2008 Koshland Connect - The San Francisco Foundation

8 introducing the
2007 koshland fellows
Meet eight community heroes doing extraordinary
work in West Berkeley.
11 collaborating around immigration
The Koshland Program and the FAITHS Program host a
day of learning about immigration issues.
14 bob friedman: continuing a legacy
A conversation with Koshland Committee member Bob
Friedman about the inspiration behind his work and the
Koshland Program’s testament to his grandfather.
18 lessons from new orleans
The Koshland delegation learns about economic
and social justice at PolicyLink’s national summit.
5 koshland program model
12 neighborhoods on the move
16 lasting impact
20 neighborhoods and fellows
in the news
22 koshland committee + staff
KOSHLANDCONNECT
08

Dear Friends,
It is with honor and pleasure that we present our annual newsletter, celebrating the Koshland
Program and the tireless community leaders working in neighborhoods throughout the Bay Area.
To honor Dan Koshland’s commitment of acknowledging and supporting community leaders and his
legacy of promoting civic unity, the Foundation created the Koshland Program in 1982.
Twenty-six years later, we have honored 21 neighborhoods and more than 250 people. Twenty-six
years later, we continue to work with community leaders, residents, and other stakeholders to
improve the quality of life within their neighborhood. Twenty-six years later, we continue to recognize
the myriad of people that inspire our work and help inform our engagement and community building
efforts in neighborhoods.
The leadership development experience of the Fellows in West Berkeley and the Bayview neighborhood
of San Francisco are highlighted in the newsletter, as well as an update on projects in the Iron
Triangle neighborhood of Richmond and the Monument Corridor neighborhood of Concord.
2000
6 Canal
san rafael
Last summer, we celebrated ten new Koshland Community Fellows from the Ashland/Cherryland
neighborhood, an unincorporated area of San Leandro, and began our five year journey with them.
The next edition of the Koshland Connect will feature these Fellows and highlight their progress.
Finally, this issue of the Koshland Connect is dedicated to the memory of three San Francisco
treasures: Lois Sims, a Western Addition Koshland Awardee (1982) and a Koshland Committee
member emeritus, and Bill Sorros and Jack Davis, both South of Market (SOMA) Awardees (2001).
Their spirits live on in the neighborhoods they lived, worked, and loved.
Despite the myriad of problems our society is facing – including economic turmoil, home
foreclosures, escalation in crime, mass lay-offs, and the loss of American soldiers in Iraq – inspiration
can be found in the great work of these everyday citizens we are fortunate to work with through
the Koshland Program.
Fondly,
Retha Robinson, Director
Koshland Program
Midge Wilson, Chair
Koshland Committee
2006
1 Bayview
san francisco
2001
5 South of Market
san francisco
1996
10 Chinatown
san francisco
1995
Oceanview
11 Merced·Ingleside
san francisco
Retha Robinson
koshland program director
Harmony Karp
editor
Andrew Olsen, Jason Torres Hancock,
Grace Ma, Josephine Stevenson, Gloria Bruce,
Harmony Karp
contributors
Talya Gould
editorial assistant
Amici Design
design
Kathy Sloane, Erin Kunkel, Talya Gould
photography
Koshland Connect, 2008
Published annually by
The San Francisco Foundation
The San Francisco Foundation
225 Bush Street, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94104-4224
tel: 415.733.8500
fax: 415.477.2783
email: info@sff.org
Visit us online at www.sff.org/koshland
1991
13 Mission
san francisco
1990
15 Tenderloin
san francisco
1985
17 Visitacion Valley
san francisco
1984
18 Potrero Hill
san francisco
1983
19 Western Addition
san francisco
On the Cover: Students at Berkeley Technology Academy
2

marin
san francisco
6
10
19 15 5
13
18 1
11 17
7
1999
Bayshore·Crocker 7
daly city
12
contra costa
2
20
3
14 9
4
16
san mateo
21
8
alameda
2004
Iron Triangle 2
richmond
2003
Monument Corridor 3
concord
1998
West Boulevard·El Pueblo·
Parkside·Downtown 8
pittsburg
1992
Central and North Richmond 12
richmond
2008
Ashland ·Cherryland 21
unincorporated alameda county
2007
West Berkeley 20
berkeley
2002
West End of Alameda 4
alameda
1997
San Antonio 9
oakland
1990
West Oakland 14
oakland
1989
Elmhurst 16
oakland
3

The San Francisco Foundation established
the Daniel E. Koshland Civic Unity Awards in
1982 to honor one of its founders and major
benefactors, who had built a reputation for
practical, bold, and even risky
philanthropy in his efforts to improve the
quality of life for all Bay Area residents.
Daniel Koshland devoted his energy
and resources toward alleviating injustices
and discrimination. His focus was on
bringing together leaders
from neighborhoods, the private sector,
government, and philanthropy to solve
community problems.
The Koshland Program is overseen by
The San Francisco Foundation’s Koshland
Committee, which is comprised of Koshland
family members and local leaders who are
committed to improving the
quality of life in the Bay Area.
In the spirit of Daniel Koshland’s life and work, the Koshland
Civic Unity Awards recognize Bay Area grassroots risk-takers—those social innovators of
bold spirit who accept the most stubborn neighborhood problems as a personal challenge
and who work collaboratively to overcome them.
4

koshland civic unity awards
Each year, the Koshland Committee selects a Bay Area
neighborhood and makes a five-year, $300,000 commitment
to that neighborhood. Through this program, the Koshland
Committee strives to:
• Build the self-awareness and confidence needed for
individuals to be creative and effective leaders in their
neighborhoods;
• Stimulate personal and professional growth among
neighborhood leaders;
• Increase understanding among different types of
people within neighborhoods; and
• Promote the concept that nurturing these differences
is a crucial element in solving neighborhood problems.
Through a community research and interview process, Koshland
staff compiles a list of community leaders and residents who are
known in the neighborhood for their innovative and consistent efforts
to bring people in the community together to achieve common goals.
The Committee selects up to 12 people to receive the Koshland Civic
Unity Award and become Koshland Community Fellows.
During the first year of the program, the Community Fellows participate
in a six-month leadership training program following a set curriculum that
focuses on building skills for more effective communication and conflict
resolution across diverse communities, promoting active citizenship and
political empowerment, and strengthening mediation and facilitation
skills. This training program commences at a weekend retreat.
Following the leadership training, the Community Fellows work together
to create a comprehensive vision and a plan for what they will achieve in
the community. In years two through five of the initiative, the Community
Fellows are invited to collaborate on a project that promotes civic unity.
The Koshland Committee encourages the Community Fellows to consider:
• Activities/projects that promote unity within the neighborhood;
• Leadership development activities; or
• Programs that celebrate diversity within the neighborhood.
Community Fellows also receive ongoing support from the Koshland
staff to achieve their personal and professional goals. Staff provide
referrals and financial support for professional development training
and coursework and draw upon the resources of the Foundation to
connect neighborhood leaders with information and organizations
that can support them.
5

