Oakland Post, week of May 24 - 30, 2023

... Page 10 Fighting Homelessness .. Page 2

Oakland Post

Simply the Best

Community Opposes High Rise Development That Threatens Geoffrey’s Inner Circle

By Ken Epstein

Three Dozen Robberies

By Kim Armstead

In recent weeks, the City of Oakland has been terrorized by violent individuals wreaking havoc and committing robberies upon unassuming community members.

The Oakland Police Department (OPD) is investigating several different robbery series citywide, where robbery crews are brazenly victimizing individuals at alarming rates. To date, there has been a 7% increase in robberies over this same time last year.

On May 21, 2023, OPD Officers spotted a vehicle wanted in connection with one of the above-

mentioned series and tracked the vehicle to the 100 block of 14th Street. Multiple occupants exited the vehicle and went into a nearby establishment. Officers methodically coordinated a plan before entering the location. As officers arrived, the vehicle in front of the establishment took off at a high rate of speed.

OPD’s helicopter (ARGUS) monitored the vehicle and tracked it to the area of 6th Avenue and E. 15th Street. Four occupants exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Officers quickly responded, and following a foot pursuit, safely took

those individuals into custody.

Additionally, five individuals were safely taken into custody at the establishment.

Due to the phenomenal work and collaborative effort of officers assigned to Patrol, the Community Resource Section, ARGUS, officers working violence suppression, and our Criminal Investigation Division, a total of nine individuals, ranging in age from 12 to 17 (three females, six males), eight of whom are Oakland residents, were arrested for robbery.

Currently, this group is connected to 35 reported robberies.

Black Girls

The areas impacted by this crew: Rockridge, Uptown, Trestle Glen, Grand Lake, Bella Vista, Acorn, Adams Point, Longfellow, Northgate, Fruitvale, Ivy Hill, Chinatown, Temescal and Mosswood.

OPD investigators continue their tireless, yet diligent work in identifying cases associated with this crew. These investigations are ongoing. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department Robbery Section at (510) 238-3326.

Kim Armstead is the public information officer for the Oakland Police Department.

An outpouring of community supporters — young, old, jazz lovers, environmentalists and committed Oakland partisans— spoke out at a recent Planning Commission hearing to support Geoffrey Pete and his cultural center — The Inner Circle — an historic Oakland landmark whose future is threatened by a proposed skyscraper that out-oftown-developer Tidewater Capital wants to build in the midst of

the city’s Black Arts Movement and Business District (BAMBD). City Council chambers were full for the May 17 Planning Commission hearing, and almost all the 40 speakers who had signed up to make presentations talked about the importance of the Inner Circle as part of Oakland and Geoffrey Pete as a stalwart community and business leader who has served the city for decades.

The speakers argued passion-

Continued on page 10

‘Strong Like Bamboo’ Stories of AAPI Resilience at Oakland Asian Cultural Center

Oakland Asian Cultural Center Courtesy Wikipedia

By Emil Guillermo

During the pandemic, I was in a group of Asian American storytellers based in the Bay Area on a weekly Zoom call when six Korean American women were killed in what has come to be known as the Atlanta Spa killings in March of 2021.

From that point on, the storytellers of Asian American Storytellers in Action (ASIA) realized we all had stories of discrimination and hate worth sharing.

The group’s discussion through

the pandemic has resulted in “Strong Like Bamboo: Stories of Resilience for Healing in the Era of Anti-AAPI Violence,” a community event Sunday May 28 at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center from 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

“I asked myself ‘how do we heal?’ How do we respond to the crises we’re going through,” said Nancy Wang, a psychotherapist as well as an ASIA member and a founder of Eth-Noh-TEC, a story-

SAVE THE DATE

By Tanya Dennis

Within the last 30 days there have been seven attempted kidnappings or successful abductions of Black girls in Oakland.

Survivors of human trafficking who are now advocates are not surprised.

Nor were they surprised that the police didn’t respond, and parents of victims turned to African American community-based organizations like Adamika Village and Love

Never Fails for help.

Advocates say Black and Brown

girls disappear daily, usually without a blip on the screen for society and government officials.

Perhaps that will change with a proposed law by state Senator Steven Bradford’s Senate Bill 673 Ebony Alert, that, if passed, will alert people when Black people under the age of 26 go missing.

According to the bill, Black children are disproportionately classified as “runaways” in comparison to their white counterparts which means fewer resources are dedicated to finding them.

Nola Brantley of Nola Brantley Speaks states, “America’s wider culture and society has consistently failed to address the abduction and kidnapping of Black girls in Oakland and across the country, and this lack of concern empowers and emboldens predators.”

Brantley, a survivor of human trafficking has been doing the work to support child sex trafficking victims for over 20 years, first as the director for the Scotlan Youth and Family Center’s Parenting and Youth Enrichment Department at Oakland’s DeFremery Park, and as one of the co-founders and executive

director of Motivating, Inspiring, Supporting and Serving Sexually Exploited Youth (MISSSEY, Inc.)

“It really hit home in 2010,” said Brantley, “before California’s Welfare Institution Code 300 was amended to include children victimized by sex trafficking.”

Before that law was amended, she had to vehemently advocate for Black and Brown girls under the age of 18 to be treated as victims rather than criminalized.

