Remembering Ave Montague
By Tim Etheridge
On Saturday, January 24, the San Francisco film and arts community lost one of its treasures, my friend and colleague, Ave Montague.
Ave was well known for her hard work, creativity and passion for the arts. I once asked her how she was able to make a name for herself in the arts community. She told me she had been working at a nonprofit organization that lost its funding, and she was out of job. All she had was $200 in the bank, a rolodex and an old computer. Realizing she had a son to feed, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work. And work she did.
Before Ave came along there was a dearth of activities and attention focusing on African American culture and arts in San Francisco. There was no Black Film Festival, MoAD (Museum of African Diaspora) was years away from being built and the Lorraine Hansberry Theater was rarely mentioned in the mainstream press. But all that changed under the spell of Ave. She founded the San Francisco Black Film Festival (SFBFF) with little funding, and what began as one day of screenings, grew into an eight day event. The Festival—which will continue in June— is seen as an important showcase for emerging and risk taking African American filmmakers and highlights an array of works from Brazil, Cuba and Africa.
As soon as the SFBFF was on solid ground, Ave began to focus on art and was hired to publicize the grand opening of MoAD. In true Ave style, the opening was a huge success and she continued to work with MoAD ensuring it had a strong media presence. Relentlessly hard working, Ave would never take no for an answer. With her charm, intelligence and sense of humor, the media was putty in her hands. Belva Davis, a veteran television journalist said it best: “Until Ave came along, we had no black PR person who could get you coverage in major outlets.”
I had the pleasure of working with Ave for several cycles as a publicist with the SFBFF and it was an inspiration to watch her juggle the various aspects of the Festival. From programming to mentoring filmmakers to donor cultivation to working the box office to managing volunteers, Ave could do it all with grace and panache. She never let her need of a cane slow her down. She could accomplish more in one hour than most people could in a day. Even while the SFBFF was in full swing, Ave would already thinking about or working on her next project. There was always something creative brewing in her head.
One project she had been thinking about was a way for San Francisco to celebrate the election of Barack Obama. Ave was always certain Obama would become the nation’s first African American president and once that became a reality, she went into overdrive and immediately began planning an event for all San Franciscans. Ave told me she wanted to produce something special, a grand event where everyone—young and old; black and white; rich and poor; gay and straight could party the night away and revel in the historic moment. The event would be called “Inauguration West” and Ave worked tirelessly to ensure its success. I worked with her on publicity for Inauguration West and for the past two months I spoke with her constantly. The days leading up to the event we were practically joined at the hip. The event was on Tuesday, January 20. On Saturday, January 24—a mere four days later—I received a late night phone call from a colleague informing me that Ave had passed away. I felt as if someone had punched me in the stomach. It was extremely upsetting news and I couldn’t believe it. Only four days earlier, Ave had been glowing at the success of Inauguration West. She was ecstatic the event had sold out and thrilled to see the diversity of San Francisco represented. She was smiling as I said good night. We gave each other hugs and said we’ll meet up for lunch next week. Sadly, that day never came. San Francisco, the arts community and I have lost a cherished friend. She will be deeply missed.
topics: african american cinema, documentary film, exhibitions, film festivals, political film
01.31.2009
Ave was a wonderful person, a major contributor to our community. I will always remember her beautiful spirit.
—Anna-Marie Booth · Feb 1, 09:49 PM · share
I am desperatly trying to obtain any information for the memorial service for Ave. I worked with her in the Miss Juneteeth Pageant in 1997 and would like to come say good bye. If you have any information please email thanks! God Bless
—Rasheedah Noble · Feb 3, 04:26 PM · share
Ave was tireless. She made things happen because of her commitment to the arts in our community.
Her absence will be felt.
—Orlonda Uffre · Feb 6, 11:10 AM · share
It was always a pleasure talking to Ave. She was charming and I will miss her smile. The evening of the Inauguration party, I snapped her picture with one of her long time friends and she looks fabulous! She will be remembered.
—Brenda Moore · Feb 6, 11:20 AM · share
AVE was a warrior’s right hand. When you fought in the entertainment industry you needed a woman like her in your corner, beautiful and a sincere love for her people. She will always have my respect and love. I will miss her PR/Marketing/human strength. I just wished her heart was that strong as her spirit.
Love You
AVE
and
also
Diane Howell the two greatest Bay Area Black Business women. They both brought us all together.
—John McCartney-Founder/CEO · Feb 6, 01:07 PM · share
I am deeply saddened my Ave’s passing. She helped me tremendously when I started my interest in film making. The happiest day in my life was when she showed my video short at the (SFBFF). Her legacy will live on in all the people that she helped.
—Corinne Innis · Feb 6, 01:26 PM · share
I met Ave when I was working on a concert to help arts programs in the schools. She was a very generous and kind person. She was a busy person but that didn’t stop her from sharing her time to help others. I know how much she will be missed.
