store to store Is that not a lesson for our young kids? I mean we all have to start somewhere When dr. Fuller received his license from the state of California He was hired by shoemate as a registered pharmacist Pharmacist he worked there for over ten years until the pharmacy was sold to a new owner He worked for the new owner for a few years until the pharmacy closed its doors And when the pharmacy closed its door with a dr. Fuller do He opened the door with his own name on it. Ah, she Dr. Fuller was able to draw a consistent clientele based on his reputation alone You know y'all didn't hear me. I said based on his reputation alone My shit He eventually was able to hire a full-time pharmacist as well as two pharmacy interns He eventually was able to hire a full-time pharmacist. Okay. I read that twice. Whoops Okay, thank you. Thank you. Thank you cousins After a few years at the location dr. Fuller wanted to expand into a larger facility When the Bayview branch at the San Francisco Public Library moved to their storefront location and their newly built Brands dr. Fuller again sees the opportunity and moved his pharmacy at that location Where it has remained for not 10 but not 15 for not 20 not 25, but 29 years Fuller's daughter Wazel eventually joined her parents in the business She's a registered pharmacist who has a doctorate degree from UCSF ashay Very good So and a lot and a little child will leave them Dr. Fuller had been very active in the Bayview Hunters Point community as well as the city of San Francisco a History of his board membership includes and it's not limited to the following Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Bayview Hunters Point Foundation advisory committee of the Phoenix Project, which is now in the Jalani house Board of Director for the alcoholism treatment service advisory board for the Southeast Community College Board of Director for the John Hale Foundation. What kind of vitamins do you take mr. Fuller? You've been awfully busy sir Board of Directors from the San Francisco Heart Association He's also a founding member of the Bayview's Hunters Point Network for Elders a community-based coalition Established to identify the needs of frail elders Dr. Fuller is identified with a person of quality His longtime friend Mary and Pavis notes that he has given prescriptions for free To those in needs and will even deliver them when the time get hard now Walgreens cannot put a candle to that Okay As a community we need to give our money where our service is and dr. Fuller has certainly done that Fuller's pharmacy has been dedicated to serving the community and the community of Bayview Hunters Point We appreciate his dedication and commitment But it's more than appreciation because the gift that you give will last us our families and our lives throughout our lives You gave us something that you know, you just can't put a value on But sadly dr. Fuller Closes the doors of his his pharmacy permanently in 1998 But I'm sure with the list of things that dr. Fuller has done that his work has not going to be stopped But you know many of us think that we do things on our own But we never we always work together as a group and dr. Fuller has the most beautiful woman to help him And her name is Hazel Fuller and Can we get an ice shave or Hazel? Now Let me say that we have two more heroes to welcome to our stage Dr. Fuller and hopefully his wife will come up with him. Please come up dr. Fuller members of the library members of the library staff of the awards committee the National Council of Negro women Others responsible for this program and all of you who are my friends and neighbors When I looked around I had to see who they were talking about As you know, we are grateful to God for all of our individual existences the existence of our friends and Those of our family they have given me an atmosphere Where I could do what I thought was needed to be done You as the members of the community welcome to me and Have sustained me all of this time I should have retired a number of years ago because I feel my Well, in fact, I've been working since I was 17 years old through college I feel my first prescription in 1942 So I think several times they thought of retiring came but I just thought it is thought it But then I decided that if I don't retire That there wouldn't be anybody left to be retired I thinking of a individual who was a merchant marine And I won't ask you who didn't remember when It was Enjoyable to go joy riding in automobiles. How many of you remember that don't raise your hands, but that was But that was such a time and This merchant marine would always Go on Sundays and go to the waterfront where the ships were Because that was his livelihood and he knew what the merchant marine had to offer Now I don't know how some of us think but I think that every occupation as long as it is honestly done is a noble activity And although he was a merchant marine. He was proud of it and he went there and paid his respects So I'm going to fall in that merchant marines a Activity and Remember that I'm still proud of my career as a pharmacist And I have seen so much Where we need to take care of our bodies So wherever I'm asked to give any Inspiration or any Idea or any encouragement It will be remember your body is your body and nobody but you can take care of Therefore the health the exercise the medicines that you take will suddenly Help you as well as help others in your environment who are watching you So again remember that my slogan would be Take care of your body and Thank you for this presentation I don't know about y'all But I'm feeling a little touched right now. I Am it's just it's just very overwhelming to be in a room so full of a rich legacy And now I'd like to introduce The vanga vana yo conga dance troupe They have been around for three years and they come from the Whitney Young Center So put your hands together and let's have a