'The Queen of North Richmond': A Tribute to Corinne Sain See Pg. 3
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February 2024
Back From Medical Leave, Claudia Jimenez is New Vice Mayor of Richmond
Richmond City Council on Jan. 16 elected a new vice mayor and passed resolutions recognizing homicide reduction in the city, Martin Luther King Jr., and Holocaust remembrance. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / Richmond Pulse) BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY
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he Richmond City Council looks a little different after its first meeting of the year. The council voted Jan. 16 to elect member Claudia Jimenez as vice mayor for 2024. Only council member Soheila Bana, who abstained, did not vote in favor of the election. Jimenez’s promotion comes after missing several meetings at the end of last year to focus on her health. She announced in October that she had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Her return to the council was at the Dec. 19 meeting. Ahead of her return to the council, Jimenez wrote in her newsletter that she wanted to “keep the progress going in 2024.” She noted accomplishments the council achieved in 2023, such as investing in soccer fields, expanding library hours and addressing mental health in the community. Jimenez was elected to her current term on the council in 2020 and began serving in 2021. Her District 6 seat will go up for election in November. Recognition of reduction of homicides
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The council recognized the lowest number of homicides in the city since 1971 by honoring the efforts of city and community partners that made the reduction possible. Council member Gayle McLaughlin, alongside co-sponsors Mayor Eduardo Martinez and Jimenez, brought the proclamation forward. In 2023, Richmond recorded eight homicides. This reduction, according to the proclamation, is a 64% decrease in three years. The proclamation recognizes several partners in what has been a “multifaceted approach” to address crime. The Office of Neighborhood Safety, the Citizens Police Review Commission, Richmond Police Department, and community organizations like RYSE, SOS Richmond and Richmond Steelers were honored in the proclamation for helping reduce and prevent violence. Jimenez and Martinez also acknowledged the efforts made by youth in the community toward violence prevention. Recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The council recognized Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a proclamation days after Richmond celebrated his legacy.
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The proclamation declares Jan. 15 as Martin Luther King Jr. Day and highlights his contributions to the civil rights movement. Council member Cesar Zepeda sponsored the proclamation, and Martinez co-sponsored it. “The civil rights movement has given so many Americans freedom that they wouldn’t have had if it weren’t for Martin Luther King, and the many other civil rights activists during this time,” the proclamation reads. Council member Doria Robinson said the annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration hosted by Urban Tilth and other partners this year was likely the largest turnout the event has had before, saying more than 800 participated. Part of that event’s message, she said, was that there is still progress to be made in the civil rights movement. “We have many many challenges facing us,” she said. “We have challenges in Richmond; things are not perfect.” In partnership with the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, Robinson announced that she will be working on a “report on the state of Black Richmond” that will include focusing on disparities in the Black community. “We need to understand better how to really be there for our Black residents,” Robinson said.
In Pictures: Richmond Greenway Showered With Care During MLK Day of Service See Pg. 4
Residents interested in joining a steering committee for that report can contact Robinson. International Holocaust Remembrance Day recognition The council presented a proclamation declaring Jan. 27 as Holocaust Remembrance Day to Ellen Brotksy of Jewish Voice for Peace. The proclamation acknowledges the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, asks residents to fight antisemitism and to examine the “moral responsibilities of individuals, societies, and governments to prevent genocide and condemn it vociferously when it occurs.” Brotsky, who serves as the president of the Jewish Voice for Peace Bay Area, thanked the council for being the first Bay Area city to call for a ceasefire and “taking a stand against collective punishment and ethnic cleansing being carried out by the Israeli government in Gaza.” The council previously passed a resolution in October in support of the Palestinian people of Gaza that accused Israel of ethnic cleansing and called for a ceasefire. See Council, pg. 6
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February 2024
Race Relations Through Teens’ Eyes COMMENTARY, VARIOUS AUTHORS
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ditor’s Note: We asked some Kennedy students how they identify, how they see race in themselves and others, and how they think views on race differ between them and adults. Here are some highlights from their responses, which have been lightly edited.
