Oakland Post, week of April 12 - 18, 2023

Former DA O’Malley was repeatedly warned about police officer Tran paying witnesses... Page 9

Oakland Post

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

Weekly Edition. April 12 - 18, 2023

COMMENTARY: Black and Asian, Oakland Native Justin Jones Embodies Unity in Tennessee Statehouse Showdown

By Emil Guillermo

Since it happened over the Easter holiday, the parallel cannot be overlooked. Resurrection was in the air. Just five days after his political death, Oakland native Justin Jones, the newly minted voice of the voiceless, an advocate for an assault-weapons ban and an overall generational change for a more inclusive democracy in America, was not just back in the Tennessee state house–to all the world, he was also Black.

Again.

The Associated Press headline was pretty unequivocal.

“Black lawmaker who was expelled reinstated to Tennessee seat,” blared the online Yahoo news site.

The lede was even clearer.

“One of two Black Democrats who were expelled last week from the GOP-led Tennessee House was reinstated Monday after Nashville’s governing council voted to send him straight back to the Legislature.”

Great, but only partially right.

Lester Holt on NBC Nightly News gave it a crack, but alas, he

too fell short.

In “that political drama in Tennessee late today,” the anchor declared on the network’s evening news: “The Nashville Council voted to reinstate one of the Black state lawmakers expelled last week over protests….”

All that was great. But when it comes to Jones’ race, Lester was only half correct.

Jones isn’t just Black. He’s also Filipino by his mother’s side. He’s Justin Shea Bautista Jones, who grew up in Oakland and in the East Bay. And he fully embraces his Filipino-ness. As mentioned in his campaign collateral, Jones is as proud of his Filipino heritage as he is of his African side.

He’s a mixed-race Asian American.

No big deal? I’m making it one.

We all should see Jones’ Asian American Filipino side.

If Jones and his fellow expelled legislator, Justin Pearson, are all about inclusion, youth, and bringing in all the people from the margins to be seen and heard, then why just outright ignore Jones’ Filipino/ Asian American side?

Continued on page 12

Job Fair for the Formerly Incarcerated on April 26

ployment.

The job fair organizers anticipate that there will be more than 1,000 registered job seekers.

The objective of the job fair is to provide local businesses with the opportunity to meet highly skilled, but often overlooked, candidates face-to-face and offer jobs on the spot!!!

By Ken Epstein

Supporters of Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, a revered downtown entertainment venue, and its owner, highly respected Oakland leader and community advocate Geoffrey Pete, want to block city approval for a 27-story office tower adjacent to Geoffrey’s and in the midst of Oakland’s Black Arts Movement and Business District (BAM).

Protesters came out in force at a recent Planning Commission meeting, taking the members to task for considering the proposal by out-of-town developer Tidewater Capital.

Some of the issues at stake were laid out at the meeting by Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, one of 26 speakers at the April 5 public hearing.

“The development (Tidewater) is proposing a direct threat to Geoffrey’s Inner Circle. The Black Arts Movement and Business District needs parking, galleries, a coffee shop, signage to commemorate Black Oaklanders – it needs all those things,” Miley said.

“Geoffrey’s used to be the Athenian Niles Club, where the Republican white male estab-

lishment would meet. African Americans were excluded, there was racial bias,” Miley continued. “Eventually Geoffrey purchased that place. Geoffrey’s means a lot

In recognition of National Reentry Month, the Alameda County Social Services Agency (ACSSA), in partnership with the Oakland Private Industry Council, Alameda County Probation Department, and the Alameda County Workforce Development Board, is hosting a Fair Chance Job and Resource Fair on Wed., April 26, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at RingCentral Coliseum, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland.

To date, there are more than 75 employers and community-based organizations confirmed to participate in assisting the formerly incarcerated population to find em-

Candidates who receive a contingent offer and pass employer pre-screening requirements will have the opportunity to “Ring the Bell,” signifying “I got the job!!”

This small but powerful act has been added to motivate, inspire and create excitement to drive the momentum of the event.

There will also be on-site drug screening, assistance with California state IDs, live scan fingerprinting, music, stylists, barbers, and more. This event is open to all job seekers. For more information, please contact Rochelle Baxter Green, ACSSA by email-rbgreen@ acgov.org.

Lake

By Post News Staff

Last Sunday, approximately 200 people came to Lake Merritt’s Amphitheater to shift energy in Oakland, where, after a 12% dip in violence in 2022, the city has seen an unprecedented number of car break-ins and crimes of opportunity in 2023.

Event organizer Tanya Dennis said that though she had expected

to us who live in Oakland and have been here for a long, long time. It’s symbolic.”

Tidewater Capital has submitted two alternate development proposals – one for an office tower and another for a residential tower– to the Planning Commission to build on the parking lot at 1431 Franklin St., directly behind Geoffrey’s at 410 14th St.

The proposed 39-story residential building was approved by the Planning Commission in February and but was held up awaiting an appeal hearing at City Council. The other proposal for the 27-sto-

ry office tower was heard by commissioners on April 5, but the final decision was postponed until May 17.

During discussion, planning commissioners acknowledged they went through the entire design review process for the building without knowing that the BAM district existed. The district was created in 2016 by City Council resolution but never implemented by city staff.

Oakland filmmaker Cheryl Fabio told commissioners she made a documentary on local blues music venues. “(Geoffrey’s) is the only surviving establishment. You’re killing off the last piece of it,” she said.

“There is a conversation here about the good of Oakland, and there’s a conversation that you’re putting a man out of business.”

Kitty Epstein, professor of urban studies and education and a

a larger crowd based on commitments voiced by several groups, the shared mission by Adamika Village and Oakland Frontline Healers to bring peacekeepers together to pray and reflect for peace in Oakland was a success.

Members of Adamika Village held signs with images of deceased loved ones lost to violence, COV-

Oakland born Tennessee Legislator Justin Jones is Afro-Asian.

Pete’s Inner Circle could be Encircled by another high-rise high rent Tidewater Tower

born in Oakland.

Oakland leader and community advocate Geoffrey Pete

Calif. Black Chamber of Commerce Is Helping to Expand Broadband Access

SB 2 would make 21 the required age to apply for a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW), although existing state legislation restricts the sales of pistols to people under 21. A system of appeals would also be created for people initially denied the permit.

As Nation Mourns, California Debates Concealed Firearm Laws

By Maxim Elramsisy California Black Media

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

The California Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC) is joining hands with state government to help narrow the Golden State’s Digital Divide for nearly two million houses without access to broadband.

In partnership with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Department of Technology (CDT), the CBCC will help push the state’s Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative — a $3.25 billion effort to enhance internet connectivity --under the “Broadband Technology Small Business Initiative.”

The initiative was created to provide a durable, open-access network that would bring high-speed broadband service to unserved and underserved communities, regardless of technology used, on equal economic and service terms.

“We are the lead agency working with Caltrans,” said Jay King, the President and CEO of CBCC. “We’re front of the line making sure small businesses are included, matchmaking is taking place, and that we meet the goal and the deadline of making sure that every Californian has access to digital connections.”

The initiative connects CBCC’s statewide membership of 5, 500plus small African American business firms and non-Black entities to the benefits of broadband technology, according to King.

The state also allows small businesses to bid as contractors for projects related to strengthening broadband connections to improve access to education, health services and employment opportunities throughout the state.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), in 2020, 10% of California residents reported not having a desktop, laptop, or other computing device at home.

In addition to a lack of functional units for computation, access was especially limited among

April 2023

OCCUR Recognizes Financial Literacy Month

low-income (23%), less-educated (16%), Black (15%), and Latino (15%) households, PPIC presented in its June 2022 fact sheet.

So far, California has invested $6 billion through the legislation that created the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative, Senate Bill (SB) 156. The legislation, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in 2021, expands broadband infrastructure, addresses affordability, and promotes digital literacy. California will receive approximately $100 million more to enhance its broadband infrastructure through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Middle-mile refers to the fiber optic infrastructure that makes internet connections possible by transmitting large amounts of data over long distances at high speeds through high-capacity cables. The complete design features a proposed system of 10,000 miles of infrastructure, covering the entire state.

Although federal dollars are involved in the project, King stated that state projects are “race neutral” to stay in compliance with California’s Prop 209 law that prohibits “preferential treatment” based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

“We know the importance (of closing the gap) not just in the Black community but in all marginalized communities,” King said. “The digital divide will only continue to hurt our country and state if we don’t ensure that everybody has full access to the digital world.”

CBCC’s Director of Small Business Willard “Will” McClure said that the design and construction of the middle-mile network is monitored by the Middle-Mile Advisory Committee (MMAC). The MMAC monitors the development and construction.

