Oakland Post
“Where there is no vision, the people
Ending Months of Public Speculation, Barbara Lee Launches Campaign for Mayor of Oakland
By Ken Epstein Part 1
“I’ve never shied away from a challenge – I’m always ready to fight for Oakland,” said outgoing Congresswoman Barbara Lee, kicking off her campaign this week to become the next mayor of Oakland, speaking with characteristic optimism.
In an exclusive interview Wednesday afternoon at the offices of the Oakland Post, Lee spoke about how she came to the decision to run for mayor in the April 15 special election. She also discussed some of her priorities, including defense of human rights of immigrants.
“As mayor, I’ll address our homelessness crisis, prioritize comprehensive public safety and mental health services, and lead with fiscal responsibility to deliver the core City services residents and business owners deserve,” she said in her campaign announcement.
In reaching her decision to
run, Lee said, “The process was actually doing a deep dive (talking) with many different people, organizations, constituencies here in Oakland, with the business community, with labor, with activists, with nonprofits, with ordinary folks who are just trying to survive on a daily basis.
“It has been and will continue to be a good process primarily of listening and listening for the common threads, because I believe that this city – and I love this city – has had such a great history of working together and being unified, even though we disagree on a lot, but in challenging times, we come together,” she said.
“I (will) be a mayor who is hands-on and helping find solutions. We can’t make big promises, naturally, but I certainly can say we’re all going to try and move forward together.”
Looking at public safety concerns, she said, “People want
By Post Staff
The Oakland Housing Authority will hold a lottery for 5,000 new spots on the Section 8 voucher waitlist, which low-income households can use to pay part of their rent. Applications will be accepted Jan. 7 through Jan. 26 for the new spots on the list. The last time the waitlist opened was in 2011.
Recipients of the Section 8 vouchers, now called Housing Choice Vouchers pay 30-40% of their monthly income rent and utilities, while the voucher will cover
the rest.
Interested individuals and households can apply online or in person at Oakland Housing Authority locations: including at 1327 65th Ave., 1540 Webster St., and 935 Union St. (See dates and times online.)
The Housing Authority “encourages every family seeking affordable housing in Oakland to apply to the waiting list lottery,”
Spokesperson Kelsey Frost said.
“We have staff to assist with the process, including in-person application kiosks at several locations,
Oakland has already finalized a purchase and sale agreement with OAC for its interest in the property. OAC’s acquisition of the County’s property interest will achieve two longstanding goals of the County:
Special to The Post
The County of Alameda announced this week that a deal allowing the Oakland Acquisition Company, LLC, (“OAC”) to acquire the County’s 50% undivided interest in the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum complex is in the final stages of completion.
The Board of Supervisors is committed to closing the deal expeditiously, and County staff have worked tirelessly to move the deal forward on mutually agreeable terms. The parties are down to the final details and, with the cooperation of OAC and Coliseum Way Partners, LLC, the Board will take a public vote at an upcoming meeting to seal this transaction.
1) The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum complex will finally be under the control of a sole owner with capacity to make unilateral decisions regarding the property; and 2) The County will be out of the sports and entertainment business, free to focus and rededicate resources to its core safety net mission.
In an October 2024 press release from the City of Oakland, the former Oakland mayor described the sale of its 50% interest in the property as an “historic achievement” stating that the transaction will “continue to pay dividends for generations to come.”
The Board of Supervisors is pleased to facilitate single-entity ownership of this property uniquely centered in a corridor of East Oakland that has amazing potential.
“The County is committed to bringing its negotiations with OAC to a close,” said Board President David Haubert.
Councilmember Noel Gallo will serve as Interim City Council President and former Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan will serve as Interim District 2 Councilmember
By City of Oakland
The Oakland City Council voted Monday to appoint Councilmember Kevin Jenkins as Council President, and Councilmember Noel Gallo as Council President Pro Tem. Effective immediately, they will serve as interim mayor and interim City Council president, respectively. The City Council also voted to temporarily appoint Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan to hold the District 2 City Council office.
Interim Mayor Jenkins, Interim City Council President Gallo, and Interim District 2 City Councilmember Kaplan will all
hold these roles until a special election is held in April to fill the vacant permanent positions of Mayor and District 2 City Councilmember.
“What Oaklanders and Bay Area residents can expect over the coming months is we’re going to have a special election that will be held on April 15 to elect a new mayor as well as to fill the District 2 vacancy,” said Oakland City Attorney Ryan Richardson. The special elections are required because former Mayor Sheng Thao was recalled by voters in November and District 2’s former representative, Nikki Fortunato Bas, was elected to the
By Ken Epstein
Dr. Kimberly Mayfield, who, until recently served as deputy mayor of Oakland, has been working for several years with educators and community groups to create a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) or other Black-serving institution of
higher education in Oakland — potentially on the fully operational campus of Holy Names University in East Oakland, which went out of business in 2023.
