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Awards and Scholarships 2009
Includes our Community Leadership Awards, Koshland Young Leader Awards, and Art Awards Program.
Community Leadership Awards
Each year our Community Leadership Awards give us an opportunity to showcase the depth of commitment and range of talent among Bay Area community leaders. Chosen for their innovation and impact, as well as their initiative and inspiration, all of our award winners have enhanced the lives of Bay Area residents in tangible ways. Whether individuals or organizations, the 2009 winners stand out not only for their visionary ideas and meaningful results, but also for setting examples and creating models for other communities to follow.
This year’s winners reflects a combination of emerging, exciting leaders, and historically significant community icons. These winners, in the individual and in the aggregate, support the Foundation’s focus on civil rights, social justice, literacy, youth development, and cultural connections.
The 2009 Community Leadership Award Winners:
Mary Lou Breslin, $10,000
For making a mark in defining disability rights as a civil rights issue. She is a trailblazer whose grassroots movement has had tremendous impact addressing human rights abuses and neglect worldwide. As co-founder of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Mary Lou was at the forefront of creating the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Amendments Act, and the Civil Rights Restoration Act – leading to protected rights and enhanced opportunities for us all, not just those with disabilities.
In the spirit of the Robert C. Kirkwood Award, made to an individual in recognition of outstanding community service, commitment, and inspired leadership.
Michael Franti, $10,000
For embodying a social movement of justice and activism and being a voice for the vulnerable. By founding the music groups Spearhead and the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, as well as the Power to the Peaceful festival, Michael built an underground movement to spread a message of social justice and advocated for underrepresented people. His recent film, I Know I’m Not Alone, highlights the human cost of war and empowers people to utilize their vote and recognize their collective power to impact American foreign policy.
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.
Eugene Rodriguez, $10,000
For his passion for connecting with young people through Mexican traditional music. He grew Los Cenzontles from a small music group to the cultural hub it is today in San Pablo by creating transformative experiences for youth, providing focus, training, and purpose that helps them succeed in life. Locally and nationally, he brings visibility to and reverence for Mexican vernacular forms of music and traditional dance.
In the spirit of the Helen Crocer Russell Award, made to an under-recognized, mature artist who has made a significant and ongoing contribution in the Bay Area.
Children’s Book Press, $20,000
For being the first independent, nonprofit publisher of bilingual, multicultural books and stories for children. In the past 33 years, it has served as a vehicle for civil rights, human rights, and social justice, with a profound impact on the children, youth, and adults who better understand their own lives and histories as a result of its books. Children’s Book Press builds the connection between literacy and success, preserves traditions, and helps build a stronger future for our children.
In the spirit of The San Francisco Foundation Award, made to an individual demonstrating exemplary commitment to improving human relations in the Bay Area.
National Center for Lesbian Rights, $20,000
For its pioneering spirit and unwavering commitment to advancing the civil and human rights of LGBT people. Its precedent-setting case victories have rewritten laws to change the legal landscape for all LGBT people and families across the nation. Through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education, NCLR advocates on behalf of LGBT people and their families nationwide. For 30 years, NCLR has been at the forefront of pursuing justice, fairness, and legal protections for all LGBT people.
In the spirit of the John R. May Award, made for organizational initiatives in response to a significant contemporary problem.
Koshland Young Leader Awards
The Koshland Young Leader Awards recognize the next generation of leadership in our community. These impressive high school seniors from San Francisco public schools are strongly motivated to achieve in spite of the added challenge of responsibilities to their families. We applaud the Koshland Young Leader Awardees for their commitment to achieving their goals, succeeding academically, and pursuing their career ambitions. The students are nominated by their teachers and counselors during their junior year for this $7,000 award.
- Christian Castaing, City Arts and Technology High School
- Rashim Khadka, Galileo Academy of Science and Technology
- Sandra Liu, Raoul Wallenberg High School
- Janette Marquez, City Arts and Technology High School
- Sha'Nice Patterson, City Arts and Technology High School
- Francesca Sadikin, School of the Arts
- Carly Tello, City Arts and Technology High School
- David Wu, Phillip and Sala Burton Academic High School
Art Awards Program
The San Francisco Foundation is proud to sponsor the Art
Awards Program, fostering individual growth and excellence in Bay
Area artists. For more detailed information about these awards, please visit the Art Awards page of our website.
