Oakland Post, week of September 20 - 26, 2023

Black San Francisco Ballet Dancer Angela Watson

By Carolyn Evans

On Friday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. at Oakland Paramount Theatre, Oakland Ballet Company and Life in Motion Productions will present the Oakland premiere of “Flower,” a short film starring and produced by international ballet trailblazer Misty Copeland.

Without using dialogue, the film provides an artistic impression of the homeless, unhoused and worsening medical conditions of a community of Black and Brown people bombarded by the impacts of gentrification.

A highlight of the event will be a live performance featuring

Angela Watson, a Black ballerina from the Oakland-Bay Area who is the newest member of the San Francisco Ballet Company and appears courtesy of Tamara Rojo, its new artistic director.

Watson’s invitation to perform at the premiere of “Flower” at the behest of the Oakland Ballet Company is a measure of her formidable talent and a sign of respect among professionals in ballet.

Like Misty Copeland, whose rise to become a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, Watson is part of the changing face of ballet as more Black ballerinas take their places in dance com-

panies all over the country and abroad.

In 2015, Copeland ascended

BRG had two missions: to serve underprivileged, underserved and minority populations and perform the works of Black playwrights.

Established by founders Birel and Nora Vaughn and continued by their daughter, Dr. Mona Scott and grandson, Sean Scott, BRG used theater as a platform to address social issues oppressing the Black community while elevating Black art, music and advocacy.

BRG was instrumental to the African American community to address such issues as:

Human trafficking

By Magaly Muñoz Post Staff

On Monday morning, community leaders including representatives from the Oakland NAACP chapter held a press conference at Acts Full Gospel Church to discuss their response to the city’s failure to meet the deadline for applying for state funding aimed at tackling organized retail crime.

Last year Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bills 154 and 178 introduced by Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Alameda) allocating a total of $267,118,293 to fight organized retail crime, the largest-ever single investment by the state.

On Sept. 14, the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) awarded grants from the state budget to 55 local law enforcement agencies across California as part of the Governor’s Real Public Safety Plan. These grants, aimed at preventing, investigating, and prosecuting cases of organized retail theft, will be distributed among 34 police departments, 7 sheriff’s departments, one probation department, and 13 district attorney offices.

The application for the awards opened on April 14 and were due

by July 7 at 5 p.m. (PST) through an online submission port.

In the Bay Area, law enforcement grants were awarded to San Francisco ($17.3 million), Fremont ($2.4 million), Newark ($986,444), Vacaville ($4.4 million), Santa Rosa ($560,653) and San Ramon ($5.6 million). In addition, $2 million in grants were awarded to the Alameda County District Attorney and San Francisco District Attorney.

Had Oakland made the application deadline, NAACP estimates that it could have received about $15 million for “extra police patrols, squad cars, and automated license plate readers to track down suspected perpetrators of crime.”

Participating on the press conference panel from the Oakland NAACP branch were Robert L. Harris, general counsel; Cynthia Adams, chapter president; Greg McConnell, lifetime member; Terry Whiley, legal redress committee chair; and representing the community was Carl Chan, former president of Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce; Bishop Bob Jackson, senior pastor at Acts Full Gospel Church; and Noel Gallo, Oakland city councilmember.

Continued on page 7

By Tanya Dennis Part II

Founded in 1964 in the basement of Progressive Baptist Church, the Black Repertory Group (BRG) moved to a sto-

refront at 1719 Alcatraz until the Black community, led by members of Downs Memorial Church, reached deep into their pockets, and, with the help of the City of Berkeley, built their theater on Adeline St.

• Health Education Through Theater (HETT) programs

• HIV/AIDS prevention programs and services

• A youth Tutorial and Cultural Enrichment program (TACE)

• Summer day camp drama

into the pantheon of principal dancers at the American Ballet Theatre. Since then, Black ballerinas have been blazing new trails.

Watson’s journey to becoming a ballerina began at Oakland’s Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, then Oakland Ballet Company School followed by Oakland School for the Arts where she first received formal ballet technique training at age 12 by OSA School of Dance artistic director Reginald Ray Savage and ballet master Alison Hurley (both now retired).

programs for at-risk youth and children with disabilities

The Transformation Festival, which celebrated the healing of trauma through the performing arts

• Partnerships with the World of Work projects to provide atrisk youth on-the-job training, anti-violence and recidivism reduction programs targeting at-risk youth and adults

• A three-year partnership with Rome Neal of the Nuyorican Theatre, resulting in his award-winning “Monk,” a one-man dramatization of the life of Thelonious Monk and Neal’s “Banana Puddin’ Jazz Meets Sweet Potato Jazz.”

