Be My Guest: EBALDC’s 45th Anniversary Gala Celebration
Dear Friends,
As many of you know, after nearly twenty years at EBALDC, I will be leaving at the end of October of this year. That makes our upcoming 45th Anniversary VIRTUAL Gala Celebration even more special and sentimental to me, as it will be my last EBALDC Gala Celebration as the leader of EBALDC’s talented professional family! Please join me on Thursday, September 10th at 4pm by registering at www.ebaldc45.com as I begin a new chapter as an EBALDC alumnus and share details of my future plans! The event is free, but I hope that you or your organization will consider sponsoring the event.
It has been my honor to be EBALDC’s Executive Director/CEO for over seven years. EBALDC’s story is my story, and I care deeply about this organization and our radical vision that everyone can live in healthy, vibrant neighborhoods. In these challenging times, my spirit is lifted by witnessing the thousands of people helped by EBALDC as well as collaborating with many of you – you, too, are part of the EBALDC Family!
Our success as an organization is not dependent on the leadership of a single person, or even a single group, but the bench strength of leadership that has been cultivated over 45 years of serving our communities. Over the past several years, I have come to believe that the best leadership for EBALDC is a shared one, both internally and externally. Your support, whether as a volunteer, sponsor, donor, or partner, has been instrumental in helping EBALDC build places, practices and policies to address poverty and inequality.
Indeed, our line up for our 45th Anniversary Gala Celebration is indicative of EBALDC’s collaborative work:
- Romi Hall, Masters of Ceremonies, was our former Director of Neighborhood Collaborations, and is now the Director of Healthy Homes and Communities with NeighborWorks America
- Gloria Bruce, Fireside Chat Moderator, is the Executive Director of East Bay Housing Organizations, the leading affordable housing advocacy coalition serving Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, and a longtime partner
- Our Honorees, who each have contributed in their own ways to building healthy communities: The Honorable Barbara Lee, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Nu Huynh (recipient of our Lynette June Lee Resident Leadership Award)
- Kev Choice, Oakland’s own true musician, cultural historian, and urban griot dedicated to cultural expression and the art of making quality music
- Greer Nakadegawa-Lee, Oakland’s 2020 Youth Poet Laureate, a fantastic program through the Oakland Public Library
- And many more surprise guests
Join me on Thursday, September 10th at 4pm at www.ebaldc45.com as we reflect on our accomplishments, look to the future, and celebrate our community.
In Gratitude,
Joshua Simon
Joshua Simon, CEO