2007
West Berkeley
alameda
West Berkeley
From Sacramento Avenue down to the shore of the Bay at the
Berkeley Marina, West Berkeley has historically served as the
strong, working shoulders of the City of Berkeley and surrounding
region. It was here that immigrants from abroad, and African
American migrants from the South, moved to work the bustling
rail yards and war industries needed during World War II. Their
hard work propelled the local economy, and the industries they
worked in created a new middle class of proud homeowners,
though these industries began to decline in the 1960s.
Today, West Berkeley still serves as one of the driving forces
in the city. Approximately 1,500 businesses here employ more
than 15,000 workers and generate more than 44% of the city’s
sales tax revenues. Yet the economic health of residents in the
community is nowhere near as prosperous as these numbers
may indicate. According to the Northern California Council for
the Community, West Berkeley is one of the Bay Area’s 52 most
impoverished neighborhoods. The 2000 Census report revealed
that 60% of households are low-income, 41.1% are very lowincome,
and 31% of children live in poverty.
The face of the community is also changing. Asian and Latino populations
are on the rise. In the city of Berkeley, Asian Americans
are the second largest ethnic group, and from 1990 to 2000 the
Latino population doubled. As new immigrants move in, new
challenges and issues arise, especially for African Americans who
have been vital to the neighborhood’s prosperity and culture.
Students at Berkeley Technology Academy.
In 1990, African Americans accounted for 40.6% of West Berkeley
residents. In a ten-year span the population fell to 29.1% according
to the U.S. Census. By 2003, the median income of black
households was less than half that of white and Asian households
across Alameda County.
“The economy is by far the most serious issue for everyone,
especially those already living on a tight budget,” said Victor
Diaz, principal of the Berkeley Technology Academy and Koshland
Fellow. “This obviously impacts our schools. Regardless of what
people may think, parents from West Berkeley care deeply about
their children’s education and want to be intimately involved.”
Immigration information is exchanged at a BOCA-sponsored citizenship
education event.
6

The Koshland Program recognizes the challenges facing this
community and has selected eight leaders from the West
Berkeley neighborhood as winners of the 2007 Koshland Civic
Unity Awards. These eight Koshland Community Fellows will
devise a strategic plan toward community improvement through
Koshland’s $300,000, five-year commitment to West Berkeley.
“West Berkeley is a neighborhood in transformation,” described
Retha Robinson, director of the Koshland Program. “As older
African American families sell their homes and move out, housing
prices continue to rise. Yet many in the next generation do
not have the solid jobs that enabled their parents to become
homeowners. As residents from other parts of the Bay Area and
new immigrants scramble for affordable homes, a housing crunch
has resulted, with low-income renters bearing the brunt.”
Compounding these pressures, the region faces a stark divide in
test scores of students in the public school system. At Berkeley
High School, white and Asian students perform at or well above
national averages on exams, while many African American and
Latino students perform well below the average. This trend
is also mirrored across the state. With Berkeley’s reputation
of living at the vanguard of multiculturalism and embracing
diversity, this racial disparity in the school system is especially
incongruous.
We have seen that hard work can produce change. As principal
of the Berkeley Technology Academy, Victor is part of the exciting
new cohort of Koshland Fellows whose phenomenal dedication
is felt each day in the community. Victor’s belief in students and
their abilities has attracted new educators to the school and fostered
results: this year Berkeley Technology Academy graduated
twice as many students as last year.
“Combine that with a lack of healthcare access for low-income
people, neighborhood safety concerns, and no options for
affordable housing – it reduces the sense of ownership within the
community.”
BOCA seeks to unlock the power of the people. A collection of 18
diverse Berkeley congregations, BOCA’s faith-based groups work
together to challenge regional inequities by actively engaging
parents, teachers, and government. It tackles issues ranging from
the school achievement gap, to neighborhood violence, to the
lack of affordable housing. Its members are active in translating
faith and values into action.
“We are excited to enter this partnership with West Berkeley
and this incredible cohort of Fellows,” said Retha. “Victor and
Belén exemplify this groups’ impressive level of expertise in the
neighborhood and true connections with families. The passion,
empathy, and commitment to families are evident in the everyday
work of our eight new Fellows. They are truly dialed in to the
community.”
As the new Koshland Fellows begin to map out their
strategy for investing in the neighborhood, the Koshland
Program is energized by their enthusiasm and ability to seek
innovative solutions for change. They epitomize the importance
of direct local knowledge in creating a healthier
community. Whether through local schools, congregations,
nonprofits, resource centers, or community projects, the work
of these unsung heroes resonates with the families and lives
of the residents of West Berkeley.
Shifting demographics means West Berkeley must face new
challenges. Immigrants from Mexico and Central America are
changing the neighborhood and immigration now ranks high as
an issue the community must confront. Immigration and Custom
Enforcement raids have become more common and many new residents
fear government institutions may break up their families.
“One of the challenges facing West Berkeley is not having
resources for immigrants, both legal and undocumented,” said
Belén Martinez, community organizer for Berkeley Organizing
Congregations for Action (BOCA) and a Koshland Fellow.
7

2007
West Berkeley
alameda
Meet the West Berkeley Fellows
Matt Crocker
Matt is a recent transplant to the West Berkeley neighborhood. After spending
time doing missionary work in Argentina and Pasadena, he found his way to
Berkeley at the call of The Church Without Walls, to serve as its associate pastor.
His primary focus is to promote youth ministry and neighborhood partnerships,
and has already collaborated with The Way Christian Center and Rosa Parks
Elementary School. His passion is working with youth and families in the neighborhood
– offering Bible studies and one-on-one discipleship and organizing
community events.
Victor Q. Diaz
Victor knows first-hand the challenges and rewards of being a student. His studies
in higher education have spanned from community college in San Diego, a
Bachelor of Arts from UCLA, a law degree from the New College of California Law
School, and a Master of Education from the University of San Francisco, to his
current doctoral studies in language, literacy, society, and culture at the University
of California at Berkeley. Throughout his studies, he has always worked with atrisk
high school students. He has taught at the Real Alternatives Program in the
Mission District of San Francisco and for the County Schools of San Francisco. He
was the principal of Community Academy in Boston before returning to the Bay
Area as the principal of the Berkeley Technology Academy.
David Manson
David was first recruited to volunteer with the Berkeley Boosters Police Activities
League 16 years ago when he met a Berkeley Police Officer while playing basketball.
After volunteering for nine years as a coach, he subsequently became executive
director in 2001. David has also worked as a program director with the YMCA,
managed his own consulting firm, worked for Berkeley Youth Alternatives, and
coached high school basketball. In 2001, he was named Contra Costa Times’ Bay
Area Coach of the Year. David is currently working as director of government and
community relations for Youth Employment Partnership and remains active with
the Berkeley Boosters as president of its board.
8