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Staff Publisher Malcolm Marshall
I am Mexican and African American. It is difficult whenever I fill out a form that inquires about race. Hispanic is not considered a race. This is my frustration whenever I want to include that part of myself. It surprises many people when they find out I am Mexican and can understand Spanish, mainly because I don't look like it. I should be more expressive of the part of me no one can see. I want people to know exactly who I am. I engage with diverse people in sports, school and daily activities. I do not find a significant difference between me and those of a different race. My friends’ races consist of Asian, Pacific Islander and Black. We endure contrasting experiences, but we all have been belittled and stereotyped. Race was something you regularly thought about walking on the street alone or entering a store in a dark-colored hoodie wearing an oversized backpack. Racism isn't a great conversation starter amongst teenagers. As a teenager, I experience conversations joking about racism. We do not take it as a
serious problem. Adults have firsthand experience and understand how dangerous racism can become. I see through the news how bad it can get but have never experienced the heart race of it. I know racism, but I know that even I don't take as seriously, at times. — Angela Taylor, 15 The most important way I identify is by my personality. I don’t find that my race describes who I am but rather generalizes myself. My personality helps me stand out and let others understand who I am. If I were to say I were Asian (my race), then people would put stereotypes such as being intelligent. If I were to present my traits, then someone could form a better idea of myself. Race is generalized and an old way to describe things nowadays. I often work with people of other races. In our school, students and teachers are diverse. I have friends who are different too. What is different is that we have our own personal cultures and what they consider normal. I find it interesting to learn about others' “normal.” It shows how we are different. The first time I had to think about my racial identity was in school. In recess, someone said something about me being “Chinese.” I am not. I don’t regularly talk about race and racism. Younger people see race differently than adults, as we grew up surrounded by people embracing or getting harassed because of their race. — Janet Madison, 17
Joe Porrello Samantha Kennedy Denis Perez-Bravo Robert Rogers
Medical Experts Weigh In On Trio of Rising Winter Virus Cases BY JOE PORRELLO
Advisors Vernon Whitmore Sandy Close Michael J. Fitzgerald
Richmond Pulse is a community news project founded by New America Media, focusing on health and community coverage in the city of Richmond, California. The project is supported by The California Endowment.
Inquiries Have questions, comments, or want to get involved? Contact Richmond Pulse at info@richmondpulse.org www.richmondpulse.org
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The way I identify myself is by how I look, act and represent as MYSELF. I don't use my color as how I identify because that would be stereotypical. Color isn't who you are; it's how you show yourself. I identify as a young, strong Chicana with street smarts and book smarts. I engage with all types of people whether they have a different ethnic background or religion. I don't exactly notice their race. I have many friends who are different races. I love meeting people with different backgrounds and See Race, pg. 6
Editor Danielle Parenteau-Decker
Contributors
I engage with people of other races everyday. Most of my friends are from other races. Do I interact with them differently from people of my race? No, they are no different from me. Why are we talking about race? Why don’t we talk about real problems of this world? The first time I thought about my race was when my dad was talking to me about the dangers I could face with my skin color. He told me to be respectful to police officers. I don't regularly face racism from adults, but there is this one person who treats me and my co-worker who is Black differently from other workers. I try to ignore it. I think younger people see racism differently from adults because they haven’t faced real racism — the type of racism that hurts your soul and you as a person, and they don't have the same life experience. Aßs one gets older, they will see more clear than before. — Stefán Quilter, 17
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ases of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus are growing throughout the U.S. Ethnic Media Services hosted a trio of doctors Jan. 5 to discuss prevention and treatment, along with the differences of symptoms and severity for each virus. Chief virologist of the Global Health Research Complex at Texas A&M University Dr. Benjamin Neuman believes equal precaution should be taken for all three infections. “It really doesn’t matter which variant you have when you’re laying in a hospital bed or a medically induced coma,” Neuman said. “If any of these gets through your defenses, there is an increased risk of hospitalization and death, and the vaccines mitigate that.” According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, 29,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. due to COVID-19 took place during a single week in December, with the JN.1 subvariant accounting for about half of the latest cases. The CDC estimates 14 million cases of influenza with 13,000 deaths in the final quarter of 2023 alone, and between about 60,000 and 80,000 hospital visits annually for RSV cases. Dr. Jose Perez, the chief medical officer at South Central Family Health Center in Los Angeles, said it is difficult to tell which of the three viruses is affecting a patient based on symptoms alone. He said people infected with any of the three viruses may experience coughing,