According to McClure, the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), an organization providing leadership in expanding broadband access statewide, offers “five strategies” to close the

OCCUR is celebrating our 3rd year of free Financial Literacy Training during Financial Literacy Month — April 2023! We understand how difficult it can be to manage money — particularly for modest-income households. Our virtual program is especially designed to address how to overcome financial stumbling blocks, and institute new money management practices that have proven to be incredibly effective.

digital divide. These include Civic Leader Engagement, Venture Philanthropy Grantmaking, Public Policy Initiatives, Public Awareness and Education, and Strategic Partnerships.

CETF’s network of more than 100 grantees have delivered digital literacy training to more than 800,000 residents and has assisted in providing internet connections to more than 250,000 low-income households in rural and remote areas, urban disadvantaged neighborhoods, and people with disabilities.

McClure said that the MiddleMile project will be completely implemented by December 2026 but the work to close the gap really starts after the last fiber optic is installed. All participants must be “logged on with confidence,” he said.

“Once the access is available the problem is not over,” McClure said. “There’s confidence that comes with getting people to understand how to use it. Grandma doesn’t know how to download ZOOM.”

Last month, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel joined Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to announce the campaign to increase enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program in Los Angeles at the Pio Pico-Koreatown Branch Library.

Qualifying households are eligible for a discount of up to $30 a month for internet service and discounts on devices through the Affordable Connectivity Program. The households can also get a onetime discount of up to $100 to buy a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from qualifying providers.

“For many households, the cost of groceries, gas and rent can eat up the monthly budget, putting internet access out of reach,” Rosenworcel said. “We want to do more to get out the word about this powerful program and reach families that may not know about this benefit.”

typically exceeds emergency savings. As of December 2022, 69% of Americans reported having less than $1,000 in savings. That means they were nowhere close to having a complete emergency fund, and they’re taking a very big chance with their finances. More concerningly, 45% of Americans say they have $0 in savings.

On March 28, one day after three children and three adults were shot at the Covenant School, a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tenn., the California Senate Public Safety Committee heard arguments for and against Senate Bill (SB) 2, legislation proposing enhancements to California’s existing concealed carry permit law.

“God bless the families of those little kids,” said the bill’s author, Sen. Anthony Portantino (DBurbank) at the hearing. “Gun violence inflicts a terrible toll on our communities. Last year, nearly 20,000 people were killed in gunrelated homicides in the United States. To put that in perspective, it’s enough people to fill 40 Boeing 747s, and sadly, the number keeps rising.”

SB 2 would make 21 the required age to apply for a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW), although existing state legislation restricts the sales of pistols to people under 21. A system of appeals would also be created for people initially denied the permit.

The bill would also limit where people can carry firearms, creating locations called “sensitive sites” where guns would be prohibited. Property owners of sites where guns are off limits would have the authority to allow guns if they choose.

California’s prior concealed carry permit law, which required that applicants show reason for needing to carry a concealed firearm, was deemed unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court last year in the case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.

In a 6-3 vote, the high court’s conservative majority ruled that “may-issue” systems, like those used in New York, California and three other states using “arbitrary” evaluations of need, made by local authorities, are unconstitutional.

States are, however, allowed to enforce “shall-issue” permitting, where applicants for concealed carry permits must satisfy certain objective criteria, such as passing a background check.

able foundation can enable us to provide for our future and help support those we care about. A 2023 Stash.com survey reported that 90% of Americans want to invest, but almost half don’t know where to start!

“Bruen affirmed the ability of states to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals and out of certain sensitive places. With SB 2, California does just that,” said Portantino.

“It provides objective, reasonable guidance that prevents CCW permits from being issued to dangerous individuals and provides a list of places where weapons may not be carried,” he continued. “The presence of firearms in public increases the dangers of intentional or accidental gun violence—at the workplace, at the movies, or on the road.”

One study showed that states with permissive right-to-carry laws experience 29% more workplace homicides than states with more restrictive licensing requirements.

During the hearing, opposition came from handfuls of law enforcement groups, particularly from the southern part of the state, including the Los Angeles Police Officers Association and the Orange County Sheriffs Association.

“Addressing Bruen in this way is unnecessarily complicated and overly burdensome,” said California State Sheriffs’ Association Legislative Director Cory Salzillo. “Given what we’ve seen in other states, it is likely to be challenged and probably overturned in whole or in part.”

In the nation’s most populous county, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department (LASD) is responsible for taking applications and issuing CCWs. Though the Sheriff did not endorse the bill publicly, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors did, and in a written statement to California Black Media (CBM) the LASD appeared to tacitly support the bill.

“Recently, several of our California government leaders have joined together to announce new gun legislation which would enhance gun safety laws in California,” the statement said. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has partnered with the Board of Supervisors on the added gun safety measures and how we can bring awareness to the communities we serve.”

Before the hearing, CBM

ing their options and taking action.

asked Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna about the proposed bill.

“I believe we have to change the status quo when it comes to guns because there’s way too much gun violence,” he said. “I don’t want to take guns away from legal gun owners, but I always believe that there has to be a path to doing it right.”

The threat of legal challenges is almost certain.

“Any law that we passed through the Legislature, someone can bring a challenge to. That’s not a unique circumstance. This bill will probably be challenged,” said Portantino.

“But do we believe it’s constitutional? Absolutely. We looked at the Bruen decision as a roadmap to create a constitutionally sound approach. The Supreme Court said you can’t be arbitrary, so this bill is not arbitrary, Portantino asserted.

It’s creating concrete criteria of who should and shouldn’t be eligible to get this responsibility of having a concealed carry permit, that’s consistent with the Supreme Court,” Portantino said.

“The Supreme Court said you can have prohibited places. This bill has prohibited places that make sense,” he said.

The Bill was advanced through the committee after a 4-1 vote and will next be heard on April 10 by the Committee on Appropriations.

In 2022, California Gov. Gavin Newsom endorsed Senate Bill (SB) 918, also authored by Portantino with provisions similar to SB 2. That bill failed to pass in the Legislature.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill last week making the Sunshine State the 25th state to allow concealed carry with virtually no extra permitting or stipulations.

Newsom, who spent time in Florida during the week, strongly criticized the action. “Don’t be fooled by the @GOP lies. Permitless carry does not make you safer. States with open carry laws have higher gun violence rates,” Newsom said on Twitter.

By Charla Montgomery

A little over 38% of American households earning between $40,000 and $75,000 a year spend outside of their financial limits using credit cards as a means of support. Most often the credit debt is carried for multiple years, and

According to the 2022 Schroders US Retirement Survey, just 22% of people approaching retirement age said they have enough money to maintain a comfortable standard of living, which is down from 26% a year ago. This means that 78% will barely be able to make ends meet, if that. Building wealth or a financially comfort-

It’s a common belief that “wealth building” only applies to those who already earn a high income, which can be very discouraging — but this isn’t true! Acquiring and maintaining a savings can be done, but it typically takes patience, perseverance, selfdiscipline, and occasionally a few deep breaths! Many people have been able to alter their circumstances and move in an upward financial direction just from learn-

Unfortunately, we will continue to see our economy fluctuate without warning, which can set financial plans back months or even longer. The good news is there are effective methods and resources that can help you build financial protection to get you through unexpected events outside of your control.

There will be 3 in-depth topic sessions: “Money Mind-Set & Management”, “Credit Building & Management”, and “Banking & Investment” instructed by financial management expert, educator, and author of “The #BuildWealth Challenge”, Jasper Smith. The topic sessions will conclude

with a Q&A session with various financial professionals. As an added bonus, OCCUR will offer those who register and attend all 3 sessions a chance to win a free copy of Smith’s book, or a $150.00 mini-grant toward opening a new investment account (*special rules apply).

Join us virtually April 24 - 27 2023 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. PST. For more information and to register, visit occurnow.org/financial-literacy. If you have any questions, email info@occurnow.org.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to achieve financial stability!

“We’re front of the line making sure small businesses are included, matchmaking is taking place, and that we meet the goal and the deadline of making sure that every Californian has access to digital connections,” said Jay King, the President and CEO of CBCC.

COMMENTARY: Ensuring Our Right to Invest in the Next Generation’s Future

By Ben Jealous

If a public opinion poll done last month is right, more than half of you won’t know what I mean by the initials “ESG,” and fewer than one in 10 will understand what they mean for financial markets. But listening to some self-interested politicians, many of whom have ties to our dirtiest industries, you’d think ESG was a significant threat to the American way of life.

For the record, ESG refers to responsible investing that considers companies’ environmental, social, and governance practices. That’s actually something most Americans support. More than half of us think financial managers should be allowed to consider environmental factors, climate threats, and the risk involved in fossil fuels’ future and that states should invest public retirement funds in clean energy. More than eight in 10 of us who in-

vest for ourselves want sustainable options for our savings, Morgan Stanley reported.

In economics class, we called that demand.

