Celebrating East Bay Leaders Keith Carson and Federal Glover at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle
By Magaly Muñoz
After decades of public service in the East Bay, community members and leaders came together to celebrate Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson and Contra Costa Supervisor Federal Glover at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle Thursday afternoon.
Several leaders were in attendance including fellow Alameda Supervisors Elisa Marquez and Lena Tam, Superior Court judgeelect Terry Wiley, and African American Sports and Entertainment Group’s founder Ray Bobbitt, along with many other guests.
First elected in 1992, Carson has served District 5 for 24 years and announced his decision to step away from his seat earlier this year, just before the deadline to submit new candidate applications.
He dedicated his long career to bringing access to health care, addressing homelessness, lowering crime, improving business retention, and growing job opportunities in Alameda County.
Glover began his tenure as Contra Costa Supervisor in 2000 and previously served as mayor of
Oakland Post
“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
By Post Staff
Houseless rights advocates gathered in Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other city halls across California and Washington state this week protesting increased sweeps that followed a
U.S. Supreme Court decision over the summer.
The coordinated protests on Tuesday in San Francisco, Oakland, Vallejo,
mons,
“What we’re dealing with right now is a way to criminalize people who are dealing with poverty, who are not able to afford rent,” said
rights advocate Junebug Kealoh, outside San Francisco City Hall.
“When someone is constantly swept, they are just shuffled and things get taken — it’s hard to stay on top of anything,” said Kealoh. Local houseless advocates
Interim Mayor Nikki Bas Announces Balanced Budget
‘The Council made difficult but clear decisions,’ said Bas. Kaplan proposed for Interim District 2 Council seat.
immediately sat down with City Council members to rebalance the city’s budget, closing a projected deficit and maintaining emergency financial reserves.
“The Council made difficult but clear decisions last night,” Mayor Bas said in a statement released Thursday. “With yesterday’s budget adoption, the City of Oakland is on track to maintain our immediate fiscal health and our emergency reserves are at the required level.”
“The City now seeks to move forward in strong collaboration with its Labor partners and the community-led Budget Advisory Commission toward long-term fiscal sustainability,” she said. “We all deserve to feel safe and secure, whether we’re taking our kids out to play, running our essential small businesses, parking our car on the
street, or walking home at night.”
Bas took over as mayor from Sheng Thao, whose last day in office was Tuesday after losing a recall election in November.
“Thank you for choosing me to serve as your mayor. As the first Hmong American woman to become the mayor of a major American city, it has been the honor of my lifetime. I am deeply proud of the progress we created together,” Thao said.
Bas, in her final remarks as a councilmember, proposed that the City Council appoint Kaplan to replace her until the April election.
“As you know Councilmember Kaplan is retiring, she is willing to serve in this interim capacity. She is a resident of District 2 in Jack London, will not run for the seat in the special election, and I believe that
she is uniquely qualified to jump in and immediately help to serve our District 2 residents, as well as key projects moving forward, and of course help lead the city’s biennial budget process,” Bas said.
At its meeting this week, the Council affirmed the City Administrator’s budget balancing actions, utilizing unrestricted and transferred funds to help fill the gap and provided direction and strategies to close the remaining need.
The proposals include finding new revenue from increased events and success at the Oakland Coliseum/Arena and other sources, making any further cuts a last resort.
They also proposed to immediately collect unpaid business taxes by doing an internal audit and strengthen controls on OPD over-
By Post Staff
A jury has returned a guilty verdict against Camren Watts on two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for an unprovoked shooting near the intersection of 51st Street and West Street in Oakland back in September of 2020.
Watts fired his gun into a parked car, where two unarmed men were sleeping, several times. One victim suffered multiple wounds, while the other was uninjured. He now faces 23 years in state prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Monday, Feb.
3, 2025 in Department 10 at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.
“I first want to thank the jury for their service and careful deliberation in this trial,” said Chief Assistant District Attorney Royl Roberts. “I also want to congratulate the Prosecution Team for their hard work securing this conviction and recognize the Inspector on this assignment for their support throughout the case and jury trial. This guilty verdict reaffirms that anyone who uses a gun to harm people in our community will be held to account for their actions in a court of law.”
By Magaly Muñoz
In the last lengthy Tuesday meeting of the Oakland City Council for 2024, residents expressed strong opposition to the much needed budget cuts before a change in leadership was finalized with the certification of election results.
In a five to one vote, with Councilmembers Carroll Fife and Janani Ramachandran excused, the council passed a plan aimed at balancing the $130 million deficit the city is facing. Noel Gallo voted against the plan, previously citing concerns over public safety cuts, while Nikki Fortunato Bas, Treva Reid, Rebecca Kaplan, Kevin Jenkins, and Dan Kalb voted in agreement with the plan.
Oakland police and fire depart-
Phase 2 includes additional fire station brownouts and the elimination of 91 jobs, aiming to recover almost $16 million in order to balance the rest of the budget.
Several organizations and residents spoke out at the meeting in hopes of swaying the council to not make cuts to their programs.
ments, the ambassador program, and city arts and culture will all see significant cuts over the course of two phases.
Phase 1 will eliminate two police academies, brown out two fire stations, eliminate the ambassador program, and reduce police overtime by nearly $25 million. These, with several other cuts across departments, aim to save the city $60 million. In addition, the council simultaneously approved to transfer restricted funds into its general purpose fund, amounting to over $40 million.
East Oakland Senior Center volunteers and members, and homeless advocates, filled the plaza just outside of City Hall with rallies to show their disapproval of the new budget plan. Senior residents told the council to “remember that you’ll get old too” and that disturbing their resources will only bring problems for an already struggling community.