Brantley served hundreds of Black and Brown girls citing these

Continued on page 10

Thursday, June 8th, 2023, 1-2:45 pm

Oakland Temple of the LDS Church, Visitors Center 4766 Lincoln Ave., Oakland, CA 94602

ICAC is bring together the faith community, public officials, non-profit organizations, Foundations and BayArea Interfaith Councils.

We will Honor Elder Jay Pimentel, Area Communication Director

North America West Area, for his many years of service. Now, Elder Jay Pimentel is appointed over Europe.

Special Guests:

Eric Patterson, Ph.D Religious Freedom Institute,

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

Oakland District 7 Councilmember Treva Reid provided early

Fighting Homelessness: New White

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass with Jeff Olivet, the Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness along with service providers and government partners to discuss federal policy regarding homelessness and substance abuse.

By Lila Brown California Black Media

On May 18, the Biden-Harris administration announced the launch of ALL INside, an initiative designed to address homelessness across the country.

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) and its 19 participating federal member agencies will partner with state and local governments in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix Metro, Seattle, and California to implement the program.

Ambassador Susan Rice, the White House director of domestic policy, unveiled the program alongside Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough, the chair of USICH; and USICH Executive Director Jeff Olivet. Rice praised the efforts of Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass along with California’s Secretary of Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, Lourdes Castro Ramírez, for being on the front lines of ending unsheltered homelessness.

The partnership aims to reduce homelessness 25% by 2025.

“President Biden firmly believes that everyone deserves a safe, decent, and affordable place to live, and from Day One, the Biden-Harris administration has taken unprecedented actions to lower housing costs, increase housing stability, and address homelessness,” said Rice, pointing out that many residents facing homelessness include military veterans and youth who have aged out of the foster care system.

“This first-of-its-kind partnership with our Administration will help strengthen and accelerate local efforts in these sites, and communities across America, to ensure every unsheltered person has access to the housing they need,” she added.

Several of the ALL INside communities have already received federal resources, with Los Angeles receiving $60 million and other areas in California receiving $36 million.

Leaders from each of the cities receiving funding were recognized for their clear vision, commitment, alignment of value and effectiveness in tackling the challenges of homelessness by providing holistic solutions.

Iconic Football Star, Jim Brown, 87

By Post Staff

The federal funding for Los Angeles and other cities in the state comes nearly two months after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced $1 billion in homelessness funding for California cities and the launch of a new state program that will build small homes for formerly unhoused people.

After Newsom rejected plans from California cities to address homelessness last November, mayors of the state’s largest cities have now agreed to reduce homelessness by 25% by 2025 in each of their jurisdictions.

With an estimated unsheltered homeless population of 115,000, California is home to nearly half of the people living on the streets, in parks or in other public spaces without permanent addresses in the United States.

Proponents of the All INside program say California state authorities working in tandem with cities such as Los Angeles proves that a “whole-of-government, allhands-on-deck” approach will assist communities to directly reach residents.

Rice said Bass prioritized homelessness even before her first day in office, recognizing Los Angeles’ first woman mayor commitment to the stubborn crisis that continues to plague California’s largest city.

“This is a historic memorandum of understanding with our cities,” said Bass, who directed attention to the work of Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum, who leads as the CEO of Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). ALL INside will accelerate Inside Safe’s services already in operation.

“Inside Safe is the way that we have been eliminating street encampments by moving people into motels, but that is a very difficult model to sustain,” continued Bass, describing the challenge of moving people into motels before having to place them into permanent, supportive housing.

“The idea that we, as participating in this (MOU), might be able to look at things like presumptive eligibility that would allow people to be housed right away-instead of spending months while we compile documents and verify that they are in fact in need,” Bass said.

The launch of the multi-city federal investment in fighting homelessness builds on historic support by the Biden-Harris Administration to help states and cities in their local efforts. President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) — which represents the largest single-year investment in ending homelessness in U.S. history — helped prevent a surge of homelessness.

Through the Treasury Department’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, the six ALL INside sites have invested more than $2.5 billion in projects focused on reducing and preventing homelessness. Additionally, the ARP provided $5 billion for 70,000 Emergency Housing Vouchers, which are the first U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) vouchers specifically for people experiencing homelessness beyond veterans.

The ARP also delivered over $21 billion in emergency rental assistance, standing up a first-ofits-kind national eviction prevention infrastructure that has helped 8 million struggling households make rent and pay utility bills, and kept eviction filings below prepandemic levels in the 1.5 years after the end of the eviction moratorium.

Castro Ramirez said California is the only state listed among cities that are beneficiaries of the program because the Golden State has a proven track record of building strong foundations.

“We’re focusing on these Californians because there is a pronounced need and profound opportunities to join forces and take real action,” said Ramírez who described why California is focusing on housing and prevention programs on its most vulnerable populations of unhoused veterans, foster youth, and older adults.

“Gavin Newsom has made solving homelessness and expanding affordable housing top priorities since day one of his administration. We’re addressing this issue with urgency,” Castro Ramirez stated.

Jim Brown, football legend, actor and civil rights activist passed away of natural causes at his Los Angeles home on May 18. He was 87.

“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown. He passed peacefully last night at our LA home,” said Brown’s wife, Monique in an Instagram post. “To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star. To our family he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken...”