Literary Awards through Intersection for the Arts
Joseph Henry Jackson Literary Award
Youmna Chlala, in recognition of her outstanding poetry manuscript What We Are.
James Duval Phelan Award
Edan Lepucki, in recognition of her outstanding fiction manuscript Days of Insignificance and Evil.
Mary Tanenbaum Award in Nonfiction
Page McBee, in recognition of her outstanding non-fiction manuscript This Fragile Forest.
John Gutmann Photography Fellowship Award
Alessandra Sanguinetti, $10,000
James D. Phelan Art Award in Printmaking
Harry Clewans, Oakland, CA, $5,000
Maizie Gilbert, San Francisco, CA, $5,000
Honorable Mention: Sarah Newton, San Francisco, CA
Murphy and Cadogan Fellowships in the Fine Arts
$3,500 each, the 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.
Miguel Arzabe, University of California Berkeley
Mary “Mara” Baldwin, California College of the Arts
Michael Barrett, Academy of Art University
Bonnie Begusch, University of California Berkeley
Oscar Bucher, San Francisco State University
Carlos Castro, San Francisco Art Institute
Emily Dippo, San Francisco Art Institute
Llewelynn Fletcher, California College of the Arts
Matt Kennedy, San Francisco State University
Ace Lehner, California College of the Arts
Bobby Lukas, Mills College
Eric Martin, California College of the Arts
Susan Martin, San Francisco Art Institute
Armando Miguelez, Stanford University
Kusum Nairi, San Francisco Art Institute
Ruth Robbins, California College of the Arts
Eirini Steirou, San Francisco State University
Rebecca Wallace, California College of the Arts
Doug Williams, Mills College
Sune Woods, California College of the Arts
Wafaa Yasin, California College of the Arts
Daniel Yovino, San Francisco Art Institute
Fund for Artists
The Fund for Artists supports the endeavors of individual artists through commissions, artists' residencies, awards, advocacy, workshops, promotional instruction, and networking support. For more detailed information about these awards, please visit the Fund For Artists page of our website.
Fund for Artists Arts Teacher Fellowship Program
The Fund for Artists Arts Teacher Fellowship is intended to support the artistic revitalization of outstanding arts teachers in Bay Area middle and high schools. Fellows design individualized courses of study that foster their own creative work and the opportunity to interact with other professional artists in their fields.
Angela Brown, $5,000
Michael Doyle, $2,780
Lynne Finlay Klein, $3,060
Fund for Artists Matching Commission
$2,500-$5,000 each to support the development of new work by Bay Area artists and, at the same time, help small to mid-sized arts groups diversify funding by attracting individual donors. These grants had to be matched on a one-to-one basis by contributions from individual donors.
Alexis Alrich, Moses Sedler, and Katrina Wreede / Mill Valley Philharmonic
Anthony Brown / Fifth Stream Music
Seng Chen and Allan Manalo / Kearny Street Workshop
Beth Custer / San Francisco Cinematheque
Gabriela Frank / San Francisco Chamber Orchestra
Joanna Haigood / Zaccho Dance Theatre
Ali Liebegott / RADAR Productions
Travis Meinolf / Museum of Craft and Folk Art
Amy Seiwert / im’ij-re
Marcus Shelby / Peninsula Ballet Theatre
Brian Thorstenson / Alternative Theater Ensemble
Gail Wight / San Francisco Center for the Book
Shenson Performing Arts Fellowships
$5,000 each to support outstanding pre-professional performing arts students.
Emily Kitchens, American Conservatory Theatre
Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Chhandam Chitresh Das Dance Company
John Smalley, Community Music Center
Yuchi Chou, San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Leah Crocetto, San Francisco Opera
Daveed Diggs, Youth Speaks