Charles Brown
Retired San Diego Unified School District Employer Outreach Specialist,
School-To-Career Coordinator 2009
Makeda
"Dread"
Cheatom
Makeda “Dread” Cheatom is San Diego’s Cultural Ambassador, Founder and Executive Director of WorldBeat Cultural Center in Balboa Park. She is also Director of Casa del Tunel Tijuana, a sister center for Arts and Culture for the Tijuana, Mexico community. As a Cultural Anthropology Major and an EthnoMusicologist she has produced music from Africa, Jamaica, Mexico, Chile, Puerto Rico, Cuba and more. In 1971, she opened the first vegetarian restaurant in San Diego, the world-famous, Prophet Vegetarian Restaurant.
She later met Bob Marley and began her music career as a promoter and soon after she established the first live reggae venue, the Adams Ave Theatre in 1984 and in 1985 she opened up a world music venue on Hancock Ave, WorldBeat Center. In 1989, she established a cultural center in Balboa Park, WorldBeat Cultural Center which celebrates all cultures and spreads the message of peace in the San Diego community through music, art, dance and culture. Makeda uses WorldBeat Center as a means to empower the community with messages of health, sustainability, spirituality, self-healing and culture through technology including live broadcasting using social media and her television show, “WorldBeat Live”.
Makeda knows the significance of celebrating and preserving the history of her ancestors and has created a number of annual events including Martin Luther King Day Celebration (35 years), Multi-Cultural Earth Day (32 years), Tribute to the Reggae Legends (43 years) and Kwanzaa Celebration (43 years). For over 30 years Makeda has hosted her own radio show, Reggae Makossa where she’s spread the message of unity and self-liberation through reggae music and history. Reggae Makossa has aired on Magic 92.5, 91x, and IMER Fusion. Her numerous awards include: Channel 10 Leadership Award, San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame as a Cultural Competent Bridge Builder, was named “San Diego Trailblazer” by the African American Heritage Foundation.
Alyce Pipkin-Allen
Alyce Pipkin-Allen was born in Mississippi and moved to San Diego with her military family after living on several military bases throughout California and Washington State. Once here, she attended Memorial Jr. High School, San Diego High School, Kelsey-Jenney Business College, and San Diego State College. Alyce, now retired, served as a human resource professional with the County of San Diego’s Human Resources department for over 20 years. Before joining the County, she worked in Southeast San Diego communities for several on-the-job training contracts with the Neighborhood House Association, the Black Federation, the Community Health Services Inc. (a Model City project), and the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF). She also volunteered at the Welfare Rights Organization for several years. With few exceptions, she has dedicated her entire adult life to public and community service.
She is committed to promoting the power of the Vote and Black Women as leaders, elected officials, and political staffers. This advocacy is activated through organizing, educating, and mobilizing the Black community on important issues throughout the city, County, state, and national levels. She is in awe of the Millennials and Gen Zs and has founded an intergenerational organization to tap into their power – The Black and African Women Rise Democratic Club (BAWR). She is active in the County of San Diego’s Democratic party as the Founder and CoPresident of BAWR, the Democratic Woman’s Club, and the Dems for Equality. In addition, during her term as the Vice Chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Democratic Club, she helped to reinvigorate and rebuild the Club into a preeminent San Diego Club whose endorsement was sought by local and statewide candidates. As a result, the Club has grown and is still a force today. Alyce is a member of several statewide organizations with missions that align with hers - the Power of the Vote (Democracy), Economic Security (good jobs), Education Equity (better schools), Black Lives Matter (police accountability), Health Equity (eliminating barriers to wellness for Black women and girls), and the power of Black Women (when we do well, everyone thrives).
Robert Osby
San Diego HS 1955 Education – 1970 AA Fire Science San Diego Junior College 1985 – Redlands University, BA in Management John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
- Active and Board Positions in Metropolitan Fire
Chiefs Association, International Association of
Black Professional Firefighters - Numerous Speaking, Teaching Engagements
Lifetime Teaching Credential – California
Community College System