Oakland Post, week of March 27 - April 2, 2024

By Magaly Muñoz

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao introduced the new Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell during a press conference at City Hall on Wednesday afternoon.

Mitchell, who previously served as police chief for four years in Lubbock, Texas, was announced as the new leader of Oakland Police Department (OPD) in a statement last Friday by Thao. She described him as a “strong leader” and “smart crime fighter who delivers results.”

The appointment comes after a year without a police chief due to Thao’s decision to fire former chief LeRonne Armstrong for alleged mishandling of misconduct charges against a police officer.

The police department was being overseen by Interim Chief Darren Allison, who Thao thanked for his year of service and leadership.

The mayor emphasized her commitment to prioritizing public safety as a top concern in her administration, acknowledging the rise of crimes that Oakland has seen since 2020.

“We know that the past several years have been very challenging for our city,” Thao said.

Since the onset of the pandemic, reports of business closures all over the city, distrust in law enforcement, a rise of retail and violent crimes, the housing and homelessness crisis, and overall public safety have been of large concern in the community.

Thao cited Mitchell’s experience in prevention and intervention strategies and how he was able to bring down crimes as former chief in Texas, as reasoning for selecting him out of the four candidates she was presented in late February. She expressed that she was confident that Mitchell would deliver results to the issues plaguing the city.

According to data released by Thao’s office, during Mitchell’s tenure as chief in Lubbock, the city saw overall crime decrease by 5% in 2020 and 2021 before rising by 7%.

“He’s not flashy, but he will roll up his sleeves and do the real work to ensure our community’s success,” Thao said.

By Ken Epstein Oakland Post

Parent organizers in Oakland and across California are in an uphill battle against state politicians in both political parties, who have participated in seizing control of school districts from Black and Brown communities, suspending or curtailing the authority of local school boards to enforce budget cuts, school closures, and force the sale of public-school property to real estate developers.

Districts that have been impacted locally by measures like these include Oakland, Richmond, Vallejo, South Monterey County, and Inglewood. Nationally, over 1,000 predominately Black and Brown school districts have faced similar threats.

A statewide parent organiza-

tion, the Statewide Partnership for Local School Control, which is connected to Parent Voices Action, is pushing for a new state law. The California Public School Sovereignty Act would protect local districts from these draconian measures has found some backers in the Legislature, though not from senators or assembly members from the most impacted districts. Local districts are taken over because state officials ostensibly seek to install responsible financial practices and resolve the districts’ budget shortfalls. But experience shows that once these districts fall under state control, they never seem to get out of their financial hole and end up facing a decadeslong series of austerity-driven cuts to educational programs as well as

By Magaly Muñoz

Women’s History Month is a significant time for people around the world to celebrate and honor the remarkable contributions that women from all walks of life have contributed to our history and our future.

Physicians at Kaiser Permanente East Bay emphasized the importance of having women of color in medicine and STEM related fields because patients benefit from seeing themselves represented in their

healthcare teams.

Dr. Nailah Thompson, Internal Medicine specialist at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, practices what she calls “culturally humble care” when treating her patients, rather than relying on a ‘culturally competent’ approach, because it allows for her to learn from them instead of assuming she knows what’s best based on her own culture biases.

By Magaly Muñoz

California’s Proposition 1, which allows financial changes to how the state addresses mental health, substance abuse and housing, narrowly passed with 50.2% of the vote. But division continues over how the law will affect a highly vulnerable population in the state.

About $6.4 billion will be allocated to expand California’s substance abuse and mental health services, with $4.4 billion earmarked for the construction of over 11,150 in-patient treatment beds and supportive housing units and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots.

The remainder of the funds will be directed toward permanent housing, specifically for veterans facing mental health challenges.

The proposition mandates counties to use more of their funding towards housing for chronically unhoused individuals. The mental health law was strongly backed by Gov. Gavin

Newsom, who celebrated the bill’s passing in Los Angeles at a press conference detailing the step forward that this measure represents for the state’s behavioral health system.

“This is the biggest reform of the California mental health system in decades and will finally equip partners to deliver the results all Californians need and deserve. Treatment centers will prioritize mental health and substance use support in the community like never before,” Newsom said. “Now, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and begin implementing this critical reform – working closely with city and county leaders to ensure we see results.”

Despite these positive steps, there is still doubt coming from Bay Area organizations about whether this law will effectively address the mental health and homelessness crisis.

James Burch, deputy director of the Anti Police-Terror Project,

Continued on page 10

family. Prior to her role on the commission, she was the director of Programs and Advocacy at the California State Parks Foundation, the director of CalEITC4Me, served as director of AmeriCorps at California Volunteers’ Office of the Governor, and

By Post Staff

In a groundbreaking collaboration, Black Lives Matter has announced a $1 million contribution to support the work of Elaine Brown and her organization, Oakland & the World Enterprises (OAW).

Black Lives Matter has pledged to help launch and sustain a campaign to raise millions more to implement Brown’s model to advance Black community wealth and

self-determination and, ultimately, build a pathway to freedom.

This campaign was launched at a private celebration on March 26.

In 2015, Brown, as CEO of OAW, acquired a license from the City of Oakland to develop a property at Seventh and Campbell streets in West Oakland in pursuit of her mission to create for-profit businesses for cooperative ownership by for-

Fre’Drisha Dixon. Courtesy photo.

Holly Martinez, executive director of the

and Girls. Photo courtesy of the CCSWG.

Photo courtesy of Kaiser Permanente.

Incoming Chief Floyd Mitchell gives remarks during his introductory press conference. Photo by Magaly Muñoz

Gwendolyn Webber (left) and Janie Feathers of Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in Oakland. Photo by Antoinette Porter. See story on page 2.

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: No Longer Behind the Scenes: Local Women Impact Their Churches, Communities

By Antoinette Porter

Sister Gwendolyn Webber is an Oakland native and a proud graduate of Castlemont High School. Sister Webber is an active member of Cosmopolitan Baptist Church, under the leadership of Pastor Raymond C. Williams for the past 25 years. Member of the Deaconess Ministry since 2009, also serving on the hospitality and choir ministries. Webber prayerfully hopes she is seen as a role model. “Everywhere I go, I always talk about the goodness of the Lord, inviting people to church, and when they show up for service, I feel it’s like a domino effect. We are out there trying to win souls.”

