Mood of America
Film screening and panel discussion
Thursday, September 17, 2026
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Marin Center Showcase Theatre
20 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael
Film Background
In 1968, the BBC traveled to Sausalito to film the final part of a 3-part series titled The Mood of America, as part of their show Man Alive, similar to Frontline.
They sought to capture the aftermath of the voluntary desegregation plan that occurred in 1965 in the Sausalito Marin City School District. The investigators attempted to examine the black and white perspectives of what was happening in the school district by interviewing students, parents, school board members, and Principal Sidney Walton.
Perhaps the most important aspect of this documentary video is how it captures the emotions and frustrations that are still felt today in 2020.
The episode never aired in the United States, for reasons that are not known at this time. This September 17 join us for the fifth public showing since its discovery by David Duncan, a PhD candidate in History at UC Santa Cruz.
Following the historical presentation and screening, stay for a moderated panel discussion with community members and an audience Q&A.
Panel Members
David Duncan
Oral historian, instructor and podcaster.
Before graduate school, he worked for years as an Emergency Medical Technician and reserve firefighter across the San Francisco Bay Area, in settings ranging from ambulances to hospitals to large public gatherings. He says his oral history approach grew directly out of that first-responder work — after leaving the field, he found strong parallels between the social/relational side of patient care and oral history interviewing, and doing oral history let him keep the community-and-public-service dimension of the job he missed most.
He holds a BA in History from California State University, East Bay, and earned his Ph.D in history from the University of California Santa Cruz. His dissertation, "Voices at the Line: School Desegregation in the San Francisco Bay Area," uses almost fifty oral history interviews to examine school desegregation in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1960s and 1970s. His research spans the desegregation histories of Sausalito/Marin City and East Palo Alto.
He is currently the Bill and Lorne Chafe Oral History and Social Justice Postdoc at Duke University. He teaches for the Center for Documentary Studies and the History Department. Additionally, he will lead a new oral history project during his two-year term in the position.
Royce McLemore
Founder, Executive Director, Women Helping All People Scholastic Academy and participant in the original documentary
Royce McLemore is a dedicated community activist and the co-founder of Women Helping All People (WHAP) in Marin City. WHAP started in 1990 when 16 Marin City women, including Royce, gathered to address the needs of young women living in public housing. Under Royce’s leadership, WHAP has grown to offer a variety of programs and services aimed at fostering personal achievement, economic independence, and a sense of community.
Some of WHAP’s notable programs include:
In- and After-School Safe House: A tutorial program for K-12 students.
Landscape Services: Training young men to be gardeners and providing opportunities to own businesses in public housing areas.
GED/ESL Literacy Classes: Teaching English to residents who don’t speak English.
Computer Training: Teaching computer skills to open doors to better-paying jobs.
Finder’s Keepers: Offering clothing and household items to people in need.
Royce’s determination and strong personal faith have been the driving forces behind WHAP’s success in improving the lives of Marin City residents.
Kirstin Thomas
Parent leader and community Advocate Sausalito Marin City School District
Kirstin Thomas is the mother of two boys, ages 8 and 12, at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Academy. She has been an active parent in the Sausalito Marin City School District since 2019, having served on the Desegregation Advisory Committee, Budget Advisory Committee and Bond Oversight Committee. She also serves as a local Network Connect for the organization Integrated Schools.
Professionally, Kirstin is a Marketing Director at a biotechnology company in the Bay Area. She lives with her husband and children in Sausalito.
Lea Mixon
Co-Director, Wise Choices for Girls
Lea Mixon has a bachelor’s degree in communications and ethnic studies from Cal State Northridge, and she is currently working on her master’s degree in social justice and teaching credentials at University of San Francisco. She has worked for Hannah Program, 10,000 Degrees and Bridge the Gap. She volunteers for many other local organizations on several community projects.
Lea Mixon is an associate director with the WISE Choices for Girls program, which is dedicated to empowering young girls through education, self-esteem building and leadership development. The program offers various activities, workshops and events designed to help girls make wise choices and develop into confident, capable leaders.
Lea Mixon, along with her team, organizes events such as after-school programs, goal-setting sessions, and educational series on important topics like the dangers of alcohol. She also participates in community events, sharing her poetic talents and inspiring others with her words. Lea has done an incredible job leading all ages, elementary, middle school and high school youth, since she was a teenager. She is dedicated and her vision has been instrumental in many success stories. Her leadership has had a profound impact on our community. She has an ability to bring people together and drive positive change is truly inspiring
Phillip Logan
Community School Director, Sausalito Marin City School District
Community School Director for the Sausalito Marin City School District, where he leads efforts to strengthen student, family, and community engagement. With a background in youth development, community organizing and education, Phillip specializes in building strategic partnerships that expand opportunities and resources for students and families.
Phillip is committed to creating inclusive, collaborative school communities where every student and family has the opportunity to thrive.
John Carroll
Marin County Superintendent of Schools.
John A. Carroll serves as the Marin County Superintendent of Schools. He is responsible for managing the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE), which serves more than 40,000 students ages birth to 22 years and oversees more than $450M in public education funds countywide.
The County Superintendent of Schools provides a critical fiscal oversight role for Marin County’s 17 school districts to guarantee that public funds are managed appropriately and efficiently. In addition, the County Superintendent of Schools oversees a broad range of student and education services countywide, including special education, alternative education, outdoor education and programs for foster and homeless youth.
Carroll’s vision for Marin County schools is to provide the highest quality programs and services for ALL students. Under his leadership, the MCOE works to develop community partnerships to enhance the academic and social-emotional opportunities for students, including internships, career academies, college access, technology, health and wellness. The MCOE is also committed to developing a highly skilled teacher workforce, providing professional development opportunities to more than 5,000 teachers and administrators annually and preparing new teachers for success in the classroom.
Tiffany McElroy
Member of the San Anselmo Racial Equity Committee and a two-time Emmy Award-winning former television news journalist.
Tiffany McElroy is a two-time Emmy Award-winning television journalist and news anchor with experience covering major political and cultural stories at the local and national levels. A UCLA graduate, she is now a part-time instructor of Communications and Media Technology and a communications strategist in the Bay Area.
Jazmine Trammell
Parent and Marin City resident
Jazmine "Jaz" Trammell is a parent advocate, education technology professional, and mother of a student at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy in Marin City. She has spent 14 years with a nationally recognized EdTech company, where she currently serves in a senior-level role. Since moving from Sacramento to Marin City in 2022, she has become actively engaged in conversations surrounding educational equity, culturally responsive teaching, Black student achievement, and family-school relationships.
With her husband having grown up in Marin City, and attending the area's local schools, Jaz views her family's connection to the district as both personal and generational. She is passionate about ensuring Black children are seen for their potential, supported academically, and understood culturally while helping build stronger trust and collaboration across the entire school community.
