Richmond Pulse January 2024 by Richmond Pulse

Council Senses Something’s Off With Veolia’s Explanation of Foul Odors See Pg. 3

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January 2024

Film About Slain Former Student Shown at Richmond High

JOE PORRELLO

“Love, Cecy” director Jay Francisco Lopez, second from left, chatted with some attendees outside of the theater before his 2017 film was finally shown at Richmond High. BY JOE PORRELLO

ichmond High student Cecilia Rios was killed in 1994 at 15. A 2017 film about her, "Love, Cecy," was screened at her former school for the first time Dec. 8. Nine years old and living in Richmond at the time, “Love, Cecy” director Jay Francisco Lopez remembers the impact Rios’ death had on the community. “I just remember seeing the news, and it was scary because it was a 15-yearold girl raped and murdered in our neighborhood,” he said. “In reality, we see it on TV, but when it hits home, it gets more realistic.” Lopez’ film tells the story of the last five months of Rios’ life and the day of her death. “I wanted the newer generation to know who she was,” Lopez said. “She was a 15-year-old girl with dreams and aspirations.” As shown in the film, Rios had plans of becoming a lawyer. About 60 people were at the fundraiser screening. Proceeds went to Richmond High and organizations that support young women in the community. Lopez, five actors, and Rios’ boyfriend at the time of her death, Julio Garcia,

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answered questions after the film. Lopez said he always wanted to show the film at Richmond High but never previously had the opportunity. “It’s long overdue, obviously. I’ve been trying for a while,” he said. “One of my biggest goals besides getting her story out of Richmond to the world, which I’ve done successfully: I’ve always wanted to have a screening at the school that she went to.” Lopez said he wanted people to remember Rios more for who she was as a person than what happened to her. But he wanted the approval of her family before proceeding. “I went to the cemetery; I told Cecy, ‘This is it. You got me this far. Now, it’s time for me to prove to your parents that I can do this,’ ” he said, getting choked up. The Rios family was hesitant but eventually let Lopez go forward with the film. “I’m just very blessed and honored that her family and friends were able to accept me,” Lopez said, “a nobody that didn’t know who she was.” “Love, Cecy” has been shown in Italy, Spain, New York and Miami and won awards. Locally, “Love, Cecy” was shown at Contra Costa College in 2018. Five

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years later, after-school program site coordinator Valeria Estrada helped bring it to Richmond High. “I came to school when Cecy was here, so I was like, ‘Hell, yeah, we’re going to get that screened here,’ ” Estrada said. “I can’t speak for anybody that turned him down, but I think one of the biggest things is the gang piece attached to it.” Rios’ killer, sentenced to life in prison, left a red bandana on her body to try making police believe the murder had gang ties. “I wanted the story to come out and the stigma to go away that it was gangrelated,” said Rios’ childhood friend Erica Delgado. With Garcia initially arrested and the top suspect, many people believed her boyfriend — heavily involved with gang life at the time — committed the crime, according to Estrada. She said Garcia’s presence at the screening made a powerful impact because he turned his life around. When asked if he graduated from high school after the film showed him struggling to do so, Garcia confirmed he had. He said Rios’ belief in him motivated him to get his diploma and that being back at his former school made him nostalgic. “We used to hang around here in the

In Pictures: Baltic Kiss, Renovated for Live Music, Retains Its Ghosts See Pg. 4

front when I got here in the morning… when I got here tonight, I felt something weird,” he said. “I could just picture us: the memories. A lockbox with keepsakes from Rios — like the last poem she wrote for him, which she never got to give him — got stolen from his car years ago. Many of Rios’ poems — which she signed “Love, Cecy” — are featured in the movie, chosen by Lopez out of Rios’ diary. Delgado says the film does Rios justice through its accuracy and captures her spirit well. Angie Marie Espinoza said she felt a whirlwind of emotions playing Rios. “I felt anxious. I felt privileged but also a sense of guilt and a sense of hope.” Lopez said Espinoza and Rios look similar. Garcia said they even have the same giggle. Rios’ younger brother, Juanito, plays her older brother, the entire movie is shot in Richmond, and footage from Rios’ quinceañera and funeral are included — adding to the authenticity. Garcia said he appreciates Lopez’ efforts and the turnout. “I love the fact that Jay is going around sharing her legacy… I’m glad to see the See Cecy, pg. 6

