BlackPressUSA
The way Sacramento pays for arts education is broken. Here’s what could help.
By Srishti Prabha | CapRadio | Special to the OBSERVER
A 2019 report by Create CA found that 89% of public schools in California were not meeting the state standards for arts education. Lack of accountability compounded by the incremental loss of funding has contributed to many school districts having a fragmented landscape where funding for the arts is coming from obscure sources. In Sacramento, the hardest hit regions were those with Black and brown students.
Spanglish chatter is followed by giggles as students walk from their first-grade classroom to the art room at Glenwood Elementary School in North Sacramento.
At the back of the line, 7–year-old Salvador Vasquez exclaims, “I’m so excited!”
Once a week, the first graders at Glenwood Elementary get access to arts education and they are buzzing with energy.
“I like to learn new things in art,” says student Cardiair Potts.
His friend Lizandro Zepeda thinks art class is unlike his normal class where they focus on math and reading: “It makes me happy because, with the projects, we bring them in our house, we can show them to our family.”
Stevie Wonder songs set the mood in the classroom, as the first-graders gossip, color and cut butterfly shapes.
Andrea Rodriguez, the visual arts enrichment teacher, develops and runs all the arts programming for Glenwood Elementary. She sees 450 students for 40 minutes a week.
The Robla Unified School District, a majority Black and brown district with 84% of its families lower-income, provides visual arts education for every student once a week. Surprisingly, this is more than what many other students in Sacramento County receive. A year-long program committed to any type of arts education at the elementary school level is not standard practice for all districts, and Robla Unified is ahead of the curve, even without a theater, music and dance curriculum.
California’s state-mandated arts framework requires that students from grades first through sixth receive instruction in dance, music, theater and visual arts in each grade level. And from grades seventh to 12th, to have the choice from these four buckets of arts education.
Yet, a 2019 report by Create CA — the most recent available — found that 89% of public schools in California were not meeting the state standards for arts education. Lack of accountability compounded by the incremental loss of funding has contributed to many school districts having a fragmented landscape where funding for the arts is coming from obscure sources. In Sacramento, the hardest hit regions were those with Black and Brown students.
The passing of Proposition 28 in 2022 marked a historic investment of money for arts education. That, along with an arts block grant issued the same year, were to be the panacea for three decades of non-existent arts education. However, Gov. Gavin Newson’s proposed budget will decrease funding for the arts, and the limitations of this funding prompt more questions than solutions.
“Scarcity mindset … making do with whatever you had”
Allison Cagley, executive director of Friends of Sacramento Arts, said in Sacramento County most of the losses in arts education are seen in the years before high school, impacting young students of color and students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Accounting for students from underserved regions requires intentionality, said Cagley, and incorporating arts education into the school day.
“It can’t be an after-school program only because that builds inequitable access. Art needs to be consistent in terms of hands-on experience, as well as exposure,” said Cagley, who facilitates arts programming in local schools. “And [we need] to build out a diverse body of art forms and [teaching] artists that accurately reflect the demographics of schools.”
The benefits of arts education for youth — better social and emotional health, improved test scores, less truancy — are more prevalent in the public education space than before.
“I know it helps with attendance because [when] they know they have art that day, they tend to come to school because they look forward to your class,” Rodriguez said of her students.
Rodriguez began her journey as a visual arts teacher at Natomas High School in 2007 before becoming the sole arts educator at Glenwood Elementary.
“When I started, we had lab fees, so kids used to have to pay. It’s now illegal, but they had to pay $15 a semester,” said Rodriguez. “My entire budget came out of kids paying their lab fees. And I felt horrible because some kids were like, ‘I don’t have the money.’ I used to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars as a brand-new teacher in my 20s, trying to make my curriculum and classroom work.”
Once the state outlawed fees for arts education in 2012, Rodriguez’s budget was around $12 per pupil. Ten years later, she is spending about $15 per student in a well-resourced district. However, if the amount spent in 2012, when arts education was not prioritized, was adjusted for inflation, schools should be spending $16 per student to provide the same services.
“Since I adopted a new classroom and somebody else’s idea of curriculum, my budget eats into my new ideas,” Rodriguez said. “I try to use a lot of what I have and try to be very creative with what I can do here.”
Rodriguez is not alone in her struggle to conform curriculum to available funds. The malleability of the budget is entirely dependent on the priorities of the principal, and the championing from teachers and parents. In some cases, the departure or retirement of an arts teacher or supportive principal may lead to the ending of an arts program.