The goal, according to Mayfield, is to “create a Black-serving institution in Oakland, which means that 50% or more of the student body would be African American.”
The Oakland program could either be an HBCU, which is preferable, or a Black-serving institution unaffiliated with other HBCUs. The program itself could become a stand-alone institution or an assemblage of different programs on a single campus.
By Magaly Muñoz
Oakland has officially begun its new leadership era as newly elected council members are introduced and incumbent members take on new roles following the fall recall election.
The council selected Kevin Jenkins, who represents East Oakland in District 6, as the new council president and therefore interim mayor, succeeding former colleague Nikki Fortunato Bas who left to serve on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.
Jenkins will temporarily serve as Oakland Mayor until this spring when residents will choose a new leader to take over the rest of ousted Mayor Sheng Thao’s term after being recalled in late 2024.
“There’s some serious issues in the city, but we’re only going to get past them if we work together.
The residents of Oakland absolutely demand it,” Jenkins said.
The largest cuts affected the police and fire, with the OPD facing a $25 million reduction in overtime expenses and two fire stations having been temporarily browned out.
Firefighters expressed their disapproval of these shutdowns at a rally outside of City Hall on Monday morning, calling this
The city recently gutted several programs and cut public safety department spending by millions in order to balance a $130 million budget deficit.
Kevin Jenkins will serve as mayor only until May. Photo by Kevin Hicks
Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Haubert.
Kimberly Mayfield. Official photo.
Oakland Coliseum. iStock photo.
Barbara Lee came to the Oakland Post office for an in-depth interview as she kicks off her campaign. Photo by Kevin Hicks. The Oakland Housing Authority main office is located at
Webster St. Courtesy photo.
Carroll Fife. District 3. All photos by Kevin Hicks.
ers, Chief LeRonne Armstrong amended it to our current policy.
Most recently, the Oakland City Council requested the Police Commission review the policy even though it is not in their purview.
After a town hall, and a review of research and comparable policies, the Commission supported OPD’s current policy.
By Millie Cleveland forOakland Coalition for Police Accountability
Why is Governor Newsom attacking the Oakland Police Commission over a pursuit policy that was written by the Oakland Police Department and later amended by ex-Chief LeRonne Armstrong?
The Governor is demanding more police chases in a broader set of circumstances that he appears not to know. Oakland’s pursuit policy says police cannot engage in high-speed chases unless there is a public safety benefit to catching the driver that outweighs the strong possibility of injury resulting from the chase.
The original policy was written and amended by OPD with no input or approval from the Oakland Police Commission.
The original policy was based on national best practices, written and implemented by former Police Chief Sean Whent. In 2022, after two high-speed police chases resulted in the deaths of two bystand-
The Coalition for Police Accountability (CPA) hears from Oakland residents that the Oakland Police Officers Association (OPOA) members misrepresent the policy. In October, police arrived during a business invasion and armed robbery but did not pursue fleeing assailants. This was ascribed to the pursuit policy — although chasing robbers with guns where people were beaten is clearly permissible within the policy.
Newsom’s insertion of himself into local politics amplifies the misinformation from OPOA and other opponents of police accountability. This deceit also distracts the community from focusing on the important issue of police overtime, a major driver of Oakland’s budget crisis.
Why is OPOA misrepresenting the role of the Police Commission to the public and attacking Armstrong’s policy?
Vilifying the commission is the wrong target, dishonest and reflects their real opposition to oversight and constitutional policing.
OPOA has manufactured this crisis by not following the current policy and signaling to criminals that they will not do their job. OPD does not have a “no chase” policy.
By Post Staff
At a press conference on Dec. 27, Governor Gavin Newsom gave an ultimatum to the City of Oakland. He demanded the city change its current police pursuit policy or risk losing current support from the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
“We need to see some commensurate support and reforms and changes as it relates to policing here in Oakland in order to consider extending this state subsidized partnership,” he said. “We specifically are going to need to see changes in the pursuit policy in Oakland.”
CHP’s involvement in Oakland policing over the past year has resulted in more than 1,400 arrests, representing 30% of the 4,700 of the arrests made by the entire Oakland Police Department in 2023.
Aligning himself with the Oakland Police Officers Association (OPOA), Newsom called the Oakland Police Commission irresponsible in their duty to the safety of Oakland residents because they declined to change the pursuit policy when tasked to do so by the Oakland City Council:
“In July, I wrote a letter to the Police Commission. I wrote a letter to the City Council. I wrote a let-
ter to local leaders and the mayor at the time requesting some common sense, not going back to an extreme,” he said.
“We’re not looking for an old binary here. We’re trying to take best practices across the state, for that matter across the nation. It’s been a decade now since that policy was reverted, and [we asked them] to update it. In September the Police Commission had that opportunity to do so, and they decided not to do it,” he said.
