Oakland Post week of November 17 - 23, 2021

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Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18 Weekly Edition: Nov. 17-23, 2021

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58th Year, No. 22

African American Sports and Entertainment Group Awarded Coliseum Exclusive Negotiating Agreement

Ray Bobbitt

John Jones III

By Paul Cobb

Congresswoman Barbara Lee with President Joe Biden after the signing of the $1.2T Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act at the White House on Monday,

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Joins President Biden for Signing Ceremony of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill By Alex Katz

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), senior member of the House Appropriations and Budget Committees, joined President Biden, members of his Cabinet, and several of her House and Senate colleagues at the White House on Monday for the signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – legislation to invest $550 billion in the improvement of America’s roads, bridges, transportation, and more. California alone stands to benefit from billions of dollars in investment to improve highways and bridges, public transportation, and water infrastructure. Additionally, California will receive hundreds of millions of dollars to expand its electric vehicle charging network, protect communities from wildfires, and help provide broadband coverage across the state. This legislation will provide internet access for 545,000 Californians who currently lack access to broadband, and 27% of people in California will now be eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which will help low-income families afford internet access. “(Monday), we celebrated a

monumental achievement by signing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a transformational and long-overdue investment into America’s crumbling infrastructure,” said Lee. “After months of tough negotiations, the Biden Administration and Congress were able to do what the previous administration could not— work with both parties to bring our infrastructure into the 21st century. “For decades, underinvestment in our physical and social infrastructure has widened the economic gap, put communities at risk, and exacerbated racial inequality,” Lee continued. “We are now making progress toward addressing those challenges. Now, we move full speed ahead toward passing the rest of President Biden’s economic agenda, the Build Back Better Act, which will invest in childcare, address the climate crisis, increase access to affordable housing, and make other meaningful investments in the quality of life of American families. “I’d like to thank President Biden for his leadership on this historic legislation. I will continue working day and night to deliver relief to our communities and build back better and bolder for the people.”

On Tuesday Nov. 16 the Oakland City Council voted unanimously 8-0 to approve and enter into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with the African American Sports & Entertainment Group (AASEG). After a year-long process, the “community first” Oaklandbased group will now have 18 months with a six-month extension option to buy the City of Oakland’s half interest of the Coliseum Complex. Some highlights from AASEG’s proposal includes substantial affordable- and mixed-

With the Thanksgiving break just days away, Oakland Unified School District staff is working to help prevent a possible post-holiday COVID surge. The district is strongly advocating vaccines, and providing numerous opportunities for students, families and staff to get vaccinated. It is also offering five days of COVID testing during the weeklong break and thousands of take-home tests for students and staff. One vaccine clinic before the holiday break was at Markham Elementary School on Thursday afternoon, November 18, included a special guest: California’s state epidemiologist and former Alameda County Interim Health Officer Erica Pan, M.D. administered vaccines from 4:00

income housing, priority in all housing unit for existing Oakland residents and former Oakland residents Gladys displaced from Green Oakland within the last 25 years who want to return “home;” a Black Wall Street 2.0 business district in East Oakland; multiple professional sports facilities; a convention center; and a hotel, as well as the first Black majority owned NFL Team in history and the first Black women majority owned WNBA team in the nation.

Karim Muhammad

LaNiece Jones

In addition, the AASEG will incorporate strong labor agreements and equitable contracting and construction opportunities, 21st Century infrastructure and transportation, Open Park and Performing Arts Spaces, Oakland Sports Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame, African American BIPOC Cultural Museum, Childcare facilities, technology and education center with the possibility of a HBCU Satellite campus, and an East Oakland Community Fund paid for directly by the project itself. District 7 community leader and Gladys Green expressed her excitement and gratitude

Samantha Wise

for Ray Bobbitt, the AASEG and Oakland City Council for approving and moving forward with the proposal set forth by the group. “I’m so happy the City Council members voted for Ray Bobbitt and his contract for the Coliseum complex,” she said. “We need jobs, sports, entertainment and activities for the youth like the tournament of champions (TOC) that use to be at the complex,” said Green. “District 7 will work diligently with Ray Bobbitt and give him and his team all our support they need,” she said. “I’m happy they did it.”

