County Supervisors Unanimously Agree to Move
By Magaly Muñoz
Alameda County released the applications from 15 prospective candidates looking to replace ousted District Attorney Pamela Price after her recall in November.
The new DA will serve the rest of Price’s term until the next election in 2026.
In the interim, Royl Roberts, Price’s former second-in-command, is filling in until the County Board of Supervisors makes its decision before the end of the month.
After selecting final candidates
from the 15 applications, the Board will publicly interview those chosen on Jan. 21.
On Jan. 28, the supervisors will deliberate and select the next DA, and that person will be sworn in on Feb. 4.
The applicants for the next Alameda County District Attorney are as follows:
Miiko L. Anderson: Former senior deputy attorney for Fresno County for 16 years
• Annie K. Esposito: Assistant district attorney for Contra Costa
there is no vision, the people perish...”
VP Kamala Harris
Swears in Oakland’s New Congresswoman, Lateefah Simon
By Post Staff
Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) was ceremonially sworn in on Jan. 7 by her longtime mentor and friend, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Congresswoman Simon was joined by her friends and family in the Vice President’s office at the United States Senate for the ceremony.
“Since our time together in the District Attorney’s office in San Francisco, the Vice President has played an integral role in shaping my public service career, and I have learned so much from her,” said Rep. Simon.
“She has also paved the way for women across the nation like me who aspire to serve their country at the highest levels. It was a spe-
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. File photo.
By Post Staff
A federal grand jury indicted former Oakland Mayor Sheng
Thao on criminal charges that have yet to be revealed, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
The results of “a major law enforcement action” are expected to be announced Friday, an anonymous source told the Chronicle.
It is speculated that the FBI’s
June 2024 raid of Thao’s Oakland home and three others related to the Duong family, who own Waste Solutions, is possibly related to the charges.
Describing the FBI’s armed raid at dawn as excessive, Thao asserted her innocence then and said that she was never informed of what they were looking for. By then the subject of a recall election that succeeded in November, Thao called on the FBI to declare she was not the subject of a corruption probe. (The FBI seized phones belonging to Thao and her partner Andre Jones.)
At the time of The Post’s publication, The Chronicle had reported that Thao could not be reached for comment.
In her outgoing interview with KRON 4 last month, Thao said “I’m innocent. I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Barbara Lee Left Congress with Extensive Record of Bringing Jobs, Opportunities and Funds to Oakland
Recent endorsements include former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Assemblymembers Mia Bonta and Buffy Wicks
PART II
By Ken Epstein
While many Oakland residents are not yet up to speed on the track record of the candidates in the running for mayor of Oakland in the April 15 special election, supporters of Barbara Lee say the public should be aware that Lee, who until recently represented Oakland and nearby East Bay cities in Congress, has made an indelible impact on the city, creating jobs, building infrastructure, and improving the environmental quality of life of local residents.
Many people may mostly know about her as an outspoken opponent of war and defender of civil and human rights for women, African Americans, Latinos, other people of color, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Recent endorsers include former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Assemblymembers Mia Bonta and Buffy Wicks, who gave her their sole endorsements.
“The hallmark of Congresswoman Lee’s career has been courage,” said Schaaf. “Our conversations have given me confidence that she will exercise that famous courage for Oakland for the issues we all care about: prioritizing holistic, evidence-based public safety by working with the Police Department and violence prevention organizations to continue to implement Ceasefire; recruiting and retaining police staffing; improving 911 police response and reopening closed fire stations.”
Other prominent endorsements include State Senator Jesse Arreguín, former Oakland City Councilmembers Annie Campbell Washington, Ignacio De La Fuente, former Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, Congresswoman
Lateefah Simon, and the Oakland Firefighters Union.
Her supporters can point, not only to Lee’s program and promises but also her major accomplishments during the 26 years she served in the House of Representatives.
Briefly between 2022 and 2024 she brought over half a billion dollars in federal funds to Oakland in 2024; $15.8 million in 2024 for safer communities; $4.3 million in 2024 for Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention; $2.5 million for clean drinking water to Oakland; $1 million to upgrade Oakland’s Children’s Fairyland; $372 million for clean, breathable air in West Oakland; and $83.7 million for small businesses and economic development.
A major recent accomplishment was the nearly $50 billion she brought into the Port of Oakland to create and protect jobs and ensure the Port’s competitive advantage in the global economy.
The $49.5 million allocation, which was awarded in November 2024 through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program, supports the modernization of the port’s Outer Harbor Terminal, according to a report on CBS News.
“These investments will strengthen our communities, strengthen supply chain reliability, create workforce development opportunities, enhance freight efficiency, lower costs, reduce emissions, and improve the safety, reliability, and resilience of our ports,” Lee said.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg highlighted the significance of the funding. With these investments, “made possible by the Bipartisan Infra-
Oakland Coliseum project supporters celebrate Alameda County Board of Supervisors decision to endorse the project on Jan. 14.
Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas (in green dress) is at the center of the crowd and David
Haubert, Chair of the Board of Supervisors joined the celebration. Members of the Firefighters Union and labor leaders supperted the AASEG development plan. Photo by Maritony Jones.
Rep. Lateefah Simon, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris in Harris’ office on Jan. 7. Courtesy photo.
Former Rep. Barbara Lee helped secure almost $50 million in 2024 to create and protect jobs and ensure the Port’s competitive advantage in the global economy. Photo courtesy Port of Oakland.