CHP Deputy Commissioner Ezery Beauchamp said, “Criminals are fully aware that in certain communities and municipalities, when the lights come on, the police are not allowed to chase them. We have had CHP officers who pursue individuals and, upon arresting them, have had the criminals tell us they didn’t think we were allowed to chase them. This type of situation only benefits the criminals; it does not benefit the people that are being victimized here in California by crime.”
Over the past year, CHP conducted 500 chases. In contrast, the Oakland Police Department, with a much larger patrol force than CHP, conducted about 65.
In the public meeting of the police commission on Sept. 19, 2024, 100 residents of Oakland implored the commission to revise restrictions and restore police chase capabilities. They highlighted to the commission that “Oakland’s businesses are being targeted almost on a daily basis and we need to help our small business owners….it is a plea to help our city thrive.”
By Emil Guillermo
Watching Kamala Harris on Jan. 6, it was clear that she has the temperament and demeanor to be the leader of the free world — if she ever gets that chance again.
On Monday, Harris became one of the few vice presidents to lose a presidential campaign, and then officially certify the election she lost.
When lesser things have been on the line, I confess, I have not been as cool.
Her challenge was to stay calm, cool. Emphasis on cool. She was not whitewashing the truth. She was playing by the rules.
Only former Vice President Al “Hanging Chads” Gore knows how it feels to lose the way Harris did and then have to maintain a sense of grace for the good of our country.
This week, Kamala did it with dignity, and aplomb — and mindfully.
You don’t get angry and lash out. You don’t do anything but think of the American people and hold on to the tenets the Constitution.
Certainly, watching Kamala made me feel better than I did on Jan. 7, 2021.
That’s the day after Jan. 6 insurrection, when we wondered what the heck happened to our democracy when a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol demanding that their guy, Donald Trump, be declared the winner.
Even though he lost. I hope you were watching the certification on TV this week. It was for all Americans to see how democracy within a civil society is meant to work.
We don’t have to agree on everything. But we do have to get along. And adhere to the Constitution. It would be a shame if only news nerds caught the proceedings. The fact is: the certification is a ceremony for all of us.
We get to observe the Electoral College for the day, to understand the subtext of last November’s popular vote, where Trump got just 49.8% of the vote. Not a majority. Harris and others got just 50%. That essentially makes America a coin flip country.
But thanks to the Electoral College small states diminish the vote of bigger states like California. It’s not the fairest way. But it’s in the
Continued on page 4
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris certifies the results of the 2024 election. Screenshot.
Gov. Gavin Newsom. Cal Matters photo.
Millie Cleveland is a member of the Oakland Coalition of Police Accountability. Courtesy photo.
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Cutting Through History: The Ingenious Invention of John Albert Burr
By Tamara Shiloh
When discussing African American inventors, names like George Washington Carver or Granville T. Woods often take cen-
MacArthur Fellow Dorothy Roberts’ Advocates Restructure of Child Welfare System
Special to The Post
When grants were announced Oct. 1, it was noted that eight of the 22 MacArthur fellows were African American. Among the re cipients of the so-called ‘genius grants’ are scholars, visual and media artists a poet/writer, histo rian, and dancer/choreographer who each receive $800,000 over
suring that their son was born free. This freedom enabled him to pursue education and skills that would later fuel his inventive genius. Though details of his early educa-
a five-year period to spend as they
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-
ter stage. However, history is filled with unsung innovators whose contributions have shaped the modern world in remarkable ways. Among these figures is John Albert Burr, a man whose ingenuity revolutionized the lawn care industry.
Born in Maryland in 1848, John Burr’s life began during the era of slavery. While many African Americans of his time were enslaved, John’s parents were fortunate to secure their freedom, en-
Constitution.
This week, Jan. 6 was a day for democracy. We saw the peaceful transition of power. That sense of our Constitution, tarnished four years ago was restored.
America showed the world how it’s done.
tion remain sparse, John’s knack for mechanics and engineering became apparent as he grew up.
In the late 19th century, lawn care was labor-intensive and often relied on rudimentary tools. The available lawn mowers were cumbersome, inefficient, and prone to clogging, making the task of manicuring lawns arduous. Enter John Albert Burr.
In 1899, John Burr patented his revolutionary rotary blade lawn
It is tough for some of us to take, but that’s the process. The campaign, the vote, the count, the certification.
And if you don’t like it, the next election is in two years, the midterms. Start working.
How do we proceed?
We act like Kamala. She showed her love of country and her worthiness to be our leader, as she certified the vote on Jan. 6.
erts is excerpted from the MacArthur Fellows web site.
A graduate of Yale University with a law degree from Harvard, Dorothy Roberts is a legal scholar and public policy researcher exposing racial inequities embedded within health and social service systems.
mower. His design improved upon earlier models by preventing the mower’s blades from becoming clogged with grass. John’s mower featured a flexible and durable rotary blade mechanism that made cutting grass smoother and more effective. The design not only enhanced functionality but also extended the life of the mower, reducing maintenance costs and increasing efficiency.