little fun This is by my y'all Congo and we're a dance troupe of Congolese dance troupe We've been dancing out at Whitney Young Child Development Center and the Bayview Hunters Point district And I was like to present we're gonna do a dance called to Chibi and another dance It's called Mujiri and these are some social dances that are from the Congo. They are traditional dances. Thank you My name's Lorraine Bowser and the heroes just to keep it coming. Ah shame the beautiful beautiful point and it just Reminded me of the next person that's coming up Listen to this. It's very very beautiful I looked for my soul, but my soul I did not see I looked for my God But my God eluded me. I looked for a friend and I found all three I'd like to introduce Valerie Glover. She's a wife She's a mother a business woman an entrepreneur a social activist community leader and Supervolunteer who has given up to 40 hours a week of her time to various community and neighborhood organizations Because he out y'all didn't hear me. I said she gave up 40 hours per week of volunteering She She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and then her father decided that they were allergic to cold weather I'm allergic to cold weather to that's why I live in California So they packed up the family and they moved to sunny Hayward, California Valeria grew up and attended school in Hayward and she married and came to San Francisco in 1965 She's the mother of two beautiful children Marcellus and her sister in a sister Angelique She opened a business and discovered that she had entrepreneurial skills The business florist and she employed others to run the store while she kept her day job as a budget analyst for a government agency Ashay Ashay Okay in 1992 Mrs. Glover sold her business and retired from her government job as well But since retirement She hasn't been sitting around quilting She has been devoting her time to neighborhood and community organizations in the ocean view Merced Ingleside area where she resides She still is working 40 hours a week, but she just doesn't get paid for it She has said she has served every neighborhood and community Organization in the omni areas as he's the president or secretary are both during different tenures Not willing to settle for ordinary membership as a mere supporter or a bench warmer We don't have no bench warmers in here today. Do we? Shay an Exhausted list of her accomplishment would take all day long and as much as I love to talk. I won't do that to y'all There however, I would like to cover some of the highlights. She's the member of the Omni Lions Club Twice a year the Lions clubs take underprivileged children to great America and the Santa Cruz boardwalk The Lions sponsors a Thanksgiving dinner for the Omni needy They also sponsor an Easter egg hunt and the Omni Lions Club has adopted Sheridan elementary school And the lion members participate as classroom helpers Mrs. Glover became president of the Ocean Park Association in order to give a voice to the hip hop health center Run by an African-American doctor and the wellness center run by an African-American nurse Can I hear a ashay for health care in our neighborhoods? Both of these services have predominantly African-American clientele and are part of the San Francisco District Health Center number five. Mrs. Glover if Mrs. Glover were not the president of Ocean Park They're having such a strong voice would be questionable Miss Glover is the 1998 secretary of the Omni community action organization devoted to the overall improvement of the quality of all She works as a right-of-passage program for African-American girls Transitioning into womanhood. Can I join? Yeah, sure She volunteers as a secretary Well, you know with all this volunteering Miss Glover Do you have time to smell the roses? I heard that you did She said that she's smelling the roses when she is in a classroom Helping a child to understand that two plus two makes four and that Africa is a continent Ashay and that South Africa is a country Shay That is when she smells the roses when she's talking with a group of teenagers and Installing them to some conventional wisdom of the day and they're listening and I mean really listening She's smelling the roses When she presses a bruised and battered child to her heart Drives his tears and reassures him that everything will be all right She is smelling the roses. Miss Glover, you ain't no unsung hero no more You are a sung hero. So please come up and let us give you the gift of our war Our speech I did not expect to get an award for doing something that I enjoy doing which is volunteering I do want to thank someone that mentors me that really is unconscious of his mentoring Ron Coethers he makes me take that extra step Would you stand Ron? And the african-american nurse that I work along with is in the audience too. Would you stand miss morton? So I'd like to give thanks to my family and to my husband who has to have an understanding because I'm hardly ever at home To my father who's no longer with me who had all my life and Tried to persuade me to get involved in the community in which I live So to all those that helped me miss thomas that helped me get this award. I say thanks I say And she's such a beautiful woman too. Look at that such a beautiful woman Reading from the prophet and a woman who held a babe against her bosom said speak to us of children And he said your children are not your children They are the sons and daughters of life longing for itself And they come through you but not from you And though they they're with you they don't belong to you You may give them your love but not your thoughts for they have their own thoughts You may house their bodies but not their souls for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow Which you cannot visit not even in your dream You can strive to be like them but seek not to make them like you for life goes not backwards