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January 2024

Fired Fire Chief Sues City For Discrimination BY ERIKA ZARO RICHMOND CONFIDENTIAL

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ormer Fire Chief Angel Montoya has filed a discrimination case against Richmond, claiming the city fired him in October because of his Hispanic ethnicity and his age. The lawsuit, filed in Contra Costa County Superior Court on Nov. 28 and uploaded to the public portal on Dec 11, alleges that two years after hiring Montoya, city officials found him too “old,” at 61, to lead the Fire Department. Montoya was terminated on Oct. 26 after an impromptu meeting with City Manager Shasa Curl and City Attorney David Aleshire. At the time, the city told firefighters only that Montoya had left. His departure came three months after Richmond Firefighters Local 188 issued a vote of no confidence in Montoya’s leadership. The union had been speaking out on social media about the department’s low staffing levels, high overtime hours and firefighters’ deteriorating mental health. In the suit, Montoya argues that the vote was racially motivated. He said the union had voted no confidence in two other chiefs in the past, including Montoya’s predecessor. “All three of us were from the outside and all three of us were of color,” Montoya said in an interview with Richmond Confidential. “They’ve given

a vote of no confidence to no one else except the outsiders and the ones of color.” The California Public Employment Relations Board filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the city based on Local 188’s claims in October. The union contended that Montoya interfered with union-protected activity, such as telling then-Deputy Fire Chief Aaron Osorio to ask battalion chiefs to report all Local 188 activities to him. Mike Velazquez, president of Local 188, said the union would not be commenting on Montoya’s lawsuit. The city has not yet filed its response to the suit. Through a spokesperson, Mayor Eduardo Martinez said he could not discuss ongoing litigation. ‘Wild West’ Montoya had spent most of his career in the Los Angeles Fire Department, rising to the rank of deputy fire chief. Last year, his base salary was $210,000. According to Montoya, he had received only one performance evaluation in Richmond and never saw the result. He said Curl, his supervisor, failed to meet with him in person during his two-year tenure and that he was never given a warning about his job performance. “There’s nothing that happened to warrant termination,” said Steven Haney, Montoya’s attorney. The lawsuit lays out a disturbing

picture of a disorganized and chaotic fire department that operated like the “Wild West” when Montoya joined. No pride was taken in maintaining the stations, it said, prompting Montoya to start a project to spruce them up, which the rank and file did not get behind. Montoya claims he was never welcomed into the fold or invited to fire stations for dinner. He also alleges that the command staff was conspiring with and taking direction from the union when it came to any major decisions, bypassing Montoya. The lawsuit accuses 25 unnamed defendants — acting as agents and employees of the city — of sharing responsibility in Montoya’s termination. They’re anonymous at this point because they never disclosed to us what the inner workings were in terms of the decision-making process to terminate Chief Montoya,” said Haney. “In the event we find out the names of individuals who are responsible for Chief Montoya’s termination, we can bring them into the lawsuit, if we determine that’s appropriate.” Montoya is seeking approximately $750,000 in damages for loss of income, both past and future, and for psychological and emotional distress. The case management hearing is scheduled for April 9. Jule Hermann contributed to this story. •

FTC Adds Language Help for Persons Reporting Fraud BY MICHAEL J. FITZGERALD

he Federal Trade Commission has added numerous interpreters and staff to help non-English speakers file complaints with the agency. The FTC “Language Access Initiative” is part of ongoing FTC efforts to help fight fraud and scammers and protect the public. The ins and outs of the FTC program were discussed by a panel of experts at press briefing Nov. 21 co-hosted by Ethnic Media Services and the FTC. The agency will now be able to take reports from individuals in English, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Ukrainian and Vietnamese, among many other languages. Monica Vaca, deputy director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, told reporters the FTC for a long time has been able to take reports from citizens in English and Spanish. “But getting reports from people in other languages has been a limitation for us,” she said. A bonus of taking reports in additional languages is that the FTC will be able to get the word out more quickly about ongoing scams people have not been aware of, she added. The FTC estimates that unfair or deceptive business practices cost consumers nearly $9 billion last year — a