Learning of his passing, accolades poured out, especially from the sports world.

“I hope every Black athlete takes the time to educated themselves about this incredible man and what he did to change all of our lives,” NBA star LeBron James said. “We all stand on your shoulders Jim Brown. If you grew up in Northeast Ohio and were Black,

Born on St. Simons Islands off the Georgia coast in 1936, Brown was raised by a single mother who found work as a domestic when she moved to New York. At Long Island’s Manhasset High School, he excelled in five sports, including lacrosse, track and field, basketball, baseball, and football and went on to star at Syracuse University.

By the time he graduated from college in 1956, he lettered in four sports, dropping baseball from his roster.

After graduating, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Army ROTC and continued his military training after he was drafted by the NFL in the 6th round for the Cleveland Browns in 1957.

At 6-feet-3 inches and 230 pounds, Brown was large for a running back. He played for nine years, earning NFL Rookie of the Year honors, entry to the Pro Bowl every season and named league

MVP twice.

“In any game, he dragged defenders when he wasn’t running over them or flattening them with a stiff arm,” New York Times writer Richard Goldstein said. “He eluded them with his footwork when he wasn’t sweeping around ends and outrunning them. He never missed a game, piercing defensive lines in 118 consecutive regular-season games, though he played one year with a broken toe and another with a sprained wrist.”

In 1964, with Brown in the backfield, the Cleveland Browns won the NFL championship. In his last year in the game, he had set records all over the place: “singleseason rushing, career rushing, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns and all-purpose yards,” according to NCAA News.

According to NCAA News, he was a two-time lacrosse AllAmerican and the National Lacrosse Association view him as the greatest lacrosse player ever.

By Tony Hicks Bay City News

Alameda County Superintendent of Schools

Alysse Castro on Monday ordered an election to fill a vacancy on the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Board of Trustees.

The election will happen the same day as the next general election, Nov. 7, the district said in a statement.

On March 21, OUSD Trustee Mike Hutchinson resigned from his region 5 seat on March 21. His seat was redistricted, and he’ll now serve as trustee for re-

gion 4.

California law requires the governing board either appoint a provisional board member or order an election to fill the vacancy within 60 days.

The OUSD board didn’t agree on a provisional appointment and didn’t call for a special election by the May 19 deadline.

The election to fill a vacancy on the governing board of a school district can take place no earlier than 130 days after the order for the election on the next established election day.

Depot Community Apartments

Located @ 2595 Depot Road Hayward, CA 94545

Is Accepting applications from 5/26/2023 – 6/19/2023 for 61 Low Income Studio Units. Property is Anticipated to open around September 2023

You can apply online @ https://housing.acgov.org. If you need a paper application, you can email us at depotcommunity@jsco.net or call (510) 6656277. TTY/VCO/HCO users, call California Relay Service at 711 or 1-800-7352929. For the Speech-to-Speech Relay, call 1-800-854-7784.

Income Restrictions Apply: The 61 units serve households between 30% to 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Preference will be given to applicants displaced by the City, Housing Authority, or Code Enforcement activities and SR 238 Program Participants. Those residing or working within the City of Hayward will be accepted first, and those in the County of Alameda second.

John Stewart Company BRE 00654505

Jim Brown was a God.”

INside

launch announcement ( Screenshot)

The Oakland

Unified School

COMMENTARY: The Impasse of Sen. Feinstein? Blame Newsom

But Khanna is accomplished at getting older members out of the way. And so, he is well suited as Lee’s bulldog. His cover has been the backlog of Biden judges being held up in the judiciary committee. Feinstein’s absence was proof of her inability to serve, according to Khanna.

By Emil Guillermo U.S. Senator Barbara

Not so fast.

Lee?

I think most Post readers would like Rep. Barbara Lee, the member of Congress fighting for Oakland and Berkeley, to be in the U.S. Senate representing all of California.

Presently no Black women serve in the Senate, the original white boys’ club which has the deplorable record of having just two Black women members in its history: Illinois’ Carol Moseley Braun, and Oakland’s Kamala Harris.

But if it’s going to happen for Lee, she’ll need financial support and backing from more than her district.

She also needs Sen. Dianne Feinstein to step down now and not finish her term.

But that’s not happening, as Feinstein, who deserves some loyalty for her tenure as our most enduring voice in the Senate has said, she will leave when her term ends in 2024.

It’s led to the distasteful politics we’ve seen to date started by Lee’s head campaign supporter, Rep. Rho Khanna, who sent out the signal a few weeks ago that it was now OK to aggressively urge Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 89, to resign.

Khanna has experience leading the charge against older people blocking his ambition. He continually hammered at Rep. Mike Honda until he finally beat him, only to find that seniority really matters in Congress. Khanna has done little in his short time as a junior member.

A panel of experts assembled by the Associated Press voted Brown the best football player of the 20th century in 1999. He was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 1971, the first year he was eligible, the Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1984 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995, the New York Times reported.

His retirement from the NFL was abrupt, brought on by a scheduling conflict in his nascent acting career. Upon learning that Brown would be late to training camp because weather had delayed filming of “The Dirty Dozen” by a few days, Browns owner Art Modell said the player would be fined for every week missed. Brown considered Modell’s decision an unwarranted threat and quit football in 1966 at the height of his fame and the height of his abilities.