Gerardo Marin
Gerardo, fondly known as “Gera”, from El Paso, Texas, gravitated to Berkeley
from Colorado, enriched by his passion in teaching earth stewardship to youth.
Gerardo is currently active in empowering Latino and African American communities
through food justice work with Farm Fresh Choice of the Ecology Center
in Berkeley. As co-manager of this program, he engages residents in reclaiming
their optimal health through youth leadership cultivation, nutrition education,
and community outreach that reaffirms our collective ancestral wisdom and
honors the healing gift in all of us. Gera is actively exploring ways to strengthen
our cultures of resilience in times of economic and environmental uncertainty. He
celebrates the power of cultural sharing and creative expression as a foundation
to thrive.
Belén Pulido Martinez
Belén has lived and worked in the West Berkeley neighborhood for the past five
years. She was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, and began her involvement
in social justice work by volunteering for the Zapatista organization, the
School for Chiapas. There she met her husband and consequently made the move
with him to his home in West Berkeley. Upon arriving in Berkeley, Belén was
hired as a community organizer with Berkeley Organizing Congregations in Action
(BOCA). She has worked diligently to coordinate local organizing committees in
the congregations of BOCA’s member churches around issues of immigration,
community safety, healthcare, grassroots leadership, and educational success for
students of color to enhance the quality of life in Berkeley.
Michael McBride
Michael McBride, known as “Pastor Mike”, serves as the pastor of The Way
Christian Center. Born and raised in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco,
Pastor Mike has a strong heart for the Bay Area and urban communities throughout
the world. He has actively participated in national workshops and dialogues
surrounding racial profiling, police accountability, and young adult criminal
justice. Pastor Mike serves on various commissions and boards including the
Berkeley Housing Authority, Berkeley Black Ecumenical Minister’s Alliance,
Berkeley Technology Academy, and more. He serves as the director of Black campus
ministries at UC Berkeley, a ministry of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, and
works as the executive director of Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action
(BOCA).
9

2007
West Berkeley
alameda
Lamont Snaer
Lamont Snaer is the director of the Family Resource Center at Rosa Parks Elementary
School and coordinator for the Rosa Parks Collaborative. Born and raised in New
Orleans, Louisiana, Lamont came to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley and began
to do activism on campus. He also volunteered as a mentor for low-income children
in Berkeley and Oakland, which eventually led him to Rosa Parks Elementary. He
has worked for the Collaborative for six years at the school, at first coordinating
afterschool programs for students and their parents, and then directing the Family
Resource Center that provides individual and family counseling, case management,
dental, and vision services. He works closely and tirelessly with the principal,
the PTA, and counselors to address the issues of poverty, drug abuse, domestic
violence, and immigration issues that the Rosa Parks’ families face.
Ana Traylor
Ana grew up in West Berkeley, attended Berkeley public schools, and completed
both her Bachelor’s in Social Welfare and Master’s of Public Policy degrees at UC
Berkeley. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in Public Policy at UC Berkeley
with research focusing on racial and ethnic health and education inequities, while
working as a research and evaluation consultant for Kaiser Permanente. Ana has
remained involved in West Berkeley and passionate about the youth and families
of her community. She is currently board president of Stiles Hall, a community
service organization that provides long-term mentoring, tutoring, and college
outreach to youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. Ana is also chair of the
Alameda County Public Health Commission and a member of the West Berkeley
Foundation board.
10

Neighborhood and Faith Leaders Focus on Reforms and
Stronger Collaborations at Immigration Symposium
Built by the sweat of immigrants seeking escape from economic
and political poverty in countries across the globe, the United
States demonstrates the power of diversity in building a strong,
democratic society. These values are embodied in the inscription
of often-quoted lines from Emma Lazarus’s poem on the pedestal
of the Statue of Liberty:
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
Despite our history as an immigrant nation, today’s political
climate harkens back to the previous eras of immigrant-blame
suffered by Irish, Chinese, and Catholic newcomers to America.
Across the country, Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE)
raids are on the increase; last year there were 30,407 arrests
nationwide, nearly double the year before.
Many of the leaders celebrated by the Koshland Program have
been directly impacted by ICE raids, including deportations of
friends and constituents and heightened tensions within their
communities. When canvassed by Koshland staff, our Koshland
Community Fellows shared their eagerness to come together
across the Bay Area to share strategies and learn how immigration
policies affect their neighborhoods.
In partnership with the FAITHS and Social Justice Programs of The
San Francisco Foundation, and capitalizing on their expertise on
immigration, the Koshland Program convened Building Inclusive
Communities: A Regional Symposium on Current Immigration
Issues, in June 2008. There was a palpable necessity of such a
gathering amongst the more than 100 eager participants from the
Koshland, FAITHS, and broader San Francisco Foundation grantee
networks who participated in the conversations and workshops.
To effectively tackle issues such as affordable housing, violence,
education, and healthcare, it is essential to understand
what is at stake in a community. As immigration policy remains
unresolved, many documented and undocumented individuals
become ever more invisible, making the task of addressing
these issues that much more difficult. This summit built on years
of grantmaking and convening work by the Social Justice and
FAITHS Programs focusing on building relationships and collaboration
between newcomers and long-term residents, increasing
immigrant civic engagement, and support for comprehensive
immigration reform.
Reverend Kelvin Sauls inspires the crowd, with co-presenters Ana Pérez and
Bill Ong Hing.
A lively panel discussion kicked off the event, featuring Bill Ong
Hing, founder of Immigrant Legal Resource Center and professor
at UC Davis, Ana Pérez, executive director of the Central
American Resource Center, and Reverend Kelvin Sauls, director of
congregational development for the United Methodist Church,
co-founder of Black Alliance for Just Immigration, and a member
of the Koshland Committee.
These panelists put the presence of millions of undocumented
immigrants in the United States in the larger context of a global
economy, where tens of millions of people are migrants, many of
whom are forced to leave their home countries by desperate economic
conditions. The speakers also articulated the significance
of race in immigration policy both historically and today, making
a compelling case that immigration is a racial justice issue that
can only be fully addressed by creating multicultural alliances in
local communities and neighborhoods.
Activists and local leaders then participated in spirited conversations
and cross-examinations in six workshops. Topics included
immigration raids and enforcement, building multi-racial
alliances, immigration 101, promoting citizenship and civic
engagement, mobilizing the immigrant vote, and demystifying
the economics of immigration. Many of these discussions examined
broader concerns facing Bay Area neighborhoods.
Learning symposiums like this are just one of the ways that both
the Koshland and FAITHS Programs engage local experts. Bringing
these leaders together offers opportunities to share experiences
and learn from others in the region. Community leaders attended
the symposium not only to address the critical social issue of immigration,
but also to build alliances across cultures and share innovations
in dealing with social inequities that know no borders.
11

