Congresswoman Barbara Lee will present the Oakland Citizen Humanitarian Award to Ms. Clarissa Douthard, a passionate advocate for children and parents. The award will be presented on Sunday, January 19, at In the Name of Love, the 18th annual musical tribute honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ms. Douthard, Executive Director of Parent Voices Oakland, receives the award for her outstanding work on behalf of the Oakland community.
Ms. Douthard has over a decade of experience working for grassroots, non-profit organizations. She discovered her passion for child care advocacy after losing a much-needed child care subsidy for her, then 3-year-old, son Xavier. Clarissa has been a passionate advocate for mothers like herself who were caught in the crosshairs of ineffective public policy.
In addition to supporting Parent Voices’ statewide campaigns, she has worked to decrease the number of mothers in Oakland waitlisted for childcare subsidies. As a collaborative movement-builder, Clarissa has forged deep partnerships with large local government agencies including the City of Oakland’s Human Services Department, and Alameda County’s Social Services Agency, Public Health Department, and Behavioral Health Services. After stepping into leadership as the Co-Chair of the Alameda County Early Childhood Policy Committee with First 5 of Alameda County, Clarissa led efforts to refocus the group to become a cross-sector collaborative that brings together community-based organizations, parents, and service providers to advance innovative strategies for county-wide systems change and works to elevate parent leadership in public policy.
Ms. Douthard is the recipient of the prestigious Gloria Steinem Woman of Vision award, and currently sits on the steering committee for the Alameda County Early Care and Education Planning Council, the 18th Assembly District Education Advisory Committee, and the Alameda County-Oakland Community Partnership Board for the City of Oakland.
Clarissa resides in Oakland, California with Xavier who is now 9 years old.
In the Name of Love, a civic and cultural event that pays homage through music to one of the greatest humanitarians of our time, is Oakland’s only non-denominational musical tribute to Dr. King, and the perfect platform to honor Clarissa Douthard who helps to inspire change and provides positive contributions to her community.
Event Details
Sunday, January 19 | 7-9:30 pm
Oakland Scottish Rite Center
Tickets: $25-$60 adv., door $30-$65; discounts for children 12 and under
Purchase tickets/more information: https://www.livingjazz.org/mlktribute or contact Sheryl Lynn Thomas at Living Jazz, Inc. (510)858-5313
About Living Jazz, Inc.
Living Jazz, a non-profit, Oakland-based organization was created in 1984. Our mission is to Transform Lives Through Music. Living Jazz created Jazz Camp West in 1984, the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir in 1986, Jazz Camp Weekend and the Oakland Jazz Choir in 1992, "In the Name of Love" in 2002, the Living Jazz Children’s Project in 2005; Jam Camp West for youth ages 10-15 in 2008; and Jazz Search West, the Bay Area’s Jazz Talent Search in 2010.
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