Oakland Post, week of August 30 - September 5, 2023

Oakland Post

Racist Bomb Threat Forces

By Ken Epstein

Chabot Elementary School in the Rockridge District of North Oakland was evacuated Tuesday after receiving a racist bomb threat and “multiple threatening emails, phone calls and social media posts,” according to statements released by the Oakland Unified School District.

The threats came in response to an on-campus “Playdate” organized by Chabot’s Equity and Inclusion Committee last Saturday,

“which was intended to build and promote positive affinity spaces for students and families of color,” wrote OUSD Supt. Kyla JohnsonTrammell, in an email to the public-school community.

These incidents are being taken seriously by the school district and the Oakland Police Department, and the FBI is “now involved in this active investigation,” wrote the superintendent.

The bomb threat and threaten-

Continued on page 10

San Diego Supervisor Nora Vargas

Endorses Barbara Lee for Senate

First Latina Chair of SD Board of Supervisors Supports Lee’s Historic Campaign for Senate

vocate Californians need in the US Senate. Her track record of always tackling the tough issues while lifting people up and making sure everyone’s voice is heard is what we need from our next Senator. I am very excited to endorse Barbara Lee for US Senate and to work with her to advance our communities.”

By Pastor Phyllis Scott Special to The Post

It was like any other Monday. I would, like many Oaklanders, get up, have my coffee and prepare my granddaughter for school. But little did I know that this particular Monday and the events that followed would forever be etched in my mind and heart, affect me unlike any Monday

For on this day in August, I would open my front door to police officers, yellow crime tape and the body of an unidentified young, Black woman lying dead in the streets of a residential area of East Oakland. She was somebody’s daughter, somebody’s, sister, even somebody’s mother but on this Monday, she was just another unidentified dead woman in Oakland.

She was left on the streets, wrapped in a sheet. She had been pushed into hedges with a mattress pressed against her nude body.

right for every citizen in Oakland to be able to live a healthy and vibrant life.

To walk the streets without fear of being assaulted.

To drive their car without being carjacked.

To live in your home without fear of home invasion.

And every woman, daughter, sister, wife, should not fear being beaten, killed and wrapped in a sheet and left on the streets like garbage. Where is the OUTRAGE?

It is a shame to have to do this but-

Have a Safety Plan

• Keep doors and windows locked While on the streets be aware of your surroundings

Don’t walk alone — Walk with someone Walk with keys in your hand until you reach your destination

• Be aware of those around you while at an ATM

By Richard Johnson

Under the warm rays of the sun, Stanley “Mista” Cox orchestrated his annual back-to-school backpack giveaway at the 44th and Linden Park in North Oakland.

The event, a heartfelt endeavor, saw a diverse crowd of people coming together to partake in a day of celebration and community bonding.

Attendees of diverse genders, races, ages, and political orientations gathered not only to receive school supplies but also to exchange positive thoughts and ideas that stimulate the mind and nurture growth.

Known as a prominent figure in the community, Mr. Fab’s sense of pride, love, and generosity has left a mark on the fabric of time. His actions have become a guiding example for all to emulate, highlighting the importance of giving back to one’s community.

Some of our elected officials and other public personalities such as State Senator Nancy Skinner, Oakland City Councilman Kevin Jenkins, and other distinguished individuals came to engage and support the cause.

We have a responsibility not only to ourselves but also to invest in the younger generation because they will inevitably shape the future. In a world increasingly dominated by the promise of artificial intelligence (AI), the human intellect and spirit of giving back and caring for others must remain foremost.

Supervisor Nora Vargas, the first Latina ever to Chair the San Diego Board of Supervisors, has endorsed Barbara Lee for Senate, the Lee campaign announced.

“As a healthcare and education champion I am thrilled to support Congresswoman Barbara Lee for US Senate,” said Vargas.

“She is exactly the type of ad-

Vargas was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2020 and quickly became known as a champion for veterans, children, and seniors. She is also the co-chair of the county’s COVID-19 subcommittee, chair of the San Diego Association of Governments Transportation Committee, as well as of the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, and a member of the California Air Resources Board.

Reform Advocates Applaud

County’s DA for Prioritizing Youth Rehabilitation

remain in the juvenile system are more likely to benefit from ageappropriate rehabilitation opportunities such as restorative justice programs, educational opportunities, and trade and certification programs, as well as progress reviews in court every six months, services that better prepare youth to re-enter as contributing members in the community.

No one knew her name. No one seemed shocked as windows and doors closed so as not to see the horror lying in front of them. Is this the new norm? Is there no outrage? Have we become numb to the lawlessness that is plaguing our city?

This is a human rights issue! A

Become an Oakland Community Chaplain and learn how to protect yourself and your community.

For more information on how you can become an Oakland Community Chaplain contact 510-6887437, or email oaklanccimmunitychaplains@gmail.com

Such values resonate deeply with me as the founder and CEO of Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back (FIGB), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping and giving back. FIGB is committed to serving the community it originates from, and it finds great pleasure in collaborating with individuals like Mr. Fab who embody the true essence of giving back.

I had the honor of contributing a substantial number of donated books, many of which were geared towards children. This gesture underscores the collective responsibility to nurture healthy minds and bodies in the upcoming generation.

While machines are tools operated by humans, it is the innate power of the human mind that propels progress. The potential for a brighter future lies within the collective efforts of the people, and it is essential to provide the upcoming generation with the tools, resources, and most importantly, the knowledge required to lead society forward.

Given the difficulties we are now experiencing in this postCOVID era, we must recognize that the present cannot serve as a blueprint for the future.

Instead, it is imperative to equip the youth with the determination and skills necessary to elevate society to new heights.

FIGB emphasizes that the prospect of better days hinges on the dedication of individuals to pave the way for success. In a world driven by change, the human mind remains the ultimate force to usher mankind through its journey of progress.

Genesis Worship Center to Hold Community Safety Meeting for Oakland on Sept. 9

Oakland, California – Genesis Worship Center, 2708 Ritchie Street, Oakland, CA 94605, we will be hosting a Community Safety Meeting with local city officials on Sat., Sept. 9, 2023, from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

ficials and work together to create a safer Oakland.