By Ken Epstein On Dec. 17, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) delivered her final remarks on the floor of the U.S. House of Representa-
By Post Staff
Oakland City Council President
Nikki Fortunato Bas was sworn in interim mayor on Wednesday and
Left to Right : Keith Carson, John Gioia, Federal Glover, Nate Miley. Photo by Kevin Hicks.
Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan. Courtesy photo.
Nikki Fortunato Bas. Courtesy photo.
The California Poor People’s Campaign’s Victoria King erected encampments for unhoused Oaklanders. Photo by Post Staff.
Congresswoman
(D-CA-12). Courtesy of Barbara Lee’s office.
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
On Dec. 13, California Secretary of State (SOS) Shirley N. Weber officially certified the Nov. 5 General Election results from all 58 counties.
The SOS reported that 16,140,044 (71.43% of registered voters) ballots were cast in this past election. The total number of votes this year was down from the Nov. 3, 2020 vote count which was 17,785,151 or 80.67% —by nearly nine percentage points (according to Weber’s “Statement of Vote: General Election Nov. 5, 2024” report.
Among the statewide election statistics reported by the Secretary of State’s Office 13,034,378 vote-by-mail ballots were cast, while 3,105,666 ballots were cast at voting locations.
Two days before the certifica-
tion, Weber held a news briefing with media publications. During the conference, held on Zoom, Weber shared details about the process of certifying votes.
Weber said, although there were minor issues and “glitches,” overall the election process in the state ran accordingly.
“There were instances and things that happened, but they did not stop the election. We did not have people lose confidence and not go to the polls to vote,” Weber said.
“There were minor glitches that took place, but we addressed each one of them and nothing seemed to linger in regard to people who wanted to vote and participate in the process which was evident by the generous turnout that we had,” said Weber.
The Public Policy Institute of California reported on Nov. 18 that the decline in votes is notable
because there were more registered voters in 2024 than in 2020.
PPIC estimated that 1.7 million fewer ballots were cast in 2024, despite having 550,000 more registered voters and 1.8 million more eligible residents than in 2020.
Weber acknowledged the decrease in voter participation compared to the November 2020 election, but she said California’s voters’ registration was higher than the rest of the country.
“Nationally, the 2024 registrations are at 63%. So, we are higher (at 70%) than the national average,” Weber said. “Despite what people might say, we are still in the lead regarding voter turnout, participation, and registration with the largest population in the United States.”
By Emil Guillermo
The Temptations, the harmonizing, singing dancing mangroup of your OG youth, were on “The Today Show,” earlier this week.
There were some new members, no David Ruffin. But Otis Williams, 83, was there still crooning and preening, leading the group’s 60th anniversary performance of “My Girl.”
When I first heard “My Girl,” I got it.
I was 9 and had a crush on Julie Satterfield, with the braided ponytails in my catechism class. Unfortunately, she did not become my girl.
But that song was always a special bridge in my life. In college, I was a member of a practically all-White, all-male club that mirrored the demographics at that university. At the parties, the song of choice was “My Girl.”
Which is odd, because the party was 98% men.
The organization is a little better now, with women, people of color and LGBTQ+, but back in the 1970s, the Tempts music was the only thing that integrated that club.
POETRY’S “MY GIRL”
The song’s anniversary took me by surprise. But not as much as the death of Nikki Giovanni.
Giovanni was probably one of the most famous young African American women in the 1960s, known for her fiery poetry. But even that description is tame.
The New York Times obit headline practically buried her historical impact: “Nikki Giovanni, Poet Who Wrote of Black Joy, Dies at 81.”
That doesn’t begin to touch the fire of Giovanni’s work through her lifetime.
I’ll always see her as the Black
female voice that broke through the silence of good enough. In 1968, when cities were burning all across America, Giovanni was the militant female voice of a revolution.
Her “The True Import of Present Dialogue: Black vs. Negro,” is the historical record of racial anger as literature from the opening lines.
It reads profane and violent, shockingly so then. These days, it may seem tamer than rap music.
But it’s jarring and pulls no punches. It protests Vietnam, and what Black men were asked to do for their country.
“We kill in Viet Nam,” she wrote. “We kill for UN & NATO & SEATO & US.”
Written in 1968, it was a poem that spoke to the militancy and activism of the times. And she explained herself in a follow up, “My Poem.”
“I am 25 years old, Black female poet,” she wrote referring to her earlier controversial poem. “If they kill me. It won’t stop the revolution.”
Giovanni wrote more poetry and children’s books. She taught at Rutgers, then later at Virginia Tech where she followed her fellow professor who would become her spouse, Virginia C. Fowler. Since Giovanni’s death, I’ve read through her poetry, from what made her famous, to her later poems that revealed her humanity and compassion for all of life.
In “Allowables,” she writes of finding a spider on a book, then killing it.
And she scared me
And I smashed her
I don’t think I’m allowed
To kill something Because I am Frightened
For Giovanni, her soul was in her poetry, and the revolution was her evolution.
About the Author Emil Guillermo is a journalist, commentator, and solo performer. Join him at www.patreon.com/ emilamok
pose of the event. “I’m here today, to bring attention to the needs of Black Americans and the need for our legal and social protections as the special legislative session convenes.”
In addition to Miller and Cryer, other speakers at the event were Dr. Booker Cook, Ethnics Studies professor at the California State University, Sacramento (CSU-Sacramento) and Khansa “Friday” Jones Muhammad, vice president of the Los Angeles Reparations Advisory Commission.
During the special session and regular session, the group called for the re-introduction of reparations legislation that did not get a vote in the last legislative season, a distribution of the final California Reparations Task Force Report to schools and libraries, and the establishment of a defense fund to support implementation and legal defense of the reparations report and associated bills.
