Who We Are
Booker T. Washington Community Service Center is one of the Bay Area’s oldest Black-led and serving nonprofits. A beacon of Black joy and self-determination, we have nurtured the Fillmore/Western Addition for more than 105 years serving more than 6,000 people yearly.
Over five generations of San Franciscans have passed through our doors and participated in our food justice, community wellness and stabilization, K-TAY youth, and senior wellness programming. We also have 50 units of permanent supportive affordable housing in the building. We stand embedded as an anchor institution, fostering intergenerational bonds and working in solidarity with allied communities to reform and reimagine a more inclusive San Francisco. We are one of the few urban spaces where anyone in the community can access comprehensive services, from a hot meal to childcare to academic support and senior services.
Our Values
Honor our Heritage We celebrate our roots as a Black-led, Black-serving organization and further that legacy by creating authentic and safe Black spaces.
Lead Authentically We recognize everyone’s lived experience and give each other grace, while holding ourselves and each other accountable.
Pursue Excellence We maintain a high standard of quality for our staff and services, underpinned by a spirit of grit and resilience.
Lift While Climbing We work in solidarity with Black-led organizations, Communities of Color, and allied communities to serve and advocate for all.
Center Community We respond and adapt to the needs of our community, providing culturally-responsive, intersectional, and intergenerational programming.
Your Support Matters
With your generous support, we will be able to advance our vision of ensuring that all Black people are free to thrive while shaping a San Francisco that enables prosperity and belonging for everyone.
Building on our legacy, we will help community members move beyond survival by providing intergenerational, culturally competent direct services and creating authentic Black community spaces. We will ascend by enabling civic engagement and in coalitions and policy actions to create a healthier and more connected San Francisco.
Help us thrive!
K - TAY, Education & Youth Development
Providing academic enrichment and holistic support to K-12 students and transitional-aged youth exiting foster care.
Food Justice & Sovereignty
Feeding thousands in our community through programs that prioritize dignity, choice, and fresh, culturally relevant foods.
Holistic Community Wellbeing & Stabilization
Ensuring families stay housed and fed while developing the tools to move from surviving to thriving.
Permanent Supportive Housing
Providing 50 units of permanent supportive housing including 25 units dedicated to transitional-aged youth.
Senior Wellness
Ensuring our older adults and disabled adult community have access to resources and programs that prioritize dignity and joy.
BTWCSC
Board of Directors
Clarissa Canady
Stephanie Leung
Steve Bowdry
Virginia Smyly
Jeff Mori
Zach Abrams
Randolf Arguelles
Jonathan Dearman
Brittney Doyle
Jamie Choy
GALA Host Committee Members
Virginia Smyly
Nínive Clements Calegari
Kim Pipkin
Noelle Bonner
Taina Knox
Pandora Thomas
Antoine Philips
Iowayna Peña
Stephanie Tomao
