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Video | A Brief But Spectacular take on finding yourself through song
Betty Reid Soskin has seen a lot in her 96 years. During World War II, Soskin worked as a file clerk helping African-American workers. She was active in the civil rights struggle and founded a record store in Berkeley that still stands today. Currently she’s the oldest full-time national park ranger and works at the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, where she helps visitors understand the contributions of women and African-Americans to the war effort. Her new book, Sign My Name to Freedom, chronicles her remarkable life.
Guest: Betty Reid Soskin, Author, Sign My Name to Freedom
Read and view more about Betty Reid Soskin>
Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns 2023
Special Guests Candy Dulfer & Eric Darius
Darius attended the University of South Florida in Tampa, where he studied business and music.He studied jazz under the direction of Chuck Owens and Jack Wilkins and was a member of the university’s Jazztet, which performed at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne, and the Umbria Jazz Festival.[6] During college, he signed a recording contract with Higher Octave Music.
Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns 2023
Special Guests Candy Dulfer & Eric Darius
Darius attended the University of South Florida in Tampa, where he studied business and music.He studied jazz under the direction of Chuck Owens and Jack Wilkins and was a member of the university’s Jazztet, which performed at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne, and the Umbria Jazz Festival.[6] During college, he signed a recording contract with Higher Octave Music.
Photos | Powerful Women of the Bay Awards Luncheon (2023)
Event: Powerful Women of the Bay Awards Luncheon (2023)
Date: March 30, 2023
Location: Scott’s Seafood Pavilion Grill & Bar, Oakland
Photos (114): Edward Miller
One of the most highly anticipated annual events that celebrate and acknowledge powerful women took place at Scott’s Pavilion in Jack London Square, Oakland, California on March 30, 2023. It’s the Power Women Of The Bay, where for the last 14 years Cathy D. Adams, Founder and Event Producer, has packed the house. This year the Honorable Malia Cohen* provided the Keynote Address, captivating attendees with her empowering speech.
The Powerful Women of the Bay (PWOTB) Selection Committee choses eight distinguished and powerful women in recognition of Women’s History Month, and this year the event drew over 350 guests, from entrepreneurs and small business owners to political leaders and corporate executives.
Over the years Cathy has awarded Bay Area women across a variety of industries. PWOTB features a prestigious cohort of amazing women leaders who are passionate about educating, empowering, and connecting women in business and community.
PWOTB is also committed to introducing unique, intelligent and ambitious women to the roles of leadership. Each year the Innovator Award is presented to an emerging business leader. Their desire is to not only spotlight their achievements, but also offer support for their efforts to make a difference in their lives, their families, and our community.
This year’s awardees:
• Honorable Eleni Kounalakis – Lieutenant Governor, State of California
• Nola Turnage – Manager, Lead Operations Contracts & Co-Leader, OKTA
• Ramona Prieto – Head of UBER Public Policy & Communications, Western US
• Mary Huss – President & Publisher, San Francisco Business Times
• Honorable Mia Bonta – Assemblymember, State of California District 18
• Tali Bray, EVP – Head of Technology Diverse Segments Region Wells Fargo
Special Awards
• Dr. C. Diane Howell Entrepreneur Award: Dr. Chris Wachira – Founder & CEO, The Wachira Group
• Innovator Award: Ay’Anna Moody – Social Impact & Sports Senior Director, Golden State Warriors
Partial proceeds from the event benefit The Training Institute for Leadership Enrichment.
(TILE) is a nonprofit organization created under the leadership of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA). TILE’s work is to increase the number of African American women in public leadership across California. TILE’s vision is to create a world where African American women see themselves as changemakers and formally engage in the processes to craft new, and refine existing, public policies for social change to benefit communities of color. For more information visit bwopatileleads.org.