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
A coalition of reparations advocates are demanding that the California Legislature, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Gov. Gavin Newsom act decisively on reparations bills that have stalled in the Legislature.
They are calling on the state leaders to pass the bills during the special legislative session the Governor called this month to secure up to $25 million for California “to defend against unconstitutional or unlawful federal government actions” expected during the incoming Trump administration.
The advocates want the push for reparations for Californians
who are descendants of enslaved Black people in the United States to continue next year during the regular session, which begins when the Legislature convenes on Jan. 6, 2025.
“California has a proud history of leading difficult change in America from environmental policies to safety standards to samesex marriages and the like,” said Tullus Miller, a Bay Area financial services executive.
Miller was speaking during an engagement held Dec. 2 on the grounds of the State Capitol with the California Native American Monument as the backdrop.
Los Angeles-based attorney Cheryce Cryer explained the pur-
“Today, that Freedmen’s Bureau (bill) needs to be re-established,” Cook said. “The work is done. The history is there, and the proof is there. There should be no more arguments and no more debates.”
Authored by former Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), Senate Bill (SB) 1403 and SB 1330 stalled in the Assembly in September, triggering backlash from reparations supporters across the country.
Leadership of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) said they agreed not to support bringing forth Bradford’s bills due to procedural and funding concerns. However, the CLBC was able to secure $12 million in next
Nikki Giovanni. Courtesy of Nikki-Giovanni.com
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.
Ashleigh Johnson: Pioneering the Way in Water Polo
MacArthur Fellow Dorothy Roberts’ Advocates Restructure of Child Welfare System
A graduate of Yale University with a law degree from Harvard,
posing racial inequities embedded within health and social service
fessor of Law and Sociology, and on the faculty in the department of Africana Studies at the University
Special to The Post
When grants were announced
By Tamara Shiloh
a five-year period to spend as they see fit.
unique skill set made her a natural fit for the demanding role of a goalkeeper.
Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty 1997)”, she analyzes historical and contemporary policies and practices that denied agency to Black women and sought to control their childbearing—from forced procreation during slavery, to coercive sterilization and welfare reform—and advocates for an expanded understanding of reproductive freedom.
This work prompted Roberts examine the treatment of children of color in the U.S. child welfare system.
state intervention and the results of those interventions.
the tournament’s top goalkeeper, further cementing her status as one of the best players in the sport’s history.
smile on her face. But to us, on the inside, we know how driven she is to be one of the best ever to do it.”
Ashleigh attended Princeton University, where she played for the Tigers and dominated collegiate water polo. During her time at Princeton, she became the program’s all-time leader in saves and was recognized for her extraordinary ability to anticipate plays and block shots. She was a three-time All-American and was pivotal in leading her team to multiple victories. Balancing rigorous academics and athletics, she graduated with a degree in Psychology, showcasing her determination both in and out of the pool.
Through interviews with Chicago mothers who had interacted with Child Protective Services (CPS), Roberts shows that institutions regularly punish the effects of poverty as neglect.
Ashleigh didn’t just stop at one Olympic appearance. She continued her dominance in water polo, playing a key role in Team USA’s gold medal win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her ability to remain composed under pressure and deliver outstanding saves in crucial moments made her an irreplaceable member of the team.
CPS disproportionately investigates Black and Indigenous families, especially if they are lowincome, and children from these families are much more likely than white children to be removed from their families after CPS referral.
She also shows that blaming marginalized individuals for structural problems, while ignoring the historical roots of economic and social inequality, fails families and communities.
Team USA Women’s Water Polo ended their Olympic season in fourth place after a 10 - 11 loss to the Netherlands. Johnson only allowed 37 percent of the shots from the Netherlands.
Roberts argues that the engrained oppressive features of the current system render it beyond repair. She calls for creating an entirely new approach focused on supporting families rather than punishing them.
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
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-
es 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.
Born on Sept. 12, 1994, in Miami, Florida, Ashleigh grew up in a family that valued sports and aca-
Ashleigh Johnson has become a household name in the world of water polo, not only for her incredible athleticism and skill but also for breaking barriers as the first Black woman to represent the United States in the sport at the Olympic level. Her journey begins as a determined young athlete to a record-breaking goalkeeper.
demics. She attended Ransom Everglades School, where she was introduced to water polo. Despite water polo being a niche sport in her community, she quickly stood out for her remarkable agility, intelligence, and reflexes. Her
Roberts’s early work focused on Black women’s reproductive rights and their fight for reproductive justice. In “Killing the Black
In 2016, Ashleigh made history as the first Black woman to be selected for the U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team. Representing her country at the Rio Olympics, she played a crucial role in helping Team USA secure the gold medal. Her stellar performances earned her the distinction of being named
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),” 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 of norms.
At the age of 29, Johnson appeared in her third Olympiad in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Their first match was against Greece and the U.S. team won easily and Johnson only gave up 4 points. U.S. Olympic head coach, Adam Krikorian, shared, “She’s an incredible athlete. She’s got great hand-eye coordination, great reflexes and reactions. And then she’s fiercely competitive - fiercely. And you would never know it by her demeanor or by the huge
Beyond her achievements in the pool, Ashleigh has used her platform to advocate for diversity in water polo and sports in general. As a trailblazer, she recognizes the importance of representation and works to encourage young athletes, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to pursue their dreams.
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.
Ashleigh has spoken about the challenges she faced as a Black woman in a predominantly white sport and how she turned those obstacles into opportunities for growth.
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.
Dorothy Roberts. Photo courtesy of the John D. and Catherine T. Ma cArthur Foundation.
Ashleigh Johnson. Photo: collegiatewaterpolo.org.