By Post Staff

The Alameda County DA Accountability Table (ACDAAT), a coalition made up of 10 community-based organizations, is praising Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price’s office for investing in keeping children within the juvenile justice system rather than sending them to adult incarceration. In Alameda County, youth who

Research shows that prosecuting youth as adults is racially discriminatory, harmful, and disruptive to youth development. Youth in the adult system face longer and harsher sentences, are less likely to receive age-appropriate care and services and are more likely to be re-arrested than youth who stay in the juvenile system, according to a press statement issued by ACDAAT.

The ACDAAT Coalition sup-

By Ken Epstein

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, speaking recently at Good Hope Baptist Church at 5717 Foothill Blvd. in East Oakland, pledged to bring new investments to the community to improve the quality of lives and educational opportunities for Oakland residents.

One initiative is Rise East –which is already funded with a $50 million matching grant that “will be invested in Deep East Oakland,

bringing together communities,” she said.

Privately funded, Rise East will focus on an East Oakland community known as “40x40,” – 40 blocks by 40 blocks, which run from Seminary Avenue to the Oakland-San Leandro border and from MacArthur Boulevard to the Bay. This area is home to the largest concentration of Black residents (over 30,000) who remain in Oakland flatland

This meeting is sponsored by Bishop George Matthews, and it is open to residents of Oakland who are interested in learning more about how to keep their community safe.

The meeting will provide an opportunity for community members to interact with elected officials and law enforcement agencies. Some attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and voice their concerns about safety in their neighborhoods.

The goal of the meeting is to foster a closer relationship between the community and city of-

Bishop Matthews is committed to making Oakland a safer place to live and work. He believes that by bringing together community members and city officials, we can work together to address the concerns of the community and create a safer environment.

We encourage all residents of Oakland to attend this important meeting and take an active role in their community’s safety. For more information about the Community Safety Meeting, please contact Genesis Worship Center at (510) 633-8111 or visit our website at www.genesisworshipcenter.com.

Bishop George A. Matthews, Genesis Worship Center

Alfreda Lyons-Campbell, GWC Church Administrator

(L-R) Carde Taylor, Mistah F.A.B. and Richard Johnson. Photos by JonathanfitnessJones

Pastor Phyllis Scott talked about the need for Oakland to support antiviolence programs with jobs with community leader Samantha Wise and her granddaughter Izabella Scott as they attended the citywide revival at Good Hope Baptist. Photo by JonathanfitnessJones

KRON4 reported the racist bomb threat against Chabot Elementary School in North Oakland.

Nora Vargas. Courtesy photo.

(l-r) Pastor Ray Lankford, Mayor Sheng Thao, Rev. Joe Smith and Rev. Lawrence Van Hook gathered in Smith’s office prior to her speech at new Hope Baptist Church to pray for peace and solutions for Oakland’s citizens. Photo by jonathanfitnessjones

By Emil Guillermo

“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation,” begins Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream Speech,” delivered 60 years (three score years ago) in Washington, DC this week.

More people know the end of the speech. But the other parts? The beginning? It actually starts with the image of Abraham Lincoln, a great president, freeing the slaves.

All these years later, it’s hard to imagine MLK could have dreamed

up in his worst nightmare the situation the U.S. is in today politically.

In the race for president in the Republican Party, there are eight people running against one man who could be criminally convicted.

Four times.

It’s the criminally indicted former president, the notorious DJT, the only president living or dead with a mug shot. Is he Public Enemy No.1? No, the former 45th president of the United States is just inmate P01135809.

No man is above the law, or above a mug shot. And Trump deserves it. This is the same guy we all heard on tape asking the Georgia secretary of state to find 11,780 votes. To steal an election? Let a jury decide.

Georgia is prosecuting Trump for his actions in an alleged criminal enterprise conducted with 18 others in an attempt to subvert democracy.

In the meantime, he still wants to be president again. And it’s no contest. A majority of morally bankrupt Republicans are still willing to give Trump a pass for al-

leged high crimes against democracy, simply because they think he can win the 2024 election.

And winning trumps ethics, morality and even justice in the U.S. today.

It’s the reason we must keep on dreaming.

I wasn’t at last weekend’s 60th commemoration of the March on Washington. But I was at the 50th in 2013, right up front staring Al Sharpton and John Lewis in the face. I recall a great feeling of joy in the air. After 50 years, there was a sense of immense progress, chief among them a second term with an African American president from Hawaii.

But whatever joy we felt was definitely short-lived. Three years later, America got Trump, the embodiment of the great reversal, a return to the politics of our racial past, where whites always seemed to win.

It unfortunately means MLK’s speech has more of the ring of truth than it ever has.

Because the central metaphor isn’t the dream. It’s a check we’ve been given that we’re still waiting to cash.

“One hundred years later, the Negro still is not free,” King said in 1963, referring to President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. “One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.

“One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.

“One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land.

“And so, we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.”

King continued: “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every

American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men — yes, Black men as well as white men — would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds.

“But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.

“We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”

The dream metaphor has stayed with us the last 60 years. But upon re-reading, the bank/check metaphor is more relevant today. It certainly connects to our real lives. Dreaming works too. But when you vote, you think about the economy, and your pocketbook.

Not whether you got enough REM sleep to keep dreaming.

You think of the price of gas. Your ability to pay the rent. Put food on the table.

For me, it’s the living metaphor from that same speech 60 years ago that has more urgency than the dream.

We still have a check in hand. And we are standing in line waiting for it to clear.

And we better get paid before a certain ex-president with the mugshot.

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. Get tickets to his one man show streamed live from New York. “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host: A Phool’s American Filipino History” runs Sept. 6 and 14. Get tickets here:

https://www.frigid.nyc/

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson California Black Media

As the rate of hate crimes continues to increase in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced additional funding, resources and guidance designed to protect impacted residents. Allocations include $91.4 million to 173 local organizations across the state to support victims, provide resources, and facilitate anti-hate prevention measures.

The first major statewide media campaign entitled “CA vs Hate” with print, radio and digital ads will run in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, Tongan, Mixtec and Hmong.