It was also the height of the modern Civil Rights Move-

The abrasive approach has led to increased coverage of Feinstein’s health in the news, the most recent in the New York Times that revealed Feinstein is recovering from more than shingles. She’s also recovering from a previously unreported bout with encephalitis.

The shingles also spread to her face and neck causing facial paralysis from what is known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome, impairing vision and balance.

All of it leaves Feinstein, often seen in a wheelchair looking frail and ineffective, exactly where her detractors want her—looking like an older woman who should resign.

And this we should all find offensive.

Not only is this ageist, it’s also sexist. The former senators Strom Thurmond and Robert Byrd may have had lousy politics, but no one pushed them out the door.

Of course, the opening shot from Khanna began all this and now the New York Times is editorializing how the Senate is not a lifetime appointment. That’s true in a democracy, therefore it really is up to the voters. They put Feinstein in, but they can’t take her out because there is no other election. She’s leaving at the end of her term. That’s not being senator for life.

With no future election, it means the decision is all Feinstein’s.

And she’s not budging.

We really have Gov. Gavin Newsom to thank for this impasse. He’s the one who promised to appoint a Black woman to the U.S. Senate, and Lee’s name was at the top of a very short list.

He just didn’t figure that his mentor, Feinstein, would get in his

ment but rather than protesting, Brown believed the Black community could do more for itself with ‘Green Power,’ leading him to found the Negro Industrial and Economic Union, which worked to create jobs for Cleveland’s Black neighborhoods and provide loans to Black businessmen.

In his role as an activist, he is perhaps most known for assembling a group of the most renowned Black athletes to support heavyweight champion boxer Muham-

way. When Kamala Harris became vice president, Newsom appointed Alex Padilla to be the first Latino senator from the state. Why not kind for kind? He could have appointed an Asian too since Harris is Black and Asian. It forced Newsom to say later that he’d appoint a Black woman if Feinstein were to resign.

Now if Newsom had said nothing, there’d be no expectation. But he did, and now people can sense the impact of an appointment, and they’re not being loyal or graceful to Feinstein.

Feinstein has earned the right to call her exit. It just shouldn’t come at the expense of the people. If she can’t do the job, then she must go.

But Feinstein insists she can and wants to hang in there till the end, mostly because she wants to have influence on her successor. She wants Rep. Adam Schiff, who made his name leading the impeachment of Trump. Schiff has already declared his candidacy, as has Rep. Katie Porter and Lee. Both have raised more funds than Lee so far.

And that’s the rub. To have a legitimate shot, Lee would need something like an appointment from Newsom to have the edge of incumbency.

That would give Lee a chance in any race against Schiff and/or Porter. So, Lee has Khanna pushing while she appears on high ground, and more stories come out about Feinstein’s hardships.

Still, nothing happens unless Feinstein wants it to happen.

If she is truly unable to do the job, only she can make that call.

Emil Guillermo, journalist and commentator, was a former congressional press secretary.

He is also one of the storytellers at the “Strong Like Bamboo” event, May 28, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 2nd floor. Register to attend for free: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/strong-like-bamboo-tickets-509561551317

movies were “The Split,” “100 Rifles” and “Ice Station Zebra.”

Off screen, Brown’s reputation wasn’t so sterling. He was arrested several times, mostly for assaulting wives or girlfriends but acquitted by juries when charges weren’t dropped.

In 1980s, appalled by the gang violence, he founded the Amer-ICan Foundation to teach prisoners and gang members life skills. He continued to speak out on social and political issues into his 80s, significantly gaining an audience with former President Donald Trump seeking support for his organization in 2016 and 2018.

In an interview for Meet the Press in June 2016, host Chuck Todd asked Brown what he hoped young athletes might learn figures like himself and Ali. His response was simple and humble.

By Y’Anad Burrell

The East Bay Municipal Utility District turned 100 years old this week and celebrated the milestone by placing a time capsule at its original location in West Oakland.

With the time capsule, EBMUD was both looking into the future considering a need for maintaining environmental stability and looking at the past on the date that it came into existence.

It was on May 22, 1923, that East Bay residents voted to create a public water system to replace the many private companies that struggled to provide clean and reliable drinking water for a burgeoning region. That vote established EBMUD.

At Adeline and 21st streets, which houses one of EBMUD’s busiest infrastructure hubs, EBMUD officials and local politicians witnessed the placement of the time capsule that will be opened 100 years from now.

Items included represent EBMUD’s efforts to provide highquality water service from the past 100 years.

Those treasured items buried in the time capsule also included selfreflection letters from EBMUD General Manager Clifford Chan and EBMUD Board of Directors Preident Andy Katz addressed to the organization’s future leaders.

The time capsule was a unique way to celebrate how EBMUD

began providing safe, reliable, and affordable water service for the people of the San Francisco East Bay Area.

As we think about climate issues, such as sea-level rise, air quality, and more, there is an opportunity for other utilities and sustainability-focused organizations to think deeply about how their services, innovative practices, and infrastructures can support what we will be up against in just the next 20 years and how we can even make it to another 100 years of healthy living on this Earth.