Public Notices, Classifieds & Business
Advocates Demand Action on Reparations ... Continued from page 2
“California has been leading the nation in reparations discussions,” Jones-Muhammad said. “The advocates in this space have spent five years doing the impossible and working with the Legislature to bring foundational reparations policies through the Senate and Assembly Appropriations.”
The CLBC starts the 2024-2025 legisla-
tive session with new leadership. Sen. Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa) serves as the chairperson, while Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) is the vice chair.
For starters, Bryan introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 7 on Dec. 3, a new reparations bill that would provide priority admission for descendants of slaves at CSU and the University of California (UC) campuses.
“As the new Vice-Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus we will continue to fight for what is just,” Bryan stated on the X platform the same day.
BOOK REVIEW: ‘In Slavery’s Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World’
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Ever since you learned how it happened you couldn’t get it out of your mind.
People, packed like pencils in a box, tightly next to each other, one by one by one, tier af-
ter tier. They couldn’t sit up, couldn’t roll over or scratch an itch or keep themselves clean on a ship that took them from one terrible thing to another. And in the new book “In Slavery’s Wake,” essays by various contributors, you’ll see what trailed in waves behind those vessels. You don’t need to be told about the horrors of slavery. You’ve grown up knowing about it, reading about it, thinking about everything that’s happened because of it in the past 400 years. And so have others: in 2014, a committee made of “key staff from several world museums” gathered to discuss “telling the story of racial slavery and colonialism as a world system…” so that together, they could implement a “ten-year road map to expand… our practices of truth telling…”
Here, the effects of slavery are compared to the waves left by a moving ship, a wake the story of which some have tried over time to diminish.
It’s a tale filled with irony. Says one contributor, early American colonists held enslaved people but believed that King George had “un-
Continued on page 7 year’s budget to continue work on reparations legislation.
1111 Broadway, Suite 800, Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 208-7400 • www.alamedactc.org
Request for Proposals (RFP) for Human Resources Consulting and Support Services (RFP No. R25-0003)
The Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) is seeking proposals for a contract to commence services on July 1, 2025, or as indicated in the RFP and/or appropriate addenda.
Key Dates:
• Optional Online Pre-Proposal Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (PT)
• Proposal due date: Tuesday, January 28, 2025, BEFORE 3:00 p.m. PT
Proposals are subject to Alameda CTC’s Local Business Contract Equity Program. The Program goals for professional services are 70% for Local Business Enterprise (LBE) and 30% for Small LBE. For Program requirements and forms, visit Alameda CTC’s website. Any contract resulting from this RFP will be awarded without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or national origin.
All RFP documents are available Procurement Portal at https://alamedactc.bonfirehub.com. All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted via the Procurement Portal, no later than 3:00 p.m. PT on January 8, 2025.
Submittals must be made in accordance with the instructions in the RFP. Any contract awarded must be in compliance with the local, state, and/or federal requirements.
CITY OF SAN LEANDRO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA
ENGINEERING AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
NOTICE TO BIDDERS FOR PWSC REPLACE FUEL TANKS PROJECT NO. 2020.3600
BID NO. 23-24.001
BID OPENING: The bidder shall complete the “Proposal to the City of San Leandro” form contained in the Contract Book. The proposal shall be submitted in its entirety.
Incomplete proposals will be considered non-responsive. Sealed bids containing the completed Proposal Section subject to the conditions named herein and in the specifications for PWSC Replace Fuel Tanks, Project No. 2020.3600 addressed to the City of San Leandro will be received at City Hall, 835 East 14th Street, 2nd Floor San Leandro at the office of the City Clerk up to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at which time they will be publicly opened and read.
1. WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of removal and replacement of the existing underground fuel tanks, piping and fuel dispensers, and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer. Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.
2. OBTAINING THE PROJECT PLANS AND CONTRACT BOOK: The project plans and Contract Book may be obtained free of charge from the City’s website at: https://www.sanleandro.org/Bids.aspx Bidders who download the plans are encouraged to contact the City of San Leandro Engineering and Transportation Department at 510-577-3428 to be placed on the project planholder’s list to receive courtesy notifications of addenda and other project information. Project addenda, if any, will be posted on the website. A bidder who fails to address all project addenda in its proposal may be deemed non-responsive. Bidders may also purchase the Project Plans and Contract Book from East Bay Blueprint & Supply Co., at 1745 14th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94606; Phone Number (510) 261-2990 or email: ebbp@eastbayblueprint.com.
3. PRE-BID CONFERENCES: Mandatory in-person pre-bid conferences will be held on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 9:00 am and Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 9:00 am at the Public Works Service Center, located at 14200 Chapman Rd, San Leandro. The information presented at the conferences will be identical, all bidders must attend one of the pre-bid conference and sign the attendance sheet. A firm that didn’t attend the pre-bid conference isn’t qualified to bid on the project. Send e-mail appointment to Project Mgr., Project Inspector, Senior Inspector, City Engineer, & Senior Engineer, and “cc:” AA-I & AAII’s. Additionally, include the following as necessary: Consultant, Client, Purchasing Supervisor, Police, Fire, etc.
Questions regarding the plans and specifications may be submitted in writing to the project engineer until 5:00 p.m. five (5) days before, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, bids must be received by the City. The City will not respond to oral questions outside of the pre-bid conference. The response, if any, will be by written addendum only. Oral responses do not constitute a revision to these plans or specifications.
4. PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE SECTION 2.7: For proposals in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) or more, bidders are required to certify that the bidder’s company, any parent entities, subsidiaries, successors or subunits of the bidder’s company and the signator of the proposal, personally, are not identified on a list created pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2203 of the California Public Contract Code as a person engaging in investment activities in Iran as described in subdivision (a) of Section 2202.5, or as a person described in subdivision (b) of Section 2202.5 of the California Public Contract Code, as applicable.
