HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01152008 - MLK.1 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Date: January 15, 2008
On this day the Board of Supervisors DECLARED January 15, 2008 as the 30th Annual
Commemoration honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King; and PRESENTED the
2008 Humanitarian of the Year Award to Reverend Charles Tinsley and the 2008 Student
Humanitarian of the Year Award to Jessa Mabellin.
THIS IS A MATTER FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY-
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MARTIN LUTHER
Januar,, 1 KING JR.
S, 1929-Apr"4, 1968
artin Luther Kin
Januar g was born on s."
Y l5, 1929, in
Georgia. Both Atlanta,
grandfather his father
a schoolteacherre m'nisters. and
His mother was
before he `4hO taught him how to read •
enrolled into +/
sister, Christine, school. Martin had
Moreho Martin obtained a brother, Alfred
use College when he a Bachelor of , and g
was onl Arts degree from
In 1911 he was elected Y 15 Years old.
Conference President of the
an organization for southern Christian
burgeon, civil rights formed to provide Leadership
inspired b g movement. The ideals for new leadership for the
the teachings Of Gandhi.Principles. Its op ratio this organization are
ndhi. In the operation., techniques
1968,King traveled eleven- ear are from
Five over six Y period between 1957 and
hundred million miles ands oke
times, appearing wherever P more t
unrest. Additional) than twenty_
y, he authored five there was injustice Justice and civil
King led a and numerous
massive protest i articles.
attention of the n Birmingham, Alaba
conscience and entire world, resultingma, that caught
which ' in what he called the
manifesto of the inspired his "better from a coalition of
Negro revolution. I, m a Bir
for the registration of planned the m�ngham Jail; a
march Negroes as voters; he drives in Alabama
on Washington, D.C• directed the
his address, "1 Have ' °f 250,000 eo peaceful
Kenned a Dream" P ple to whom he delivered
Y and ca ' he conferred with President
arrested campaigned for President
twenty times and Lyndon B. Johnson; ]ohn F.
five honors assaulted at least four hewas a was
in 1963 degrees; was named times;he was
and becameMan of the awarded
but also not only the s Fear by Time
a world fi Ymbolic leader ofA magazine
of his vision and figure This Year we take merican blacks
ask ourselves a deep look at the
where is the dream?" Progress
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
30th Annual Commemoration &
Humanitarian of the Year Awards
Welcome&Introductions........Lori Gentles&Lionel Chatman,Committee Co-Chairs
Master of Ceremonies............................Supervisor Federal D. Glover,Chair
Musical Performance The R.L.Johnson Male Chorus of St.John Missionary Baptist Church
Keynote Address Speakers:
Alan Wang,Anchor/Reporter,ABC 7 News
H.Abram Wilson,Mayor of the City of San Ramon
John L. Burris,Attorney,Law Offices of John L. Burris
Musical Performance The R.L.Johnson Male Chorus of St.John Missionary Baptist Church
Presentation of Humanitarian of the Year Awards:
2008 Student Humanitarian Award.................................................Lori Gentles
2008 Humanitarian Award....................................................Lionel Chatman
Adjournment................................................Supervisor Federal D. Glover
"Lift Every Voice And Sing"
The R.L.Johnson Male Chorus of St.John Missionary Baptist Church
Lunch Reception
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
District 1 : John M. Gioia
District 2: Gayle B. Uilkema
District 3: Mary N. Piepho
District 4: Susan A. Bonilla
District 5: Federal D. Glover
Special thanks to our sponsors:
County Administrator's 05ce Human Resources Department
Clerk of the Board Probation Department
General Services Department Martinez Police Department
Employment and Human Services Department Contra Costa Television (CCTV)
ALAN WANG
ABC 7 Anchor/Reporter
BC 7 Anchor/Reporter, Alan Wang, is an
award-winning journalist who covers general
assignment news and anchors ABC 7's Saturday
morning newscast.Wang joined ABC 7 in 2005.
He began his career at KGNS-TV in Laredo, Texas. His path continued to KIII-TV in
Corpus Christi,Texas,KFSN-TV in Fresno, California,KDFW-TV in Dallas,Texas,and
WSB-TV in Atlanta,Georgia.
His coverage includes national stories such as the space shuttle Columbia explosion in
2003.His ongoing investigative work helped police solve the murder of a 2-year old boy,
and his two-part series about a missing nuclear bomb ignited a federal response to the
43 year old mystery.
Alan is most proud of the stories he covers on a local level. His approach is to balance
stories that address community issues,raise awareness,and spark positive change.
He grew up in Kingsville,Texas and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin.
Born on January 15, 1966, Martin Luther King's Birthday, Alan's mother instilled the
principles upheld by the civil rights leader.
As an adult and professional reporter,Alan has had the honor of meeting and interviewing
many civil rights pioneers such as Andrew Young, John Lewis, Joseph Lowery, and
Coretta Scott King.
Alan lives in the Bay Area with with his wife of eight years and their two sons ages 4 and 6.
H. ABRAM WILSON
Mayor H.Abram Wilson
ayor H. Abram Wilson and his family have been
residents of the City of San Ramon for twenty-nine
years.
