Hunters Point Family Agency Honors Milliken
Nancy Milliken
The community-based Hunters Point Family (HPF) serves Bayview-Hunters Point youth and families in providing innovative youth development programming and services. As the only organization of its kind helping the at-risk youths in the community, it is seen as a haven for the primarily African American families it serves.
Milliken, director of the UCSF National Center of Excellence (CoE) in Women's Health and vice dean of the School of Medicine, played an integral part in the revitalization of the nine-year-old agency. After serious institutional setbacks critically affected the agency in 2003, it was left facing a projected budget deficit and a staff situation in turmoil.
The overall mood of the organization became desperate after one of the youths participating in the program was murdered. "I had to do something to [metaphorically] move the agency to a different place, but I didn't know what to do or how to do it," said HPF Executive Director of Development Lena Miller. Miller sought advice from Milliken, who in turn "listened carefully, asked questions and started to invite me to lots of meetings with staff at the Center of Excellence." Miller admitted, "I didn't understand why she was asking me to go to meetings when we were obviously in a state of crisis." Over time, CoE staff worked with the agency staff to form a board of directors; create their first annual report, and develop their individual donor base through activities and programs. "For the first time, I began to understand how to strategically move the agency from a place of crisis to a place of health and vitality for our children," said Miller. Today, HPF is thriving, supporting three collaborating programs that provide services to more than 200 youths, ages 10 to 22, and their families every year. "Agencies like HPF are vital to improving the health and well-being of women and their families in the community," said Milliken. Milliken also was recognized for investing her personal resources and time in the agency every holiday season to ensure that the children could enjoy gifts and a celebration. "We are not just honoring Nancy for her contribution to the Hunters Point Family," Miller added. "We are honoring her for her contribution to our world." At the event, guests could view three 10-foot-high paintings depicting Califia, the legendary black Amazon warrior queen associated with the mythical island of California, that were painted by young women who participate in HPF programs. Miller referred to the murals as she called Milliken to the stage. Milliken is "exemplified in the spirit of the warrior murals," Miller said. "Strong, beautiful, powerful [warriors] fight for the salvation of our world and our future with vision, compassion and endurance that is fueled by the ether of her soul." When Milliken took the stage, she could barely speak. "I am almost speechless," Milliken said of her honor. "I am really overjoyed and overwhelmed by the accolades." The event, which took place at the San Francisco War Memorial Performing Arts Center, drew more than 50 guests. The program featured guest speaker Aqueela Sherrills, who orchestrated the 1992 peace treaty between gang members in Watts. Anchorwoman Carolyn Tyler from ABC7 news introduced Bread Me Out Family, a rap group formed by young men while participating in the HPF programs. Proceeds from the fundraising event, staged in conjunction with Primitive Logic, a San Francisco-based business consulting and technology services firm, will directly support quality enrichment, education and leadership development programs for at-risk youths.