Returning board member Ladie Malek’s passion for GRIP began with the Harmony Walk, now in its 38th year, and scheduled for a picnic and public tours of GRIP on October 5th, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It’s this tradition that drove her to rejoin the board.
“I remember about 15 years ago, we walked with a few church members and one of our ministers in the Harmony Walk, and I was hooked,” Malek said. “Marching with other interfaith community members and cheered on by the beautiful Richmond community on a Saturday morning, I immediately understood what was special about GRIP.”
Malek served on the board years ago, and then began helping more recently with the 2022 Harmony Walk committee before making the commitment to serve a second term on the board, beginning this past February. The word “harmony” in that Harmony Walk is what drew her.
“I see so much conflict in the world right now, people sowing hate and division, trying to make us believe that people from different backgrounds and different faiths can’t possibly get along. GRIP is the perfect antidote for that.”
“GRIP shows every day that people of different faiths can come together and cooperate and do good in the world. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?”
Malek was born in Iran, but has lived in the Bay Area for about half her life.
“It feels like home. It’s beautiful and welcoming, and it’s diverse,” Malek added, including that she and her wife live in El Cerrito where they’ve raised a now college-aged daughter and a few cats.
When not volunteering at GRIP or attending committee meetings and board meetings, Malek works as a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education consultant for product developers and nonprofits, currently working on a free climate change curriculum for K-12 students. As a former math and science teacher, she has a passion for STEM and education.
As a member of one of GRIP’s founding faith communities, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley at the top of Moeser Lane, Malek has served lunches and dinners for years, along with planning the Harmony Walks and the 50th anniversary celebration.
Coming back to the board in 2024, this leader sees plenty of work still to do.
“Many families were destabilized by the pandemic and a variety of other economic challenges and have lost their housing and their economic security. GRIP provides a lifeline, with emergency family housing, free meals, showers, and other services to help people get back on their feet. And the GRIP staff does this all with so much kindness, always going the extra mile, doing whatever it takes.”
Now is a vibrant time of positive change at GRIP, Malek noted.
“I am just really excited about GRIP leadership right now – from our Executive Director Ralph Payton to our Board President Maria Costen, to other staff and board members. Plus, my friend and fellow board member Alan Marks kept asking when I would come back to the board. So all of that inspired me to rejoin the board and help out in any way I can.”
This year’s Harmony Walk at Nicholl Park on MacDonald Avenue will see some changes, inspired by Malek’s leadership.
“One of the things we’ve been talking about in recent years is how to turn the Harmony Walk into more of a fun community event and picnic, so it can more accessible to everyone, including those of us with mobility issues. It’s been wonderful working with the planning committee on that. It’s always so great to see our beautiful GRIP community on that Saturday morning in October, and we’re hoping to make it work for more and more people!”
Register here to walk for $38 then add registrations for as many additional friends and family at just $12 each, if you register online. The additional discounted registrations get all the same benefits from the t-shirt, to raffle prizes, a GRIP bumper sticker and more.
GRIP board held a strategic retreat Sunday, September 22nd, 2024 to plan for the next year and the new needs of the changing West County region.