5. SAN LEANDRO BUSINESS PREFERENCE AND PARTICIPATION GOALS: The work performed under this contract is subject to Section 1-6-225 of the San Leandro Municipal Code regarding local business preference and participation. A list of companies that hold a San Leandro business license is located on the City webpage under the finance department, here: https://www.sanleandro.org/340/ Business-License
6. SAN LEANDRO COMMUNITY WORKFORCE AGREEMENT: The work performed under this contract is subject to the Community Workforce Agreement adopted by City Council Resolution 2015-104. Contractors attention is directed to Section 10.
Dated: December 20, 2024 Kelly B. Clancy City Clerk 2256126.1
Book cover. Courtesy of Smithsonian Books.
Obituary for Harvey Knight, 82
Special to the Post
Harvey Knight, Jr., “Pops” to so many young men from Oakland, passed away at the age of 82 on Dec. 5. Harvey was married to Brenda Knight, founder of Ladies In Red, for 51 years.
He was born on April 6, 1942, in Laurel, Mississippi.
After completing high school, Harvey moved to Oakland, California, to live with his father’s sister. He knew this would become his home. He loved the Bay Area for the sports it offered him as a fan of basketball, baseball, and football.
He worked for UC Berkeley for over 43 years and part-time for the Oakland Coliseum for
approximately 15 years as a security guard where he could be close to his favorite past time.
After establishing himself with jobs and his own place to live, he knew there was something missing. He found the love of his life, married her, and knew his life was now complete.
To their union, three sons were born: Leonard, Harvey III, and Michael. He and his sons enjoyed the life of sports by going to the games and later supporting them in baseball at school and through Babe Ruth Baseball. His love of sports was passed on to his sons. All three played baseball while attending college.
Harvey was a soft-spoken man who provided life gems to many young boys playing baseball with his sons. Many of them would end up at the Knight family table for dinner or just to listen to the man they all called ‘Pops.’
Harvey loved to travel and take in the history he experienced at the many trips he took with his wife, Brenda, and the organization she founded, Ladies In Red. Although Harvey did not like the color red, he enjoyed the travel that was provided throughout the United States. He often did research to provide his wife information to assist her in planning the trips.
His favorite trip was to Selma, Alabama, where he learned so much about Selma’s involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in the name of Harvey Knight, to Foot Soldiers Park in Selma, Alabama. Go online to: footsoldierspark. org or mail to: Foot Soldiers Park INC, 1018 Water Avenue, Selma. AL 36701.
He leaves to mourn his passing, his wife Brenda; sons; Leonard, Harvey III and Michael; eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.
You are invited to attend the funeral services on Friday, Dec. 27, at Evergreen Baptist Church, Bishop L. Lawrence Brandon, senior pastor, 408 W. MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA at 11 a.m. Rev. Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson, pastor of Allen Temple Baptist Church will bring the eulogy.
Book Review: In Slavery’s Wake ...
Continued from page 6
justly enslaved” the colonists.
It’s the story of a British company that crafted shackles and cuffs and that still sells handcuffs “used worldwide by police and militaries” today.
It’s a tale of heroes: the Maroons, who created communities in unwanted swampland, and welcomed escaped slaves into their midst; Sarah Baartman, the “Hottentot Venus;” Marème Diarra, who walked more than 2,000 miles from Sudan to Senegal with her children to escape slavery; enslaved farmers and horticulturists; and everyday people who still talk about slavery and what the institution left behind.
Today, discussions about cooperation and diversity remain essential.
Says one essayist, “... embracing a view of history with a more expansive definition of archives in all their forms must be fostered in all societies.”
Unless you’ve been completely unaware and haven’t been paying attention for the past 150 years, a great deal of what you’ll read inside “In Slavery’s Wake” is information you already knew and images you’ve already seen.
Look again, though, because this comprehensive book isn’t just about America and its history. It’s about slavery, worldwide, yesterday and today.
Casual readers – non-historians especially – will, in fact, be surprised to learn, then, about
slavery on other continents, how Africans left their legacies in places far from home, and how the “wake” they left changed the worlds of agriculture, music, and culture. Tales of individual people round out the narrative, in legends that melt into the stories of others and present new heroes, activists, resisters, allies, and tales that are inspirational and thrilling. This book is sometimes a difficult read and is probably best consumed in small bites that can be considered with great care to fully appreciate. Start “In Slavery’s Wake,” though, and you won’t be able to get it out of your mind.
Edited by Paul Gardullo, Johanna Obenda, and Anthony Bogues, Author: Various Contributors, c.2024
Smithsonian Books, $39.95.
2024 in Review: 7 Questions for CalHi NAACP President Rick Callender
ship of waterways for Santa Clara County’s 1.9 million residents.
their own alert. Often, when they go missing you don’t hear about it for weeks later.
Rick L. Callender holds multiple influential roles. He is the president of the California/ Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP (Cal-HI NAACP) and serves on the National NAACP Board of Directors.
Under his leadership, Cal-HI NAACP operates 74 branches and youth units across the state to push initiatives focused on racial justice and equality.
In addition to his work with the NAACP, Callender is the CEO of Valley Water in San Jose. In that role, he oversees an integrated water resources system with functions that include managing the supply of clean, safe water; instituting flood protections; and handling environmental steward-
Recently, California Black Media (CBM) interviewed Callender. He reflected on the organization’s accomplishments, challenges they have faced, lessons learned this year, and goals moving forward.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Looking back at 2024, what stands out to you as your most important achievement and why?
One of the things I’m most proud of is the support of policy changes related to the Ebony Alert, which went into place this year. That legislation ensured that Black girls and missing Black women would have
How did your leadership and investments contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians?
