A spirit of possibility filled the Marin Civic Center on April 26, as more than 450 guests gathered for 10,000 Degrees’ annual ONE Amazing Community Gala. The Marin-based nonprofit, known for unlocking college and career success for students from underserved backgrounds, raised nearly $1.1 million to support its life-changing scholarships and programs.
Inspirational Speakers Delivering Powerful Messages
The evening’s emcee and 2024 Alumni Changemaker Honoree, Yoel Iskindir, set the tone with his heartfelt reflection. A 10,000 Degrees alum and a first-generation child of African refugees, Iskindir now uses his filmmaking skills and mentorship to amplify underrepresented voices and ignite social change. “When I found 10,000 Degrees, for the first time I saw educators who looked like me,” he told the crowd. “They said, ‘your barriers are real, but they’re not stopping you.’”
Kim Mazzuca, President and CEO of 10,000 Degrees, followed Iskindir with an inspiring message about the nonprofit’s unwavering mission: achieving educational equity for students from low-income backgrounds.
Next up was keynote speaker Gonzalo Berluzconi, a 10,000 Degrees alum and current career mentor, who shared the tale of his personal journey from Colombia to college. Raised by a teenage mother and later navigating life as an immigrant in the U.S., Berluzconi credited 10,000 Degrees with helping him beat the odds. “At a time when I was teetering and could have easily fallen through the cracks, 10,000 Degrees formed a bridge,” he said. “They provided me with a scholarship and the guidance I needed to climb what felt insurmountable: applying to college as a first-generation student.”
Students and Alumni Lighting the Way
Following the inspiring remarks, guests turned their attention to the screen for a moving short film titled “Our Students & Alumni Are Lighting the Way,” produced and directed by the evening’s first speaker, Yoel Iskindir, who is now an independent filmmaker. The video spotlighted five remarkable first-generation students and graduates whose journeys illuminate the power of education. All five shared a common thread: a determination to make a difference, despite the barriers faced on the path to higher education. Through mentorship, scholarships, and steadfast encouragement from 10,000 Degrees, these individuals not only persisted, they thrived.
Many Doors Opened, but More to Go
Following dinner by Sage Catering, accompanied by a selection of wine, sparkling wine, beer and spirits generously donated by Gloria Ferrer Winery and Rodney Strong Vineyards, the audience participated in a live auction. During the lively fund-a-future segment of the evening, one generous benefactor, Larry Rosenberger, doubled his gift from $100,000 to $200,000.
“We’ve reached a pivotal moment with the largest pool of scholarship applicants in our 44-year history: 6,200 students from low-income backgrounds,” said Caroline Silverstein, Chief Development Officer at 10,000 Degrees. “Thanks to our generous community, our gala raised nearly $1.1 million. But we’re still facing a $625,000 gap that must be closed by June 30. Without this support, many students may have to walk away from the college acceptances they’ve worked so hard to earn. Marin has always stepped up for our students, and we’re counting on that spirit once again to turn acceptances into enrollments.”
A freelance writer in Marin who writes about family, kids and parenting, Glass is the mother to one son, one dog and a hamster named Miss Geri. When she’s not writing, trekking up steep hills in Marin or driving her kid to sports practice, she and her family spend time in their tiny cabin in Lake Tahoe. She avidly supports the California Academy of Sciences, a world class science museum and research institution, and the Institute on Aging which provides much needed services to Bay Area seniors and disabled adults. Glass is obsessed with baking the perfect loaf of banana bread, something she makes so often she no longer needs to look at a recipe card.
