The Richmond Standard
Local community advocate Rodney “Alamo” Brown, founder of the Soulful Softball Sunday organization, will be honored as Adult Humanitarian of the Year at the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors’ 47th Annual Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The commemoration event will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 11 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers at 1025 Escobar St. in Martinez.
At the event, themed “Celebrating Our Shared Humanity,” Brown will be honored alongside Student Humanitarians of the Year Soha and Imran Sohail Guller of San Ramon Valley High School in Danville.
A 1984 John F. Kennedy High School graduate, Brown may be most known for founding the Soulful Softball Sunday organization in 2015. In October 2023, the County Board of Supervisors honored Brown with a Ceremonial Resolution for his lifetime of service, citing his more than four decades as a professional barber, professional baseball scout, community advocate, journalist, award-winning author and Bay Area hip hop pioneer.
“No work is insignificant, and we are fortunate to honor a Humanitarian and two Student Humanitarians of the Year, who bring to life Dr. King’s vision through their service to our community,” said Board Chair Supervisor Candace Andersen.
The Jan. 21 MLK Jr. Commemoration will feature Mitchell Hopson as keynote speaker, performances from the Dougherty Valley High School Choir, and Stephen Sharpe, Poet Laureate for the City of Richmond. Rev. Dr. Carole McKindley-Alvarez will give an invocation.
The public can watch the ceremony by visiting www.contracostatv.org. The celebration will also be broadcast live on Contra Costa Television (CCTV) channels, Comcast Cable 27, ATT/U-Verse 99, and Astound 32 and 1027.
To learn more about the Dr. King Ceremony and past ceremonies, visit here.