number based solely on reports made in English or Spanish, according to Larissa Bungo, an attorney with the FTC’s Division of Consumer and Business Education. Bungo also said that although individuals making a complaint to the FTC about suspected fraud must identify themselves, the FTC will not ask any questions about immigration status. And time is often of the essence in reporting suspected frauds. The sooner it’s reported the sooner the FTC may be able to help. The FTC recovered $245 million that is being returned to customers of the company Epic Games. Epic is the creator of the game Fortnite. The FTC says young players were allegedly tricked into making purchases they didn’t mean to make. The deadline to file a claim with the FTC in that fraud case is Jan. 17, 2024. The panel also pointed out that getting money back from a scammer or fraud often depends on how the victim was defrauded. If payments were made via a credit card, the card owner can often contest the charge with the credit card company. “Only scammers insist you pay by gift card, cryptocurrency or wire transfer,” Bungo said. Lawyer and journalist Jongwon Lee highlighted a scam in which a retiree in

Atlanta’s Korean community was bilked out of tens of thousands of dollars. The retiree was drawn into the fraud because the investment scam artist was conversant in Korean. Publicity about the case eventually helped uncover victims in other states. Lee said the FTC’s language expansion initiative is historic. “It shows that government agencies are looking to do justice for immigrants like us,” he said. “Language access gets rid of fear and shame and gives you confidence and encouragement that you are not alone and somebody is listening to you.” The new FTC complaint system can be accessed by calling (877) 382-4357. Once connected, press 3. After that, a succession of messages in different languages will indicate what number to press next to reach the correct interpreter. Lines are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, or 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the West Coast. The new multilingual reporting system can also be used to report identity theft. For those complaints, people should call (877) 438-4338 where they can access the various languages available. Fraud and identity theft reports can also be filed at ReportFraud. ftc.gov or IdentityTheft.gov or in Spanish at ReporteFraude.ftc.gov and RobodeIdentidad.gov. •

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January 2024

Oilers Girls Varsity Basketball Wins Fifth Straight BY JOE PORRELLO

he Oilers girls varsity basketball team earned their fifth consecutive win, taking down Jesse Bethel High 3830 Dec. 12 at Richmond High. With the victory, the Oilers snapped a four-game losing streak to the Jaguars, instead handing Bethel High its first road loss this season. As both teams effectively applied fullcourt pressure on defense most of the game, neither side got going on offense or built a sizable lead. Having outscored opponents by a combined 219 points and scoring under 40 only once as a team so far this season, the Oilers were in unfamiliar territory. “It was kind of a dogfight; we were pretty much scrambling for the ball,” said Richmond High senior guard Sandra Sanchez. Frequent whistles made it difficult for either team to gain much momentum. They combined to shoot 36 free throws, but Richmond High took twice the attempts Bethel High did. The Jaguars managed just nine firsthalf points, having their score doubled by the Oilers going into the break. “A key to victory was really containing and managing the post because they have a really large post presence,” said Richmond High head coach Jeffrey Jaymot. The third frame was each team’s best on offense as both scored above 10 points for the only quarter of the game. Richmond High sophomore Melanie Leon paced the Oilers with 11 points, their only player in double figures. Down by 11 to begin the last quarter, Bethel High made a push and cut the deficit to four but were unable to score again during the closing minutes. “We practice gamelike, and that’s what really carries us into these games,” said Sanchez, who was right behind Leon in the scoring column for the Oilers with nine points. Sanchez sealed the win in the final

Council Senses Something’s Off With Veolia’s Explanation of Foul Odors BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY

JOE PORRELLO

Oilers senior guard Sandra Sanchez — who scored all but one of her team’s points in the fourth — looks for an inbound pass while the Jaguars press on defense, as they did most of the night.