CLARA, a nonprofit organization based in Midtown Sacramento, works with Sacramento County’s schools to deliver dance classes on-site. Executive Director Megan Wygant said their programming has been subject to the changing whims of the administration and teachers this past year.
“We had a contract to start at a new school or to come back, and we walked in on the first day and were like, ‘You’re not the principal we used to work with,’” said Wygant on not having the buy-in on the programs from new school officials. “Principals were saying, ‘I don’t know if I want my teachers losing an hour of classroom time every week.’”
Programming run by CLARA can be funded by the districts or PTAs, but this varies from school to school and district to district.
Sources of funding for arts education in the county are haphazardly drawn from different pools of money, and the transparency around the amount, the rationale, and the outcomes are disparate and opaque.
When Rodriguez wanted to do a 3D cultural food project, appealing to the diverse classrooms she educates, she asked her principal, “Is there money?” He told her “Yeah, whatever you need. We’ll get it out of a different budget.”
Rodriguez said was not entirely sure how the arts education budget in her district was determined, but knew she was receiving $7,000 a year.
Before Proposition 13 was enacted in 1978, property taxes funded California’s public schools, and there was much more discretionary local control of the education budget. The Public Policy Institute suggests that “between 1970 and 1997, spending per pupil in California fell more than 15 percent relative to spending in the rest of the country” because of Prop 13. Though the state tried to match the lost funding, slashes in education were inevitable, and arts education took the brunt of the cuts.
Prop 13 diminished access to arts education, said Cagley: “The arts were obliterated from public education, and now in California, 1 in 5 school children receive any arts education, despite the fact that it is regulated in the California Department of Education framework.”
In 2010, the Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, the state’s method of allocating funds to districts based on economic disparity, once again shifted the landscape of public education — and hurt arts education.
“The visual and performing arts in California have been challenged in the local education funding formula,” said Tom DeCaigny, executive director of Create CA. “So, they’ve not risen to the priority of local districts or the State Department of Education.”
The LCFF model accommodates schools in high- and low-income neighborhoods with more resources, but the void is exasperated for schools in neighborhoods at the cusp of low-income, Cagley said: “What’s interesting about the funding of arts education is that sometimes Title I schools, because they are Title I, get more money than schools that are on the border of Title I.”
Title I schools are defined by the economic need of their student population. And the LCFF model accounts for the needs of high-poverty areas with Title 1 schools in the County.
But the design of this model is a myth, as observed at Glenwood Elementary — a Title 1 school — which is still not meeting the state standards or the comprehensive needs of the students.
Mollie Morrison, the visual and performing arts coordinator at C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento’s Land Park neighborhood, said she finds that when students come to her arts classroom, they are unprepared. McClatchy High, as a Title I school, receives extra funds and has a robust theater, visual arts and dance program.
But to get into this program, students have to submit a portfolio to Morrison, which can be an obstacle for the 66% of students at the high school coming from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, and who likely did not get adequate arts education at the elementary level.
“There is no art right now in elementary schools because it’s not required. It just depends on what school you go to, whether or not you touch the arts,” Morrison said. “You have to think about how intimidated [students are] by the time they finally hit one of these classrooms. It’s very hard to win them back over at 16 or 17.”
“It’s exciting … But we don’t even generate that many teachers”
In the last two years, two potentially big advancements have happened in the area of arts funding for California students.
Assembly Bill 181, a novel discretionary arts, music and instructional material block grant of $3.6 billion, was included in Newsom’s 2022-2023 budget, and is to be used by 2025-2026 fiscal year. The funding is for materials, curriculum development, professional development and COVID aid.
Then in November 2022, Prop 28 passed with an approval rating of 65%. The measure would dedicate $990 million to arts and music education in the state — the most money ever allocated. But the lofty goals of both the block grant and Prop 28 aren’t necessarily panning out as promised.
Many schools had distributed their portion of the block grant money over the next few years, but then the grant funding was cut to $1.8 billion in Newsom’s proposed 2023-2024 budget, under the premise that this money would be offset by Prop 28 funding.
Prop 28 was also subject to cuts and reduced to $940 million, with a one-time fund of $100 million to cover the deficit. The Legislative Analyst’s Office confirms that the one-time amount will not cover the deficit of arts funds assumed by the Newsom’s slashes.
“Prop 28 funding should supplement current arts funding, not supplant,” Cagley said. That’s because these two pools of money from the block grant and the proposition serve different purposes. The block grant is to be used for materials, supplies and programs. Prop 28, on the other hand, is intended primarily to be used to hire more arts teachers.