Neighborhoods on the Move
2007–2012
West Berkeley
berkeley
The West Berkeley Fellows group spent their first year demonstrating
true collective leadership. In the first six months,
they dug deep into the leadership training curriculum from
the Interaction Institute for Social Change (IISC). The curriculum
covered facilitative leadership, asset mapping, stakeholder
analysis, exploring personal growing edges as a leader, conflict
resolution, listening skill-building, and facilitating agreement.
At the request of the Fellows, one full-day training on race,
class, and power was also part of the curriculum with a focus
on collaborating across cultural differences, sharing personal
stories as it relates to race and class, and discussing these
issues in the context of Berkeley. The group has also shown
collective leadership as they have grown as a team, shared
personal challenges, attended each other’s events and
celebrations, and established a true space of trust and respect
for each other.
Now in their second year, they are in the midst of visioning
and planning for a project that will improve the quality
of life for their neighbors. The group has created two
working teams: communication and design. These teams
have helped to narrow the focus of the Fellows’ project
to serve youth of color from low- and mixed-income families.
A public website and an internal site have also been
created to help communicate with the larger Berkeley
community, as well as to facilitate group work, share
resources, and host archival documents. The hope for the website
is that it will expand to be a tool accessible for all Koshland
Fellows, past and present, to share resources and connect with
each other.
2006–2011
Bayview
san francisco
Now in their third year, the Bayview Fellows group has been
actively refining their community vision and project, and grown
as a team.
In practicing their leadership training principles, they have come
to understand the underlying problem in their community: connecting
disparate communities to form one large community in
the Bayview. The neighborhood is in a state of transformation,
and there are many new people coming into the community,
some of whom are conflicting with established residents. These
changes are creating a lack of trust, a lack of unity, and many
neglected spaces.
Research and community input culminated in the following
vision statment for their work:
The Koshland Bayview Fellows envision a rich, diverse community
where all residents deepen their connections across
generations and work with one another to build supportive
community relationships; where beautiful and welcoming open
spaces exist. We imagine a vital community where creativity
is celebrated, and art is an integral component to education.
Working together in unity, we will create a healthy neighborhood
where children can grow into fully active community members
for generations to come.
To realize this vision, the Bayview Fellows are partnering with the
Bayview Opera House as a hub for community building activities
and events for all residents. They have also partnered with the
YMCA to host weekly dance classes and well-attended monthly
community dance events with a live band, food, along with
Salsa and Lindy Hop lessons. In collaboration with the Mayor’s
initiative, Communities of Opportunity (COO), the group is also
supporting a mural project led by local artists to cover windows
of abandoned buildings in the Alice Griffith housing project. The
group has also been busy researching opportunities to create
more open green space, and planning for a legends walkway to
beautify and celebrate the history of the neighborhood. The walkway
will be incorporated into the design plans for the upcoming
renovated library, scheduled to open its brand new state-of-theart
building in 2011.
12

2004–2009
Iron Triangle
richmond
In its fifth year, the Iron Triangle Awardees have undergone
many transformations. After administering two rounds of
mini-grants to the community, the group wanted to make a
deeper impact in the community and create a lasting structure
for future work. The resulting new project will include rebuilding
an expanded advisory committee from within the Iron Triangle
– comprised of Koshland Awardees, neighborhood youth, and
past mini-grantees – that will create and produce a series
of neighborhood community-building events leading up to an
annual Iron Triangle Legacy Event. The committee will continue
to solicit and award mini-grants to develop material to be used
in these events, with the goal to strengthen civic unity in the
Iron Triangle by supporting neighborhood residents in
telling their own stories. This work will be sustained beyond
the Koshland partnership, as it becomes a program of the East
Bay Center for Performing Arts.
2003–2008
Monument Corridor
concord
The Monument Corridor Awardees have completed their
final year of the Koshland Program and have accomplished an
impressive amount on behalf of their community.
They successfully supported the youth tutoring and mentorship
initiative Go Get It (GGI), as well as the Emergency Fund, for the
past four years. Twenty-five students graduated successfully
from last year’s GGI program – they prepared research projects,
presented them to their classmates and parents,
toured multiple college campuses, and conducted a feasibility
study to explore the possibility of creating a youth center
in the neighborhood. GGI students and alumni also designed
and hosted a Youth Immigration Resource Day, providing
materials and scholarship information for students without
legal status and exploring issues close to home for youth
from immigrant families. They even caught the attention of
Univision Productions, which covered the event and interviewed
many of the students about their experience.
The Emergency Fund was also well-utilized this past year,
as many families in the Monument Corridor struggled to make
ends meet and faced multiple challenges as immigration raids
heightened. The Fund was able to help families avoid eviction,
purchase medications, and cover burial costs.
In the past year, the Awardees recognized the need for a
senior outreach coordinator and supported such a position with
funds matched by Catholic Charities. They also responded to
the call for organizational development support for the youth
soccer league Liga Latina, as well as leadership development
for five Neighborhood Action Teams (NATS) that are part of the
Monument Community Partnership.
13

