Celebrating MLK

​San Rafael, California ~ Today GJEF founders, Rob and Anita Roehrick, attended Marin Grassroots' 2nd Annual Be The Dream Awards Celebration. Marin Grassroots' primary purpose is to facilitate the development of grassroots leadership within low-income communities and communities of color.Recently retired news anchor, Dana King, was the M.C. for the event, eloquently keeping us grounded in ideals of equity and inclusion throughout the morning. Timothy Alan Simon delivered the keynote, his main point: "broad band access is the civil rights game changer" of our time—making online education available to anybody, everywhere, anytime—especially in a world where middle school students risk attack on school campuses simply for being smart. The Awards ~The highlight of the morning was the Be The Dream awards with certificates going to 16 emerging leaders—from various local non-profits—all graduates of Marin Grassroots' 2012 Equal Voice Leadership Academy. Also honored were local Marin businesses and government agencies, recognized for their practices of equity and community support: EO Products, Accuchex, ITSource, Paulette Cass Chiropractic, County of Marin Probation Department, Disproportionate Minority Contact/Confinement and Restorative Justice Program. This was an enjoyable event, including music by the band, Hangar 6, local singers, Kelly Thomas and D' George Hines, and dancer Mike Morales. Bravo Marin Grassroots! We can count on you to bring together people from all walks to rally and work on equity: mixed ethnicities, economics and genders; young and old; grassroots, non-profit, corporate, and political. That is true diversity.