not tarries with yesterday So i'm talking about a woman who has used her life and her love to take care of the most important thing we have in our whole world and that is our children Shea do i hear not shea in the audience? Okay cousins won't be falling asleep on me now Miss gladdice jefferson has had a long successful career giving care and comfort for small children Since 1977 she has operated gladdice daycare center in her home on second avenue The center is state licensed and miss jefferson has studied early childhood education at city college in san francisco And some of our earliest students now are not only college graduates but lawyers I say Okay, miss jefferson is a good business woman, but one with compassion too Her rates are the lowest in the district and sometimes if a parent needs child care but lack funds to pay for it Miss jefferson rates are free now. If there's a parent in this audience. I need a resounding a shea Yeah, because we know what it's like when we don't have any money She's active in a church in our community as well She's been an active member of missionary temple church since 1954 And she's been a longtime contributor to the police athletic league Miss jefferson and her husband has also been foster parents to more than 10 children Ah shea Ah shea I really clap hard because i'm the mother of one and it ain't easy Their only family includes two daughters ronda and karen and a son John kevin jefferson whom they adopted in 1971 It is this proud and loving son who has nominated gladdice jefferson his mother To receive this award today John can you please come up with your mother and give her the award and 27 years ago this very month This lady stepped into my life and changed it forever I want to say one thing Everyone in the audience say give god the glory Thank you Before he was assassinated martin luther king gave this speech at ebonizah church in ailana He was right. He was speaking about his impending doom He said tell them not to mention that i have a nobel peace prize in my eulogy Tell them not to mention three or four other awards I'd like somebody to mention that martin luther king tried to give his life serving others I'd like for somebody to say that martin luther king tried to love somebody Say that i was a drum major for justice Say that i was a drum major for peace That i was a drum major for righteousness and all of the other shallow things will not matter I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious life Things of life to leave behind, but I just want to leave a committed life behind With that leading a committed life. Let me talk to you a little bit about mr. Sam jordan Can I hear a nausea Sam jordan came to the bayviews hunter's point from texas in 1947 and began boxing to earn money Boxing He entered the golden gloves in 1948 and won the heavyweight division He then became a professional boxer and of the 20 fights he fought he lost only five Don't miss with mr. Jordan With the same tenacity he became a member of the local six and longshoreman union during this time He became aware of labor issues and politics He not only wanted to start his own business in january of 1959 He opened his own bar and grill and it was called sam jordan's It is it is this business that has been the mainstay in our community for close to 40 years Ache Sam jordan had catered many affairs in the neighborhood at a low cost. Could I have an ache for food? Okay, that's the least common and the greatest common denominator because we all can eat During the time he first opened his business. There were no african americans working on third street Mr. Jordan helped to organize a protest and picketed a grocery store After only one day the grocery hired his first black employees and other businesses along third street Marched in line. This is one of mr. Jordan's first forays into politics. I shade for black employment Bayview hunters point was known as butchertown because of the existence of a slaughterhouse industry in the neighborhood For over 35 years sam jordan has been known as the mayor of butchertown because it's 1963 bid for mayor His platform was equal opportunity and he ran on the freedom now party ticket There were eight candidates in that race and mr. Jordan came forth Losing not losing but not getting the job to jack shelly Even though he didn't win that one Mr. Mr. Jordan did bring to light the need for equal opportunity in our city Sam jordan is a good role models for would be entrepreneurs I love this quote. I love this quote. He said when I started my bar, I didn't even know how to mix a dream Now how many of you gonna start something where you don't know the first thing about it? Now that it's true faith. God was operating full time. Okay He said when my first customer came in and asked for a bourbon and water. He was terrified But he pushed through that fear and he began a long career in business And if he says if he can do it so can all of us Ah, shea Although sam jordan is presently in poor health But our thoughts and our very best wishes are with him His community spirit is alive and well in the friends and supporters that he made over the year Could I please have his cousin to rome collins come up and accept the award for him? Please give mr. Collins a hand two things to say. I have to make a lot of cakes and pies too Ah And dr. Fuller my brother Had a lot to do dr. Fuller too because he helped him deliver the medication But I please have katia akuri come up and introduce sounds from the ground Let's give her a little hand there First giving honor to god the omnipotent To my ancestors To my wonderful parents my mother just joined my father Last month so they're now both sitting on the right hand of god And speaking of elders before I go any farther dr. Rowland fuller May I have your permission to speak please? Thank you That's one thing that we've fallen out of we've fallen away from our culture And we don't