Sister Janie Feathers was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and

came to Oakland at 7 years old. She’s a proud graduate of Fremont High School. Sister Feathers serves on the Hospitality Ministry and can be seen on the front row in the choir, using her gift. She has been a member of Cosmopolitan Baptist Church for 44 years. Her father was a founding member of Cosmopolitan Baptist Church.

“The Lord has brought me through so much throughout the years and I am so grateful. My praise is real, wherever I go, I share the good news (in restaurants and stores). We are really being fed something from the preach word and then we are sharing it in the community.”

This is the impact these women of God have on their church and the community.

Good News Editor Returns After 13-Year Absence

By Antoinette Porter Church Outreach/Events Director

I eagerly anticipate featuring your church’s “Good News” community events, and calendar of events.

Please feel free to reach out to me via email at aporter@postnewsgroup.com for any “Good News” submissions. Additionally, you can contact me directly at 510-992-1158.

I look forward to hearing from you!

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: Berkeley Bay Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Continuing to Advance in Oakland

By Antoinette Porter

The Berkeley Bay Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. celebrated 90 years of ‘Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service And Social Action’ in the Bay Area on Saturday, March 23 at Scott’s Pavilion in Jack London Square.

The Berkeley Bay Area Alum-

nae Chapter is one of the oldest in the Far Western Region. Those charter members saw a star and followed it, and here we are 90 years later, and that same star is still shining bright.

Present were dignitaries Elsie Cooke-Holmes, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.’s International president and Sadé Ried, their National second vice president.

Ms. Eunice R. McDonald is Celebrating 100 Years of Life! She was born on April 16, 1924 and has 12 remaining children.

Calendar of Events March and April

March 29, 6 p.m. — Good Friday Service, Seven Last Words Beebe Memorial Cathedral CME Church

Speakers: Bishop Charley Hames, Jr., Rev. Antoine Shyne, Rev. Elliott T. Ivey, Sr., Dr. Rodney Smith, Dr. Claybon Lea, Jr., Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Thompson, and Rev. Aaron T. Macklin

March 30, 1-3 p.m. — Friends of Negro Spirituals – Annual Membership Meeting

West Oakland Library, 1801 Adeline Street, Oakland

Contact information: P.O. Box 71956 Oakland, CA 94612 ~ 510-869-4359.

April 7, 1:30 p.m.-5 p.m. — Music at the Vineyard - Hayward-Tri-City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma

Theta Sorority, Inc.’s 20th Annual Scholarship Fundraiser Casa Real Ruby Hill Winery, 410 Vineyard Avenue, Pleasanton, CA

More information: Home | Hayward-Tri-City (deltahaywardtricity.org)

Northern California Chapter Gospel Music Workshop of America ~ Choir Events

April 13, 11 a.m. — Imani Groce Memorial Service

Emmanuel Baptist Church, 467 N. White Road, San Jose

April 20, 5-8 p.m.— “Choirs United” Parks Chapel AME Church, 476 Fourth Street, Oakland

April 21 – 5 p.m. — Third Sunday Night Concert

Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, 831 So. 43rd Street, Richmond

April 27 – 1 p.m. — Rev. Kermit Dearman 1st Year Anniversary Star Bethel Baptist Church, 5800 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland

Among the special guests were BART Board Member Lateefah Simon spoke on the importance of civic engagement.

Also attending were California Attorney General Rob Bonta; Berkeley City Councilmember Terry Taplin,; Oakland City Councilmember Treva Reid; and Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel. The mistress of ceremonies was Cheryl Hurd and 300 guests.

WOMEN’S

Current chapter leadership: Petrina Alexander-Perteet - President, Alexis Stuckey - Vice President, Byrhonda Lyons - Recording Secretary, Byrhonda Lyons, Christine Harris - Corresponding Secretary, Camille HarveryTreasurer and Jazmyn Hammons - Financial Secretary.

HISTORY MONTH: After 27 Years, Dee Johnson of Lend A Hand Foundation is Still Making Difference in Students’ Lives

By Antoinette Porter

In 1997, Dee Johnson, along with her late God-Sister Betty Dimmer Cutrer, founded the Lend A Hand Foundation (LAHF). The first mission of love provided over 100 children at the Henry Robinson Multi-Service Center with Easter baskets. A former foster parent for nine years, community volunteer, a mentor and devoted parent was all the experience she needed: She was answering the call from God.

The organization has grown to having a nine-member board of directors with a seven-member advisory board, a team of ambassadors, and other community partners. In its 27th year of giving, Johnson has spearheaded a 25-year, successful Stay In School Program which covers their well-known Backto-School giveaway, Community Closets (new), scholarships, and youth activities.

Working closely with the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), the goal is to provide at least 10,000 students with their educational supply kits. Since

1999, 150,000 supply kits have been distributed. LAHF now supports Community Closets, which will house snacks/food, clothing, toiletries, school supplies, and other items as needed at several elementary schools and a few middle schools. That is the impact this woman of God has on her community.

Dee has received several awards and recognition including the Jefferson Award, Impact Warriors from the Golden State Warriors, Madam CJ Walker Advocacy Award, San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Award, National Coalition of Negro Women President’s Award, recognition from OUSD, and many more.

Johnson is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho, Beta Theta Sigma Chapter and a member of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Oakland, CA under the leadership of Rev. Frank Darby, Jr.

For more information about Lend A Hand please visit - www. lendahandfoundation.org.

You can reach Johnson at info@lendhandfoundation.org.

Antoinette Porter. Courtesy photo.

Sister Janie Feathers (left) and Sister Gwendolyn Webber are members of Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in Oakland. Photo by Antoinette Porter.

Dee Johnson. Courtesy photo.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.’s International President Elsie Cooke-Holmes (center), seated with current past residents of the Berkeley Bay Area Alumnae Chapter. Seated (l-r) Tressa L. Williams, Brenda Parker Simpson, Elsie Cooke-Holmes, Petrina Alexander-Perteet, Zain Oke, Andrea Lowe. Standing (l-r) Linda Gunter Richardson, Mildred Oliver, Gwen Mosley. Photo by Aunitard Henderson.

