On Tuesday, Feb. 11, 270 Media invited the community at large to a special screening of the 1968 BBC documentary, The Mood of America, which captured the aftermath of a voluntary desegregation plan that occurred in 1965 within the Sausalito Marin City School District. In the film, the investigators examined both the Black and the white perspectives on what was happening in the school district by interviewing students, parents, school board members and Principal Sidney Walton.
Perhaps the most important aspect of this documentary video — which was shot more than 50 years ago — was how it captured emotions and frustrations that are still felt today. It wasn’t lost on the full house of approximately 150 attendees that many of the words spoken by those who were interviewed in the film decades ago are still heard today, right here in Marin.
It’s hard not to be discouraged by that. After all, haven’t we evolved since 1968?
“I still see a lot of positives,” remarked Mimi Towle, Marin Magazine‘s editorial director. “Our country has moved forward, but people continue to be people. Since the beginning of humanity, we have had tribes, and it’s not all bad. We have love and hope, and we can also have fear and aggressions towards those not in our tribe.”
Perspectives: A Panel Discussion Following the Film
Following the film, the seven-person panel moderated by Kirsten Jones Neff offered deeper insight. Royce McLemore of Women Helping All People eloquently redefined the word “militant” for the crowd by saying, “If being a young mother speaking up to defend your child’s opportunity for education means you’re a militant, perhaps we need to make room for some militant mamas in our democracy.”
Shirley Hasley, the first Black teacher in Mill Valley, who was tasked with chaperoning students to school at Marin City in 1965, shared the comments she endured from parents questioning her intellectual capacity to teach back then, and how she was called “Uncle Tom” by some. Yet, she maintained that year was a triumph in her eyes, as the majority of white children she worked with came to realize that “skin color was just skin color, and nothing more.”
Kirstin Thomas, a working mom with two white sons at MLK Jr. Academy who makes time to sit on the district’s parent organization, sees joy and laughter on the rare day she has drop-off duty (usually her husband does it). She mentioned the healthy free breakfast and the after-school care, provided by community partners like Horizon Community School. She’s seeing the glass half full.
The youngest voice on the panel, Lea Mixon of WISE Choices for Girls who is studying for her master’s degree in social justice and teaching, expressed her deep passion for advancing equity. She realized at the age of 13 that “our (Black) children are not being represented in our schools,” and even as recent as 2020, was still hearing racist remarks at school board meetings. “I am here to make sure that, no matter what, my babies and the generations who come after them know who they are and where they are going.”
“One of my favorite parts was when Adam Politzer’s first grade teacher (and later principal of Bayside Elementary school), Meg Scrofani, stood up in the audience and said what a handsome man he had become,” added Towle. “She also offered her perspective that after leaving Marin City, she found things pretty much the same in the other school districts.”
So, Have We Changed?
There’s no easy answer to that question.
On the one hand, if our country had not moved forward, Royce McLemore, Bettie Hodges and Shirley Masley would not have been on the panel to talk about each of their successful life journeys — all centered on education and elevating community. Shirley especially shared her gratitude to all of the educators in the room and ended the evening on a positive note.
Marin City’s matriarch and a force unto herself, Felecia Gaston, made the event’s panel possible. At age 5 in segregated Georgia, Felecia was given the side eye and a strong “don’t think about it” from her grandmother when she longed to join a group of little white girls in tutus. She politely listened, then later made it her life’s passion to create an organization called Performing Stars of Marin that put little girls and boys of color on stages around the country — tutus optional. Her tireless dedication to sharing Marin City’s fascinating history is seen through her curated photo exhibits seen around the county, and even a in a cookbook full of recipes from Marin City’s grandmothers.
David Duncan’s research on the overview of desegregation throughout California and here in Marin City, gave us perspective, and we hope, motivation to work through the bumps as we support the boxers who are now in the ring, Phil Logan and soon, Lea Mixon.
As Kirsten Jones Neff appropriately said, “We all just have to listen to each other. We probably have way more in common than (we have) differences.”
270 Media would like to offer a special thanks to Tamalpie, Floodwater and Marin Dish, which all provided light nibbles at this event.
More About the Panelists
Guest speakers at this special screening by Marin Magazine included David Duncan, PhD candidate of history at UC Santa Cruz, and Phil Logan, community schools director at Sausalito Marin City School District. The panel discussion was led by Kirsten Jones Neff, who wrote “The Trajectory of Their Lives,” a Marin Magazine article from February 2025 about the school district’s 21st-century desegregation after a state court order. Panelists included Royce McLemore, Bettie Hodges, Adam Politzer, Shirley Hasley, Lea Mixon and Kirstin Thomas.
Royce McLemore
Royce McLemore is a dedicated community activist and the co-founder of Women Helping All People (WHAP) in Marin City. WHAP started in 1990 when 16 Marin City women, including Royce, gathered to address the needs of young women living in public housing. Under Royce’s leadership, WHAP has grown to offer a variety of programs and services aimed at fostering personal achievement, economic independence, and a sense of community.
Some of WHAP’s notable programs include:
- In- and After-School Safe House: A tutorial program for K-12 students.