stanza with a clutch free throw and the game’s only successful three-point attempt. Outside of her, the Oilers scored just a single point in the fourth quarter. One of three Richmond High players hurt in the concluding frame, Sanchez got hit in the stomach but returned to the game after an injury timeout. The trio of injuries were all to starting fourth-year players for the Oilers, who have six seniors on their roster compared with two for Bethel High. The majority of the Jaguars have been with the team for two years or less –among them, eight sophomores and six freshmen — including their head coach. Raquel Torres is in her first season at the helm as only the second Bethel High team leader in 17 years. Having their own four-game win streak snapped in their previous game, the Jaguars could not deliver the same outcome to the Oilers. After the loss, Bethel High sat at 5-4 overall and in third place of the Tri-County-Stone

League standings. With a more seasoned squad of just four underclasswomen and a ninth-year head coach in Jaymot, Richmond High capitalized on its experience and looks to do so for the rest of the season. “We came a long way from our sophomore year… our work is paying off,” said Sanchez. Last season, the Oilers won more games than they lost for the first time in 15 years (17-11), not including the pandemic-shortened season of 2020 in which they went 5-3. Currently 8-2 overall and undefeated (3-0) in TCS league play, Richmond High is on pace for their best season in over two decades. “We played a lot in the offseason and it’s a testament to the girls’ work ethic; That’s really why we are where we are right now,” said Jaymot. •

ichmond City Council made one thing clear to Veolia on Dec. 12 — sorry isn’t enough this time. Richmond’s wastewater treatment facility released foul odors beginning Dec. 4 that prompted several complaints, a notice of violation and a special council meeting to get an explanation from Veolia Water North America, which manages and operates the facility. But council members weren’t satisfied with the company’s explanation and — partly because of the company’s less than satisfactory history with the city — directed staff to investigate Veolia and impose consequences wherever its contract allows. One of those consequences could mean the eventual removal of Veolia as the facility operator. Council member Cesar Zepeda “called for the special meeting to hold Veolia accountable,” he told Richmond Pulse via text message. “The council has an obligation to act,” said council member Doria Robinson, who proposed the motion, which passed unanimously. She said claims of fraud, failure to maintain infrastructure for residents, and the hundreds of reported incidents from the wastewater facility this year alone factored into her decision. In a Dec. 6 statement, Veolia said the facility had just finished a construction step part of a $42 million project to “rehabilitate portions of Richmond’s wastewater treatment plant” when odor sensors showed “above-typical levels” of hydrogen sulfide. Construction included replacing an outdated fan and draining a wastewater processing tank. This construction, according to Veolia’s Director of Capital Program Management Chandrasekar Venkatraman, resulted in a temporary loss of voltage to fans in the facility that would otherwise circulate the odorous air. Zepeda and council member Soheila Bana said they were hesitant to believe the loss of voltage, also known as a brownout, was responsible for the foulsmelling air. Zepeda said that, in his communication with PG&E, the electric company was unaware of any brownouts that happened at the facility. “I got the report from PG&E that day, and no brownouts happened,” Zepeda said. “So what else happened?” He asked Veolia representatives to provide proof that a loss in power had occurred. And Bana asked Veolia why a loss in power was not anticipated by anyone working on the project, which might have allowed the company to quickly remedy the situation. Yet, even when the company was given time to notify city staff and community members, they failed to do so. Melissa Sandvold, a regional vice president of operations at Veolia, said that the company has sent out emails or details of construction projects before but did not warn city staff of the higher potential for odors in this case. When city staff began reaching out to Veolia in the early morning of Dec. 5 See Odor, pg. 6

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January 2024

Baltic Kiss, Renovated for Live Music, Retains Its Ghosts

Suzie Vasco, a.k.a. Miss Suzie, designed every room — including this bathroom — at Baltic Kiss, which she owns with her husband, Tony Carracci. STORY AND PHOTOS • HANNAH FRANCES JOHANSSON