EBMUD provides water to 1.4 million people, and its wastewater treatment serves 740,000 customers.

In service to these customers, EBMUD is passionate and intentional about supporting customers who have trouble paying their bills and has designed a Customer Assistance Program (CAP).

The program has been around since 1987 and is the most generous in the state. CAP helps customers with water and wastewater services costs through a payment plan that works for the customer or through payment extensions.

Both residential and business customers can take advantage of these options.

CAP offers discounts for income-eligible households: up to a 50% reduction on water flow and charges and a 35% discount for wastewater flow and charges.

Customers can apply for EBMUD’s Customer Assistance Program through our website – www. ebmud.com/cap

mad Ali who had refused to join the military after he had been drafted. Among those present at what was then a monumental risk for their own careers were several football players and basketball players Kareem Abdul Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor), Bill Russell.

Moving to Los Angeles, Brown continued acting, appearing in film and TV, acquiring 53 acting credits in his career. He was regarded by some as the first Black action hero, and consistently carried off his roles with dignity. Among his

“That money is not God, and human dignity is very, very important,” Brown said. “Your integrity is way up there and as a single human being, if you carry yourself in a certain way, you can defy all evil that comes at us.”

Brown is survived by his wife of 25 years, Monique; sons Aris, Jim Jr. and Kevin and daughters Morgan, Kimberly and Shellee. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Karen Ward.

The New York Times, Yahoo Sports, The Associated Press, Wikipedia and author Ashley Blastock were the sources for this report.

Jim Brown. Post file photo by Gene Hazzard.

CAN YOU SPOT A STROKE?

Know when to go seek help.

BALANCE

Watch for a loss of balance.

EYES

Check for vision changes.

FACE

Look for a drooping face.

ARM

Check if one arm is weak.

SPEECH

Listen for slurred speech.

TIME

CALL 911 right away.

Stroke is a serious medical emergency. If you or anyone is experiencing any of the above signs of stroke, CALL 911 Knowing how to identify the symptoms and responding immediately can save your life or the life of a loved one.

Learn more about how to spot a stroke at: stanfordhealthcare.org/stroke

IN MEMORIAM: Rock Legend

Tina Turner Dies at 83

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire

Tina Turner, the “Queen of Rock ‘n Roll’ whose legend grew after she overcame a bitter divorce to musician Ike Turner that was filled with violence, has died at the age of 83.

The superstar’s family confirmed her death in a statement on Wednesday, May 24, noting that Turner died “peacefully” at her home near Zurich, Switzerland.

“Starting with her performances with her ex-husband Ike, Turner injected an uninhibited, volcanic stage presence into pop,” Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos declared in a tribute.

“Even with choreographed backup singers — both with Ike and during her own career — Turner never seemed to reign in,” Spanos, who co-authored the tribute with David Browne, asserted.

“Her influence on rock, R&B and soul singing and performance was also immeasurable.

“Her delivery influenced everyone from Mick Jagger to Mary J. Blige, and her high-energy stage presence (topped with an array of gravity-defying wigs) was passed down to Janet Jackson and Beyoncé.

“Turner’s message — one that

resounded with generations of women — was that she could hold her own onstage against any man.”

Born Anna Mae Bullock in Tennessee in 1939, Turner started her career in 1958 as the lead singer for Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm band.

Later, the couple changed the name to the Ike & Tina Revue and spun out hit after hit with songs like “Nutbush City Limits,” “River Deep,” and the seminal “Proud Mary.”

Following a tumultuous and abusive relationship, Tina escaped from Ike’s clutches in 1976 with no money and just the clothes on her back that reportedly were bloodied following Ike’s latest assault.

During divorce proceedings, Tina simply demanded that she keep her stage name which the judge granted.

With assistance from rock stars like Mick Jagger and David Bowie, Turner rebounded several years later and topped the pop music charts with her 1984 solo album, Private Dancer.

The album included a bevy of hit singles, including a remake of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” and “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” which became the title of her successful 1993 biopic starring

Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne.

She then enjoyed the starring role alongside Mel Gibson in the 1995 movie, “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.” In 1986, Tina wrote her memoir, “I, Tina,” which writers used to create the film, What’s Love Got to Do With It.”

Over her career, Turner earned 11 Grammy Awards, and sold an estimated 180 million records globally.

In 2001, Turner earned induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and, in 2008, after having taken a hiatus from performing, toured the world for her 50th anniversary in show business.

“Heaven has gained an angel,” singer Ciara tweeted.

“Thank you for the inspiration you gave us all.”

The Defender Network’s Twitter account praised Turner as “an unstoppable musical force who exuded grace and resilience. “

And hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash said Turner would be missed.

“My condolences to the Turner family,” Flash said. “Rest in peace Tina Turner you will be missed.”

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The foregoing warning is provided pursuant to Proposition 65. This law requires the Governor of California to publish a list of chemicals “known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.” This list is compiled in accordance with a procedure established by the Proposition, and can be obtained from the California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposition 65 requires that clear and reasonable warnings be given to persons exposed to the listed chemicals in certain situations.

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New Legal Standards: California Takes Steps to Crack Down on Housing Discrimination

By Aldon Thomas Stiles, California Black Media

Since the early 1990s, landlords and managers nationwide have partnered with law enforcement to implement “crime-free housing” policies. These policies aim to reduce criminal activities such as drug use and gang activity.