In his 2022 annual letter to CEOs, Larry Fink, chairman of the world’s largest investment adviser BlackRock, called it “stakeholder” capitalism. “It is capitalism, driven by mutually beneficial relationships between you and the employees, customers, suppliers, and communities your company relies on to prosper. This is the power of capitalism,” he wrote, adding, “We focus on sustainability not because we’re environmentalists, but because we are capitalists and fiduciaries to our clients. That requires understanding how companies are adjusting their businesses for the massive changes the economy is undergoing.”

Perversely, Fink has been pil-

loried by right-wing politicians as a green ideologue when his firm claims to be the largest single investor in fossil fuel companies on the planet. These same politicians are trying to prohibit this kind of responsible investing through state and federal laws.

They argue they are fighting for free market capitalism when really they are limiting investors’ freedom to choose and the information that they need to make decisions. It’s not free markets, it’s political pressure.

The costs of these mistaken and misrepresented policies are real. Economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania determined that within eight months of Texas passing a law that prevented local governments from using five of the largest bond underwriters taxpayers would pay $300-$500

million more on $31.8 billion those governments wanted to borrow. That amounts to about a 1% tax on that debt. Not to mention the banks cut out of the Texas market have Texas employees whose companies can no longer compete in their state.

Fortunately, some public officials are insisting that they be allowed to shape portfolios in ways that are fiscally sound precisely because they consider environmental impacts. I was in New York City last week for an announcement by city Comptroller Brad Lander and the trustees of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System and the Teachers Retirement System of their plan to reach net zero pollution from emissions in their investment portfolios by 2040.

“If the cynical war of political distraction waged by red-state politicians at the behest of their fossil-fuel donors deters us,” Lander predicted, “we will sacrifice our opportunity to maximize longterm investment returns along with millions of lives and trillions of dollars of global investment.”

Opponents of this responsible approach to investing derisively label it “woke” because they know that term creates confusion and for some fear. So, it’s a perfect wedge to divide us. If anything, they need to wake up to the idea that Americans want to pass on a safer, healthier planet powered by abundant energy to our children and our grandchildren. We want to put our money where our aspirations are.

Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club, the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. He is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free,” published in January.

Survey: Black Professionals’ Ability to Focus Disproportionately Affected by Rising Cost of Living, Health Concerns

Louis Brody, the “Exotic” German

About 9.5% of respondents were Black knowledge workers, and the authors called it disheartening to see that they’re disproportionately affected by the ever-rising costs of living. Photo: iStockphoto

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black

Media

Black workers prioritize their mental well-being more than any other racial group, according to a survey by the employment platform Oyster.

The platform surveyed more than 2,500 desk-based – or socalled knowledge – employees and found that more than 58% of Black workers globally chose their mental well-being as their top priority.

Asian respondents came in second at 37.7%.

“Bearing the brunt of systemic racism, prejudice, and societal injustice, perhaps Black knowledge workers must put more energy into protecting their mental health and can less afford to spend it elsewhere,” the report stated.

Study authors found the ability of Black knowledge workers to focus has suffered because of external factors like the rising cost of living and health concern, particularly in America, Western Europe,

and Canada.

For instance, 60.1% of Black workers struggle with the cost of living, the survey found.

About 9.5% of respondents were Black knowledge workers, and the authors called it disheartening to see that they’re disproportionately affected by the everrising costs of living.

“In fact, Black workers are more affected by pretty much every category than other racial groups, notably by global health concerns – 41.6% of Black work-

By Tamara Shiloh

Born M’bebe Mpessa in the German colony of Cameroon, Louis Brody (1892–1951) won over audiences during the early twentieth century as a prominent actor and musician. He appeared in over 30 films and eventually became the highest-paid Black actor within the German filmmaking industry.

Brody’s ability to survive during the Nazi era was considered “astonishing.” He was able to escape treatment common to nonGermans at that time: deportation, sterilization, mob lynching, and concentration camps. When the Nazi government denationalized him through the 1935 Reich Citizenship Law, he avoided persecution by acquiring French citizenship.

Throughout his life, Brody fought to improve the social conditions in Germany. He cofound the African Relief Organization (1918) in Hamburg. As spokesman, he decried racial discrimination and the violence and mistreatment of Blacks. His expressed views and opin-

In several films, he impersonated Arabs, Malays, Indians, Moroccans, and Chinese. In fact, his calling card read: “Performer of all exotic roles on the stage and in film.”

While performing as a musician and wrestler, photos of Brody “exuded the energy of exoticism and racism seen in his film career.” According to German publications, Brody “couldn’t simply be an actor, musician, or wrestler; he had to be a Black actor, musician, and wrestler.” His career as an actor therefore faced significant obstacles, specifically with the subsequent rise of Hitler and the Nazi regime.

Little has been recorded about his early life in Cameroon (then Kamerun). He attended the German colonial school in Douala, where he learned to speak German. It is believed that he arrived in Berlin sometime between 1907 and 1914. He reportedly worked at several odd and low-paying jobs before landing an acting role. What motivated him to relocate there remains unknown.

As the German film industry expanded post-war, Brody took

ers (compared to 14.8% of white workers) were very concerned about this, compared office in many cases, against their will,” the authors wrote.

But nothing came close to spiraling living costs and personal concerns when factoring in the top external stressors, which the authors said was true across genders and geographies.

White workers reported being least affected in nearly every category – an example of privilege in

ions during the fight for racial equality led him to the German Section of the League for Defense of the Negro Race. Brody also protested the propaganda unleashed against French colonial soldiers stationed in the Rhineland after World War I. Still, he needed to support himself.

Brody played parts in several German propaganda films throughout the war period: African chiefs and stereotypical roles such as servants, porters, and sailors. During World War II, he starred in 14 films including two that, according to Brody’s critics, “advanced Nazi propaganda and were inherently anti-Semitic.”

Yet Brody was a skilled and versatile actor.

on supporting roles, most notably in the 1921 film “The Weary Death.” He also played the villainous Moor in the 1926 colonial film “I Had a Comrade.” By 1930, he had become the most visible Black actor working in German cinema. But the rise of Nazism would curtail his career.

Brody’s career slowed post war. Still, his life of advocacy for Black Germans and fame in cinema paved the way for other Blacks to gather acclaim within German culture.

Read more about Black Germans during the Third Reich in “Other Germans: Black Germans and the Politics of Race, Gender, and Memory in the Third Reich,” by Tina M. Campt.

Louis Brody (Fair use image)

Ben Jealous

Portrait of Cameroonian actor Louis Brody (1892–1952) by Yva (Else Ernestine Neuländer-Simon).

California Black Media Weekly News Roundup Stories You

By Tanu Henry California Black Media

White House Approves Storm Recovery Support for California

Communities

Last week, the White House approved major disaster support for California’s recovery from a series of severe storms that have battered the state.

According to a White House press release, the emergency aid is to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides beginning on Feb. 21, 2023, and continuing.”

Gov. Newsom said California’s first responders have already been deployed to hard-hit areas of the state where the need for recovery aid is most urgent.

“We are committed to supporting our communities over the long haul and thank the Biden Administration for their continued partnership,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “The Presidential Major Disaster Declaration will help Californians in impacted counties through eligibility for several programs and supports that can include housing assistance, food aid, counseling, and medical and legal services.”

The federal funds will benefit people impacted in Kern, Mariposa, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Tulare, and Tuolumne counties, according to the governor.

To apply for assistance, residents and business owners in the impacted counties can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 TTY.

Pilot Program May Bring Speed Cameras to 6 California Cities

A bill making its way through the California Assembly is proposing a five-year pilot program that would temporarily legalize speed enforcement cameras in six California cities: Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach and San Francisco.

Introduced by Assemblymembers Phil Ting (D-San Francisco)

Special Agents do on behalf of the people of California,” said Bonta. “These brave agents are rarely in the spotlight, but they are working every day to prevent gun violence from ever happening by removing dangerous weapons from communities.”

According to the report, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) made significant progress over the course of 2022 identifying people who own guns illegally and recovering weapons in their possession.

“DOJ recovered 1,437 firearms — including 712 handguns, 360 rifles, 194 shotguns, 80 assault weapons, 54 ghost guns, 43 receivers or frames, 3 short-barreled shotguns, and one machine gun,” read a DOJ press release. “Agents also seized 308 large-capacity magazines, 2,123 standard capacity magazines, and 281,299 rounds of ammunition through APPS enforcement actions. As of January 1, 2023, there were 3,347,221 known registered firearm owners in California of which 23,869 are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms, making up less than 1%.”

Federal Judge: Health Insurance Companies Don’t Have to Cover Preventive Care Services

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire

In a big blow to health insurance in the U.S., a federal judge has ruled that insurers no longer have to pay for preventive care services like cancer and heart disease screenings.

of the Northern District of Texas has effectively invalidated this provision of the ACA.