TheDisBay Area Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day with Service, Marches, Music ... see page 2
Oakland Celebrates Ethiopian Holiday of Epiphany (Timket) 2025... see page 2
Dr. King and the ‘Spirit of Selma’ Inspired Post Publisher Cobb... see page 4
New Calif. Bill Aims to Ban Trans Students from High School Sports ... see page 4
The Bay Area Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with Service, Marches, Music
510-827-2414.
The same day, the 11th Annual Reclaim MLK’s Radical Legacy Day of Action will be taking place. The Anti Police-Terror Project intends this march to hold true to Dr. King’s values which have been watered down since his death. The march will begin at the Oscar Grant Plaza (Oakland City Hall) at 11 a.m.
Honoring the Day of Service, people of all ages can help clean up the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline at Doolittle Drive and Swan Way in Oakland from 9 a.m.12 noon. Cleanups are at the Tidewater Boating Center and Oakport Staging Area, and gardening and maintenance at MLK Grove. No registration required.
Oakland Celebrates Ethiopian Holiday of Epiphany (Timket) 2025
By Anka Lee Post Intern
water as a way to renew their baptismal vows symbolically.
Stephenshaw Delivers 2025-26 California Budget Amid Wildfire Crisis
By Daisha Williams
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy of radical change and community empowerment will be celebrated on Monday, Jan. 20.
Though his birthday is Jan. 15, since 1986, the national holiday has been held on the third Monday of January, often as a day of volunteer service.
“Make a career of humanity,” said King, who was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, when he had come to support a strike by underpaid sanitation workers. “Commit yourself to the noble struggle for civil rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”
There is a myriad of ways that people can spend this day, with many different options in the Bay Area.
In Oakland, the MLK Jr. Multicultural Rally Committee will hold its 34th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Rally on Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. at 99 Hegenberger Road featuring speakers from the MLK Freedom Center. For more information, call
The African American Museum and Library at 659 14th St. in Oakland will hold its annual film festival honoring Rev. King on Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Films shown appropriate for children are “The Youngest Marcher” and “The North Star,” shown at 12:10 p.m. and 12:40 p.m. respectively.
In San Francisco, the week-long MLK festival has already started. On Jan. 20, one of the most enduring observations will occur. According to Johnny Funcheap, “the 2025 MLK March is a poignant and symbolic journey that pays homage to the historic Selma to Montgomery marches and the monumental Voting Rights Act of 1965. Spanning 1.5 miles, this commemorative march and parade begins at San Francisco’s Caltrain Station and winds its way through the heart of the city, ultimately culminating at the serene Yerba Buena Gardens.
“A parade will begin at 11 a.m. starting at Fourth and King streets, ending at the Yerba Buena Gardens where there will be a music festival and a health and wellness festival later in the day.”
San Francisco is not the only place with events that day though.
In Hayward, there will be a
on page 6
This year, the celebration of the Ethiopian holiday known as Timket (Timkat), or Epiphany, will take place at Oakland’s Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts (formerly known as the Kaiser Convention Center).
This culturally and religiously significant celebration will occur Jan. 18 and 19. It’s an opportunity to see Ethiopian culture up close, while hopefully bringing more attention to a holiday not many know about.
Timket is the celebration of Epiphany by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Epiphany is the birth of Jesus Christ and, every year on January 19 (January 20 during leap years), it is celebrated in honor of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River.
Traditionally, the ceremonies begin with putting a model of the Ark of the Covenant—called the Tabot—onto the priest’s head to represent Jesus becoming the Messiah the day of his baptism. A prayer service signifies the start of the festivities. Following a procession is the Divine Liturgy, also called the Water Ceremony, which takes place near a body of water and begins around 2 a.m. The body of water is blessed, then sprinkled on the participants—some even entering the
According to American sociologist, Donald N. Levine, that is only the beginning of the celebrations. In the 1960s, the clergy would perform hymns and seniors and men would march to the music as the Tabot was paraded through the streets. Children danced to rhythmic tunes and the finely dressed women talked among themselves “on their one real day of freedom in the year.” Finally, once the Tabot had been safely put away until the next year, the people would go home and feast, bathed in the day’s revitalizing atmosphere.
It was in 2019 that Timket was considered and registered as an intangible heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This holiday brings together community, as well as represents the faith of the people.
Today, there are approximately 20,000 Ethiopians and Eritreans living in the Bay Area.
Locally, Timket will be celebrated at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, located on 10 Tenth St., Oakland, CA. For more information, visit the Facebook page (based in Oakland): Debre Meheret Kidus Michael Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
By Joe W. Bowers Jr. California Black Media
California Department of Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw, standing in for Gov. Gavin Newsom, presented the state’s $322.3 billion proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year at a press briefing on Jan. 10.
The presentation, held at the Media Briefing Room of the Swing Space Building in Sacramento, began with Stephenshaw addressing the devastating wildfires sweeping through Southern California. He affirmed the state’s commitment to enhancing wildfire preparedness and resilience, emphasizing ongoing efforts to protect communities and natural resources.
“The budget I present to you today reflects a balanced approach, one that avoids new cuts to core programs while continuing investments in critical areas like wildfire preparedness, education, and economic resilience,” Stephenshaw stated.
Stephenshaw highlighted the administration’s progress in fiscal management, noting, “Thanks to the budget framework that the
Governor proposed last May to not only balance the budget for the upcoming fiscal year but also ensure that our special fund for economic uncertainty was balanced for the next fiscal year.”
The Governor’s budget proposal projects a surplus of $363 million, alongside $17 billion in reserves, including $10.9 billion in the Rainy-Day Fund and an additional $4.5 billion in the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties. However, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) has expressed a more cautious outlook, estimating a $2 billion deficit.