It’s not my leadership, it’s the NAACP’s leadership. We’ve helped with legal consultations. Often, when you have something that occurs to you, some people can’t afford a legal consultation. We’ve cleared that hurdle for folks, so they don’t have to worry about the fee.
What frustrated you the most over the last year?
The pullback of a commitment to our community and the pullback from corporations on financing DEI initiatives, equity and civil rights. People have tried to make DEI sound like a salacious word. When you see these funds disappear, it’s because people erroneously think that they promote racism.
What inspired you the most over the last year?
The resilience and the determination of our youth. The youth have always led — not only the civil rights movement — but they have been the ones who will always be willing to step up.
It’s seeing a new Black leadership step up and being able to continue to fight.
What is one lesson you learned in 2024 that will inform your decision-making next year?
This is one thing: we can’t get distracted. We have to stay focused.
In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians face?
Equity. Put anything in front of the word equity, and that’s what we face, from educational equity, criminal justice equity. Equity as it deals with economics. And just being able to make sure that we have the access to do what we need to do.
What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2025?
Staying focused on organizing around elections – and winning.
Harvey Knight Jr. Photo provided by the family.
Rick L. Callender, Esq., president of the NAACP CA-Hawaii, addressing attendees at the state convention, October 2024. Photo by Rich Woods.
By Edward Henderson,
California Black Media
New Interim Mayor Announces Balanced Budget ...
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time overspending
Said Councilmember Kaplan, “It is vital to protect core public services, and the long-term fiscal solvency of our city. I am honored that the extra available funds I had previously identified have been confirmed, and are being incorporated into budget strategies, allowing Oakland to reduce cuts and restore reserves. In addition, important public serving and revenue-generating functions are being strengthened, including to reduce blight and provide safer, cleaner streets.”
Councilmember Kevin Jenkins (District 6) said, “The Fire Department, which had been preserved from cuts in July, was able to rapidly stop the Keller Fire from growing out of control, which prevented a repeat of the horrific loss of life and loss of homes that took place during the 1991 Oakland Hills Fire.”
According to a Mayor’s Office press statement, Oakland’s investments in the Oakland Police Department and the Department of Violence Prevention have yielded the fastest and most dramatic reduction in homicides in the city’s history.
The City’s deep investments in public safety over the past year continue to pay off, with homicides down 35% year-to-date and
overall crime down by 34% since last year. The Public Safety Leadership team is very strong with OPD Chief Floyd Mitchell, DVP Chief Dr. Holly Joshi, OFD Chief Damon Covington, and their deputy chiefs having over a century of collective experience in Oakland.
The budget proposals preserve Oakland’s Ceasefire violence intervention strategy, prioritize OPD patrol and investigations, and continue services to improve 911 response times, with currently 71% of calls answered within 15 seconds or less — a dramatic improvement over the prior year, the press statement said.
Oakland’s investments in sidewalk repair, street paving, clearing abandoned autos, and safer conditions on our roadways are improving both safety and quality of life.
The proposals restore funding for important and needed bicycle and pedestrian safety projects, street paving, and parking enforcement, the statement said.
The Council is considering a sales tax ballot measure for the April 15 special election. The proposed half cent sales tax increase would raise approximately $29 million annually. Ongoing revenue generation and improved efficiencies would help address the City’s structural deficit in the next two-year budget.
Last City Council Meeting of the Year ...
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While city staff announced that there would not be complete cuts to senior center facilities, there would be significant reductions to staff and possibly inter-program services down the line.
Exiting council member and interim mayor Bas told the public that she is still hopeful that the one-time $125 million Coliseum sale deal will proceed in the near future so that the city would not have to continue with drastic cuts. The deal was intended to save the city for fiscal year 2024-25, but a hold up at the county level has paused any progress and therefore millions of dollars in funds Oakland desperately needs.
The Coliseum sale has been a contentious one. Residents and city leaders were originally against using the deal as a way to balance the budget, citing doubts about the sellers, the African American Sports and Entertainment Group’s
(AASEG), ability to complete the deal. Council members Reid, Ramachandran, and Gallo have called several emergency meetings to understand where the first installments of the sale are, with little to no answers.
Bas added that as the new Alameda County Supervisor for D5, a position she starts in a few weeks, she will do everything in her power to push the Coliseum sale along.
The city is also considering a sales tax measure to put on the special election ballot on April 15, 2025, which will also serve as an election to fill the now vacant D2 and mayor positions. The tax increase would raise approximately $29 million annually for Oakland, allowing the city to gain much needed revenue for the next twoyear budget.
The council will discuss the possible sales tax measure on Jan. 9.
California Supports Domestic Abuse Survivors on Path to Healing
By Edward Henderson California Black Media
California native Sheilah Kimble says she was far from home, living in Buffalo, NY, when her partner became physically and verbally abusive.
“There were several occasions when I reached out to different agencies to assist me with my situation,” remembers Kimble, who is from South Los Angeles County. “I felt nobody wanted to help. Nobody gave me advice because I was from a marginalized community. I was not aware of any resources, so I thought they were limited.”
Kimble says her five-monthold daughter would sometimes witness the abuse and hide behind her crib, cowering in fear.
Despite the harm to her, her daughter, and son, it was hard for Kimble to gain the strength to leave.
“They call that trauma-bonding. It’s unhealthy,” said Kimble.
As the violence in her home escalated, law enforcement got involved, and social services threatened to take her son away.
“A social worker would come by and ask certain questions. Being in an abusive relationship, you pretty much are controlled and coached. So, I was afraid to say certain things,” Kimble continued. Eventually, the social worker helped Kimble find a shelter and connected her with the resources she needed to get back to her family in California.