Attorney Gen. Rob Bonta’s Message to Those Involved in Organized Crime: “We Will Prosecute You”

By California Black Media

On March 19, California Attorney General Rob Bonta held a press conference to announce that the Department of Justice has charged three people accused of organizing “smash-and-grab style thefts” at high-end retail stores throughout California from Dec. 12, 2022, to Feb.12, 2024.

“Our message to those involved in organized crime is simple,” said Bonta.

“If you steal from our businesses and put people in harm’s way; if you try to make an easy buck out of other people’s hard work, we will prosecute you,” he stated.

Bonta said the suspects were charged with 27 felony robbery and grand theft charges resulting in more than $309,000 in losses in six different counties: San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, Alameda and Santa Clara.

“I want to thank first and foremost our law enforcement part-

ners” said Bonta at the press briefing. “We are at our best when we work together, when we collaborate, when we team up, when we share information.”

Bonta said his office will continue to crack down on organized retail crime.

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief of Detectives Alan Hamilton also celebrated the effective coordination and cooperation among various law enforcement agencies across the state.

“Organized retail theft crime is no longer local,” said Hamilton. “A strong economy, and a feeling of safety should not be disrupted in any community by a delinquent few. We will continue to strengthen public safety and build trust with our businesses and consumers alike, through the incredible work of our local and regional partners.”

Bonta said stores targeted in the raids included Burberry, Prada, Sunglass Hut, Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, Michael Kors, Gucci, Coach, Versace, and Maison Margiela.

Unveiling the Hidden Truth in the Battle Over Books in American Schools

OPINION

By Craig J. DeLuz Special to California Black Media Partners

“A Squeaker:” Voters Pass Proposition 1 With Razor-Thin Margin

By California Black Media

Proposition 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s controversial $6.4 billion proposal aimed at providing some 11,000 treatment beds for mentally ill and drug addicted homeless Californians, barely passed last week with about 30,000 votes — equal to less than one percentage point.

State election authorities had been counting approximately 7 million votes cast for the measure for more than two weeks since the March 5 primary. On March 20, the Associated Press declared the measure had passed.

“This is the biggest change in decades in how California tackles homelessness, and a victory for doing things radically differ-

ent,” said Newsom, who moved his State of the State address last week, in anticipation of the results.

“Now, counties and local officials must match the ambition of California voters. This historic reform will only succeed if we all kick into action immediately – state government and local leaders, together,” Newsom added.

Opponents of the measure called Newsom’s win on Prop 1 an “embarrassing squeaker that contains a strong warning.”

“Prop. 1 does not just ‘reform’ the mental health system, it reduces funding for mental health services by redirecting $1 billion per year. Prop. 1 could be a humanitarian disaster if it is not well managed,” read a statement from Californians Against Prop. 1.

“Prop. 1 was poorly designed because it relies on $10 billion in debt and stealing money from existing mental health services. The governor’s campaign succeeded only by concealing the way this measure is paid for. They barely got away with it,” the statement continued.

However, a controversy last year that unfolded at a Miami public school reveals a more nuanced narrative.

Reports about the incident, which attracted international attention, suggested that the K-8 school banned Amanda Gorman’s celebrated poem that she recited at President Biden’s inauguration.

In reality, the school in question opted to relocate Gorman’s masterful work from the elementary

In the ongoing debates about book bans in American schools, there is one narrative that dominates the discussion: those who oppose certain materials in school libraries are merely “book banners,” seeking to censor and limit the free exchange of ideas.

Continued on page 6

The importance of teaching Black History all year!

Enroll in the Black History Professional Development Class

Just Imagine Books & Services, LLC & Just Imagine KidZ Multiculturan Children’s Bookstore, Richmond, CA, 94801 | 510-422-5304

Black History CAN and SHOULD be taught all year!

tamarashiloh@gmail.com * http://www.tamarashiloh.com

Purchase your copy of The Bundle TODAY!!

California Governor Gavin Newsom visits General Hospital in Los Angeles to sign two major bills for housing and mental health treatment for the homeless. Photo by Lila Brown CBM.

Photo courtesy California Black Media.

The Battle Over Books in American Schools ... Continued from page 4

section of its library to the middle school division. This measure was not taken with the intent to censor the piece, but rather as a strategic choice to align the poem with the appropriate age group.

Instead of addressing these valid concerns, the education establishment and media paint these parents as narrow-minded and bigoted. They have been accused of attempting to ban a book that is considered a literary staple and a symbol of resistance against oppression. Yet, the truth is that the majority of these objections were not about race or LGBTQ identity, as it has often been portrayed. In fact, only a mere 7% of these objections mentioned LGBTQ without also including the word “sexual.” And of the 10 books that were the most frequently omitted, all of them included shockingly risqué references to sexual encounters. For example, the top-voted book “Gender Queer”

showcases a graphic illustrations of sex acts being performed and includes a lewd section of text.

These examples highlight the deceptive tactics used by those who seek to paint concerned parents as intolerant and hateful.

However, the heart of these book bans lies in the moral disconnect between the majority of Americans and the education establishment. While most Americans believe that sexually explicit material has no place in school libraries, the education establishment continues to champion the

Then, there is Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, published in 1970; a tale chronicling the journey of a young Black girl grappling with feelings of inadequacy due to her lack of blue eyes. While critically acclaimed for its commentary on race and racial identity, this novel also delves into themes of pedophilia, rape, and even incest. It’s this content (not its racial commentary that led to frequent calls for censorship and its banning from classrooms in numerous school districts across the United States.

idea that it is necessary and even “inclusive” to expose children to explicit images and descriptions of sexual acts. It is not about censorship or restricting the free exchange of ideas, as some suggest. Rather, it’s about safeguarding the innocence and well-being of our children. It is about standing up against the normalization of sexually explicit material in places where children should feel safe and protected.

In the ongoing debates about book bans, we must not allow ourselves to be swayed by misleading

narratives and manipulative language. Honest and open discussions are crucial to understanding what truly hangs in the balance of our society’s moral compass and the well-being of our children.

About the Author

Craig J. DeLuz has almost 30 years in public policy and advocacy. He is currently president of the Robla School District Board of Trustees where he has served for almost 20 years. You can follow him on X at @CraigDeLuz.