The proposed budget includes savings from the elimination of 6,500 vacant government positions, generating $1.2 billion over two years. Additional operational efficiencies, such as reduced state travel budgets and IT system modernization, are expected to save $3.5 billion.
The budget introduces stricter accountability measures for homelessness funding, including enhanced oversight of the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program. Frequent report-
Continued on page 4
Procession during Timkat festival at Lalibela in Ethiopia 2013. iStock photo by sylvainnaessens.
The Brown AME Church in Selma, Alabama, was the starting point of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s March to Montgomery to support voting and civil rights. iStock photo by Kirkikis.
California Dept. of Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw, left, and Chief Deputy Director Erika Li, right, presented Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $322 billion state budget proposal at the State Capitol Annex Swing Space on Jan. 10. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
Adult Day Program
Dedicated staff needed to work with individuals with developmental disabilities in communitybased settings, or environments. Qualifications: High school or equivalent. Driver’s license. Dependable and efficient. Background check. Physical exam and TB test. Training available. Decent wages. Please call (510) 690-9570.
By Tamara Shiloh
Special to The Post
In the mid-20th century, Beverly Lorraine Greene was recognized as the first African American woman licensed to practice architecture in the United States.
can American woman at the time. She was never discouraged by the racial and gender discrimination that saturated her field.
signed, dignified living spaces.
erts is excerpted from the MacArthur Fellows web site.
a five-year period to spend as they see fit.
When grants were announced Oct. 1, it was noted that eight of the 22 MacArthur fellows were African American. Among the recipients of the so-called ‘genius grants’ are scholars, visual and media artists a poet/writer, historian, and dancer/choreographer who each receive $800,000 over
Greene continued her education, earning a master’s degree in City Planning and Housing in 1937, also from the University of Illinois. Her ambition was not merely to design structures but to shape spaces that fostered equity and community. In 1942, she became the first African American woman licensed as an architect in the United States, obtaining her credentials in Illinois. This groundbreaking achievement, however, did not translate immediately into job opportunities.
Greene was born on Oct. 4, 1915, in Chicago during an era when opportunities for African Americans, particularly women, were severely limited.
Her parents, James and Vera Greene, were deeply invested in her education, instilling in her a belief in the power of intellect and perseverance. She grew up during the Great Migration that transformed Chicago starting in 1900.
Greene graduated from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign in 1936 with a degree in Architecture — a remarkable accomplishment for an Afri-
ing of expenditures and outcomes will be required to ensure effective use of funds. Investments also target affordable housing development, including funding for low-income housing tax credits and $100 million for encampment resolution efforts.
The proposed budget includes programs like the California Competes program and workforce development initiatives that continue to support small businesses including Black Businesses and promote economic growth. The budget also maintains $1.6 billion
Their names are Ruha Benjamin, Jericho Brown, Tony Cokes, Jennifer L. Morgan, Ebony G. Patterson, Shamel Pitts, Jason Reynolds, and Dorothy Roberts. This is the eighth and last in the series highlighting the Black awardees. The report below on Dorothy Rob-
Early in her career, she faced significant discrimination from firms unwilling to hire a Black woman. However, her determination never wavered. In 1945, Beverly moved to New York City, a place she believed could offer broader professional opportunities.
She joined the architectural department of the New York City Housing Authority, focusing on affordable housing projects. Her work during this time reflected her commitment to using architecture as a tool for social justice, ensuring that marginalized communities had access to well-de-
in public safety funding, including $283.6 million in 2025-26 to enhance enforcement, prosecution, and accountability.
Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson (DSan Diego), Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), stated, “We thank the Governor and Department of Finance staff for their work on this initial budget proposal. While the governor’s spending plan seeks to achieve fiscal responsibility, there is much to do in the way of addressing the economic inequality faced by our most vulnerable populations.” She added that the CLBC is committed to collaborating with legislative colleagues and the administration to safeguard and expand investments in under-
A graduate of Yale University with a law degree from Harvard, Dorothy Roberts is a legal scholar and public policy researcher exposing racial inequities embedded within health and social service systems.
Sine 2012, she has been a professor of Law and Sociology, and on the faculty in the department of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
Greene’s talents soon drew the attention of prominent firms. She was hired by Isadore Rosenfield, a respected architect known for designing hospitals. She contributed to the design of healthcare facilities, including the modernization of Harlem Hospital. Her portfolio expanded in collaboration with architectural personalities such as Marcel Breuer and Edward Durell Stone.
Roberts’s work encompasses reproductive health, bioethics, and child welfare. She sheds light on systemic inequities, amplifies the voices of those directly affected, and boldly calls for wholesale transformation of existing systems.
examine the treatment of children of color in the U.S. child welfare system.
families are much more likely than white children to be removed from their families after CPS referral.
By Post Staff
Roberts’s early work focused on Black women’s reproductive rights and their fight for reproductive justice. In “Killing the Black
Notably, she worked on the prestigious UNESCO headquarters in Paris — a landmark project that brought her skills to an international stage. Her involvement underscored her ability to navigate the intricacies of large-scale, global projects, proving that her talents transcended the limitations society sought to impose.
Greene’s career was tragically cut short when she passed away unexpectedly in 1957 at the age of 41. Though her life was brief, her impact was profound. She shattered entrenched barriers, paving the way for future generations of Black architects and women in the field.
served communities.
Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher (R – Yuba City) offered a sharp critique on the budget, particularly targeting Newsom’s economic policies. “Newsom is doubling down on the same failed programs that stuck Californians with record homelessness, soaring energy and housing costs, and one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation,” Gallagher stated.
The proposed budget now heads to the Legislature for deliberation and potential adjustments before Newsom revises it in May. By law, the process must be completed, and the balanced budget signed by the end of June when the fiscal year ends.