—Jeffrey Gaddy · Feb 7, 01:51 AM · share
Memorial Service to Honor the Life of
AVE MONTAGUE
Saturday, February 21, 2009 | 12:00 noon
West Bay Conference Center 1290 Fillmore Street , San Francisco , CASan Francisco arts publicist and presenter Ave Montague, founder of
The San Francisco Black Film Festival and Ave Montague and Associates
Died of natural causes January 24, 2009. She was 64. SAN FRANCISCO – Film stars and jazz musicians, restaurant owners and community activists, artists and authors are all mourning the passing of well-known public relations specialist and event planner, Ave Montague. For more than 30 years, Ms. Montague was an integral part of the San Francisco Bay Area community, especially San Francisco ‘s Fillmore District. Some considered her the unofficial mayor of the Fillmore because of all the time and work she devoted to its renovation and the preservation of its cultural traditions. Ms. Montague died on Friday, January 23, 2009 of natural causes. She was 64 years old.
Never content with the status quo, Montague was always a mover and shaker in social, artistic and nonprofit realms. Just days before her death, she saw one of her greatest visions realized with the successful execution of Inauguration West, a west coast celebration of the historic Inauguration of President Barack Obama. True to her passionate concern for charitable organi-
zations, a portion of the proceeds from Inauguration West were dedicated to several non-profit groups including Urban Kidz Films, a subsidiary of the San Francisco Black Film Festival.
A native of East Orange , New Jersey , Montague attended East Orange High School before graduating with a degree in marketing from New York ‘s prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology in New York . She joined the Executive Training Program at Macy’s and became one of the first African American senior executives in the corporation’ s history. In 1988, she launched Ave Montague and Associates, the independent events and public relations business that expanded over the years to include a wide range of artistic, social and cultural enterprises. Montague represented a broad spectrum of artists, filmmakers and authors as well as rising small business professionals and progressive corporate clients.
In 1998, Montague was asked to present a film series as part of the Fillmore district’s Juneteenth Festival. The exhilaration of this experience, coupled with the decline of Oakland ‘s Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, fueled her desire to develop a San Francisco Bay Area film festival dedicated to positive images of African Americans. That same year, Montague founded the San Francisco Black Film Festival (SFBFF) and became its Executive Director. Operating with only a small budget and a passion for film, she grew the festival from a one-day event attended by 300 people in 1998 to an eight-day mega-film-festival with many thousands attending a diverse program, offering films from throughout the African Diaspora.
Montague curated and/or presented many other film festivals including Knoxville , Tennessee ‘s first Black Film Festival, The 2007 Stanford Reel Black Film Festival and the San Francisco International Arts Festival Film Series. Her increasing regard for the cultural importance of documenting, preserving and interpreting the creative contributions of Black filmmakers led her to amass a significant archive of Black films that she made available to private collectors, educators and schools. She dubbed the enterprise "amvideos.com." Montague’s desire to provide positive role models for the African-American community and her commitment to education prompted her to found the African American Speakers’ Bureau (aasb.net) and to serve on the advisory board of WritersCorp, a program for young writers sponsored by the San Francisco Arts Commission. She was also a founding board member of "Friends of Faith", an organization dedicated to educating women of color about the importance of early detection and treatment of breast cancer. She was a former Co-chair of the Bay Area Black Journalists Association (BABJA) and served as vice president of the board of directors for the San Francisco , San Mateo and Marin C ounty YWCA . She also served on the Community Benefits District Board (CBD) for the Fillmore Jazz Preservation district.
Montague’s determination and innovative promotional campaigns garnered celebrity patronage, corporate support and record-breaking attendance at countless cultural events for the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, Dimensions Dance Theater, the Lorraine Hansberry Theater, Fillmore Jazz District Promotions, the Center for the Arts at Yerba Buena Gardens, the Black Coalition on AIDS, TV One, the Omega Boys Club, Starbucks Urban Coffee Opportunities, Museum of the African Diaspora, Yoshi’s San Francisco, Restaurant 1300 on Fillmore, Urban Solutions, UCSF Medical Center and many others.
In 2007, Montague received the Entrepreneur of the Year award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women—Oakland Bay Area chapter. In February, 2008, she was honored with the Kuumba Award for Excellence in the Arts and received the "Business Woman of the Year" Award from the San Francisco Business and Professional Women’s Club in 1994. In 2000, the National African American Youth Summit honored Montague for her outstanding work with young people.
She is survived by one son, Kali Ray, a grandson, Kali Ray Jr., both of Atlanta , GA , and a granddaughter, Cree Ray of Tracy, CA. Montague leaves to mourn her passing a whole community of friends who will always remember her dedication and devotion to the causes dear to her heart. Her memorial is set for Saturday, February 21, 2009 , noon , at the West Bay Conference Center , 1290 Fillmore Street , San Francisco , CA .
—charlotte f · Feb 12, 08:40 PM · share