# Mimi Silbert

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{{Short description|American nonprofit organization executive}}
'''Mimi Halper Silbert''' serves as the chairman of the board, president, and CEO of the [Delancey Street Foundation](/source/Delancey_Street_Foundation), a residential educational community that provides ex-felons, sex workers, substance abusers, and others with academic, vocational, and social skills.<ref>Costner, Debra, "NAWBO’s award-winning female entrepreneurs”, ''Bay Area Businesswoman'' Vol. 15 No. 7, 2008-04</ref> Silbert was the developer of Delancey Street's headquarters, which houses 500 residents as well as of retail, educational, and recreational facilities.<ref>"Delancey Street Embarcadero Triangle, San Francisco California." Urban Land Institute, Project Reference File July–September 1992: Vol.22 No. 11</ref><ref>Males, Carolyn and Raskin, Julie. "Delancey Street's Road to Success." ''Reader's Digest'' 1989-03</ref><ref>McMahon, Bob. "Rehabilitation center turns opponents into supporters." ''Gannett Westchester Newspapers'' 1985-07-14</ref>

==Early life and education==

Silbert was born in Boston, MA in 1942. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from the [University of Massachusetts Amherst](/source/University_of_Massachusetts_Amherst) (1963), and master's (1965) and doctorate degrees (1968) in counseling psychology and criminology from [UC Berkeley](/source/UC_Berkeley).

==Delancey Street Foundation==

{{Main|Delancey Street Foundation}}

As the head of Delancey Street Foundation, Silbert oversees the enterprises staffed by Delancey Street residents, which include a moving company, restaurants and catering, a screening room, and other businesses.<ref>Best of the Bay: "Best Moving Service, Delancey Street Movers”, ''San Francisco Bay Guardian'' 2009-07-29 - 2009-08-04</ref><ref>Gross, Jane. "Ex-Convicts are Serving Blintzes Instead of Time." ''The New York Times'' 1989-03-01</ref>

==Awards and recognition==

Silbert has been awarded 10 honorary doctorate degrees, including [Brandeis](/source/Brandeis_University) (2006),<ref>Silbert shares secrets of her success”, ''Brandeis Reporter'' June 2006</ref> [UMass](/source/UMass) (1995), [Golden Gate University](/source/Golden_Gate_University) (1997), and [San Francisco State University](/source/San_Francisco_State_University) (1993). She was awarded [UC Berkeley](/source/UC_Berkeley)’s Alumni of the Year in 1991.<ref>[Rodarmor, William](/source/William_Rodarmor)."Alumna of the Year: Mimi Silbert" ''[California Monthly](/source/California_Monthly)'' 1990-12</ref>

Silbert has also been recognized and honored by federal, state, and municipal leaders. Silbert has received official mentions during sessions of the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) and the [United States Congress](/source/United_States_Congress) by [Senator Dianne Feinstein](/source/Senator_Dianne_Feinstein),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r103:S20MY3-128:|title=Weekend Maintenance - Library of Congress|work=loc.gov}}{{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [Senator Barbara Boxer](/source/Senator_Barbara_Boxer),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r102:6:./temp/~r102HyNUOy::|title=Weekend Maintenance - Library of Congress|work=loc.gov}}{{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and [Congressmember Mel Levine](/source/Mel_Levine).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r102:37:./temp/~r102dTRENw::|title=Weekend Maintenance - Library of Congress|work=loc.gov}}{{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Silbert has received six mayoral proclamations of “Mimi Silbert Days” in San Francisco, most recently in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=481989&GUID=FE82097B-72AC-4549-BEC3-7B833FD89DDA&Options=&Search=|title=City and County of San Francisco - File #: 080625|author=Darius Tajanko|work=legistar.com}}</ref> She was awarded the first Minerva Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004 from former California First Lady [Maria Shriver](/source/Maria_Shriver).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-lady-of-california-maria-shriver-announces-winners-of-first-annual-minerva-awards-75692637.html|title=First Lady of California Maria Shriver Announces Winners of First Annual Minerva... -- re> LOS ANGELES, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ --|author=California Governor's Conference|date=6 December 2004|work=prnewswire.com}}</ref>  In 2014, the [California Museum](/source/California_Museum) inducted Silbert into the [California Hall of Fame](/source/California_Hall_of_Fame).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.californiamuseum.org/inductee/mimi-silbert|title=Mimi Silbert|work=californiamuseum.org}}</ref> Also in 2014, the [Port of San Francisco](/source/Port_of_San_Francisco) designated a stretch of sidewalk along the [San Francisco Bay](/source/San_Francisco_Bay) the "Mimi Silbert Pathway."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/garchik/article/Mimi-Silbert-cherishes-sentiment-but-sign-not-5745738.php|title=Mimi Silbert cherishes sentiment, but sign, not so much|work=SFGate|date=10 September 2014 }}</ref>