After nearly two decades of research and advocacy work alongside parents, social workers, family defense lawyers, and organizations, Roberts has concluded that the current child welfare system is in fact a system of family policing with alarmingly unequal practices and outcomes. Her 2001 book, “Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare,” details the outsized role that race and class play in determining who is subject to
In “Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families—and How Abolition Can Build a Safer World (2022),”
KDIA in 1965.
Post Publisher Paul Cobb is pictured above in 1965, with a pencil in his glasses, when he was a Post reporter and correspondent for the Afro-American Association’s weekbroadcast on radio station
Selma’
Roberts traces the historical, cultural, and political forces driving the racial and class imbalance in child welfare interventions.
These include stereotypes about Black parents as negligent, devaluation of Black family bonds, and stigmatization of parenting practices that fall outside a narrow set
She also shows that blaming tural problems, while ignoring the historical roots of economic and social inequality, fails families and grained oppressive features of the tirely new approach focused on supporting families rather than punishing them. Her support for dismantling the current system of child welfare is unsettling to some, but her provocation inspires many to think more critically about its poor track record and harmful design. By uncovering the complex forces underlying social systems and institutions, and uplifting the experiences of people caught up in them, Roberts creates opportunities to imagine and build more equitable and responsive ways to ensure child and family safety.
Cobb marched for Black voting rights from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, and U.N Ambassador Ralph Bunche along with Oakland residents Milton Hare (white gentleman at Cobb’s left and William Battles behind Cobb). Cobb said the “Spirit of Selma” and the philosophies of applied Christian activism, service and voluntarism espoused by King will be the themes of his MLK speech Saturday at the Genesis Society of the Temple Hill Church of Jesus Christ of
Dorothy Roberts. Photo courtesy of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Beverly Lorraine Greene. Public domain photo.
Photo courtesy Paul Cobb.
Public Notices, Classifieds & Business
OPINION: LA’s Fires, Trump’s Felonies, and our Nation’s Burning Divide
By Emil Guillermo
The inauguration of Donald J. Trump, convicted felon, takes place on Jan. 20. He’s promised to not to be a dictator “except for Day One.” Don’t let that mar your MLK Day.
I will be thinking about Dr. King, but also about Rodney Nickerson, the first person reported dead last week in Altadena.
More names will come out as the fire’s death toll rises.
It’s already tested our descriptive powers. Let’s stop using words like “apocalypse” or “war zone” or say the scene looks “like a bomb hit L.A.”
Call it what it is. The fires were a disaster borne of climate change.
The unimaginable devastation forces us all to confront what can no longer be denied.
Climate change is real, and the catastrophe is personal, claiming the lives of people like the 82-year-old Nickerson, who moved to Altadena in the L.A. area when it was the only place in
that area where Blacks and others could buy a home.
His daughter found him in his bed last week. He died holding a garden hose.
Race and class are part of the climate change tragedy. But here’s the thing about fire and smoke: They don’t discriminate.
The Santa Ana winds, clocking in at times at speeds in excess of 80 mph, have turned all of L.A. into a powder keg, where one spark can ignite unimaginable chaos.
Watching from afar, I’ve been transfixed by the crisis in L.A. As a San Francisco native, I’m supposed to have a bit of smug superiority when it comes to Southern California. But not this week.
Instead, I’ve found myself filled with love and empathy for L.A. I even found myself thinking: Take our Northern California water, L.A. For now. You need it more than we do.
These fires are an unnatural tragedy that’s not supposed to
free event on Monday celebrating MLK’s life, with a program of music, community awards and a keynote address by Rev. Amos Brown of San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church. It will be held at the Hayward Unified School District Performing Arts Center at 2390 Panama St. beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The City of Marin’s celebration in honor of Dr. King’s life will take place at 630 Drake Ave. in Sausalito from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include music, spoken word, youth presentation and speakers. Free and open to the public, this year’s theme will be “Voices of Change, Empowering a New Generation.”
There will be a similar celebration from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 20 at the Solano County Fairgrounds McCormick Hall at 900 Fairgrounds Dr. in Vallejo. This event has been organized by the Solano County Black Chamber of Com-
Latter-day Saints.
“The Post has partnered with Genesis to help educate African Americans and faith-based groups about the value of the discovery of family heritage roots.
“We will work with the family search organization, JustServe and prominent leaders like actor Blair Underwood to spread these messages about the potential bounties of the Freedman’s Bureau’s bank records to help repair our nation’s wealth gap,” said Cobb.
Cobb said his Civil Rights/ Black activism began when he was a young member of the Afro-American Association at a time when the parents of Vice President Kamala Harris attended the weekly meetings.
After forming the Oakland Black Caucus in 1968, Cobb and Gay Plair helped to protest
merce and is free to attend. RSVP is required. Please call 707-673-2148 or www.solanoblackchamber.com.
A popular way to spend MLK Day is by giving back to your community. In Richmond, there will be a day of community service on the Richmond Greenway. The Watershed Project organized this event to beautify the greenway and provide opportunity for community reflection and empowerment. They will be meeting at Unity Park Community Plaza at 9 a.m. on Monday to kick off this event. Not only is this free to participate in, but lunch will be provided.
In Stockton, there will be a twoday celebration in honor of Dr. King with keynote speaker Bishop Jerry W. Macklin. The first part of this event will be on Jan. 19 at 5 p.m. at Progressive Community Church in Stockton at 2820 South B St. The next day, a Unity March will begin at 10 a.m. at the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium. Registration for the march begins at 9 a.m. This event is being put on by Ministers and Community United, INC.