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* Additional representatives in attendance (partial) included Honorable Eleni Kounalakis, California Lt. Governor; Honorable Rob Bonta, California Attorney General; Mia Bonta, CA State Assemblymember District 18; Marcela Cortez, Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Office; Sheng Thao, Mayor of Oakland; Kimberly Mayfield Lynch, Deputy Mayor of Oakland; Pam Price, Alameda County District Attorney; Attorney General Rob Bonta; Assemblymember Mia Bonta; Councilmember Kevin Jenkins; Councilmember Treva Reid; Councilmember Janani Ramachandran; Pamela Price, Alameda County District Attorne; Elmy Bermejo, SBA Regional Adlminsitrator; Barbara Leslie, Chair of the Port of Oakland Commisssion; Michelle Philips, Inspector General, City of Oakland; Cynthia Adams, President of the NAACP, Bay Area Chapter; Chuck Baker, President 100 Black Men of the Bay Area; Frances Cohen, President the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. – Oakland Bay Area Chapter; Honorable Ka’Dijah Brown, Berkeley Board of Director; Lateefah Simon, BART Board of Directors; Pat Turner, President Vallejo Chapter of NAACP and LaNiece Jones, Executive Director of BWOPA and Community Partner of the Powerful Women of the Bay.
In Conversation with Nicholas Britell and Barry Jenkins
Following an eight-year hiatus from feature filmmaking, Jenkins directed and co-wrote the LGBT-themed independent drama Moonlight (2016), which won numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. Jenkins received an Oscar nomination for Best Director and jointly won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay with Tarell Alvin McCraney.He became the fourth black person to be nominated for Best Director and the second black person to direct a Best Picture winner. He released his third directorial feature If Beale Street Could Talk in 2018 to critical praise, and earned nominations for his screenplay at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Convenient Parking
We recommend parking in the Performance Arts Garage located at 360 Grove St. Please note that this parking garage is open to the public and is available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Easy Access via BART/Muni
The closest BART station is located at Civic Center station. Davies Symphony Hall is about 5 blocks away from BART and 3 blocks from the Van Ness Muni station.
Local Favorites (walking distance)
• The Madrigal – serves until 11PM
• Doppio Zero – Monday to Thursday until 11PM; Friday & Saturday until 11PM; Sunday until 9:30PM
• Absinthe – Wednesday to Saturday 11:30 am to 10 pm, Sunday until 9PM
Photos | Marcus Foster Education Institute Celebrates Education Trailblazers and Advocates
Event: Marcus Foster Education Institute 100 of the 100th
Date: March 31, 2023
Location: Sequoyah Country Club, Oakland
Photos (15): Y’Anad Burrell
The honorees of the Marcus Foster Education Institute (MFEI) 100 of the 100th were celebrated on March 31, 2023 for the trailblazing work they have done and continue to do in the space of education equity, advocacy and youth development. These individuals work across various industries serving communities and they are committed to the well-being and progress of students and families from historically marginalized communities. They are leaders whose volunteer and professional undertakings embody Dr. Foster’s powerful practices.
This event was also to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Dr. Foster’s birth, and the 50 years of MFEI’s service to the Oakland Unified School District and the broader community. MFEI’s 50th Anniversary Gala will be October 28, 2023 at the Scottish Rite Center where the theme is “Back to the Future: Where We Are. Where We’re Going. Where it All Began.”
To learn about MFEI visit marcusfoster.org/50years
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Photos | MoAD Showcases “Hat Matter: Thoughts of a Black Mad Hatter” at Spring Fundraiser
Event: Hat Matter: Thoughts of a Black Mad Hatter
Date: March 25, 2023
Location: The Taube Atrium Theater, San Francisco
Photos (39): Tinashe Chidarikire
The evening showcased the amazing talent of Michael Wayne Turner and his artistry and creativity as a performer. It was a special opportunity to witness and support MoAD’s work highlighting Black artists, an exclusive performance before the show heads to the Kennedy Center, in Washington, DC.
The performance was a one-man show featuring hip-hop, poems, stories, and monologue exploring the experience of an American Black Dandy.
Hat Matter uses movement and dance, accompanied by original classical string music, to explore the headspace of an American Black Dandy. The audience was invited into the dressing room of this Dandelion as he frolicked about his foxhole making sense out of non-sense, and shared his deeply thoughtful journey into themes of Love, Self-Worth, Community and the nature of our Humanity.
