Oakland Post week of June 1 - 7, 2022

Page 1

The Post News Group Endorsements for June 7 Primary Governor Secretary of State Controller Treasurer Attorney General Supt. Public Instruction

Gavin Newsom Dr. Shirley Weber Malia Cohen Fiona Ma Rob Bonta Tony Thurmond

US Senator US Representative (10th CD) US Representative (12th CD) US Representative (14th CD) State Assembly Member (14th AD) State Assembly Member (18th AD)

Alex Padilla Mark DeSaulnier Barbara Lee Eric Swalwell Buffy Wicks Mia Bonta

County Supervisor (District 3) County Superintendent of Schools District Attorney /Alameda County Sheriff/Alameda County Measure C (Oakland Library Support)

Oakland Post

Rebecca Kaplan L.K. Monroe Pamela Price Yesenia Sanchez Yes

“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18

postnewsgroup.com

58th Year, No. 50

Weekly Edition. Edition. June 1-7, 2022

The Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back Org. ‘Just Serves’ on Mother’s and Father’s Day

The organization gears up for another event June 18 at CAL-PEP in West Oakland By Richard Johnson

During my years in prison nearly every inmate looked forward to celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, especially if they knew who he was. And for those of us who were fathers these holidays had special family meanings. Now, as members of the formerly incarcerated population, we derive special meaning for these holidays. In our minds both days should be combined into a family day. Mending the Broken Connections with Mother May 7, 2022 was a very eventful day for some of the mothers who elected to participate in the pre-Mother’s Day event held at DeFremery Park in West Oakland. A number of mothers took the time to come out and be blessed with an inscribed journal and a small amount

Richard Johnson and some members of the Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back organization give mother’s day cash gifts and food. They have distinguished themselves by their efforts to “Just Serve” communities of need and to help rectify the damages they have participated in the past. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.

of cash as a thank you for being exceptional mothers, especially in these very complicated times. The Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back organization (FIGB) sought to extend to the mothers what they had to offer with the blessings from the most high. Members of the newly formed (FIGB) were pleased to have the opportunity to repay their debt

to the community for their past indiscretions. We felt like it’s time for us to own up and do all that’s within our power to make amends to the community. We hope this is only the start of a new beginning that will help to mend the broken connection that in the past created a lot of adversity toward productivity in our community. May the light of

the savior continue to be that beacon necessary to move ahead in the right direction. Also, it was very personal for me because May 7 was my survival date on this earth. What a remarkable gift to spend it doing good. One recipient expressed her special thanks for the cash gift because she needed the gas money for work. Another recipient received gifts for the entire group home full of mothers in recovery. Gifts were also delivered to mothers who lack transportation. Recognizing Our Fathers Just like Mother’s Day, equally, Father’s Day should be a symbolized day set aside for those fathers who have shown by their actions that they deserve acknowledgment of not only being a parent, but a shining light to fatherhood. Anybody can plant a seed, but not everyone is capable of nourishing that seed with the genuine guidContinued on Page 10

Local Orgs. Unite Against Housing Crisis APTP Activist Slams Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ‘CARE Courts’ Plan

By Maria Schindler

On Saturday, several local organizations kicked off their plan to end the growing housing and homelessness crisis in Oakland. Gathering in Oscar Grant Plaza, in front of the new art installation that calls out police murders of Black people, the groups sought to mobilize the crowd around another kind of racialized violence: displacement. “The stress of worrying about being evicted creates health problems that are killing people. It’s not just gentrification. It’s genocide,” said Sharena Thomas. She is one of six organizers, now known as Moms 4 Housing, who sparked an international call to make housing a human right with

Councilmember Carroll Fife launches summer action to end homelessness in Oakland. Photo by Jonathan “Fitness” Jones.

their occupation of a home in West Oakland in 2019. Speakers painted a devastating picture of the housing crisis in Oakland: an estimated 4,000 people unhoused, a quarter of

whom are children and almost three quarters of whom are Black. A 24% increase in homelessness — and 800 deaths on the streets — in the past three years. And the so-called

“CARE courts” proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom to address homelessness only threaten to restrict the rights of the unhoused even further, say these activists. “This piece of legislation that we’re fighting against at the state level is incredibly damaging for the unhoused community; incredibly damaging for Black, Brown and Indigenous communities; incredibly damaging for people with disabilities, especially those with mental health disabilities,” said Anti-Police Terror Project Policy Director James Burch. Rather than funding much-needed resources for the unhoused, the legislation will spend $65 million to build a court system that Continued on Page 10

The Allums Family (left to right): Jairee Allums, Maria Allums, Jacari Allums (Yellow T), Daryle Allums and Amour Allums.

Town Nights Events for Oakland Families Living in Violent Hot Spots By Tanya Dennis

O a k l a n d ’s Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) is sponsoring a second round of Town Nights events beginning June 16 throughout the city of Oakland to support community and family-oriented activities in areas that have been identified as hot spots for violence. Town Nights’ successful outreach began last November, kicked off with free turkey dinner giveaways, basketball tournaments, COVID-19 services and much more. The mission of the DVP is to decrease violence in specific communities that have been identified as hot spots in Oakland. The events are hosted by

grassroots community organizations. Adamika Village founder Daryle Allums explains why their Town Nights event at Sunnyside Park is unique and different. “Adamika Village is a victim-led organization, so everything we do is in honor of loved ones lost to violence or to honor their families,” Allums said. Last winter, their event was hosted at Castlemont High School, and paid tribute to Michael Franklin, Castlemont’s star basketball forward who lost his life in a doublehomicide on Edes and 90th Avenue in 2018. They dubbed the school, whose mascot is the knight, “Mike’s Knight’s.” This year, Allums says, “I Continued on Page 10

City Council Saves Oakland From Largest Annual Rent Increase in City’s History

Councilmember Carroll Fife’s ordinance reduces inflated 6.7% allowable increase to a maximum of 3%, passes with six votes

Golden State Warriors Celebration

Bay Area Leaders attend exclusive Golden State Warriors VIP party to celebrate the Western Conference Championship to tip off the 2022 NBA FINALS on June 1

Oakland apartment building. By Ken Epstein

Taj Tashombe , Oakland A’s and Chairman of the Board OAACC Foundation; Left to right: Attorney Donte Potter, Cathy Cathy Adams , President and CEO, oakland African American Chamber of ComAdams, President and CEO Oakland African merce; Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of RepreAmerican Chamber of Commerce and Chief sentatives; Nicholas Williams , newly appointed director of Golden Gate Park. LeRonne Armstrong.

The Oakland City Council took a bold action this week to protect tenants from a huge increase in rents this year, which without council action was set to be one of the largest annual rent increases in city history. Under the new ordinance, passed Tuesday, a proposed 6.7% allowable rent increase was reduced

to a maximum of 3%. The ordinance, introduced by Councilmember Carroll Fife, passed the Council Tuesday with six votes. Councilmember Noel Gallo voted no, and Councilmember Loren Taylor, a candidate for mayor, abstained. “With gas prices nearing $7/gallon, the increased costs of food and everyContinued on Page 10


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.