Acorn RMC News Bulletin, Vol. 1

e N w C s M B R u l n l r e o c A Community Newsletter, tin

n r o c A

April 12, 2022

Vol. 1

Calling All Artists!

Open to Acorn residents of all ages.

Creative Writing Contest We are looking for a fun and creative name for our newsletter slogan. There will be a prize for the chosen creator and you will be featured in our next newsletter!

Newsletter Cover Submissions We are also hoping to showcase art from our neighbors for the front cover.

Rules Keep it clean.

Submit your art and/or slogan idea to Chiquita Johnson at chiquita949@hotmail.com by Monday, April 25.

Contents Hello from Acorn RMC

04

Get Involved Join our Board

Meet the RMC Board

06

Community News 08

Things to Look Forward to

19

22

Feed Black Futures Mandela Grocery Co-op Mandela Partners

11

12

COVID-19 Updates Eat to Live Recipe for Mango Salsa

Connection Calendar

18

Voting Info OUSD Closures

Acorn Supporters

ReCARES Oakland West Oakland Health Center East Bay Paratransit West Oakland Senior Center

Healthy Avenue

OakTree Tales Stories from Residents

Acorn Input Surveys Meet & Greet PotLuck Annual Resource Fair Nourished Neighbors

Senior’s Corner

16

Know Your Rights Our Lease Agreement

Theresa Coleman Barbara Montgomery Chiquita Johnson

What’s Crackalackin’?

Acorn RMC Updates

16

Support & Resources

27

Hello from The Acorn RMC We are the Board members of the West Oakland Acorn Town Center and Courtyard Resident Management Corporation, Acorn RMC. All residents are automatically members of the Acorn RMC. Our board members were elected into office in 2016 by residents. In 2020, we the residents filed documentation with the California Secretary of State, IRS, and the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) to become a nonprofit tax-exempt organization and have been granted this status.

All donations to Acorn RMC are tax-deductible.

The purpose of our teams is to improve the quality of life for our neighbors, community, and city. It is our goal to provide livelihood services and resources to our neighbors. The mission of the Acorn RMC Board is to advise, govern, oversee policy and direction, and assist with the leadership and general promotion of West Oakland Town Center and Courtyards Resident Management Corporation to support the organization’s mission and needs.

Get Involved Join our Board!

The Acorn RMC will be hosting monthly meetings as a gathering space for residents to voice their concerns regarding housing units and to share ideas regarding the improvement of the Acorn project.

The meetings will be held on Zoom every 4th Thursday of each month tentatively the first session at 11:00 AM and the second session at 7:00 PM. Please attend whichever meeting time is most convenient for you – we hope to see you there!

tinyurl.com/acorn-meetings If you're interested in applying to be a Board member and supporting a grassroots organization dedicated to improving the quality of life, improving food injustices, and access to resources.

Please contact Chiquita Johnson at acornrmc@yahoo.com or call (510) 817-4119 and our team will follow up.

For more information, visit our tinyurl.com/acorn-rmc For additional helpful information and resources please visit linktr.ee/acornrmc

Meet the Board Members Theresa Coleman President Ms. Coleman is a returning resident of Acorn. She was fortunate to live in Acorn from 1984 – 1986.

While here, she took on the Oakland Unified School District on behalf of the children and the poor quality of education they were receiving. She built the first PTSA, Parent Teacher Student Association that was run by the youth of Acorn.

Sadly, Ms. Coleman and her family were forced to leave Acorn after the 1989 Earthquake and relocated to Hunter’s Point in San Francisco where she led the charge of building the first Resident Management Corporation, UJAAMA Westbrook Hunter’s Point (A East Resident Management Corporation), under the 1937 Fair Housing Act. The 1937 Fair Housing Act governs tenant participation in federally funded housing sites.

Barbara Montgomery Vice President Ms. Montgomery is a long-term resident of Acorn.

She was instrumental in the initial tenant participating in organizing efforts starting in the 1970s! She is also on the Oakland Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners. She has served under several mayors and elected officials in Oakland and was pivotal in campaigning for fair housing rights in low-income properties that accepted Section 8 or federal subsidies.

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Chiquita Johnson Secretary Ms. Johnson is a long-time resident of Acorn since 1981. She is a very vital worker in the community. She was once a part of Acorn’s management team with JSCO but was wrongfully terminated because she continued to work with the seniors. She was also the treasurer of CARI and a board member of WOMAC. Including an active board member of the West Oakland District Council, who allocated millions to nonprofits organizations in West Oakland.

