2025 Bayard Rustin Honorees

Anita Hill started volunteering while she was a young adult living in her native city, Detroit, Michigan.  For several years, she had diverse work experiences with local charities including the Edwin Denby Children’s Home-Salvation Army plus the Community Volunteer Program. Anita’s upper-level education started at Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, Michigan). She graduated with honors from Michigan’s Highland Park Community College earning a Liberal Arts Degree.  Her studies continued at Marygrove College (Detroit, Michigan) resulting in earning a bachelor’s degree in social work.  Upon graduating, she began employment with Catholic Social Services and continued in the Child Welfare System as a social worker/trainer for a decade.  Simultaneously, Anita launched and advanced her career working with individuals who were in crisis via telephone and in person sessions. After relocation to San Diego, California, Anita started employment at the Community Research Foundation as a counselor, assisting mentally/emotionally challenged adults.  Simultaneously, Anita started working at the County of San Diego. Even with a busy work schedule, Anita has always found time for community service. After joining Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Rho Sigma Detroit Alumnae Chapter, she served as Alpha Eta Chapter-Wayne State University Advisor and on many committees.  Upon relocation, she joined Beta Nu Sigma Alumnae Chapter, San Diego, California.  Thus far, participation in her current chapter included Philo Affiliates Committee member. For almost half a decade, Anita has served as National Projects Advisor/Consultant for National Inspirational Role Models Visionaries (NIRMV). Her expertise and experiences working with national partners helped NIRMV to grow exponentially.  Furthermore, her skills and talents have accelerated achieving this public charity’s goals and objectives. Even while traveling and spending quality time with family, Anita enjoys participating in community service activities.  Giving back is a way of life for her.

Austin Galy serves as the Senior Director of Social and Economic Mobility at the University of San Diego’s Mulvaney Center for Community, Awareness and Social Action (CASA). Austin is also the Co-founder of USD’s Torero Urban Scholars - a college reentry program for formerly incarcerated and justice impacted students. In his role, Austin works collaboratively to help create pathways for enhanced student mobility through local and national campus and community partnerships - partnerships whose mission is to provide more accessible and affordable education to economically disadvantaged students, all while investing in their career and workforce development. In this capacity, Austin collaborates with campus and community partners to develop resources and strategies for funding community service learning scholarship programs and other social mobility programming aimed at making the cost of education more affordable to formerly incarcerated students and others alike. Having grown up on the Southside of Atlanta, Austin identifies as both justice-impacted and a veteran - two identities that are largely influential and have helped shape the scope of his career in public service work and as a scholar-activist and advocate. As a practitioner, he leans heavily on his lived experience above all else to inform his approach and to build relationships and trust with the community. Educationally, Austin holds a Bachelor in Sociology as well as his Master in Peace and Justice Studies from the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. His research and praxis focus closely on better understanding the role of gender in structural violence. More specifically, the intersections of hypermasculinity and trauma as they relate to mental health and well-being among formerly and currently incarcerated minors and adults, former gang members and/or other extremist groups, as well as combat veterans.

Dajahn Blevins and his unwavering commitment to the community through the work of the 4th District-based San Diego Urban Warriors Inc. Since 1986, Mr. Blevins has spearheaded initiatives that have left an indelible mark on the lives of countless individuals and families, fostering empowerment, education, and cultural enrichment. Under Mr. Blevins' guidance, San Diego Urban Warriors Inc. has developed and sustained groundbreaking programs that address critical community needs. The Kujichagulia Diversion Club, S.Y.B.U. Cultural Enrichment Saturday School Program, and Education Now & Babies Later Social Skills Program exemplify his dedication to providing youth with the tools to succeed academically and socially. Programs like the Champions for Change Nutrition & Fitness Program reflect his commitment to health and wellness, ensuring the community has access to resources that promote sustainable lifestyles.Mr. Blevins has also been a champion of cultural preservation and celebration, exemplified by his leadership in the annual Kuumba Fest, a vibrant showcase of Black cultural arts. Other events, such as the Fashion Art Talent Xtravaganza and Black Family Empowerment Day, highlight his passion for uplifting individuals and fostering unity. His efforts to activate Marie Wideman Park in the (9) Blocks further demonstrate his focus on creating safe, inclusive spaces that bring the community together. Dajahn Blevins’ vision, dedication, and tireless work are nothing short of inspiring. His leadership reflects a profound understanding of the community’s strengths and challenges, and his initiatives have been a catalyst for positive change. https://www.kpbs.org/podcasts/kpbs-midday-edition/san-diego-black-arts-and-culture-district-rebuilds-from-flooding-one-year-later.