Coliseum Job Fair Expo December 2 By Post Staff

The Oakland Private Industry Council (PIC)will hold a Job Fair and Expo at the Oakland Coliseum Dec. 2, 2021. The Job Fair is co-sponsored by the Alameda County Social Services Agency, the Oakland Housing Authority, Roots Community Health Center, and Ring Central Coliseum. PIC board members Ray Bobbitt and Alan Dones, who are both members of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), which was recently awarded the exclusive negotiating rights to rebuild the Coliseum area communities, are urging East Oakland residents to attend the Job Fair/Expo.

Germaine Davis,

Noel Gallo

“Finding jobs that pay a fair and livable wage is a top goal for AASEG,”, said Bobbitt. Councilmembers Treva Reid and Noel Gallo are also urging all Oakland’s residents to attend a sign-up for employment opportunities. PIC staff coordinator Germaine Davis said 52 companies will be offering jobs at the upcoming fair. Alameda County Supervisor Dave Brown said

Dave Brown,

Rebecca Kaplan

he thanks and appreciates all the companies and non-profit organizations and encourages job seekers to take part in this job fair expo. Nate Miley, who serves as vice president of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and as chair of the Alameda County Coliseum Authority, thanked PIC, county agencies, and the Roots Community Health Center for offering op-

Nate Miley

Treva Reid

portunity and hope for East Oakland residents. Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, who also serves as a member of the Coliseum Authority, said the PIC’s leadership on the job fair should be continuously repeated to augment the goals of AASEG. PIC Director Ray Lankford announced that his organizaContinued on Page 10

Fillmore Black Community Calls for Donation of Heritage Center

SF native and activist Danny Glover, Black leaders say center should serve the Black community which was ousted from the area by racist programs and policy

Monday to call for the City of San Francisco native and San Francisco to actor/activist Danny Glover donate the mostjoined local Black leaders ly-vacant, cityowned Fillmore Heritage Center to a nonprofit that would serve the Black community as a form of reparations for the disruption of what used to be a Black, thriving neighborhood. San Francisco native and actor/activist Rev. Amos C. Brown, pastor of the The Fillmore Danny Glover. Third Baptist Church and president District in San of the San Francisco chapter of the Francisco was known as the NAACP “Harlem of the West” during the San Francisco jazz era. The cisco chapter of the NAACP, to continue to see the venue be neighborhood was bustling said. “Deeding the Fillmore a financial drain to the city,” with Black-owned businesses, Heritage Center back to the lo- Breed said of the site. “San Francisco City leaders More and more public school students are getting vaccinated. restaurants and professionals cal Black community is an extremely important first step in have a moral obligation to right serving thousands of Black Photo by Damian Dovarganes, AP. righting that immense historic the racist wrongs that destroyed customers. The nightclubs feathat culture and that communihealth workforce has already, tured top-tier talent like Bil- wrong.” p.m.-5:00 p.m. San Francisco Mayor Lon- ty and allow the Fillmore HeriPan will administer shots to or is planning to, conduct lie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, more than 3,200 vaccination Sammy Davis Jr., and Leona don Breed has not yet respond- tage Center to live up to the students, families, and staff. ed to a request for comment full meaning of its name,” said Her visit is part of the state’s events at schools before the King, among many others. spring of 2022, reaching more “The Fillmore was the vi- by this publication, however Glover, a Hollywood star and push to get people vaccinated. California is focused on en- than 2 million students across brant hub of San Francisco’s ABC7 News has reported luke- Bay Area social justice fixture. Black community before it was warm responses from Breed, He demands, with the support suring vaccine equity and the state. About 640 of these events destroyed by inherently racist who said that the situation is of the African American Repaaccessibility by developing the infrastructure to support are planned for November programs designed to remove complicated, and much is yet rations Advisory Committee, school-located vaccination and December, reaching more Black families and culture,” unknown about the prospect of that the city deed the property clinics. California’s public than 440,000 students, includ- Rev. Amos C. Brown, pastor donating the center. “I would and turn over its operation to a of the Third Baptist Church like to see the venue become Continued on Page 10 Continued on Page 10 and president of the San Fran- a huge success. I don’t want By Post Staff

Oakland Schools Announce New Push to Get Students and Families Vaccinated

By Post Staff

Jonathan Jones


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