Kaiser Permanente Hospital’s practice of performing unnecessary hysterectomies on Black women.
Noting that discriminatory health practices needed to be addressed, Cobb challenged presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy during his visit to Taylor Memorial Methodist Church that since he (RFK), Dr. King and his brother President John Kennedy (JFK) were pictured together on posters and tapestries, that he should support the proliferation of community health centers.
RFK was killed in Los Angeles on June 6, 1968, the day after his Oakland visit, and two months after King’s assassination on April 4, 1968.
Cobb was selected to be a fellow at the RFK Memorial Foundation where he had an opportunity to help organize in communities nationally.
Next week in Part 2 - Cobb, motivated by King, moved to Atlanta in 2003.
By Anka Lee Post Intern
Last Wednesday, I was in no hurry to get anywhere. I had yet to readjust to waking up early and arriving at places on time after winter break. After school, I walked to the Post News Group building, ready to tune back into my ‘journalist’ mentality after a two-week hiatus from socializing. Little did I know, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee would be visiting… to be interviewed.
When Lee arrived, I could only stand and stare. I’d never seen her before, yet the moment my mentor, Mrs. Wanda, introduced me to her, that feeling of meeting a stranger faded away. She was so bright, smiling at everybody and cracking jokes. To be in the same room as her was being able to see and appreciate her charisma up close. I complimented her suit (I’d never seen someone pull off a bright blue suit the way she did) and we took a couple pictures together.
We went upstairs to prepare for the interview about her mayoral campaign and what she strives to accomplish as mayor of Oakland. She and a couple other Post News Group members, as well as the interviewer and cameraman, sat around a long table.
Mr. Cobb, the publisher of The Post, asked Mrs. Wanda and I to prepare questions for Lee before he headed inside. I was going to sit in on the interview and contribute to it. I would have never expected this in a million years.
The first thing I noticed when entering the room was the formality in the air. It felt like too important of a moment for me to witness. Lee was answering the interviewer’s questions animatedly and with conviction to every word she spoke.
Each person chipped into the conversation, and it was near the end of the interview that Mr. Cobb made a gesture at me. All eyes suddenly turned to me and I tried my best not to seem as scared as I felt. I told myself to treat this as any other interview I’ve done.
I asked about the youth involved in her campaign. She said that already some young people are volunteering and helping, and she intends to bring a couple people in to get trained in campaigns and have meetings with young people about their policy agenda. There are young people attending college while some are living in the streets, she observed. She wants the “input and involvement” of the youth to better understand how she can fix that situation the best she can.
The second question was about her plans to address racial and ethnic division in Oakland. She emphasized that although Oakland may be ahead in some ways compared to other cities, during a meeting with leaders among different communities she noticed “none of them had ever met each other.”
It was then that she realized unity is the key to creating a more diverse and equal city—to have discussions outside of the mayor’s office in order to empower people of all communities to work together, especially those in the Black community: “I’m going to make sure every single community has input, a seat at the
Anka Lee is a student intern at The Post from the Oakland School for the Arts.
They began the interview immediately, which I found incredibly productive but also insanely stressful. How was I going to interview Barbara Lee when I was barely accustomed to interviewing people on a regular basis? Mrs. Wanda saved me from a near meltdown when she helped me write down the questions. Once I wrote them down, she gently urged me to enter the room.
Former Rep. Barbara Lee with Oakland School for the Arts student Anka Lee, who is an intern at The Post. Photo by Kevin Hicks.
iStock photo.
Raging Fires in Pasadena and Altadena Devastate Black Families, Strain Fire Protection Systems
list of Black families affected by the Eaton fire in Altadena and Pasadena. She also provided GoFundMe links the public can use to assist them.
“Those erratic wind gusts were throwing embers multiple miles ahead of the fire,” said Chad Augustin, Pasadena fire chief at a press conference. He said several firefighters from other places, including Sacramento and the state of Oregon, have come to the aid of the city.
happen in winter. Last year, L.A. faced mudslides and floods. This winter, LA has seen a paltry 0.02 inches of rain, compared to an average of 3.46 inches.
Combine that with intense, unrelenting winds and dry conditions, and California now has a year-round fire season fueled by climate change.
By Solomon O. Smith California Black Media
The Eaton Fire has left a devastating mark on Southern California, including the Black and Brown communities of Pasadena and Altadena, where homeowners are grappling with unimaginable loss.
Among them is Ruth Hopkins, publisher of The Pasadena Journal, the area’s only Black newspaper. Hopkins lost her family home and with it, over 60 years of archives documenting the rich history, culture, and lives of Black residents in the Altadena-Pasadena area. Her son, Jamal Dominique Hopkins has set up a GoFundMe campaign, for her and her grandson.
Six historically Black churches in Pasadena and Altadena have been destroyed and the families of more than 200 of their members have lost their homes. Those churches are: Metropolitan Baptist Church (the Rev. Tyrone Skinner); Lifeline Fellowship Church (Bishop Charles Dorsey); Abounding Grace COGIC (the Rev. Thomas Burrell); Hillside Tabernacle City of Faith (the Rev. G. LaKeith
Kennebrew); Community Bible Church of Greater Pasadena (the Rev. Jean Burch); and Morningstar Baptist Church (the Rev. W.H. Trotter).
The Eaton fire, fueled by unseasonably strong winds of up to 70 miles per hour, has consumed over 10,000 acres, damaged and destroyed an estimated 7,000 structures, and claimed at least 16 lives. Black and Brown families, many with deep generational ties to the area, are now among the thousands displaced.
