Community

Richmond musician wins award for work with at-risk youth

Linda Hemmila

Mar 26, 2025 — 2 min read

Barbara Gorin (r), president of the Contra Costa chapter of Guitars not Guns, was selected by CBS Bay Area as the recipient of their Bay Area Icon Award. Photo/ Courtesy of Barbara Gorin

Richmond musician Barbara Gorin has won the CBS News Bay Area Icon Award for her work with Guitars Not Guns, an organization that brings music into the lives of at-risk children.

The CBS Bay Area Icon Award honors local community heroes who provide outstanding service in their community.

Gorin, president of the Contra Costa chapter of Guitars not Guns, provides music lessons and organizes fundraisers and events to ensure foster children and at-risk youth can learn to play an instrument.

Guitars Not Guns is a non-profit organization that provides free guitars and lessons to foster children, at-risk youth, and others ages 8 to 18. The organization operates programs in 12 states, with 19 chapters, and according to its website, has brought music education to 4,964 children over the last 12 years.

Gorin splits her time between volunteering with the organization and performing for audiences up and down the state as part of the Breedloves acoustic duo alongside her bandmate and partner Jay Kirkland.

Gorin has volunteered with Guitars Not Guns for almost twenty years, inspiring Kirkland to join her. Together, they have worked to put guitars in the hands of kids who otherwise would not have been able to afford musical instruments and lessons.

"I’m very honored to be selected for this prestigious award; I’ve been volunteering since June 2006, 19 years!" Gorin said. "When I met Jay in 2010, he signed up to volunteer immediately and has been by my side for 15 years."

According to Gorin, Kirkland, who grew up in Richmond, credits music with saving his life. "He knows firsthand what music has done for his life and how it saved him from destructive behaviors," Gorin said.

"When we can provide the gift of music for free to children in our community, in addition to teaching them how to play the guitar, we also teach responsibility by taking care of the guitar, accountability by practicing, and reliability by
coming to classes," Gorin said.

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