Letty Kraus, director of the California County Superintendents Arts Initiative, and Cagley both expressed concern over how the Prop 28 funds are to be used: 80% on credentialed teachers and pipelines, 18% on teaching artists and partnerships with local arts organizations, and 2% on materials. “The conundrum is there is a huge hole of qualified arts teachers,” Cagely said.
The Sacramento County Office of Education’s Assistant Superintendent Jackie White estimates the need for over 200 art teachers in the county, and a total 15,000 arts teachers in the state. “We don’t even generate that many teachers,” said White.
But that’s not the only problem, said Kraus. Working with Sacramento County’s superintendents, she said that the language of the block grant is ambiguous, which could lead to funding not necessarily being used for arts or music.
Measuring arts education progress is tenuous, considering the California Department of Education has not released current arts education data since 2019 to track improvements, or the lack thereof, in the state. (CDE did not return requests for comment.)
“Part of what has to happen is that the California Department of Education has to come through with guidance,” Kraus said. “But they’re not funded with staff for Prop 28.”
Still, Kraus, Cagley and White are cautiously optimistic about Prop 28, but said that the implementation requires dedicated attention to equitable and culturally competent curriculum.
“This Prop 28 money, it’s really exciting,” White said. “I’m glad it got voted in. We need money for arts education.”
Rodriguez witnesses the direct impact culturally-reflective arts education has had on her former students. Kimberly Jackson, now in her early 20s, is a working professional, but makes time once a week to volunteer in Rodriquez’s classroom.
“Dr. Dre has been in my life for almost a decade,” she said about Rodriguez. “As an educator, she made me more open to [art] and really challenged me because she’s always elevating and incorporating the identities of her students.”
Jackson said she wants elementary school students to see reflective arts education and is confident that Rodriguez’s teachings bolster a future where students of all backgrounds are empowered. Having students like Jackson has been a driver in Rodriguez’s pursuits to provide comprehensive visual arts programming, she said.
“It’s that sense of community that I’m so in love with,” expressed Rodriguez. “And seeing kids love themselves because of what they are able to achieve is so priceless. And not every student gets that luxury — that’s what has kept me in education.”
Srishti Prabha is a Report For America corps member and Education Reporter in collaboration with The Sacramento Observer and CapRadio. Their focus is on K-12 education in Black communities.
The post The way Sacramento pays for arts education is broken. Here’s what could help. appeared first on The Sacramento Observer.
This article originally appeared in the Sacramento Observer.
Black Press
Event Preview: ‘Fashion v. Fascism’ – A Runway Revolution Is Coming to the Bay Area
“Fashion v. Fascism” (FVF) is an upcoming visually immersive event combining fashion, music, and political theater to expose the rise of fascism in the U.S. and advocate for resistance. Described as a live “runway revolution,” FVF premieres October 3 at The Rotunda in downtown Oakland. The event will feature five runway collections spotlighting elements of contemporary fascist politics, accompanied by political theater and live music, culminating in a call to action. Organizers state that culture is a potent defense when democracy is under siege. Read more to learn about this unique event.
“Fashion vs. Fascism” (FVF) is a visually immersive evening of fashion, music and political theater exposing the rise of fascism in the U.S. and the need to resist. Democracy is under siege, and culture is one of our most potent defenses, organizers say.
Called a live “runway revolution,” FvF premieres Oct. 3 at The Rotunda, 300 Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland.
A play that is part fashion show, part protest, part performance art, FvF stages five runway collections spotlighting the pillars of contemporary fascist politics and the urgent need to resist: the myth of a “glorious past,” the manufactured emergencies used to justify surveillance and crackdowns, and the oligarchs and grifters profiting from it all. Runway fashion shares the stage with political theater and live music, with a closing call to action.
“We need lawsuits, ballots and mass protests, but none of it lands if we’re not also fighting for people’s imagination,” says Linda Burnham, co-producer of the show. “People are exhausted and scared. FvF will expose the absurdities of fascist mythology and ideology in ways a news headline cannot and spark new ideas about how to resist.”
“Fascism doesn’t win by policy alone. It wins by telling a story. A myth about a ‘Golden Age.’ A permanent emergency that makes cruelty seem necessary. That’s not an accident, it’s a strategy, and it works on the same terrain as culture: image, spectacle, emotion,” says Aya De León, the show’s playwright.