Like Kimble, victims of do-
Shuja Helps Others Get a Second Chance ...
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Two days after his reentry to the community, Shuja began work as an outreach coordinator for Black Men Speak. Within a year, Shuja was promoted and later appointed to director after the loss of former Black Men Speak Executive Director Joe Anderson.
A native of North Oakland, Shuja was raised in an all-women household after his grandfather was murdered. Though dealing with his own grief, the loss caused Shuja to become the “man of the family.”
His grandmother’s nurturing helped him to overcome the trauma of his grandfather’s death which, “gave him a foundation as a child.” He recalls fond memories of his childhood, like riding a new bike he received for the holidays. “My friends and myself spent meaningful time together as children,” he said. “Together we would build go-carts, climb trees, have rock fights and find worms, crabs and bees.”
But his trauma impacted his childhood and led to his being impacted by the system. Shuja grew up mostly in detention halls and prison.
Besides directing Black Men Speak! (BMS!)/Men and Women of Color (MWOC), he is also the director of a self-help center in Oakland. There, Shuja and the peer workers provide support to the unhoused. He coordinates a digital literacy program, co-facilitates trainings for peer support specialists, organizes a service animal resource, provides peer support and directs speakers’ bureaus.
BMS! and MWOC are programs increasing wellness and recovery by sharing stories of hope and journeys to meaningful living. Members have authored presentations and spoken to audiences on topics such as post-traumatic stress disorder, family, community violence, self-worth, spirituality, and mental health, alternative therapies, eight dimensions of wellness, reentry, single parenting and health.
The members have been featured nationally and locally, at trainings and conferences and throughout Alameda County Behavioral Health Care services. The organization has been in operation for over a decade.
composed the following mission.
The BMS!/MWOC mission is “to inform and enlighten the mental health community and the general public about issues concerning men and women of color suffering from mental health and substance abuse challenges, through storytelling thereby promoting ad increasing wellness, recovery, and freedom.”
Shuja has a vision and plans for the organization. “BMS!/MWOC will be sustained with the funding of $1.5 million for capacity building to hire people to pay salaries for staff.”
Currently, BMS!/MWOC has volunteers assisting the programs. Funding will enable the enhancement, increase in self-help services and provide for outings and meals. “We want exposure as when adults and children have taken the free BART rides to go to places outside of Oakland that they never traveled,” Shuja said. “We want to go to Africa. More influential communities can travel, and we need the same opportunity.”
Despite several barriers that are facing Shuja and the organization, he is determined to fulfill the nonprofit’s mission. “There is money. Children wear $200 shoes. We want to teach financial literacy, not to be a slave but how to buy and how to keep. BMS! needs some rich friends and we also need friends who have know-how. We need support from private and public sectors.
“BMS! is one of the only Black organizations in ACBHCS. Today we have the SB 803, Peer Support Specialist bill that will enable us to bill Medicaid/Medi-Cal and only two full-time staff. We do not have the support of the community.”
Shuja is honored to be a participant in advocacy for legislation to improve the lives of peers and is not discouraged by changes to statewide policies. The current changes coming down the pike with Prop 1 are motivating him to work more diligently for the rights of behavioral health clients.
“This is about employment and empowerment and authenticity. The unhoused can be asked about hope and faith. I had to have faith and hope every day that I awakened in prison. I would have died in prison, but I had hope, faith and peer support and it manifested.
Celebrating East Bay Leaders ...
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Pittsburg in 1998. During his time as Supervisor, he supported initiatives on public transportation, created committees for public safety, and supported task forces on health.
“These two distinguished leaders have dedicated their lives to improving the lives of so many people across Alameda and Contra Costa (counties). Their work has touched every corner of the East Bay,” Alameda County Supervisor and President Nate Miley said.
Leaders from both counties spoke on the supervisors’ legacies and their dedicated years of service.
Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia said that Glover was the type of person that grew with each challenge that crossed him, especially after he had major surgery in 2020. But Gioia said that the treatment did not deter Glover.
“He’s had tougher races for reelection than any member of our board that I can recall, and he’s always come back stronger than before,” Gioia said.
Sharing a county border, Gioia complimented Carson on his ability to sway leaders from both sides of the political aisle to listen on the issues affecting locals and residents across the nation.
Shannell Scales Preston, who is taking over Glover’s D5 seat in 2025, told event attendees that
Glover was a mentor to her for many years. He often would call Preston after Pittsburg City Council meetings with remarks about her performance and how well she spoke up on certain issues.
With Glover spending years as the only Black elected official in local government, Preston would ask him how he managed to not feel lonely about the job. She then congratulated him on being the only supervisor in Contra Costa to have all Black mayors under his district in 2023.
Preston said he’s been a leader to many diverse groups and his tenure has seen leaders of all backgrounds, but particularly paving the way for Black leaders in predominantly white areas.
Miley, who has shared his entire 24-year tenure on the Alameda Board with Carson, tearfully wished the exiting supervisor luck and said he would miss him dearly. Carson said that as we embark on a “dark time” for everyone across the nation and worldwide in 2025, it’s important to continue communicating and working with groups from all backgrounds because that is the only way things will get done.
“There have been many lonely nights, but then the sun comes out in the morning when you continue to think, ‘I can make a difference,’” Carson said.
Rep. Lee Delivers Final Remarks on House Floor ...
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tives as a member of Congress.
“For 26 years now, it has been the privilege of my lifetime to serve my incredible constituents of California’s 12th Congressional district,” said Lee.
Lee has been a member of Congress for over 25 years. During a quarter century of service, she has been a fierce advocate in the fights for peace, equity, and justice.
