ON OCTOBER 26, 2003, history was made in BayView Hunter Point, in San Francisco. Senior Ex-Offenders were awarded Certificates of Honor by notable officials. The Bayview Hunter Point Multipurpose Senior Services Incorporation, "Senior Ex-Offender Program," held its first fundraiser at the Alex Pitcher Room inside of the South East Community Facility located at 1800 Oakdale in San Francisco. Thirty men and women Change Agents and Three Change Makers were honored historically.

Thirty men and women, ex-offenders, were honored for their remarkable turn around and their imbedded dedication to human lives. These men and women are unique because they are ex-offenders. They are leaders within their communities. Men and women working in the trenches, reaching the lost, the incarcerated, the hopeless, the homeless, the alcoholics, the addicts, those suffering from mental health issues, the at-risks, those who are suffering from HIV/AIDS, those who are dual and triple diagnosed, those that are underserved, underprivileged, underemployed, and disenfranchised.

The Senior Ex-Offender Program honored these men and women because it is understood that they are often overlooked and never recognized for their contribution to our communities and our society. Ex-Offenders are always view with a negative connotation. In this day, there are ex-offenders who are giving back. There are ex-offenders who are educating themselves and becoming teachers, educators, sponsors, mentors, advocators, missionaries, deacons, ministers, role models, counselors, directors, social workers, medical social workers, administrators, community leaders, and the list goes on.

The purpose of this award ceremony was in two-folded, to give recognition to ex-offenders who are change agents, and to make a stance to break the stigma against ex-offenders. The men and women who served their time for the mistakes made in the past should lie in the past. These men and women work in the trenches with many special populations that the "norms" discards and make money off of. These men and women are best to do the jobs that they have been doing because who else can reach those who are where these men and women once been. They do the remarkable and save lives.

The Change Makers who open the doors to make life worth living again for ex-offenders were honored as well. Sheriff Michael Hennessey of the San Francisco Sheriff Department was honored for his major support of furthering the education of offenders and ex-offenders. Sheriff Hennessey created programs and jobs for ex-offenders. He has gone against the status quo on many occasions, and is an advocate for what he believes in.

Assistant Sheriff Michael Marcum accepted the awards for Sheriff Hennessey. The Assistant Sheriff is also an ex-offender who in turn has open doors for other ex-offenders who turned their lives around are now working within the City and County of San Francisco living successful lives, paying taxes and being responsible.

Mr. Curtis Jones was honored as a Change Maker. This African American male was the co-founder of the Liberation House Incorporated, a residential treatment facility for men, in San Francisco, over 30 years ago with Dr. Hannibal Williams-the founder. Mr. Jones assisted in creating an avenue for African Americans when they had nowhere to go for treatment. The Liberation House is a residential treatment facility for all men. Today over 12,000 men has received treatment their, mostly, offenders, ex-offenders and veterans.

Angela Stocker is the President of the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE). She is a college professor and coach at the College of San Mateo. She was the first to bring to Northern California the Alcohol and Drug Studies Certification Program. It is because of her love and compassion to assist ex-offenders and the recovery population to become professionals that this came into fruition. Today, there are many men and women who are Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist. Many are ex-offenders and recovering alcoholics and addicts working in the trenches today. Thanks to her vision, many ex-offenders are living productive lives with honor and respect.

Lessie Hopkins was honored with the Community Achievement Award. Ms Hopkins worked long and hard hours networking with Faith Based Organizations, Community Organization, Social Services, Criminal Justice System, the District Attorney's Department, and the Public Defenders Offices to advocate for senior ex-offenders. She advocated for those detached from society to make their transition easier, their adjustments positive, and with a smile to make their days pleasant. Ms Hopkins is a true leader within her community of Bayview Hunter Point, in San Francisco.

The Change Makers and The Change Agents received Certificates of Honor from San Francisco Board of Supervisors, The San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, California Legislators Leland Yee and Mark Leno, California State Senator John Burton, and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Governor Gray Davis and Senator Barbara Boxer sent in letters of recognitions honoring the recipients of the award ceremony. History was made and it was well deserved to the outstanding member of a community who cares and love people despite their shortcomings.

The Change Makers were Annette Anderson (substance abuse counselor working with women for Haight Asbury), Ulysse Bill (72 yrs old, substance abuse counselor for Senior Ex-Offender Program) Lee Boone (Clean and sober 16 years and is a commissioner with the National Baptist Convention Prison Ministries) John Bradstreet (Manager at Roads To Recovery County Jail Program and a member of CAADE) Lloyd Jones (74 year old mentor with the City of Hope Mentoring Group in SF) Lovell Johnson (10 years clean and sober, ex-offender, motivational speaker) Dennis R. Martinez (ex-offender now counselor who work with kids through art called "Art Therapy" for ICCS in Hayward Ca) and Gilbert J. Martinez (Founder of Integrated Counseling and Consulting Services in Hayward Ca, working with teens at risk).