By Post Staff

At the 12th annual Original Boogaloo Reunion on Sept. 16, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao paid tribute to an often-overlooked aspect of the city’s cultural heritage by declaring the third Saturday of September each year as “Boogaloo Dance Day” in the city of Oakland, celebrating the profound influence of Boogaloo dance culture.

Nearly six decades ago, African American youths on the streets of Oakland gave birth to an innovative dance culture that has left an indelible mark on the world. Descendants of the Great Migration of African Americans from the southern United States to the West, these young dancers adopted the term “Boogaloo,” popularized by artists like James

Brown, and applied it to their unique dance style.

even national television appearances from the 1960s to the 1980s.

became an integral part of contemporary hip-hop dance culture, featuring prominently in major motion pictures, commercials, and music videos by some of the world’s most renowned artists. Today, they stand as some of the most recognizable and influential dance styles in the world.

For those interested in delving deeper into the rich history of this dance culture, a docu-series titled “Boogaloo: The Greatest Story Never Told” offers a more comprehensive exploration of this vibrant part of Oakland’s heritage.

By Ken Epstein

Individual dancers and groups from various Oakland neighborhoods nurtured the Boogaloo dance culture, which thrived in local talent shows, school dances, community performances, and

Oakland’s Boogaloo culture laid the foundation for modern street dance, including styles like “Popping,” “Pop Locking,” “Strutting,” and “Robotting.”

popularized by ar/sts like James Brown, and applied it to their unique dance style.

In the 1980s, these dance forms

Individual dancers and groups from various Oakland neighborhoods nurtured the Boogaloo dance culture, which thrived in local talent shows, school dances, community performances, and even na/onal television appearances from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Chief LeRonne Armstrong

Mayor reiterates that chief was fired for ‘kneejerk’ response to criticisms and ‘poor judgment’

By Ken Epstein

Special to The Post

Got kids?

So, you know they like to do the same thing over and over.

They want you to read them the same story, watch the same movie, eat the same food. They don’t get tired, but you are a little weary of the routine that you know is actually good for them.

But on Saturday, Sept. 30, you don’t have to go to Fairyland again.

The 8th Annual Black-Eyed

The declaration of “Boogaloo Dance Day” by Mayor Thao serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of Oakland’s street dance culture and its enduring impact on the world of dance and entertainment.

Pea Festival, held on the front lawn of Oakland Technical High School, is offering a change to your routine with main stage acts and activities for children. And it’s free.

The festival begins at 11 a.m. with a welcome by the event’s regular M.C., Carla Service of Oakland’s Dance-A-Vision. After a brief drum invocation by Awon Ohun Omnira, renowned Bay Area vocalist Rhonda Benin begins the first of two 25-min-

Angela Watson is among several Black ballerinas blazing new trails in ballet companies across the country, Europe and Asia. Courtesy photo.

Members of the 2022 summer theatre camp. Photo by Pamela Spikes.

Mayor Sheng Thao pictured alongside original Boogaloo Dance Pioneers of the 1960s and ’70s. Photo by JonathanFitnessJones.

Former

Chief LeRonne Armstrong was fired by Mayor Sheng Thao in February. Thao said her decision to fire the police chief was

Top row, left to right: Terry Wiley, Greg McConnell, Jethroe Moore II, Bishop Bob Jackson and Noel Gallo. Second row: Robert L Harris, Cynthia Adams and Carl Chan. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

Angela Watson. Courtesy photo.

The Oakland NAACP has issued a statement calling on Mayor Sheng Thao to rehire fired Oak-

land Chief of Police LeRonne Armstrong, citing a non-binding arbitrator’s report that is not publicly available, though some peo-

Several lifelong NAACP members, including Black Business Round Table host Doug Blacksher and civil rights attorney Walter Riley, held a press conference this week criticizing the conduct of the

Oakland NAACP chapter for its attacks on criminal justice reform and on reformer Black District Attorney Pamela Price, the repetition of false narratives about crime and criminal justice, and the use of his-

Black Business Owners Concerned as Groups Step Up Attacks on Diversity

At each tour stop, the foundation hosts business impact luncheons where grant recipients are awarded $10,000 to support their business ventures, most of which are financially disadvantaged.

Both Goldman Sachs and the Fearless Fund are partners with BeyGOOD, which also counts major corporations as sponsors including Adidas, Mastercard, Grameen America, Cisco, Live Nation along with the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), an organization that certifies companies as Minority Business Enterprises.

By Lila Brown California Black Media

When the BeyGOOD foundation, led by Beyoncé KnowlesCarter, awarded Compton-based entrepreneur Veronica ClantonHiggins $10,000 in August, the 46-year-old businesswoman says she felt empowered and recognized.

Clanton, whose company, VCH Prosperity Consulting provides mental health consulting and socio-emotional wellness services to businesses and organizations, was one of 12 winners in the Los Angeles area who were awarded grants.

