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Richmond neighborhood councils honor four community leaders at RNCC Black History Month event
Summary
At its Feb. 9 RNCC meeting, city, county and congressional representatives presented proclamations and awards honoring Doris Mason, AJ Jelani, JC Farr Jr. and Nat Bates for decades of neighborhood service and youth programs; the Richmond Police Department gave special recognitions and a challenge coin.
The Richmond Neighborhood Coordinating Council on Feb. 9 honored four long‑time local leaders with proclamations, awards and public remarks recognizing decades of neighborhood service, youth programs and civic leadership.
Harpreet Sandhu, representing Congressman John Garamendi, read a congressional commendation honoring the quartet and said the honorees had "dedicated decades to uplift Richmond through education, youth mentorship, neighborhood leadership, public service, and community empowerment." Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia praised the leaders and urged transfer of institutional knowledge, saying he appreciated "that we're honoring people while they're still alive."
Mayor Eduardo Martinez and Vice Mayor Doria Robinson presented city proclamations designating days in February to honor the recipients. The city cited Doris Mason for more than 25 years of neighborhood advocacy and special‑education work, AJ Jelani for founding Peace on the Streets and leading youth engagement and holiday programs that served hundreds of children, JC Farr Jr. for decades of neighborhood organizing and events such as annual Easter egg hunts, and Nat Nathaniel Bates for a lifetime of public service including serving multiple terms as mayor and eight terms on the Richmond City Council.
Michelle Milam, crime prevention manager for the Richmond Police Department, spoke on behalf of Chief Tim Simmons, presented awards and a chief's challenge coin to the honorees and told the gathering: "There is no community policing without the community, and there is no community policing without the police." Captain Lopez joined the presentation of recognitions on the chief's behalf.
RNCC leaders read short biographies for each honoree and distributed plaques and goodie bags. Honorees made brief remarks: JC Farr Jr. thanked family and neighbors for support; Doris Mason reflected on long service in special education, neighborhood associations and work with Pogo Park; and Nat Bates recounted arriving in Richmond in 1942, his service in the U.S. Army and decades in local government, saying he will "continue to serve this community as long as I can."
The meeting, recorded to local channel 28, closed at 8:20 p.m. with a brief blessing of refreshments and an invitation to attendees to continue conversations informally over snacks. No formal legislative actions or votes were taken during the event.