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Baltic” is monogrammed across the windows at the front entrance. This is the perennial name for the establishment on Park Place in Point Richmond that was once a Prohibition-era speakeasy, transformed many times by generations of business owners. A silver motorcycle sits in the back room, panels removed to reveal its insides. On the back patio, a wedding arch stands sharp and bare-branched against a muralled tree. It only took Suzie Vasco and Tony Carracci, a married couple known as Miss Suzie and Chef Tony, seven weeks to convert this once-shuttered, historic building in Point Richmond into Baltic Kiss, a palatial, bohemian restaurant and bar open for live music every night except Tuesdays. “The whole place is an art piece,” Carracci said, admiring his wife’s handiwork. “Everything in my mind is patchwork,” Vasco said. “Things have to match, but not everything.” Around once a month, Chaos, the chosen name of bartender Michelle Gibbons, hosts a food burlesque cabaret, one event in their party series: “House of Chaos.” In November, artist Nancy Peach exhibited her erotic paintings on stage, a backdrop to the burlesque dancing and a live reading from Madison Young’s erotic memoir, “Daddy.” Monday is jam night with an open mic. Vincent Stephens is a bass guitarist and self-described “cat herder” of the event. He has taken heavy metal guitarist Nick Sorrell, one of Baltic’s closing managers, as an apprentice. Baltic’s emphasis on nightlife works well for Vasco’s

night owl disposition. In their weeks of renovation, she says she slept a few hours “here and there” at the bar as she worked through the night. In that time, Vasco designed each room with hand-painted, meticulous detail. At the time of signing the lease, the couple also owned Black Star Pirate BBQ, a southern comfort restaurant at the Point San Pablo Harbor that has since closed. Already stretched by the sudden popularity of Black Star, spurred by positive coverage in SF Gate, they said another commitment of this size would be “crazy.” At first, they were not impressed with the venue. “It was the most un-function kitchen I’ve ever been in,” Carracci said. It was in the long nights of renovation that Vasco said she first noticed the ghosts. Alone at night, she says she heard conversations when visiting the basement, unintelligible. “They weren’t aggressive or violent,” she said. A handful of the staff members are in agreement about the ghosts. A couple of months ago, Will Woods III, another closing manager, and his co-workers heard someone fall down the stairs to the basement as they were closing up for the night. It was like “someone threw a cymbal,” Chaos said. They called down and heard no response. Walking down the stairs to inspect the situation, Woods picked up a ship that had fallen from its shelf, but did not find anybody. There is, according to Woods, Vasco and Chaos, security camera footage of the ship launching itself off a shelf down the stairwell towards the basement. “It’s not like it just falls down,” Woods said. “There’s a full arc to it.” “I immediately went and put a shot of rum on that

credenza for the pirates,” Chaos said, gesturing to it, “and then a shot of whiskey on the piano.” These events aren’t isolated. Staff say things fly off shelves. Sometimes, the staff feels a tap on their shoulder, only to look and find no one there. Chaos says one of the ghosts has a bad habit of grabbing their butt. As a precaution, they have stopped bending over. It would make sense. The Baltic was one of the oldest taverns in the East Bay. It has also been at various points a brothel, a funeral parlor and a city hall. It sits next to what was once the city jail, police and fire station. You can still see the bars on the windows next door if you peek your head over the upper deck. Most recently, it was a brunch spot and then an Indian dinner venue. Rumors of blocked-off tunnels in the basement supposedly connected all the bars in Point Richmond in the Prohibition era. “My grandfather used to gamble there,” said James Chesareck, a historian with the Point Richmond History Association. Carracci didn’t think he was ever going to return to nightlife before opening Baltic Kiss. He has owned three nightclubs in his long restaurant career, including the famed Cat Club in San Francisco. He also has a long-standing passion for barbecue, which he blended with Cajun cuisine, reminiscent of his time at Cha Cha Cha in San Francisco, to produce the Southern comfort menu at Baltic Kiss. Barbecue is served on the back porch Monday through Friday until 6 or supplies run out. If You Go: Baltic Kiss, 135 Park Place, Richmond; (510) 260-0571; Hours: 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, closed Tuesdays. •

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January 2024

Tony Carracci, a.k.a. “Chef Tony,” is the co-owner of Baltic Kiss with wife Suzie Vasco. He has previously owned San Francisco’s Cat Club, among other nightlife venues.