Clanton is among hundreds of Black individuals and businesses who have benefitted from corporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives designed to empower African Americans.

These initiatives have gained momentum since companies intensified their commitment to addressing systemic racism and historical inequities in the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests that erupt-

ed nationwide.

However, if certain conservative groups opposed to DEI initiatives get their way, it would be illegal for companies to specifically allocate funding to Black individuals or Black-owned businesses.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision banning affirmative action in college admissions could potentially pose a risk to corporate affirmative action programs.

Edward Blum, a conservative political strategist whose organization, The Project for Fair Representation, was instrumental in the lawsuits that ended the consideration of race in college admissions.

He is now suing the Fearless Fund, an Atlanta-based venture capital fund that supports Black women businessowners with $20,000, accusing it of unlawful racial discrimination.

The nonprofit American Alliance for Equal Rights, also established by Blum, claimed in its federal lawsuit, that the Fearless Fund is violating Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, a U.S. law barring racial bias in private

business.

Clanton told California Black Media (CBM) she wants to improve the lives of people in her community.

“I will use the grant funding for general operations expenses, to provide programming such as a hygiene drive for youth at a local high school along with day of wellness events and workshops,” she said.

Last week, the Fearless Fund issued a 914-page response to the lawsuit, asserting that the case is baseless; that the plaintiff does not have the right to sue; and that supporting Black women does not harm others, among other claims.

NMSDC’s CEO Ying McGuire issued a statement on the ruling which she said will have significant generational impacts on the business community, particularly for supplier diversity and business diversity programs.

“I am deeply concerned about

By Joe W. Bowers Jr., Edward Henderson and Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

On Saturday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that the state is suing five of the world’s largest oil companies and their subsidiaries — including Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and BP — for “more than 50 years of deception, cover-up, and damage that have cost California taxpayers billions of dollars in health and environmental impacts.”

Newsom will be speaking at Climate Week events in New York City this week.

known but not admitted that burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change.

“Enough is enough,” said Bonta. “With our lawsuit, California becomes the largest geographic area and the largest economy to take these giant oil companies to court. From extreme heat to drought and water shortages, the climate crisis they have caused is undeniable. It is time they pay to abate the harm they have caused. We will meet the moment and fight tirelessly on behalf of all Californians, in particular those who live in environmental justice communities.”

As Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour makes its way around the globe, the BeyGOOD Foundation supports small businesses affected by the global pandemic through a charitable initiative known as the Black Parade Route.

Whether your bike is your style statement or your passport to all the places you want to go, if you want to keep your wheels on the road, you need to pay your unpaid tolls.

Vehicles with overdue, unpaid tolls may not be able to renew their vehicle registration until all outstanding balances are paid. Payment assistance is available if you need it, so act now to avoid a hold on your vehicle registration.

Visit BayAreaFasTrak.org/assistance or call 877-BAY-TOLL (877-229-8655) today to keep rolling.

the ramifications of this decision which poses a direct threat to minority-owned businesses and their economic prosperity,” she said.

In July, the attorney generals of 13 states penned a letter to the

“California taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for billions of dollars in damages — wildfires wiping out entire communities, toxic smoke clogging our air, deadly heat waves, recordbreaking droughts parching our wells,” said Newsom, referencing the civil lawsuit filed in Superior Court in San Francisco.

Bonta said the companies have

In a rebuttal, the American Petroleum Institute issued a statement arguing that Congress, not courts, should be responsible for establishing climate policy.

“This ongoing, coordinated campaign to wage meritless, politicized lawsuits against a foundational American industry and its workers is nothing more than a distraction from important national conversations and an enormous waste of California taxpayer resources,” the statement read.

California to Make Historic Investment in Fight Against Organized Retail Crime

By Joe W. Bowers Jr., Edward Henderson and Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

On Sept. 12, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state is making a $267,118,293 investment to combat organized retail crime.

This sum represents the largestever single investment ever made by the state to aid law enforcement in fighting crime. As part of a competitive grant process, the funding, if approved, would be allocated for 55 local law enforcement agencies across California.

The initiative, part of the Governor’s Real Public Safety Plan, is slated to be dispersed on Oct. 1 to police departments, sheriffs’ departments, and district attorneys’ offices in every region of the state to prevent and investigate cases of organized retail theft and arrest and prosecute more suspects.

“Enough with these brazen smash-and-grabs. With an unprecedented $267 million investment, Californians will soon see more takedowns, more police, more arrests, and more felony prosecutions. When shameless criminals walk out of stores with stolen goods, they’ll walk straight into jail cells,” New-

Cultural Racism Worsens Health Inequities Between Racial Groups

Cultural racism is the widespread values and beliefs that normalize white socioeconomic power. UC Berkeley News image.