Time to Deal with America’s Skeletons in the Closet: Unaddressed White Psychopathy and Sociopathy

OPINION

(Part 1 of 4)

By Tony Heru X Jackson, PhD

As a Black mental health profes-

sional, it’s important that I speak to the African American community as family regarding the danger in plain sight. I am referring to the attempted insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and the normalization of the MAGA cult. The “January 6th” attack on the U.S. Capitol created a crisis of accountability and should not have come as a surprise. We all are witnessing the protection of a criminal ex-President who seemingly exists above the law and the upper echelon participants of the organized attack not being held accountable to date. Had the attackers been indigenous, Black, Brown, or of African ancestry, well…you get the idea!

Some are stuck in denial about race and do not understand what it means to be socially categorized as the “darkest ones.” Others are well aware that race still matters in this country and always has. It’s no secret that the U.S. was stolen from Black and Brown folks native to this land before being “discovered” by Europeans in 1492. Using deception, violence, torture, murder, rape, etc. for personal gain while void of remorse, regret, care, or concern is what this country was “founded on” - the epitome of sociopathy and psychopathy.

Sociopaths and psychopaths are characterized by a long-standing pattern of manipulative, exploitative, and criminalistic behaviors that intentionally violate the rights of others. Dr. Bobby Wright notes that in terms of whites relating to Blacks, the psychopathic racial personality is categorized by an inability to accept blame for wrongdoing; a pathological denial or rejection of constituted authority and/or regulations/rules; and the lack of sexual gratification and/or sexual dysfunction with compensatory rape and/or sexual abuse. The Republican Party’s crown prince, Donald Trump, iconically a sociopathic bully, is a narcissist, a crook, a con-artist, a bigot, a misogynist and a sexual abuser. Alongside offenses surrounding the election, he has ignited hatred and division, tweeting statements that can be summarized as: Africa: an array of shithole countries; Nigerians live in huts and want to live in America; Haitians: all have AIDS; Puerto Ricans are lazy; Black Americans are ingrates; Mexicans are criminals and rapists; Muslims are terrorists; Women: treat them like s--- and grab them by the *&#; and white supremacists, alt-right, the wealthy, and Nazis are “very fine people.”

To date, there has been no accountability or treatment for White psychopathic behavior. The level of corruption in U.S. government and society marked by countless historical events (Rosewood, Tulsa Massacre, assassination of Black leaders, etc.) belies a culmination of sociopathy, psychopathy, and racist dogma/ideas reflected in this country’s institutions. We need look no further than the Republican Supreme Court’s inversion of the 14th Amendment, overturning affirmative action. From the Senate and Congress to think tanks and the judiciary, it is befuddling the extent to which racist sociopaths will twist themselves and their logic into knots to deny their racist motivations, intents, and impacts on families/communities for generations to come. Equally, sociopaths tend to be very disconnected from the human con-

sequences of their actions as do institutions that tend to reward and reinforce sociopathic behavior.

I invite you back next week to follow our continued discussion about “America’s Skeletons in the Closet: Unaddressed White Psychopathy and Sociopathy”. About the Author Dr. Heru X is the immediate past president of The Association of Black Psychologists Bay Area Chapter, a healing resource committed to providing the Post Newspaper readership with monthly discussions about critical issues in Black Mental Health. Readers are welcome to join us at our monthly chapter meetings every third Saturday via Zoom. We can be contacted at bayareaabpsi@gmail.com.

Photo courtesy of Tony Heru X Jackson, PhD

Nvidia CEO Unveils Processing System Named for Black Mathematician

By Tanu Henry California Black Media

Nvidia, the third-largest corporation in the world, valued at $2.3 trillion, held its annual Global Technology Conference and expo at the Convention Center in San Jose from March 18 to 21.

An estimated 17,000 guests attended.

During his keynote address on March 18, CEO Jensen Huang

unveiled a new groundbreaking Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) system developed by the company. This cutting-edge platform is named in honor of the renowned African American mathematician and statistician David Blackwell.

Huang told the audience that the Blackwell system is the “most advanced GPU in the world today.”

“This GPU is named after Da-

Alvin

vid Blackwell, an American mathematician and statistician whose work has had a lasting impact in mathematics as well as the specific domain of AI,” said Huang.

“Mathematician. Game theorist. Probability,” said Huang of the computer scientist. “We thought it was a perfect name.”

“Blackwell is not a chip. Blackwell is the name of a platform,” Huang continued.

Blackwell, who was born in Centralia, Illinois, earned a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Illinois. He was the first African American inducted into the National Academy of the Sciences. A former professor at the University of California at Berkeley, Blackwell passed away in 2010 at 91 years old.

Blackwell, who was awarded a Rosenwald Fellowship at Princeton also taught at three HBCUs: Southern University of Baton Rouge, Clark Atlanta University and Howard University, where he served as chair of the Department of Mathematics.

According to Nvidia, the Blackwell GPU pairs two Blackwell GPUs to a Grace CPU. Together, they generate 720 petaflops of training performance.

During the conference, Nvidia organized a panel discussion titled Bridging the AI Divide: Expand-

Angélique Kidjo

ing Access and Training to Nontraditional Talents and Underserved Communities.”

During that discussion, panelists talked about what companies can do to make AI technologies — and the industry, more broadly — accessible to Black Americans and other minorities, particularly those who live in areas with limited digital infrastructure and opportunities.

Louis Stewart, head of Strategic Initiatives, Developer Ecosystem, NVIDIA, welcomed panelists and guests to the session and talked about the critical role of diversity in shaping the future of AI.

“I am excited by this panel. I’m excited that you all attended. This is an important piece of the conversation as this technology advances,” said Stewart, a member of the Board of California Black Media, who served as moderator.

The “Bridging the AI Divide” panelists were three African Americans who are advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion in AI: Kieran. Blanks, vice president of Workforce Systems, Cortex Innovation District; Angie Bush, founder, Black Women in Artificial Intelligence and Abran Maldonado, Co-Founder, Create Labs.

“I know it’s under attack, but diversity is important,” said Bush.

“Bridging the AI Divide” panel featuring Louis Stewart, head of Strategic Initiatives at NVIDIA; Angie Bush, founder of Black Women in Artificial Intelligence; Abran Maldonado, co-founder of Create Labs and Kieran Blanks, vice president of Workforce Systems at Cortex Innovation District. Photo courtesy California Black Media.