Sine 2012, she has been a professor of Law and Sociology, and on the faculty in the department of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
His innovation catered to the growing demand for well-manicured lawns among the middle and upper classes during the Victorian era, when lawns became a status symbol. His mower’s practicality and ease of use ensured its widespread acceptance.
Roberts’s work encompasses reproductive health, bioethics, and child welfare. She sheds light on systemic inequities, amplifies the voices of those directly affected, and boldly calls for wholesale transformation of existing systems.
Roberts’s early work focused on Black women’s reproductive rights and their fight for reproductive justice. In “Killing the Black
While John’s patent was groundbreaking, Black inventors often struggled to gain recognition or fair compensation for their work, as systemic racism in patent law and business practices frequently robbed them of their rights.
Despite these obstacles, Burr used his skills and intellect to thrive. He worked as a mechanical engineer and continued to innovate throughout his career. Unlike many African American inventors of his time, he retained control over his patent and was able to reap financial rewards, ensuring that his contributions would not be lost to history or taken by others.
Although his name may not be as widely recognized as it deserves, his impact can still be felt whenever a modern rotary lawn mower hums to life. He represents the countless African American inventors whose brilliance has quietly revolutionized the way we live and work.
Her day will come again soon.
About the Author
Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He was the first Filipino American to host a national news show in 1989 at NPR’s “All Things Considered.” See his Emil Amok’s Takeout on www.patreon. com/emilamok. And subscribe to his channel on YouTube.com/@ emilamok1
Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty 1997)”, she
nied agency to Black women and
This work prompted Roberts to examine the treatment of children of color in the U.S. child welfare
tions, 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
passed on Monday, Jan. 6. The Oakland Community knew him as Eddie Abrams, the man with a video camera in his hands, always prepared to capture history as it was being made.
Black empowerment and unity by bringing Black leaders to speak.
state intervention and the results of those interventions.
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.
Eddie was born in Hub, Mississippi, and came to Oakland, California in 1946 at the age of 15.
He attended McClymonds High School and was also a member of the Army Reserve. Although Eddie did not play sports, he could give you history and stats on all the great ball players who came through McClymonds’ doors.
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.
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.
In 1950, Eddie worked at the Naval Air Station as a warehouse supervisor until he retired in 1985.
After his retirement, he organized and provided leadership to the Family Resource Community Center known by many as The House of Unity. He also hosted a show with Soul Beat TV titled “O.U.R.S Hour,” for One United Resource System.
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.
The mission was to provide
Comedian/Activist Dick Gregory, educators John Henry Clark, and Frances Cress Welsing were often invited guests.
She also shows that blaming marginalized individuals for structural problems, while ignoring the historical roots of economic and social inequality, fails families and communities.
The House of Unity was a place for local leaders in Oakland to also speak to provide encouragement to students, seniors, and its residents. Eddie loved his community and wanted to provide it with as much history and education as possible through his handheld video camera.
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.
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.
Eddie leaves to mourn Rose, his wife of 60 years, four children, 14 grandchildren, one greatgrandchild, and a host of relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held Monday, Jan. 20 at Beth Eden Baptist Church at 1183 Tenth St. Oakland, CA at 11 a.m. For more information, please contact Kim Abrams via text at 510-757-6366.
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.
Special to the Post
Mrs. Rose Abrams and family are mourning the passing of Edward Earl Abrams. Mr. Abrams
Dorothy Roberts. Photo courtesy of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Harris Restored Faith ... Continued from page 2
John Albert Burr revolutionized the lawn care industry with his invetion of the rotary blade. The patent, illustrated above, was filed in 1899. Public domain image.
Edward Earl Abrams. Photo courtesy of the Abrams family.
Public Notices, Classifieds & Business
Black Caucus Members Appointed to Leadership Roles in Calif. Legislature
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
All 12 members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) have been assigned leadership roles in the State Senate and the State Assembly, according to separate statements issued by Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister).
On Jan. 3, McGuire announced that Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro) was named to the Democratic leadership as Assistant Majority Whip. Richardson will also serve as chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor and Transportation. Akilah Weber-Pierson (D-San Diego) will serve as chair of Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services.
The Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement com-
mittee will be chaired by Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles).
On Dec. 27, Rivas announced his Assembly leadership team and the chairpersons of all Assembly committees, including CLBC members: CLBC Vice Chair Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (DLadera Heights), chair of the Natural Resources Committee; Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), chair of the Transportation Committee; Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), chair of the Budget Human Services Committee; Rhodesia Ransom (D-Tracy), chair of the Emergency Management Committee; Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), chair of the Health Committee; Tina McKinnor (D- Inglewood), chair of the Public Employment and Retirement Committee; Mike Gipson (D-Carson), chair of the Revenue and Taxation Committee; and LaShae Sharp-Collins (D-San Diego), assistant majority leader for Policy.