“Every piece on this runway translates what is happening under fascism into a feeling,” explains Erica Furlong, the FVF creative director. “One designer’s trench coat is covered in pockets stamped ‘TRUTH,’ ‘MEMORY,’ ‘HOPE,’ ‘VOTE,’ ‘FUTURE,’ because that’s literally what gets seized first, pocket by pocket, under fascist decline. Fashion can hold grief and hope in the same silhouette, and that tension is exactly what this moment needs.”
At its best, fashion is about creativity, diversity, innovation, experimentation and the free exchange of ideas. Fascism, by contrast, demands conformity and control, while suppressing dissent.
FVF was created, organizers say, because democracy should always be in style.
Featured designers include Erica Varize, Rickie Lee, Tianna Charity, Julie Wong, and Maria Flores. The evening features a script by lead playwright Aya De León, musical performances by Mindeullae Project and DJ Emancipation, and other special guests.
FvF is designed to travel. Following the Oakland premiere, FvF will extend its reach through a documentary short, a curriculum on contemporary fascism in the U.S., and a full replication playbook — design templates, script, and curriculum — so organizers in other cities can stage their own version of the show.
Get more details at www.fashionvfascism.org.
Black Press
OP-ED: How Does Your State Rank for Pre-K?
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “Other states should take note: Georgia proves that state-funded preschool with well-qualified teachers, pay parity with K-12, small classes, and strong continuous improvement systems can be scaled as a universal program,” said NIEER director Steve Barnett. “With new initiatives to support quality, Georgia can expect increased enrollment, but leaders should also actively promote increased enrollment.”
Georgia’s state-funded pre-k program for 4-year-olds was recently recognized as the largest state-funded preschool program in the nation to meet all 10 quality benchmarks, and the first universal program to do so. Georgia’s recognition is the top finding in the National Institute for Early Education Research’s new 2025 State of Preschool Yearbook. The yearbook provides an annual snapshot of state-funded preschool across the country. Forty-four states and the District of Columbia fund preschool programs.
Only five additional states meet all 10 of NIEER’s research-based benchmarks for quality —Alabama, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, and Rhode Island—in this year’s report. None of those programs have the reach of Georgia Pre-K. NIEER’s benchmarks measure essential preschool quality indicators, including teacher qualifications, class sizes, early learning standards, and program assessments.
“Other states should take note: Georgia proves that state-funded preschool with well-qualified teachers, pay parity with K-12, small classes, and strong continuous improvement systems can be scaled as a universal program,” said NIEER director Steve Barnett. “With new initiatives to support quality, Georgia can expect increased enrollment, but leaders should also actively promote increased enrollment.”
Nationally, state support for preschool education hit record highs in enrollment and funding in 2024-2025. The pace of growth slowed, however, compared to the prior year, and many states continue to lag behind pre-pandemic enrollment levels. Preschool enrollment increased by 44,000 children nationally, reaching almost 1.8 million, including 37% of U.S. four-year-olds and 9% of three-year-olds. California, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri contributed the most to increased enrollment, adding more than 52,000 new seats.
States spent nearly $14.4 billion on preschool in 2024-2025. Including federal and local dollars, total spending was almost $17.7 billion. Three states each spent more than $1 billion last year: California ($4.1 billion), New Jersey ($1.2 billion), and New York ($1 billion). Together, these three states account for 45% of all state preschool spending. Texas adds almost another $1 billion.
Spending increased by $434 million, or 3%, adjusted for inflation. Twenty-eight states increased preschool funding, including Michigan and New Jersey, which each added more than $100 million. “Not only does preschool access vary by which state a child happens to live in, but so does the quality of that preschool experience,” said Allison Friedman-Krauss, lead author of the report. “Only high-quality early care and education programs support children’s development enough to result in lasting academic and other gains that ultimately deliver savings for taxpayers.”
A record six states met all 10 of NIEER’s recommended quality standards, with Alabama doing so for the 20th consecutive year. Georgia joined this list this year after improving its teacher-to-child ratio from 1:11 to 1:10 and lowering maximum class sizes to 20. Several states met 9 of 10 benchmarks, including New Mexico, which is working toward universal access for both three- and four-year-olds. Once New Mexico requires all lead teachers to have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, it will be on par with Georgia in terms of both quality and quantity.