She is the highest-ranking Black woman appointed to Democratic Leadership, serving as co-chair of the Policy and Steering Committee. She also serves as the ranking member of the House Appropriations subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations.
ber wouldn’t even say abortion,” Tlaib continued. “You have done so much for all of the incredible residents of City of Oakland and its surrounding communities.”
Speaking to Lee on the floor, Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-GA-07) said, “Congresswoman Lee, you’re more than a servant leader. You are an example by which countless women of color can seek to emulate as they step up to be the voices of our communities. You are unabashed in speaking truth to power and unwavering in your convictions. You have never been afraid to stand up and speak out, even when the odds are against you. You inspire me each and every day.”
mestic violence or intimate partner violence (IPV) often struggle to find a way out and, often, they must consider the safety of not just themselves -- but that of their children as well.
In California, about 42.5% of Black women have experienced some form of IPV, compared to 34.9% of all women in the state, according to a Blue Shield of California Foundation report.
This abuse can be physical, psychological, financial, sexual, emotional. Even after the abuse ends, some survivors experience physical health issues like chronic pain, stomach issues, heart disease and diabetes, as well as mental health issues like eating disorders, headaches, and insomnia.
Guns and gender violence are a particularly dangerous combination for Black women. According to the California Black Women’s Health Project, Domestic Violence is the number one health issue Black women in California face.
To address the alarming rates of Domestic Violence and IPV in the state --and the disproportionate rate of incidents in African American communities -- the State of California and advocacy organizations across the state are wrapping their arms around victims, providing them resources and taking a few policy actions to address the problem.
“Domestic violence continues to disproportionately impact women, leaving many survivors trapped in cycles of abuse with limited resources to escape. This
It all began in 2009 and received nonprofit status in 2012. The group developed from Peers Organizing Community Change, formerly known as Pool of Consumer Champions (POCC), originally established as an all-men’s committee.
The committee co-founders Dewitt Buckingham and Darnell Livingston organized men with experience in the public mental health system for a speaker’s bureau. This was the consensus of the committee after a process facilitated by Katrina Killian, Steven Bucholtz, Sally Zinman and Jaleah Winn.
The committee and facilitators
burden is not just felt in broken bodies and hearts, but in economic devastation that undermines women’s independence and security,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom in a statement earlier this year.
In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of laws to protect victims of Domestic Violence.
Dr. Lenore Tate, a licensed psychologist based in the Bay Area, said the first step in overcoming domestic violence is for the victim to recognize they are in an abusive relationship.
“Historically, in our Black families, speaking about domestic violence has been taboo. So, to reach out for help also adds an extra layer of emotional trauma shame and remorse,” said Tate.
To recognize a domestic violence situation, Tate notes that there are at least eight categories to consider.
“Physical abuse is obviously
“My first reentry job is to go back to my family and save them and if this is repeated among families then we will have wellness and community. Kids raise themselves today. Today, grown folks cannot be in kids’ business. We want to do better. How can we bring back the good of the past?”
Today, the good of the past is coming back with the work of Black Men Speak!/ Men and Women Of Color. All support is welcome. Black Men Speak and Men and Women of Color welcome contributions and invitations to collaborate. In order to contact the program staff please reach out to 510-969-5086 or shuja@blackmenspeak.org.
one,” Tate says.
“But there are also a number of other categories,” she continued, “such as intimidation, coercion, fiduciary or economic abuse, economic control, the way one abuses his or her authority, using loved ones to control the relationship, minimizing and denying and or blaming others, and of course social isolation, keeping that person away from their family. And lastly, verbal attacks.”
Across California, there are many organizations providing resources to individuals to help them escape and heal from domestic violence situations.
If you or someone you know in California is experiencing domestic violence, call 1-800-7997233, visit the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence at CPEDV.org, search this database at FindaHelpline.com for organizations serving your area, or use this map to find resources near you.
“As I look back on my time, I feel a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to not only serve my community but to advance justice, equity, and peace throughout our country and the entire world,” continued Lee.
On the House floor, many Congressmembers spoke about Lee’s legacy and her accomplishments. They also shared memories of working with her.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) said, “Your determination, and what I’ve watched you do, has changed this institution forever. You have this amazing momentum and movement around talking about poverty. Congress wasn’t ready for people like us.”
“You pushed against the stigma in health disparities of our neighbors living with HIV and AIDS when it was unpopular. You helped end the discriminatory Hyde Amendment that restricted access to abortion care when some people in this cham-
Said Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL-07). “You have done so much great work over your time in Washington and in Congress. I want to thank you for guiding so many of us through the appropriations process. But when I think about being effective, your record is bar none.” \ Congressman Paul Tonko (DNY-20) said, “Barbara Lee has been a progressive champion, a fierce advocate and dear friend during my time in Congress. Your efforts in this body will be remembered — your courage, your tenacity and your strength of spirit. You have dedicated your time as an elected representative to serving those in need, the voiceless.”
Concluding, Lee said: “Let me once again thank everyone: all of my colleagues, but especially my constituents who I consider the most enlightened, most diverse, and most progressive. Thanks for giving me the faith and trust to fight alongside you for a better tomorrow.”
Protesters Gather in Oakland ...
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include Victoria King, who is a member of the coordinating committee of the California Poor People’s Campaign. She and Dr. Monica Cross co-chair the Laney Poor People’s Campaign. The demonstrations came after a June Supreme Court ruling expanded local governments’ authority to fine and jail people for sleeping outside, even if no shelter is available. Gov. Gavin Newsom
in California followed up with an order directing state agencies to crack down on encampments and urging local governments to do the same.
Fresno, Berkeley and a host of other cities implemented new rules, making it easier for local governments to clear sidewalk camps. In other cities, such as San Francisco, officials more aggressively enforced anti-camping laws already on the books.