In his ruling, Judge O’Connor wrote that the ACA’s requirement for insurers to cover preventative care services “exceeds the powers of Congress under the Commerce Clause” of the U.S. Constitution.

“This case is yet another attack on the Affordable Care Act –which has been the law of the land for 13 years and survived three challenges before the Supreme Court.”

Jean-Pierre continued:

and Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), Assembly Bill (AB) 645 to encourage safe driving and lower the incidents of car crashes that result in injuries or death.

“My city of San Francisco is committed to reducing traffic fatalities to zero,” Ting said in a

press release explaining the proposal. “More than 70% of our city’s fatalities occur on just 12% of our streets.”

Legislations similar to AB 645 have met resistance both at the local and state level from privacy advocates who argue that the remote cameras will be intrusive and law enforcement organizations who fear automating that function would eliminate police officer jobs.

California Releases Report on Gun Owner Tracking System

Last week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a program report on the state’s Prohibited Persons System (APPS), the only resource of its kind in the United States created to track registered firearm owners whose rights to possess guns have been revoked authorities.

Launched in 2006, the Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS) database identifies gun owners who have fallen into prohibited status, including people convicted of felonies or violent misdemeanors and others under restraining orders for domestic violence or other offenses.

“I’m proud of the work our

in Tennessee

California Leaders Condemn Expulsion of Black Lawmakers

The Republican Majority in the Tennessee House of Representatives took the unprecedented move last week to expel two Black Democratic lawmakers, former Rep. Justin Jones and former Rep. Justin Pearson, for protesting for gun control during session.

The decision, which was widely criticized – even by members of the GOP – was met with widespread condemnation across the country, including several prominent Black leaders in California.

The ruling comes as a result of a lawsuit brought by a group of insurers who argued that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exceeded its authority by requiring them to cover certain preventative care services without being able to charge co-payments or deductibles.

The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, was signed into law in 2010 to make it easier for millions of Americans to get health insurance.

One of the law’s key provisions was the requirement that insurance companies cover certain preventative care services without cost-sharing, including immunizations, blood pressure screenings, and mammograms.

However, the recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor

The ruling is likely to significantly affect health insurance in the U.S., especially for people who already have health problems like cancer or heart disease.

If insurance companies weren’t required to cover preventive care services, patients might be less likely to get the screenings and tests that could catch these health problems early.

Experts said this could lead to serious health problems and higher healthcare costs.

“The President is glad to see the Department of Justice is appealing the judge’s decision, which blocks a key provision of the Affordable Care Act that has ensured free access to preventive health care for 150 million Americans,” White

“Preventive care saves lives, saves families money, and protects and improves our health. Because of the ACA, millions of Americans have access to free cancer and heart disease screenings. This decision threatens to jeopardize critical care.

“The Administration will continue to fight to improve health care and make it more affordable for hard-working families, even in the face of attacks from special interests.”

Critics of the ruling include healthcare advocacy groups and politicians. They say it will make it more complicated and expensive for millions of Americans to get health insurance. In a statement, Dr. Patrice Harris, president of the

The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) issued a statement.

“Our 12-member body of Black legislators representing Black Californians boldly stand with our Tennessee state legislative colleagues in the national fight to end the illegal use of guns and the devastating violence it brings onto our communities and families,” said CLBC Chair, Assemblymember Lori Wilson (DSuisun).

CLBC Vice Chair Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) says he and his Black colleagues in the California Legislature would take the same approach.

“We are in solidarity with the two courageous brothers exercising their first amendment right. We would have taken the same approach in representing the people’s voices,” Bradford added.

Dezie Woods-Jones, president and founding member of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) said the expelled Tennessee lawmakers were exercising their constitutional rights and fulfilling their duties as elected officials.

“BWOPA-CA proudly stands in solidarity with Tennessee rep-

House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated.

CLBC Chair Assemblymember Lori Wilson in a committee hearing June 2022/Photo Antonio Ray Harvey. CBM file photo.

California Black Media Briefs...

Continued from page 5

resentatives Jones and Pearson and call for their immediate reinstatement,” Woods Jones said. This is a stark reminder of the focused work that is before us to complete in dismantling systemic biases — even against our elected leaders.

CLBC Caucus Chair Lori Wilson Receiving Treatment for Cancer

On April 7, California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) Chair Lori Wilson (D-Suisun) announced that she is receiving treatment for breast cancer.

The lawmaker, who was elected last year, thanked supporters for all the love and support she has received and assured constituents that she will still be fighting for their interests.

“I remain steadfast in my dedication to serve the residents of the

11th Assembly District,” Wilson said.

Assemblymember Akilah Weber to Run for State Senate

On April 6, Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa) announced she is entering the race to replace Senate President pro tempore Toni Atkins, who is termed out at the end of this year.

Weber, who is also a physician, represents the 79th Assembly District in the greater San Diego area.

“I have successfully fought to improve access to quality healthcare, strengthen our education system, protect our environment, and further economic prosperity,” Weber said in a statement. “As state Senator for District 39, I will continue this fight.”

Weber’s announcement came roughly a week after San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher withdrew from the race citing his battle with alcohol abuse and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Fletcher is also facing

YOU ARE FORMALLY INVITED…

allegations of sexual harassment and infidelity.

In 2021, Weber won a special election to replace her mother, Shirley N. Weber, in the Assembly after the elder Weber was appointed Secretary of State by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

California Democratic Party Convention Announces 2023 Theme

Last week, the California Democratic Party announced the theme for its 2023 convention, which will be held May 25 to May 28: “Don’t Agonize, Organize.”

During this year’s conference, which will be held in Los Angeles, the California Democratic Party Black Caucus (CDPBC) will hold elections and U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11) will be honored.

Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Riverside) is currently chair of the CDPBC. Register online and get a listing of events.

Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services Health Equity Division in Collaboration with the Alameda County Board of Supervisorial Districts

LISTENING SESSIONS for the development of an AFRICAN AMERICAN WELLNESS HUB

Alameda County is interested in providing key updates regarding the search and purchase of an African American Wellness Hub Facility and welcomes the participation of the community through a Series of (5) Listening Sessions in each of the Alameda County Supervisorial Districts.

All sessions will be held from 5 -6:30 p.m Registration Links:

April 17th District 5: Supervisor Keith Carson https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArfuqtqzIpH91LVytVY1FGH3jNM9XGRmg2

April 20th District 4: Supervisor Nate Miley, President https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYucOmsrzstHtUsYX0EO8H_rrct -PkJ1ZyG

April 24th District 3: Supervisor Lena Tam https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkduitqzotGNNRdRXyHBjI0u83NosVKFrZ

April 27th District 2: The Office of Supervisor Richard Valle https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlceGrpjgqG9bwfsYgiF79uwKgfIL0bVvR

May 1st District 1: Supervisor David Haubert https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrduqqqTkvGtfdXjyUPhKAsdAl_XYLj99C

For more information, Email: Janice.Adam@acgov.org

Black, Vulnerable and Trafficked, Part 6: How Selling Sex Impacts Black Mental Health

By Tanya Dennis and Vanessa Russell

Although California Sente Bill 357 was intended to alleviate arrests of willing sex workers under anti-loitering laws, it opened up a Pandora’s box loophole that hinders the ability of law enforcement to halt human trafficking, especially of young Black and Brown girls.

Over the last five weeks we’ve covered multiple ways that SB 357 and legislation like it allows sex buyers to prey on the vulnerabilities and ongoing economic instability of Black communities.

Each of the vulnerabilities – repeated trauma of poverty, racism, drug addiction, broken families -- paint pictures of the difficult position that Black girls are placed in as they choose the sex industry over homelessness and hunger.

But is it really a choice when you have no other options? Black people are continually faced with coercive opportunities from the sex industry. Because they are overrepresented in the sex industry, many may think they want to be there or that they should be there, but a deeper look reveals that sex work for many is not a choice but a means to survive.

Being trafficked, aka sold to a sex buyer against one’s will, has a tremendous impact on mental health causing Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), depression, and panic disorders.

In a Psychology Today article, survivors share similar feelings:

• “I was going through life on auto-pilot”

• “I was always self-blaming”

• “I felt shame and fear”

• “I was not in touch with myself”

• “With so many secrets I felt I had to keep, I didn’t want to get really close to anyone. I didn’t want people to know what I had been through, and I didn’t want to face these things my-

Continued on page 8

April 18 is the deadline to file 2022 income taxes. Photo: iStockphoto

Murder Convictions Thrown Out After Witness Said OPD Officer Paid to Her to Lie

Remembering 4/4/68

By Tamara Shiloh

It was a time in America when white racial resentment was a critical factor in everyday life. Crowds of Blacks marched and boycotted, their voices demanding a future beyond blatantly illegal state and local racial practices in places like Birmingham and Selma and Greenwood and Montgomery.