sore throat, runny nose, fever and shortness of breath. The viruses also all invade the body through bodily fluids from an infected person and can cause lower respiratory infection, which can lead to bronchitis and pneumonia. To make diagnosis harder, each of the three viruses can infect an individual simultaneously, according to Perez. The trifecta of infections see a collective rise in cases during the winter months, sometimes referred to by experts as a “tripledemic.” Neuman said RSV cases peaked at the end of November, flu cases reached their highest point in mid-December, and that cases of COVID-19 are still rising. “At every stage in COVID, the virus has done things that are unexpected because this is a new virus, and we’re still learning about what it can do and how it can change, and with each new variant, we learn something new, but we’re always a little bit behind the virus,” said Neuman. He said JN.1 is growing faster than any other variant and is likely to get into one’s system despite preexisting immunities. “I think that’s the main reason why it’s concerning,” said Neuman. According to Neuman, new symptoms for JN.1 include anxiety and sleeplessness. It takes about seven to 10 days after infection for the virus to grow, incubate, and make you sick, and roughly the same amount of time after symptoms are seen until an individual is no longer contagious, said Perez. COVID, flu and RSV all cause upper respiratory infections, which Perez said everyone is at risk for.
Taking measures to prevent catching or spreading illness — such as staying six feet away from others, wearing a mask, washing your hands, staying home if you feel sick, and getting vaccinated — is just as important now as ever, Perez said. The COVID and flu vaccines are available to those six months old or above. Infants eight months or younger, children between eight and 19 months at risk of severe disease, and adults aged 60 or older based on health risk factors are eligible for RSV vaccination. With the federal government ending the public health emergency declaration in May, vaccines are no longer automatically available for free. Financial responsibility now falls to a person’s health plan, which may include a co-pay. In California, the Vaccines For Children and Vaccines For Adults programs enable anyone with Medi-Cal health insurance to get the vaccine free of charge through their provider. Additionally, adults who do not have health insurance or whose insurance does not cover the COVID vaccine can get it for free through the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. Neuman noted that despite the imperfection of current immunization formulas, getting vaccinated is the best way to defend one’s body from any of the three infections. “The immune system is made up of a bunch of cells that are really not connected to each other. They just communicate at a distance… Vaccines are really the only way to the entire group of them, which is what you have to do,” he said. •
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'The Queen of North Richmond': A Tribute to Corinne Sain BY ROBERT ROGERS
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ditor’s note: Corinne Sain, namesake of the Corinne Sain Senior & Family Community Center in North Richmond, died in early January. The tribute to her below was posted on Robert Rogers’ Facebook page and is being shared as written with permission. Only the references to days of the week have been changed for clarity. Ms. Corrine Sain was one of those special leaders who didn't speak a lot. But when she did, people listened with all their hearts. The Queen of North Richmond was royalty in West County, a woman whose name prompted people to speak in reverential tones. "What will Ms. Corrine think about this?" If she wasn't in favor, you better re-think your plan. I got the messages via email and text in the middle of the night … just hours before I was scheduled to come visit her and her family at her home in North Richmond. Ms. Corrine had been ill, and was home surrounded by loved ones. She passed sometime between [Jan. 6 and 7]. Ms. Corrine was an amazing person. She served North Richmond in various capacities since the 1960s, and raised generations of family in her beloved community. As manager of the Senior Center that would eventually be renamed in her honor, she ensured that all people in North Richmond would have a safe, welcoming facility to visit, eat healthy foods, and enjoy social occasions. Her service was so exemplary and enduring, CHDC [Community Housing Development Corporation] and County officials renamed the Senior Center she managed the "Corrine Sain Senior & Family Community Center" during a tearjerking 2022 ceremony that drew hundreds of admirers. Ms. Corrine held court that day, looking dignified and radiant in red as the procession of speakers lavished her with well-deserved praise. She wasn't feeling well, but you wouldn't know it. She was as regal and powerful and unflappable as ever. She spoke little that day, but when she
February 2024
Main Library Renovations to Begin Next Year BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY
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Corinne Sain, seen in 2022, died at home in early January. (Photo by Robert Rogers)