Related:
• Oakland ‘Black dandy’ Michael Wayne Turner III wears his solo show costumes every day – SF Chronicle Datebook
• Thespian Michael Wayne Turner III is turning heads on Oakland stages – San Francisco Bay View
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Miki Howard
Howard begin recording songs for her debut album, Come Share My Love released in 1986. The album was produced by LeMel Humes, would peak to number 19 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums. The first single, “Come Share My Love” would become her first U.S. hit single. The song peaked to number five on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. By the fall, the follow up single was a cover version of Glenn Miller’s 1940’s tune “Imagination”, peaked to number 13 on the R&B Singles and would become Howard’s first video. With two hit singles from the album, she embarked on her first concert tour in 1987, opening for funk band Cameo. The final single, “Come Back to Me Lover” was released charting to number 33, on the R&B singles chart.
Miki Howard
Howard begin recording songs for her debut album, Come Share My Love released in 1986. The album was produced by LeMel Humes, would peak to number 19 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums. The first single, “Come Share My Love” would become her first U.S. hit single. The song peaked to number five on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. By the fall, the follow up single was a cover version of Glenn Miller’s 1940’s tune “Imagination”, peaked to number 13 on the R&B Singles and would become Howard’s first video. With two hit singles from the album, she embarked on her first concert tour in 1987, opening for funk band Cameo. The final single, “Come Back to Me Lover” was released charting to number 33, on the R&B singles chart.
Eric Benet
Benét sang with a Top 100-style group called Gerard in the late 1980s. Benét, his sister Lisa, and his cousin George Nash Jr. formed a band called Benét and released a self-titled album in 1992 which sold over 100,000 copies. Two years later, Eric Benét broke onto the music scene with his solo career and signed with Warner Bros. Records, releasing his debut solo album, True to Myself in 1996. His second album, A Day in the Life, was released in 1999 and featured his smash hit “Spend My Life With You (featuring Tamia)”. The song rose to No. 1 on the US Billboard R&B charts (for 3 weeks), was certified gold, and nominated for a 2000 Grammy Award for “Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group”. The album also won a Soul Train Music Award for “Best R&B/Soul Album, Male”.
Eric Benet
Benét sang with a Top 100-style group called Gerard in the late 1980s. Benét, his sister Lisa, and his cousin George Nash Jr. formed a band called Benét and released a self-titled album in 1992 which sold over 100,000 copies. Two years later, Eric Benét broke onto the music scene with his solo career and signed with Warner Bros. Records, releasing his debut solo album, True to Myself in 1996. His second album, A Day in the Life, was released in 1999 and featured his smash hit “Spend My Life With You (featuring Tamia)”. The song rose to No. 1 on the US Billboard R&B charts (for 3 weeks), was certified gold, and nominated for a 2000 Grammy Award for “Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group”. The album also won a Soul Train Music Award for “Best R&B/Soul Album, Male”.
Eric Benet
Benét sang with a Top 100-style group called Gerard in the late 1980s. Benét, his sister Lisa, and his cousin George Nash Jr. formed a band called Benét and released a self-titled album in 1992 which sold over 100,000 copies. Two years later, Eric Benét broke onto the music scene with his solo career and signed with Warner Bros. Records, releasing his debut solo album, True to Myself in 1996. His second album, A Day in the Life, was released in 1999 and featured his smash hit “Spend My Life With You (featuring Tamia)”. The song rose to No. 1 on the US Billboard R&B charts (for 3 weeks), was certified gold, and nominated for a 2000 Grammy Award for “Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group”. The album also won a Soul Train Music Award for “Best R&B/Soul Album, Male”.
Photos | Olympic Champion Allyson Felix featured at The Lucile Packard Foundation’s Lunch and Learn with Ambassadors
Event: Lucile Packard Foundation’s Lunch and Learn with Ambassadors 2023
Date: March 29, 2023
Location: Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club in Menlo Park
Photos (32): Natalie Schrik
Allyson Felix, an elite track and field athlete, entrepreneur, and advocate for improved women’s and maternal health, was the featured speaker at the 15th annual Lunch and Learn, hosted by Ambassadors for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, on Wednesday, March 29 at the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club in Menlo Park, California. The event included a reception followed by lunch and a discussion with Felix moderated by Emmy award-winning NBC Bay Area news anchor Raj Mathai.
