Do Rappers Know What is Best for Us? Commentary
By J. Alfred Smith, Sr.
Many more young people listen to rappers rather than preachers! Rapper T-Pain says white people should stop celebrating Black History Month. “You are separating us again,” he says or words to that effect. “We want to be part of history, not just one month.”
Kanye West is trying to do what a gang of white supremacists and anti-critical race theorists have wanted to do for years: cancel Black History Month. West’s mother was part of Jesse Jackson’s Operation P.U.S.H. and his father was a member of the Black Panther Party. West says his daughter would not have known that
Dr. Cornell West, PhD
Rapper T-Pain
Rapper Kanye West
she is Black had it not been for a class that taught her about
Martin Luther King Jr. West has a rap lyric that goes
“I Am Not Black, I’m Kanye.” Dr. Cornell West, PhD, a Union Theological Seminary professor with strong ties to the Shiloh Baptist Church in Sac-
ramento and who has a large inter-generational, multiracial and multicultural following, gave a truthful and loving response to Kanye. Approaching Rapper Kanye West on what they shared in common, Brother Cornel gave him highest praise for the powerful lyrics on Jesus Walks: “Order, huh. Yo, we at war. Continued on Page 10
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
postnewsgroup.com
58th Year, No. 36
Weekly Edition. Edition. Feb. 23 - March 1, 2022
Chase Bank Executive Reveals Ways Bank Supports Black Community
Honoring Black Achievement, and Doubling Down on the Work to be Done, During Black History Month and Beyond
Mama Tarika Lewis is a teacher, writer and artist. who was robbed of her prized custom-made iconic violin that was stolen from her vandalized vehicle. She performs locally at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle in Downtown Oakland. See story on Page 2.
Mama Tarika Lewis Was Robbed of Her Custom-made Rare Violin
Bay Area music teacher Mama Tarika was the first woman member of the Black Panthers. She performed
world-wide with Jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan. Now she teaches music to
60 children daily. Her rare, unique sound quality violin is gone but we can help her to continue her high-
quality musical training by donating to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/mama-tarikalewis-needs-our-support.
Schaaf Seeks to Start $500 Million in Construction to Back Howard Terminal Real Estate Deal ‘The federal and state money they are using are tax dollars, and that money should be spent on our neighborhoods,’ says Councilmember Noel Gallo
By Ken Epstein Mayor Libby Schaaf’s administration is seeking to create a nearly $450 million fund, called “TOWN for All,” to pour public resources into upgrading areas around the Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal, transforming what is now an industrial landscape into one that would be suitable and safe for affluent residents, retail customers and baseball fans who are expected to come to billionaire John Fisher’s stadium, high-end condominiums and retail complex. By comparison with the almost $450 million, the entire budget of the Oakland Unified School District last year was $705 million. To begin implementing the
February is Black History Month — an annual commemoration of the achievements of Black Americans and their remarkable impact on history. It’s a time to celebrate the cultural heritage shaped by generations of Black Americans, who for many decades have fought for equity – a fight that continues today. Though advancements have been made, there is still so much work to be done in our communities in the pursuit of racial equity. For more on how JPMorgan Chase is honoring Black History Month, and how you can too, we sat down with Myesha Brown, Oakland Community Manager from the branch at 3005 Broadway, to discuss some impactful ways to celebrate and support the Black community, not just this month — but all year long. Oakland Post: What type of investments is Chase making to bolster the financial health of its Black customers and communities? Brown: Let’s first talk about Black History Month. We’re committed to driving real and sustainable change for the Black community here at Chase and around the world. We’re using this time to both
Myesha Brown. Photo courtesy of JPMorgan Chase.
reflect on the past, as well as our commitment to build a more equitable future for all people. From the way we do business to the policies we advocate for, our commitments are part of a continued effort to bring an enhanced equity lens to JPMorgan Chase’s businesses and how we serve all customers, clients, communities and employees. And so our work to support the Black community goes beyond banking. By providing growth opportunities for diverse-owned small businessContinued on Page 10
Celebrate Black/Women’s History
First Presbyterian Supports Black-Owned Marcus Books
Church Buys “The Three Mothers” Books for March Reading
Noel Gallo
infrastructure project, a resolution is on next Tuesday’s (March 1) City Council agenda to spend $11 million in city funds to hire as many as 16 new city staffers. The resolution includes a proposal to enter a Sole Source contract with Continued on Page 10
City illustration of where the $450 million in Town for All construction would be spent.
Mack Quarterback Dreyan Paul Honored in Parade for the Team
Dreyan Paul will graduate from McClymonds High School with a 3.5 GPA. He recently won his second California State Championship as a 4-year starting quarterback. On Sunday, McClymonds, which recently was acknowledged as the leading team in the country during the ProBowl halftime, will be celebrating their victory with a parade through West Oakland to the Oakland City Hall. On Saturday, Paul will be attending the Historic Black College and Universites (HBCU )recruiting event at the Oakland Marriott Convention Center. Dreyan Paul is pictured on the left, next to teammate Michael Dansby. (photo courtesy of his mentor Gary Flaxman)
During Black History Month Matt Prinz, pastor of Oakland’s First Presbyterian Church, visited Blanche Richardson, owner of Marcus Books, the oldest Black-owned book store in America. He purchased books for his members to read during March, Women’s History Month (photo courtesy of First Presbyterian).