The campaign will focus on traditionally hard-to-reach communities. And a letter to all public school leaders in California highlighting the legal responsibilities to ensure ethnic studies curricula

are appropriate and do not reflect or promote bias, bigotry or discrimination.

“An attack on any of our communities is an attack on everything we stand for as Californians,” said Newsom in a press release. “As hate-fueled rhetoric drives increasing acts of bigotry and violence, California is taking action to protect those who are targeted just for being who they are.

“We’re bolstering our support for victims and anti-hate programs and tackling ignorance and intolerance through education to prevent hate from taking hold in our communities.”

The announcements come on the heels of a Southern California shop owner being shot and killed because a rainbow pride flag hung outside her clothing store. In the first month since the governor launched the “CA vs Hate” hotline, there have been 180 reports of hate acts across California.

attend a Jackson, Mississippi chruch service with Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba. Photo: Instagram @gavinnewsom.

decedent. The Petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court on SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 at 9:45 A.M. in Dept. 202 Room N/A located at 2120 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR WAY, BERKELEY, CA 94704. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who

the estate of the decedent. The Petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The Petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court on 9/13/2023 at 9:45 A.M. in Dept. 201 Room N/A located at 2120 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR WAY, BERKELEY, CA 94704. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are

Sen. Steve Bradford Introduces Historic Reparations Legislation

should create a system of redress for injustices committed against Black Californians.

Senate Bill (SB) 490, introduced by Bradford on Aug. 21, would amend Title 2 of the state government code to establish a new state agency called the California American Freedman Affairs Agency (CAAFAA).

force members and I have documented the harm, detailed its generational impact, and determined the way forward to right these wrongs.

CITY OF OAKLAND

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR EARLY CHLDCARE PARTERSHIP

Contract Amount: TBD Terms: Aug 1 – Jun 30, 2024 (10 months) with potential for longer term

Project Description: This Request for Proposals (RFP) is being issued by the City of Oakland Head Start Program (COOHS).

The COOHS seeks experienced and motivated non – profit organizations, private, public agencies, or family childcare providers to provide direct early childhood development services to children prenatal through 5 years of age. THE COOHS seeks an immediate partnership/s to provide service for 15 Early Head Start slots and/or 31 Head Start slots.

Pre-Proposal Meeting (Voluntary) Wednesday, September 5, 2023 - 2:00 PM (Pacific)

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81683440301

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson California Black

Media

Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) has proposed that the state

The agency would be responsible for managing the reparations process for Black Californians as determined by the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“This historic legislation lays the groundwork for the future,” said Bradford. “My fellow task

“The Freedman Affairs Agency will establish the instrumental infrastructure California will need as our state takes responsibility for the historical harms that have been committed.”

The task force completed a two-year study and submitted its final, 1,075-page report to the Legislature on June 28 and one of the recommendations was to create the CAFAA.

Proposal Submittal Deadline: Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, by 2:00 P.M. via iSupplier.

Reminders:

• The following policies apply to this RFP: Equal Benefits • 50% L/SLBE • Living Wage • Campaign Reform Act • Professional Services Local Hire • Prompt Payment • Arizona Boycott • Dispute Disclosure • Border Wall Prohibition • Sanctuary City Contracting and Investment Ordinance. Did not receive and invitation? Start Early with iSupplier registration. Upon completion of registration, send an email to iSupplier@oaklandca.gov listing “RFP for Head Start Early Childcare Partnership” as the subject and advise of an invitation to the RFP. The Contracts Analyst will add your business to the RFP invitation.

• All who wish to participate in this RFP must register (at least 5 days prior to submittal due date) through iSupplier at (https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/register-with- isupplier) to avoid last minute submittal complications and receive addenda/ updates on this RFP. For additional help registering and submitting your proposal to iSupplier please watch the user guide videos at (https:// www.oaklandca.gov/documents/isupplier-user-guides).

Answers to Questions:

1. For project-related questions contact the Project Manager Sarah Trist via email at strist@oaklandca. gov or (510) 604-5866

2. For iSupplier related questions email isupplier@oaklandca.gov

Asha Reed, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council (Friday, September 1, 2023)

The City Council reserves the right to reject all proposals.

Description: The City of Oakland, Planning and Building Department, is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify qualified firms and solicit proposals to provide Short-Term Residential Rental (STRR) program services and a software solution coinciding with the City’s planned adoption of new regulations for the rental of residential dwelling units for periods of less than thirty (30) days. The requested services include finalizing the STRR regulations, reviewing STRR license applications, issuing and renewing STRR licenses, providing enforcement services, and maintaining a digital dashboard to monitor STRR listings in Oakland.

Pre-Proposal Meeting (Voluntary and Highly Recommended): Friday, September 15, 2023 - 2:00 PM (Pacific) Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83559349963?pwd=WWRrSkw2S1pNOFA3N2VLbkZ2

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Proposal Submittal Deadline: Friday, September 29, 2023, by 2:00 P.M. (Pacific) via iSupplier.

Reminders:

• All who wish to participate in this RFP must register (at least 5 days prior to submittal due date) through iSupplier at (https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/register-with-isupplier) to avoid last minute submittal complications and receive addenda/ updates on this RFP. For additional help registering and submitting your proposal to iSupplier please watch the user guide videos at (https:// www.oaklandca.gov/documents/isupplier-user-guides). Receipt of a confirmation email indicates that a proposal was successfully submitted.

• Did not receive an invitation? Start Early with iSupplier registration. Upon completion of registration, send an email to iSupplier@oaklandca.gov listing “RFP for Short-Term Residential Rental Program Services” as the subject and advise of an invitation to the RFP. Contract staff will add your business to the RFP invitation.

• The following policies apply to this RFP: Equal Benefits • 0% L/SLBE • Living Wage • Campaign Reform Act • Professional Services Local Hire • Prompt Payment • Arizona Boycott • Dispute Disclosure • Border Wall Prohibition • Sanctuary City Contracting and Investment Ordinance.

Answers to Questions:

1. For project-related questions contact the Project Manager Audrey Lieberworth via email at ALieberworth@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-6317.