Vincent Stephens says he’s the “cat herder” of Baltic Kiss’ weekly open mic jam night.

A motorcycle is part of the funky decor designed by Suzie Vasco at Baltic Kiss.

“The whole place is an art piece,” says Baltic Kiss co-owner Tony Carracci.

Barbecue is served from the back porch every weekday at Baltic Kiss until 6 — or until it runs out.

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January 2024

A Growing Number of Black Californians Are Claiming Their American Indian Lineage BY LILA BROWN | CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA

lack Americans, relying on newly digitized federal records and other sources, are discovering direct bloodlines to Native American ancestors. These discoveries are inspiring individuals to trace and claim their Native American ancestry, leading some to apply for citizenship with tribal Nations. When Daniel Bruce Kelly, 32, an actor and minister, began researching his genealogy, he was sure that he would identify a place in Africa where his family came from. The Huntington Beach man says he was determined to prove his parents wrong. His mom and dad had begun discovering, exploring and embracing their European and Indigenous American ancestry. Kelly discovered that his great-great-great-grandfather was registered as Cherokee on the Dawes Roll, a U.S. government record listing individuals eligible for Indigenous tribal membership. Kelly also identified other family members listed as Indian on U.S. Census Bureau records. “At first, I was offended that my parents didn’t want to claim to be African, but then I had this awakening. You can’t talk about Native American history without talking about the Black American Indians,” Kelly said. Similarly, Cameron Lewis, 48, a truck driver from Sacramento, says he always heard family members talk about having “Indian in the family.” Delving into family documents, he found out that his great-great grandfather acquired land in the mid-1800s in areas of Florida inhabited by Seminole Indians. “I found it hard to believe that whites would sell hundreds of acres of land to Blacks in the South during slavery. The more I started digging, I found out this particular ancestor also had brothers each owning hundreds of acres of land. This is when I started coming across terms I was not familiar with describing my ancestors as ‘mulatto’ and ‘intransigent,’ and linking them to tribes such as the Yamasee, Catawba and Creek — terms I’ve never even heard of,” he said. The Dawes Act of 1887 gave each tribal family head 160 acres of land and each single person 80 acres. The government would hold the land title in a trust for 25 years, after which each individual would receive U.S. citizenship and a “fee simple” land title. Under this law, Black tribal members, known as Freedmen, were granted approximately 2 million acres of land. In Oklahoma’s Creek Nation, about a third of the land was Black owned. While the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by

“You can’t talk about Native American history without talking about the Black American Indians,” said Daniel Bruce Kelly, right. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Bruce Kelly)

President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, legal slavery in the continental U.S. did not fully end until June 14, 1866, when the Creek Tribe agreed to abandon enslavement of African Americans. That was the day after Congress approved the Fourteenth Amendment. Recent efforts to recognize historical injustices against Native Americans have seen progress. During Native American Heritage Month, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation celebrating the unveiling of a monument dedicated to California Native peoples at the State Capitol. Many Black Native Americans feel that the history of their Black Freedman ancestors remains largely overlooked. “We have to tell the whole of the story,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. in 2022 during the 70th annual Cherokee National Holiday. The Cherokee Nation has committed to including the descendants of Cherokee Freedmen. “We have to acknowledge that we enslaved African Americans under our own law. If we ignore or suppress that, we do to Freedmen and their descendants the same things that has been done to Cherokee people. Any nation is a stronger nation if they tell their whole story: the tragedy, the triumph, and the chapters that are dark and difficult,” added Hoskin. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, approximately 1.4 million Californians identify as full or partially American Indian and Alaskan Native. California also has the largest American Indian population in the country, with close to 900,000 American Indian residents. A population map commissioned by the Cherokee Nation in 2013 shows that California has the secondlargest Cherokee population in the country, after Oklahoma, where many displaced American Indians