Meisha Rice: San Diego has been home for 14 yrs. and I still feel very connected to my southern community roots. I grew up in Charlotte, NC, a then smallish metropolitan city where the tea is sweet, the accents are thick, and the tolerance for differences in culture, race, and religion is shamefully low. My identity as a Black woman was often challenged and criticized, making it difficult to exist with confidence. It was my single mother who kept me proud and humble, filling my weekends with volunteer shifts at community events, helping me understand the benefit of raising money for a cause, teaching me to organize and plan church functions, and reminding me that all people are worthy of being treated kindly. I correlate dignity to my mother’s reminder to treat others kindly; it is the glue for creating connection. I learned early on that advocacy in the face of blatant hostility is no easy feat. It sprouts cycles of resentment, fear, anger, and despair; it can suck the light from your desire for a just world. The remedy to that type of opposition has always been: connecting back to the community. Being raised in the company of others who care grounds you in resilient joy, collective power, and combined knowledge. Community is a sanctuary of healing that gets me through the toughest days. I bring that mantra to my role as Advancement Director at Alliance San Diego. When I started 12 years ago, I facilitated my first volunteer orientation in a tiny room with 50 eager community members; I found comfort away from home. I found a space to shape a future my kids could feel safe in. Alliance San Diego was working to find real solutions to issues holding back generations of people. Fast forward to today, I can honestly say that community and trust remain the cornerstones that keep the mission alive. Our hope is to create a network of leaders who not only come together for the cause but stay together, heal together, and continue to make change together. We cannot go far without all of you as helpmates. Building community is the spirit behind every invitation to donate, volunteer, or attend an event. Whether it’s a Think Table, workshop, a volunteer effort, or the All Peoples Celebration, these spaces aim to Imagecultivate fresh energy, a responsive team, and laser focus on the true needs of the people.

San Diego NAACP: The NAACP San Diego Branch #1063-B was chartered in 1919. The legacy of the NAACP is long; our work is consistent: to build Black political, social, and economic power to end racial injustice. Our organization is dedicated to this mission and has worked towards it for over a century. We believe that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of race. We strive to eliminate discrimination and segregation wherever it exists and to ensure that every person has equal rights under the law. The San Diego Chapter of the NAACP is a local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), one of the oldest and most influential civil rights organizations in the United States. The Mission of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.  In December 1918, the national headquarters in New York received an application for charter status which was approved in early 1919.  The confidence and fighting spirit of W.E.B. DuBois saw in the black San Diegans he visited and in the 54 founding members of the branch would carry forward and generate a string of civil rights accomplishments stretching over nine decades. The  San Diego branch was established to advocate for racial justice, equality, and civil rights in the region. Over the years, it has been involved in addressing issues such as: Voting rights & political participation, Educational equity, Police accountability & criminal justice reform, Economic empowerment & employment rights, Housing discrimination. These issues demonstrate the San Diego NAACP's commitment to civil rights from its start and during a period when Bayard Rustin's national efforts were influencing local actions across the country. While direct collaboration between Rustin and the San Diego chapter isn't documented, the alignment of their objectives underscores a shared dedication to advancing civil rights. We envision a society where all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.

Pamuela Halliwell (she/her) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in working with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, transgender, non-binary and gender non-confirming individuals, unhoused and transitional age youth (TAY) active duty and retired military members, and members of the LGBTQIA+ communities. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego with her bachelor’s degree in psychology and minors in law & Black Studies. She attended and graduated from Argosy University with her master’s degree in counseling psychology. She was the President of the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition from 2021-2023, a former member of The Gender Phluid Collective, and a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapist. She is also a former CASA, court appointed special advocate, for foster youth. She currently sits on the following boards: Sheriff’s LGBTQ Advisory Council, LGBTQ+ Survivors Taskforce, Transgender Community Advisory Board (TCAB), and the Tran©ending HIV Syndemic Collective aka Transgender Health Project. She has been working in the field of psychology for over 10 years and works as the Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Services at the San Diego LGBT Community Center. Aside from her role, she has taken part in the Center’s Black LGBTQ Center Advisory Committee, Black Staff Retention Taskforce and provided trainings on gender affirmation letter writing, gender identity, de-escalation skills and techniques, providing trauma informed care, and anti-Black racism. She is the first Black Transgender Female therapist that has ever worked at the San Diego LGBT Community Center. She also provides gender affirmation letters of medical necessity for transgender and gender non-binary individuals who require a letter to access care for gender affirmation/confirmation surgery including providing resources and short-term case management support. Pamuela has presented and attended various conferences including WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health), Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and Gender Odyssey. She has also written various articles pertaining to transgender rights and mental health, even debuting her first fantasy fiction novel, Grieving Still: Finding the Other Side with the second book in the series, Crossing Over: The Garden of Hope coming soon. She most recently was first author on publishing in the Violence Against Women Journal: Characterizing the Prevalence and Perpetrators of Documented Fatal Violence Against Black Transgender Women in the United States (2013-2021) research that is the first of it’s kind on exploring systemic factors leading to the deaths of trans/nonbinary individuals throughout the U.S. for nearly a decade, with special emphasis on the rise of Black trans women being murdered at higher rates and structural, societal, legal, and systemic recommendations to protect them. As a therapist, a woman, a transgender woman and an African American woman, she is aware of both her role in the community and working to fight against discrimination in and outside the Center. Pamuela also maintains a private practice part time and works to both empower and mobilize the community to make a change.