In California, crime-free housing has become increasingly controversial. Advocates and some state officials have been railing against these policies for being discriminatory.

On April 21, California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta announced new guidance for crimefree housing policies statewide, pointing out that the former rules disproportionately impacted “people of color, survivors of domestic violence, people with disabilities, and justice-involved individuals,” according to the press release from the Attorney General’s office.

“In California, we’re taking action to end housing discrimination and foster diverse communities,” stated Bonta.

“The statewide guidance issued today presents clear legal standards and procedures to proactively prevent discriminatory housing practices within localities,” Bonta continued. “Tenants have rights under the Fair Employment and Housing Act and other California laws that protect against many forms of housing discrimination, and this guide aims to ensure we are eliminating barriers to housing and promoting equal opportunities.”

Across California, 147 cities and counties have adopted revised policies aimed at eliminating discrimination, including some of the state’s most populated cities like

Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland and Sacramento.

The California Department of Justice is encouraging all municipalities in the state to reevaluate their crime-free housing policies, invoking civil rights laws and fair housing regulations.

“I recognize that leaders at the local level are on the front lines of ensuring public safety for their residents, and, separately, that California law provides discretion to local jurisdictions to enact and enforce nuisance laws that are nondiscriminatory and otherwise consistent with California law,” Bonta stated in a letter to California’s cities and counties.

“Regardless of when these policies were adopted, local jurisdictions have the responsibility to ensure that they comport with state and federal law, and not to implement or enforce them in a discriminatory manner,” he continued.

While there are various types of these programs across the state, most are designed to give landlords a way to deny or evict tenants who have had some interaction with the criminal justice system. In some cases, landlords do not need a conviction or an arrest to activate these policies.

According to the website of the Murrieta police department — a town of about 100,000 people in Riverside County — crime-free housing helps law enforcement manage criminal activity.

“The police cannot solve crime problems alone,” the website reads. “Neither can the management or residents of rental properties. However, by working together, the end result has been the most successful approach to crimes in rental communities.”

AG Bonta isn’t the only state official with concerns about the alleged discriminatory nature of crime-free housing policies.

Assembly Bill (AB) 1418, introduced by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood), would prohibit crime-free housing policies statewide.

“Every Californian wants to live in a safe neighborhood, yet for too many years, ‘crime-free’ housing policies have not reduced crime, increased housing availability or increased housing affordability,” McKinnor stated in a press release. “AB 1418 will end these harmful policies that have made it harder for Californians to find a safe place to call home and eliminate laws that have resulted in further housing segregation across the state.”

This bill was first introduced in February and is currently in committee.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) states that even if a policy appears neutral, it may still violate the law if it has “discriminatory effects” without a reasonable and legal justification.

According to the Attorney General’s office, these regulations must apply to California state law.

Last December, the U.S. Department of Justice secured its first settlement banning crime-free housing in San Bernardino County and Hesperia.

This agreement requires San Bernardino County and the city of Hesperia to spend about $1 million, mostly to compensate residents and tenants negatively impacted by crime-free policies.

Tenn. Rep. Justin Jones Talks About His Expulsion, Gun Control at Calif. State Capitol

Democrat Justin J. Pearson by the Tennessee Legislature.

“They tried to make a public spectacle out of us,” Jones said of the Republican lawmakers who voted to expel him.

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5-23

Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

Last Week, the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) welcomed Tennessee lawmaker and Oakland native Justin Jones to the State Capitol in Sacramento. The visit occurred one month af-

ter Jones was expelled from the Tennessee legislature for participating in a protest on the Tennessee State House floor demanding urgent action on gun control. Jones has since been reinstated and was recognized on the California Assembly floor with a resolution condemning his expulsion and that of fellow Black

After the tragic shooting at Covenant School in Nashville that resulted in the loss of three children and three adults, Democratic Representatives Gloria Johnson, Pearson, and Jones joined a group of protesters at the state capitol.

On April 6, the Republican-controlled state House held separate votes to expel Johnson, Pearson, and Jones from their elected positions for joining in a youth-led protest.

While Jones and Pearson were expelled, Johnson, narrowly avoided expulsion by one vote. A week later, Jones and Pearson were unanimously reinstated by the Nashville Metro Council and Shelby County Commission respectively.

Tina Turner, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, 1984. Pre-Private Dancer tour. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Assembly Bill (AB) 1418, introduced by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood), would prohibit crime-free housing policies statewide.

Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville), displays a Black Power fist before walking on the California Assembly floor at the State Capitol in Sacramento on May 15, 2023. Jones, a native of Oakland, Calif., was briefly expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives from joining a protest on the floor addressing stricter gun laws in the state. CBM photo by Robert Maryland.

Strong Like Bamboo ...

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telling theater based in San Francisco.

“I thought it would be great to gather to hear other people’s stories about discrimination they have experienced but came through it somehow as an inspiration for others to also find solace and support and strength in dealing with what’s going on.

“We all need to know we’re not alone,” she added. “That we have each other and we have allies.”

The name from the project came from Nancy’s husband and partner Robert Kukuchi-Yngoho, who came up with “Strong Like Bamboo.”