“The facts are when you have a diverse workforce, your product just got better.”

Black employees at Nvidia

also hosted a separate panel discussion at the organization’s headquarters followed by a reception and networking event.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING in WALNUT CREEK!

The waitlist is now OPEN! Apply now to live at Coggins Square, an affordable apartment community located next to Pleasant Hill BART w/ air-conditioned 1BR, 2BR & 3BR units. Below market rate rents range from $790-$2,182 (depending on household income & unit size). Shared amenities include swimming pool, children’s play area, assigned parking, enclosed patios & decks, controlled entry-access, and a community space.

To apply, download a pre-application at bridgehousing.com/coggins or pick one up at Coggins Square, 1316 Las Juntas Way in Walnut Creek. Office hours 9am-5pm M-F. For more info, call 925-945-6178.

Income and other restrictions apply. Section 8 welcome. EHO.

Assemblymember Mike A. Gibson and three others.

New Bill Would Authorize Police Officers to Make Warrantless Arrests

By California Black Media

By Ruth A. Davis Special to The Post Part Two

About 55 African American women have served in the capacity of U.S. ambassadors.

Last week, The Post published the first part of a follow-up article Ambassador Ruth Davis (ret.) wrote for the State Department last year that is a compilation of the “firsts” by Black, female ambassadors.

These ambassadors have established U.S. missions in troubled areas of the world and covered the legal and programmatic issues related to the genocide in Rwanda; served under fire and terrorist attacks; coordinated U.S. efforts on threat reduction globally and U.S. government programs in chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological security; saved innumerable lives by securing the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief (PEPFAR) for Lesotho; and they count many other diplomatic achievements during, before, and after their service overseas.

The second part of Davis’ article is shared below.

Susan Rice

• First female African American assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (1997-2001)

• First female African American U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations (20092013)

• First and only person in U.S. history to serve as both National Security advisor (20132017) and Domestic Policy advisor (2021-May 2023)

Dennise Mathieu

• First female African American U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Niger (2002-2005)

First African American U.S. Ambassador to U.S. Transportation Command (2010-2013)

• First African American Observer to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (1990-1995)

Susan D. Page

• First U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan (2011-2015)

June Carter Perry

• First to become U.S. Diplomat in Residence of the Year (2002)

• First African American woman appointed as U.S. Ambassador

to the Kingdom of Lesotho (2004-2007)

• First to become director of the Office of Social and Humanitarian Affairs in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs responsible for U.S. policy and oversight of UN agencies ECOSOC, Human Rights, Commissions on Women and Refugees (2002-2004)

• First to be named a Cyrus Vance Visiting Professor at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts (2011-2012)

• First to deliver the prestigious Monroe Paine Lecture at the University of Missouri at Columbia (March 2013)

Margarita Ragsdale

• First female African American U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti (2004-2006)

Eunice Reddick

• First African American woman to hold an office director position covering Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (2000-2002)

Arlene Render

• First African American deputy chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo (1981-1984)

• First African American counselor for Consular Affairs and Consul General at the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica (1984-1986)

First female African American U.S. ambassador to the Republic of The Gambia (1990-1993)

First African American U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Zambia (1996-1999)

First female African American U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire (20012004)

Brenda Schoonover

First of nine African Americans to integrate Catonsville High School in Catonsville, Maryland (1955)

• Only African American and one of two returned Peace Corps volunteers to be invited to the funeral and procession of President John F. Kennedy, sharing a car with Astronaut John Glenn and his wife, Annie (1963)

First female African American associate director of the Peace Corps in Tanzania (1965-1967)

First female African American director of the Office of the

School Partnership for Peace Corps in Washington, D.C. (1967-1968)

First female African American U.S. Ambassador to Togo (1998-2000)

Linda Thomas-Greenfield

• First African American woman to receive the Warren Christopher award (2000)

• First female African American U.S. ambassador to Liberia (2008-2012)

• First African American Foreign Service officer to be listed in Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (December 2022)

Diane Watson

• First African American member elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District (1971)

• First woman to be elected to the California State Senate (1979)

• The only female African American politician to hold the three positions of state senator, congresswoman, and ambassador Beatrice Wilkinson Welters

• First female African American to serve as U.S. ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago (20102012)

Mary Jo Wills

• First African American woman to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius and the Seychelles (2010-2011)

First African American woman to serve as a Department of State visiting professor at the National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs (2012-2015)

About the Author: Ambassador Ruth A. Davis was a trailblazer throughout her 40year career, including as the first female senior watch officer (SWO) in the Operations Center, the first African American director of the Foreign Service Institute and the first female African American Director General of the Foreign Service.

She was also the first and only African American woman to be named Career Ambassador, the longest-serving officer at that level and, upon retirement, the highestranking Foreign Service officer. She is also the first African American to be awarded the American Foreign Association’s Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award.

By Tanya Dennis

Teens from Castlemont, Fremont and Skyline High Schools, are students living in Oakland neighborhoods most affected by violence. Three agencies, Vision Quilt, Youth Alive! and HipHop4Change believe the arts play a key role in today’s challenge to create a safe Oakland.

The three agencies are tapping into the imaginations of children and have created a forum for Oakland students to amplify their artistic visions and voices. On Wednesday, April 3 they are hosting a student-led art exhibition at Youth Uprising located at 8271 MacArthur Blvd. in Oakland from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Youth Alive!’s Teens on Target (TNT) program works with Vision Quilt mentors to create Vision Quilt panels and poems that honor their own stories. The teens are using their experience to create change and teach their peers to avoid and prevent violence.

Youth Alive! (YA) works to break the cycle of violence through prevention, intervention and healing. HipHop4Change, Inc. (HH4C) uses grassroots activism to educate people about socioeconomic injustices and advocate solutions through Hip Hop culture, and Vision Quilt empowers communities to create their own solutions to gun violence through the power of art and inclusive dialogue.

Vision Quilt Project Manager

Diana Garcia says, “Tapping our imaginations and connecting through creativity can revitalize and build resilient individuals and

communities based on kindness, gratitude, and hope. The students were challenged to think like visionaries and their art is touching and inspirational.”