So far 24 people have been confirmed dead in all of the fires ongoing in Southern California.
Historically, Altadena has had a significant African American middle-class community compared to other parts of California. Currently, its Black population is 17.9%.
Despite redlining policies that restricted Black homeownership in much of California, African Americans in Altadena Meadows, an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, could secure loans to buy homes.
Jasmyne Cannick, an L.A.based writer, media strategist and political commentator, released a
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that President Biden has approved a state of emergency in California and over 14,500 personnel are actively responding to the fire.
“We are putting all available resources behind fighting these wildfires, including leveraging local and federal assets. California has thousands of boots on the ground working to combat these fires,” said Newsom. “The state is leaving no stone unturned to protect California communities.”
Haywood Micheal Ammons, a filmmaker and father of two boys, stayed behind to protect the only remaining structure on a property his family owns. Surrounding structures had burning gas leaks that could not be put out with water. Ammons and Kevin Bautista, another resident with a deep connection to the property, tried to use a hose to push back embers but there was no water.
Ammons managed to get firefighters to turn off the gas and put out hotspots.
The home remained intact, but the new additional unit built for his two sons and ex-wife is gone.
“The damage is done,” he said.
New Calif. Bill Aims to Ban Trans Students from High School Sports
By Bo Tefu California Black Media
Assemblymember Kate Sanchez (R-Rancho Santa Margarita) introduced a bill on Jan 6, Assembly Bill (AB) 89, calling for the prohibition of transgender girls from participating in girls’ high school sports in California. Dubbed the “Protect Girls’ Sports Act,” the bill would require sports organizations to enforce policies limiting female sports teams to individuals assigned female at birth.
Fairness in female sports is being stripped away,” said Sanchez, referring to trans athletes as “biological males” in a video announcement. Critics argue the legislation promotes discrimination and intensifies the challenges trans students face.
Sanchez’s proposal faces steep opposition in California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature and conflicts with state laws that protect transgender students’ rights. A 2013 California law ensures trans students can participate in sex-seg-
regated activities and use facilities aligned with their gender identity, a position backed by federal court rulings.
The legislation arrives amid broader legal battles and heated debates surrounding transgender athletes in California. In one case, two high school students sued Riverside Unified School District, claiming a transgender teammate “unfairly” took their spot at a cross-country event. The controversy has fueled transphobic activism, with some students wearing anti-trans T-shirts and Republican lawmakers calling for the district superintendent’s resignation.
San Jose State University faced scrutiny after a volleyball player joined a lawsuit opposing trans women in NCAA sports. Such incidents, along with Sanchez’s bill, highlight a growing focus among conservative activists on transgender athletes.
Advocates for trans rights, including parents and groups like Our Schools USA, have condemned the growing opposition.
Hotter summers, drier winters, and decades of poor decisions around land use and water management have turned the Golden State into a tinderbox. It’s also a preview of what’s coming for the rest of America as global temperatures rise and devastating extreme weather events become routine.
For a country where ‘wokeness’ has become a dirty word. Pay attention to all the fires — the ones in L.A. and the ones set by Trump.
Let’s continue to stand together for the America of our dreams and reassured by Dr. King’s belief: that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. About the Author Emil Guillermo is an awardwinning journalist, commentator, and storyteller. He hosts “Emil Amok’s Takeout” on YouTube and on patreon.com.
Daisy Gardner, a parent of an LGBTQ student, said hate campaigns have forced some trans athletes to quit sports entirely. “It’s just not right for these kids to go through this,” said one parent anonymously.
California remains one of 24 states safeguarding trans students’ participation in gender-segregated sports, making the bill’s future uncertain.
A lone staircase and a scalloped wall are all that remain of a residence.
The Eaton Fire burned down an estimated 200-500 structures. Altadena, Calif. Wednesday, Jan. 8. Photo by Solomon O. Smith.
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County and former attorney for the Alameda County DA’s office
Simona Farrise Best: Prosecutor under the Consumer and Environmental Protections bureau for the Alameda County DA’s office
Amilcar C. Ford: Assistant DA for San Francisco and former assistant DA to Alameda County’s office for 23 years
• Venus D Johnson: Chief deputy attorney to California Attorney General Rob Bonta. She was previously an assistant DA in Contra Costa County; assistant/ deputy general under former California Attorney General Kamala Harris; deputy DA under former Alameda DA Nancy O’Malley; and director of Public Safety under former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf
• Ursula Jones Dickson: Alameda Superior Court judge and former deputy district attorney
• LaTricia D Louis: Deputy counsel for Alameda County and former assistant DA. Elgin Lowe: Senior deputy DA for Alameda County
• Kwixuan H. Maloof: Senior assistant DA for Alameda County and former public defender for San Francisco
• Ocean O. Mottley: Senior staff attorney for Bay Area Legal Aid
• Arvon J. Perteet: Deputy attorney general for California Department of Justice.
Previously, an assistant DA for San Francisco and deputy DA for Contra Costa County
• Yiben Shen: City Attorney for the City of Alameda and former chief deputy city attorney in Santa Monica
• Ian Seth Steward: former chief of staff for former Oakland City Council Member Dan Kalb. Also, previously served as an assistant DA under former San Francisco DA Kamala Harris
• Scott C. Tsui: former assistant DA for Santa Clara County and former deputy DA for Sacramento County
• Jimmie L. Wilson: Attorney for Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. He ran for Alameda DA in 2022 but lost to Price.
Alameda DA’s Office ...
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wage theft and forced labor.
The DA’s Office also partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor to improve compliance through joint efforts, including shared training, investigations, and information. They also collaborate with unions, service providers, schools, and churches to combat worker exploitation.
