Supervisors honor Contra Costa Humanitarians of the Year

Willie Mims of Pittsburg and three Dougherty Valley High students recognized during annual Martin Luther King, Jr. ceremony

By Allen D. Payton

During their 46th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. themed “Beloved Community” ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors honored Humanitarian of the Year, Willie Mims for his tireless commitment and Student Humanitarians of the Year, Vedant Kathrani, Robi ToZulAhmad, and Noor ToZulAhmad for improving the lives of Contra Costa County residents and all for reflecting the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mims has been a community activist since 1963 and helped found the East County NAACP and Pittsburg’s Black Political Association. He has been a constant presence in the community and in public meetings, where he has always been ready to weigh in with his perspective. A retired teacher, Mims has been an advocate for quality education, especially, making sure students know history, particularly the history of the African-American experience. See video of and about Mims.

The three honored students were recognized for founding PlatetoPeople, a non-profit committed to ending hunger, preventing food waste and positively impact the environment. They partnered with White Pony Express and RecycleSmart to distribute meals. See video of the three students.

“Our students are remarkable young people who do remarkable things,” said San Ramon Valley Unified School District Superintendent Dr. John Malloy. “These three students have followed a path of exemplary service to their community, and we are so proud.”

Noor and Robi Tozulah are brothers from Rohingya, Myanmar, and Dougherty Valley High School students. Hunger is personal for the Tozulahmad brothers; they were born and Myanmar and had to live parts of their childhood begging on the streets in Malaysia to get their next meal.

At six years old, the brothers took a harrowing 11-day boat journey to Malaysia, where they faced moments when they feared their fate. In 2016, the Tozul Ahmad brothers arrived in America and gained a deeper understanding of global issues, with one problem standing out prominently – food waste and its environmental impact.

Vedant Kathrani, a Dougherty Valley High School junior, is an aspiring computational environmentalist committed to community improvement through STEM, innovation, and environmental sustainability. He has been acknowledged locally and globally for his academic achievements and community service, and he is also a Global Youth Ambassador for the Gates Foundation. When he discovered that food from restaurants often went to waste at the end of the day rather than being given to those in need, he joined forces with Robi and Noor to make a difference.

PlateToPeople collects food from restaurants, schools, and other businesses to provide food for the homeless. Their mission is to fight hunger and provide food for those in need in their community and beyond. The organization believes that everyone deserves access to healthy and nutritious food.

“Through our journey from Rohingya to America, I’ve learned the value of food, resilience, compassion, and the potential for positive change in the face of adversity,” said Noor Tozul Ahmad, Co-Founder of PlateToPeople.

“Our initiative involves saving surplus food and serving it to the homeless, one plate at a time,” shared Robi Tozul Ahmad, Co-Founder of PlateToPeople.

Learn more about PlateToPeople at https://platetopeople.org/. 

Ilana Israel Samuels, Director of Communications, Family and Community Engagement, SRVUSD contributed to this report.