On March 31, 2023—the day that would have been Dr. Marcus Foster’s 100th Birthday—MFEI brought together over 100 people for a celebration honoring the life and legacy of our inspiring organizational namesake. Over 40 of the 100 Dr. Marcus Foster Legacy Award Honorees were present. We recognized their contributions to youth and community in an evening filled with laughter, largesse, and upliftment, infusing an undeniable sense of community into the minds and hearts of everyone present.
Media legend Dave Clark emceed the event, where local and national leaders convened, including Joyce Gordon, Dr. Cesar Cruz, and Dolores Huerta, to name a few. The event continues a long-held tradition of the Marcus Foster Education Institute: acknowledging those who’ve demonstrated their commitment to making our world a better place. In the vein of Dr. Foster’s legacy, the 100 Honorees have contributed to the betterment of young people and the communities in which they live, learn, and thrive.
World famous vocalist and Dr. Foster’s relative, Alica Hall Moran, serenaded attendees with song, accompanied by harpist extraordinaire, Destiny Muhammad. Dr. Foster’s only child, Dr. Marsha Foster, shared an emotional and invigorating dedication, generously relaying some of her father and mother’s motivating words of gratitude and encouragement to accompany her own sentiments.
The celebration was the kickoff to a series of opportunities we’re hosting to engage the community and reinvigorate our commitment to carrying forward Dr. Foster’s vision of making schools work for all children, and especially for Black children. On the heels of Dr. Foster’s 100th birthday, MFEI will soon celebrate our 50th! We invite you to commemorate these milestones with us at programming throughout 2023, culminating at our 50th anniversary gala on October 28 at the Scottish Rite Center in Oakland.Ticket information for the 50th gala and details on the event series coming soon!
In the meantime, please join us in congratulating our Top Ten of the 100 for the 100th, the ten awardees who won the social media challenge. For the next four years, ten $5000 scholarships will be awarded in each of the Top Ten’s names. Visit our DONATION PAGE page to contribute to the scholarship fund.
Honoring the 100 for the 100th Legacy Awardees
Dave Clark
Event Emcee
Dr. Marsha Foster
Chief Catalyst
Featuring performances by
Alicia Hall Moran and Destiny Muhammed
The 100 are among the world-famous and the community-famous whom share a common thread of being models of commitment to community. They embody and demonstrate a standard to which we should all aspire: to stand for abundant communities that have been labeled and stigmatized at the expense of their well-being and for someone else's gain. MFEI’s board and staff carefully selected the inaugural 100.
CHAMPIONS FOR INCLUSION AND BELONGING
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar • Nidya Baez • DB Bedford • W. Kamau Bell • Dr. Bob Blackburn • Ces Butner • Eve Delfin • Sharif El-Mekki • Dr. Coyness Ennix • De’Morea “Truck” Evans • Ben Fong-Torres • Tanya Holland • "Chef" David Isenberg • Damian Lillard • Ruth Love • Father Jay Matthews • Kevin Nichols • Yvette Radford • Tiago Robinson • Favianna Rodriguez • Dr. Denise Saddler • Tovi Scruggs-Hussein • Jean Wing • Mother Wright • Brenda Wright • Oakland A's • Safeway
INNOVATORS FOR EQUITY
Rany Ath • Al Attles • Chuck Baker • Marc Benioff • Y’Anad Burrell • Supervisor Keith Carson • Supervisor Wilma Chan • Ryan Coogler • Ayesha & Steph Curry • Sheila E. • Haben Girma • Arlan Hamilton • Dr. Erica Hooper • Ericka Huggins • Regina Jackson • Ida Louise Jackson • LaNiece Jones • Freada Kapor Klein • Barbara Lee • Dr. Michael LeNoir • Delroy Lindo • Dr. Monica McLemore • Ay'Anna Moody • Dr. Kim Rhoads • Kimberly Scott • Dr. LuPaulette Taylor • Paulina Van • Rev. Dr. Katherine Ward • Oaklandish • Clorox Company Employees
VISIONARIES FOR DIVERSITY
Dr. Maya Angelou • Tom Berkley • London Breed • Nikole Collins Puri • César Cruz • Belva Davis • Ron Dellums • Alicia Dixon • Joyce Gordon • Elihu Harris • Carolyn Johnson • Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell • Joe Morgan • Geoffrey Pete • Nichelle Rachal • Chef Aminah "Mimi" Robinson • Lillian Samuel • Jake Sloan • Loren Taylor • Alice Walker • Kaiser Permanente • The Port of Oakland
WARRIORS FOR JUSTICE
Dr. Noha Aboelata • LaFreshia 'Free' Brown • Cesar Chavez • Joe Coto • Angela Davis • Shawn Granberry • Dolores Huerta • Guy Johnson • Colin Kaepernick • Keba Konte • Fred T. Korematsu • Marshawn Lynch • Dr. Joseph Marshall • Dr. Brandon Nicholson • Walter Riley • Bill Russell • Bobby Seale • Lionel Wilson • Oscar Wright • Black Panther Party • Centro Legal de la Raza
Moving forward, at the end of each decade, the organization will celebrate another 10 leaders who reflect Dr. Foster’s commitment to doing one’s best in service to children and communities.
Click the button above to offer your reflection about our 100 for the 100th celebration and stay connected with us as we look ahead to our 50th Anniversary
Thank you to our event sponsor
Where there is conflict, there is ENERGY,
and where there is energy, there can be CHANGE.
- DR. MARCUS FOSTER
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Building Upon a Legacy
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