She has also received awards and recognition from national organizations and news programs. In 1992, the [League of Women Voters](/source/League_of_Women_Voters) named her one of their "Women Who Could Be President."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lwvsf.org/lwvsf-news/past-women-who-could-be-president-honorees|title=Past Women Who Could Be President Honorees|work=lwvsf.org}}</ref> In 1989, she was featured on ABC's ''20/20'' in a segment entitled “The Power of Mimi”.<ref>"The Power of Mimi" ''20/20'' (ABC) 1989-12</ref>

In the business world, Silbert has been featured in books and articles on the subject of social entrepreneurship, including profiles in the ''[London Financial Times](/source/London_Financial_Times)'',<ref>Howard, Bob. "Life on the outside begins with a haircut and a job." ''The London Times'' 2000-09-05</ref> ''[Fast Company](/source/Fast_Company_(magazine))'',<ref>Mieszkowski, Katharine. "She Helps Them Help Themselves." ''Fast Company'' 1998-06 - 1998-07</ref> and ''[Worth Magazine](/source/Worth_Magazine)''.<ref>Schuerman, Andrew. "Hands On Learning" ''Worth'', 2000-12 - 2001-01</ref>

From religious organizations, Silbert received the Pope John XXIII Award<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icf.org/awards.html|title=Italian Catholic Federation: Charitable Programs|work=icf.org|access-date=2015-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815120305/http://icf.org/awards.html|archive-date=2015-08-15|url-status=dead}}</ref> from the Italian Catholic Federation and the Valor Award from the [Jewish National Fund](/source/Jewish_National_Fund).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2002-07-31/html/CREC-2002-07-31-pt2-PgS7739-3.htm|title=Congressional Record, Volume 148 Issue 107 (Wednesday, July 31, 2002)|work=gpo.gov}}</ref>

==Criminal justice work==

In addition to her work with Delancey Street, Silbert is also a recognized national expert in criminal justice. Silbert has served on federal and state corrections commissions and advisory boards, including: the [National Institute of Justice](/source/National_Institute_of_Justice) Advisory Board, appointed by [President Jimmy Carter](/source/President_Jimmy_Carter) (1980); the California Board of State and Community Corrections, appointed by every California governor from [George Deukmejian](/source/George_Deukmejian) (1986) through [Arnold Schwarzenegger](/source/Arnold_Schwarzenegger);<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bscc.ca.gov/s_thebsccboard.php|title=Board of State and Community Corrections - The BSCC Board|work=ca.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=17725|title=Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. - Newsroom|work=ca.gov}}</ref> the State Advisory Group on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency, appointed by Governors [Gray Davis](/source/Gray_Davis) and [Schwarzenegger](/source/Schwarzenegger);<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bscc.ca.gov/s_sacjjdpmembership.php|title=Board of State and Community Corrections - SACJJDP Membership|work=ca.gov}}</ref> the Blue Ribbon Commission in Inmate Program Management, appointed by the California Legislature;<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 1990 |title=Blue Ribbon Commission on Inmate Population Management Final Report |url=https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/123706NCJRS.pdf |website=US Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs}}</ref> and the California Expert Panel on Corrections.<ref>{{Cite web| title=A Roadmap for Effective Offender Programming in California | publisher=California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Expert Panel on Adult Offender Reentry and Recidivism Reduction Programs | url=http://ucicorrections.seweb.uci.edu/files/2007/06/Expert_Panel_Report.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092750/http://ucicorrections.seweb.uci.edu/files/2007/06/Expert_Panel_Report.pdf | archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref>

She also wrote, designed and implemented a revamp of San Francisco's juvenile justice system.<ref>Stiles Askew, Judith.  "Helping Others Help Themselves: An Interview With Mimi Silbert." ''United Airlines Hemispheres'' 1996-02</ref><ref>Stehle, Vince. "Vistas of Endless Possibility." ''The Chronicle of Philanthropy'' 1995-11-02</ref>

== Selected bibliography ==
* {{cite book | last1 = Silbert | first1 = Mimi H. | last2 = Pines | first2 = Ayala M. | last3 = Lynch | first3 = Teri | author-link1 = Mimi Silbert | title = Sexual assault of prostitutes: phase one | publisher = Delancey Street Foundation, National Institute of Mental Health | location = Washington D.C. | series = Grant No. RO1-MH-32782-01 | year = 1980 | oclc = 45111118 }}
* {{cite journal | last1 = Silbert | first1 = Mimi H. | last2 = Pines | first2 = Ayala M. | author-link1 = Mimi Silbert | title = Entrance into prostitution | journal = [Youth & Society](/source/Youth_%26_Society) | volume = 13 | issue = 4 | pages = 471–500 | doi = 10.1177/0044118X82013004005 | date = June 1982 | s2cid = 144906858 }}

== References ==

{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.delanceystreetfoundation.org/ Delancy Street Foundation]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Silbert, Mimi}}
Category:1942 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from San Francisco
Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni
Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mimi Silbert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimi_Silbert) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimi_Silbert?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.