Gala Press Release 2022

Contacts: John Zipperer
Vice President of Media & Editorial
jzipperer@commonwealthclub.org

For Immediate Release

SAN FRANCISCO (October 28, 2022) —The Commonwealth Club of California dedicates its Annual Distinguished Citizens Award Gala to honor the leadership of four outstanding community advocates who, through incredible acts of service and longstanding leadership in their communities, embody the theme of STAND BY ME.

The Distinguished Citizens Award Gala celebrates the achievements of citizens and organizations who have made an indelible impact on our society and who embody the values of The Commonwealth Club.

This year, we recognize the leaders and humanitarians who stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those they serve. They tirelessly strive to remedy injustices, ensure basic needs are met with dignity, provide equitable access to health care and medicine, and demonstrate an abundance of benevolence and generosity of spirit.

Honorees:

Rev. Cecil Williams, pastor emeritus of Glide Memorial Church, receiving a special inaugural award in memory of Charlotte M. Shultz, for striving to both celebrate and improve our beloved city by the bay. Rev. Williams' dedication, time, and leadership of Glide has brought the organization to national and international awareness, as an example of how to create a radically inclusive, just, and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization.

With the support of the Koret Foundation, we are pleased to dedicate the above Special Distinguished Citizen Award in the memory of Charlotte M. Schultz, recognizing a Bay Area leader who personifies her legacy of raising the profile and enhancing the public opinion of the city of San Francisco.

Olga Talamante, executive director emeritus and board vice chair of the Chicana Latina Foundation and Caravan for the Children, for her pioneering work in providing educational funds and opportunities to Chicana and Latina girls in the Bay Area as the first executive director of Chicana Latina Foundation, and for her tireless activism in advocating for the Latinx community in areas of immigration, representations, human rights, and equity. She is currently co-chair of Caravan for the Children, a coalition of Bay Area anchor organizations mobilizing support for reunifying thousands of children from the border who remain separated from their families.

Gilead Sciences, for the commitment to address systemic barriers to health through lifesaving and quality-of-life improving biopharmaceutical innovations and the incredible charitable investments in health equity and health prosperity for all. Their humanitarian contributions have supported diverse communities in the AAPI, LGBTQ+, Latinx, among others, by engaging in educational, social services, STEM, and sustainability programs.

World Central Kitchen, for their work responding to urgent global matters by providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Under the vision and leadership of Chef José Andrés, they have expanded the organization to offer food security worldwide. They provide relief and build resilience within communities in need.

The event starts at 5–6 p.m. PDT with a welcoming reception.

At 6 p.m., the Award Ceremony will start in our state-of-the-art Taube Family Auditorium. The ceremony will be conducted by ABC7 news anchor Dion Lim, with acceptance remarks from our honorees and other special guests. Glide Ensemble will set the mood of the evening with a performance of the night’s theme. Plus a special presentation of Youth Speaks with a poetry performance.

Special Guest: Mayor London Breed.

The Award Ceremony will be live streamed onto our platform.

Following the Award Ceremony, we will have the Celebration Party from 7–10 p.m. with a multilevel and culturally diverse lineup of performers. Food and beverage will be served in different stations throughout the building. With the performances of Aerodynamic Jazz Band, Rolando Morales (guitar), Josh Kahn (accordion), Glide Ensemble, Tais and Arthur (ballroom dancers), and a special presentation of Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano.

The Distinguished Citizens Award Gala is the most significant annual fundraising event to support The Commonwealth Club of California, an organization that uplifts public discourse and good information. It has raised more than $1 million annually. Brenda Wright (retired senior vice president, Wells Fargo Foundation, and principal, Brenda Wright, LLC) and Peter Hill (Bailard executive chairman) are co-chairs of this year’s Gala Committee.

· When: Friday, October 28, 2022

· Link: www.commonwealthclub.org/gala2022

· Time: 5–10 p.m. PDT

· Virtual program: 6–7:15 p.m. PDT

· For more information contact: Paula Linares, plinares@commonwealthclub.org or (415) 597-6737

Donors & Sponsors:

Marquee Level: Eric & Wendy Schmidt, Senspa–David Spencer

Star Level: Pete and Devon Briger, Toni Rembe Rock & Arthur Rock, Gilead Sciences

Hero level: Adobe, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Dede Wilsey, John & Marcia Goldman, John & Tawnie Farmer, Koret Foundation, Taube Philanthropies, Anonymous

Leader level: Amazon, Bailard Foundation, Glide Board of Trustees, Pitch & Cathie Johnson, Nan Geschke.

Presenter Level: Bank of the West, Brenda Wright, California Healthcare Foundation, Capital Group, Claudine Cheng, Crocker & Starr Wine Company, David Chun, Dennis Wu, Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez, Dorian Daley & Michael Krautkramer, Evelyn & John Dilsaver, First Republic Bank, Greg Dalton & Lucia Choi, Ken Petrilla, Lata Krishnan & Ajay Shah, Lenny Mendonca, Ramsay Family Foundation, Martha & Greg Ryan, Mark & Jessica Zitter, McKinsey, Nora & Bruce James, Peter Hill, PwC, Salesforce

Media Partner: KGO/ABC7, Silicon Valley Business Journal, San Francisco Business Journal

Special Thanks to: Galeria de la Raza and Glide Foundation

Founded in 1903, The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation’s largest and most active public affairs forum, with about 22,000 members. Based in San Francisco, the Club hosts hundreds of conversations, town hall meetings, lectures, performances and discussions each year on issues of regional, national and international significance. With an expanded digital presence, we are on social media and other content platforms to share our mission with a broader audience.

The nonprofit, nonpartisan Commonwealth Club has provided crucial connections and public dialogues within our community throughout these recent years. Since the pandemic struck, we have produced more than 900 online programs for millions of viewers and participants, discussing important issues such as health and medicine, democracy, racial justice, climate change; considering possible solutions to all of these; offering arts and cultural programming; and much more. Now, most of the forums are presented both virtually and in-person.

For more information, visit www.commonwealthclub.org/gala2022

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