On Thursday, October 13th, nearly 350 guests and supporters of Gateway Public Schools gathered for the 14th Annual Matters of the Mind Luncheon with honored guest, Bryant Terry, James Beard Award-winning chef, activist, author and inaugural Chef-in-Residence at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco.
Terry inspired guests with personal stories, songs, and remarks on how food can ignite shifts in people’s habits, attitudes, and politics. He urged guests to think creatively about how to bring more healthful food sources to underserved communities in order to address current public health disparities. He concluded his presentation with a vegan cooking demonstration.
The theme of this year’s luncheon was Creating a Healthy, Just, and Sustainable Future and Gateway’s Executive Director, Sharon Olken, reminded guests that education is one of the most powerful tools in building a positive future. “At Gateway, we envision a future that benefits from the talents and contributions of all its citizens. A future in which we recognize that difference is truly a source of strength. A future that enables each of us to forge our own identity – one that is grounded in our culture and infused by our unique style, interests, and beliefs.”
Now in its 14th year, the luncheon is Gateway’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The monies raised directly impact Gateway’s capacity to deliver an exceptional public school education.
Gateway Public Schools provides its diverse student population with a high quality learning environment, rigorous curriculum, personalized college counseling, a state of the art learning center, and small class sizes. Since Gateway’s founding 18 years ago, more than 96% of Gateway’s students have gone on to college, double the statewide rate. Gateway Public Schools is committed to the outreach and inclusion of all communities, especially those with historically at-risk students. Our mission is to send well-prepared students to college, and everything we do successfully supports this mission. For more information about Gateway Public Schools please visit www.gatewaypublicschools.org