What’s Crackalackin’?

Acorn Community Input Surveys We have 2 surveys for residents to fill out: one regarding food access and one regarding fair housing. Your valuable feedback will help us identify what programs, support, and resources you would like to be provided in our neighborhood.

As a gift to say hello we are distributing a $50 gift card per household to spend at Mandela Grocery Cooperative located on 7th & Mandela Parkway!

1430 7th St, Oakland, CA 94607 Please scan the QR Code or visit tinyurl.com/acornfood to access the programs and resources form.

Food Programs

Please scan the QR Code or visit forms.gle/5UXS2VVbezH9nYaN8 to access the form in regards to fair housing support.

Please complete this survey by Sunday, April 24.

For questions, accommodations, or assistance with filling out the survey; please contact Chiquita Johnson via email at acornrmc@yahoo.com or call (510) 817-4119 – we look forward to hearing from you!

Fair Housing Support

Meet & Greet Courtyard PotLuck We will be hosting two events in June called Meet & Greet Courtyard PotLuck. We’re excited to organize a time for us to come together, get to know our neighbors, and enjoy a great meal.

Save the Dates Saturday, June 4 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Parcels 1 & 2 Basketball Court Saturday, June 18 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM parcel 3 Basketball Court For questions, accommodations, or interest in volunteering for the event – please contact Chiquita Johnson via email at acornrmc@yahoo.com or call (510) 817-4119 – we look forward to seeing you!

2nd Annual Resource Fair Friday, July 29 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Acorn Courtyards Our Resource Fair will include college, job, health, and wellness information. We will have fun games and good food.

Nourished Neighbors Nourished Neighbors is a new and exciting program that focuses on building community, managing stress, and living well by redefining our health.

Connect with us and appreciate a month filled with learning, laughter, and love. Nourished Neighbors will be running weekly starting Friday, June 3 – Friday, June 24 from 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM. If you are interested in participating in Nourished Neighbors, have questions about the program, or would like to request accommodations please contact Aliyah Bey via email at aliyah@mandelapartners.org More activities, events, and programs to come – check out page 14 for our Connection Calendar.

Senior’s Corner ReCARES Oakland (510) 251-2273 2619 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612 – behind the Presbyterian Church. Located in the Underground parking garage on 27th Street.

Every Friday 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM www.homecares.org Collects and redistributes donations of clean, gently used medical equipment and unused home health care supplies each week. These are provided free of charge to those in need who visit their sites.

West Oakland Health Center (510) 835-9610 700 Adeline St, Oakland, CA 94607 westoaklandhealth.org

East Bay Paratransit (510) 287-5000 1750 Broadway Ave, Oakland, CA 94612 www.eastbayparatransit.org

West Oakland Senior Center (WOSC) (510) 238-7016 1724 Adeline St, Oakland, CA 94607

Healthy Avenue COVID-19 Updates Information was collected from Alameda County Public Health Department’s Dare2BWell initiative.

For more up to date information, please visit Dare2BWell at covid-19.acgov.org

Eat to Live Our diet directly affects our health and we want all of our neighbors to stay safe and healthy! We will be distributing FREE healthy produce that is available on a first-come-first-served basis. For the most up-to-date information, check the bulletin board at 832 Adeline for more info.

Distribution Days We will start distribution on Thursday, May 5 at 5:00 PM and will happen every Thursday! We will alternate at 2 locations: 823 Adeline Street 915 Filbert Street

Mango Salsa Ingredients 1 mango - peeled, seeded, and chopped ¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper 1 green onion, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, finely chopped 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice Directions In a medium bowl, mix mango, red bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and lemon juice.

Cover, and allow to sit at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 Servings.

Connection Calendar Things to Look Forward to Open to Acorn residents of all ages! Here are all the upcoming fun events and creative programming heading to our home!

For questions or accommodations, please contact Chiquita Johnson at chiquita949@hotmail.com

April

June

April 12 Newsletter Launch At Your Door 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

June 03 Meet & Greet PotLuck Town Center Basketball Court 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

June 18 Meet & Greet PotLuck Town Center Basketball Court 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

June 03 Nourished Neighbors Acorn Courtyards 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM

June 24 Nourished Neighbors Acorn Courtyards 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM

April 28 Acorn RMC Meeting Zoom 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM shorturl.at/jkwA9 Meeting ID 725 6389 7413 Passcode PAJ6by The Zoom link is the same for every meeting.

