Youth and Cross-Cultural Understanding
Consistent with her interest and work in multi-culturalism and youth development, Ms. Gee was also the President and Founder of the International Dragon Boat Association (IDBA), fondly known as, "the dragon boat project". IDBA was the producer of the annual California International Dragon Boat Festival at Jack London Square in Oakland . The festival was an internationally based project with a specific mission of multi-cultural education and youth development using one of the fastest growing water sports (i.e., dragon boating) in the world to engage the broader community.
It was the only community-based, interactive events in the region to bring communities of interest and "disinterest" together once a year for a weekend of renewal, acquaintance and camaraderie. IDBA was also dedicated to the preservation of art and culture in whatever form it takes and annually showcased artists and artisans from throughout the region at its annual festival.
Through Ms. Gee's leadership, IDBA has been brought to financial solvency, acquired a fleet of boats and equipment, hosted the 2001 West Coast Regional Championship and 2002 U.S. National Championship bringing in thousands of visitors to Oakland from throughout the region and United States. She was the producer of 9 dragon boat events held at both Jack London Square and Lake Merritt. She is still working to create an after-school, year round Youth Dragon Boat Program for the youth of Oakland at both the Jack London Aquatic Center and the Oakland Park and Recreation Department at Lake Merritt.
The Youth Dragon Boat Program was established as an alternative sports program and made available first to the Oakland Unified School District and then to other school districts in the region. A Dragon Boat Program is able to handled upwards of 160 seatings a day, 5 days a week or upwards of 800 seatings or youth a week. At its maximum capacity, this youth program is capable of accommodating up to 1600 youth a month.
Poised to becoming an Olympian sport with a following of 48+ countries, she brought this exciting international sport to the local community. Under her steadfast leadership, the International Dragon Boat Association competed for the privilege of hosting the World Championship and she succeeded in qualifying the Oakland/San Francisco Estuary as a potential host site for a United States-hosted World Championship with the International Dragon Boat Federation, the controlling international body for dragon boating. Oakland is the only west coast site currently identified as having met these stringent requirements and poised to be a "contender" in the future as a host site for a world class event, assuming the City and the Port provide the necessary support.
Ms. Gee has worked diligently on the dragon boat project, not only because of its international and multi-dimensional appeal to all people in all walks of like, but because she long recognized that many of our local youth will never have the means to travel nationally or internationally. This project was her attempt to "bring the world to them".
Due to Ms. Gee's "hands-on" guidance of the project, the annual dragon boat festival grew exponentially between 1997-2003; going from 350+ racers and 8,000 spectators over the weekend to 1000+ racers and 60,000 spectators. During its time, it enhanced the economic development of the region brought national and international visitors to Oakland's shores and made the City of Oakland and Jack London Square a destination site for regional, national and international tourists.