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted a request by advocates for free expression and free enterprise on the Internet to halt a California’s internet surveillance law, Senate Bill (SB) 976, from going into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
Supporters of the legislation say it protects youth from social media addiction.
NetChoice, an advocacy group that promotes freedom of choice on the internet, filed the lawsuit with the District Court. The court
If OPOA is now concerned that criminals believe there is a “no chase” policy, then OPOA only has itself to blame. What other city workers are permitted to publicly misrepresent the city policy that they work under?
issued a stay that now allows the case, NetChoice v. Bonta (2024), to head to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
“While we are disappointed that the District Court did not grant our entire preliminary injunction, we are glad it agreed to issue this temporary stay while we appeal,” said Paul Taske, NetChoice Associate Director of Litigation in a statement.
“We look forward to seeing California in the Ninth Circuit to yet again stop the state from creating an online censorship regime.”
Responding, California Attorney General Rob Bonta says he is pleased “the court understands the importance of giving California’s families choice.”
“California’s landmark law allows young people to intentionally develop the relationship they want with social media, rather than the relationship that is most profitable for companies using tricks and traps to glue young people’s eyes to their screens,” Bonta said in a Dec. 31 statement.
CPA stands with the 83% of the Oakland voters who created a civilian police commission. Despite improvements and reductions in the use of excessive force, the Oakland Police Department continues to have scandals and coverups, which is why they remain under federal oversight.
There may be changes to the pursuit policy that are worth considering, but it is harder to have that conversation when the impact and actual policy are being misrepresented.
The Coalition for Police Accountability condemns these disingenuous attacks against the Commission. If the Governor gets his demand for more high-speed chases it will result in more injuries and deaths on our streets.
Should we call these deaths Gavin’s Ghosts?
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is one of 249 officials across the country who have been warned that they could be imprisoned for not supporting federal government efforts to detain and deport people illegally living in the United States.
The conservative non-profit America First Legal sent letters to Bass, Attorney General Rob Bonta Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell and other California elected officials that they deem could interfere with federal immigration activities after Donald Trump is sworn-in as president on Jan. 20.
America First Legal is run by Trump’s incoming deputy Chief of Staff for policy Stephen Miller. After the election in November, Miller confirmed that he will push for the declaration of a national emergency and use the military to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
On Nov. 12, Bass said in a statement that the city of Los Angeles would take swift action to implement protections for immigrant communities.
“Especially in the face of growing threats to the immigrant communities here in Los Angeles, I stand with the people of this city,” Bass stated. “This moment demands urgency. Immigrant protections make our communities stronger and our city better.”
The America First Legal letter to McDonnell’s office by email was dated Dec. 23. It states that the nonprofit “identified Los Angeles as a sanctuary jurisdiction that is violating federal law.”
“Federal law is clear: aliens unlawfully present in the United States are subject to removal from the country, and it is a crime to conceal, harbor, or shield them. It is also a crime to prevent federal officials from enforcing immigration laws. These laws were duly enacted by the people’s elected representatives,” the letter reads.
Mayor Karen Bass. Courtesy of Mayor Karen Bass Facebook page.
California Capitol. iStock Photo.
Book Review: ‘On Love’
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Turn the volume up, please. You need it louder because this is something you’ve been waiting to hear. You need to listen very closely; these words mean a great deal to you, and they might change your life. As in the new book, “On Love” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the message beneath the message is the most important.
As the grandson and greatgrandson of pastors and the son of the senior pastor at Ebeneezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, it may seem as though young Martin Luther King, Jr., born in 1929, already had his life set.
King entered college at age 15 and after graduation, he
was named associate pastor at his father’s church. At age 25, he became the pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. In late 1956, he was apprehended for his part in the bus boycott there, his first of many arrests for non-violent protests and activism for Civil Rights.
But when asked if those things were what he hoped he’d be honored for in years to come, King said he wanted to be remembered as “’someone who tried to love somebody.’”
His words, essays, letters, and speeches reflect that desire. In a 1955 sermon in Montgomery, he used a parable to explain why White people need-
ed love to gain compassion. In 1956, he wrote about the bombing of his home, telling his readers that no retaliation was needed, that to “confront the problem with love” was the righteous and better thing to do.
Later that year, he said, “I want you to love our enemies… Love them and let them know you love them.” And in November, 1956, he said, “If you have not love, it means nothing.”
“Love is the greatest force in all the world,” he said in 1962.
He wrote a book on the subject, “Strength to Love,” in 1963.
In 1967, just months before his assassination, he said that “power at its best is love.”
When we talk about Dr. King’s life and his legacy, so much focus is put on his work on behalf of Civil Rights and equality that it’s easy to lose sight of the thing which he felt was more important. In “On Love,” any omission is rectified nicely.