did, you could hear a pin drop. When I worked in North Richmond for County Supervisor John Gioia, Ms. Corrine would always call me into her office at the senior center to educate me. She would tell me what was happening, what the concerns were, who needed help, and so on. She pushed us all to get better and more nutritious foods to the center for local seniors, and to beautify the facility. North Richmond residents deserved a state-of-the-art center, she insisted. She never needed to directly tell me to do anything. Her polite, wise words carried the force of the sternest order. What Ms. Corrine said was gospel. If she wanted it, we bent over backward to get it done. We will all miss her. I will forever think of her in thoughtful repose in her office, or in her big white SUV rolling slow through her neighborhood, and at her home near the community center. She would stay late, without pay, so that the community could hold the NRMAC meetings in her center. She never rushed anyone; she just sat there, listening intently, inducing people to be on their best behavior by virtue of her mere presence. I'll also think of her in the aftermath of the tragic murder of her beloved
grandson, Jammerrei’a “JMac” Frazier, who died right around Thanksgiving 2019. He was only 17, and he was a big, gentle, athletic kid who served as a mentor to younger children at the community center and whom Ms. Corrine gushed over and loved on every chance she got. His death was so achingly tragic, senseless, and crushing that it still pains me to think about it. He was truly a special young man. You saw Ms. Corrine in him. She was heartbroken when he died, but on the day of his funeral, she was there. She supported the rest of the family in her quiet, elegant, and fiercely powerful way. I always wondered how she could carry on under the weight of so much grief, like an imperturbable structure standing tall and solid amidst a hurricane. She cried inside, but she was strong and loving outside. It was always about others. Ms. Corrine had a servant's heart. Ms. Corrine's life was impactful in all the most profound ways. She will live on, not only in terms of a legacy that includes a beautiful community center named for her, but in the hearts and souls of all those she touched in North Richmond and beyond. Rest in Power, Ms. Corrine. •
he Richmond Main Library will undergo renovations to make it more accessible and inclusive thanks to recent local and state funding. The California State Library initially awarded the library $9.7 million in October 2022 for its Building Forward project to improve the safety and accessibility of the library. Richmond was required to match half of that funding, doing so mostly with American Rescue Plan Act funds that same month. The funds will be used to address infrastructure problems staff and patrons have dealt with over the years. Some of those concerns addressed in the project are installing an automatic fire sprinkler and modern fire alarm, improving the library’s ability to withstand earthquakes and completely renovating bathrooms to improve accessibility. The city allocated another $15 million in May 2023 to further meet the needs of patrons. Much of what that part of the renovation will include is first in the hands of community members. Some of that community input has already been heard in previous community meetings and focus groups, the latter of which have included teens, people with disabilities and Spanish speakers, according to Library Director Kate Eppler. Library Services Manager Christopher Larsen said meeting the needs of some patrons, including teens, has been difficult due to lack of space and varying uses of the library. Spaces meant for teens, for example, have not been able to accommodate their wants and are sometimes seen as another adult space. “It’s really looking at ways that various different people can be accommodated in the spaces that we have to improve upon what we’re currently able to do,” Larsen said, “so people really do feel welcome and like there’s an area that’s for them.” Accommodating patrons also means improving accessibility. The library has bathrooms in the children’s room and community room that don’t meet accessibility standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Larsen says the bathrooms have been a “long-standing sore point.” There have even been issues in bathrooms that have been upgraded because of their size. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and services normally offered at the main library will be offered at a temporary location. That location has yet to be disclosed. Eppler said that in addition to the temporary location, the library is looking into other ways to offer services during that time. Until then, the library will remain open, Eppler said. “Wonderful things happen in the library every day,” she said. “Even a library that needs a renovation is still a library.” A survey is available in English at surveymonkey.com/r/5RTJSM7 and in Spanish at surveymonkey.com/r/ VN6H6SP for those who want to provide input on the renovation. Participants may be asked to be a part of a discussion group. •
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February 2024
Richmond Greenway Showered With Care During MLK Day of Service
MLK Day of Service at the Richmond Greenway was a family affair for Malcolm Penton, his daughter Amia Penton, center, and his other daughter, who declined to give her name. STORY AND PHOTOS • DENIS PEREZ-BRAVO
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ay Area residents nurtured the Richmond Greenway as they gave their labor and time to plant, clean, promote, host, bless and give life to different projects. “To grow a community, and to grow an environment, you have to take care of it so it can thrive,” said 15-yearold Brentwood resident Amia Penton. “I think that’s what Martin Luther King tried to do.” Amia worked on a planting bed with her sister and father, Malcolm. He lived in Richmond, where he still works, until his high school years. He remembers back then, the Greenway was different. In recent history, many advocates for the Richmond Greenway and initiatives have promoted its wellbeing. Friends of the Richmond Greenway is made up of different parties and organizations; the group was founded in 2006.