respect our elders like we should We should teach our young people this and these different traditions I'm here To present the award to a group that I nominated sounds from the ground Who are from bayview hunters point? double rock sonny dale lake view And the east bay that's unity at work I have done many events over the years and they have been so supportive Not only our members in the group were part of the hunters point uprising in 1966 and People have a tendency of looking down on those people, but I look at those people as my freedom fighters because they protested police brutality And substandard living living in bayview hunters point in all over the city for black people back there And dr. Fuller can attest he was also a victim of police brutality now. Can you see dr. Mrs. Fuller being victims of police brutality? What in is did they present to be? Jumped on but I remember that I was a young child But I do remember that and people like the group from sound from the ground They were out there on third street in 66 protesting this During this uprising and in south african have the a and c to do uprising If swapper didn't uprise from the media and many others a lot of those countries would then be free Aside from their Fortitude, they are very heartfelt young men A couple of years ago. I was on my way to a Thanksgiving dinner And happened to have my camcorder with me and drove down Jennings street and those from the neighborhood understand Jennings street at fist drill between fist drill and egg bird. That's the kona Okay, and you know who was down on the kona Well, I found out I stopped and decided to videotape and find out that these young men had Put their hard earned cash together because they all they're going to the employed Okay, bmw is black working black men working So they took their money and they bought The boxes that safely have the complete dinners And they took those dinners down To the people who hang out on Jennings between Fitzgerald and egg bird So that they could have Thanksgiving meal because most of them live out of shopping carts And they were not going to leave their shopping carts and go all the way down the glide just for a turkey dinner So sounds from the ground took this to them And I thought that was so thoughtful They play at different events And you don't have to pay them They're not out giving me a contract paid me cash by the time it's over with I've dealt with those kinds of groups They're there out of the kindness of their hearts They don't look down on people To me they epitomize What Jesus was He hung out and took care of the lowest of the low They understand that But not for the grace of God There go I And I like that principle about them and I like to call up brother Jerome Collins once again And sounds from the ground to get their award A group who has kept the African culture alive in my community and I love them for it I love them for their unity their thoughtfulness And their fortitude sounds from the ground All praises to God um Wow, it's a lot of us Me and these gentlemen's we um, we stuck through thinking thin Our goal was to keep the tradition going to tradition is It's like, you know sounds of the ground. It's like, you know, it's like the opposite of Motown Motown had a certain sound what everybody loved But we gave the same sounds But we were at all the picnics all the family reunions We were we was at all the events Uh, we was the guys way over in the corner way over there playing the congo drums heads facing the sky and things I was a little kid then and I seen some of these same gentlemen up here playing And you know some 15 20 years later I end up playing with them The spirit is very very positive. They taught me a lot about how to care about people how to um Present myself dealing with the public how to be a positive role model for people of all ages And it's been an honor what I would like to give a special thanks To one of the members of the group for keeping this together I mean he hung in there through the thick and thin It's really two of them. They both start at the same time first. I would like to give a special Thanks to Mr. Nate to my left right here And to his further left. I'd like to give a special thanks to Jerome He is one of the founders that she was talking about back in the 60s and um You know, and I'm gonna let everyone else in a do stay self, you know, by the way, I'm the youngest out the group I'm telling you may feel So I'm gonna start from right to left and let them come in to do stay self I don't know my right from my left. My name is Nate Smith and I've been with the group since his beginning. Um, we're we're a little bit uh out of bay view and um, we've done a lot of um benefits some political some not weddings would have you and uh We haven't Received we've received we've received a lot of thank you's would have you but this sort of was the icing on the cake um Because we've really put a lot of work in Uh, if no one doesn't want to mention the names, I'll do that. There's toning. There's Jerome Hollywood busy be My African friend. I'll just put it like that. He's he's our inspiration in regards to that There's marco. There's edward. There's edward and got he she sort of Said it all. Uh, she nominated us for this and we're very proud to receive these awards And we thank you very much Before my partners want to continue talking I want to thank you for your presence because Sounds for the ground. We are really great because of you Uh, it's a win-win situation and um god sent me and Allow me to join him about three years ago, although they've been Doing it a long time ago and uh, we join in tents of god is uh Publishing company that the lord is allowing us to build at a Carson Nevada and we have a book now called How to find and keep everlasting love Is all based in the bible the word of god and because of all the divorces in america Where there is so much abundance and what happened