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community come here and want to know more about her even if they didn’t know her,” he said. Since starting the film in 2012, Lopez got Rios’ name tattooed on his wrist. He said his 11-year journey of helping honor her will carry on. “The beauty of it is that it’s not going to stop,” he said. “I’m going to continue to do the best I can in my way to give her the best legacy she deserves; the movie was just a start.” “Love, Cecy” is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video. •

about the odors, they heard nothing until that evening. Sandvold said Veolia regrets the burdens stemming from the “communication difficulties” and odors. “Our team is committed to doing better,” Sandvold told the council. City staff will be tasked with finding any breach of contract by Veolia and exploring other options should Veolia be replaced. Veolia will present a report on the odors to the council in January. •

settled after the Trail of Tears. In 2021, the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court removed the phrase “by blood” from its constitution. That change acknowledges that the descendants of Black people once enslaved by the tribe, the “Cherokee Freedmen,” have the right to citizenship, which means they are eligible to run for tribal office and to access other resources. However, debates about who is — and who is not — American Indian continues with some darker-skinned Indigenous people facing challenges in claiming their Native American ancestry. For example, the 3x great-grandmother of Kiori Jordan-Marquering, 46, of Santa Rosa who was known as “Indian Julia,” was denied acceptance into Choctaw Nation based on her appearance. “She is visibly Negro,” the space reserved for “office use” on her application form noted. “My ancestor’s application for citizenship was contested in court for more than three years before ultimately being denied,” says Jordan-Marquering. The Choctaw Nation has consistently refused to recognize Freedmen as citizens. Only the Cherokee Nation and the Seminole Tribe of Florida recognize Freedmen as eligible for citizenship. 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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January 2024

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January 2024

Community Kicks Back at Wellness Event BY NATSHA KAYE

he Richmond Community Center was brimming with music, dance and life Nov. 4 as the site of the second annual Rich City Kickback. Richmond nonprofit YES Nature to Neighborhoods hosted the free event, with the focus of teaching healthy alternatives to harmful substances and increasing awareness for mental health resources. Drumming circles, Danza ensembles, and rap artists performed for the audience, while other attendees floated among a coloring station for relaxation, a gardening booth to plant native wildflowers, and even an acupuncture and massage station provided by Oakland’s Freedom Community Clinic. “This is a new experience for all of us as a collective,” said Michelle Nguyen, the young adult program coordinator for YES Nature to Neighborhoods, and the kickback’s lead organizer. “They’re like, ‘Oh, my God, I didn’t know that I could get a massage’ or, ‘It was my first time getting acupuncture, and I thought it was scary, but I did it. I worked with the healer, and now, I know I have poor blood circulation.’ It’s things like that the community is really supportive of.” Nature-related community development organizations like the Watershed Project hosted an indoor popup gardening station where attendees planted native wildflower seeds in cardboard pots to grow at home. “There is a real mental and physical health benefit to working and getting into soil,” said Pinkie Young, the youth field manager for the Watershed Project, a Bay Area nonprofit dedicated to protecting and revitalizing the regions’ waterways. The group actively leads several restoration projects in Richmond, most notably the Rheem Creek restoration project which is working to reduce the notorious flooding after storms in the Rollingwood neighborhood by removing sediment from the creek bed and replacing it with trees and native

Richmond Mayor Delivers State of the City Address BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY

n his 2023 State of the City address, Mayor Eduardo Martinez acknowledged Richmond’s problems, celebrated its accomplishments, and promised to do things differently. In a video shown at the Dec. 19 Richmond City Council meeting, Martinez highlighted accomplishments and raised awareness of problems in the city during his first year as mayor. Under his administration and with the help of his colleagues, he says the council can “reimagine Richmond.” “You’ve heard the adage, ‘If you continue doing things the same way, you’re going to get the same results,’ ” Martinez said in his State of the City video. “We’re not doing that this year.” Martinez’s State of the City addressed economic development, affordable housing, and improving quality

NATASHA KAYE

The Richmond Community Center hosted the second annual Rich City Kickback on Nov. 4.

