
5 minute read
Monsa Sakura Nitotó Artist, Activist, Mentor, 75
Artist, activist, athlete, veteran, mentor, family man, friend — Monsa Sakura Nitotó — a bigger than life personality, born Aug. 7, 1948 as Wesley Benjamin Williams, transitioned from this life into the next on Aug. 1, 2023.
The community is celebrating the life, achievements, and contributions of this unique icon at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19, at Taylor Memorial United Methodist Church, 1188 12th St., Oakland, California 94607.
There will be a quiet hour at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18, at the Harris Funeral Home, 1331 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, CA 94702.
The public is invited to help us honor a life of service to the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area community.
No ordinary activist, Monsa Nitotó was a true champion for the people. Of his more notable accomplishments was the pivotal role he played in the closure of the Red Star Yeast facility in West Oakland. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the factory was releasing 30,000 pounds of acetaldehyde, a known carcinogen, into the air annually.
Citing the “hygiene” theory, that still enjoys broad acceptance in the medical community, and that advances the premise that early exposure to infections, including both respiratory and gastrointestinal improves the human immune system, no one bothered to study the impact of these fumes on the people of this community.
Finally, in 1998, the Pacific Institute conducted an impact study. It found children in West Oakland were seven times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than the average child in California. The Red Star Yeast factory had been spewing carcinogens into the air for nearly 100 years without consequence. As executive director of the Coalition for West Oakland Revitalization (CWOR), Nitotó declared war on the factory. The rest is history with the factory doors closing in 2003.
Nitotó’s legacy as one of this community’s most prominent and beloved activists is etched in the hearts of those he touched. His body of work showcases a genuine commitment to creating healthier environments, safer communities and securing economic opportunities for people.
His legacy stands as a testament to the power of determination, compassion, and community engagement. His belief in the power of community has inspired others to join him in the fight for justice and equality.
Celebration Of Life Committee
Tanya Parker Williams (Chairperson), Alan Dones, Mical Free, Jai Jennifer, Winston Burton, Starla Williams, Samson Mael, Jim Levine, Bronnie Hazelwood, Geoffrey Pete, Eddie Dillard, Willie Burton, Margaret Gordon, R. Terese May, and Larry D. Hill.
The Celebration Committee is compiling a tribute book to highlight his contributions. If you wish to offer a tribute or collection in his honor, please transmit it via email through the website we have established for this purpose.
The deadline for contributions is noon on Saturday, Aug. 12. Please limit your tribute to two paragraphs — 100 words total, or less — Please share a picture, where available, as well. Photographs may not appear in the final publication. In lieu of floral arrangements, please submit any contribution to: www.monsanitoto.com
African American Patriots
Diaspora
Black History Month II Crossword **"African American Patriots" www.simonburris700.com
Across 1 **Underground Railroad leader Harriet
7 **U.S. Congressman/activist Lewis
11 Comfortable with (2 wds.)
12 Rebel leader Robert ___ ___ (2 wds.)
13 Red Hot Tamale, for short
14 **Rev. Dr.Luther King and namesakes
16 Book between Ezra and Esther (abbr.)
17 *"___ Gotta Have It" (Spike Lee film)
18 Round Trip, briefly
By Daisha Williams Post Staff
On Sunday Aug. 6, UDAY Studios hosted “Reel Talk: Imagining Black Futures,” an event for Black creatives in the film industry that provides a rare opportunity to connect and collaborate to realize a future where Black narratives are showcased and celebrated.
Taking place at Kinfolx, a Black-owned, community-driven coffee shop and wine bar in downtown Oakland, “Reel Talk” was a joint project between longtime friends Takai Ginwright and Akintunde Ahmad. Ginwright is the head of UDAY Studios, an Oakland and L.A. based Black-owned production company dedicated to telling stories for a new world and Ahmad is one of the co-owners of Kinfolx.
When asked how this event came to be, Ginwright said, “I haven’t seen much of a network of film industry professionals … So I reached out to Tunde looking to cre- ate a space to foster some of these connections and he let me know that Kinfolx already has some of these things on their plate … So we put our brains together to come up with this idea.” He expressed hope that they will continue to foster this community for Black people in the film industry in Oakland, possibly expanding into a series of other events or even a festival in the future.
From the moment the event began, the atmosphere was welcoming and open — enthusiasm was palpable among the guests as they used the time before the formal activities to build connections.
In the first part, attendees were separated into small groups, with each group told to envision a Blackcentered storyline in one of the given genres: adventure, sciencefiction, action, and love.
Then, each group shared with everyone else. Among the great ideas brought up, was the fact that science fiction author Octavia
Each of the panelists spoke on the balance between letting their activism influence their creativity and needing to make money in a world that uses money to silence the voices that are trying to be heard. Their conversation was insightful, and the rapt audience appeared to hold on to every word.
Since its opening in November 2022 on the corner of 20th and Telegraph, Kinfolx has been a place that not just serves, but prioritizes Black and Brown customers in a neighborhood that is rapidly gentrifying.
Upcoming events at Kinfolx, include “A Life in Hip-Hop” talk show with Mike Nicholls on Aug. 12, and an exhibit titled “Vibrance: Exploration of Black Women Healing,” which will be up until Sept. 13. There is information on these events and many more on their Instagram page @kinfolxoak.
UDAY Studios’ first film production campaign launches in September with “Agape,” a film breaking away from Black traumacentered tropes with a story of the vulnerable relationship between main characters Kiro and Umi.
19 Persian, for example
21 _ _ _ tery fiction
22 Just say ___!
23 Initials for United Artists
24 **Singer/activist Paul R_ _ _ son
26 Utah's capital (initials)
28 College degree
29 Before these, HGFE
33 Farm animal
35 **Crispus ___; first American Revolutionary War martyr (1770)
37 Bullring cheer
38 "Blessed are the ___" (Matthew 5:5)
39 Stand-up comedian Shane ___
41. **Tennis legend & activist Arthur ___
42 Listing Mount, briefly
Down
1 "Repeat, then, and ___ to God" (Acts 3:19)
2 *Singer Raymond IV
3 **Mary McLeod ___; educator/humanitarian
4 **Frederick Douglass' state of birth (initials)
5 24-hr. conveniences
6 *Trevor ___; comedian/author
7 Super Bowl III champions
8 *King _ _ _ ver; jazz musician
9 **___ Flipper; first African American graduate of West Point Academy, in 1877
10 Crows' homes
15 Concerning
20 *Let my people ___!
21 **Muslim human rights leader/activist
23 You and I
24 **Former U.S. president
25 **Daisy ___; Civil Rights Crusader (Arkansas)
27 ** Statesman ___ Powell
29 *Musician Ellington
30 *Bandleader Calloway's monogram
31 Initials for Black Gill (2 wds.)
32 "No returns" (2 wds.)
34 **Cornel ___; philosopher
36 _ _ _ ran the capital of Iran
40 Military rank, for short