This book, “excerpted to highlight the material where King specifically addressed the topic of love,” is full of pleasant surprises, words with impact, and thought provokers. King’s speeches hammered home a need to love one’s enemies, woven into messages of gentle resistance and strength. He explained the different “levels” of love in a way that makes sense when related to equality and justice. The bits and pieces collected here will linger in reader’s minds, poking and prodding and reminding.
If your shelves are full of books about Dr. King, know that this is a unique one, and it’s perfect for our times, now. Don’t race through it; instead, savor what you’ll read and keep it close. “On Love” is a book you’ll want to turn to, often.
By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media
On Jan 10, Gov. Gavin Newsom will present his 2026 budget to the Legislature.
On Jan. 6, he previewed budget highlights while receiving the North San Joaquin Valley’s regional economic plan, a part of California’s broader Jobs First Economic Blueprint aimed at driving local and statewide development.
The proposed $322.2 billion budget, including $228.9 billion in general fund spending, addresses a $2 billion deficit that Newsom is required to balance under state law. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) notes that while $16.5 billion in additional revenue from a strong economy, stock market gains, and higher tax receipts provides flexibility, long-term structural challenges persist. Spending growth, projected at 5.8% annually, continues to outpace revenue growth of 4%, with deficits potentially reaching $30 billion by 202829 without adjustments.
Newsom plans to save $1.2 billion over two years by eliminating 6,500 state jobs and cutting $3.5 billion through operational efficiencies like reduced travel and IT modernizations. Despite these measures, Newsom assured there will be no cuts to core programs. Tem-
porary revenue boosts, including $7 billion from stock market-linked income taxes, offer short-term relief but are not sustainable, making California’s $17 billion rainy-day fund a critical tool for managing future fiscal pressures.
This budget will incorporate strategies discussed during a recent special legislative session convened to prepare for potential conflicts with the incoming Trump administration and to safeguard critical state programs against federal interference or defunding.
During the Dec. 2 special legislative session, lawmakers introduced SBX-1 authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), which allocates $25 million to the California Department of Justice to cover litigation costs for defending state policies against federal challenges.
The budget continues investments in education, healthcare, housing, and economic growth.
In the 2025-26 budget, Proposition 98 funding for K-12 schools and community colleges increases by $1.5 billion, reaching $116.8 billion, with per-pupil spending rising to a record $23,723. Of this amount, $2.8 billion will be available for new commitments, reflecting forecasts for growth and a 2.46% statutory cost-of-living adjustment. Initiatives such as Universal Transitional Kindergarten, expanded af-
ter-school and summer programs, and Universal School Meals are expected to strengthen educational outcomes.
Despite this funding boost, inequities persist in educational outcomes for Black students. Discretionary funds could support programs aimed at addressing these disparities, including investments in teacher training, mental health services, and restorative justice initiatives.
California’s higher education system is expected to benefit from increased funding to support affordability and access across its community colleges, California State University, and University of California systems. The budget will likely emphasize financial aid expansion, enrollment growth for underserved groups, and infrastructure improvements, while aligning educational programs with workforce needs to ensure graduates are prepared to fill existing gaps in the job market.
California’s housing crisis continues to disproportionately affect Black residents. Although Black Californians make up nearly 6% of the state’s population, they represent roughly 50% of its unsheltered homeless population. As of 2024, California’s homeless population exceeded 180,000, reflecting a 31% increase since 2007.
The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) is anticipated to play an active role in budget negotiations. Historically, the caucus has championed policies that address disparities in education, housing, and healthcare impacting Black Californians.
The active involvement of stakeholders, including the CLBC, will be pivotal in shaping the state’s response to critical issues impacting Black Californians.
2024–25 Season
soprano
Soprano Julia Bullock is joined by one of the world’s pre-eminent period-instrument ensembles in a program that highlights her gleaming voice in arias from operas by Handel, Lully, Rameau, and Purcell sung in Italian, French, and English. Plus instrumental showpieces by Vivaldi, Bach, Pachelbel, Telemann, and Handel.
tradition— creates a universe of sound and emotion through thunderous percussion and polished theatricality.
“On Love” Book Cover. Courtesy of Harper Collins.
Photo provided by California Black Media.
Oakland Leadership Shuffles ... Barbara Lee Launches Campaign for Mayor ...
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to feel safe in their neighborhoods and wherever they are, but they also want to see that we’re preventing violence. We (need) a comprehensive strategy.
“I think the city is moving toward and has a good integration” with Ceasefire, a violence reduction program in Oakland, she continued. “We have to bring Ceasefire to scale, (and) also look at the underlying reasons and the root causes of crime. I think we can put together an overall agenda and try to get the resources for a comprehensive public safety strategy, which incorporates crime prevention, violence prevention, addressing the underlying causes.
“We also must make sure we have a police force that does their job, and (we can help) free them up from some of the burdens that they have right now so they can do their job to make sure that they keep communities safe.”
Finding federal resources and funding for the city may be difficult in the current climate, Lee said. “I'm going to talk to foundations, the business community, investors, we need to make sure that we create an environment for investments.to come into Oakland.”