2. For iSupplier related questions after registration contact iSupplier@oaklandca.gov

Asha Reed, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council (Friday, September 1, 2023) The City Council reserves the right to reject all proposals.

Acknowledging Our Ancestars is Good for Our Souls

come to you when you least expect them. They’ll hug you up quick and soft like the warm, sweet wind. Let those old souls come into your heart. Let them feed your head with wisdom that ain’t from this day and time.”

Our Ancestars are vital because they serve as ever-present driving forces that guide and direct us on our divine paths.

ceremonies, we learned to cultivate ancestral healing. We acknowledge, communicate, and collaborate with our beloved Ancestars in an effort to resolve their unresolved trauma and access our inherited legacies of dynamism, resilience, revitalization, spirituality, and vitality.

By Daktari S. Hicks, PsyD and Monique “Kiki” Lyons, MA, AMFT

Except for some ceremonial moments and times, i.e., Kwanzaa, Juneteenth, Memorial Day, etc., we don’t think a lot about our ancestors.

Most of the time, in fact, we don’t think about those who walked in life before us and left footsteps for us to follow.

In many cases, we just bury them six feet under; or we cremate their physical bodies and scatter their ashes in a body of water or house them in an urn.

But are the dead really dead?

As Black psychologists, we think not. The master Congo Nganga Dr. K. Kia Bunseke Fu-Kiau has taught us that we are seeds in a seed, from a seed, in a seed, from a seed ad infinitum.

We come and go and return and go and come back and go and come continually. As Black psychologists, we do believe in the continued existence, spirit, and power of our Ancestors, the invisible ones, or the dwellers of heaven (the sky world).

Ancestors are those in our maternal and paternal bloodlines born

before us (in most cases) who have transitioned from the Earth to an invisible-spiritual-sky realm. We use ancestors interchangeably with Ancestars to honor some African ancients’ belief that our dearly departed return to the stars from which they came once they leave the Earth.

Us Black folk also adopt chosen, non-blood related Ancestors due to their vital impacts on us while they were alive and long after they’ve gone. Ibaye (“blessings to ancestor”) Sir Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Brown, and Billy Stewart, a few of our Chocolate City-DC ancestors, where Dr. Daktari was born and raised.

Ibaye Monica Renee HastingsSmith, Dr. “Papa” Zakariya Diouf, Zeke Nealy, Kamau Amen-Ra, and Dr. Angelina Graham, some of our local Oakland community Ancestors.

Nana Peasant, a character from Julie Dash’s film “Daughters of the Dust” says, “The Ancestors and the womb … they’re One, they’re the same. Those in the grave, like those who’re across the sea, they’re with us. They’re all the same. The Ancestors and the womb are one … Call on those old Africans. They’ll

An African proverb states, “A wise will is dedicated to the Ancestors, for it’s them who gave you everything.”

With that notion in mind, we inherit the good, bad, ugly, and phenomenal from our ancestors via genetic, familial, psychical, spiritual, cultural, and social modes of transmission. Within our collective ancestral memory bank, we can tap into intergenerational memories/stories of distant Ancestors that impact how we think, feel, and act yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

We co-authors crossed paths in 2017 when our ancestors deemed it necessary while attending an ancestral veneration ceremony at Oya Nike’s Botanica in Berkeley, CA, led by Curandero/Santero/ Palero Baba Ruben Texidor.

We continued along our shared ancestral journey in 2019 by participating in Lead to Life’s Guns to Shovels Ceremony at Oakland City Hall where we erected altars for the ancestors, drummed/ danced for the orishas (deified ancestors in the Yoruba tradition), and witnessed fireworkers meld guns (used to take lives) into shovels, which were used to plant trees on reclaimed local Ohlone land.

Via public/private communal

The ancestors are, in fact, you. Acknowledging our ancestors is to honor the best of ourselves. We are the ancestors come to complete what they left incomplete, to finish the song, to finish the dance step, to finish their task, to finish our elevation and affirmation.

We encourage you to reach out, connect with, and honor your ancestors for reciprocal rejuvenation by creating an ancestral altar in your home/community, offering them omi tutu (fresh water), giving them their flowers, cooking their favorite meal, playing their favorite songs, and paying attention to your dreams, which are the “voices of Ancestors.”

We also invite you to attend the Annual Maafa Commemoration Sunrise Ceremony at Ocean Beach, which typically occurs on the second Sunday of every October.

The Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) Bay Area Chapter is committed to providing the Post Newspaper readership with monthly discussions about critical issues in Black Mental Health. The ABPsi-Bay Area Chapter is a healing resource. Readers are welcome to join us at our monthly chapter meetings every 3rd Saturday via Zoom. We can be contacted at bayareaabpsi@ gmail.com.

Lawmakers Present $3 Million Check to 40-Acre Conservation League for Its First Land Acquisition

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson California Black Media

On Aug. 24, Assemblymembers Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun), chair of the Legislative Black Caucus and Mike A. Gipson (DCarson) presented a $3 million symbolic check to the 40-Acre Conservation League, California’s first and only Black-led conservation group.

This investment, provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board and the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, will help the league acquire its first land acquisition, a 650-acre plot 70 miles north of Sacramento.

“I am so thrilled that I was able to help secure $3 million for 40Acre Conservation League’s first land acquisition,” said Gipson.

“This remarkable achievement is a gateway for more people of color to enter the conservancy space,

and it demonstrates that when likeminded organizations unite for a common cause, they can achieve remarkable results.”

The 40-Acre Conservation League is a nonprofit land conservancy that aims to protect nature by connecting people to it, especially people of color. It also wants to acquire land for economic, environmental and recreational justice.

“With the support and partnership of assemblymembers Mike Gipson and Lori Wilson, we’re excited and humbled to make history as the first Black-led land conservancy in California,” said Jade Stevens, president of the 40-Acre Conservation League. “Today represents a strong step forward in rectifying historical wrongs, restoring dignity, and providing the foundation for economic empowerment and social equity. We look forward to what lies ahead.”

Daktari S. Hicks, PsyD. and Monique “Kiki” Lyons, MA, AMFT. Courtesy photos.