In Conversation
with Bob Friedman
Recently Koshland Program Director Retha Robinson sat
down with Koshland Committee Member Bob Friedman
to discuss his family, philanthropy, and the direction of
the Koshland Program.
Greetings, Bob. Thanks for taking the time to have this conversation.
It’s great to have our Committee members open up
before the public in forums like this newsletter. I’d like to start
by asking you to give us a brief rundown on your background.
First of all, Retha, it’s a pleasure to have this conversation. I am a
fourth generation native of the Bay Area. After growing up here I
heeded the call to go east for university. I spent the next 20 years
on the east coast, completing my undergraduate degree before
continuing on to law school. After graduating I was fortunate
to work with Jimmy Carter, when he was governor of Georgia,
on environmental issues. Then I began my economic development
work and founded the nonprofit Corporation for Enterprise
Development to open up pathways to the mainstream economy
for low-income, and often marginalized, communities.
For readers who aren’t aware, Dan Koshland, one of the founders
of The San Francisco Foundation and the inspiration for and
namesake of the Koshland Program, was your grandfather. So I
see this entrepreneurial spirit of philanthropy runs in the family.
Any philanthropic values I have really begin with my grandfather’s
example, and then were sustained through the influence
of my parents. My grandfather was a tremendous person – he
often described himself as an abnormally normal human being.
You only had to meet him to appreciate who he was and his devotion
to the Bay Area. I revered him. He was a very funny guy and
believed having a good sense of humor meant you had the ability
to laugh at yourself.
Did you get to spend a lot of time with your grandfather?
I was in my twenties when he died. When I was growing up we
lived close to him, so he was a big influence. After I graduated
from college I wasn’t sure what to do with my career. I went to
see my grandfather and asked for his advice. He said to go speak
with his good friend Lew Butler. I asked him, “What does Lew
Butler do?” He said, “I don’t know, but he’s just like you, he wants
to change the world.”
After meeting Lew and realizing what an incredible person he
was, I decided the job I wanted was to work for him, which I did
for a year. So in the end I followed my grandfather’s advice. He
loved people in all their diversity, he really saw across racial and
class lines. Of his own philanthropy, he said others may see it as
altruistic, but he saw it as extremely selfish because it gave him
so much pleasure. After he passed away, Lew Butler and other
leaders of the community were key proponents of establishing
the Koshland Program to honor him.
It must have been a special honor for the family, having him
recognized like that.
My grandfather felt blessed by the Bay Area community. He
believed in government, civic unity, community, and social services.
I think it is telling that he was so instrumental in setting up
a community foundation, not a private one.
The Koshland Program gets his spirit right. It is a neighborhoodbased
program that embraces diverse communities, believes in
the power of civic unity, and focuses on unsung heroes who are
entrusted with granting money as they see fit within their own
neighborhood. The original Koshland Committee had these concepts
grafted into the DNA of the program.
Was this a great influence on you when you created the
Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED)?
When I founded CFED 30 years ago, the basic belief driving the
work was that low-income people have much more capacity than
they have opportunity. Fundamentally, the approach to relieving
poverty in the 20th century was creating social safety nets like
welfare and the Social Security program. While these may take
care of people, they don’t provide a way out of poverty and often
inadvertently trap families in a cycle of poverty. So what I’ve been
interested in is opening up paths to economic independence and
creating opportunities for these individuals to be producers and
creators of wealth, not just consumers. I thought I was doing
something new in promoting this idea of self-sufficiency, then I
realized it was all a part of my grandfather’s legacy.
It’s interesting how the circle connects. After living on the East
Coast, you returned to the Bay Area. How long have you been
involved with the Koshland Committee, and how did you get
involved?
14

After founding and operating CFED for quite some time I decided
to return to the Bay Area. I find that home is home. It had a lot to
do with family.
And then you joined the Koshland Committee?
Yes, that was in 2003. My mother, Phyllis Friedman, tricked
me into it. (laughter) No, I’m just kidding. The approach of
the Committee resonated with me. I think of it as an honor to,
and expression of, my grandfather. My mother served on the
Koshland Committee for a long time, she loved it. When she suggested
I should come aboard, I thought it would be nice chance
to work with my mother and with you Retha. But Mom left the
Committee soon after I joined.
You have to watch out for her, she’s a slick one. (laughter) Bob,
since you’ve been on the Committee, how have you seen the
Koshland Program evolve?
I feel the basic DNA has stayed true to form. The program has
evolved through several distinct approaches, but it has always
been about finding and recognizing unsung community leaders,
people who act as bridge-builders within their community. One
significant change is how we empower them with funding to benefit
local projects. We not only increased the pool of money, but
now ask Fellows to focus their efforts collectively on projects that
will impact the neighborhood.
Exactly. In the beginning our Koshland Fellows worked within
organizations they were affiliated with. Then it evolved and they
worked together and pooled money toward four or five different
projects they had a passion for. Now we ask them to focus on a
single issue over the five-year commitment of the program.
The Koshland Program is complex, and it promotes the communities
in many ways. This makes it wonderful, but sometimes difficult
for the outside world to comprehend the impact. By identifying,
recognizing, and awarding these fellowships to community
leaders, the program sanctions the importance of unsung heroes.
Like Lestor Dixon, who was an AC Transit bus driver in Alameda.
He created a singular community on an early morning bus route
of commuters. And then he won the Koshland award in 2002 and
in his “spare time” he created and managed the Chipman Middle
School Drum Corp, which gave these kids a chance to perform
throughout the state.
Lester is a great example of a community builder. We want to
offer more professional development support for the Fellows
and more opportunities for them as leaders of their community.
That’s right, and we have been raising the bar – expecting a more
significant, measurable, lasting, and focused impact. This is part
of our mission to work for civic unity and involve Fellows and the
larger community to improve the neighborhood.
Bob, what is your vision for the Koshland Program in the next
five to ten years?
Well, first I hope that you stay on forever, Retha! I like the course
we are on: focusing on specific projects and looking for measurable
impact in the community. The Program carries our theory
of change from neighborhood to neighborhood, though these
projects can be very different from community to community.
I think it is important to document the dimensions of each
five-year neighborhood investment so that people in the community
can appreciate the incredible work of these leaders and the
impact of their focused grantmaking.
Other ways we might work to raise the level of civic unity in the
neighborhoods is to look at some co-investment strategies and
leveraging efforts to bear an even greater imprint on positive
change in the community. And I’m sure the Program will improve
and learn from year to year as we continue our work across the
Bay Area.
Do you see your children following in the family legacy of
philanthropy?
I spoke of the connection with my grandfather, but certainly my
mother and father’s combined influence was crucial in my philanthropy.
We were taught by example regarding philanthropy and
respect for all people. They passed along this notion of investing
in our community. I’m honored to continue the family tradition
and share it with my children. It goes back to what my uncle, Dan
Koshland, Jr., once wrote in a letter to my grandfather. He wrote:
“You taught us that doing good was fun.”
15

Lasting Impact
The San Francisco Foundation’s Multicultural Fellows
caught up with several of our Koshland Awardees and
Fellows to learn more about the Koshland Program’s
real impact in the community.
2006-2011
Teresa Goines
bayview, san francisco
focus: The youth-run restaurant Old Skool Cafe
lasting impact: Networking and leveraging skills, grant writing,
and individual fundraising
Teresa looks forward to continuing the work of The Old Skool
Cafe while simultaneously transforming the Bayview with the
Community Fellows.
2006-2011
Lydia Vincent
bayview, san francisco
focus: Community building
lasting impact: Networking, information sharing, and
The San Francisco Foundation Disaster Preparedness
Advisory Committee
Lydia balances her time and efforts among various projects and
commitments, and she enjoys the camaraderie and flow of ideas
among the Bayview Community Fellows.
16