Not all states moved forward. Twenty states enrolled fewer preschoolers in 2024-2025 than the prior year, with enrollment dropping by more than 1,000 children in Arizona, Florida, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. Seventeen states spent less on preschool than the prior year, adjusted for inflation, with Arizona, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas seeing the largest percentage declines. Additional information about the State of Preschool Yearbook, including individual state profiles and maps, graphs, and state rankings, can be found at www.nieer.org.
Black Press
Leaders to Gather at African American History Museum for Voting Rights Call to Action
BLACKPRESSUSA—Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson, Bishop William J. Barber II, and a coalition of congressional, faith, and civil rights leaders gather Tuesday outside the National Museum of African American History and Culture, days after founding director Lonnie G. Bunch III announced his retirement. March On for Freedom 2026 National GOTV Bus Tour launches ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Black Press
Port of Oakland, Army Corps Sign Historic Harbor Design Agreement
OAKLAND POST — Oakland Port Commission President Stephanie Dominguez Walton called the agreement a historic milestone that will support thousands of jobs. “Today marks a historic occasion for the Port as we sign the inaugural Design Agreement for the Turning Basin Widening Project, which will keep Oakland competitive,” said Walton.
A $642 million project designed to accommodate larger cargo ships and strengthen the Port of Oakland’s position as a major Pacific trade gateway moved a significant step closer to construction on Aug. 27.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) San Francisco District and the Port of Oakland commemorated the signing of the inaugural Design Agreement for the Oakland Harbor Turning Basins Widening Projectduring a ceremony aboard the USS Potomac, the presidential yacht once used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The project will widen the Port’s Inner and Outer Harbor turning basins, allowing today’s increasingly larger and longer vessels more space to safely maneuver and turn around. The current basins are narrow, creating delays and operational inefficiencies.
Oakland Port Commission President Stephanie Dominguez Walton called the agreement a historic milestone that will support thousands of jobs.
“Today marks a historic occasion for the Port as we sign the inaugural Design Agreement for the Turning Basin Widening Project, which will keep Oakland competitive,” said Walton.
The agreement advances the project into its preconstruction engineering and design phase following years of planning and collaboration.
Lt. Col. Virginia Brickner, commander of the USACE San Francisco District, said the signing represented tangible progress toward construction.
“We are moving forward. We are showing progress,” Brickner said.
Major General Jason Kelly, USACE Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, said dredging is critical for maritime dominance, supply chains, and economic competitiveness.
“Dredging sustains our national economic infrastructure,” he said. “The future demands more, the taxpayer deserves more, and together we’re going to deliver.”
For U.S. Representative Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), the Port project will support jobs beyond its completion. “This will impact workers and businesses, and every shipping container represents multiple jobs.”
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee described Oakland as a gateway to international markets and spoke on earlier efforts to deepen Oakland’s shipping channel to 50 feet. While serving in the California Legislature, Lee helped bring together labor, business, environmental advocates and Port officials to resolve disputes surrounding dredging and environmental protections.
“We want the Port to remain competitive economically,” Lee said, excited about both protecting the environment and generating sustainable jobs in the region. “We want to make sure that we create good-paying union jobs, and that the Port continues to not just survive, but thrive.”
Port of Oakland Executive Director Kristi McKenney said economic growth is dependent on investments in the Oakland Harbor’s infrastructure.
“This investment and staying competitive will fuel our economy for years to come,” said McKenney.
The Port of Oakland, with its partners, supports more than 98,000 regional jobs and $174 billion in annual economic activity. The Port oversees the Oakland Seaport, the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK), and nearly 20 miles of waterfront, including Jack London Square.
Black Press
Democratic Clubs Interview Candidates for Oakland School Board
OAKLAND POST — For the first time, the interviews were jointly sponsored by the John George Democratic Club, Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, Oakland East Bay Democratic Club, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), Niagara Democratic Club, Block by Block Organizing Network and Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce.
Local Democratic clubs and community organizations interviewed candidates running for Oakland school board in the November elections, including incumbents Jennifer Brouhard in District 2, Mike Hutchinson in District 4 and Valarie Bachelor in District 6.
For the first time, the interviews were jointly sponsored by the John George Democratic Club, Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, Oakland East Bay Democratic Club, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), Niagara Democratic Club, Block by Block Organizing Network and Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce.
The Democratic clubs interviewed only registered Democrats.
John George and Wellstone endorsed Brouhard and Bachelor. Neither endorsed Hutchinson.
In District 4, Wellstone ranked Sylvia Pfeiffer Williams first and Kathryn Camp second. John George ranked Camp first and Williams second.
Hutchinson, an Oakland native and Oakland public schools graduate, highlighted his record.