“There’s an ancient anecdote that a single bamboo piece can be bent and eventually broken,” said Kukuchi-Yngoho. “But when you put together many bamboos, they are strong like iron. As Asian Americans that’s who we are as a community.”

The free, three-hour event will feature storytelling from six professional storytellers (including yours truly) and others from the national

Rise in Abductions of Black Girls...

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girls were victims so they would be treated as such and offered restorative services. “To get the police to take their disappearances seriously and file a report almost never happened,” she said.

Then Brantley received a call from the Board of Supervisors regarding a “special case.” A councilman was at the meeting, as well as a member of former Alameda County Board Supervisor Scott Haggerty’s Office who had called Brantley to attend.

“The child’s parents and the child were there also. They requested that I give my full attention to this case. The girl was white and there was no question of her victimization,” Brantley said.

Brantley felt conflicted that of all the hundreds of Black and Brown girls she’d served, none had ever re-

AAPI community like Alton Takiyama Chung from Portland, Ore., MJ Kang from Los Angeles, and Linda Yemoto from the Bay Area.

Afterward, Russell Jeong, professor of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State, will lead a group discussion of the stories. Jeong is also the co-founder of #StopAAPIHate which recorded more than 14,000 instances of self-reported hate transgressions during the pandemic.

Some say it was the remarks of former President Donald Trump scapegoating Asians for the spread of the virus that led to the violent reaction toward AAPI.

The audience will then break into groups where people can share their stories.

The afternoon will also include two short movies on the Asian American experience. The event closes with a reflective song by Kukuchi-Yngoho, and a number by a well-known group of rappers made up of senior women known as the Follies.

I look forward to sharing my stories and hope to see you all at the free event.

JOIN IN PERSON:

Date: Sunday May 28th, 2022

ceived this type of treatment.

Her eyes were opened that day on how “they” move, therefore with the recent escalation of kidnapping attempts of Black girls, Brantley fears that because it’s happening to Black girls the response will not be taken seriously.

“I thank Councilwoman Treva Reid and Senator Steven Bradford (D) for pushing for the passing of the Ebony Alert Bill across the state so that the disappearance of Black girls will be elevated the same as white girls. We’ve never had a time when Black girls weren’t missing. Before, it didn’t matter if we reported it or if the parents reported the police failed to care.”

Sarai S-Mazariegos, co-founder of M.I.S.S.S.E.Y, and founder and executive director of Survivors Healing, Advising and Dedicated to Empowerment (S.H.A.D.E.) agrees with Brantley.

“What we are experiencing is the effects of COVID-19, poverty

Time: 2:00-5:00 pm PDT

Where: Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th St, Oakland, CA 94607

Register to attend this Free live, in-person event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/strong-like-bambootickets-509561551317

*Recording of the live event will be made available for those unable to attend.

- orJOIN ON ZOOM:

This event will be livestreamed on Zoom and recorded, same date and time!

To register for the live virtual event on Zoom, please visit: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpceyrpjIoHtGozoJo7reCVDGg2PRXkGKi#/registration

*Our Zoom links have not worked in past emails, so let us know if our long link doesn’t work.

If you have any questions, please reach out to contact@ethnohtec. org.

and a regressive law that has sentence the most vulnerable to the sex trade,” S-Mazariegos said. “We are seeing the lack of equity in the community, the cause and consequence of gender inequality and a violation of our basic human rights. What we are seeing is sexual exploitation at its finest.”

Both advocates are encouraged by Bradford’s Ebony Alert.

The racism and inequity cited has resulted in the development of an underground support system by Brantley, S-Mazariegos and other community-based organizations who have united to demand change.

Thus far they are receiving support from Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, and Oakland City Councilmembers Nikki Fortunato Bas and Reid of the second and seventh districts respectively.

For more information, go to http://www.blackandmissinginc. com

Photo Courtesy Gardner Webb University

On May 19th, Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr, celebrated his 92nd Birthday. He received congratulations from around the world. I called him to say, I would like to write a brief tribute reflection on this occasion. He replied with one of his favorite quotes: Tell the people “I wish I could make it plain, I’m still here!”

After serving as Senior Pastor of the historic Allen Temple Baptist Church from 1971-2009, and as Distinguished Professor of Preaching and Church Ministries at the American Baptist Seminary of The West (now Berkeley School of Theology), Pastor Smith retired with the titles Pastor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus; he is fondly called Pastor “E.”

Last year, the Berkeley School of Theology honored him with an Endowed Chair of Theology in the Public Square as a tribute to his life and legacy. Oblate School of Theology awarded him an honorary Doctor of Pastoral Leadership degree in 2020 in recognition of his lifetime of service, academic

Geoffrey’s Inner Circle ...

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ately and persuasively, winning the sympathy of the commissioners, but were ultimately unsuccessful as the Commission unanimously approved the high-rise to be built either as a residential building or office tower on Franklin Street directly behind Geoffrey’s building.

contribution, and pastoral wisdom.

Smith’s early life was shaped by his mother, Ms. Amy Gates Smith, a single parent, and by his grandmother, Mrs. Martha Henry in Kansas City, Missouri where he was born. “My religious formation came from the hands of my mother.”

He answered the call to Christian ministry and preached his trial sermon on July 4, 1948; the beginning of his Jericho Road Journey in ministry.