These efforts have led to investigations in industries like construction, massage therapy, and street vending. The DA’s office trains service providers and high school students on wage theft, offering strategies to address and combat these practices and empowering the community to ensure fair compensation.
More than 20 years ago, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) enshrined the United States’ commitment to combatting human trafficking domestically and internationally.
Human trafficking includes both forced labor and sex trafficking.
It not only represents a threat to international peace and secu-
rity but also undermines the rule of law, robs millions of their dignity and freedom, enriches transnational criminals and terrorists, and threatens public safety and national security everywhere.
There are estimated to be more than 27.6 million people adults and children — subjected to human trafficking around the world, including in the United States, and right here in Alameda County.
In California, wage theft is a serious problem, with workers being cheated out of an estimated $2 billion in stolen wages every year. Wage theft happens any time an employer fails to pay an employee the compensation they are owed.
Wage theft can happen in several ways, including underpaying wages, failure to pay overtime, failure to provide rest and meal breaks or sick leave. Any wage theft exceeding $950 is felony grand theft, punishable by prison and fines.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s media relations department is the source of this story.
Barbara Lee Left Congress ...
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structure Law, we’re … funding more projects that will expand capacity, improve efficiency, and facilitate the quicker movement of goods at ports in (Oakland and) more than a dozen states,” Buttigieg said.
The upgrades will “include wharf strengthening, crane rail replacement, and structural repairs to accommodate larger vessels and improve efficiency, according to the CBS report.
Lee also secured federal funding to improve air quality in Oakland and West Oakland in particular.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the Port of Oakland $322 million in October 2024 to fast track the Oakland Seaport’s conversion to nearly 100% zero-emissions cargo handling operations.
The Port’s proposal is called “Community Led, Business Supported, Proven and Ready to Go! Transforming the Port of Oakland to Zero Emissions.” The historic federal funding announcement, when matched with Port and local partner contributions, will unlock approximately half a billion dollars in total investment for green initiatives at the Oakland seaport, according to the Port of Oakland.
This is the largest-ever amount of federal funding for a Bay Area program aimed at cutting emissions from seaport cargo operations. The grant will finance 663 pieces of zero-emissions equipment which includes 475 drayage trucks and 188 pieces of cargo handling equipment.
“The climate crisis demands that we act urgently and boldly to protect our communities,” said Lee in a Port of Oakland media statement.
“This investment will protect Oakland from the damaging ef-
County Supervisors
Unanimously Agree to Move Ahead with Coliseum Development
OPINION: On Heels of AASEG’s Success, a Proposal for a ‘New Oakland’
By Paul Cobb PART 1
fects of fossil fuels and will move us faster toward a zero-emissions future… It is critical that we continue to invest in zero-emissions operations, and I’m proud the Port of Oakland is leading the way,” she said.
Lee championed the building at the Ed Roberts Campus (ERC), a transit-oriented development serving people with disabilities, which opened its doors at 3075 Adeline St. in Berkeley in 2010.
ERC is widely hailed as “the world’s foremost disability rights service, advocacy, education, training, and policy center,” serving people in the Greater Bay Area, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), which credited Lee for her leadership in raising funds for the ERC.
The Campus was built as a $47.5 million public-private partnership with approximately 45% of its funds coming from the private sector and a mortgage paid by the partner organizations and other tenants, and 55% from government sources.
In an interview recently with the Oakland Post, Lee talked about her experience with successful public-private partnerships such as the Ed Roberts Center.
“Right now, public-private partnerships are going to be key,” Lee said. “You hear people talk about it, but not really know what it means. Well, it means that if I win, I’m going to go directly to the source in terms of the foundations.
“In terms of the private sector, (I’ll) talk to them about the beauty of Oakland, its challenges, (and) how, with minimal investment, they can help us move forward. I think that’s the job. It’s going to be a heavy lift, but I’m going to do that.”
By Post Staff
Ending months of inaction, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted at its meeting this week to support a resolution and term sheet to facilitate the sale of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum to the Oakland Acquisition Company, LLC (OAC).
This decision bolsters the City of Oakland’s efforts to pursue economic development at the Coliseum property. The resolution was sponsored by Board President David Haubert, and the approved term sheet was sponsored by Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas in one of her first actions as a new member of the Board of Supervisors.
“This vote is a critical step in showing the public that the Board of Supervisors is committed to closing the Coliseum deal,” said Bas. “We have provided direction for the final agreements that will assign a single entity to own the site, paving the way for a future development project that will generate positive economic and community benefits.”
Bas continued, “As the former Oakland City Council president, I added language to the June 2024 ordinance that ensures the sale includes deed restrictions requiring at least 25% affordable housing for low-income households and a community benefits agreement to address labor standards, small, local business contracting, workforce and living wages, sustainable green development, and more.”
In a statement to the media, Interim Oakland Mayor Kevin Jenkins said, “I want to thank the Alameda County Board of Supervisors for prioritizing the health and future of East Oakland by approving a term sheet to realize the sale of the County’s 50% interest in the Coliseum Complex to the African American Sports & Entertainment Group.”
“Combined with the sale of the City’s interest in the Coliseum Complex… the County’s sale will finally unify ownership of the site,” he said. “This will enable OAC, the City, and the community to pursue critical economic development in East Oakland, resulting in thousands of new jobs, housing
opportunities, and access to green spaces.”
The County of Alameda has owned a 50% interest in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum located at 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland, California. The Coliseum is approximately 112-acres in size and consists of an arena, a stadium, and exhibit hall.