In East Oakland, 200, five-foot Vision Quilt street banners, many created by Oakland youth, hang along 1.6 miles of International Boulevard from 73rd to 102 avenues.

Vision Quilt and Youth Alive! are part of Oakland’s Violence Prevention Coalition that laid the groundwork for the Department of Violence Prevention, now under the direction of Dr. Holly Joshi. Funding for this outreach comes from individual Youth Alive and Vision Quilt donors and a mini grant from the City of Oakland’s Direct Community Grant Program via Councilmember Treva Reid.

On Wednesday, family friendly activities will include exhibition of Vision Quilt panels and poetry, artmaking, open mic, and free food from 12-2:00 p.m. Youth, families, community members and City and community leaders have been invited to listen to the voices of the youth as they lift up their hopes and calls to action to create a safe and resilient Oakland.

For more information go to www.visionquilt.org., www. youthalive.org., and https:// www.hiphopforchange.org or call Diana Garcia, Oakland Vision Quilt project manager: dianag.visionquilt@gmail.com (510) 798-8105 or Mary Ann Alvarado, program manager for Youth Alive! Teens on Target at malvarado@youthalive.org.

To combat the surge in burglaries and retail thefts in California, lawmakers have introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1990. The proposal making its way through the State Legislature would authorize police officers to make arrests without first obtaining a warrant.

“This bill would authorize a peace officer to make a warrantless arrest for a misdemeanor shoplifting offense not committed in the officer’s presence if the officer has probable cause to believe that person has committed shoplifting,” reads the bill language.

Authored by Assemblymembers Wendy Carillo (D-Boyle Heights), Mike Gipson (D-Carson) and Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton), AB 1990 is drawing bipartisan support.

“I am proud to join my colleagues Assembly Members Gipson, Villapudua and Carrillo as a co-author to AB 1990 STOP Act. This bill will support law enforcement’s efforts in protecting our communities against retail theft, said Assemblymember Juan Alanis, a Republican who represents a district that stretches from the Bay Area to parts of the San Joaquin Valley.

“Although there is a lot of work to be done, this is an important step to addressing this critical issue. I look forward to continuing the fight against retail theft in the Legislature.,” continued Alanis.

Opponents have begun to speak out against the bill currently under reviewed by the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

“Please say no to AB 1990 #Stop Act,” wrote Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) on Facebook. “Bad for Black and Brown folks. Please share so our community can know what is happening.”

Staff Sgt. Robert L. Fisher III.

New Oakland Police Chief ...

Continued from page 1

Incoming Chief Mitchell stated that he was excited to get started as the new leader of OPD and ready to tackle the city’s public safety issues.

He shared that his approach will be rooted in strong community engagement, high police visibility and evidence-based strategies, and will focus on the few individuals who are committing the majority of the crimes in Oakland and the surrounding areas.

“Our responsibility is to promote safety, prevent crime and pursue justice for all those we serve by collaborating and communicating regularly with our community,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell added that he supports the reimplementation of the city’s violent crime prevention program ‘Cease-fire’, which was implemented in 2012 to help reduce gun violence. The program had been successful during its early years, dropping homicides down 42% from 2012 to 2017, but the program ultimately faded out in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leading to an increase in homicides starting to rise from then on.

Continued from page 1

“I really have shifted towards coming from a place of humility, and meeting my patients where they are to understand what they’re going through, what their barriers are, and how I can help them exactly in that spot,” Thompson said. “To me, that is cultural humility, versus thinking I know what’s best, which would be more of a competency because I really don’t think I can be competent in anyone else’s culture.”

In the United States, only 5% of physicians are Black or African American, 5.8% are Hispanic, and 17% are Asian. White individuals make up the majority of physicians with almost 52%.

Studies have shown that when patients have access to doctors who look and speak like them it creates an engaging environment that makes healthcare visits more comfortable for both parties. Patients are also more likely to listen to physician advice or speak up about health concerns when they share similar backgrounds with their doctors.

Thompson shared that with diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure that often plague Black and Brown communities, she acknowledges that not all low-income families in the flatlands of Oakland are going to have access to grocery stores or healthy food options, so she doesn’t shame or chastise patients who cannot make drastic food and health changes overnight.

“We know in communities of color, there’s more fast food, there’s more liquor stores, less fresh fruit and produce, and more Black and Brown people live in poverty. So how do we help them live healthier, eat healthier on whatever their budget is?” Thompson said.

Aside from direct patient care, Thompson emphasizes the importance of having women and women of color in spaces where White male doctors predominantly exist. This representation is vital for fostering diversity, equity and inclusion across the profession.

Dr. Keedra McNeil, Pediatrics specialist at Kaiser Permanente Pinole Medical Center, stated that she feels like it is her responsibility, and not a burden, to be the voice for

The new chief is committed to building community trust by working with his team and media in order to allow for transparency on the happenings of the department, a promise he also made in his interview during the police chief forum in February.

FACES AROUND THE BAY: Sylvester Brooks

By Barbara Fluhrer

He said he looks forward to working with business owners, city leadership and all law enforcement agencies in order to build a stronger and safer Oakland. “I can’t wait to make Oakland my home and get to work as your police chief,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell will begin as OPD Police Chief in late April or early May.

Women of Color in Medicine ...

those who do not have a seat at the table.

“I am able to be in rooms and take part in conversations where, historically, underrepresented women and other patients are not able to do,” McNeil said. “I also have the perspective of being an African American woman, walking this walk, having a journey that a lot of my patients have had and being able to relate to them in that way.”

Thompson shared that at times it can be exhausting to be one of the only or the only person of color in a room, but she’s grateful that she has been able to be a part of conversations where she can speak out for her patients.

“It’s hard to sometimes feel you are carrying the weight of your entire community on your shoulders and often many of us in these spaces do, and if you have the strength, you try and make change for your community,” Thompson said.

McNeil and Thompson encourage young girls to find their place in STEM fields and look for mentors where they can because navigating these careers can be a challenge if they don’t have the right tools and people behind them.