But on the night of April 4, 1968, those voices turned to cries. Some gathered in homes, hovering around radios and TV sets. Some converged on churches, where they prayed through the night. And others, fueled by despair and disappointment, took to the streets.

Later dubbed the Holy Week Uprising, bricks and Molotov cocktails were thrown, and fires burned in more than 100 US cities including Chicago, Baltimore, Kansas City, and Washington D.C. Armed National Guardsman patrolled the streets of Wilmington, Del., with orders to end violence in the most impoverished neighborhoods. As the days passed, renewed violent unrest would take place in nearly 200 cities.

That was the evening Walter Cronkite made an announcement

that shocked America and the world: “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights leader and Nobel Prize winner, was shot and killed tonight in Memphis, Tenn.”

King, the man dubbed a savior by some and a communist by others, had been gunned down on the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel. He was rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead within an hour. He was 39. No other news story during that time received as much coverage. King’s death became a topic of discussions for days to come.

“I remember Walter Cronkite coming on television, interrupting the program to announce that Dr. King had been shot and killed,” Robert Birt told TheAtlantic.com.

“I remember my mother breaking down and crying on the sofa.

I can remember, you know, waves of sorrow, anger welling up in my chest at that time.”

Vann R. Newkirk II, journalist and staff writer for The Atlantic, wrote: “It’s been over 50 years since then, but for many people, it feels like yesterday … Almost universally, when I talk to Black

people who remember the assignation of Martin Luther King, they’re still wrestling with grief.”

On the morning of April 3, 1968, King took a flight from Atlanta to Memphis. He was “not in a particularly good state of mind,” NPR reported.

While the plane was about to take off, “there was a bomb threat that was specifically targeted at King and that delayed the departure of the flight,” according to author Joseph Rosenbloom. “They brought dogs onto the plane; they evacuated the passengers.” Although King was accustomed to receiving threats, this one, he thought, “might be a sign of something terrible to come.”

Some of King’s aides, Rosenbloom wrote, “said that they’ve never seen him more depressed than he was at that time.” King was certain that he was going to die, and soon. He was shot and killed 31 hours later.

Take a closer look at MLK’s final hours in Joseph Rosenbloom’s “Redemption: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Last 31 Hours.”

By Kiley Russell Bay City News

A man who was sentenced to life in prison for a 2011 murder in North Oakland was quietly released from prison last September after a key witness reversed her previous trial testimony, now saying in sworn testimony that she had felt “pressured” to lie on the stand by Oakland police Detective Phong Tran, who secretly paid her thousands of dollars before the trial.

Giovonte Douglas, who had served nine years in prison, was released along with Cartier Hunter, who was also serving a life sentence for the murder.

The case was first made public this week by journalist Darwin BondGraham in Oaklandside, an online newspaper, which reported that it had learned about the case

last week from a criminal justice source in Alameda County.

Prosecutors in former DA Nancy O’Malley’s office ultimately agreed to dismiss the case after Detective Tran admitted in court papers to paying the woman. However, he claimed the amount she was paid was much less than the $30,000 she said she received from him.

According to court records, Tran secretly paid her between $1,500 and $2,000, some of it before the trial.

Tran may also have committed perjury, according to news reports. Court records indicate he testified at the trial that he first met the alleged eyewitness, Aisha Weber, in 2013, two years after the shooting. However, Tran acknowledged recently in court documents that he knew Weber well before the 2011 homicide.

“Tran’s pre-existing relationship with the key witness — essentially his confidential informant — and the cash payments he made to her were not disclosed to Douglas’ attorneys before, during, or after his 2016 trial,” according to Oaklandside.

Detective Tran, a longtime member of the homicide unit, was placed on administrative leave last year in connection with the case but is currently back on duty.

How Selling Sex Affects Black Mental Health...

Continued from page 8

self.”

Even those who say they voluntarily worked in the sex industry said that being reduced to a product affected their mental health.

BUILD SKILLS HELP OTHERS EARN MONEY

In 2021, he earned $427,949.23 in pay and benefits, according to Transparent California.

Matthew Dalton, Douglas’s attorney in the fight to overturn the conviction, said, “I found Detective Tran’s conduct to be shocking,” according to Oaklandside.

“Pretending a witness is simply an unknown Good Samaritan rather than a background informant deprived the prosecution, the defense, and the fact-finders essential information necessary to evaluate her credibility. Similarly, paying a witness is rife with peril. That is why the rules of disclosure are rightly so strict. Secretly paying witnesses is outrageous. In the end, everyone loses: Mr. Douglas, Mr. Hunter, and the family of Charles Butler.”

Continued on page 10

In a Proletarian Feminist article titled “Sex Work,” Esperanza, a socialist, feminist, transgender Latina woman, and survivor of the sex trade shared that “the reality of being a transgender prostitute was not so simple. What started out as empowering in my mind quickly became a trap I couldn’t escape.

In general, 16% of the Black population is experiencing mental illness, according to a Mental Health America story on the subject. It’s no surprise that mental disorders are so prevalent in the Black community where 40% of those who are sexually exploited are Black and 1 in 5 Black women are survivors of rape.

One study reported by University of Pittsburgh Professor Rebecca Thurston in 2021 showed that people who experience sexual assault are at a higher risk of brain damage including cognitive decline, dementia, and stroke

Solving the Black mental health problem is complex. First, mental health services are not widely accepted in the Black community. There is still a stigma

about seeking help, LCSWAmy Morin wrote for VeryWellMind in October of 2020. Historically, the Black community has characterized traditional counseling as something that you do when you are crazy and have completely lost control.

Talking about feelings in a chaise lounge chair and needing to take medicine can be viewed as a sign of weakness. Also, when Black people do buy into receiving mental health services, they want them from someone they feel comfortable with, someone who is culturally astute.

Unfortunately, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) reports that “only 2% of the estimated 41,000 psychiatrists in the U.S. are Black, and just 4% of psychologists are Black.”

What would happen if we had more representation in the Black mental health space that integrated important parts of our faith with clinical educational insights that can inform our healing?

We could help Black people understand that they can rewire their brains with an improved thought life and at the same time continue to pray about negative thoughts as they arise.

Several evidence-based studies have shown that prayer is highly effective in traumatized patients and yet government agencies fight tooth and nail to keep faith-based practices and services separate

from government sanctioned clinical versions of mental health services.

The Oakland Frontline Healers has formed a Black mental health providers coalition. This group is making great strides to meet the needs of Black clients in non-traditional ways.

Unfortunately, when bills like SB 357 are passed without consideration for these issues and allocating funding to exit services including mental health, we are not able extend these resources to the people who need it the most.

Most of the services that Black people receive are pro bono which is indirectly taking from the Black clinician that has earned their way into this profession but once again cannot serve their own people without going broke.

This vicious cycle of Black people having to make all the sacrificing for our own people must end. It is time for legislators to discontinue using black pain to pass legislation and leave Black people with the bill.

Robust funding of exit services such as mental health, outreach, housing, workforce development is long overdue.

Tanya Dennis is the facilitator for Oakland Frontline Healers and Vanessa Russell is the executive director of Love Never Fails.

Oakland Police Investigator Phong Tran (right) at the scene of a 2020 homicide. Photo courtesy Darwin BondGraham/Oaklandside.

W-E View of the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Lorraine Motel, part of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN. The wreath marks the approximate site. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Alameda County Chief Public Defender Brendon Woods. Official portrait.

Former Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley. Official portrait.

Continued from page 9

Butler, a 23-year-old graduate of the Merchant Marine Academy, was shot and killed in 2011, allegedly during an argument over a parking spot in North Oakland. Douglas, 31, and Hunter, 34, were arrested three years later and convicted of murder in 2016.

Weber, the alleged eyewitness, said in her statement that Tran took advantage of her because she was homeless single mother and destitute, pressuring her to testify against the two men.

Alameda County Chief Public Defender Brendon Woods said in a statement reported in the East Bay Times that his office has been “raising alarms” about Tran for years, but that they “fell

Black Professionals Ability to Focus...

Continued from page 3

practice, the authors concluded.

“What privilege does do is protect certain populations from being as negatively affected when taken as a group,” the authors noted.

They said the racial wage disparity present at many companies (and in society in general) means it’s logical that Black workers are more affected by rising costs of living.

Systemic racism in healthcare and legislative environments means it’s logical that Black workers are more affected by health concerns and political instability.

Additional findings of the report:

on deaf ears” during former DA O’Malley’s tenure.

He said his office already has three additional homicide cases where “we raised concerns” about Tran’s ethics.