By Nadia Lathan UC

Berkeley News

Racism expressed through cultural norms can perpetuate negative health outcomes for nonwhite groups, according to a study by UC Berkeley School of Public Health.

Researchers reviewed sociological and racism research to determine the effects of cultural racism on public health for the report, published in the Milbank Quarterly. The authors concluded that this type of racism can create similar health disparities as overt

14th ANNUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN ALZHEIMER’S FORUM

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and institutional forms of racism.

Cultural racism is the widespread values and beliefs that normalize white socioeconomic power. It’s made visible by way of the language, symbols, and media of dominant social groups, according to lead author and health equity researcher Dr. Eli Michaels, who received her doctoral degree from Berkeley PublicHealth in 2022 and is now a health equity researcher at Mathematica.

“Mounting evidence shows that chronic stress is associated

with negative health outcomes because the body constantly has to adapt,” said Michaels. Racism activates the body’s stress response which, when done over and over again, puts the body in a chronic state of distress.

This can lead to numerous health issues, such as increased risk of chronic illness and even death. Moreover, increased stress coupled with limited resources can elicit maladaptive coping mechanisms, like substance abuse and risk-taking, that can create another

CITY OF OAKLAND

som said in a statement.

The funding would be used to create fully staffed retail theft investigative units, increase arrests, install advanced surveillance technology, provide training for loss prevention officers, create new task forces, increase cooperation with businesses and the community, target criminals in blitz operations, as well as crack down on vehicle and catalytic converter theft.

The next day, following the announcement of the grants, the Governor’s office held a news briefing featuring four law enforcement leaders whose offices will benefit from the program: California Highway Patrol Commissioner Sean Duryee; San Francisco D.A. Brooke Jenkins; San Francisco Police Department Chief Bill Scott; and Los Angeles County Assistant Sheriff Holly Francisco.

“I want to thank Governor Newsom for making this issue a priority, for allocating resources from our state to ensure we are able to set a new tone in the state of California: that this conduct is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Jenkins.

layer of secondary health problems.

These findings corroborate prior research that shows discrimination worsens health inequities between white and nonwhite groups by using a nonsystematic literature review of empirical evidence.

As a conceptual paper, the study contributes a novel correlation between cultural racism and its effect on public health.

“There’s been plenty written about cultural racism, but this was

Continued on page 8

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR MACRO DE-ESCALATION TRAINING 2023

Contract Amount: $75,000 per year ($150,000.00 total) Terms: 2 Years

Project Description: The City of Oakland, Fire Department, Medical Services Division, seeks bids for deescalation training to provide the MACRO team. The services include, but are not limited to, initial information gathering, survey assessment, curating training content, facilitating shared goals, education of de-escalation principles through scenarios and classroom format, risk management, team building, all with a trauma-informed, racial equity lens.

Pre-Proposal Meeting (Voluntary): Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 2 p.m. (Pacific)

o Join Teams Meeting o https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YjViMzM2MTYtMTczMC00MDE4LWFmZDItNz cxMjUwNWEzMjQ5%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22989a2180-6fbc-47f1-8032-1a9ee969c 58d%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22a9f75da6-093f-4af5-924d-5e6f5272f845%22%7d

Proposal Submittal Deadline: Friday, October 6, 2023, by 2:00 P.M. (Pacific) via iSupplier.

Reminders:

• All who wish to participate in this RFP must register (at least 5 days prior to submittal due date) through iSupplier at (https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/register-with- isupplier) to avoid last minute submittal complications and receive addenda/ updates on this RFP. For additional help registering and submitting your proposal to iSupplier please watch the user guide videos at (https://www.oaklandca.gov/documents/ isupplier-user-guides). Receipt of a confirmation email indicates that a proposal was successfully submitted.

• Did not receive and invitation? Start Early with iSupplier registration. Upon completion of registration, send an email to iSupplier@oaklandca.gov listing “RFP for Professional Training Services for MACRO DeEscalation Training 2023” as the subject and advise of an invitation to the RFP. The Contracts Analyst will add your business to the RFP invitation.

• The following policies apply to this RFP: Equal Benefits

0% L/SLBE

Living Wage

Campaign Reform Act • Professional Services Local Hire

Prompt Payment

Sanctuary City Contracting and Investment Ordinance.