plants. Heaps of fresh kale, cilantro, potatoes and onions, grown just three miles away, were also distributed at the Urban Tilth booth, a local community agriculture space in North Richmond. The idea for the kickback came through Nguyen’s work with the Teaching Racial Environmental Empowerment Series, or TREES program, which hosts a cohort of six to 10 young adults each year to educate them on the history of the war on drugs and the impacts of substance abuse. Nguyen said mental health was a “recurring theme” in her discussion with the cohort, so her team decided to bring it to the wider Richmond community for free through the kickback. The TREES program is funded through taxes collected from Prop. 64, which legalized recreational marijuana for adults in California. Since its passing in 2016, the revenue generated from the taxes are deposited into the California Cannabis Tax Fund, which funds youth education and substance abuse prevention initiatives, like YES Nature to Neighborhoods, through grants. Juanita Anderson, a member of a TREES cohort said, “The TREES program has helped me a lot with my confidence because I was super super shy in the

beginning, and I basically just needed to be built from the ground up.” At one point during the event, Anderson and others from the TREES program showcased their leadership skills by sharing personal stories and calls for action for what they want to see change in their community. “We called to get more help with mental health resources in schools, and we called for community circles, which is basically a meditative type of thing where you talk to the community in a circle and you get to know each other and heal,” Anderson said. The event closed with a performance by Richmond artist Mani Draper who used to spend his teen years hanging out at the very same recreation center. “I really, really, really appreciate YES. Shoutout, Michelle, and the whole team with the TREES program,” Draper said. “We learned a real valuable lesson about the art of music and performance and the exchange that takes place, and it’s about being intentional and being grateful. Y’all could have been anywhere in the world and I’m so glad to see yall right here in sunny Richmond, California, today.” •

of life and public safety, among other things. The State of the City usually takes place at the beginning of the year and is done using a slideshow, but Martinez said the accomplishments shared act as a “holiday gift to the residents of Richmond” and make it more suitable for presentation in December. The video presentation, which also includes a blooper reel, makes the information more accessible, and he hopes it will reach more residents in that format. Economically, he said the city has seen difficulties — such as a loss of jobs due to the closures of Nutiva and Sangamo Therapeutics — but pointed to several efforts that look to improve the economy. Two companies, Moxion Power and Chefs Warehouse, are expected to create around 1,000 total jobs in the city. But Martinez believes the city should focus not just on the number of jobs but the quality, saying that jobs that offer worker protections like union jobs are important to the community. Programs like RichmondWORKS, Richmond YouthWORKS and RichmondBUILD give residents the opportunity to develop the skills and training necessary for the workforce. An additional allocation of $1.2 million to YouthWORKS, he said, would help small businesses with staffing and payroll and placing 400 youth in work programs. Much of the mayor’s report focused on public safety, which showed improvements and persistent problems the city faces. Martinez highlighted a decrease in homicides, which marked the lowest rate in two years, and larcenies, but vehicle theft and robbery remain challenging. Some steps have been taken within the past year or are planned for the near future to try to improve public safety, such as the $1.2 million allocation

of funding for traffic calming and the expected launch of the Community Crisis Response Program in August 2024. In his first year, Richmond also increased affordable housing units. The rehabilitation of Nystrom Village and Nevin Plaza will provide over 150 units of affordable housing to residents in vulnerable populations like seniors. The Hacienda Heights, a public senior housing community, reopened at the beginning of 2023 with 150 affordable units. More funding has been allocated toward Nystrom Village which will provide more housing. But Martinez still has more plans for the city. Under his “wishlist” for the future, he wants to encourage voter engagement, hold gross polluters accountable, establish a centralized grant department, revitalize the Port of Richmond and increase fire prevention. Some of these plans would fulfill other goals the city has. Holding polluters accountable, for example, would improve the quality of life by having them pay fines that would go toward addressing community health. The presentation covers many accomplishments, areas of improvement and programs within the city, though still not everything Richmond has to offer. Other programs Martinez brought attention to at the meeting included Richmond Promise, a college success initiative, and LEAP, a literacy program through the Richmond Public Library that also offers GED preparation. “Being the mayor is very different from being a council member,” Martinez said at the meeting. “There are so many more responsibilities, so many more things to consider.” •