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by Pat Winston
Donnie Robinson, founder of the Kings of Cali Motorcycle Club, celebrated their 20-year anniversary on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, with clubs from throughout California in attendance.
The vision for the motorcycle club started with Donnie and nine co-founders. The club was originally located in Bayview Hunters Point, the largest Black neighborhood in San Francisco. The motorcycle club started in the year 2004 with 91 active members. In 20 years, it has grown to seven chapters with 200 members throughout California.
Donnie explains, “As members relocated, they still wanted to be a part of the Kings of Cali; this led to the start of new chapters.” There is also the Queens of Cali, established under the Kings of Cali Motorcycle Club. With the club’s growth, it became necessary to establish a regional committee administrating bylaws, finances and the business of the clubs.
Donnie Robinson, a truck enthusiast, has driven trucks and tow trucks most of his life. He has opened opportunities for guys from the club to become tow truck drivers. “It’s one for all and all for one. This is what my leadership and mission is about.”
“In the beginning, Vice President Pee Wee Lewis kept everybody together,” Donnie recalled, adding with a chuckle, “We were like Shaq and Kobe.” Regional Board President Vincent Spencer chimed in with words of admiration: “The growth of the club from a traditional club to state riding club has been overwhelming.”
Donnie believes in the brotherhood and sisterhood the club stands by, community building, riding and working together. “For me, the club and the towing company have merged, with the guys riding and working together. It takes all of us, not just one.”
“We love to ride, we have road trips traveling to other states – Arizona, Ohio, Detroit, Texas and parts of California – for motorcycle club meets.” Their formation when they ride is significant: The road captain leads, followed by patch members (members who have earned patches and ride two by two, side by side), with the sergeant at arms riding at the back to ensure no one is left behind.
The club followed the path of the late Rev. Cecil Williams of Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, building relations in the community and fulfilling the needs of the people. “We have had community inspiration and connections to Honorable Willie Brown Jr., former Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, the late Rev. Calvin Jones Jr. and Rev Dr. Amos Brown, who taught us how to fight with words for our rights.”
The Kings of Cali have hosted Fathers’ Day Breakfasts, Back to School Backpack Giveaways, One Life to Save a Life, Bicycles with SFFD, Christmas Giveaway and other community affairs.
“We not only tow vehicles; we are able to fix and refurbish them, then help someone who needs a vehicle. We have college students who have purchased or been awarded a car.” Pastor Evered Cohen of the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in San Francisco, told of his personal experience: “We had a guy who came to our congregation during COVID asking for help with replacing his van that was stolen. We contacted Donnie Robinson, who had helped before with the removal of unwanted vehicles. He and his guys were willing and able to supply us with a van for purchase.”
On its 20th anniversary, the Kings of Cali has a new leader. Donnie Robinson, CEO, is passing the leadership to Raunji Lacy, president of the “Mother Chapter” of Kings of Cali. Although Donnie and the Kings of Cali clubhouse have moved from San Francisco County to Solano County, they are still reaching back and connecting to the Bayview Hunters Point community – building, riding and working together, proud to have reached a milestone of 20 years.
Pat Winston is a community photographer from the Young Scholar Program who can be reached at pawinsto@gmail.com.