to the abundance of love Mr. Fuller, I want to be like you when I grow up with mama on my side Etc. Etc. So we play for baptisms. We play play for weddings. Wedding is our specialty. We play for the wedding of dr Dr. Davis at the senior center in uh, they view it was great. What a wonderful wedding And the sounds do something. We are come from the ground everything the lord created the ground and unfortunately We are don't come from the animals like Mr. Darwin says because we are emotional we think and uh, you know when a Person that is lost their mind Uh, have a baby They continue in the in the confusion when an animal that loses mine has a baby Even if he's still dead Um It's an instant love is an instant with them with us It has something to do with god when we give the love of god to others Which we appreciate from you. We're giving something real something valuable. May god bless you hi uh, i'm ever ryan and uh, I had a pleasure of being in a group for the past four years and um Just a spirit when we play out there on a jenny street Around a lot of people that might be unfortunate behind their mind Situation their mind is is an unfortunate situation sometimes So we sing songs to try to uplift Lord we try to uplift them and let them know we sing songs like why we got to be poor in america because It's been so much that our Four fathers mothers have spent their lives and been through slavery been through everything and now we're free We really don't have to be poor when we're rich in our spirit and rich in ourselves So when we sing freedom songs freedom justice equality for all people And we sing let that love flow through your veins So when we drumming we play the same african beats like the six saves four fours the you know And uh hp and uh, you know, hey, hey, I so we just We just jam and we come from the spirit God send us words and uh, we put them out there and we hope you be out there some time to hear us So uh, we can entertain you So god bless you and thank you very much for this award Thank you On a wonderful day like today I promise you I wouldn't sing to you, but I changed my mind Now we're going to have a selection from the hills project string group There these these young people are going to be performing on february 28th at the san francisco Rounder museum at the live oak theater in berkeley on march the first Lanny college on march the 7th and 8th and at the san francisco library on march the 21st You guys have been absolutely phenomenally wonderful. Can you give your hand yourselves a hand? I got so many nice relatives farmers today My name is cash killian and I worked with the uh hills program that uh Ingrid hills to implement that's working at rosa parks john sweat and ben franklin And also next year it would be in berkeley and oakland uh ingrits Has started program because they have taken the arts out of the school And she's starting to put you know, I have several students I teach violin cello and bass And these are two of my private students that came to play today But the but the program is helping all the kids that are not getting music So it's a blessing that you know somebody can like ingrid put time in to help kids that are not getting music Because I think a lot of our youth are getting robbed from music because all the heroes are rapping That's all that's not all the music there is You know, so it's very important that they understand their culture and heritage in their history Okay, and I like to say that uh Support your support your kids go to your school help your kids. It helps them whenever I have my Students mothers or fathers come the kids play better to perform better in school. You got to support your kids You know, if you don't support them, who's going to support them? You don't want them, you know, they're smart. It's just got to they got to be they got to have a lesson every day So you got to teach them something and help them. Okay The first cello is Kayla O'Neill she's playing cello And jay wine jane is also playing cello Kayla is also a versatile She works. She's got a scholarship with the opera. She's also a dancer. She's also a violinist. So she's going to play a violin, please also Okay So the first composition that we're going to play is called the french folk zone And the second composition they're going to play is called lightly row Okay, so we'll start with that and I'll tell you what else what else we're going to play What kind of nature boy and nature girl? It's all pretty famous Bill treat we have A miss cathleen jackson here and she has She's a writer and producer of scenes from we are your sister And she is going to be performing At the rondo museum on the 28th of february at the live oak theater in berkeley on the first At lany college the seventh and eight and at the library on the 21st So if you got your day timers if you can draw any of those dates down I'm sure she would really appreciate your support. So please help me welcome cathleen jackson to the stage Actually, the performers are felita santos and stacey towns in when we are your sisters Thank you. We knew what unity meant But in the 80s things started changing I am a black lesbian feminist poet And I am your sister Because of my sexual preference, are we going to continue to let the racist of this country divide us? That's doing my work I ask each one of you here today Are you doing yours in 1965? I was raising two children and a husband in a three-room flat Worked as a librarian And then I started writing That's when I discovered my true calling in life On a collection of poetry and the cancer journals about my fight against breast cancer in the 60s I was asked to justify such thing as a single issue struggle Because we do not live single issue lives Malcolm was where there's a kind of name calling being used to keep young black women in line As soon as she begins to realize she's called a lesbian no matter how she identifies herself