“That means, addressing all the cost-of-living issues, the public safety issues, all the issues that we have to address for investments, but also talking to foundations and talking to the private sector.
“Right now, public-private partnerships are going to be key,” she continued. “You hear people talk about it, but not really know what it means. Well, it means that if I win, I'm going to go directly to the source in terms of the foundations.
“In terms of the private sector, (I’ll) talk to them about the beauty of Oakland, its challenges, (and) how, with minimal investment, they can help us move forward. I
think that’s the job. It’s going to be a heavy lift, but ‘going to do that.
While public education may be under threat currently, she said she will look at local initiatives, including the effort to bring a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to Oakland.
“Right now, there is no HBCU West of the Mississippi,” except for a medical school in Los Angeles, she said. “This is an important initiative, absolutely important,” Lee said, explaining that while in Congress she served on the Appropriations Committee funding HBCUs.
Lee has a long history as a public servant. She was a U.S. representative from Oakland and the East Bay for 26 years, from 1998 to 2025. During that time, she chaired the Congressional Black Caucus and was co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Before entering Congress, she was a member of the California State Assembly for three terms, elected in 1990. She was elected to the California State Senate in 1996, resigning her position in 1998 after winning a special election for the House of Representatives.
In the State Legislature, Lee was the first African-American woman to represent Northern California. She authored 67 bills in the Legislature that were signed into law by the Republican governor, including the California Schools Hate Crimes Prevention Act and the California Violence Against Women Act. She worked to defeat California's three-strikes law and was an early champion of LGBTQ+ rights. She also was a member of the California Commission on the Status of Women and founded the California Commission on the Status of African American Males.
Alameda County DA’s Office Charges 3 in Sophisticated EBT Card Cloning Fraud Case
Special to The Post
The Alameda County District
Attorney’s Office Tuesday charged three co-defendants with multiple felonies for an alleged large-scale fraud operation using Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to withdraw thousands of dollars from the accounts of at least 10 victims.
The three co-defendants -- Mate Catalin, Dennis Ionescu, and Maria Tudor -- are charged with one count of fraudulent possession of personal information, one count of grand theft, and one count of theft by fraudulent access card, all felonies.
It is further alleged that the manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, or professionalism.
The complaint filed by Interim District Attorney Royl Roberts also alleges the three defendants did with intent to defraud use for the purpose of obtaining money, goods, services, and anything else of value, an access card and access card account information that had been altered, obtained, and retained, and an access card with knowledge that it was forged, expired, and revoked.
It is further alleged that the value of all money, goods, services, and other things of value so obtained exceeded $950 in a consecutive sixmonth period.
The criminal complaint stems from a joint investigation with federal law enforcement and the
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decision a “tragedy waiting to happen,” especially as more brownouts are being considered in the near future.
The council also appointed reelected Fruitvale representative Noel Gallo as president pro-tempore, which bumps him up as the temporary council president while
Jenkins serves as mayor.
“We have an emergency. We can do all the talking we want but we’ve got to take action,” Gallo said.
Gallo added that all departments in the city need to be dedicated to putting in the work to bring Oakland back to the city it used to be.
Fremont Police Department on or about Jan. 2, in which the defendants were allegedly observed fraudulently using the personal identifying information of multiple EBT card users to withdraw cash from several ATM machines using cloned EBT cards in Fremont.
Catalin, Ionescu, and Tudor were arraigned on Monday at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin. If convicted of all charges, the three defendants each face up to three years in prison.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s office is the source of this report.
Now that Bas has left to join the county supervisors, the council also appointed Rebecca Kaplan, a recent at-large member, to represent District 2 until voters in that jurisdiction select a new council person.
Elections for D2 and mayor will take place during a special election on April 15.
Aside from the power shifts, newcomers Ken Houston, Rowena Brown, and Zac Unger were sworn
into their new positions during the morning inauguration ceremony.
Houston, now representing District 7, refers to himself as the “son of Oakland” having grown up in the city. He said he will “fight for Oakland” and promises an “oath of dignity and respect in every
move he makes” while serving as a councilmember.
Brown, former legislative district director for Assembly Member Mia Bonta, takes over Kaplan’s position for the at-large seat. Meanwhile, Unger will replace Dan Kalb in District 1.
Unger said the city is facing a time of “truly terrifying scarcity” and tough decisions will have to be made in the weeks and months ahead. “There are no programs in the city of Oakland that were started by craven people with bad intentions,” he said about the cuts to public safety departments, libraries, senior centers and arts programs.
He believes there’s a way to rid the oppositional narratives that Oakland must save one aspect of city living while losing the other. “The only way to survive the next few months is by rejecting the di-
Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins ...
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Alameda County Supervisors.
Those newly elected positions are expected to be sworn in sometime in May.