Arizona Boycott

Dispute Disclosure

Border Wall Prohibition

Answers to Questions:

1. For project-related questions contact the Project Manager Elliott Jones by phone at 510-333-1118 or via email at ejones3@oaklandca.gov

2. For iSupplier related questions after registration contact iSupplier@oaklandca.gov Asha Reed, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council, (Friday, September 22, 2023) The City Council reserves the right to reject all proposals.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins (right) at the Shift Happens: Women’s Policy Summit in San Francisco. Tanzanika Carter, assistant sheriff of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Dept., is on the left. (Antonio Ray Harvey/CBM)

State Assembly’s Black Caucus Played Key Role in Brokering $20-Per-Hour Fast Food Worker Pay Deal

social justice advocates, local restaurant owners, small businesses, ethnic business leaders, restaurant brands and trade associations, expressed their concern that AB 1228 would cut off opportunities business ownership for minority entrepreneurs.

On Sept. 11, the Save Local Restaurants coalition announced that a “comprehensive legislative agreement had been reached regarding quick service restaurants” and legislative and regulatory issues in California.

“(The agreement) provides meaningful wage increases for workers, while at the same time eliminates more significant — and potentially existential — threats, costs, and regulatory burdens targeting local restaurants in California,” said Matt Haller, president and CEO, International Franchise Association.

Oakland NAACP Demands Investigation on Missed Deadline for Crime Fighting Funds from State ...

Continued from page 1

The panel said they don’t fully believe that the city accidentally missed the grant deadline, but just didn’t care to complete the application for unknown reasons that should be shared with the community. This has prompted the NAACP to ask for an independent investigation by the city auditor.

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

After months of heated political fights, and just before the Sept.14 deadline for passing bills introduced during the 2023 legislative session, the California Assembly passed Assembly Bill (AB) 1228, the “Fast Food Franchisor Responsibility Act.”

Just before midnight, the Senate did the same with a 32-8 vote.

Should Gov. Gavin Newsom sign the bill, an estimated 550,000 fast-food workers in California would earn a minimum wage of $20 per hour.

Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), who authored the bill — and who later became a key dealmaker in negotiations critical to the passage of the legislation — expressed his satisfaction that opponents and proponents were able to reach a compromise that is mutually ben-

eficial.

“I think it was important that we were able to get a resolution to the conflict between the coalition of businesses with franchisees and franchisors,” said Holden, a member of the California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC). “But also making sure that we accomplish a goal of … looking at the workplace and making sure that the workers had a safe place to go to work.”

Holden said the bill will improve protections and foster a healthy work environment in California’s fast-food industry.

AB 1228 enforces a joint-employer liability theory between a fast-food restaurant’s franchisor and franchisee, by requiring the franchisor to share “all civil legal responsibility and civil liability for the fast-food restaurant franchisee’s violations.”

To secure its passage, Holden,

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, and labor unions brokered a compromise to stave off a referendum scheduled for the November 2024 General Election that aimed to repeal A.B. 257, also known as the Fast-Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act.

“I thought it was a good outcome for all parties,” Holden told California Black Media of the negotiations. “They were sitting at the table with us as we were presenting the bill (Sept. 12).”

AB 257, which was signed into law in September 2022 facilitated the creation of a “Fast Food Council” composed of employees, advocates, franchisors, franchisees, and government officials tasked with overseeing wages and working conditions in fast-food facilities.

In May, a group known as The Stop the Attack on Local Restaurants coalition, which includes

All 12 members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), including Holden, voted for A.B. 1228.

The members were CLBC chair Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), vice-chair Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Ladera Heights) and Assemblymembers Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), Mike Gipson (D-Carson), Corey Jackson (D-Riverside), Reggie JonesSawyer (D-Los Angeles), Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) and Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa).

Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), minority leader of the California Assembly, said complicated bills such as AB 1228 should not wait “until the 11th hour” to be voted on.

“If it’s anything after 8 p.m. it’s usually not good,” said Gallagher, who voted against Holden’s bill.

“Why wasn’t the application for a $15 million grant to fight retail theft not given the highest priority by the city administrator’s office?” Terry Wiley, a former district attorney with Alameda County, calling for an investigation.

Along with calling for an investigation, the NAACP announced a 10-point plan that they believe will create a safer environment in Oakland.

The points include ensuring 911 centers are fully staffed, installing surveillance cameras and license plate readers, implementing community policing strategies, and increasing the staff of the Oakland PD to 1,000 officers. The plan also proposes rehiring of former police chief LeRonne Armstrong, who was dismissed in February by Mayor Sheng Thao over allegations of mishandling officer misconduct cases.

Chan told the audience that the city’s ongoing crime spree has prompted business closures, as workers and community feel unsafe, deterring them from sup-

porting local businesses.

“It’s pretty sad to see that many businesses are suffering, along with people, whether they’re driving down on the street, carjacking or home invasion,” Chan said.

“Many of our seniors are afraid of walking down our own streets, and it’s not right, it’s not fair.”

Because of these business closures, Chan announced plans for a one-day strike by Oakland’s small businesses to signal to the city that “enough is enough” and more action is needed against retail crime.