But strides are being made in the diversification of healthcare. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, Black or African American matriculants increased by 9%, now making up 10% of matriculants in 2022 to 2023, up from 9.5% in 2020 to 2021. Matriculants who are Hispanic or Latino increased by 4%, with individuals from this group making up 12% of total matriculants.

Women also saw an increase in 2022 and 2023, making up 57% of applicants, 56% of matriculants, and 54% of total enrollment.

“[In Black and Brown communities], we want to make sure that we’re utilizing those villages that are behind us, even if they’re not in that particular field that we’re trying to get to. They’re there to lift us up and help us when we stumble and fall,” McNeil said. “When one of us gets to the end of the journey, then we’ve all made it and we’re all successful and cheering each other on.”

Elaine Brown’s West Oakland Project ...

Continued from page 1

merly incarcerated and other socioeconomically marginalized people, the majority of whom are Black.

The City owned the property, which it had left abandoned and blighted for over 30 years. To gain ownership of the property and to launch its businesses at the site, OAW had to agree to build affordable housing on it.

This property had been slated for development by Oakland Community Housing, Inc., a defunct, lowincome housing nonprofit that the Black Panthers had formed in 1975

when Brown was its acting leader.

That block of Seventh Street between Campbell and Willow was the same block in West Oakland where, in 1967, Huey P. Newton, one year after the founding of the Black Panther Party (BPP), was involved in a confrontation with two, white Oakland police officers that resulted in the death of one of them, for which Newton was arrested and tried for murder.

That incident spawned the Free Huey Movement, triggering the explosive growth of the BPP into

Born in 1948, Sylvester Brooks is parent to three children, and currently embraces the experience of grandparenthood. His roots run deep in the Oakland community. He navigated his formative years through Westlake Junior High and Oakland Technical High, continuing his education at Merritt College and Cal State University East Bay, majoring in Public Administration.

He served the City of Oakland as Project Manager for eight years and spent 10 years in the City Manager’s Office in Berkeley. He ventured into the private sector as Vice President of Construction Control Services and owner-operator of a mortgage

real estate finance company: TriPoint Mortgage, Inc.

Brooks was a member of the Black Cowboys Association for 10 years and president of the Metropolitan Horsemen Association. He organized the Urban Cowboy Institute, to educate young people about the contribution that Blacks made to the Westward Movement.

Brooks was a member of Star Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Oakland for 20 years, singing in several choirs. including Voices of Christ.

Over 30 years ago, Dr. Hazaiah Williams, the celebrated Bay Area classical music impresario, appointed Brooks as Cultural Attache of Four Seasons Arts. He currently serves on their Board, and seldom misses a concert. He has visited Opera Houses around the world.

Brooks sought to contribute to the fabric of the community that raised him, aiming to leave a lasting impact on the places and people that shaped his path. Throughout his diverse career, his guiding principle has remained steadfast to serve and uplift his community, echoing his words, “Throughout, my mantra remains to serve.”

Protect CA Public Schools ...

Continued from page 1

school closures.

When the state steps in, a district may be forced to take out a loan for as much as 30% interest and will have local school board control eliminated or curtailed for many years until the loan is repaid, according to ‘Education Today,’ a radio news program hosted by Dr. Kitty Kelly Epstein that aired March 13 on KPFA 94.1.

Under state law, the districts “lose the autonomy to make decisions for their districts… (and must) follow the direction of state and county agencies that have been assigned to them.” Those directions could be as extreme as closing schools and selling district property to developers, Epstein said.

Austerity measures are instituted by a state-funded nonprofit, the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT), based in Bakersfield, which now operates more behind the scenes than it did previously, according to Epstein.

Spearheading the statewide school sovereignty law are parents from the Inglewood Unified School District in Southern California, according to Inglewood parent leader, attorney, and statewide organizer Fre’Drisha Dixon.

In Inglewood, officials are focusing on closing more public schools so they can sell the land to real estate developers to build more luxury house and entertainment venues in the city. Since there is little available land in the city, much of the property is currently owned by the school district, said Dixon in an interview on Education Today.

Inglewood is already home of a casino, the Rams Stadium, the Clipper Stadium, Hollywood Park, and YouTube Theatre, as well as luxury housing.

“We’ve already had four schools closed down,” she said. “Now, they are targeting Morningside High,” one of two high schools in the district, which is less than a half mile from the entertainment and sports venues.

“They’ve already sold an acre of Morningside’s land, so we know the developers want the rest of that land,” she said. “(Officials) also closed the school next to Morningside, and they sold that land as well.”

The school board is powerless at present to stop the closure or selling of school property, Dixon said.

chapters in over 40 states within the next year. The party then formed coalitions with other revolutionary organizations like the Brown Berets and American Indian Movement and made global coalitions with African liberation organizations like FRELIMO in Mozambique and ZANU in Zimbabwe, and established relations with countries like China, North Korea, and North Vietnam.

Even though the FBI once targeted the party for destruction as “the greatest threat to the internal security of the U.S.,” Oaklanders still praise the BPP for its Free Breakfast

Divisions Over Proposition 1 ...

Continued from page 1

stated that he’s concerned about what this law will mean for those who could be forced into involuntary treatment. He thinks more funding should go into voluntary treatment because data has shown that these programs have better outcomes when it comes to substance use or mental health disabilities.

“We're really concerned that we're taking big steps backward here in the state of California,” Burch said.

Burch claims that Prop 1 is yet another scheme by the state, orchestrated by Newsom, to inhumanely treat and displace homeless individuals from the streets. He referenced the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) courts that Newsom established in 2022 to help those with schizophrenia and other untreated mental disorders get off the streets and into treatment facilities requested by concerned family, mental health providers or first responders.

“It's clear that a number of pieces of legislation are being passed to make it easier to sweep unhoused folks off the streets and force them into large treatment facilities where they will be warehoused,” Burch said.

Shaw stated that he finds it odd that people in the Bay Area are distrustful of the government, yet want government solutions to a problem that is heavily plaguing nearby communities.

“The involuntary commitment is going to be reserved for people who are desperately in need of help. The people we see in the middle of San Francisco streets, standing in traffic with their clothes off,” Shaw said.

As someone who’s seen the crisis first-hand in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, an area that has experienced the harsh realities of lack of affordable housing and homelessness, Shaw acknowledges that this new law will not solve the issues overnight, but it will be a start in the right direction.