- Landscape Services: Training young men to be gardeners and providing opportunities to own businesses in public housing areas.
- GED/ESL Literacy Classes: Teaching English to residents who don’t speak English.
- Computer Training: Teaching computer skills to open doors to better-paying jobs.
- Finder’s Keepers: Offering clothing and household items to people in need.
Royce’s determination and strong personal faith have been the driving forces behind WHAP’s success in improving the lives of Marin City residents.
Bettie Hodges
Bettie Hodges is a dedicated community leader and activist in Marin City, California. She is the founder and executive director of The Hannah Project Partnership, a charitable organization that provides academic and cultural educational programs to at-risk youth in Marin County. Through her work, she has secured over $320,000 in college scholarships for Marin City students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college
Bettie is also involved in various social justice initiatives, including the SAVE OUR CITY coalition, which aims to protect Marin City’s historical legacy and cultural diversity from gentrification and development pressures. Her lifelong commitment to social justice and community development has made a significant impact on the lives of many residents in Marin City.
Adam Politzer
Adam Politzer has been working in local government since 1987, serving in leadership positions with the cities of Palo Alto, Belmont and East Palo Alto. Adam served as city manager for 13 years for the City of Sausalito before retiring in 2020. Since retiring, Adam has served as interim city manager for the cities of Clayton, Emeryville and the Town of Fairfax.
Adam is the son of Olive and Robert Politzer both who were very active in the political scene. Adam grew up in Sausalito where he and his two sisters attended Bayside and MLK schools. Adam was a kindergartner in 1970 at the Manzanita School, located in Marin City. Adam went on to Tamalpais High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. Adam also played the baritone horn at MLK and all four years at Tam. Adam then went on to Menlo College where he continued to play football and baseball before graduating with a degree in psychology.
Adam, his wife Kristen and their three daughters live in Greenbrae.
Shirley Hasley
Shirley Hasley (née Andrews) has devoted her life to educating our children. She was hired as Mill Valley’s first black teacher on a sponsored trip across the Golden Gate. The decision was met with trepidation by some parents and others. On the threat of violence, Shirley was forced to seek housing outside the city limits.
In her first year as a teacher, this 22-year-old young woman was assigned to travel with students being bused from Mill Valley to Marin City. It was desegregation in 1965. Was Shirley a natural fit? Hardly. Her presence was resented by many in Marin City. She was called an “Uncle Tom” and she needed police protection.
Challenged in Mill Valley, and resented in Marin City, Shirley wasn’t accepted until she was “discovered” by an advertising executive. Crossing Blithedale Avenue after school, a polaroid photo mailed to New York, a national ad campaign for Coca-Cola — suddenly every parent wanted their child to be in her classroom.
Second born of 13 children. Class president of an all-white high school. Presented as a San Francisco debutante by Willie Brown. Photographed by Richard Avedon for Coca-Cola. Esteemed educator. Co-founder of the Andrews Family Scholarship Foundation… “Have you seen me?”
Lea Mixon
Lea Mixon has a bachelor’s degree in communications and ethnic studies from Cal State Northridge, and she is currently working on her master’s degree in social justice and teaching credentials at University of San Francisco. She has worked for Hannah Program, 10,000 Degrees and Bridge the Gap. She volunteers for many other local organizations on several community projects.
Lea Mixon is an associate director with the WISE Choices for Girls program, which is dedicated to empowering young girls through education, self-esteem building and leadership development. The program offers various activities, workshops and events designed to help girls make wise choices and develop into confident, capable leaders.
Lea Mixon, along with her team, organizes events such as afterschool programs, goal-setting sessions, and educational series on important topics like the dangers of alcohol. She also participates in community events, sharing her poetic talents and inspiring others with her words.
Lea has done an incredible job leading all ages, elementary, middle school and high school youth, since she was a teenager. She is dedicated and her vision has been instrumental in many success stories. Her leadership has had a profound impact on our community. She has an ability to bring people together and drive positive change is truly inspiring.
Kirstin Thomas
Kirstin Thomas is the mother of two boys, ages 6 and 10, at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Academy. She has been an active parent in the Sausalito Marin City School District since 2019, having served on the Desegregation Advisory Committee, Budget Advisory Committee and Bond Oversight Committee. Currently, she is the DEI chair for the district’s parent organization.
Professionally, Kirstin is a marketing director at a biotechnology company in the Bay Area. She lives with her husband and children in Sausalito.
David Duncan
David Duncan is a PhD candidate of history from UC Santa Cruz. His dissertation research explores the history of school desegregation in Sausalito/Marin City and East Palo Alto. He became interested in this subject because his relatives attended school in Sausalito during desegregation in 1965. Before graduate school, David worked all over the Bay Area as an EMT, which shaped his approach to oral history, a central component of his research. In addition to dissertation work, David runs UCSC’s official podcast, teaches classes on oral history and is hoping to graduate soon to pursue a career in public humanities and oral history work.
Phil Logan
Phillip Logan is the community school director at the Sausalito Marin City School District. He began in this role in 2022 but has been working with youth in Marin City for much longer, including as the equity and engagement coordinator for SMCSD.
