The organization marked its fifth anniversary with a gathering in the Fireside Room

By Mike Wood

Staff writer

Monday, April 7 (1:30 p.m.): Rossmoor Advocates for Diversity took time to celebrate five years of impactful activism in this community while pointing out how current times have kept the organization’s efforts important.

RAD hosted a gathering March 21 in the Fireside Room to recall its origins and cast a gaze at the challenges of today.

Joe Easley, one of RAD’s co-presidents, welcomed attendees to the event – a general meeting that was more of a fest, with plenty of food and colorful décor – by wishing all “peace and love.” That sentiment was exemplified by rainbow-colored peace-sign medallions worn by attendees, which co-president Cruz Lizarraga cheerfully pointed out in her greeting.

“When we formed RAD in 2020, we were in the middle of chaotic times; now we’re right back in them,” RAD co-founder Aki Rasmussen said. “And Rossmoor’s not immune to hateful rhetoric nor to other ills of our country. Rossmoor needs RAD. I think Rossmoor can be a better version of our country. Let’s make it happen.”

The theme of the event was “The Power of Peaceful Protests,” and it drew more than 120 people. Attendees heard from five invited leaders from the Rossmoor community who spoke about the impact of such actions, including Mary Taylor of African Americans and Friends Club; Michael Goldberg, a resident who led peaceful protests inside and near Rossmoor; Susan Hildreth of Democrats of Rossmoor; Lynn Carruthers of Neighbors for Safer Streets; and Alex Baccaro of the LGBTQ+ Alliance.

Currently with a mailing list of 475, RAD started out small. Sometimes, it was just its three founders, Rasmussen, Jo Anne Lawrence and Cecelia Wambach, who met weekly, trying to understand “the ugly underpinnings of racism,” Wambach said.

“We knew we had to step up to make Rossmoor a place for all of us,” Rasmussen said.

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020 sent shockwaves and prompted demonstrations nationally, and was a catalyst for RAD’s rise in Rossmoor.

“We knew that this was our time. … This was when we had to do something,” Wambach said. RAD’s founders quickly organized a silent vigil for the next day, unsure whether they’d get a decent turnout.

“It seemed like the whole world came,” Wambach said. There were over 70 people that day, and momentum continued with subsequent vigils.

“We had found our community,” Wambach noted. “There were other people like us in Rossmoor. Folks who believed in diversity, equity and inclusion. People who understood the value of fairness and trust and belonging. People who wanted Rossmoor to be a welcoming place for all people.”

It used to surprise founders to see the turnout for RAD events such as vigils protesting acts of hate toward people because of their ethnicity or gender identity, group discussions, or support for the message of the Coexist banner that’s raised each December. “We aren’t surprised anymore,” Rasmussen said.

RAD’s growth prompted three groups within the organization: RAD Cares, RAD Reels and RAD Talks. In the past year, RAD has kept broadening its efforts.

In May, RAD had its first racial wealth gap simulation workshop – it has two more planned for this April 25 and May 8. Also, RAD Reels had its first film program event at Peacock Hall, and RAD launched a website at https://rossmoorrad.org to grow its reach.

The group is planning another RAD Rocks Dance Party in July, and with the Diversity Consciousness Committee of the Interfaith Council of Rossmoor and the GRF, will again co-present the Diversity Film Festival in July and the Diversity Festival on Oct. 7.

And there will be a peace song sing-along in December at the coexist banner. On a similar note, the fifth anniversary celebration closed with Wambach leading a sing-along of “This Little Light of Mine.”

Lizarraga said RAD works because “we all have so much to offer. We do it with such joy, and the solidarity that we have is amazing. I really can’t say why, but it seems like we’re all kindred souls.”