He has earned numerous degrees, served as president of the Progressive Baptist State Convention of California in 1979, and president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention in 1986. He has preached around the globe and is a seasoned author of 16 books. His ministery has been undergirded with a social justice emphasis to help the least, lost and left out. God gave Pastor E an enormous gift to love the people from his heart.

Pastor E has numerous memorable quotes; for instance, his definition of religion. “It’s not Sunday

Naomi Schiff of the Oakland Heritage Alliance emphasized that Geoffrey’s Inner Circle is a treasure of Oakland’s history.

going to meetings,” he says. “It’s activism.”

He calls his style of ministry “survival theology,” addressing the physical concerns and spiritual needs of his parish and beyond.

“I believe in life after death. But I also believe in life after birth. I want to help people deal with the nasty now-and-now of life in East Oakland.”

Another memorable quote “The church needs to be a thermostat in society rather than a thermometer. The thermometer doesn’t bring about change, whereas the thermostat changes the temperature.”

Joanna Goodwin Smith, Rev. Smith’s first wife, passed away in 2007. Together they have five adult children. God blessed him in marriage to Rev. Bernestine Farley, his wife and ministry partner.

On the occasion of his 92nd Birthday, we give thanks to God that Pastor E’s ministry has been fueled by helping others. The lyrics from one of his favorite songs; “If I Can Help Somebody As I Travel Along the Way, Then My Living Shall Not be in Vain.”

decreased rapidly … because of the city’s concentration on building houses that are not affordable for people who currently live in Oakland,” he said.

Join Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb to discuss the uptick in crime and violence in District 1 and across Oakland. Representatives from the Oakland Police Department will be in attendance. This event will be held in-person and online.

Tuesday, May 30, 2023, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Oakland Technical H.S. Auditorium, 300-340 42nd St., Oakland, CA 94611 For more information, contact District 1 Chief of Staff Seth Steward: ssteward@oaklandca.gov, 510-238-7013.

Mr. Pete has said he would appeal the decision to the City Council. He has 10 days after the hearing to file an appeal on the office building. His appeal on the residential tower has already been submitted.

Mr. Pete said the Planning Department still has not published the boundaries of the BAMBD. “Tidewater’s applications and subsequent applications should not be approved until the Planning Department fully acknowledges the existence of the BAMBD,” he said.

“This (proposed) building poses a grave danger to the historic (Inner Circle) building next to it, arguably Oakland’s most meaningful historic building,” Pete said.

“We’re here to advocate for what’s best for the African American district and community that has gotten no representation, no advocacy, as of yet,” he said. “The (commission) is guilty, the City of Oakland is guilty, and Tidewater is guilty.”

One of the first speakers was Gwendolyn Traylor, known as Lady SunRise, who directly addressed the developers.

“With all due to respect to your business, it’s not a need of this community. I would like to ask you to reconsider the location …What is being (promised) here does not add to the healing of this community,” she said.

“Our first concern is the integrity of the historic district, in particular the former AthenianNile Club, now Mr. Pete’s equally historic venue, which has been the location of a great number of important community events,” she said. “It would not be OK with us if the integrity of the building were damaged in any way, no matter how much insurance (the developer bought) because it is very difficult to repair a historic building once it’s damaged.”

The Inner Circle was previously owned and operated by the Athenian-Nile Club, one of the Bay Area’s largest all-white-male exclusive private membership club, where politicians and power brokers closed back-room deals over handshakes and three martini lunches.

Cephus “Uncle Bobby X” Johnson pointed out that commissioners and the city’s Planning Department have “acknowledged that you went through the entire design review process without even knowing that the Black Arts Movement and Business District existed.”

The district was created in 2016 by City Council resolution. “At the heart of the opposition to this building is the desire to further the legacy of local Black entertainment and entrepreneurship exemplified by businesses like Mr. Pete’s … a historical landmark and venue (that serves) thousands of people who listen to jazz and other entertainment and hold weddings, receptions, and memorial services,” said Uncle Bobby.

This development is taking place within a context in which the “Black population in Oakland has

John Dalrymple of East Bay Residents for Responsible Development said, “This project will result in significant air quality, public health, noise, and traffic impacts. He said the city has not adequately studied the (unmitigated) impacts of this project on the Black Arts Movement and Business District.

“This project is an example of what developers are being allowed to do when they don’t have to follow the law, and they don’t have to be sensitive to our city’s culture and values,” he said. The commission should “send a signal today that we will no longer be a feeding ground for the rich.”

Prominent Oakland businessman Ray Bobbitt told commissioners, “Any decision that you make is a contribution to the systemic process that creates a disproportionate impact on Black people. Please do yourself a favor, (and) rethink this scenario. Give Mr. Pete, who is a leader in our community, an opportunity to set the framework before you make any decision.”

Though the City Council created the BAMBD, the 2016 resolution was never implemented. The district was created to “highlight, celebrate, preserve and support the contributions of Oakland’s Black artists and business owners and the corridor as a place central historically and currently to Oakland’s Black artists and Blackowned businesses.”

The district was intended to promote Black arts, political movements, enterprises, and culture in the area, and to bring in resources through grants and other funding.

By Rev. Dr. Martha C. Taylor