sexually What do you mean you don't want to make coffee take notes wash dishes go to bed with me? You're some kind of lesbian or something? And at the threat of such a dreaded taint often she falls meekly in line The word lesbian is only threatening to those women who are intimidated by their sexuality Or who allow themselves to be defined by others Black women are black men Actions that separate one individual from another that excludes and ostracize Many of you Don't realize it But dealing with cancer is a political issue On labor day 1978 I met cancer During my monthly self-exam I discovered a lump in my right breast It was malignant and I had a mistake I passed through many stages of pain despair fury and sadness But I had to decide the best treatment for me There was a straight medical procedure Surgery radiation chemotherapy All the holistic approach with vitamins and experimental enzyme therapy I Had to decide what was best for me. I was forced to look at myself And my living with an urgent clarity that shook me but made me stronger I felt possessed by a rage. He was determined to do whatever was necessary to keep on living I wondered if I would be able to sustain that determination after I left the hospital if I left After surgery I couldn't move my arm or my shoulder both were numb An ace bandage was wrapped around my chest And two plastic tubes ran into a plastic bottle at my side, but I was alive I had been to war like so many other women World women with breast cancer are warriors My specialty in the cosmic war against radiation air pollution animal fight is still going I refuse to hide people believe if you cover up a problem it ceases to exist And since society plays the political game They are blacklist new therapies without testing them And breast cancer rates keep increasing woman Has a militant responsibility to become actively involved in her own health We all have a section of all the information we can get about treatment of cancer Before we may have a reason to use it Breast reconstruction is big business Society is only concerned with treatment and not prevention These are the political and social issues that exclude been ostracized It is important for me to love my life Rather than mourn my breasts I would not have chosen this path to do my work But I am very glad to be who I am Still here The biggest night of my life Those cats with Count Basie and Artie Shaw's fans could see me now This is some homecoming all the hassles are paying off The holiday at Carnegie Hoda believe I make it here Back in 1937 and 38 Turing with the bands Hope we had some rough times We traveled 500 and 600 miles There was hardly any rehearsal time between us By the time I got my hair done and my clothes pressed I was broke I was only making $14 a week Wasn't even worth the hassle It was especially bad in the south Not being allowed to eat in restaurants Or go to hotels or to use the restroom We performed in riff-rack joints And classy hotels But it didn't matter They still treated us like trash It wasn't just the south though Sometimes they treated us just as bad in cities like Detroit And New York My hometown Those old faves So stupid They just kept creating problems Because I was the only black in an all-white band Most times the only woman on tour I mean I already did what he could to make things easier for me But you just can't change the world overnight I even got fired at the famous door Real popular joint in New York City They said me and Teddy Wilson were too friendly with the customers Yeah, we could see No mingling with the white folks after the singing was over Well I wish I could see their faces I'll never forget this night March 27th 1948 And they said the American public would never accept me again After being in jail Thank you, mister Thank you, mama Thank you, god The difference in entertainment We present to you the great Miss Billy Holliday Where else can you hear Billy Holliday on a Sunday other than the San Francisco library To say to you Miss Billy Holliday, I say The prophet it says then said a rich man, rich man speak to us of giving You give little when you give of your possessions It is when you give of yourself that you truly give For your possessions are things that keep guard for fear you may need them tomorrow And what is fear but fear What is fear need but need itself? They give so much that they may live for to withhold is to to perish For mr. John Templeton to withhold Is to perish John Templeton is a prolific speaker Journalist historian Editor and creator of the book series an exhibition our roots run deep the black experience in california This here is a poster of mister on Templeton's exhibit And it's here right now in your san francisco library. That's all you have to do is go up some stairs So if you get the opportunity you really have to see this he also is having Dorothy Dan Danridge in karman jones on tuesday the 24th at 5 30 p.m Yes, it's your library so This amazing man is an honors graduate at howard university school of communication He gained early reporting experience with wb tv and charlotte north carolina and with the washington post After a graduate study on the history of the black press at the university of north carolina Templeton became executive editor of the new winstam salem chronicle and later became editor and general manager of the richman afro-american And this is how deep this gentleman is he was exposed to the leading edge technologies of silicon valley Therefore he created Electron access incorporated. It's a multimedia developer I'm not really sure what that is But i know that it produces growth the american the african-american business daily on sign online Aspired book publishing and digital growth which is interactive software and instructional television Wow He maximizes access of information through the use of multiple communication mediums And through multimedia venture which educate us all about