Ellen F. Eglin, Almost Unknown
National Endowment for the Arts Chair Comments on Women’s History Month
Black Women Revolt: Bay Area Org Gets to Grassroots of Domestic Violence
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Frankie Jacobs Gillette, 97
Oakland Post
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“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
postnewsgroup.com
58th Year, No. 39
Weekly Edition. Edition. March 16-22, 2022
Rebecca Kaplan Officially Files to Run for District 3 Alameda County Supervisor
Shalanda Young becomes the first Black woman to head the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Shalonda Young Joins Biden’s Cabinet as Director of the Office of Management and Budget By Post Staff
Confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday to become director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young becomes the fifth Black woman appointed to President Joe Biden’s Cabinet thereby continuing to fulfill his campaign promise to diversify the leadership in his administration. In a bi-partisan vote of 6136, Young becomes the first
Black woman to head the department that oversees the government’s budget. Before her appointment Young served almost a year as acting director of OMB during a time when, according to the White House, the government spent over $1.3 trillion in appropriations for disaster aid and COVID-19 response aid. Before her nomination went to the Senate, Young had the Continued on Page 10
Volunteers gathered to register voters and campaign for Rebecca Kaplan. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Kaplan’s campaign team.
Rebecca Kaplan has officially filed to run for Alameda County Supervisor in District 3. Joined by her campaign team, Kaplan submitted her paperwork and will appear on the ballot for the June 7, 2022, election in Alameda County. All registered voters will automatically receive a vote-bymail ballot in May. Kaplan launched her campaign with support from a wide range of elected officials, community leaders, and more at a Zoom event. Speakers in support of Kaplan included Oakland Port Commissioners Michael Col-
Top Left: Sandra Varner, Councilmember Treva Reid; Center: Dr. Carole Dorham-Kelly, Ph.D, Anita Russell; Top Right: Carolyn “C.J.” Johnson and Cathy D. Adams.
Rebecca Kaplan
bruno and Andreas Cluver; former Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty; Oakland City Councilmembers Sheng Thao, Nikki Bas, and Dan Continued on Page 10
Major Setback for A’s Howard Terminal Project as State Commission Opposes Shoreline Development By Post Staff
The Seaport Planning Advisory Committee (SPAC) on Wednesday voted 5-4-1 to oppose the request to remove the port priority use designation from Howard Terminal at the Port of Oakland, which would be necessary before billionaire John Fisher’s luxury real estate, ballpark and office development could go forward. The SPAC is a subcommittee of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), a state agency which protects the Bay. During four and a half hours of discussion, speakers and subcommittee members consid-
Port of Oakland stock photo.
ered various complex issues having to do with the uses and need for Howard Terminal, the proposed site of the development. The recommendation of the subcommittee will go to the
BCDC, which will make the final decision. During the discussion, some committee members were concerned that the development would take away space at the
Port that is necessary for Port operations. One of the considerations was what is the likely rate of growth for the Oakland Port in coming years. Oddly, the executive director of the Oakland Port argued that Oakland’s rate of growth was likely to be “slow,” meaning that Howard Terminal was less likely to be needed. Some of the public participants in the Zoom meeting found it surprising to hear the executive director of the Port denigrating his agency, arguing that the Port he is charged with leading has had “slow growth” and will continue to have “slow growth”
West Contra Costa Unified School Board Defies FCMAT demand to lay off teachers
The financial austerity arm overseeing public education in California, the Fiscal Crisis Management and Assistance Team (FCMAT), has performed a behind-the-scenes role determining budgets, repeated cutbacks, layoffs, and the closures of 21 schools since they moved into Oakland along with the state receiver in 2003. One district, West Contra Costa Unified, recently defied pressure from a FCMAT spokesman to lay off school staff, voting against the layoff recommendation proposed by the district administration. It is now becoming clear to
FCMAT CEO Michael Fine
many local education advocates that under FCMAT, the state’s enforcer, or the whip hand of education austerity, K-12 school districts and com-
munity colleges statewide are being threatened with cuts, layoffs, and the possibility of loss of local control, even while the state is awash in an almost $50 billion surplus. Every year, the California Legislature appropriates funding for FCMAT’s operation, providing most of the nonprofit agency’s financial support. Over the years, FCMAT’s scope has expanded, but it remains an extra-governmental agency, not subject to typical governmental oversight. Formed by the state in 1991, FCMAT’s authority has evolved as new state laws were passed. Oakland Unified is not the
The Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Working Solutions CDFI, is hosting a webinar series in honor of Women’s History Month to inspire, encourage, and enlighten women in business. Called ‘Permission to: Breathe, Believe, Succeed,’ the webinars will take place on March 23, March 28 and March 30, 2022, from 3 to 4 p.m. Covering topics ranging from wellbeing, self-confidence, and lessons learned,
webinars can be attended individually or as part of the series. Attendees will hear from the following guest speakers, who are experienced professionals committed to health, advocacy, and entrepreneurship: • Cathy Adams, president and CEO of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, is a community organizer, activist, entrepreneur, and founder of CDA Consulting Group, an events manageContinued on Page 10
Longshore Workers, Teachers Join Forces to Save Public Schools and Port of Oakland
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FCMAT, State Fiscal Austerity Agency, Says 11 School Districts Face “Lack of Going Concern” Determination
By Ken Epstein
Webinars to Inspire Women Entrepreneurs Offered By OAACC and Working Solutions
only public school system labeled by FCMAT to be a “lack of going concern,” which FCMAT defines as a “message that a district is in jeopardy of not being able to continue on its own.” At present, FCMAT says that there are 11 school districts in California “that have been designated as a ‘lack of going concern’ in 2021 for a variety of budget and non-budget concerns.” These districts are Bellflower USD, Curtis Creek ESD, East San Gabriel Valley ROP, Loleta Union SD, Montebello USD, Oakland USD, SacraContinued on Page 10
Among the speakers at the joint longshore/teacher unity meeting were ILWU Local 10 leaders (L to R): Secretary Treasurer Ed Henderson, President Farless Dailey and Trent Willis, former IWU Local 10 president. Photo by Craig Gordon By Ken Epstein
Finding common cause, longshore workers — members and leaders of ILWU Local 10 — met this week with Oakland teachers, parents and community members to kick off a united fight to stop developer John Fisher’s takeover of public property at Oakland’s working seaport and to halt the push to close Oakland schools and sell or lease the properties to private businesses. Nearly 100 ILWU members and supporters of Oakland’s fight to stop school closures attended a meeting at the ILWU union hall in San Francisco
Wednesday evening to begin planning joint actions in coming weeks and months and to expand their coalition to other unions and groups. “This isn’t just about what is happening in Oakland — this is about what is happening to the country,” said former ILWU Local 10 president Trent Willis, welcoming people to the meeting. Condemning those who “put greed in front of education,” he said, “We’re up against the same billionaire, John Fisher,” who not only wants port land but is among the owners of charter schools Continued on Page 10