A year later, Urban Tilth’s founder, Park Guthrie, initiated the MLK Day of Service at the Greenway. Work on the Greenway has continued for 17 years since that first day of service. “It feels good to see everybody still cares about this community and this city and is willing to come out here this morning and do some work,” Malcolm Penton said. This year’s event was a collaboration among Urban Tilth, Pogo Park, FORG, Hope Worldwide Bay Area Chapter, Rich City Rides, The Watershed Project, Moving Forward, Building Blocks for Kids Richmond, Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, UC Berkeley Athletics’ Cameron Institute, and Richmond Groundworks. Volunteers could work on projects along Richmond Greenway from 2nd to 22nd Street from 9 to 11 a.m. After that, the community convened at Unity Park where a community celebration ended the event. “It’s really exciting to see how many volunteers and
Oakland resident Kristen Holness volunteers at the Urban Tilth project site in the Richmond Greenway during the MLK Day Of Service.
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how much the event has grown,” said Julianne Mackey, a conservation technician with CCRCD. At the CCRCD site at South 8th Street and Ohio Avenue, a pollinator garden is being grown in an area that was previously concrete, Mackey said. The site is home to Scarlet Bugler, California poppy, mugwort and other native pollinator plants. “The intention is to give butterflies, bees and hummingbirds a spot in a very urbanized and concrete city to have shelter and food,” she said. She hopes that the Richmond Greenway can inspire younger generations that are conscious of the gargantuan issue of biodiversity loss and climate change. “So we’re hoping that this is a space that will give locals an opportunity to get involved, even if it’s just seeing it in their day-to-day life,” Mackey said. •
Volunteers add some greenery to the Richmond Greenway each year for MLK Day of Service, which began in 2007.
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February 2024
Julianne Mackey places a plant on the ground at the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District project site in the Richmond Greenway during the MLK Day Of Service.
Richmond resident 2-year-old Kiara Berry helps her mom, Kim, push a wheelbarrow during the MLK Day Of Service at the Richmond Greenway.
A girl holds a caterpillar she found at the Urban Tilth project site in the Richmond Greenway during the MLK Day Of Service.
A drone was used to capture this aerial view of Richmond and the Greenway.