The event raised funds to support social services for families with a child in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford.
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Photos | Artist Bobby Arte Paints Mayor Breed in Celebration of Women’s History Month
Event: Artist Bobby Arte Paints Mayor Breed in Celebration of Women’s History Month
Date: March 28, 2023
Location: Mayor’s Office, San Francisco City Hall
Photos (10): Tyra Fennell
Mayor London N. Breed, 45th Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco and known as a staunch advocate for the arts, was surprised during Women’s History Month with a portrait painted by artist Bobby Arte.
Bobby Arte is a classically trained oil painter and portrait artist. He specializes in what he calls “Urban Fine Art,” painting other Bay Area greats like rapper E-40.
Find Bobby Arte on Instagram @therealbobbyarte
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Photos | Mayor London Breed Swears In New Human Rights Commissioner Jayson Johnson
Event: Mayor London Breed Swears In New Human Rights Commissioner Jayson Johnson
Date: March 23, 2023
Location: Epic Steak, San Francisco
Photos (22): Tyra Fennell
A STAR IS BORN!
Thank you to everyone who attended the celebration of the NEWEST Human Rights Commissioner Jayson Johnson, hosted by Genentech at Epic Steakhouse in San Francisco.
From ballet to biotechnology, Jayson has been able to harness his passion of connecting outstanding people to transformative opportunities.
As an experienced executive recruiter, Jayson has also been committed to identifying top, in-demand talent from diverse communities who will help Genentech and Roche achieve our future ambitions. Genentech is passionate about finding solutions for people facing the world’s most difficult-to-treat conditions, using cutting-edge science to create and deliver innovative medicines around the globe.
Jayson also serves on the board of the San Francisco Ballet.
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Photos | Jonathan Carver Moore Opens Gallery in Downtown SF with Kacy’s Jung’s The Weight of Souls
Event: Jonathan Carver Moore Grand Opening Celebration and VIP Experience
Date: March 21, 2023
Location: Jonathan Carver Moore, San Francisco
Photos (60): Drew Altizer & Natalie Schrik for Drew Altizer Photography
Gallerist Jonathan Carver Moore and partners from the LINE hotel San Francisco announced the opening of Jonathan Carver Moore, a new gallery on San Francisco’s Market Street with a focus on community and accessibility. Moore will feature ongoing works by emerging and established BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and women artists, especially those from the Bay Area.
A VIP experience was held at the gallery on March 21st, and the grand opening was held on March 23, 2023.
The gallery, located on the ground floor of the building housing the newly opened LINE SF, will bring a fresh, new voice to the art world and ongoing growth to the city’s Mid-Market and Tenderloin neighborhoods. Located within the world’s only legally recognized transgender district, Jonathan Carver Moore will amplify diverse, disruptive voices in contemporary art. The gallery also aims to build community positivity through a Black, queer lens for art lovers both novice and experienced.
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Tuck and Patti
For over 44 years, this unique, genre-crossing vocal/guitar duo has cast its passionate musical spell worldwide, capturing the hearts of lovers, the respect of jazz buffs and the jaw-dropping awe of guitarists and singers. Their recording career took off with 1988’s groundbreaking Tears of Joy. Now, 13 albums later, they have toured the world incessantly as a duo, appearing at times alongside Miles Davis, Count Basie, George Benson, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and many others. They have long been regarded by musicians and critics as the standard for an improvising musical duo.
Tuck and Patti
For over 44 years, this unique, genre-crossing vocal/guitar duo has cast its passionate musical spell worldwide, capturing the hearts of lovers, the respect of jazz buffs and the jaw-dropping awe of guitarists and singers. Their recording career took off with 1988’s groundbreaking Tears of Joy. Now, 13 albums later, they have toured the world incessantly as a duo, appearing at times alongside Miles Davis, Count Basie, George Benson, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and many others. They have long been regarded by musicians and critics as the standard for an improvising musical duo.
