A BRIEF HISTORY OF MASC

1986: MASC co- founded by Nancy G. Brown, a partner in an interracial marriage, and Levonne Gaddy, a multiracial adult. Major goals were to celebrate interracial families, couples, and individuals, push for the ability to claim full heritage, eradicate stereotypes, and begin community dialogue. Nancy was president for seven years. There have been five other presidents since then: Eamon Beuhning, Roberta Brown, Faye Mandell, Thomas Lopez, and our current president Jennifer Noble.

MASC was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) Non Profit organization in the state of California

First edition of Spectrum, MASC’s newsletter published

1987-1997: Began hosting KALEIDOSCOPE, MASC’s annual national conference, which took place during October (diversity month) for nine years. This became a springboard for up and coming researchers, educators, and activists in the new multiracial community to speak and be heard. Many of these individuals have gone on to be university professors, authors, and mentors for many in the community

MASC Activities included: monthly educational meetings with guest speakers on topics such as multiracial parenting, interracial marriage, transracial adoption, multiracial individuals, dealing with school systems and forms; a multiracial adult support group with  book club and movie reviews; a social adult group; a children’s playgroup; and an annual holiday party and summer picnic.

MEDIA: MASC has been a sought after resource for TIME, NEWSWEEK, LADIES HOME JOURNAL, The Michael Jackson show, The Liza Gibbons Show, Michael Donahue show, CBS News, and numerous other magazines and national newspapers.

This continues today.

1988: Founding meeting of AMEA (Association of MultiEthnic Americans) with MASC and 13 other multiracial organizations across the nation in Berkeley, CA. Goals were to harness the collective efforts the state organizations were making in the areas of gaining an inclusive ethnic identifier for the multiracial population for the next census, through many meetings and lobbying efforts to the Office of Management and Budget in Washington, DC. Carlos Fernandez of I-Pride, Ramona Douglass of AMEA and Susan Graham of Project Race played major roles. Nancy Brown was VP of AMEA, and Levonne Gaddy helped with testimony to Washington.

1996: MASC participated in the first Multiracial Solidarity March and Bone Marrow Drive with AMEA in Washington, DC

MASC’s 10th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser: showing of the film ‘Mr and Mrs. Loving’  at Sheraton Hotel in LA.                             

1997-10th Annual Kaleidoscope Conference and Multiracial Teen Summit: Under the presidency of Faye Mandell, this conference included a teen panel. Also present were Ramona Douglass, Maria P. P. Root, PhD, Paul Spickard, Loretta Winters, and Herman DeBose, all writers/editors of groundbreaking books on the multiracial experience, including authors from within the multiracial community.

VICTORY for the MULTIRACIAL COMMUNITY: The Office of Management and Budget in Washington, DC issued a new, revised STATISTICAL DIRECTIVE 15 on October 30, 1997 adopting the recommendations of the Interagency Committee to allow multiple check-offs on government forms that ask for racial/ethnic information. This landmark decision ends the “one drop rule.” The ruling affects all government agencies including the census, and any other agency receiving federal money.

1998: Kaleidoscope Film Festival in Los Angeles under leadership of Thomas Lopez.

2000: MASC hosts AMEA’s Annual Meeting in Los Angeles comprised of representation from all the statewide organizations, including Canada.

MASC creates first website: www.multiculti.org

MASC works locally to educate the public on the census changes, partners with other diversity minded organizations.

2001: MASC holds organizational, professionally facilitated retreat in Arizona under leadership of Levonne Gaddy

MASC becomes a member of the Media Image Coalition in Los Angeles and collaborates with the LA Commission on Human Relations

2002: MASC attends and presents at AMEA’s First National Conference on the Multiracial Child. MASC co-founder Nancy Brown is now president of AMEA.

2003-Present: MASC re-organizes and re-vitalizes board, by holding board meetings, interviewing potential board members, and assessing the interests and needs of the multiracial community.

2004/2005: MASC celebrates LOVING DAY, the annual commemoration of the Virginia v. Loving Supreme Court Decision with AMEA in 2004 and with a beach BBQ in 2005.

2006: MASC  receives funding from a foundation for the TEEN MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. MASC also creates the ELEMENTARY PARENTING PROJECT.

2007: MASC presents The Elementary Parent Project for the public at Antioch University