2004-2009
Jordan Simmons
iron triangle, richmond
2002-2007
Neil Tam
west end of alameda, alameda
focus: Community arts and activism
lasting impact: Strengthening social and economic justice and
increasing access to the arts
Jordan sees his Koshland Award as a reminder of the thin gossamer
thread of history linking cities like New Orleans and
Richmond – places that despite their challenges have a distinctive
culture, beauty, and energy.
focus: Education and youth
lasting impact: Dedicated improvements to education
opportunities
For Niel, the Koshland Program provides something that is
intangible. “You’re working with people, and you can’t measure
the effect of these things for a long time. Koshland gives people
opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have.”
2003-2008
Vicky Lizarraga
monument corridor, concord
2000-2005
John Young
canal, san rafael
focus: Immigrant rights and housing advocacy
lasting impact: Empowered community members, reduced
domestic violence, and more families with healthcare, child
care, and other services
Vicky loves working with a diverse group bound by a common
mission, and says that this has helped explore her own identity
since “once you meet someone new, you become different
because you learn from them.”
focus: Community building
lasting impact: Positive change across the Bay Area
and beyond
John values the long-lasting connections he made as an
Awardee, and feels an ongoing sense of community.
“We have influenced and cross-fertilized each other’s work.”
17

Working Together for Economic and Social Inclusion
PolicyLink’s National Summit Inspires and Empowers
In March 2008, a delegation of 15 Koshland community leaders,
Committee members, and staff landed in New Orleans to attend
PolicyLink’s Third National Summit on Equitable Development,
Social Justice, and Smart Growth.
The Summit provided an opportunity for people working in very
different arenas – economic development, infrastructure, housing,
workforce training, parks, education, obesity, health disparities,
social justice, the environment, and more – to come together
to reflect on the goals, challenges, and opportunities that tie us
together as a field, and to plan for the future.
Participants explored critical issues, celebrated successes, and
shared innovative policy and organizing strategies through trainings,
workshops, plenary sessions, and geographic and issuebased
caucuses. The very diverse attendees – across all demographics,
regions, experience levels, and issues areas – were
connected to a common goal to make full economic and social
inclusion a reality.
Koshland delegation at the volunteer work site in the Lower Garden District.
In addition to a wealth of sessions on topics ranging from the
changing geography of poverty and opportunity to local access
to healthy food, Danny Glover presented a clip of “Trouble the
Water,” a documentary film he produced. The compelling story
follows a Ninth Ward New Orleans couple through the storm and
its aftermath, and into a new life. Narrated and partially filmed by
the couple, the viewer experiences the storm through their eyes
and witnesses them seizing the opportunity for a new beginning.
In September, the film was released in theaters nationally.
Ora Williams, Danny Glover, and
Retha Robinson at the PolicyLink
Summit.
Koshland Fellows working to put
siding on the tool shed of the First
United Church in the Lower Garden
District.
The group had the opportunity to explore the vibrant New
Orleans community outside of conference activities. West
Berkeley Fellow Lamont Snaer invited everyone to dinner with his
family, and they enjoyed a festive New Orleans-style meal in their
home. They also volunteered at the First United Church in
the Lower Garden district assisting with the rehab of a shed
attached to its volunteer housing. The group picked up
hammers to attach aluminum siding on the shed and prepared
the multi-purpose room to receive visiting volunteers.
18

The impact of the conference on our delegation is best heard
directly from them:
“The highlight for me was the focus on organizing
strategies and successful approaches in spite
of obstacles, as well as shared best practices and
inspiring testimonies of positive developments.
I was impressed that the majority of the attendees
were people of color, people working from so
many different angles toward similar goals.”
–Gerardo Marin, West Berkeley Fellow
“I really benefited from getting to know our team
better and being exposed to many of the hot issues
that policymakers are addressing and organizers
are fighting for and against, including housing,
gentrification, education, race issues, and land-use.
The biggest strategy I’ll implement is being aware
of the necessity – not option – of partnering with
other people and agencies in order to get lasting,
meaningful work done to better a community.”
–Matt Crocker, West Berkeley Fellow
“The workshops on men and boys of color helped
me see a greater context for linking educational
outcomes to public policy development. I also
felt inspired by the resilience of the New Orleans’
community, culminating with the crab, shrimp,
and crawfish feed at Lamont’s family’s house.
The ability of Southern folks to maintain their
sense of hospitality and compassion to strangers
with so much going on is always a blessing to a
West Coast person like myself.”
–Michael McBride, West Berkeley Fellow
“Although I have been involved with movement
building efforts for over 30 years, I learned so
much more about public policy and community
programs that engage the working poor as contributors
to community development practices.
Continuing to refresh myself, as well as my staff,
on public policy trends and initiatives is critical
to our ongoing success.”
–John Young, Canal Awardee
“The workshops delving into equitable education
and the information sharing were highlights for
me. I was also proud to be part of the hundreds
of people attending the summit, gathered from all
over the country with different professions from
community organizers to city officials. It was very
powerful.”
–Belén Pulido Martinez, West Berkeley Fellow
“The tour of the public and affordable housing
areas of New Orleans was very meaningful to me.
The incredible community activists that led the
tour gave a very moving and in-depth narrative
about their struggles to ensure a one-for-one
replacement of the housing units lost.”
–David Manson, West Berkeley Fellow
“The highlight for me was all the tangible
information I gathered at the conference. I made
good contacts who will hopefully inform the work
I am doing here with teachers dealing with kids
with “Toxic Stress.” I also heard good ideas
about how to involve former felons in talking
to kids here at Rosa Parks Elementary School.”
–Lamont Snaer, West Berkeley Fellow
“I hope to learn more about how we can build
bridges between activism and policy changes,
movement building and political change. The
men of color session and how it connects with
the industrial prison industry was very insightful
and empowering.”
–Reverend Kelvin Sauls, Koshland Committee Member
19