He is married to Dr.Karen B.Wilson and has two adult children,
Natasha and Nathan.
Mayor Wilson has served in the capacity of Vice-President,
Wells Fargo Bank. He later joined Bank of America, LLC as Principal and Senior Account
Executive.
He began his public service with the City of San Ramon by becoming the first tenor soloist for
the San Ramon Sing-Along-Messiah. Mayor Wilson's musical talent led him to performing with
major orchestras throughout the United States.
Mayor Wilson continued his public service for the City of San Ramon by joining the San Ramon
Arts Council as a member for 10 years and as President for 3 years. Mayor Wilson was appointed
to the City of San Ramon Parks and Community Services Commission in 1989 serving for 16
years.
He was elected to the San Ramon City Council in November 1999,appointed Mayor in 2002,
and not only became the City of San Ramon's first elected Mayor in 2003,but he was also its
first African American Mayor.
He was instrumental in setting forth a framework to develop a disaster preparedness plan for
the City of San Ramon,as well as businesses,schools,and cities in the Tri-Valley and San Ramon
Valley areas.
He is the 2005 recipient of the National Music Educator Association, State Legislator of the
Year award for his support of music education in the schools. Mayor Wilson became the first
legislator not elected to a state office,to receive this award.
He is named as a 2006 Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International
for his tangible and significant assistance to further better understanding and friendly relations
among people of the world.
He received the 2006 "Bridging the Gap" Achievement Award from Contra Costa County
Supervisor Mary N. Piepho for"exemplary leadership skills,dedication to community service
and exceptional contributions to the community".
He is a 2007 honoree from the California Congress of Parents,Teachers and Students for his
outstanding service to children and youth. His contribution to the Honorary Service Award
Program Fund provides scholarships for students and individuals to further their education.
Mayor Wilson is a 2007 recipient of"Friend of California High School"for his contribution to
the Schools and Community of San Ramon. The East Bay Leadership Foundation has recently
named Mayor Wilson as its 2008 Citizen Of The Year.
He received a Certificate of Support from the East Bay Leadership Foundation for"Making a
difference in the lives of Bay Area Students".
He is a Member of the Board for the Sentinels of Freedom Organization providing services to
men and women who have been disabled in Iraq with housing,employment,and transportation.
Mayor Wilson is a veteran of the U.S.Army.
He served as Chair of the 2007 Contra Costa County Mayors'Conference.
�v
JOHN L. BURRIS
Prominent Civil Rights Attorney
ohn L. Burris is a prominent civil rights attorney
specializing in police misconduct cases. He is a
nationally featured legal analyst.
He was named one of the top 100 most influential
Attorneys in the State of California by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal
in 2005. In June 2005, he was featured as "Oakland's Johnnie Cochran" by the San
Francisco Chronicle Sunday Magazine.
Burris began his legal career as a general litigator at Jenner and Block in Chicago;later
becoming a prosecutor at the Cook County State Attorney's Office.When he returned
to the Bay Area,he worked as a prosecutor at the Alameda County District Attorney's
Office. In 1979, he entered private practice with Harris, Alexander, and Burris and
started the Law Office of John L. Burris in 1985. The firm focused initially on crimi-
nal defense later focusing on victims of police misconduct, as well as racial and sexual
discrimination. John Burris became an author in 1999 with the writing of his book
"BLUE VS. BLACK,Let's End The Conflict Between Cops and Minorities".
John Burris is known for handling high profile and controversial cases. His 2005-
2006 high-profile cases include a female police lieutenant with the Oakland Police
Department who brought a failure to promote discrimination claim based upon gender
and pregnancy.The jury awarded her$2 million. Burris handled a case involving anti-
war protesters who were subjected to illegal force by Oakland police officers who pelted
the protesters indiscriminately with non-lethal weapons causing serious injuries. The
case settled with a new crowd control policy and nearly$2 million in damages for all
the victims.Burris also handled a case involving a twenty-six year old African American
man who was paralyzed permanently after he was knocked over a fence by an Oakland
police officer.The case settled for$1.2 million.Burris handled a case involving a thirty-
five year old Mexican American man who is now a paraplegic after he was shot by a
Napa County Sheriff's Deputy.The case settled for$6.9 million.
Burris' clients have included Rodney King, Tupac Shakur, D'Wayne Wiggins, Gary
Payton, Keyshawn Johnson, actor Delroy Lindo and many public officials and
employees. Some of his most emotional and tragic criminal defense cases involved the
youngest person ever tried in a criminal prosecution in the United States, a female
college freshman accused of"neonaticide"and the"cocaine mom"accused of murder
for letting her newborn twins die while she binged on cocaine.
Born and raised in Vallejo, California, Burris obtained a Bachelor of Science (B. S.) in
Accounting from Golden Gate University,a Masters in Business Administration(MBA)
from U.C. Berkeley Graduate School of Business and a law degree from U.C. Berkeley
School of Law, Boalt Hall in 1973. He is married to North Carolina Central Family
Law Professor, Cheryl Burris.