Shown left to right, Sacramento Branch of NAACP President Betty Williams, Jade Stevens (president; 40 Acre Conservation League), Asm. Mike Gipson (D-Carson), and Julie Avis, chief deputy executive officer from Sierra Nevada Conservancy. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey. Aug. 25, 2023.

COMMENTARY: Finding Joy and Justice for Childbearing Black Moms

By Dr. Melissa Franklin, Special to California Black Media Partners

income, post-graduate education, a good bill of health and a stable relationship. Yet, my health and life were threatened in both of their births. One would think that such an experience would place me in a unique category. However, as a Black woman, it does not.

together Black pregnant folks in a group setting. They offer support, resources, and a coach to help you through your journey.

Black mothers are more likely to die due to complications from pregnancy and childbirth than pregnant women of all other races. This is a shameful injustice plaguing the Black community, one that is over 400 years in the making.

Black women are 1.6 times more likely to experience more maternal mental health conditions, including prenatal and postpartum anxiety and depression, than women of other races, according to the American Hospital Association Institute for Diversity and Health Equity.

These injustices are killing Black women who are well-resourced and educated like Olympian Tori Bowie, as well as those enduring economic hardship. It is also harming their babies. And although this crisis has attracted national attention, it remains unaddressed.

For Black women, like me, who have experienced premature childbirth, the trauma and guilt of not being able to bring our babies full term can be long-lasting. Those psychological scars exist along with the other physical and mental threats to our health and wellbeing.

Both of my children were born three months early, despite my best efforts. I had a steady job, decent

In Los Angeles County, Black women die at three to four times the rate of other races due to pregnancy-related complications, and Black babies die at two to three times the rate of any other race before their first birthday. Black babies are born premature at greater rates than any other ethnic group, which can lead to long-term health and developmental challenges.

The Black community is also shouldering a disproportionate amount of the mental burden of tragedy and loss when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth.

To solve this problem, we must acknowledge three truths:

1. The problem is not with Black people.

2. It’s the system that is failing Black people.

3. This problem is solvable, and Black people deserve to have joyous and healthy births.

The data coupled with our lived experiences and history as Black people tells us something is amiss. College educated Black women experience worse birth outcomes (i.e., death, premature birth, health complications for mother and child) than white women with high school diplomas. Black women who are non-smokers have worse birth outcomes than white women who smoke. The root problem is also not “teen pregnancy.”

Black teens have better birth outcomes than older Black individuals.

The root causes of the problem are complex. In short, stress kills.

The stress of generations of racial harm compounded by ongo-

ing, exposure to racist treatment, prejudice and oppression, can be deadly. This stress is especially deadly when it is exacerbated by systems of care that disrespect and withhold quality care from Black people. The social contexts that imperil Black individuals to a greater extent than other races, such as homelessness, criminal justice injustice, education system injustice, and child welfare system injustice create a perfect storm for these root causes to grow.

There is hope for change. There are a number of initiatives underway to address the racism and stress that are at the root of the problem. These initiatives range from legislation such as the Federal Momnibus Act, California Senate Bill (SB) 65 (California Momnibus Act) and California SB 464 (Dignity in Pregnancy Act) to Statewide Initiatives such as the Perinatal Equity Initiative. In Los Angeles County, the Department of Public Health’s African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Initiative (AAIMM) brings together public agencies, community-based organizations, and advocates to raise awareness and transform how systems treat Black people.

But what can a Black woman/ person do if they are pregnant or want to become pregnant one day? We can reclaim justice and joy by activating a village to address the stress. Until racism, racial microaggressions and poor treatment by the health care system are resolved, mental health support from multiple places is a powerful tool we can access.

This means building a village to provide social and emotional support, and as well as advocacy during your childbirth journey. Available resources include:

Black Infant Health Program — prenatal groups that bring

Doulas — birth partners who provide emotional and physical support during pregnancy, childbirth, and the early postpartum period. Los Angeles County AAIMM Doula program provides doulas services by Black Doulas for Black families.

Group Prenatal — a small prenatal care group of pregnant women with similar due dates led by a clinician.

Home Visitation — assistance to expecting families on their journey through pregnancy and early parenting, delivered by a public health nurse or a parent coach.

Midwives, Maternity Homes and Birth Centers — Important sources of caring, quality support and advocacy.

While agencies and advocates are mounting efforts, we all have an important role. Even if you have no plans of becoming pregnant or parenting in the future, you can still make a difference when it comes to the mental health of childbearing moms.

If you know someone who is pregnant, connect them to a resource to assist them on their journeys. Be a friend and advocate. Take ACTION to show them they have a village —offer to cook/ bring a meal, go with them to their appointments, provide a shoulder to lean on when they are exhausted.

While we work to make this world a less traumatizing place for Black people, we can also take steps to prevent the stress of that trauma from killing our mothers and our babies. We deserve to experience joy, abundance, and beautiful, healthy births. It is our birthright. About the Author

Dr. Melissa Franklin is the Director of maternal, Child and Adolescent Health at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

What Are Schoolteachers Thinking? Report Gives Insights

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

What teachers think and experience in the public education system is explored in a new report by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS).

The report, named “Listen to Your Teacher: An Analysis of Teacher Sentiment on the State of Public Education,” was authored by NAPCS’s vice president of Communications and Marketing, Debbie Veney.

The Harris Poll, a market research and consulting firm, carried out the survey of over 1,200 public schoolteachers from both charter and district schools for the report.

“I think the results of The Harris Poll raises the important point that the teacher’s voice is critical in determining the challenges we face in education, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic,” said Leona Matthews, Senior Director of Literacy Programs for Green Dot Public Schools California.

Green Dot Public Schools is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help transform public education, so all students graduate prepared for college, leadership and life. The U.S. Department of Education has featured Green Dot as a national leader in school turnarounds.

“It makes it clear that charter schools provide the kind of small school, values driven environment that empowers teachers to meet the diverse needs of the students we serve.”

The NAPCS commissioned the survey to gain more insight into the teachers’ experiences, opinions, and motivations for entering, staying in, or leaving the profession.

The research was conducted online from May 10 to May 30, 2023.