Neighborhoods + Fellows in the News
Teresa Goines
[October 19, 2008 ]
West End of Alameda Awardees
[February 22, 2008 ]
Volunteer helps youth get skills,
In March 2008, a delegation of 15 Koshland community leaders,
Committee paycheck members, and staff landed in New Orleans to attend
PolicyLink’s Third National Summit on Equitable Development,
Social Justice, and Smart Growth.
Bayview—When the gang-prevention program she was working with in
the Mission District lost its funding, Teresa Goines recognized that there
was a need for a comprehensive violence-prevention program for at-risk
The Summit provided an opportunity for people working in very
young people ages 16 to 24. In 2005, she came up with the idea for Cora
different Jean’s arenas Old Skool – Cafe, economic a youth-run development, supper club/internship infrastructure, program with housing,
workforce a 1940s theme. training, The program, parks, which education, is named after obesity, her mother, health was disparities,
created
to boost the interns’ entrepreneurial and conflict resolution skills
while
social
nurturing
justice,
their
the
creativity.
environment, and more – to come together
to reflect on the goals, challenges, and opportunities that tie us
together as a field, and plan for the future.
Participants explored critical issues, celebrated successes, and
shared innovative policy and organizing strategies through trainings,
workshops, plenary sessions, and geographic and issue-
Jordan Simmons
[June 13, 2008 ]
based caucuses. The very diverse attendees – across all demographics,
regions, experience levels, and issues areas – were
connected to a common goal to make full economic and social
inclusion a reality.
Efforts to revive Richmond’s
‘Main Street’ move forward
In addition to a wealth of sessions on topics ranging from the
changing geography of poverty and opportunity to local access
to healthy food, Danny Glover presented a clip of “Trouble the
Iron Triangle—Renovation of the East Bay Center for the Performing
Water,” Arts a in documentary the historic Winters film Building he produced. is slated to The begin compelling early next year. story
follows The a $10.5 Ninth million Ward project New will Orleans include a couple seismic retrofit, through two the new storm theaters, and
more classroom and performance space for the community, and restoration
of the historic facade, said Jordan Simmons, artistic director.
its aftermath, and into a new life. Narrated and partially filmed
by the couple, we experience the storm through their eyes and
witness them seizing the opportunity for a new beginning. In
September, the film was released in theatres nationally.
We had the opportunity to explore the vibrant New Orleans community
outside of conference activities. West Berkeley Fellow
Diane Gray & Jackie Cohen
[ February 2008 ]
Lamont Snaer invited us to dinner with his family, and we enjoyed
a festive New Orleans style meal in their home. We also volunteered
at the First United Church in the Lower Garden district
assisting with the rehab of a shed attached to its volunteer housing.
Our Black group picked History up hammers Month to attach aluminum siding on
the shed and prepare the multi-purpose room to receive up to 80
Local Heroes
volunteers.
KQED and Union Bank of California, in association with Kaiser
The impact of the conference on our delegation is best heard
Permanente, proudly announce the recipients of the 2008 Bay Area
directly Black from History them: Month Local Hero Awards. Diane Gray and Jackie Cohen
are cousins and co-founders of the 100% College Prep Institute, which
offers college preparatory services to middle and high school youth in
“The San highlight Francisco’s for Bayview me was Hunters the focus Point district. on organizing strategies and
successful approaches in spite of obstacles, as well as shared
Documentary shows tough
best practices and inspiring testimonies of positive developments.
times I was impressed on ‘West that the End’ majority of the attendees were
people of color, people working from so many different angles
toward West similar End of goals.” Alameda—The filmmakers document the results of the
–Gerardo five-year, Marin, $300,000 West grant Berkeley overseen Fellow by a hand-picked resident-based
committee. The committee includes the Rev. Michael Yoshii, Buena Vista
United Methodist Church pastor; community activist Vickie Smith; man-
“I really agement benefited consultant from and volunteer getting Phil to Holt; know student our and team mother better Tamara and
being Centeno; exposed and to school many principal of the Niel hot Tam. issues that policymakers are
addressing and organizers are fighting for and against, including
housing, gentrification, education, race issues, and land-use.
The biggest strategy I’ll implement is being aware of the necessity
– not option – of partnering with other people and agencies
in order to get lasting, meaningful work done to better a community.”
Victor Diaz
[June 7, 2008 ]
–Matt Crocker, West Berkeley Fellow
“The workshops on men and boys of color helped me see a
greater context for linking educational outcomes to public policy
development. I also felt inspired by the resilience of the New
Orleans’ Berkeley-Tech community, culminating Grads with the Look crab, shrimp, and
crawfish Toward feed at Lamont’s Future’ family’s house. The ability of Southern
folks to maintain their sense of hospitality and compassion to
strangers with so much going on is always a blessing to a West
Berkeley—Berkeley Technology Academy Principal Victor Diaz summed
Coast up person the school like year myself.” at the 2008 graduation ceremony at UC Berkeley’s
–Michael Alumni McBride, Hall Thursday: West “It Berkeley was a year Fellow of extreme highs and extreme lows
– a crazy, crazy year.”
“Although The school I have graduated been 42, involved or twice with as many movement students than building last year, efforts a
for over
feat
30
Diaz
years,
attributed
I learned
to rise
so
in enrollment
much more
coupled
about
with
public
“a high
policy
success
and
rate.”
community programs that engage the working poor as contributors
to community development practices. Continuing to refresh
myself, as well as my staff, on public policy trends and initiatives
Maria Reyes
[ May 9, 2008 ]
is critical to our ongoing success.”
–John Young, Canal Awardee
BAYVOICES
“The number of workshops delving into equitable education and
the information sharing were highlights for me. I was also proud
to be Afterschool part of the hundreds tutoring of people attending center the helps summit, gathered
Concord from all over students the country with to finish different school professions from
community and plan organizers future to city officials. It was very powerful.”
–Belén Pulido Martinez, West Berkeley Fellow
Concord — Books open, pens out, kids tapping their fingers figuring
out the answer to the math problem, all things typical on a Thursday
“The afternoon tour of at the GGI public (Go Get and It) affordable afterschool tutoring housing center areas in Concord. of New
Orleans was very meaningful to me. The incredible community
“Go get whatever you want…your dreams, your goals,” says Maria
activists
Reyes,
that
c0-founder
led that
of GGI
tour
when
were
asked
able
to describe
to give
GGI’s
a very
name.
moving and
in-depth narrative about their struggles to ensure a one-for-one
20

West Berkeley Fellows
[July 24, 2007 ]
West Berkeley Nonprofits
Get $300,000 for Community
West Berkeley—Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland-Berkeley) came to the
Berkeley Technical Academy on Martin Luther King, Jr. Way along with
a number of other public officials on Friday to announce that a group...
would receive a $300,000 San Francisco Foundation grant “to promote
civic unity and engagement” in West Berkeley.
For an up-to-date
Resource Guide
specifically tailored for
grassroots nonprofits in the
Bay Area, please visit:
www.sff.org/koshland-resources
Calling West Berkeley “a world-class community,” Lee said the SF
Foundation funds would help “make West Berkeley soar.”
The grant will be awarded in $60,000 installments over five years. How
it will be spent is yet to be determined. The eight grantees will spend
six months in retreats and meetings to determine how the money can
best be spent.
The announcement of the West Berkeley partnership at Berkeley Technology
Academy brings together local elected officials, San Francisco Foundation
staff, and Fellows: (left to right) Sandra R. Hernández, M.D., Councilmember
Darryl Moore, Councilmember Linda Maio, Victor Diaz, Retha Robinson,
Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, Lamont Snaer, Congresswoman Barbara Lee,
David Manson, and Supervisor Keith Carson.
21

