Satia Austin. Courtesy photo

By SDCN Editor

Oceanside, CA–North San Diego County NAACP president Satia Austin was the recipient of the City of Oceanside Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award on January 16 at an annual breakfast honoring Dr. King, Jr. in Oceanside.

Like the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Austin is an engaged civil rights leader who strives to advance equity in all of her service, and her commitment to building and sustaining the “beloved community” Dr. King frequently spoke of can be seen through her selfless volunteerism.

Austin’s community activities include participation in Oceanside’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Prayer Breakfast, assisting with homelessness reduction efforts, reviewing scholarship applications, and other activities in support of making education accessible and affordable. She also volunteers to support Juneteenth events and Toys for Tots.  

Additionally, Austin is a joint member of the Board of Directors for the North San Diego County Promise. The Promise is a collective impact organization dedicated to ensuring children are college, career, and life-ready upon graduating high school. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Operation Hope. 

Austin’s commitment to the community is also evident in her leadership in organizations such as NAACP, and this year, in acknowledgment of her many contributions, she was recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as one of San Diego’s 2022 Top 50 Black Leaders of Influence.

The MLK Community Service award is an annual award given to a resident of the City of Oceanside or MCB Camp Pendleton who exemplifies the ideals and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and who has served the community in volunteer activities over a long period of time.