“Next to parents, teachers are the backbone of education. It is valuable to have insight into how they feel in today’s climate and find out how we can better support their heroic work in and outside the classroom,” stated Nina Rees, pres-

Black Cultural Zone, Block Inc., Gives Boost to Black Entrepreneurs

By

Daisha Williams Post

Staff Black Cultural Zone (BCZ) and Block Inc., co-opened a space called “Uptown Market: The Best of Oakland” on Thursday, Aug. 17. They have created a free-to-use retail space in order to give small business owners a more expansive market.

Block Inc. is a tech company that owns Uptown Station, a historic building in the heart of downtown Oakland. On the upper floors is office space, and the first floor is home to their Community Hub in addition to Uptown Market.

Located at 1955 Broadway, Block opened Uptown Station in 2020, with the intention of using this space to support entrepreneurs. They’ve been partnering with BCZ since the pandemic, and together, with the creation of this space, they have done just that.

The market is open from Wednesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Every market day there will be multiple stations to shop at as well as a food station. The vendors are rotated every 30 days, so each time someone visits there may be new products to purchase.

The vendors, who were chosen through an application process earlier in the year, all went through a training workshop, with the goal that at the end of their experience with them they will have gained all the skills necessary to open and manage their own storefront.

COVID-19 caused many small businesses to close — especially BIPOC businesses. BCZ and Block are attempting to remedy this, using Uptown Market as a

way to help these businesses get back on their feet and continue to thrive.

“We hope that by the end of the program they will have the knowledge and experience that they can take to scale their business into a brick-and-mortar space — not just Downtown, but in other opportunities of Oakland that Black Cultural Zone is also investing in,” said Jazmine Kelly.

BCZ has been putting on events like these to help strengthen the Black community by circulating the Black dollar since 2014. During the pandemic, they created and regulated Akoma Market to help businesses stay afloat. Since then, they’ve hosted markets at Liberation Park in 7101 Foothill Blvd. in East Oakland.

Carolyn Johnson, CEO of BCZ, talked about why they made the shift from these outdoor markets to Uptown Station:

“A great step for those vendors that are still with us is to give them the opportunity to be in a retail space, to get a sense of what a brick-and-mortar feels like: what it means to deal with your inventory, to get the support you need, the systems you need, and to engage one-on-one with a different group of people that come to downtown Oakland as opposed to East Oakland.”

This market was created with hopes that they would be able to create something more stable and beneficial long-term for businesses, and Uptown Market is the realization of that dream.

VETERANS OF OAKLAND CALIFORNIA

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2727, located in Oakland, CA is seeking new members to join its Post.

Must meet eligibility as follows:

1. Proof of Service by providing a copy of your DD Fm 214

ident and CEO of the NAPCS. “Although we certainly have a special interest in charter schoolteachers, we care deeply about the experience of all public schoolteachers.”

Based on the study, 10 Los Angeles-based Green Dot Public Schools helped students increase proficiency rates in both math and English during the 2022-2023 year. Four schools exceeded their prepandemic proficiency rates.

Charter schools are publicly funded independent schools established by teachers, parents, or community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority.

They are governed under a legislative contract — a charter — with the state, school district, or another entity, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).

In April 2020, the NCES and Institute of Education Sciences released a 71-page report that Black educators were 11% of the teachers in the country’s charter schools during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Overall, Black educators make up 11% of the teachers in city schools but only 5.5% of the teachers in suburban schools and 3.6% in rural schools. The nation’s average of Black educators in the classroom is 6.3%, according to the report.

Veney participated in a podcast focused on the study. She said that the importance of the survey was

to get the 1,211 teachers to provide their perspectives (811 school district teachers and 400 charter school educators).

“This is the most important topic right now facing public education. We’re hearing all these headlines about teacher shortages, teacher resignations, and teacher dissatisfaction,” Veney said. “It really felt like we were not listening enough to what teachers were actually saying about this (or) if there was a lot of talk about teachers but not enough talk to teachers.”

The key data from the survey indicate the following trends:

Teachers Agree Families and Students Should Have Education Choice — About 4 out of 5 teachers agree that regardless of its politicized nature, public school choice is important for both families and teachers (79% of all public schoolteachers; 87% of charter schoolteachers and 78% of district schoolteachers).

Something Has to Change — Public school teachers cite student behavior and discipline issues (74%) as the top challenge they believe teachers currently face, followed by pay (65%).

There’s Something Special About the Experience of Charter Schoolteachers — Eighty percent of charter schoolteachers say they are as or more motivated than when they initially entered the profession (vs. 34% among public school teachers).

Aligning with Culture

Ninety-six percent of charter schoolteachers report feeling aligned with their current school’s culture in terms of values and beliefs about education. About 75% of district schoolteachers feel this way. Keep Politics Out of the Classroom — Teachers say they just want to teach (94%) and report feeling like they are caught in the crossfire of a culture war (91%).

“It amplifies a needed conversation about our educational system, how we can best support teachers, and ultimately our students.” Matthews said of the report.

Charter schools historically serve proportionately more students of color and more students from low-income communities than district schools. For a stretch of 16 years (2005-06 to 2020-21 school years), charter schools have consistently had a higher portion of students of color compared to district schools, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS).

During the 2005-2006 school year, a total of 196,851 students were enrolled in California charter schools, according to data provided by NAPCS. The movement continued each year as enrollment reached 692,783 pupils by the end of the 2020-2021 calendar year.

As of the beginning of the 2022–23 school year, more than 1,300 charter schools and seven all-charter districts are operating in California, according to the California Department of Education (CDE).

Alameda County has 80 charter schools; San Bernardino County has 52; Los Angeles County has 275; San Diego County has 124; Sacramento County has 56; and San Francisco has 16 public charter schools, according to CDE.

“I am really delighted to say that a lot of what we found is consistent and similar across both types of school settings,” said Veney, referring to the charter schools and district schools.

2. Must have been awarded a recognized campaign medal or badge

3. Served in Korea between 30 June 1949 until present, or earned Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay as evidenced by your DD Form 214.

4. Overseas service in hostile areas.

If eligible, Post 2727 will pay the membership fee for the pt 2 years of your membership.