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February 2024
‘Eradicating Hate Begins With Young People’ BY JOE PORRELLO
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ditor’s note: The Eradicate Hate Global Summit began in 2021 in response to the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. This year, Richmond Pulse was there for the first time in service of our Stop the Hate coverage. This is one of many stories we will publish that is about or inspired by the summit. Students across the country are joining together to push back against rising hate in schools. Some of these students and educational working groups that focus on combating hate in academic settings convened at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh early this fall to discuss their efforts. Robert Scherrer, executive director of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (a Pennsylvania educational body), says children are instrumental in battling bigotry. “I believe very strongly in the power of kids. They are compassionate. They are kind,” he told Richmond Pulse. “If you provide the guardrails for them to do good work, they typically do it.” This is important because hate in schools has become increasingly widespread in recent years. According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, a 2017 national study by UCLA found that after the 2016 election, teachers saw “increased incivility, intolerance, and polarization in classrooms” and “an increase in students making derogatory remarks about other groups during class discussions.” In a March 2019 follow-up study of 505 high school principals, one said students are “more and more willing to say outrageously racist, homophobic, ‘whatever-phobic’ things, believing it is their ‘right’ to do so.” However, some children actively oppose the in-school toxicity and can help promote positivity if given the chance, conference officials said. During a meeting with local educators, Scherrer said he noticed something was missing: the youth who are subject to the problem at hand. “We realized that eradicating hate begins with young people,” he said. Previously employed as a teacher, principal and school superintendent, Scherrer knows the ins and outs of hate in schools. Eventually, Scherrer helped launch the Eradicate Hate Student Summit, which took place as part of the global summit for the first time this year. Participating students spoke about current anti-hate campaigns at their schools and came up with new ideas to decrease hate. They also watched “Repairing the World,” a
Joe Porrello
“I believe very strongly in the power of kids,” said Robert Scherrer at the 2023 Eradicate Hate Global Summit. In a meeting with fellow educators, they “realized that eradicating hate begins with young people.”
documentary about the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre and how the Pittsburgh community came together in the aftermath. The global summit itself is an example of this. “It’s such an impactful film,” said Community Education Through Film Working Group co-chair Debbie Kaplan. “It’s going to serve as the centerpiece for discussion to educate and inform our community about combating and preventing hate.” Students from the South Allegheny School District who saw the film before the summit were inspired to start their own Eradicate Hate Club. “Repairing the World” director and producer Patrice O’Neill talked on a panel about how her documentary and her initiative Not In Our Town work to lessen hate. She said that working with others around the country battling bigotry made it evident they were in need of a structure to address the issues. “We took what we learned from these many communities and what we learned on the ground in Pittsburgh, and we developed a concept paper for hate and bias action teams,” said the Oakland-based O’Neill. This is meant to help people work at multiple levels to improve hate crime reporting, response and prevention. Kenneth S. Stern, director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate, said hate studies are often too siloed as researchers look individually at facets like psychology or culture. “All of these different aspects of hate actually operate together,” he said. “There’s not a sufficiently robust set of theories from this connection of different fields to provide guidance for what works and what doesn’t
Council...
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“We are Jews who chose to honor Holocaust Remembrance Day by calling upon the U.S. government to support an immediate ceasefire and to stop providing the weapons and military aid which enables this genocide,” Grotsky said. “Never again means never again for anyone, including Palestinians.” •
different cultures, because it’s always fun knowing more about people. I find it better that everyone sees within everyone else's shoes. — Jasmine Sanchez, 15
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I identify primarily as Asian American or Asian. During 2020-21, it wasn't an easy time to be Asian. My people were attacked and dehumanized. Representation is a big thing because of breaking stereotypes. I engage with other people of color frequently. Bay Area/Richmond is one of the most diverse cities in the world. My friends vary from white, Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern, African, etc. There are different experiences between us, like what we endure as people of color in a predominantly white-ruling world. In elementary school, people would question my racial identity and didn't have the nicest words to say about me. I talk about race and racism quite often; it might be every day. POC unity is definitely a thing, but it probably isn't as strong as you think. A lot of people of color are racist. Young people see the issue differently. It's handled differently. Young people are more firm about wanting a change. — Peter Paul Guinto, 15 •