He explained that there is not enough money going into the problem, and even with the $6.4 billion boost, people underestimate how much it costs to serve a challenging, vulnerable community. The wages of health care workers, facility costs and grants for subsidized housing already in existence are things that Shaw says most people aren’t factoring into local homelessness budgets.

“The board doesn’t have any voting power. When we accepted the loan from the state, the state took over the school board voting rights, authority, their legal rights, and control.

“Our school board members just sit there on the dais. The county administrator sits next to them and makes all of the decisions.”

The county administrator, who doesn’t live in Inglewood, “dictates what happens, what the educational conditions will be for our kids and our community – and forces us to pay him $300,000 a year,” she said.

“As absurd as it sounds, that is what the state is doing to us,” she said.

Working to gain more support for the California Public School Sovereignty Act, Parent Voices Action and the Statewide Partnership for Local School Control have brought parents repeatedly to Sacramento to meet with legislators.

“When the bill passes, the county administrator will have to leave, his job ends immediately,” she said, “and authority is vested back to the school board members of the community voted for.”

Inglewood and other districts will be able to decide which schools stay open and which schools close, and the interest rate for existing and future loans to school districts will be set at zero percent (similar to a recent state law granting loans to hospitals in crisis).

Dixon said their Democratic leaders have refused to help their efforts, and neither have Democrats from similarly impacted districts.

At first, East Bay Assemblymember Mia Bonta was supportive but later backed off.

“We thought she was going to be the sponsor (of the bill), but at the last moment, she pulled out on us,” said Dixon. “When I asked why, I was told (by her staff) she had to make some difficult decisions. They wouldn’t give me any further explanation.”

By Post deadline, the Oakland Post has not received a statement from Bonta’s office. To find out more about the California Public School Sovereignty Act, go to https://pvaction.org

for Children and Free Food programs, Free Clinics and other “Survival Programs.” Black Oakland still credits BPP efforts in helping African Americans finally take seats in City government via the 1973 electoral campaign of Bobby Seale for mayor and Elaine Brown for City Council, which ultimately brought about the election of Oakland’s first Black mayor, Lionel Wilson. People in Oakland and all over the world still celebrate fallen Panther heroes like Fred Hampton, George Jackson, and Little Bobby Hutton.

The notion that Prop 1 will automatically mean that there will be an overhaul of random people on the streets being swept up into torturous facilities, is not a narrative that Randy Shaw, executive director of Tenderloin Housing Clinic, can get behind.

Shaw advocated for permanent public housing in S.F. in the ’80s, but states that so much has changed over the years, and a housing-first approach is no longer the standard, which has led to the increase of unhoused folks on the streets.

“By far, we're not a country that spends fairly on people's needs,” Shaw said.

Q&A With the Executive Director of the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls ...

Continued from page 1

acted as Chief of Staff to First Lady Maria Shriver. What inspires you to do the work that you do? I believe I had this call to be a public servant. So working for the state, working in government and community based work, I feel like it’s a great balance between being connected to my community but also a part of the bigger decisions that happen when you do public policy. With being a mom, I think my number one job in life is to raise really good human beings who are going to contribute to the solutions and that’s what inspires me today. In my work with the [CCSWG], it’s really a place to look at the California that we’re creating now for our future generation and how we’re supporting our young girls and leaders for what we need them to be in the future and how we build really strong shoulders they can stand on and do some heavy lifting so that when it’s when it’s their time to arrive, they can lead and move us forward.

Why is it important for young girls to see women and women of color in leadership roles?

Our historic structures have taught us to sort of take a back seat. When women lead so often, they’re criticized and judged and there’s a lot of effort to put them back in their place. You see a national dialogue right now that is really challenging marginalized people and populations, including women and women of color, challenging them and their leadership roles and trying to fight patriarchal systems that have put them down for far too long… If they’re not women and women of color in these positions and roles, they have a harder way to go. My hope is that I can leave the fight a little better off for them so that they

can spend their time really doing the critical work we need.

In recent years, there’s been a rise in advocacy from young girls in relation to reproductive rights, equality in the workforce, education and other social movements. What would you say to those girls who are taking hard stances on issues that are affecting their everyday lives?

Bravo. Keep up the fight. I’m saddened to know that the girls today have less rights than when I was a girl. Across the country, their reproductive rights and access to bodily autonomy has been challenged and, in fact, taken away. It’s an unfortunate situation where we have to fight back to have just, what I think, are human basic rights when it comes to access to our health and reproductive freedom. So I would say, bravo, continue the fight. And I’m so glad that we have such talented, educated, inspiring, well informed advocates using their voice at such a young age.

Why is celebrating Women’s History Month so important?

History repeats itself so often and it’s so important to learn from our history to grow, to recognize the trailblazers that came before us and, and the ones who we’re going to hand the torch off to. Women’s History Month is often a month where we really acknowledge and celebrate and thank women for all the work that they have done. Restoring reproductive rights, allowing for women to have bodily autonomy, supporting their ambitions, and breaking glass ceilings. But let’s not let it stop in March, let’s bring it throughout the rest of the year and into all the practices that we live day to day.

Now 81, Brown is pushing an agenda for Black self-determination on West Oakland’s famed Seventh Street. Seventh Street, once known as “Harlem West,” was where Billie Holiday came to sing at Esther’s Orbit Room, B.B. King performed at Slim Jenkins Supper Club, and where there was a Black bank and a Black movie theater, all developed by Blacks up from the Jim Crow South answering the call of Henry J. Kaiser to work on the docks of the Port of Oakland during World War II. By the late 1970s, the local government had destroyed Seventh Street with so-called urban renewal projects. Despite this destruction and despite the ongoing, rampant racism in the distribution of government funds for affordable housing, Brown secured $80 Million to build a 100% affordable housing complex on Seventh and Campbell streets and named it “The Black Panther.”

At the complex, residents and neighbors can buy good food at affordable prices at the neighborhood market OAW is building, dine at the complex’s restaurant, exercise at its fitness center, and enjoy the produce from its urban farm.

Sylvester Brooks, owner and operator of TriPoint Mortgage, Inc.

Incoming Chief Flyod Mitchell and Mayor Sheng Thao. Photo by Magaly Muñoz