Benjamin Mayshack (entrepreneur who assists ex-offenders in the retail) Ida McCray (A woman who served ten years in the prison system working for the San Francisco Sheriff Department for the past 4 years; started her own non-profit in '96 working with families of the incarcerated population) Charles Moore (received his GED at 30 and now has a BA in Psychology; ordained minister and work at SF City College Second Chance Project getting ex-offenders into college) Irvin Peagler (co-founder of the Liberation Alumni Association in SF; case manager for Roads To Recovery in SFCJ 7), Cyrus Carter(is the director for the Community Awareness Treatment Services, "Golden Gate For Seniors" a residential treatment program for seniors) Eli Crawford (works for Post Release Educational Program and Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration, as a case manager and facilitator) Corey Lee Drummer (see lower) and Juanita Gibson (12 years clean and sober and a motivational speaker retired from Haight Ashbury Clinic).

Margaret Gold (Agency Director for Jelani House in SF) Harry Goodall (10 years clean and sober and Food Service Manager for Liberation House, SF) Charles Harris (HIV counselor for Western Addition Recovery House, SF) Naim Harrison (Works for Positive Directions in Bayview Hunter Point SF, clean and sober nine years) Alice Johnson (certified HIV/AIDS educator and a substance abuse counselor for Baker Place, SF) Bobby Johnson (Five years clean and sober, works for Baker Place and CATS) Freddie Pitts (Program Supervisor at Liberation House for the last eleven years with 13 years clean, sober and free) and Ulysses Powell (Program Director of Roads To Recovery).

Jesse Prism Founder of Men In Motion support group for men in recovery) Dennis Ricci (SF college student and work for San Francisco Sheriff Department Post Release Educational Program), Bill Rosenberg (works for Asian Neighborhood Design as a case manager and mentor in the City of Hope Mentor Program, SF) Pat Sherman (works for both Haight Ashbury and Glide Memorial) John Sledge (BASN manager for Walden House with 13 years clean, sober and free) and Gloria Young-Thomas (is a medical Social Worker for San Francisco General Hospital with 17 years clean, sober and free). These men and women are truly leaders within their community creating positive motivational change in the person, in people, in the community and within this society. We honor them our unsung heroes.

There were plenty of food and the entertainment was great. Music by Jay 'e and Friends; comedy by Marvin Lindsey and Lee Luvlee Holland. Poetry by Marvin Lindsey. Testimony of an ex-offender by Corey Lee Drummer (who started a recovery support group called Fellowship Recovery Group and a deacon at the Little Zion Baptist Church). And, the keynote speaker was Dr. Martin C Jones of the San Francisco Sheriff Department.

Dr. Jones is well known throughout San Francisco. In the sixties his father and he was known as the Jones who fought for civil rights and education throughout San Francisco and San Francisco State University. Dr. Jones is a program coordinator at the San Francisco County Jails and holds multiple groups educating and supporting both offenders and ex-offenders. He dazzled the audience with a song and dance and follows it up with a powerful dialog about voting and the ex-offenders.

The mistress of ceremony was Yolanda Robinson of the Northern California Service League. The program director, Frank Williams, spoke about breaking the stigma of ex-offenders. Dr. George Davis, the executive director, introduced Kamala Harris running for District Attorney of San Francisco, California Legislator Leland Yee and Mark Leno. Reverend Carl Ware of New Providence Baptist Church, in San Francisco, made prayer.

This was an extraordinary day in the lives of these leaders and many left who witnessed something that had never been done before. It was a terrific event. For those of you who didn't make it, the 2nd In The Trenches Award Ceremony will be held in 2004 and the tentative date is July 17th. The Senior Ex-Offender Program will continue to hold this event annually in honor of the Change Agents and Change Makers.

Special thanks to the staff of BayView Hunter Point Multipurpose Senior Services Inc, the staff of the Senior Ex-offender Program, the staff of The Adult Day Care Senior Center, The Advisory Board, the Officials who gave us support, Gibbs Magazine, and all of you who believed in us and supported this event and our services.

If you want to nominate recipients for the next award ceremony please contact the BayView Hunter Point Multipurpose Senior Services Inc, Susie Tyner (415) 822-1444 or The Senior Ex-Offender Program, Tiffany Brewster (415) 593-8235. You can write in at 1706 Yosemite Avenue San Francisco, Ca 94124.