work.” Stern is also co-chair of the summit’s working group on hate studies and higher education. Each group works on their area of focus throughout the year before they all come together to add their findings, ideas and accomplishments to the bigger picture of combating hate. “The goal of bringing this to the summit is to really put this effort on steroids, to grow the field, and to bring in many new stakeholders,” he said. “What we want to do is collectively help other academic institutions build up hate studies.” Scherrer hopes that students’ anti-hate work will continue into their adulthood and that the work being done in Pennsylvania schools can be replicated in other locations. Kaplan said his group wants to hold more communityfacilitated discussions, which it thinks could help create a solution to hate. O’Neill agreed. She said there is a need to build public awareness so that there is an effective response to targets of hate, no matter the victim or scenario. This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https:// www.cavshate.org/.•
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February 2024
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February 2024
Salesian High Continues Strong Season, Earns 20th Win BY JOE PORRELLO
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alesian High handed the Vallejo High Redhawks a 60-point loss Jan. 18 in Richmond. The win kept the Pride undefeated at home (4-0) and in Tri-County-Rock League play (6-0), where Salesian sat in first place after the game. The teams are heading in opposite directions. The Redhawks are now on a three-game losing skid, compared with eight straight wins for Salesian High. In front of about 100 fans in the packed bleachers, the Pride were dominant from the opening tip. Holding a double-digit lead just halfway through the first quarter, Salesian High used 10 early free throw attempts to help build a 27-7 advantage at the end of the opening frame. The Pride had their best offensive quarter in the third, scoring 32 points, partly by jamming in two dunks and sinking five three-pointers — three courtesy of senior forward De’Undrae Perteete. “Each one felt really good coming out of my hands,” he said. Vallejo High, comparatively, made two shots from long range collectively for the game’s entirety. Bill Mellis, Salesian’s head coach for over 20 years, credited Perteete as the key player of the game. “He’s a guy that plays both ends of the floor and plays super hard,” he said. “He’s just a good example for everyone as to how we want you to play.” The Pride indeed played both ends as a team, allowing only seven points for the third consecutive frame. The
WCCUSD School Board Votes to Censure Trustee BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY
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est Contra Costa Trustee Leslie Reckler calls it a “witch hunt.” District staff say it could be a first. But the West Contra Costa school board just calls it accountability. The board voted 3-2 Jan. 10 to censure Reckler, alleging she violated the board bylaws of conflict of interest and governance standards. Trustee Mister Phillips and Reckler voting against the resolution. In the five incidents listed in the resolution Reckler allegedly acted in her own personal interests when pulling items from the board’s consent calendar and was dishonest and hid information from the district. Board President Jamela Smith-Folds and clerk Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy said trustees need to be held accountable, with Gonzalez-Hoy saying the allegations against Reckler resulted in an investigation producing over 80 pages of findings that showed “every claim was sustained.” “We are held to a higher standard because we represent the people,” Smith-Folds said. “We have to be able to sit here with a level of integrity that is above reproach.” The censure is a formal statement of disapproval by the board and removes Reckler from all committees for the 2023-24 school year. District staff at the meeting were unaware of any censure in the district before. The board also referred findings to the Fair Political Practices Commission and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. Phillips voted against that referral. “This censure resolution is a witch hunt intent on publicly embarrassing me and silencing my independent and outspoken voice that holds the board and the superintendent to account,” Reckler said. While she was a part of the nonprofit Students Activity Fund, which sponsors, funds and otherwise supports student groups, the resolution alleges that Reckler used
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JOE PORRELLO
Vallejo High ball handlers were hounded all evening by Salesian Pride defenders, like sophomore guard Elias Obenyah, right.
23 total points and nine second half points conceded by Salesian High were the least in each category this season. A win has now eluded the Redhawks against the Pride in five straight meetings. “It all starts on the defensive end,” said Perteete. “Any time our defense is good from the get-go, it gives us energy.” Mellis pointed to his team’s deep bench enabling players to stay fresh and effective throughout the game. Salesian has 16 players, compared with just 10 for the Redhawks, and 15 of the former got into the scoring column in this game. The large discrepancy between the teams enabled bench players for Salesian High to get more time on the floor. “It’s tough because some guys don’t get to play sometimes, so games like this when they get to get in, that’s cool,” said Mellis. The six seniors playing for the Pride are accompanied by six underclassmen, four of which are over 6 feet 3 inches tall — including Leon Powe, son of the former