JESSA MABELLIN
2008 Student Humanitarian of the Year
essa Mabellin is currently a student at De
Anza High School in Richmond where she ` «
consistently maintains a 4.0 GPA and is on the
Dean's List. Jessa is the secretary of the Leadership Senior
Class of 2008 and is a member of several clubs revolving around community service.
Jessa is the former President of`Building With Books", a youth empowering club
that actively promotes service awareness. It was through her tenure as President
that Jessa's true talent and humanitarian abilities surfaced. She actively engaged in
and organized fundraisers to be provide educational supplies to underprivileged
countries. She became actively involved in humanitarian efforts worldwide. One of
her most remarkable efforts was flying to Mali,Africa to help organize and build a
school in the Diamou Village.
Jessa said, "It was a life changing event that I wish everyone could experience."
Jessa immersed herself in the African culture by learning the various customs and
seeing the reality of poverty and human needs first hand. Through her experience on
the African continent,Jessa soon realized and became grateful for the opportunities
that she had when she immigrated to the United States. Jessa's humanitarian efforts
didn't stop there. Once in the United States,Jessa actively and immediately became
involved in helping her community through volunteering her time with projects
such as cleaning up local parks and beaches, serving food at the Bay Area Rescue
Mission,nursing animals at shelters,planting crops to enrich the soil,binding books
for Buddhist Temples, and visiting the elderly at various retirement homes. Jessa
has also helped many children by organizing fundraisers for the donation of toys to
underprivileged youth.
Jessa is not only an exceptional student but she is also an outstanding citizen and
humanitarian. She is passionate and takes advantage of every opportunity to make
a difference.
DR. CHARLES D. TINSLEY
2008 Humanitarian of the Year
he Reverend Dr. Charles D. Tinsley,
a Presbyterian minister, has served as
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u 9"�Chaplain for theJuvenile Detention
System of Contra Costa County since 1994. He has
served five churches in the San Francisco Presbytery
(Presbyterian Church,LISA),in part-time interim capacities.
Dr. Tinsley has taught in the California community college system for nine years,
seven of those at Contra Costa College. He has served two years in campus ministry
at UNITAS, now Westminster House in Berkeley. Dr. Tinsley began working with
youth at Donaldina Cameron House in San Francisco in 1969. He once served on
the Board of Directors of Cameron House and he has served as a consultant to the
i
president of Knoxville College in Tennessee.
Dr.Tinsley received his Bachelor ofArts Degree in Sociology from Cal State Hayward,
now Cal State East Bay. He has a Master of Library Science from the University
of California, Berkeley, a Master of Divinity from the San Francisco Theological
Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry from the San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Dissertation: Investigating dynamics in rehabilitation: Assessing those components
iin ministry with youthful offenders toward affecting reformation and transformation
using selected case studies.
Dr.Tinsley is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Education program in educational
leadership at St.Mary's College in Moraga.
He has served in Contra Costa County for twenty-five years. He and his wife Linda
have been married thirty years. They moved to Contra Costa County from East
Palo Alto in 1995. They are both adoptive and surrogate parents to over a dozen
children.
2008 HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR
Dr. Charles Tinsley
PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE
Humanitarian of the Year Award
Queenie Newkirk, 1980 Perfecto Villarreal, 1995
Rev.Julius L.Pender, 1981 Charles Wilson, 1996
Sister Ann Weltz,CSI, 1982 Helen Troxel and
Gertrude M.Williams, 1983 Rollie Mullen, 1997
Guillermo`Bill"Muniz, 1984 Mary Perez and
Donald Fibush, 1985 Neil and Carol Wilson, 1998
Charles Spears, 1986 Orin Allen, 1999
John"JJ"Johnson, 1987 Eddie Menosse, 2000
Rev.Malcolm&Jo Lee, 1988 Troy Greer Grove, 2001
Lonnie R Bristow,M.D., 1989 Robin Poindexter,2002
Yoshiye Togasaki,M.D., 1990 Reverend Phillip Lawson, 2003
January Fredenburg, 1991 Mr.Walter Ruelig,2004
Lucy Donly, 1992 Bishop Curtis Timmons,2005
Bessanderson McNeil, 1993 Jerrold L.Hatchett,2006
Lloyd Madden, 1994 Veronica Pope,2007
2008 STUDENT HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR
Jessa Mabellin
PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE
Student Humanitarian of the Year Award
Candace Foster, 2003
Julie Z. Lal, 2004
Lauren Fong, 2005
Henna Danawala,2006
Edgardo Cervano-Soto, 2007
2008 Committee Members
Lori Gentles,Co-Chair Lionel Chatman, Co-Chair
Lloyd Madden Nancy Zandonella
Maceo Trotter Lena O'Neal
Denise August Madlin King
Robbyn-Nicole Livingston Kimberly Kee
Laura Darensburg
Lift every voice and sing
Til earth and heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of liberty
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea
Sing a song
Full of the faith that the dark
past has taught us
Sing a song
Full of the hope that the
present has brought us
Facing the rising
sun of our new
day begun
Let us march on
till victory is won.
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"Teamwork Makes The Dream Work"