Community Award Winners

At the October 16th Freedom Fund Gala Event, Cheryl Vines (left) and Dr. Consuelo Meux (right) with the NAACP SLO Branch awarded the efforts of nine community members who have shown recognizable efforts to serve our community in various areas.

Each award is named after a historic person in Black history

Georgia Gilmore Social and Civil Justice Award

Presented To Jim Frutchey 

Septima Clark Education Award

Presented To Dorothy Adams

Patricia Bath, PhD Science and Medicine Award

Presented To Dr. Kevin Ferguson

Dr Kevin Ferguson continues to educate the public on covid 19

Ida B. Wells-Barnett Media/Communication Award

Presented To Tara Kennon

Tara Kennon currently serves as the lead public information officer for the County of San Luis Obispo Health Agency’s COVID-19 response, where she works alongside a tireless and compassionate team of communicators. Throughout the pandemic, the public information team has focused on providing meaningful health information in a way that everyone in our community, particularly those most at risk from COVID-19, can use to protect ourselves, our families, and each other.

Claudette Colvin Youth Activist Award

Presented To Tianna Arata

Tianna Arata, a guiding force of SLO County’s Black activists and many white allies. She is the fire that sparked the movement 

starting in May of 2020.13 

A Philip Randolph, Community Organizer Award 

Presented to Courtney Haile

San Luis High, USC, and SF State graduate. In 2016, Courtney Haile co-founded R.A.C.E. Matters, a grassroots organization that amplifies matters of racial justice and centers Black voices. Now their Executive Director, she has been a driving force for R.A.C.E. Matters’ creative endeavors, cultural programs and special events. 

Maxine Lewis Humanitarian Award 

Presented to Tim Jouet

Tim has lived in the city of San Luis Obispo since 1989, attending Cuesta College and has worked for Woods Humane Society, as an artist, and small business owner. The last several years Tim has been primarily focused on direct personal services and relationship building with our homeless neighbors, and participating in political advocacy-especially health care for all, in order to bring about a more just and equitable society for all.

The Honorable John Lewis Voting Rights Award

Presented to Julie Rodewald

Julie Rodewald is the Voter Services Director for the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County. She served as the 

elected SLO County Clerk-Recorder for 20 years and retired in January 2015. She spends countless hours advocating and 

educating the community on all aspects of voter rights.

Dorie Miller Boundary Breaker Award

Presented To Dr. Joye Carter

Joye M. Carter, MD is the first Black American to be appointed a Chief Medical Examiner in the USA. Graduate of Howard 

University College of Medicine, USAF Major, retired Consultant to the Prosecution in the Chauvin homicide trial of George Floyd

Co-author of the controversial article, Cognitive Bias in Forensic Pathology Decision Making, 2021