ABOUT US
The Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation (the Foundation) is dedicated to extending Dr. King’s vision by helping people to connect to community and to service through ongoing, targeted initiatives throughout the San Francisco bay area and the northern California region.
photo by Paul WatersFor nearly three decades the City and County of San Francisco has hosted one of the nation’s premier annual events celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1986 the King family engaged Rev. Cecil Williams to establish the organization to host Northern California’s annual birthday celebrations in honor of Dr. King. On December 28, 2009, Rev. Cecil Williams urged that a new leadership carry on the work fostered for nearly a quarter of a century. And, after discussions with a core group of long-time committee members, the Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation was launched in the spring of 2010 to build on this great legacy and to further extend Dr. King’s mission by helping people connect to community and service.
• In January 2011 and 2012 over 15,000 celebrants each year gathered in San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and Yerba Buena Gardens, the site of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Waterfall (the nation’s third largest public monument in honor of Dr. King). And now, after nearly two decades, Yerba Buena serves as our annual celebration home.
• During the 2011 MLK birthday celebration events renowned bassist Marcus Shelby and his jazz orchestra launched his newest jazz recording, Soul of the Movement, in honor of Dr. King, to enthusiastic acclaim.
• In January 2012 the Foundation launched the Liberation Film Festival, with over 3,000 festival attendees viewing award-winning human interest productions, including a featured screening in partnership with Lucasfilm.
• In January 2012 over 200 children, ages 5 – 9, received free culturally rich books as part of the Foundation’s first children’s reading festival in partnership with Marcus Books, the nation’s oldest African American book seller.
The Foundation is governed by a board of directors that constitutes a balanced mix of civic, business, labor, community, and faith leaders.
According to U.S. Census Bureau the impact of the great recession took its toll on the U.S. economy. Means-tested federal government support increased by over 11% since 2007, and non-profit organizations are seeing calls for increased services.
As the nation emerges from the economic downturn, the Foundation continues to find ways to more efficiently meet its mission. This includes developing innovative partnerships, fund development and outreach programs with business, civic, cultural, academic and interfaith enterprises. And, we actively look to grow long-term relationships with willing partners that can foster win-win solutions.
The value of our in-kind contributions represent over thirty-three cents ($.33) for every dollar of cash received.
The efficiency of our operations is reflected in a low 18% administration overhead. And, we look to maximize our strategic partnerships to further lower our overall cost of operations.
Hon. Willie B. Kennedy, Chair
(Past member, S.F. Board of Supervisors; past president BART Board of Directors)
Hon. Doris Ward
(Past president, S.F. Board of Supervisors, past Assessor of the City and County of San Francisco)
Leroy King
(Labor and Civic Leader; Commissioner, San Francisco Redevelopment Agency)
Harlan L. Kelly, Jr.
(General Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission)
Timothy Paulson
(Executive Director, San Francisco Labor Council)
Gregory Johnson
(Proprietor, Marcus Books)
Jim Salinas
(Labor and Civic Leader)
Fred Pecker
(Secretary/Treasurer, ILWU, Local 6; Executive Committee member, San Francisco Labor Council)
Michael Huff, Ph.D
(Executive Director, San Francisco Hospital Council African American Health Disparity Project) Executive Committee
Gail L. Jackson-McCray, Esq.
(Civic and Community Leader) Executive Committee
Rev. Dr. Joseph Bryant, Jr.
(Sr. Pastor, Calvary Hill Community Church; Executive Director, Northern California chapter of Rainbow/PUSH) Executive Committee
Rev. Floyd Trammell
(Sr. Pastor, First Friendship Institutional Baptist Church)
Jaqueline Keys-Guidry
(Community and Civic Leader) Executive Committee
Rev. LeSean Tarkington
(Assoc. Minister, Bethel AME Church)
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Aaron Grizzell
Executive Director
*Titles and occupations are for informational purposes only
