Diane Moore
Zoe Johnson, Ken Johnson and Nina Grove
Academy of Art University President Elisa Stephens with Master of Ceremonies, Fabiola Kramsky, President of the Board of The Imagine Bus Project Celia Tejada, Special Guest Speaker Scott Budnick and District Attorney of San Francisco, George Gascón
The Imagine Bus Project Freedom Gala raised nearly $200,000 to bring arts education to teens facing juvenile detention in Sonoma, San Francisco and San Mateo counties. Imagine Bus Project board members Celia Tejada, Kate Schermerhorn and Maria Cristini chaired the event that attracted some 300 supporters to the Mark Hopkins Hotel on May 17, 2016. Funds raised represent an increase of 40 percent over last year and make up 33 percent of the organization’s annual budget.
The evening included powerful stories from formerly incarcerated youth and past Imagine Bus Project students. Scott Budnick, board member of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, and executive producer of the Hangover series of movies, and Allen Nance, Chief Probation Officer for San Francisco, talked about engaging and inspiring incarcerated youth. Basketball star Steph Curry and his wife, Cooking Channel star Ayesha Curry, surprised guests with a video message and an Instagram post that highlighted Imagine Bus Project in front of three million followers. Ayesha Curry also offered to host two dinner parties as live auction items, each scooped up for $15,000.
Scenes from The Imagine Bus Project Freedom Gala 2016:
Suzette Clarke and Mariela Gerstein
Caroline Labe and Craig Roberts, board member of The Imagine Bus Project
Lindsay Simonds, Vice President, California Children’s Services
Master sommelier Emmanuel Kemiji with Nuria Klyce and restauranteur Cameron Hirigoyen
Famed Chef Cecilia Chiang with Matias Lempke
The Imagine Bus Project Vice President of the Board, Maria Cristini and Celia Tejada
Berta Low and Allen Low
Celia Tejada, Scott Budnick (center)
Margaret Mitchell, Pernella Sommerville and Freddy Clarke
Fabiola Kramsky, three-time Emmy Award winning journalist and master of ceremonies for The Imagine Bus Freedom Gala
Allen Nance, Chief Probation Officer, San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department
Celia Tejada The Imagine Bus Project Golden Wings Award Winner April Minnich-Bucksbaum
Contributing artists Laura Kimpton and Michael Venera
Imagine Bus Project Alumni Javier Rosales-Peraza speaks about his experience both with the Bus and its effect on his life after incarceration
Silvia Poloto and Anne Laury
Deborah Dale Wolf and James Carrington
Event photos by Nathan DeHart Photography
Photo booth photographer Andrew Moore
Watch The Imagine Bus Project students talk about incarceration and art here.
— Related: click here for more Red Carpet Bay Area coverage of The Imagine Bus Project