June 10 Nourished Neighbors Acorn Courtyards 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM June 17 Nourished Neighbors Acorn Courtyards 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM

July July 01 Nourished Neighbors Acorn Courtyards 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM July 29 Resource Fair 832 Adeline 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM

Acorn RMC Updates Know Your Rights Are you living in inhabitable housing?

Is your health being impacted by the condition of your unit?

Is your unit having maintenance and building problems?

Our Lease Agreement According to our lease agreement, our housing must be safe, sanitary, and secure. Back in the 1990s, a contract was signed by HUD, Redevelopment, Bridge Housing, John Stewart Company, and the Oakland City Council to demolish and rebuild Acorn. The Acorn residents were presented with this agreement in order to salvage Acorn. In short, that contract is in a total breach. Over the years, the agreement has been altered and Acorn has gotten some rehabilitation work in the town center. On the courtyard side, Acorn has only received maintenance patchwork, thus allowing the property to greatly deteriorate.

Neighbors have Reported their Units: Have consistent sewer and plumbing issues Damages to the physical structure walls, floors, and ceilings Electrical problems Pest issues: rats and roaches Black mold and mildew Mushroom growths and bee infestations Deteriorating tile We have secured legal counseling to file a classaction lawsuit on behalf of all residents.* *According to legal counsel, residents will be able to opt-out if they choose.

But we need your help to represent you.

We need you to photograph all damages to your unit; additionally, make a written record of all the complaints and reports you have made to management and maintenance.

To upload documents easily to your phone download the Cam Scanner app.

Once you have this documentation please complete the intake form of the Law Office of Attorney Binh T. Bui (BinhBuiLaw.com) by using the link below.

tinyurl.com/acorn-housing-support Attach your documentation to the intake form, if you have additional documents/evidence once you have completed the intake form please email Bradd@AIPGLaw.com.

If you need support, please contact Barbie, Intake Specialist, at (619) 488-6131 or Barbie@AIPGLaw.com

Housing Intake Form

OakTree Tales Tell Us Your Story Have you watched Oakland evolve over the decades? Were you a freedom fighter or community organizer during the civil rights movement?

We want you to tell your stories!

Please contact Flo Matteson at florencefaith@gmail.com to organize a time to chat.

Community News Our Votes Matters The 2022 United States elections will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. During this midterm election year, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate will be contested.

What is on the upcoming ballot?

For the most up-to-date information about our county and upcoming elections, please visit www.acvote.org/election-information/elections Choose SELECT AN ELECTION on the dropdown menu to see all information about candidates, measures, drop-off locations, and more!

Are you registered to vote?

Visit www.vote.org to check your voting eligibility or register to vote!

OUSD School Closures Here is the inside scoop and information about the recent news and push for school closures from one of our neighbors.

OUSD’s Debt The debt in Oakland was caused by a statemandated "fixer" of the Oakland School District years ago. This decision forced the expenditure on expensive consultants and central office directors who gained much the capital; simultaneously benefited the students and teachers very little.

The Good News There is excess money in the state fund which could wipe Oakland's debt away – the California Governor, Gavin Newsom, could do it!

The Challenge There is a state organization of mostly white men called Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) – this team is called on to identify, prevent and resolve financial challenges in primarily large districts of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian communities. It is FCMAT and the State administrator who told OUSD's Board the only acceptable way to save money was by shutting down schools.

There is money to fix this but the current policymakers don't understand the importance of neighborhood schools to the vitality and sustainability of a city.

The Distance A larger distance = more driving and that's bad for our community’s environment, health, and wellbeing!

Parents and children should have the autonomy and space to choose their preferred method of getting to school: by walking, taking public transit, or forming community driving groups with neighbors.

With recent gas price hikes and the continued expense of cars, insurance, maintenance, etc. – it's quite clear the best solution for our environment and livelihood is to reduce driving children to school.

Maybe decision-makers should stop driving their own cars for a month to see the impact of having to take transit to go to essential places.

Reliable School Transit Oakland Unified School District doesn't provide a school bus but is forcing students and families who choose to walk to go to neighborhood schools – a 1.5 to 3 miles journey to often unfriendly and rival neighborhoods. This presents a great upheaval and imposition to families already at the breaking point from the pandemic. There are many families that cannot provide transportation and this extra time and expense feel impossible.