The panel also shared that Mayor Thao has repeatedly declined to meet with the NAACP Oakland chapter to discuss their concerns and proposed plans to combat the crimes in the city.

ABC7 reported that in a press conference at Oakland Airport on Monday, the mayor said she thinks it’s “utter BS” and “not true at all” that the city did not want to apply for the grant. She said that the city will be receiving 300 surveillance cameras from the governor’s office and are looking to start launching large drones to track down perpetrators, awaiting the FAA’s approval.

Adams concluded the press conference by demanding a statement and an apology from the mayor for neglecting to apply for a state grant that could have benefited the Oakland community.

“What is going on in Oakland is a civil rights issue,” Adams said. “The buck stops with the mayor. This is the mayor’s fault. We need to hear a statement, we need to hear an apology from the mayor for what she did to the citizens of Oakland.”

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Asm. Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) talks to his colleagues after the State Assembly passed his bill, AB 1228, with a 53-17 vote on Sept. 14, 2023. Photo by Antonio Harvey, California Black Media.

Black Repertory Group Future ...

In addition to staging over 50 plays by Black playwrights, the Black Rep has hosted political townhalls, book launches, comedy shows and is currently in discussion with Dr. Vileen Shah of the East Bay School for the Blind to write and collaborate in the production of a documentary, “Vileen’s Vision,” about Louis Braille, the inventor of the Braille system that allowed blind and visually impaired individuals to read through touch.

Despite BRG’s legacy and history, theater administrator Sean Scott alleges that the City of Berkeley is reneging on its $25,000 annual pledge to the Black Rep for upkeep and maintenance and they are now in litigation with the city over unpaid fees despite the city recently touting a reparations program for African Americans.

Scott is reaching out to supporters of the theater, requesting they write letters to Mayor

Jesse Arreguin and Berkeley City Councilmember Ben Bartlett, who, Scott believes, have no clue how instrumental BRG has been to the development of Black culture in the City of Berkeley. He is asking that BRG not only be allowed to continue their work but to purchase the theater building currently owned by the city.

“Councilman Bartlett is not representing us, he is not on the same page” as us, said 89-yearold Berkeley resident Ms. Ritchie Smith, who was Interviewed while cleaning up in front of the RBG building.

“I’ve known the Black Rep since its infancy, when they were in the basement of Progressive church across the street from where I live,” Smith said. “I’m not giving up on this, I’m out here fighting, picking up trash on Fairview right now. This theater will not disappear!

“Too many people put their blood, sweat and tears into the Black Rep for that love to be ignored and dismissed. We got to unite on this. Black folks better do something before we lose everything.”

Concerned citizens may send letters of concern to Mayor Jesse Arreguin at mayor@berkeleyca. gov , Councilman Ben Bartlett at bbartlett@berkeleyca.gov and City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley manager@berkeleyca.gov

Black Business

Continued from page 6

the first application putting it in this framework,” said Michaels. “I think cultural racism in particular has been overlooked because it’s hard to see.”

The authors recommend that future research should measure cultural racism to better understand its scope and impact on public health.

In terms of solutions at the institutional level, Michaels believes that corporate policies that address

harmful language and symbols can affect change, such as the NFL team Washington Commanders changing their name and removing offensive Native American imagery from their branding in 2020. Individual interventions, too, such as workplace trainings that address cultural sensitivity, can help.

Dr. Amani Allen, a prominent race and socioeconomic health researcher at Berkeley Public Health and study co-author, was a key impetus for the seven-year study.

Tracy Lam-Hine of Stanford University School of Medicine, Thu Nguyen of Harvard University, and Gilbert Gee of UCLA co-authored the report.

Owners Concerned ... Black S.F.

Continued from page 1

CEOs of Fortune 100 companies warning them to “refrain from discriminating on the basis of race.”

“Racial discrimination in employment and contracting is all too common among Fortune 100 companies and other large businesses,” the letter reads. “In an inversion of odious discriminatory practices of the distant past, today’s major

At the Oakland stop in August, Curry shared his experience as a venture capitalist with over 300 attendees.

“Generational wealth is about possibilities and about rectifying 400 years of disadvantages since the system was designed to disadvantage Black people around the country,” Curry said.

Although Proposition 209, enacted in California in 1996, prohibited the consideration of race in college admissions and state contracting, advocates say DEI

Continued from page 1

In 2016, Watson accepted a full scholarship offer to train with SF Ballet School, the first American classical ballet school and danced the lead role of Clara in “The Nutcracker” for the next two seasons as a pre-professional SFBS David Palmer Student Scholar.

This is when Watson, then only 14, and Copeland first crossed paths sharing experiences of the uphill climb in becoming ballerinas. Continuing her journey up the ranks of the school, Watson earned a spot in the coveted 2021 SFBS International Professional Training Program.