“We’re hoping things will be different under DA (Pamela) Price and were encouraged when she announced the formation of a Police Accountability Unit,” Woods said to reporters, reported in the East Bay Times.

“We have urged her to investigate Detective Tran’s misconduct and to dismiss all the cases he has worked on — past and present. … How could anyone trust a police officer who keeps secret his relationship with the key witness in a murder case when asked about it in court?”

The Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP) in Oakland also released a statement.

“The Oakland Police

• 55% of Black workers see a safe, inclusive work environment as very important, almost

14%age points higher than their white colleagues.

63% of Black employees indicated that regular raises affect their well-being at work, compared to 48.3% of white workers.

• Black employees value access to mental health support (64%) more than their white colleagues (22%).

Across all genders and geographies, the rising cost of living (75%) and personal worries or concerns (74%) are the top stressors impacting employees’ ability to focus on work, followed by:

• Global health concerns (61%)

Economic downturn (55%)

• War and conflict (35%)

• Political instability (34%)

Department has and continues to be fraught with corruption and scandals … Incidents like this are exactly why Chief Armstrong needed to be held accountable for his coverup of officer misconduct. This type of behavior is the rule — not the exception,” said Cat Brooks, co-founder of APTP.

“Until we hold these officers accountable, corruption will continue to run rampant, and innocent people will continue to be sent to prison for crimes they did not commit,” Brooks said.

In addition, APTP criticized prosecutors in the case. “Defense attorneys for the exonerated man state that former DA Nancy O’Malley’s office never disclosed that the witness was a paid informant — and public defenders had warned O’Malley’s office about Officer Tran in particular, but she failed to act.

• Climate change (23%)

Black knowledge workers’ ability to focus on work is disproportionately affected by these external factors, more than any other racial group. Most critically:

60% of Black employees report struggling with the rising costs of living, compared to their Hispanic (46%), Asian (39%), and white (30%) colleagues.

• Global health concerns impact 42% of Black workers, compared to 15% of white workers.

• Younger generations are almost twice as affected by rising living costs and personal concerns than their Gen X colleagues.

“Our data broken down by race was also very revealing. Black employees valued a safe working environment almost 14 percentage

Community Briefs

Developing an African American Wellness Hub in Alameda County

Monday, April 17, 2023

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Please join Supervisor Carson & Alameda County Behavioral Healthcare Services - Health Equity Division for a virtual kick-off listening session providing key updates regarding the search and purchase of an African American Wellness Hub Facility.

For more information, email: Janice.Adam@acgov.org

*Additional listening sessions will be held for each of the supervisorial districts

Mental Health Services Act

3-Year Plan

Help shape mental health services in Alameda County! The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) ThreeYear Plan (Draft) for Fiscal Years 2023-2026 is available for review and the public comment period is open now through April 30, 2023.

points more than their white colleagues and were 20 percentage points more in favor of check-ins with their manager,” the study revealed.

“These employees also placed far more emphasis on regular raises (63.0% compared to 48.3% of white workers), which tracks given that our data also found Black workers were the most concerned with rising costs of living.”

The authors concluded:

“What we’re seeing is a greater need to support, include, and create equitable work environments so all employees can thrive. At the very least, managers should be aware that Black employees on their team may appreciate more face time and encouragement and be ready to provide this support as needed.”

Read the draft plan and submit your comments to https://acmhsa. org/reports-data/#2023-2026plancomments

You may also submit your comments via email to: mhsa@ acgov.org

Annual Fair Chance Job and Resource Fair

In recognition of National Reentry Month, the Alameda County Social Services Agency, in partnership with the Oakland Private Industry Council, Alameda County Probation Department, and the Alameda County Workforce Development Board, is hosting a Fair Chance Job and Resource Fair.

Employers seeking workers include SAV MART, Chick Fil A, Tesla, Pacific States Petroleum, Marriott Hotels, Southwest Airlines and more.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

RingCentral Coliseum, 7000 Coliseum Way Oakland, CA 94621

The event aims to provide local businesses the opportunity to meet highly skilled, but often overlooked, candidates face-to-face and offer them jobs on the spot. Representatives on-site will be offering drug screening, assistance with California ID applications, live scan fingerprinting, music, stylist and barber services, and more. This event is open to all job seekers.

Job seekers, please register in advance at: https://forms.office.com/ pages/responsepage.

West Oakland Spring Nonprofit Mixer

Calling community leaders, foundations, business leaders and community members across Oakland and the East Bay to join Capacity for Equity and Success (C4ES) for our West Oakland Spring Nonprofit Mixer.

Thursday, April 27, 2023

5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Preservation Park - Nile Hall 668 13th St.

Oakland, CA 94612

This mixer will feature the current C4ES Cohort of 15 West Oakland based Nonprofits alongside some of the amazing organizations that are supporting them and this C4ES pilot.

The West Oakland Nonprofit Mixer intends to provide an introduction and networking space for service providers who are located across three zip codes (94607, 94608, 94612) to meet, network, and share resources and enhance the fabric of nonprofit community connections.

We are all excited about warmer weather and more opportunities to gather in person. We are suggesting you come in your Spring Festive Attire (we will leave it up to you to interpret that as you wish).

Heavy appetizers and wine will be provided. Register at https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/west-oakland-spring-nonprofit-mixer-tickets-591831492927

Alameda County Assessor’s Office Annual Homeowners Resource Fair

Join Alameda County Assessor Phong La at the 4th Annual Homeowners Fair!

Saturday, May 6, 2023

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Berkeley Adult School 1701 San Pablo Avenue

Berkeley, CA 94702

This year’s topic is accessory dwelling units (ADUs) - also known as granny flats, in-law units, backyard cottages and secondary units!

Come join us to:

• Learn the steps to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit from Berkeley City Staff

• Get information from local utility companies about Accessory Dwelling Units

Visit our community resource fair and enter raffles for fun prizes

Have any questions? Need special accommodations? 2023Fair@ acgov.org

Celebrate Earth Day All Around the East Bay

— Come together to collect litter and abandoned debris in various neighborhoods throughout the City of Hayward. After the CleanUp, visit the Earth Day themed Community Fair at the park for fun activities. Free lunch will be provided to volunteers who register via Eventbrite. The festival will be held at Weekes Park 27182 Patrick Ave Hayward, CA 94544

2 pm - 5 pm: Home Electrification Fair — Are you thinking about switching from gas to electric?

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Condemns Ruling by TrumpAppointed Judge Undermining FDA Approval of Abortion Medication

By StopWaste.org

Happy Earth Month! Whether you’re interested in learning how to get started with worm composting, how to electrify your home, reduce wasted food, or build healthy soil, there’s a way to celebrate for everyone! Try a StopWaste tip any day throughout the month, or join your neighbors in community for an Earth Month workshop or event. This year StopWaste is spotlighting city and community partner events to take action and work together towards a more resilient environment.

Explore all the events and resources, and be sure to check back frequently as we continue to add to the full calendar. Curious about what activities your city is hosting? Check out links to your city’s website below for more. For more information, go to https://www. stopwaste.org/earth-month-2023

Ways to Celebrate Earth Month

Make Every Carrot Count

Reducing wasted food is one of the leading solutions to climate change. Taking care and making

the most of our food are important acts of environmental stewardship, honoring all of the resources and labor that went into getting it to us. Learn more ways to plan, store, and prepare food to save money and benefit our planet

Build Healthy Soil

Use compost to feed your garden and build healthy soil! Applying just 1-2 inches of compost to your soil will help your soil retain moisture, improve its structure, and help your plants access nutrients. Compost also helps healthy gardens sequester carbon in your soil and plants, reducing your climate impact.

Celebrate with the Entire Family 4Rs Action Heroes, assemble! Join youth and families across Alameda County in sharing your stories of action and community that represent how you are part of the (Re)Generation - an intergenerational collective identity for people committed to building a regenerative earth.

Calendar of Events

Saturday, April 22

9 am - 1 pm: Oakland Earth Day

— Get outside to celebrate Earth Day with neighborhood cleanups of streets, sidewalks, schools, parks, and along creeks and other waterways. Volunteer registration opens on April 1st; individuals and small groups are encouraged, but not required, to RSVP. To register, go to: https://oakland-volunteer-community-oakgis.hub. arcgis.com/feedback/surveys/ c9a5c976287542c19372807dd2c3da6c/explore

8 am - 12 pm: Piedmont Free Compost Giveaway — Pick up one cubic yard of compost while supplies last. Bring your own shovel, gloves, and container(s), to pick up compost. Volunteers will be on deck to help you bag and load the compost into your vehicle. Held at the City’s Corporation Yard, 898 Red Rock Road. * Piedmont residents only.