How We’re Feeling This is an over-exaggerated and man-made crisis manufactured by developers and politicians who want to see the historic working-class neighborhoods of Oakland replaced with luxury homes, charter schools, and yuppies.

Stay Connected

& Engaged!

Follow these accounts on Instagram for the most up to date information about ways to get involved.

Reparations For Black Students @rep4blackstudents

Convocation Hunger Strike @hungerstrike4oaklandschools

Shut Down the Town @shutdownthetown

Acorn Supporters Say hello to our neighbors who support Acorn RMC’s efforts for self-resilience, dignity, justice, and belonging in our space.

Feed Black Futures Created in May 2020 in response to the concerted attack on Black Lives in the US – from the devastatingly disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities in LA to the state-sanctioned police violence against Black people. Founder, Ali Anderson, first became passionate about Black food sovereignty and food justice while serving as a doula in New York City and working on farms in New York, Jamaica, and Southern California.

Feed Black Futures addresses Black economic and health inequities for families in LA, San Bernardino, and Alameda counties. We buy produce and eggs from small-scale Black and Brown farms utilizing regenerative agriculture. We deliver to Black mamas & caregivers supporting their families facing food insecurity due to or exacerbated by justice system involvement. We give these mamas & caregivers the resources to support their families in growing food to eat or sell by providing farmer training and food justice education.

FBF partners with Essie Justice Group and a New Way of Life Reentry Project, both of which are led

by Black women and serve primarily, Black, system impacted trans and cis women and gender nonconforming people.

Our Impact Since launch, we have: Given 2,200 food deliveries nourishing 165 individuals.

Installed edible gardens for 5 families with 33 people.

Paid for 4 mamas/caregivers to go through farmer training.

Given 5 trainings educating and engaging 166 people in food justice For more information please visit our website feedblackfutures.org or on Instagram @feedblackfutures

Let's Be Friends!

Mandela Grocery Co-op We’re excited to meet you at the Co-op for a store tour to show you our delicious selection of healthy groceries, healing herbs, and household items. We’re also happy to share the special discounts available to you, including: 15% off everything every day for ALL Acorn residents 10% off for seniors an additional 50% off of California grown fruits and vegetables for people using EBT While you’re here, check out our newly renovated kitchen scheduled to open this summer with flavorful prepared foods we know you’ll love.

Mandela Grocery Cooperative is the only Black worker-owned grocery store in California and we’re right here in your neighborhood, located across the street from the West Oakland BART station. We’re open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. A cooperative grocery store also called a food Co-op is a business that is owned and operated collectively by its workers.

We’re honored to serve you. We are the organic store you can afford.

See you soon.

Mandela Partners: Food Equity Team Mandela Partners is a non-profit organization based out of West Oakland that is working towards changing the way we get food we want in our neighborhoods. With direction from the community (you!), Mandela Partners hopes to leverage its resources to create programs residents want to see and take ownership of in both Oakland and urban unincorporated (Ashland, Cherryland, and San Lorenzo) neighborhoods.

We have various programs ranging from business development, job force training and health and wellness workshops. By working in partnership with local residents, family farmers, and small businesses, we hope to identify resources and tools needed for the community to feel empowered and self-reliant.

AMANI ALI Program Manager Healthy Grocery Initiative and Fresh Creds

ALIYAH BEY Wellness Coordinator

Our first project at Acorn is led by Nina Arrocena and Theresa + Acorn RMC team, coordinating free produce bag giveaways every Thursday, with plans to expand!

We are excited to get to know residents and work together to reimagine what community care can look like here at Acorn.

NINA ARROCENA Food Access Program Manager

RYA O’ROURKE Communications & Outreach Associate

OPD Helpful Numbers Emergency 911 / (510) 777-3211 Non-Emergency (510) 777-3333 Illegal Activity Tip Line text TIP OAKLANDPD to 8888777 Homicide Tip Line (510) 773-2805 Report an Arson (510) 238-3021 Police Records/Reports (510) 238-3021 Domestic Violence Help (510) 238-SAFE Junk + Pests Removal (510) 657-6800 Tree Removal Permits (510) 238-3151 Zoning Permits (510) 238-7206

Support & Resources Are you or anyone you know in need of support?

Contact these organizations and community hubs for aid. Please visit acornrmc.mailchimpsites.com/resources for resources.

If you know of a resident in need of care and support or have a resource you would like to share, please contact Chiquita Johnson via email at chiquita949@hotmail.com or call (510) 817-4119.

Acorn RMC tinyurl.com/acorn-rmc