Tony Gladney: The Man with the Mic
By Rachel Fenton
Program director by day, sports MC by night, Tony Gladney has a way of connecting with people and creating spaces where all are welcome. Born and raised in Stockton, Tony’s heart beats in time with the local community. For years, he was involved with San Joaquin County’s outreach programs before moving into the nonprofit sector and joining San Joaquin A+, where he now acts as their director of community engagement. On top of his nonprofit work, Tony also knows how to win the hearts of a crowd; in 2018, he stepped into the MC scene for the Stockton Kings and continues to MC games for both the Stockton Kings and the Stockton Ports.
The same passion that brings crowds to their feet at the Kings and Ports games also ignites the hearts of the youth he works with every day; at San Joaquin A+, Tony works hand in hand with schools and their students, leading workshops that help them develop the skills they need to succeed in the professional workforce. At the same time, he collaborates with local businesses by being the liaison between the organizations and the schools, facilitating industry tours and internship opportunities.
To some, his two passions of community outreach and MC work might seem completely unrelated, but for Tony, they’re two sides of the same coin. “I don’t think it was ever meant for me to leave one for the other because they’re so complimentary,” he noted. In both of these passions he works to create an environment that makes people feel included, drawing those on the sidelines into active participation and giving them a place where they feel that they belong.
He first felt the spark of love for community outreach when he was in high school and joined the Students in Prevention program. SIP is a program through San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Services focused on aiding youth in developing leadership skills while also distributing information and resources on substance abuse and mental health. As a teen, Tony toured throughout the county with SIP, visiting elementary schools, hospitals and jails. This opened his eyes to the deep need of disadvantaged youths. He realized he wanted to be among those who help in real time, the clinicians, the social workers and the case managers working alongside at-risk youths in foster care or mental health care. This is where he found what he calls his “heart work,” working with young people who are navigating complex and often hostile systems and connecting them with the resources they need.
In 2021, when the co-CEO of San Joaquin A+ Don Shalvey reached out to him with an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged youths, Tony knew he had to accept. Tony spoke fondly of Don, who passed away March 16, 2024, and highlighted Don’s ability to recognize value and amplify people’s natural gifts. Those admirable traits live on in Tony’s work with the local community, both outreach and MCing. He’s passionate about giving a voice to those who have too often been unheard and creating spaces where they feel at home. But he isn’t just the man with the microphone. He’s holding it out to others and giving young people in marginalized communities the chance and the resources to speak for themselves. When working with students specifically, he highlights that “you do belong here, and that if you…have no experience, the value you bring is freshness and innovation.” And to him, nothing is more rewarding than seeing that lightbulb moment go off as a student aces an interview or fleshes out their resume, realizing that they are intrinsically valuable and can also be an important part of their community.
That dynamic of hospitality and community can not only shift the entire tone of an event; it can change the life of disadvantaged youth looking for a place they belong. Whether he’s working one on one with youths in resume workshops or on his feet engaging crowds of thousands at a game, Tony embodies the message that is at the heart of community: you are welcome, you are seen, you are valuable.