the opportunities available in technology And this is really important folks because you know There's only going to be two people in in the united states in a real near future the information rich And the information poor This man is bringing and making all of us information rich Ashe Mr. Templeton Templeton is in the business of educating and you know the original Um definition of education is is a latin word and it's to draw out. So not only um So mr. Templeton is drawing out education for all of us through producing exhibitions Documentaries programs and workshop which bring knowledgeable panelists together to educate and to empower Templeton's activism includes speaking at local state and national forums He informs and encouraged legislators and forming them of the vital contribution of african-american He has conducted numerous Tours which validate african-american achievement and presence in the 1880s in today's financial district of san francisco He's erected street banners in the area of historical sites marking the contributions of important african-americans The artifacts and historical sites are kept alive in the mind of our young people Because mr. Templeton has allowed history to be kept alive We honor you now mr. Templeton for reminding us of the rich historical contribution of our ancestors and through their works and contributions We may be motivated. We may be empowered and we may be able to make the same contributions ourselves Please come up mr. Templeton Thank you We all stand on the shoulders of those who come before us and as part of my Publishing I had an opportunity to look at my own family history Back through nine generations back to our motherland and I found out that My ancestors on both sides of my family Have been owning property and paying taxes and having employees Since the 1790 census in our dill county, north carolina despite that when my father Was one of the first blacks to serve in a us navy submarine during world war two when he returned from Mara island naval shipyard and wanted to go into engineering school He was told there were no places for blacks to study engineering So He's an unsung hero that I'd like to receive this reward on behalf of I also want to receive it on behalf of my mother who was a high school valedictorian but she also Did not have the opportunity to attend college but She didn't let that deter her and she had three children who were high school valedictorians And another who was a national merit scholar So it is With great honor and praise to those two unsung heroes that I accept this reward and I just say that uh To those who much is given much is expected and I'll try to live up to those expectations. Thank you I'm reading a quote by robin Davidson She said the two most important things I learned were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be And the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step and making the first decision I don't think that was very hard for miss barber winger as a resident of the haze valley neighborhood Our next sorority is committed to working for the benefit of her community Three years ago She organized the friends of haze valley street with the objective of improving the conditions of the koshland park and haze valley playgrounds I just think that's wonderful. So somebody to step up and go for our playgrounds for our children. Ah shea All right, she was she she has raised money from the open space committee and from private sources to resign the park To redesign the park and to make it a safe place for children and families the redesign includes the teaching community Garden another important aspect of mrs. Winger activity has been a partnership Forge with john mure elementary school Located between the haze valley north and south housing development This has resulted in an expansion of john mure's campus to include koshland park Conditions at the haze valley playground are also being improved through the volunteer efforts sparked by mrs. Winger When the haze valley north development opens this spring the families there will return to a healthier more productive environment Thank you, judy edmund who nominated winger for this award She is no longer an unsung hero because we're singing to her today. Please come up mrs. Winger I don't know if you're as much in shock As having me up here as i'm in shock of being up here and I am very humbled by being awarded this And I I am I didn't prepare anything But I have to be short and I wanted to just read something that's been tremendously inspiring to me When people people are unreasonable illogical and self-centered Love them anyway If you do good people may accuse you of selfish motives Do good anyway If you are successful you may win false friends and true enemies Succeed anyway The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow Do good anyway Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable Be honest and transparent anyway What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight Build anyway People who really want help may attack you if you help them Help them anyway Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt Give the world your best anyway This is from mother Teresa Anyway, thank you so much Candle A candle is a small thing And one candle can light another and as it gives flames to the others see how its own light increases Charles Zeta Austen's insight and determination with her adult literacy program gave light With the power to dispel darkness Through books Love of knowledge is born and the light created when one mind Just one mind illuminates the flame of knowledge is enlarged and that light is an internal one Charles Zeta Austen started the san francisco adult literacy program in 1967 When she realized that thousands of adults were unable to get work because they couldn't read She conducted classes anywhere she could Including her own kitchen She's been a volunteer for