Chief Robert Logan is the 19th fire chief of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department; the third African American to hold this position in the department's 134-year history. He is a native San Diegan who grew up in Lincoln Park near Fire Station 12, which inspired him to become a firefighter. Chief Logan became an emergency medical technician (EMT) in 1999 and joined SDFD as a firefighter in 2000. He has served in all but one rank in the Department. Most recently, Chief Logan served as the deputy chief of employee services, where he managed recruitment, health and safety, community outreach, professional standards and training. As a deputy chief, he previously led special operations, which included air operations, the metro arson strike team, hazardous materials and special events/emergency management. Chief Logan teaches at Miramar College's Fire Academy and he co-founded Lincoln High School's Fire Technology Program – an innovative academic program designed to introduce high school students to a potential career in the fire service. This is the only program of its kind in the San Diego Unified School District. He is an active member of Women in Fire – a national organization dedicated to empowering women in the fire and emergency services field. Chief Logan also led the way in bringing the first California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee Pre-Apprenticeship EMT program to Southeastern San Diego. In recent years, Deputy Chief Logan co-authored an article in The Journal of Prehospital Emergency Care, "Disparities in Medical Services Care in the United States: A Scoping Review," which has been cited in the creation and evaluation of best practices and standards in pre-hospital emergency service delivery to underserved communities nationally. On and off duty, Chief Logan cultivates relationships and develops opportunities for the community. Championing efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion are also among his top priorities. Chief Logan holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a business concentration, a master’s degree in emergency services management as well as an Executive Fire Chief Officer certification. He is a member of the Southeast Rotary Club and a lifetime silver member of the NAACP.

Satomi Rash-Zeigler is the inaugural Executive Director of the UC San Diego Labor Center, dedicated to promoting equitable workplaces and empowering diverse workers. With over 20 years in the labor movement, she previously served as Managing Director of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, leading initiatives to support union members and improve working conditions. Satomi is the founding president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists – San Diego Chapter and is involved with the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. She is active on several nonprofit advisory boards, including PATH San Diego. Satomi holds a Psychology degree from UCLA and an MBA from the Haas School of Business, recently receiving the Trailblazer Hall of Fame Award from the California Black Women’s Collective. A native of San Diego, she resides in Spring Valley with her family.

. Associate Professor, History, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, URBANA-CHAMPAIGN; HISTORY MA, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO; HISTORY BA, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO; HISTORY AND THE STUDY OF RELIGION

T.J. Tallie joined the department in the fall of 2018.  He specializes in the comparative settler colonial and imperial history, with a focus on South Africa.  His interests, broadly defined, involve colonialism, gender and racial identity, indigeneity, and religious expression.  At USD, he teaches courses in African History, Global History, Pacific History, and Gender and Sexuality. Areas of Expertise: Southern African History, Gender and Sexuality, Settler Colonialism in the Nineteenth Century, Zulu Language and Culture, British Imperialism, Global Indigenous Studies, Queer Theory. My scholarly work specifically focuses on the nineteenth-century southern African colony of Natal, a contested space between British settlers, isiZulu- speaking Africans, and Indian migrants.  My book, Queering Colonial Natal: Indigeneity and the Violence of Belonging in Southern Africa (University of Minnesota Press, 2019), uses queer theory and critical indigenous studies examine how discourses of European civilization underpinned colonial legislation that policed white settler behavior and attempted to consign indigenous Africans and Indian migrants to subservient positions within Natal.  I suggest that the colonial state ‘queered’ indigenous practices by defining them as threats to the normative order they attempted to impose through delimiting Zulu polygamy, restricting alcohol access, and assigning only Europeans to government schools. My current research project, tentatively titled Conjugal States, examines how the concept of monogamy became deeply linked to the idea of white settler reproduction in South Africa, British Columbia and New Zealand in the context of the incipient ‘threat’ of polygamy practiced by the emergent Latter Day Saint movement in nineteenth-century Utah.  My work interrogates the centrality of reproductive futurity to marriage in nineteenth-century settler societies. In particular, I study legal claims of bigamy, plural marriage, and interracial sexual encounters as sites of colonial anxiety and multifaceted anti-imperial activity.  Through this work, I will provide a history of sexuality, settler colonialism, and indigenous peoples that charts varied forms of native resistance to settler incursions. Areas of Interest: I am currently interested in understanding the ways in which settler colonialism expands beyond the nineteenth century and outside of the ‘standard’ Anglophone countries of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.  I’m particularly interested in colonial practices and questions of sexuality in the Caribbean and Ireland as well, and look forward to developing courses that focus on questions of the self, identity, and belonging in a variety of contexts.