For more eligibility details and to apply, please contact one of the following individuals: Arthur Butler, 253-343-8554, Aumont Phipps 510-677-4843, Al Dean 510-332-2891

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

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Among other things that were revealed in the report was that teachers say they just want to teach (94%) and report feeling like they are caught in the crossfire of a culture war (91%). Photo courtesy California Black Media.

Access

Racist Bomb Threat...

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ing messages followed in the wake of comments by a right-wing social media commentator who denounced the school community for organizing the playdate for families of color at the school.

Chabot Elementary, situated in an affluent Oakland neighborhood, has 560 students: 46% white, 13% Hispanic or Latino, 12% Black, 6% Asian, and 1% Hawaiian. Overall, the school district’s students are 11% white, 20% Black, 46% Latino, and 10% Asian.

Mayor Sheng Thao has committed to maintaining a police presence near the school for the rest of this week, and school district and city leaders, working with the school administration, will hold a community town hall next week.

“I am outraged that our children, educators and neighbors have been targeted by malicious threats,” said Thao. “My office is in contact with Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) as we seek answers. We are monitoring the situation closely”.

District officials mobilized central office staff to offer “coordinated safety and mental health support in place” for students, families, and staff at the school.

At about 8 a.m. on Tuesday, district officials learned of the bomb threat against the school and relocated school’s students and staff to a baseball field next to the school and advised parents who were arriving to take their students home.

“Officers arrived shortly after, secured the campus and conducted a thorough bomb search, before declaring an all-clear for Chabot to reopen (Wednesday),” according to the superintendent’s statement.

The school district informed police about the threatening messages on Monday. OPD learned of the bomb threat Tuesday at about 7:30 a.m. and notified the school’s principal. Because the report came before the beginning of the school day, only about 30 students were on campus, said OPD Capt. Lisa Ausmus, quoted in Oaklandside.

Police officers and dogs from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office searched the school late Tuesday morning before announcing that the school was safe for students and staff to return.

“I will say that the (bomb threat) email has a racial undertone in it,” said Ausmus. “We’re currently investigating that right now. We have asked the FBI, and they’re going to come in and assist us with this investigation.”

Several parents who were involved in the school’s equity and inclusion group, which has been organizing the playdates for families of color at Chabot for the last few years, said that they began receiving hate emails and threats on Sunday after a flyer announcing the playdate was posted on Reddit, according to Oaklandside.

School Boardmember Sam Davis said in an interview with Oaklandside that the playdate “suddenly became a big deal” after the school district received “an inquiry from a conservative news site.”

He said the messages that were posted online about the playdate were “pretty hateful and just deeply offensive and racist. Just really awful stuff.”

In her letter to the school community, Supt. Johnson-Trammell pledged to protect Oakland students and families.

“OUSD remains, as always, committed to the physical safety and emotional well-being of our students, families and educators,” she wrote.

Guy Bluford: First African American in Space

San Diego Supervisor

Nora Vargas Endorses

Barbara Lee ...

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“Supervisor Vargas has been an excellent example of why representation matters,” said Congresswoman Lee. “The lens she brings to the Board as the first Latina Chair has clearly helped inform her work to put families first in San Diego and made her an exceptionally effective representative. I am honored by her support in my campaign for Senate and I am eager to partner with her to deliver progressive change for San Diego.”

Supervisor Vargas joins a growing list of high-profile current and former elected officials from around the state who have endorsed Lee’s campaign for Senate, including five of the eight statewide constitutional officers - Attorney General Rob Bonta, Treasurer Fiona Ma, Controller Malia Cohen, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

Other national and California endorsers of Lee’s campaign include Congressmembers Jamaal Bowman, Sheila Jackson Lee, Steven Horsford, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Troy Carter, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Nikema Williams, Jim Clyburn, Bennie Thompson, Lucy McBath, Terri Sewell, and Gregory Meeks; former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Cedric Richmond, former Georgia General Assembly House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams; State Senators Susan Talamantes Egg-

Reform Advocates

Applaud Alameda County DA...

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ports the goal of ending all youth transfers, interrupting the juvenileto-adult prison pipeline by prioritizing youth rehabilitation in ageappropriate settings.

Many Alameda County youth are traumatized by a multitude of issues such as parents experiencing loss of employment, housing, and health care, inadequate educational support, the incarceration and deportation of loved ones, and intergenerational poverty.

Youth of color, especially Black and Brown youth, are disproportionately transferred to adult court in Alameda County. Ninety-seven percent of all adult prosecutions of youth in the county from 2006 to 2018 were youth of color, the press statement said.

“All youth are sacred, and young people should be seen for more than their worst mistakes,” said J.

Thao Promotes Community Initiatives ...

Continued from page 1

neighborhoods today.

man, Anna Caballero and Nancy Skinner; Assemblymembers Isaac Bryan, Mia Bonta and Corey Jackson; Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran, Redlands Mayor Eddie Tejeda, Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson, former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Karina Quintanilla, Dolores Huerta, California Democratic Party Asian Pacific Islander Caucus Chair Deepa Sharma, California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus Chair Emeritus Amar Shergill, California Democratic Party LGBTQ Caucus Co-Chair Emeritus Tiffany Woods. A full list of endorsements is available at barbaraleeforCA.com.

Lee also has the backing of the Alameda County Building and Construction Trades Council, the California Legislative Black Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Feminist Majority PAC, Black Women Organized for Political Action PAC, Higher Heights for America, the San Diego County Young Democrats, Gen Z for Change, and the Working Families Party.

There are currently no Black women serving in the U.S. Senate. Since 1789, when the first Congress met, only two African American women have been in the Senate, serving a total of 10 years.

For more information on Barbara Lee and her campaign for U.S. Senate, visit www.BarbaraLeeforCA.com

Vasquez, policy and legal services manager at Communities United for Restorative Justice (CURYJ). “We should instead invest finite county resources into communitydriven solutions that hold youth accountable without causing them, their families, and our communities long-term harm.”

The Alameda County DA Accountability Table is a coalition of Bay Area community-based organizations committed to addressing root causes of violence, ending mass incarceration, police accountability, and eliminating racism from the criminal legal system.