literacy for more than 30 years If you've ever in your life read a book that you enjoyed give me an hache Besides teaching miss austen has become nationally loaned speaker and writer on the subject of adult literacy According to dr. Martha McHenry who nominated her for this reward award The literacy workshop she has given across the country have inspired many other people to become volunteers The need to help adults improve their reading skills is well known today There are many fine organizations promoting adult literacy including the san francisco public library Own excellent program project read which began in 1983 With grants from the friends of the library and the state of california literacy program But charles zeta austen came first By 1983 she had already spent 15 years Teaching adults to read before the rest of the country caught on Ah, shea my dear ah She didn't wait for no foundation. She didn't wait for the government She didn't wait for anything But the absolute faith that god had gave her that she could make a contribution. What are we waiting for? She recognized the need and she acted that's why charles zeta austen is my hero and a true untung hero Come on up. Mrs. Austin We have no address For the literacy center Why What do you want to know for do you want to know who can't read? It's dumb to want to know that your neighbor can't read You want to embarrass them? We have no Student on parade Nobody knows Who the students are They're your next-door neighbors They're in your family Brothers and sisters I had a brother that couldn't read it. I didn't know it and I was beside him a lot of time He bought the newspaper every day I didn't know he wasn't reading it I didn't know he couldn't read it And so you don't embarrass people And Everybody is not equipped To help You have to have training first Just because you know how to read don't give you the right to think you know how I was dumb enough to be that way And I soon found out that everybody Can't be helped because I know how to read I had to alter my attitude And the attitude of the teacher the potential teacher the volunteer Is one of the most important things we have When you get your attitude right Then you can help somebody else Learn how to read But if your attitude is wrong, you're only gonna hurt them And you don't want to hurt anybody It takes a long time Sometimes to undo The wrong teaching The wrong method And the wrong understanding And just because a person begins to know how to read Doesn't mean that you automatically just take An eraser and erase the 10 the 20 years of non-reading They missed a lot In 10 and 20 years And learning how to read is a slow meticulous process And you need to be aware Yes, help everybody But parents of young children Don't trust nobody to teach you a child How to read Make sure they're not looking and guessing Make sure they're understanding phonics Make sure they know the multiple meanings of words This is so important And you can do it And parents, you have the obligation To do this for your children I want to thank everybody and particularly Martha back Henry For nominating me for this award But as I talk to the audience here, I see now, I want you to Yes, help somebody Help your children, your grandchildren But don't try to teach them Let them learn to teach themselves They go to the grocery store They eventually go to the library When you read books, don't read them page one, two, three, four, five Because they're smart enough to memorize it Make sure they learn how to read Because you can go To school six years And not really know how to read You've just learned to look and guess And then this day and age Look and guess won't get it Thank you We have one more presentation One more selection before we leave But I just wanted to tell you about my cousin Jed My cousin Jed had a farm out in Oklahoma And he accidentally fell off of his tractor once And it was really, really bad And he was telling my Aunt Mabel his final words And he said, Mabel, I remember in 1904 You had to get married in a sack But you're still married, Mabel And I so appreciate it And then in 1942, you wanted to send our three children to college But by that time I had a really bad crops And we didn't have nothing But a couple of peas on the table But you stayed with me, Mabel And then in 1952, Mabel, you wanted our kids to go to college But I had another bad year And all of a sudden, Mabel They didn't get to go nowhere So now I'm sitting to you and I'm telling you, Mabel Saying my final words He looked a straight in the face and he said, Mabel I think you're bad luck Now my uncle Jed didn't know too much about self-responsibility He didn't know that it was his fault And he died on his deathbed blaming my Aunt Mabel Who went off and married a millionaire shortly thereafter Happy to say So I just wanted to end with just a couple of announcements But first of all, I wanted to just read a little short poem that I wrote Because I was inspired by all my beautiful cousins here And don't forget about me, visit me sometime And send me invitations to dinner because I don't cook And my poem is, and this is to each and every one of you And if you don't take anything away today Take some of this with you Did anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are? Have they told you today yet? I'm here to tell you how beautiful you are Born from pure potential Shining with such great Your life in eternal beacon Coming from a beautiful face Wandering through the forest, have you ever felt out of place? Never forget the wonder Unique style and grace A living manifestation of the divine Unique in time and space A million years could never explain the magnificence Of each of your individual existence Perfection unframed Your beauty will continually grow Never will we see Have faith in the universe And just simply believe That's my gift to you I bless you all I'm Veronica Dangerfield And I love you