The supervisors’ vote on Jan. 14, which passed unanimously, provides direction for assigning the County’s interest in the property from Coliseum Way Partners, LLC (CWP), which is connected to the Oakland Athletics, to OAC.
On Aug. 31, 2024, the City of Oakland sold its 50% interest in the Coliseum property to OAC, which means that the County vote this week paves the way for OAC to gain 100% control of the property, according to a statement from Bas’s office.
The goal of the supervisors’ decision was to provide a policy statement that allows all parties necessary to achieve the common goals of OAC, CWP and the County to complete a set of governing and “Definitive Documents” that can be executed by the appropriate parties ideally within 30 days following the approval of the term sheet.
The vote will divest the County from any role in operating a sports and entertainment facility and allow the County to refocus resources on its core mission, and vest ownership in a single entity.
The approved term sheet addresses several issues and concerns of the County: • OAC agrees to release the County of any costs related to hazardous waste and environmental remediation.
The Coliseum property will be assigned to a single entity which allows for a future economic development plan that will ultimately benefit the City, County, and community with increased jobs; neighborhood revitalization; and sales, property, and Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT).
Final documents related to the assignment of the County’s portion of the Coliseum property will be negotiated between OAC, CWP and the County and will then return to the Board for final approval.
Oakland’s New Congresswoman, Lateefah Simon ...
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cial moment to stand with her today, look her in the eye, and begin my journey as the congresswoman for California’s 12th District,” said Simon.
Harris and Simon first met in the late 1990s while Harris was serving as an assistant district attorney in San Francisco and Simon worked at the Young Women’s Freedom Center.
In 2005, then-District Attorney Harris recruited Simon to head the “Back on Track” program, which
offered first-time, nonviolent offenders alternatives to incarceration – providing a second chance for participants.
The program became a nationally recognized initiative and the basis for multiple programs across the nation.
Rep. Simon represents California’s 12th Congressional District, which includes the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Piedmont, and parts of San Leandro.
On the eve of celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday and as we prepare to honor Black History next month, we send our congratulations to the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) for organizing the East Oakland community to get the City of Oakland and Alameda County to approve their redevelopment vision for jobs, affordable housing and businesses and attracting the necessary investment capital to acquire the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
When I authored the front page editorial urging AASEG to buy the Coliseum, many residents doubted their ability to purchase the complex.
The prodigious effort by AASEG and the optimism generated amongst former and current professional athletes, entertainers and business owners has caused us to start sharing a vision for a 15-year plan for a New Oakland to improve the socio-economic conditions of the local residents that reside in the City of Oakland.
Our leadership group consists of local community “trust agents” and thought leaders like former Golden State Warriors spiritual advisor and Emmy Award-winning television producer Gary Reeves, Marcus King ( entertainment producer), Cardiac Kids (Golden State Warriors 1975 World Champions) En Vogue vocalist Terry Ellis, NBA legend Ralph Sampson, Paul Cobb (Post News Group publisher) and Blair Underwood (award-winning actor and philanthropist). We will lead the mobilizing efforts to promote these concerns.
The top priorities for New Oakland are to bring action and collaborative strategies to the pri-
or commitments made by Jaylen Brown, Jason Kidd, Steph Curry and others that have shown deep sentiment to uplifting the cultural vibrations of our under-resourced zip codes, and the broken spirits of those residents that reside in them.
In addition, we want to secure plans to create affordable housing for all income levels, vocational programing for job creation, family-safe spaces, non-intrusive public safety AI and advance tech applications, climate sensitive development practices, youth sports training facilities, live entertainment, professional sports franchising considerations, gaming destinations, appealing hospitality offerings and local small business development engagement.
In addition, the New Oakland initiative committee will assertively seek support from socially impactful third-party investment partners to improve the publicprivate partnership options to help subsidize the fiscal responsibilities for the City of Oakland. We hope to bring fresh ideas and forward-thinking business leaders to establish sustainable economic models that will reinvigorate the pride of Oakland. We want to support AASEG’s agenda with non-competitve developments that can improve auto row the corridor from High Street to Hegenberger. We are meeting with potential hotel investors to preserve the Hilton site. Most of all, we are urging private development capital to help salvage the closed fire stations. Please contact Paul Cobb or Gary Reeves for further details on the planning for New Oakland initiative. To reach Cobb or Reeves, send information to social@postnewsgroup.com or call 510-2878200. For additional information see page 4 for Cobb’s Genesis speech.
Alameda County District Attorney’s Office Charges Man for String of Commercial Burglaries
iStock.
By Oakland Post Staff
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has charged Nathaniel Porter, 22, with multiple felonies for allegedly participating in a string of commercial burglaries targeting multiple businesses in Union City.
Porter is charged with eight counts of second-degree burglary.
It is further alleged that the defendant committed these burglaries while on probation for a previous conviction.
The criminal complaint alleges that on or around March 21, 2024, Porter unlawfully entered eight different businesses with the in-
tent to commit larceny in a Union City strip mall while these businesses were closed. Investigators developed a lead placing the defendant at the location during the burglaries.
Porter was recently arraigned for the commercial burglary charges and is scheduled to appear for a plea hearing Feb. 10 in Department 702 at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin. Porter was on felony probation at the time that these alleged crimes occurred. If convicted and sentenced on all charges, Mr. Porter faces up to 10 years and six months in prison.
Left to right: Oakland Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins, Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Haubert, Ray Bobbitt, sports agent Bill Duffy, Tax Assessor Phong La. Photo by Kevin Jenkins.
iStock.
Mayoral candidate Loren Taylor announced his candidacy for Mayor after press time. Story will appear in next week’s edition.