Jenkins made it clear that he would not be seeking nomination to stay in office beyond May. “I will not be the next mayor of Oakland,” Jenkins said, according to ABC News 7.
“There’s some serious issues in the city, but we’re only going to get past it working together, the residents of Oakland absolutely demand it,” Jenkins said, according to Bay City News. “We want to get back to a place where we’re doing our basic services well, where we’re getting our unsheltered folks housed, where we’re filling our potholes, where our fire stations are open.”
Ready to get started right away,
Jenkins approached his new office saying “I think the first thing is meeting with staff and working
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“It could be a consortium model where programs from existing HBCUs locate in Oakland,” similar to the Atlanta Union Center in Georgia, which offers courses from Morehouse, Spelman, Morris Brown, and Clark Atlanta HBCUs, she said.
“There are four different institutions at Atlanta Union, and students can take classes from the different schools. They’re all based in the same place, but the programs are run by different institutions,” said Mayfield.
Key to the program would be the culture of the school, which would be “Black affirming,” offering students a supportive environment that recognizes them as individuals, she said. The program would be campus-based and include online course offerings.
Courses could be offered in downtown Oakland in office buildings in the Black Business and Arts District as well as at the Holy Names site, which was sold to developers for $64 million and is presently for sale.
Holy Names was a private Roman Catholic university in Oakland founded in 1868 by the Canada-based Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary with whom the university remained affiliated until it closed after facing several years of budget shortfalls.
Before serving as Deputy Mayor, Dr. Mayfield began her career as an educator in the Oakland Unified School District and served as dean of the School of Education and Liberal Arts and the vice president for external relations and strategic partnerships at Holy Names.
She said she has already found a lot of interest from various sources for donating funds to start the school, she said. “We have reached out to the East Bay Community Foundation, to set up the necessary structures to receive money to help with strategic planning,” and all other aspects investors want to see, including an internet presence.
The team working on the initiative has 16 members and is led by Mayfield, Councilmember Carroll Fife, and retired attorney Kim
with the city administrator on the budget. We have to get back to basics as a city.”
Potential candidates seeking office have until Jan. 17 to file their paperwork at City Hall. City Administrator Jestin Johnson thanked and congratulated Interim Mayor Jenkins, Interim Council President Gallo, and Interim City Councilmember Kaplan, for stepping into these important leadership roles at an especially important time for the City of Oakland, as the City takes on critical work to resolve structural imbalance in its budget while prioritizing public safety and other essential public services.
The Public Information Office of the City of Oakland, ABC News 7 and Bay City News are the sources for this report.
Thompson. They recently attended a conference of HBCU leaders held by the United Negro College Fund, where the Oakland proposal was greeted with enthusiasm. Mayfield emphasized that the goal of bringing an HBCU is something that has broad support in Oakland and has been a subject of growing interest for several decades.
“This is a community-driven initiative. While former Mayor Sheng Thao’s support was important and allowed us to get organized in a certain way, it doesn’t end with her leadership” she said, adding that outgoing Congresswoman Barbara Lee and other mayoral candidates have expressed support for this initiative. Mayfield said she and her team have been in conversations with leaders of some HBCUs, which are interested in expanding to the West Coast but face financial constraints.
“It’s the racial wealth gap, which affects HBCUs,” the same as the rest of Black America, she said. “They just don’t have the same financial resources that predominantly white institutions have. It’s hard for them to think about a completely separate, sustained campus, when they have to deal with preserving the infrastructure on their main campus.”
She said Holy Names University had 1,400 students at its largest enrollment, with no online component. “We could easily have 1,000 students matriculating on campus, and another online population of students, virtually.”
“We’d like all the virtual students to be close enough to come to campus and participate in the campus culture,” because that’s the difference an HBCU makes, Mayfield said. “It cares for students, sees you as a person, not a number, in touch with wraparound services, calling you if you’re not in class.”
“We want to have an institution that knows who the students are,” she said. “You know their brilliance when they walk in, and you’re doing everything possible academically for them to succeed and thrive.”
Oakland Housing Authority to Hold Lottery ...
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multilingual translation, and assistance for persons who may need additional support with the process.”
At the close of the application period, the housing authority will conduct a lottery to select the 5,000 households that will be placed on the waitlist. Depending on their spot on the list, selected households could receive a voucher in a few weeks or have to wait for years.
Eligible applicants must make under 50% of the median income for the area, which is under $77,850 for a family of four or under $62,300 for a family of two. For information on applying for Section 8, call customer service at 510-587-2100 or go online to LHcustomerservice@oakha.org or https://myohaportal.oakha.org.
Dr. Kimberly Mayfield ...
Noel Gallo, who represents District 5.
Zack Unger. District 1.
Rowena Brown, councilpersonat-large.
Ken Houston. District 7.
City Attorney Ryan Richardson.
Interim Alameda County District Attorney Royl Roberts. Courtesy photo.
Kevin Jenkins, City Counccil president and Interim mayor.