NBA champion by the same name. Depth is a big reason the Pride have lost just one game this season, with their lone defeat coming at the hands of St. John Bosco High in a two-point overtime loss. Successful seasons are nothing new for Salesian High, which has gone 57-1 in the TCRL since 2017. This year, the Pride are ranked No. 55 in the nation, No. 4 out of 1,457 teams in California, and No. 1 in the North Coast Section as of their Jan. 18 victory. Despite their success so far, Mellis stressed the importance of their ensuing game at Contra Costa College against Millennium High from Goodyear, Arizona. “That will be a true test,” he said. Salesian High passed, beating the Tigers by one point. Losing only three seniors from last year’s team that made it to the CIF Regional Finals, Mellis said his team is poised for a long postseason run, but they’re not getting ahead of themselves. •
her power as a school board trustee to pull a consent item regarding fundraising for district athletics. This happened twice, according to the resolution. The first time, Reckler was SAF treasurer and, on Aug. 3, 2022, pulled the fundraising application to allow district high schools to fundraise in an alternative way. The alternative fundraising source, SnapRaise, “could have reduced the SAF’s influence” over the fundraising for high school athletics. Because the item was pulled from the consent calendar, it was not voted on. Then, on Jan. 11, 2022, Reckler is alleged to have pulled the item again from the consent calendar. By this time, she was serving on the SAF as a member-at-large. However, Reckler disputes her influence over removing this item from the calendar. She said she only suggested it to Superintendent Kenneth Hurst. Minutes and video from the meeting show that Hurst was the one to pull the item. Reckler is also accused of hiding several violations by Scott Bishop, then a district coach. He is said to have improperly organized a fundraiser for a tournament and was prohibited from handling funds from Student Group Committees. “It was an unintentional oversight that I do regret,” Reckler said. “I did correct the violations by retraining the parent volunteers and Mr. Bishop and ensured correct operating procedures were followed.” Gonzalez-Hoy questioned Reckler’s guilt because she did not express it before and said violations by Bishop were “a known secret.” In response to a request from the administration at El Cerrito High School, Reckler provided two SAF summary audit reports that were “not typical financial audits” and did not meet the standards of the administration because they didn’t analyze SAF’s financial transactions. At the time, according to the resolution, the SAF had “an interest in limiting financial information it provided to the district.” Reckler said this allegation is missing information and makes her the “scapegoat for [SAF’s] actions.” Reckler said she was not solely responsible for submitting the audits and the SAF executive board approved the submission. After Reckler resigned as treasurer, she accessed files from SAF’s Google Drive around June 20, 2023. Her resignation letter reportedly said she did not have access to SAF files, which she said meant physical files. Because she had no reason to access those files and SAF was supposed to remove her access from the drive, along with the other allegations, the resolution says that
Reckler violated bylaws 9005 and 9270. Those bylaws ask board members to operate with integrity, hold them “to the highest ethical standards,” and dictate conflict of interests. Phillips was the only board member who spoke in support of Reckler and said the censure set a worrying precedent. “All that this board is doing now is just publicly humiliating a trustee,” Phillips said. He felt the decision to censure was unnecessary after already referring Reckler for potential legal consequences. Most community members, many of who identified themselves as a constituent of Reckler, also spoke in support of her. They said the allegations were petty and the board’s time should be spent on more important matters. “What I see is the school district not necessarily acting in mine and other students’ interests,” said Max Mankita, an El Cerrito High School student. “Speaking on unimportant issues like this when I go into the bathrooms worrying if there’s going to be soap. When I just… learned that finally I’m going to have a teacher for my class next semester.” Also during public comment, community member Mark Shalz wondered why the board decided to censure Reckler for allegedly violating bylaws but did not take action when, he said, other trustees did the same. Previous behavior by Phillips and Smith-Folds was criticized, with some saying the two often did not interact respectfully or professionally with each other at public meetings. Gonzalez-Hoy’s behavior when acting as board president was also criticized for limiting public voices. Shalz also criticized Gonzalez-Hoy for allegedly violating a speaker’s First Amendment rights when serving as board president at the Feb. 15, 2023, meeting. One unnamed speaker at that meeting complained of the disorganization in the district and the discrimination against El Cerrito High School’s Black Student Union, using a curse word in his comments and leading Gonzalez-Hoy to end his public comment. Some of those same speakers raised concerns about not being represented properly because of the removal of Reckler from committees. “By removing one of the advocates for my school, I continue to see that, as a voter, you guys are not representing my interests,” Mankita told the board. Smith-Folds said that every board member, no matter what area they serve, is there to represent all constituents. •