KSBW is proud to sponsor York School's 50th Anniversary Think Forward Forum Series beginning with: 'The Future of Human Rights in America' with York Graduate, Ben Jealous, President of the NAACP.

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. Beginning September, 12, those interested can watch Mr. Jealous' presentation here at York.org. CLICK HERE

About Ben Jealous:

Jealous, a native of Pacific Grove, graduated from York in 1990 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree from Columbia University in New York. He earned a master's degree from Oxford University, where he became the only Rhodes Scholar Monterey County has ever produced. Jealous, 35, is currently president of The Rosenberg Foundation, a grant-making organization that provides economic support to working people in California.

Jealous developed his passion for civic justice while at York School, heavily influenced by the American History and economics class taught by the late Dr. Henry Littlefield, who also served as Head of School from 1977-1990. "Those courses were really important to me and what I believed in, which allowed me to see the full potential for this country and the contradictions in details,” said Jealous.

While in high school, Ben spent a semester in Washington D.C. as a congressional page for Leon Panetta. He also served as an intern for Representative Sam Farr. "It has been my honor to witness Ben develop as one of our district's most distinguished citizens," said Rep. Farr. "And with this appointment Ben continues his journey among our nation's top advocates for social justice. Under Ben's leadership, the NAACP will be in strong, capable hands."

The news traveled from Baltimore, at NAACP headquarters, to Ben's parents in Pacific Grove via text message. "This is a great honor for Ben, his entire family and the many teachers and leaders of this community who helped prepare him for this opportunity," said Ben's father, Fred. "Ben has a generous heart, a bright and resourceful mind and a passion for social justice and family life. The importance of the NAACP's efforts for civil and human rights is made painfully obvious by the underfunding and resegregating of public schools and the massive over-incarceration of Black adults and children."

Jealous was previously Director of the US Domestic Human Rights Program of Amnesty International in Washington, DC. and Executive Director of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a federation of more than 200 Black community newspapers in 38 states. He has also served as program director for the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, managing editor of a The Jackson Advocate in Mississippi and as a community organizer in Mississippi and New York.

Jealous currently resides in Alameda, CA with his wife, Lia Epperson, and their daughter, Morgan.