Koshland Committee
The Koshland Committee is the formal oversight body
of the Koshland Program. It consists of Koshland
family members, a representative of the Foundation’s
Board of Trustees, representatives of the University
of California Berkeley, and other concerned Bay Area
residents who have made a commitment to improving
the quality of life in the Bay Area, following in
the tradition and style of service established by
Daniel E. Koshland, Sr.
Midge Wilson (Chair) has been the executive director of the Bay Area Women’s and
Children’s Center for 26 years. She is a former member of the board of trustees
of San Francisco Day School and board president of the Tremors Youth Synchro
Skating Team of the San Francisco Bay Area. Midge is chairperson of the Friends of
the Tenderloin Children’s Playground. She is facilitator of the Tenderloin Network
of Children, Youth, and Family Services and chair of the Site Council of Tenderloin
Community School. Midge, a former Koshland Awardee, holds a Master’s of
Divinity Degree from McCornick Theological Seminary. member since 1999
Kurt C. Organista, Ph.D. (Vice Chair) is associate professor at UC Berkeley’s
School of Social Welfare, where he has taught for the past 19 years. He is currently
a member of the California Office of AIDS Latino Advisory Board, and also
served on the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council of the National Institutes
of Health (2004-08). Kurt is a Trustee of The San Francisco Foundation and on
the editorial boards of the American Journal of Community Psychology, Hispanic
Journal of the Behavioral Sciences, and the Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity
in Social Work. He conducts HIV prevention research with Latino labor migrants
and also is author of Solving Latino Psychosocial and Health Problems: Theory,
Practice, and Populations, published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
member since 2006
Hedy Nai-Lin Chang is a consultant helping people and organizations adopt two
generational approaches to moving families out of poverty by helping to advance
family economic security while ensuring children have the opportunity to succeed
in school. A major focus of her current work is managing an applied research project
on chronic early absence, funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, examining
the causes, consequences, and potential responses to missing extended periods
of school in grades K-3. Hedy previously served as a senior program officer for
Strengthening Families at the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund. She also was
co-director of California Tomorrow, which uses research, technical assistance,
coalition-building, and advocacy to advance policies and practices that promote
equal opportunity and draw strength from cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity.
member since 2007
koshland committee: (left to right) Marcela C. Medina, Bob Friedman,
Hedy Chang, Kurt Organista (Vice Chair), Michael Omi (Member Emeritus),
Joy Hoffman, Ron Rowell (Member Emeritus), Sandor Straus (Member
Emeritus), and Lateefah Simon. Not shown: Teresa Mejía, Rev. Kelvin Sauls,
and Midge Wilson (Chair).
Bob Friedman is founder, chair of the board, and general counsel of the
Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED), a nonprofit organization devoted
to expanding economic opportunity. Bob’s current focus is on the Savings for
Education, Entrepreneurship, and Downpayment (SEED) Policy and Practice
Initiative, a multifaceted effort to create an inclusive system of children’s savings
accounts. Over the decades of his involvement in economic development
innovation, Bob and CFED have helped lead the US development of innovative
economic development strategies including microenterprise, flexible business
networks, individual development accounts, and economic health. He serves on
the boards of CFED’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) subsidiary,
the National Fund for Enterprise Development, Doorways To Dreams (D2D)
Fund, EARN, the Friedman Family Foundation, and the Rosenberg Foundation.
member since 2003
Joy Hoffmann is group vice president for community development and public
information for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (FRBSF), overseeing
community development, economic and financial education, its public website
and media relations, as well as community, public, and economic outreach programs
throughout the nine western states that comprise the Twelfth District.
Before joining the community affairs staff at the FRBSF in 1995, Joy worked for the
Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and earlier served as a research associate
for Neighborhood Housing Services of America, a national secondary market
for affordable housing. She serves on Operation Hope’s Corporate Council of CEOs
and chairs its regional board of directors of Northern California. She also served
as an advisor to BAYCAT, an educational and arts program based in the Bayview
Hunters Point community. member since 2007
22

Marcela C. Medina is vice president and general manager of Univision 14 KDTV
and TeleFutura 66 KFSF-TV, both of which are full power Spanish language television
stations serving the Latino community in the San Francisco Bay Area. Both
stations are owned by Univision Communications, the leading Spanish language
media company in the United States. Marcela was also general manager of KLUZ-
TV/Univision 41 in Albuquerque/Santa Fe, New Mexico, and, before that, an
executive with NBC’s flagship station, WNBC-TV in New York City. Marcela, who is
a native a Mexico, lives in San Francisco and currently serves on the boards of The
San Francisco Foundation, the Latino Community Foundation, the Commonwealth
Club of California, and the San Francisco Symphony. member since 2006
Teresa Mejía is executive director of The Women’s Building in San Francisco. She
has vast experience in social activism, specifically women’s issues and the issue
of violence against women, both in her native Puerto Rico and in the Bay Area. She
was a bilingual counselor and facilitator at La Casa de las Madres and San Mateo
Women’s Shelter. In her native Puerto Rico, she coordinated public housing and
crime prevention projects with low-income communities. Teresa first came to The
Women’s Building as a client looking for job information. Over the past 16 years,
she has held various positions within the organization, including receptionist,
information and referral coordinator, community center director, and acting executive
director, becoming executive director in 1999. She holds a Master’s Degree in
Public Administration. member since 2003
koshland staff: Jason Torres Hancock, Retha Robinson,
and Harmony Karp.
Reverend Kelvin Sauls was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was
senior pastor of Downs Memorial United Methodist Church in Oakland from 1999
until 2006. He serves on the board of directors of the Pacific School of Religion
(Berkeley), the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (Oakland), and the Clergy
Advisory Board of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Reverend Sauls
is a founding member and trustee emeritus of the United Religions Initiative (San
Francisco) and currently serves as the assistant general secretary for congregational
development and racial ethnic ministries at the general board of global
ministries of the United Methodist Church. member since 2006
Lateefah Simon is the director of the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights of
the San Francisco Bay Area. Lateefah is a member of the board of directors of
the Women’s Foundation of California and serves on the San Francisco Juvenile
Detention Alternates Executive Committee and the Advocacy Institute. In 2003 she
was awarded the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship and the Visions for a Changing
World Award. Her work has also been recognized by the California State Assembly,
the Ford Foundation, Girls Inc, the National Organization for Women, and Oprah
Magazine. member since 2006
23

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The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo on this newsletter
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Foundation’s commitment to improving and conserving the
environment. The FSC promotes environmentally appropriate,
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24