“I was in board leadership and chaired the Budget and Finance Committee,” he said. “We passed balanced budgets and paid off the state loan early, which allowed us to finally leave state receivership after 22 years.”
Hutchinson said the district faces a financial crisis requiring changes in board leadership and district policies.
“We need a different majority so we can get back on track, end school closures, and manage our resources better,” he said.
Williams taught adult education in Oakland for 18 years.
Williams said her philosophy “comes from the disability justice world, to center the needs of the most vulnerable. When we center the needs of the most vulnerable, we create environments, systems, and learning experiences in which everyone can thrive.”
Williams framed potential school closures as an equity issue.
“Are we thinking about closing schools up in the hills?” she asked. “Or are we thinking about closing schools where communities are in crisis right now?”
Camp, a Bay Area native and Oakland resident of 25 years, has a son in second grade.
“Our kids are only getting one shot at a great education, and I’m running to bring pragmatic, student-centered leadership that restores trust, builds responsibility, and delivers results for every child,” she said.
On her website, Camp pledged accountability and transparency. “As a proud OUSD parent, I know our schools need more than promises – they need fiscal responsibility, equity, and meaningful action guided by long-term strategy,” she said.
“That means protecting classrooms, supporting teachers, using resources wisely, and making decisions that reflect clear priorities and real accountability,” said Camp. “It also means bringing people together and providing the kind of steady leadership that can navigate complex systems, ask hard questions, and stay grounded in what matters most: student outcomes, thriving schools, and a district that works for the communities it serves.”
Wellstone’s Education Committee said it opposed Hutchinson because he frequently challenged the board majority and superintendent.
“He also claims that the teachers’ contract is illegal that a grand jury should be called. He is not endorsed by the teachers’ union; he has been disruptive and non-collaborative at meetings,” and he has been absent 26% of the time, the committee said.
“He claims that the teachers’ contract is illegal and that a grand jury should be called,” the committee said. “He takes individual credit for accomplishments, including paying the state loan, when in fact these changes came from the work of the entire board, or were the result of following through on policy.”
Next week: District 6 school board candidates.
Black History
Nuna Phillips-McKee Celebrates 100 Years: ‘A Century of Faith, Family and God’s Amazing Grace!’
OAKLAND POST — Nuna’s life has been one of Christian service. A longtime member of Wings of Love Maranatha Ministries, now Incredible Church, she serves as director of Community Services and is actively involved in the church’s Food Ministries.
Nuna Phillips-McKee will reach an extraordinary milestone on Sept. 24 —her 100th
birthday, marking a century filled with faith, family, service, laughter and the amazing grace of God.
Born Sept. 14, 1926, in Oakland, Nuna has witnessed a world of change during her lifetime, yet the values that have guided her remain constant: a deep faith in God, devotion to family, a strong work ethic and a heart for serving others.
She enjoyed a distinguished career as a civil servant for more than 40 years, demonstrating the dedication, dependability and strength that have characterized so much of her life.
Nuna’s life has been one of Christian service. A longtime member of Wings of Love Maranatha Ministries, now Incredible Church, she serves as director of Community Services and is actively involved in the church’s Food Ministries.
Through the years, she has continued to help meet the needs of others—not merely with food, but with kindness, compassion and a genuine desire to serve. Her ministry reflects a simple principle by which she lives: when God blesses you, you bless others.
Nuna is the proud mother of one son, whose memory she carries in her heart, and the beloved grandmother of three grandchildren, as well as six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
At 100, she has the rare blessing of seeing several generations of her family carrying forward a legacy that began long ago.
She remains the loving, intelligent, witty, and, when the occasion calls for it, delightfully sassy Nuna that her family and friends know so well. Her contagious laugh, quick wit and youthful spirit have endeared her to generations of relatives, church members and friends.
Nuna was born into the large and loving Phillips family of seven sisters and one brother, with bonds that formed in childhood and have remained precious throughout the decades. Their shared love, faith, and family traditions have continued to be a source of joy, strength and countless treasured memories.
As family and friends gather for this special occasion, they will celebrate far more than a number. They will celebrate 100 years of prayers prayed and answered; 100 years of lessons learned and wisdom shared; 100 years of family, faith, laughter and love; 100 years of serving God and serving others.
Most of all, they will celebrate a life that stands as a testimony to God’s faithfulness through every season.
Nuna’s century-long journey can be summed up in the words chosen to commemorate this remarkable occasion: “100 years of God’s amazing grace.”
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