8:30 am - 1 pm: City of Hayward Annual Earth Day Citywide Clean-Up and Community Fair

There are plenty of good reasons to make the switch: healthy, safety, long-term saving, and of course climate. Attend the fair to get any and all questions answered about the benefits, energy-saving tips, where to find trusted contractors, available rebates and tax credits, and more! Held at the The Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley

12 pm - 2 pm: Composting 101 — Join Farm2Market and guest speaker, CompostGal, Lori Cadwell, to learn all about composting, including how to compost, the benefits, and trouble shooting of composting. Great for all levels of experience. Held at APC Farm2Market, 2600 Barbers Point Road Alameda, CA 94501.

8 am - 12 pm: Compost Giveaway — Dublin residents can take home one bag of FREE compost at the annual Compost Giveaway event at Emerald Glen hosted by Amador Valley Industries. The compost is made from Dublin residents’ yard trimmings and foods scraps. This is a great way to see how Dublin’s food waste journey is circular and directly benefits the community! This is a drivethrough event in the parking lot of Emerald Glen Park, off of Gleason Drive. Dublin residents only*

9 am - 12 pm: CVSan Earth Day — Join your friends and neighbors to beautify and clean up Castro Valley. Volunteer to pick up litter, plant trees and native plants, spread mulch, pulled weeds, and more. The community clean-up sites include Castro Valley Creek, downtown Castro Valley and the Center Street Overpass Park and Ride. To sign u to volunteer, go to https://www.cvsan.org/zero_ waste/community_and_education/earth_day.php

11 am - 3 pm: Fremont Earth Day — Join for a day to celebrate Earth Day and increase environmental awareness in the community. Activities will include a Bicycle Fix-a-Flat Workshop, Earth Day art, medication take-back, free confidential document shredding, learning about gardening and composting, and more! Held at the downtown event center at 3500 Capitol Avenue in Fremont.

Sunday, April 23

9 am - 12 pm: Earth Day Shoreline Cleanup — Have fun with family, friends and neighbors, cleaning up the beach! Come to the Earth Day Shoreline Clean Up at Shorebird Park in Emeryville any time from 9 a.m. to noon. If you have them, bring collection buckets and/or bags, garden claw, reusable water bottle, and coffee mug. Wear layers, sunscreen, hat, and work gloves. Additional tools will be available for use until supplies run out.

Saturday, April 29

1 pm - 3 pm: Gardening for Renters — This class can help you navigate small spaces so you can garden! Topics will include: container and indoor gardening, working with your landlord, free/low cost resources, reuse options, and maintaining your garden. It will be held at Ploughshares Nursery 2701 Main Street Alameda, CA 94501.

mifepristone to be an exceedingly safe and effective way to end a pregnancy; in fact, unfortunately, there are statistically more risks associated with pregnancy itself –especially for Black women. Since its approval by the FDA in 2000, mifepristone has been used safely by more than 5 million Americans. It is critical to remember right now that mifepristone is still legal and accessible, and we will not stop fighting to ensure it stays that way.

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12), CoChair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, released the following statement on Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine et al v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration et al to side with anti-abortion hate groups and suspend the FDA’s approval of mifepristone.

Mifepristone is the first drug in a two-medication regimen that has been used safely and effectively by millions of people for over 20 years for early abortion care and for miscarriage management.

“Study after study has found

“Make no mistake: if the Supreme Court upholds this extreme and dangerous ruling, it will be the greatest loss for abortion rights since the fall of Roe. This is just the next step in the decades-long coordinated effort by anti-abortion groups to ban abortion care in every form, in every state.

“We can’t let that happen. As Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, I am working closely with our partners to respond to this egregious ruling and preserve access to mifepristone nationwide. People—not politicians—should have the freedom to make their own health care decisions, and we won’t stop fighting until they do”

COMMENTARY: Aikido is More than Martial Arts: It’s Community

By Zoe Jung Post News Group Intern Post News Group Intern

For the last six years, I’ve practiced Aikido at a Berkeley dojo called the Aiki Arts Center—previously named Aikido Shusekai.

Aikido is a Japanese martial art focused on responding calmly to attack without hurting the attacker or yourself. Instead of using force, you blend with the attack to redirect it. The name roughly translates to “The Art of Peace.”

When I first started practicing Aikido at the age of 10, I loved it for its physicality. The throws and rolls, kicks and punches—it was an outlet for my brimming energy.

Aikido is also spiritual. There’s a sense that we’re all working together toward something we don’t really know or understand. We trust each other; if we didn’t, the physicality would corrupt.

This same physicality makes the practice hard. I have recurring feelings of malaise and dread regarding Aikido. Every committed practice I’ve had has eventually run into this reluctance: swimming, horseback riding, internships.

What keeps me going to the dojo is the community.

The dojo’s senior instructor is Nick Walker Sensei, an autistic trans woman and professor of psychology at California Institute of Integral Studies. I started practicing there shortly after receiving my own autism diagnosis at age 9.

I am autistic, queer, trans, and so is the dojo. I feel safe there, and I love the practice, and so I stay. I train every Sunday.

Here’s how it goes.

The dojo is located in the dark

red Sawtooth Building, so named because of its jagged, angular roof. After parking, I go inside at half past noon, passing a sign propped up by the door that reads “Aikido in Studio 12! Beginners Welcome!”

Studio 12 is a beautiful space: two large skylights and sunlit rafters draped with acrobatics swings. The far wall, called the Shomen, holds a Shinto shrine. We bow to it when we enter or leave the room or step onto or off the mats. It’s a traditional dojo furnishing.

If we’re late, other students have already put out the mats, and the floor becomes a sea of blue. If not, I step to the doorway, bow, and join them.

Once the mats are laid out, we stream away to get dressed. Those of us who are nonbinary get to choose which changing room to use, and I like the women’s room. It’s in the back, a cozy curtainedoff storage room with rugs, mirrors, and a stack of chairs along one wall.

There’s usually some sort of conversation in the changing room. When I shaved my head a few weeks ago, Azzia Walker Sensei and I joked that people wouldn’t be able to tell us apart. She taught the Youth Program when it was still running. Now, I’m the only one left.

Changing is the step between Aikido and the outside world. I take off my street clothes and put on the uniform: long white pants, white jacket over a tank top, tied closed with a belt. It’s comfortable for stretching, rolling and falling.

I take my water bottle and step back through the curtain. In floods the sun.

Azzia Walker Sensei, with student Zoe Jung. Aiki Arts Center web site photo.

Who are the action heroes for the environment? You can be one of them! Illustration via Stopwaste.org

Oakland Native Justin Jones ...

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Why not mention that Jones represents even more cultural diversity than anyone thinks?

The Washington Post got it right last Thursday, when, in one of the first stories about the Tennessee expulsions, the paper referred to Jones as being of Black and Filipino heritage.

Even on MSNBC, Alex Wagner, herself part Burmese descent, acknowledged Jones fully as Black and Filipino. Other media outlets, not so much. Of course, Asian/Filipino media did.

Acknowledging Jones’ mixed race specifically was 100% accurate.

But by the time Jones was reinstated, AP and others simply ignored Jones’ mother’s blood and dropped expressing America’s real diversity.

We’ve seen it before. Tiger Wood’s mom is Thai, and he made a big deal about his Asian side when he was younger. But his term to accurately describe himself, “Cablanasian,” didn’t stick, and most everyone just found it easier to backslide to Black.

Vice President Kamala Harris has always seemed more partial to her African American side. During her run for president, it was like she kept her Asian-ness (her mother is an Indian immigrant) as a handy aside. And then she made history, and who could ignore that she was Black and South Asian, the highest-ranking Black and Asian American woman in our democracy’s history?

Still, most media references have gone back to ignoring it. Perhaps it’s assumed everyone knows Harris is of mixed race, or editors feel when it comes to Harris, her race is so obvious it’s irrelevant?

But it’s not irrelevant.

It helps to counter the ongoing battle in our country over racial identity.

With the GOP waging a culture war on denying our country’s racial history, it’s become imperative for the BIPOC (Black,

Indigenous and People of Color) community to proudly declare our heritage and race, especially when it comes to newsmakers whose cultural backgrounds are factual identifiers that help people understand the new America.

A name and an age are usually the two most important facts about a person journalistically. But race should be right up there too.

Jones can’t just be Black. Not when his physical presence (his hair, skin, size) clues us in that he’s also representing another ethnic minority as well, Asian American Filipinos.

One’s race should be as important as people boldly declaring their pronouns. (Yes, I’m a he/ him, though I feel solidarity with the they/thems.)

But that’s gender grammar. Race is about blood, fluid and undeniable. But too often ignored.

I’ve always said when we have a love interest in one another, maybe we’ll see an end to the racism. According to the numbers, it’s slowly happening.

In 2020, the percentage of mixed-race people was up from 2.9% of the population or 9 million people in 2010, to nearly four times that at 10.2% or 33.8 million people.

