Empowering Community Since 1964
Join us in celebrating 60 years of advancing racial and economic justice in community from CAMP to Centerstone to Byrd Barr Place. And help us shape the next 60 years by investing in a just and equitable future for all.
We started 60 years ago. We never stopped.
From our beginnings as CAMP in 1964 to our present day Byrd Barr Place honoring civil rights champion Roberta Byrd Barr, we have been committed to our founding principle: helping people help themselves. While we started as and will always be by and for Black people, we recognize our work for racial and economic justice is for all people whom society has marginalized, and for societal health as a whole.
As one of the first and original community action organizations still standing today, our 60th anniversary is a milestone that we’re celebrating all year long! Throughout 2024, we’re uplifting stories about our history and the people, as well as hosting a series of in-person gatherings, so we can celebrate in community, together.
Photo credit: The Seattle Times
Let’s Celebrate, Together.
Today, our work is as urgent as ever. We need you and your support to build an equitable Washington through innovative programs and advocacy that empower people to live healthy, prosperous lives. In marking our 60th year, we invite you to join us in celebrating our past and present, while investing in our future.
60th Anniversary Celebration Past Events
Oct. 5, 2024 | 5 p.m. onward
60th Diamond Gala
We had an amazing time at the Fairmont Hotel, celebrating six decades of service and advocacy. The outpouring of community love was extraordinary. The conversation and connection with each other nourished our souls, the desserts and music were sweet reminders of our culture’s richness, and the talk with civil rights icon Angela Davis and our beloved Vivian Phillips lifted our spirits. Together, we affirmed our legacy and our resolve to continue the fight for justice.
Aug. 20, 2024 | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Blueprint for Change Launch
During Black Philanthropy Month in August, we hosted a panel conversation with Black philanthropists and nonprofit leaders who contributed to the Blueprint for Change, a new framework for centering Black people in grantmaking. We discussed key principles for building more trusting, supportive, and effective relationships with Black-led organizations and communities.
July 20, 2024 | 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Byrd Barr Place Block Party
We had an incredible time at our inaugural block party in the streets outside our firehouse home. It was a community experience recollective of CAMP, filled with family-fun activities, like face painting, hop scotch, double dutch jump rope, checkers, plus music and dancing. There were food trucks, community resource tables, and tours of Byrd Barr Place.
SIX DECADES OF STORIES
A Welcome Message from Our CEO, Dr. Angela Griffin
Dr. Angela Griffin shares her excitement on becoming the CEO of Byrd Barr Place. Named after her “shero” Angela Davis, she talks about how her daddy always encouraged her to work for social justice and Black liberation. Dr. Angela describes her commitment to Byrd Barr Place’s mission of creating an equitable future for all Washingtonians, and looks forward to meeting community needs and advocating for equity statewide.
Andrea Reflects on Her 20-Year Tensure
After two decades of leadership at Byrd Barr Place, Andrea Caupain Sanderson handed the baton to Dr. Angela Griffin in June 2023. Throughout her 20-year tenure, Andrea had an outsized impact on the organization and community. She secured ownership and renovated the firehouse as our long-term home, fortified essential services for people striving to make ends meet, organized significant advocacy on behalf of our Black community, and much more.
Gregory Davis Talks About His 10-year Staff Tenure
Former CAMP staff Gregory Davis reflects on his time at CAMP from 1990 to 1999, where he started as a program director, moved up to a youth development management, and eventually became operations director. During his tenure, Larry Gossett, Leon Brown, and Hayward Evans each served as executive directors. Gregory operated the cultural programs Rites of Passage Experience (ROPE), Safety MOP, Mutual Partnership Coalition, serving hundreds and hundreds youth and helping them become productive citizens.
Ms. Roberta Byrd Barr: Grandma
Ms. Roberta Byrd Barr’s granddaughters Angelique Kitchen and Robin Byrd (pictured on the right of the photo) talk about how their grandmother shaped their early lives and the legacy she leaves for future generations.
Craig Robinson and Viron Watson Talk About Their Volunteerism
Longtime volunteers Craig Robinson and Viron Watson talk about the importance of Byrd Barr Place in the community and how they are grateful that the organization and its food bank exists for families and children to get the food they need.
Annette Anderson Describes Her Time on the Board
Annette Anderson reflects on becoming a board member in the early 2000s, when Jacquie Jones-Walsh, CAMP board chair and a pillar of the labor movement, recruited her. In addition to Jacquie, she served alongside amazing people like Oscar Eason Jr., a longtime civil rights leader and president of the Seattle NAACP from 1999 to 2002, as well as Freddy Kerry. Annette describes the turnover and challenges through the early 2010s. Then, under Andrea Caupain Sanderson’s leadership, the organization underwent a strategic planning process and made changes to shore up the organization.