She advanced to apprentice the year after and in 2023 she was promoted and became the only Black ballerina to advance as a member of the main company in the corps de ballet. Watson is the only African American holding a spot in the corps and was promoted alongside five Asian ballerinas.

there is power in visibility.

Watson also debuted a new work, “Reciprocity,” with music by award-winning Christopher Willis, a major motion picture composer who was among Watson’s artistic collaborators as a SFB Helgi Tómasson Choreographic Fellow in 2022.

“Reciprocity” captivated the audience last year at San Francisco Ballet School’s (SFBS) annual spring dance festival and gala at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts/ Blue Shield of California Theatre that supports funding for SFBS scholarships and other school activities that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Watson also has a long history of participating in many other charitable activities, including KTVU’s One Warm Coat, Oakland Elizabeth House, and St. Mary’s Senior Shelter.

As a member of SFBS/SFB, Watson has danced a number of roles.

companies adopt explicitly racebased initiatives which are similarly illegal.”

Corporate social responsibility programs like the Black Parade Route, J.P. Morgan Chase’s Advancing Black Wealth Tour, and Goldman Sach’s One Million Black Women specifically focus on empowering Black entrepreneurs.

Other corporations have launched Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs that aim to increase the representation of Blacks and other minorities at all levels of their corporate structures, while others have focused on Supplier Diversity Programs in procurement.

The J.P. Morgan Chase’s Black Wealth Tour was also established in response to the national reckoning that followed the death of George Floyd. The roadshow is part of a broader initiative that promotes equity and inclusion for the Black community.

This year’s tour features Golden State Warriors star and four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry.

Our Oakland Millennial Pastor Celebrates 13 Years

programs still benefit Black businesses in the state.

“I am not surprised by these attacks on diversity. America is in denial about our history – our treatment of minorities, especially Blacks,” said Jay King, president and CEO of the California Black Chamber of Commerce. “We have to come together as Americans of all races and fight for the humanity of each other or we are doomed. That is how we live up to our desire to fix historical wrongs and be truly inclusive.”

Earlier this year, there was a sudden exodus of Black women executives in Hollywood leading DEI initiatives, including Karen Horne, senior vice president of North America DEI at Warner Bros. Discovery; Jeanell English, executive vice president of impact and inclusion at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences; Vernā Myers, Netflix’s first head of inclusion; and LaTondra Newton, Disney’s chief diversity officer and senior vice president.

Additionally, Terra Potts, executive VP of worldwide marketing at Warner Bros., left the studio after 13 years.

Launching her National “Fight for Our Freedoms” College Tour at Hampton University last week, Vice President Kamala Harris characterized those opposing DEI initiatives as “extreme.”

“If we want equal outcomes, we must take into account that not everyone starts out on the same base,” noted Harris.

Antonio Ray Harvey contributed to this article.

Black women are quietly shattering stereotypes and scaling the ranks of predominantly white ballet companies. Among others, these include: Olivia Boisson, New York City Ballet; Michaela DePrince and Chyrstyn Fentroy, Boston Ballet; Precious Adams, English National Ballet; Jasmine Perry, soloist, Los Angeles Ballet; Francesca Hayward, principal dancer, The Royal Ballet; Awa Joannais, Paris Opera Ballet; Nicole Zadra, Hong Kong Ballet; Katlyn Addison, Ballet West and Dara Holmes, Joffrey Ballet.

In joining the list of trailblazers changing the face of ballet, Watson became the first Black ballerina to join the San Francisco Ballet since Kimberly Braylock in 2013.

Braylock retired seven years laterm just before the shutdown brought on by the pandemic. These women have inspirational ballerina tales that must be shared, because, as Misty Copeland proves,

Included in her resume are featured roles in ‘The Nutcracker,” “Cinderella,” “Swan Lake,” “La Sylphide,” “Giselle,” “Don Quixote,” “Symphony in C” and other SFB programs.

During 2024, which will be new artistic director Rojo’s inaugural season, expect to see Watson perform in programs including “Nutcracker” (Dec. 13-30); “Mere Mortals” (Jan. 26-Feb. 1); “British Icons” (Feb. 9-15); “Swan Lake” (Feb. 23-Mar. 3); “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Mar. 12-23)” “next@90 encores” (Apr. 2-13); and “Dos Mujeres” (Apr. 4-14).

