RCF Connects 25th Anniversary - Legacy of Connection Program.
Legacy of Connection 25th Anniversary Gala Richmond Community Foundation
Our mission is to mobilize the power of connection to build healthy, thriving, and equitable communities.
A community foundation—reimagined. RCF Connects exists because our community asked for something more than traditional philanthropy. That need has never gone away.
This event is brought to you by our Anchor Sponsor
Our Story
RCF Connects exists because the community needed something different.
Twenty-five years ago, residents, leaders, and
may look different — housing instability, economic uncertainty, health inequities, systemic racism, climate impacts — but the need for a trusted, adaptive, resident- centered organization remains just as urgent as ever. RCF Connects exists to respond when systems fall short and to evolve as conditions change; because communities don’t just need funding, they need connection, coordination, and long-term commitment. By attending this gala and supporting RCF Connects, you are investing in the relationships, infrastructure, and collective power that allow our communities not just to survive, but to thrive. Thank you for supporting RCF in serving this community for 25 years.
partners in Richmond and West County were facing challenges that could not be solved by one-time grants or disconnected efforts. They needed an organization that would listen deeply, stay present, and adapt alongside them. They needed a partner willing to take risks, build solutions from the ground up, and remain accountable to the people most impacted. RCF Connects was created to be that answer. Today, the truth is this: the community still needs something different. Folks in our neighborhoods have moved across city and county lines in search of stability, opportunity, and belonging. The challenges
Our Evening
Champagne Reception
Welcome & Opening Jim Becker & Rosalind Welch RCF Co-CEO Leadership
Land Acknowledgement & Blessing Cristina Perez-Abelson & Greg Medley RCF Connects Board Members Introducing Our Host for the Evening Vaneese Johnson Mistress of Ceremonies Acknowledgements & Recognition Board of Directors Community Leaders "Our Stories" — Impact Testimonials Housing & Stability Pathways to Equity in our Community Economic Equity & Security
Keynote Address Bisa French Former Richmond Police Chief
Our Evening
Entertainment & Networking Music by DJ Juice Dinner Service / Silent Auction Browsing
"Message in a Bottle" Interactive Fundraising Game
Dancing & Celebration
Silent Auction Winners Announced Dessert & Coffee
Closing Remarks & Farewell
Check Out & Collect Winnings Please remember to check-out before you leave
Volunteers can help you or self-checkout using the QR code on your paddle.
Goodnight!
Tonight’s Speakers
We are thrilled to welcome Vaneese Johnson , better known as The Boldness Coach™, as our Mistress of Ceremonies . Vaneese is an award-winning global speaker, certified executive coach, personal brand strategist, and transformation expert with more than 25 years of experience helping professionals and leaders step into their boldest selves. Vaneese brings warmth, honesty, heart, and a contagious sense of joy into every room she enters. Bisa French, Former Richmond Police Chief our Keynote Speaker, is a true local legend whose leadership has shaped Richmond and Contra Costa County for more than a quarter- century. Throughout her remarkable career, Chief French has built deep partnerships with community members, strengthened transparency, and led bold efforts to reimagine public safety with compassion and equity at the center. She brings decades of lived experience and insight into leadership, service, and connection; exactly the themes we at RCF Connects celebrate.
Get ready to feel the rhythm and energy all night long. DJ Juice is our official Musicologist . One of the most respected DJs in the region, he has been nominated as one of the Top 10 Club DJs in the Bay Area , a testament to the respect he commands from fans and peers alike for his versatility and mastery behind the decks.
Special Gratitude to
Event Coordinator La Marla Guillory of Bashworthy Events
Champagne Reception Entertainment Sound Journeys (Music Therapy) Rhonda Mootry & Reiki Master Raina Munson
Photo Booth, Cemilitas Photo
Photography Big Jase Solutions | Interactive Event Experiences
Audio and Visual Mauricio Acevedo - DIGIT SOUND
Board of Directors
Lucinda Bazile, Chair Chief Executive Officer Cancer Support Community San Francisco Bay Area
Gregory Medley, Vice Chair Executive Diretor Bethel Community Service (BCS) Jennifer Zauner Clauson. , Secretary Executive Director Akhila Health Cristina Perez-Abelson, Director Attorney at Law Abelson Perez Law, LLP
DW Kim, Treasurer Senior Director IEQ Capital
Cynthia LeBlanc, Ed.D, Immediate Past Chair Educator (Retired)
Maggie Blanc-White , Director Director of Human Resources
Sonja Malaga, Director Vice President Branch Manager Mechanics’ Bank
& Talent Development Overaa Construction
Mitzi Perez-Caro, Director Teacher Kennedy High School
Stephanie Rivera, Director Chief Executive Offier Lazarex Cancer Foundation
Dhoryan Rizo, Director Program Manager
Kimberly Rogers, Director President Contra Costa College
Village Community Resource Center in East Contra Costa
Thank You Legacy of Connection Volunteers
Our Stories Speakers
Astrid Heim Mariana Moore Mitzi Perez-Caro LaRhonda Sullivan Robert Ulrich
Gala Committee
Gala Volunteers Ruthie Abelson Jackqueline Felix
Jenn Zauner Clauson Dhoryan Rizo Carlos Lemus Regina Keels
Tiffany Harris Julie Mathern
Madelyn Ramirez Kimberlii Walker
Evelia Pérez Taylor Sims La Kesha Stevens
We are very thankful for our sponsors!
S PON SOR S
PAR T NE R S
Mechanics Bank Cynthia LeBlanc Abelson Perez Law LLP Phillips 66 Contra Costa Labor Council Kit for Living & Bridge Storage and ARTSpace RBC Capital Markets Overaa Leah & James Becker
D.W. Kim Jenn Zauner Clauson John Ziesenhenne Patience Ofodu, East Bay EDA COMMUN I T Y L E ADE R District Director for Assemblymember Buffy Wicks Ilaf Esuf
Our in-kind gift sponsors for their generous gifts featured in our silent auction . . . Alice Walker
yes, the author
Pete Escavedo
yes, the musician
Patience Ofodu
Embodied Leadership
Vaneese Johnson
Viano Vineyards
Rev Dr Harold W Orr Jr
Presido Lodging
Stacy Yip
Peju Wines
you!
Tonight isn't just a celebration of the past; it's an invitation to help build what comes next. Help shape the next 25 years.
Continue to Support Our Mission Use this QR Code to make a donation
About RCF Connects For 25 years, RCF Connects (Richmond Community Foundation) has been mobilizing the power of connection to build healthy, thriving, and equitable communities in Contra Costa County. Through our comprehensive programs and initiatives, we address the root causes of inequality and create pathways to opportunity for our neighbors.
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