The table members include: ACLU of Northern California, Urban Peace Movement, CURYJ, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, East Bay Community Law Center, The Justice Reinvestment Coalition, Alameda Participatory Defense Hub, Anti Police-Terror Project Policy Advocacy Clinic at UC Berkeley School of Law, and Oakland Rising.

‘An Archeology of Silence’ Exhibit at De Young Museum is Something to Talk About

Artist Kehinde Wiley captures the sadness of unjustified deaths of youth in his collection “An Archaeology of Silence” at the de Young Museum. Photo by Daisha Williams.

By Daisha Williams Post Staff

Kehinde Wiley’s new exhibit

“An Archeology of Silence” made its U.S. premiere at the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco. The exhibit, which opened in March, runs through Oct. 18, and is free to all Bay Area residents on weekends.

According to his website, Kehinde Wiley is an American artist born in Los Angeles in 1977 and is best known for his portraits that render people of color in the traditional settings of Old Master paintings.

The recipient of the U.S. Department of State’s Medal of Arts, Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Medal, and France’s distinction of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, Wiley earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute, his website reveals.

In 2018, Wiley became the first African American artist to paint a presidential portrait when he was selected by former president Barack Obama.

Wiley created “An Archeology of Silence” during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the death of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25, 2020.

Wiley’s 25 works include sculptures and paintings large and small.

Walking through the exhibit feels surreal. Wiley has effectively captured the beauty of Blackness in the face of tragedy: the works evoke feelings of sadness, helplessness and admiration. The rooms are silent, except for occasional whispering, though there is a guided audio tour available while browsing the exhibit.

The paintings are vibrant and brightly colored, consistent with Wiley’s established art style. The room otherwise is dark, causing the paintings to stand out, shining a light on the way that Black bod-

ies are often only really seen in the wake of their deaths.

Especially now, in the age of technology, people are able to view traumatizing acts of hatred inflicted on Black people by simply turning on the television. Wiley states, “That is the archaeology I am unearthing: the specter of police violence and state control over the bodies of young Black and Brown people all over the world.”

For the premiere of this exhibit to be in the Bay Area feels fitting, in part because of the vibrant Black community that lives here, and also due to the fact that the Bay has seen its fair share of violence inflicted upon Black bodies.

Thomas P. Campbell, director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, states:

“Utilizing the historical visual language of the dying hero, Wiley’s portraits of Black youths render visible previously obscured victims and survivors of systemic violence. In the Bay Area — a place that has resisted violence against Black people, as evidenced in the Black Power movement and the current Black Lives Matter movement — Wiley’s work has deep resonances. They ask each of us, how are we implicated? And how do we take action?”

In collaboration with Live Free USA, Wiley will continue his series of conversations associated with the exhibit at 1 p.m. on Sept. 16, this time discussing reparations. The event is free with seating in Koret Auditorium on a first-come, firstserved basis. It does not include access to the exhibit.

From San Francisco, the collection will travel to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from Nov. 19, 2023, to June 19, 2024; Pérez Art Museum in Miami from July 26, 2024 – Jan. 12, 2025, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art from Feb. 22–June 22, 2025.

Dr. Col. Guion Stewart Bluford Jr. Image courtesy of NASA.

By Jennifer Levasseur, Vickie Lindsey and Amy Stamm

Forty years ago, on Aug. 30, 1983, Guy Bluford flew into history as the first Black American in space.

Despite launch delays totaling six weeks, the spectacular first night launch of a Space Shuttle brought full circle NASA’s promise of a more inclusive astronaut corps.

Following Sally Ride (America’s first female astronaut) by just two months, Bluford’s spaceflight aboard Space Shuttle Challenger provided another visible moment when more young people could see and be inspired by people like themselves flying into space.

Bluford served as a mission specialist on the STS-8 mission and his jobs were to deploy an Indian communications-weather satellite, perform biomedical experiments and test the orbiter’s 50foot robotic arm.

Following that first mission, he flew three more times to space on STS-61A, STS-39, and STS-53. By the time of his retirement from NASA in 1993, Bluford had spent more than 28 days in space over the four missions.

At the time of his first mission, Bluford was a 40-year-old Air Force officer with a doctorate in

aerospace engineering.

Reluctant to be in the spotlight, his goal was not to make history, but fly into space, do his job, and return safely.

Growing up in a middle-class household in the 1950s and 1960s with educated parents (his mother was a teacher, and his father was a mechanical engineer), Bluford was raised to believe that he could do anything he wanted despite racist social restrictions.

He enjoyed math and science particularly in school. Ignoring the advice of his high school advisor to learn a trade or skill, Bluford went on to college to earn his undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering at Penn State University in 1964, also finishing as a distinguished Air Force ROTC graduate.

After his decades of service to the aerospace community in a variety of roles, having spoken dozens of times about his astronaut career and work in aviation, Dr. Guion Bluford was recently appointed by President Joseph Biden as a member of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Advisory Board.

Editor’s note: Jennifer Levasseur, Vickie Lindsey and Amy Stamm are writers for a NASA

“$50 million is a lot of money, but I believe that’s a drop in bucket for many generations that have been left out,” said Mayor Thao. This is the beginning of what we call community safety,’” Mayor Thao said.

She said that much more money is needed and will be raised to deliver these promises. “Many foundations have said they want to support Oakland, and I say, ‘Put your money where your mouth is.,” she said.

Part of this project will be to assure that residents have adequate housing, she said. “If you don’t have housing, you’re going to be unsafe; I know this because I have been unhoused.”

Mayor Thao also pledged to deliver on an initiative to provide educational opportunities for young people, introducing what she called her “legacy project,” the Transitional Age Youth Hub, or TAY-Hub.

The goal of the project is “to invest in young people so in the future they are able to have good paying jobs so they can continue … being here for generations.”

“Imagine a college campus with housing, technical training, counselors, facilities with childcare, so you don’t have to worry about daily needs so you can be successful,” she said.

The idea for this campus was developed by people at Camp Sweeney, “an institution for young people that many institutions have given up on,” said the mayor.

While the plan for the youth hub did not start with her, she said, “I’m going to lead the way to make sure it happens.”