About TSFF

Aim High, $20,000
For closing the achievement gap through programs that inspire a love of learning and a strong sense of community. Through its innovative, free summer school program, it supports the educational and developmental needs of middle-school-aged children, providing the tools for learning, a commitment to their community, and the hope for their future.
In the spirit of the John R. May Award, made for organizational initiatives in response to a significant contemporary problem.

Chinese for Affirmative Action, $20,000
For being a champion against discrimination and for advancing systemic change for a racially just society. With its foundation firmly in the Asian and Pacific American community, its grassroots and policy efforts cross cultures to ensure equal opportunities for communities of color, reduce language barriers, and promote immigrant rights across the Bay Area.
In the spirit of the Robert C. Kirkwood Award, made to an individual in recognition of outstanding community service, commitment, and inspired leadership.

Rita Semel, interfaith pioneer and Jewish activist, $10,000
For her life-long successes in creating healthy, just, and inclusive communities in the Bay Area and worldwide. She builds bridges of understanding between diverse religious and ethnic communities, and brings together the interfaith community to help alleviate poverty and end discrimination. Her catalytic leadership is felt far and wide, from the San Francisco Interfaith Council to the Global Council for the United Religions Initiative. Her legacy will be a more peaceful and compassionate world.
In the spirit of The San Francisco Foundation Award, made to an individual demonstrating exemplary commitment to improving human relations in the Bay Area.

Brenda Way, founder and artistic director of ODC, $10,000
For creating a community hub through dance. She built the largest, most comprehensive contemporary dance center in the nation, and through it she inspires dancers and audiences, cultivates artists, and engages the community. Brenda is a choreographer, writer, and community activist who strengthens our region’s cultural connections.
In the spirit of the Helen Crocker Russell Award, made to an under-recognized, mature artist who has made a significant and ongoing contribution in the Bay Area.

• Luri Chen Zheng, Mission High School
• Kyron Covington, City Arts and Technology High School
• Deandra Crawford, Leadership High School
• Mollie Cueva-Dabkoski, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts
• Marlyn Martinez, San Francisco International High School
• Edith Melendez, San Francisco International High School
• Rodrigo Mendez, San Francisco International High School
• Erica Nguyen, Mission High School
• Nga Pham, Raoul Wallenberg High School
• Stacy Thomas, City Arts and Technology High School

John Gutmann Photography Fellowship Award
$10,000 annually to an emerging artist who exhibits professional accomplishment, serious artistic commitment, and need in the field of creative photography.

Penelope Umbrico, New York, NY

Literary Awards
The distinguished Joseph Henry Jackson, James D. Phelan, and Mary Tanenbaum Literary Awards offer $2,000 to each qualifying literary artists for their outstanding work based on the submission of an unpublished manuscript in-progress.

Will Boast
Awarded the Mary Tanenbaum Nonfiction Award
For the manuscript, Archaeology

Carolyn Ho
Awarded the James D. Phelan Award
For the manuscript, Wake

Chinaka Aziza Hodge
Awarded the James D. Phelan Award
For the manuscript, Second Lines

William Main   
Awarded the Joseph Henry Jackson Award
For the manuscript, Last, Last, and Last

Gerardo Pacheco Matus
Awarded the Joseph Henry Jackson Award
For the manuscript, The Child of the Grasses

Lena Reyna   
Awarded the James D. Phelan Award
For the manuscript, The Animal Game

Murphy and Cadogan Fellowships in the Fine Arts
$4,000 each, Jack and Gertrude Murphy Fine Art Fellowship and the Edwin Anthony and Adelaine Boudreaux Cadogan Fine Arts Fellowships support Bay Area fine arts graduate students in their continued academic study.

2012 Awardees:
Fatema Abdoolcarim, Film/Video
Cadogan Scholarship, California College of the Arts

Teresa Baker, Painting
Cadogan Scholarship, California College of the Arts

Dan Battle, Painting
Cadogan Scholarship, California College of the Arts

Mika Boyd, Installation
Murphy Fellowship, San Francisco Art Institute

Tristan Cai, Photography
Murphy Fellowship, San Francisco Art Institute

Ji Eun Chun, Sculpture
Cadogan Scholarship, California College of the Arts

Amber Crabbe, Hybrid Practice
Murphy Fellowship, San Francisco Art Institute

Missy Engelhardt, Sculpture
Murphy Fellowship, San Francisco Art Institute

Seamus Harte, Film/Video
Cadogan Scholarship, Stanford University

Nancy Ivanhoe, Mixed Media
Murphy Fellowship, San Francisco Art Institute

Beckey Kaye, Sculpture
Murphy Fellowship, San Francisco State University

Amber Fawn Keig, Hybrid Practice
Cadogan Scholarship, California College of the Arts

Sahar Khoury, Sculpture
Murphy Fellowship, UC Berkeley

Jesus Landin-Torrez III, Hybrid Practice
Cadogan Scholarship, California College of the Arts

Keegan Luttrell, Sculpture
Murphy Fellowship, Mills College

Yan Yan Mao, Hybrid Practice
Cadogan Scholarship, California College of the Arts

Elizabeth Moran, Photography
Cadogan Scholarship, California College of the Arts

David Olsson, Film/Video
Cadogan Scholarship, California College of the Arts

Kate Short, Installation
Murphy Fellowship, Mills College

Dimitra Skandali, Installation
Murphy Fellowship, San Francisco Art Institute

Dawn Weleski, Hybrid Practice
Cadogan Scholarship, Stanford University

Michal Wisniowski, Painting
Murphy Fellowship, San Francisco Art Institute

Momo Yao, Drawing
Murphy Fellowship, San Francisco Art Institute

Rella Lossy Playwright Award
5,000 award, one half covers production costs of the play and the second half is given to the playwright.

Christopher Chen, The Hundred Flowers Project