Booker T. Washington Community Service Center Hosts Joyful Bloom Ball 

The Booker T. Washington Community Service Center celebrated its inaugural Bloom Ball on September 19 at the Hotel Nikko, with close to 400 guests on hand to celebrate its mission of service. Guests celebrated Booker T.’s transformation and growth, honoring the center’s 105-year legacy serving as an anchor institution for San Francisco. 

The gala featured a set by SF Giants’ DJ Umami, and a three-course dinner with a menu curated by Chef Fernay McPherson of Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement, highlighting produce from local, Black-stewarded farms. The fabulous dinner was followed by an awards ceremony honoring community leaders and SF luminaries like State Senator John Burton.

Other local notables that night included former mayor Willie Brown, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, SF District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, State Controller Malia Cohen and ABC7 KGO morning news anchor Kumasi Aaron, who MC’d the evening’s program. 

As one of the Bay Area’s oldest Black-led and serving nonprofits, Booker T. offers a broad range of essential services, from affordable housing, to elder support, to K-12 after-school programming. The funds raised by the Bloom Ball will help ensure that Booker T. can continue to provide stabilization and wellness support so the community stays housed, connected and well in body and spirit.