With so many mixed-race American people according to the last Census, we have to stop being lazy, as in defaulting to Black when someone is really Black with Asian, or Latinx, or Caucasian, or whatever.

Just get it right, as in the case of Justin Jones. Make his ‘Lola’ (Granny) Harriet from the Philippines happy.

Don’t ignore his Asian American Filipino side. And don’t let the news media get away with saying, “the Black lawmaker.”

Make them say it all. In the overt language of diversity, Jones is a Black Asian American Filipino. If we’re all slinging pronouns, declare your race too, fully and not in part.

Let us all be seen.

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. See him on www.amok.com.

Pamela Price Rally to support the DA’s pledge to hold lawbreakers accountable and Justice for Victims

Geoffrey’s Inner Circle...

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30-year Oakland resident, said, “This entire proposal and discussion by the Planning Commission is so full of racism that it’s embarrassing to me as a white person to watch this happen in this city.”

Citing racial bias in this case, Epstein pointed to the composition of the Planning Commission, which is not diverse; adding that only 9% of construction work in Oakland goes to African Americans; and that the “entire process has completely ignored that there’s a Black Arts district in that area. So unimportant was it to you and the Planning Department that you didn’t even bother to notice it until a month ago. And you have not put it into your plans yet.”

Mr. Pete asked the commission to postpone its decision. “We request a continuance of this meeting due to the pending appeal on the previous residential (development) approval for this site. (I) should not be penalized by having to file a second appeal on the very same grounds, while the first appeal is pending.”

Further, he said, “The Planning Commission erroneously approved a residential project despite admittedly conducting an improper review process. They ignored their own procedures with respect to review of projects within the BAM cultural district.”

Lake Merritt Circle of Peace Vigil...

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ID-19 or old age.

Several speakers said they believed that Oakland can transform if people focus on peace rather than violence. Others reflected on how different the outcome might have been for their loved ones lost to violence if Oakland practiced a culture of peace.

He added, “The commission should not approve any other projects within the (BAM) district until they officially map BAM’s boundaries.”

Pete said the proposed skyscraper would throw his building into shadow, threaten the fire escape behind his building, and remove the parking lot his business needs for customers. In addition, he said, the vibrations from the construction of the project could jeopardize physical stability of his building.

In his remarks, construction director of Tidewater Capital, emphasized that his 10-year-old Bay Area company, which also owns and manages Eastmont Town Center in East Oakland, has conducted extensive community engagement.

“(We) try to take a “hands-on, collaborative approach to create spaces that preserve the character of the neighborhood while boosting economic activity and generating benefits for all stakeholders,” he said.

In their discussion, planning commissioners voted to postpone the decision on the project to give Mr. Pete time to reach an agreement with Tidewater. However, they expressed little interest in considering speakers’ suggestions to reject the project or postpone a decision until the city’s BAM district in downtown Oakland was implemented and funded.

amika Village finishing with an African libation, a call to ancestors to empower and support peace in Oakland.

When asked what the purpose of the vigil achieved, Dennis responded, “We are the foundation of restoring Oakland’s peace. Thanks to the support of SAVE and St Paul’s Episcopal Church, who held sacred space on the north end of the lake, positive healing energy was sent throughout our city. I checked OPD records and there were homicides on April 5, 6 and 7, but none that I can find on the day of our vigil, April 8.

“Shifting energy is real,” Dennis continued. “For the past four years there have been no homicides when Adamika Village hosts its annual “No Yellow Tape Day” at the end of the year. Imagine when more people start to believe and start focusing on peace. We have to be careful, focusing on violence attracts more violence. We are what we think. Think peace.”

On Thursday, Miley reached out to Dennis to thank her and Adamika Village for their hard work and dedication and to congratulate them on the event’s success. The violence experienced in Oakland parallels what’s going on in other cities.

Pamela Price: The Path to the District Attorney’s Office is No Crystal Stair, Part I

One participant shared that her brother had been killed in a roadrage incident and cautioned listeners not to respond in-kind to people on the freeway who are angry.

Other speakers present were Deana White, Adamika Village; Davina Kerrelola, senior program manager for Love Never Fails; and Kristin Clopton, manager of the Office of Violence Prevention for the City of Oakland

Alameda County Board President Nate Miley and Supervisor Keith Carson honored the day with a county proclamation, proclaiming, “April 8, as Oakland’s “Day of Peace.” Carson encouraged organizers to make the Circle of Peace an annual event.

Daryle Allums, founder of Adamika Village, did a “Calling of Names,” honoring those who have passed on in a Celebration of Life, with Tanya Dennis, CEO of Ad-

“This is a national challenge that each of us experience daily -- directly and indirectly-- every single day, not only in the City of Oakland but throughout the East Bay,” he wrote.

There continues to be a need to address society’s ills, he noted, but a change in mindset is also critical.

And the Circle of Peace spoke to that mindset of raising consciousness about how people can treat one another better.

“Treating every person the way we would want to be treated must be at the very center of moving to experiencing daily peace,” he said.

Adamika Village and Oakland Frontline Healers will be supporting their sister agency, the Violence Prevention Coalition in hosting a citywide peace summit on June 24 at Laney College.

all job seekers. For more information, please contact Rochelle Baxter Green, ACSSA by emailrbgreen@acgov.org.

By Tanya Dennis

When civil rights attorney Pamela Price decided to run for Alameda County District Attorney, her life was already the personification of poet Langston Hughes’ famous poem “Mother to Son” that notes that “Life Ain’t No Crystal Stair.”

Price comes from the type of community she ran for office to serve. She was once on the other side of the law and is an example of how people can change when given the opportunity.

Raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Price states she was traumatized, then radicalized with the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. at age 11. Raised in group homes and foster care homes, Price describes her childhood as traumatic.

“Raised in group homes and foster care, at age 13 I was in a juvenile justice facility. I walked away from foster care at age 16 to my own accountability, living all over the place,” she recalled. “I rented a truck, went back to my three foster homes, collected the little I possessed, and checked into a ‘fleabag’ hotel that I could pay for by the week. Despite the adversity, I not only survived, I thrived. “

Price attributes her ability to thrive to foster moms who “kept their hands on her,” stressing the importance of education as the only true path to liberation.

Managing to graduate from high school, Price got accepted to Yale College on a full scholarship. That scholarship, according to Price, was the game changer. She majored in political science and American studies, and after graduating from Law School, became a civil rights attorney.

In 2017, while working with the Contra Costa County Racial Justice Coalition on a number of racial issues around police misconduct, they were successful in getting Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson to resign in disgrace and admit to felonies, which open the door for a new D.A..

People asked Price to run for D.A. in Contra Costa County, but she refused because she lived in Alameda County. When she declined, a young man responded, “Alameda is just as bad.” Upon investigation, Price realized he was right, and no one had challenged Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley in four years.

In June of 2017, Price began her campaign for D.A. in Alameda County, but she lost in 2018.

Still determines, then ran again in 2022 and won.

Walking into the office on January 3, Price describes an office in

total disarray.

According to Price, there were employees with no supervisor, a myriad of unfilled positions despite money set aside, people on payroll making substantial amounts of money who were not working.

And that was just the start, she said. “The computer system was antiquated; no method of communication existed between offices in the nine locations; no human resource for 450 employees and no operational plans or processes in place.”

Standards of accountability were lacking and “absolutely no working oversight.”

The most serious issue she faced, she said, were employees traumatized by fellow members suicides and heart attacks. They were in deep need of mental support.

“The culture in that office was toxic and addressing their trauma was my first priority. I’m happy to report that 90% of the staff stayed.”

After addressing the health and wellness of her employees, the victim witness advocates were next.

Price noted that “The DA’s office was understaffed across the entire spectrum despite O’Malley having the funds: she didn’t manage this organization at all.”

Knowing that people voted for her to get the DA’s office in order, Price says the last three months restructuring the office has been formidable but cites a 25% improvement.

Despite best intents, her efforts were thwarted after she placed people on leave, and they became disgruntled and started attacking her office.

Taking on the culture of the organization, Price hired 35 people to fill vacancies, created a management structure, and addressed dramatic overpayments to some the people who have since have been placed in their correct positions.

Responsible for nine locations, the systemic failure in communications makes Price’s vision of transforming the DA’s office a formidable task, but one she says she’s up to.

“It will take wisdom, patience, grace, courage, compassion, and a sense of purpose with a real commitment to serve the people of Alameda County. I was put in this season for a reason, and I’ve been preparing all my life for this.”

Adamika Village Founder Daryle Allums speaks while Oakland Frontline Healers CEO Tanya Dennis holds a photo of Allums’ son, Keandre, who was killed in a car accident following a road rage incident. Photo by Darren White of Realized Potential.

Pamela Price. File photo.