Tickets for Oakland premiere of “Flower” are available at www. oaklandballet.org/flower

Tickets for SFBallet Nutcracker and 2024 Season lineup available at www.sfballet.org

CITY OF OAKLAND

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR Planning & Building Department

Project Portfolio Management Implementation Services

Terms: 1 Year

Contract Amount: $95,000.00

Project Description: The Planning & Building Department (PBD) at the City of Oakland is seeking a service consulting vendor to design, configure and implement a Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solution utilizing Microsoft Project Online and Microsoft Project for the Web. The implementation will include, but is not be limited to, the configuration of portfolio and project management features, integrations (e.g., MS Teams, Agenda Management), resource management, and additional features (e.g., import/export of projects in various formats, use of templates, issues & risks logging, notifications).

Voluntary Pre-Proposal Meeting: 10/06/2023, at 10 AM (Pacific)

Via Teams: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MDAwMGE1M2QtY2VhMC00OWR hLWE0N2UtZTdlMWM0NzYzYjAx%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22989a2180-6fbc-47f18032-1a9ee969c58d%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%225bd7e0b6-5b60-4a4d-8ea8-6e36f3fb032f%22%7d Meeting ID 298 856 933 228

Passcode:3DLAn4

Proposal Submittal Deadline: 10/27/2023, 2:00 PM via iSupplier

Reminders:

• All who wish to participate in this RFP must register (at least 5 days prior to submittal due date) through iSupplier at (https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/register-with- isupplier) to avoid last minute submittal complications and receive addenda or updates on this RFP. For additional help registering and submitting your proposal to iSupplier please watch the user guide videos at (https://www.oaklandca.gov/documents/ isupplier-user-guides). Receipt of confirmation email indicates that a proposal was successfully submitted.

• Did not receive an invitation? Start EARLY with iSupplier registration. Upon completion of registration, send an email to iSupplier@oaklandca.gov listing “RFP for PBD Project Portfolio Management Implementation” as the subject and advise of an invitation to the RFP. The Contract Analyst will add your business to the RFP invitation.

Nora Vaughn, co-founder of Berkeley’s Black Repertory Group, stand beside the site on Adeline Avenue that had been a community garden. File photo

Special Stage Events, Activities for Children at Oakland’s Black-Eyed Pea Festival

within their age range and ability. Of course, children will be using black-eyed peas to decorate their artwork, small picture frames and more.

Local Black Leaders Break Silence on ‘Politicization’ of Oakland NAACP Branch

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toric fear-mongering that props up the system of mass incarceration.

The speakers also said the Oakland NAACP has acted in alliance with Republican anti-Black and anti-democratic forces and served as a vehicle for the self-interest actions of failed candidates in opposition to the national NAACP’s promulgated policy and positions.

Oakland “NAACP leadership is reverting to lies, fear-mongering, and the ‘tough-on-crime’ rhetoric that has targeted African Americans throughout our entire history in this country, evoking stereotypical narratives of Black criminality that maintains the United States incarcerating more Black people than there were enslaved Africans,” said Blacksher, in a media release.

“We call upon the national NAACP to reign in the Oakland Chapter and demand that Branch 1051 align itself with the mandate of the national NAACP such as addressing policies that unfairly target or penalize Black people in the criminal justice system,” Blacksher said.

Speakers at the press conference, held Tuesday at the Dr. Huey P. Newton Center for Research & Action at 1427 Broadway in Oakland were: Blacksher and Riley, as well as Chaney Turner, Oaklandborn entrepreneur and organizer; Desmond Jeffries, Oakland activist; and Cathy Leonard, longtime police accountability activist.

“Interestingly, when previous district attorneys were overcharging African Americans with excessive sentences and previous councils presided over unprecedented Black displacement and homelessness, the (Oakland) NAACP was silent. Now, they are taking positions and aligning themselves with those who wish a return to the unjust status quo,” said Leonard, an Oakland native.

Riley said the Oakland NAACP chapter is working against policies and positions that the national NAACP supports. “We seek to be in alignment with the national NAACP on topics of education, public safety, housing and economic justice, but our chapter constantly contradicts this aspiration,” he said.

In a letter to national NAACP

President Derrick Johnson, the press conference organizers accused current Oakland NAACP leaders of advocating conservative positions that align with the Republican Party, such as “singular support of charter school (Board of Education) candidates, efforts to recall the first Black female District Attorney in our county’s history, support (for) legislation that defunds public education in favor of tax breaks for the powerful real estate lobby over renters, and taking payouts from big tobacco and big pharmaceutical corporations.”

Letter signers included press conference speakers Blacksher, Riley, and Leonard, as well as Millie Cleveland, retired SEIU 1021 Field Representative; Ben “Coach” Tapscott, public education advocate; and Sheryl Walton, community activist and Oakland native.

The letter signers said that as NAACP members, they support formal positions taken by the East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club and the Alameda County Democratic Party denouncing the hateful accusations and homophobic statements made by Oakland NAACP leader Seneca Scott.

According to the letter, Oakland NAACP leaders are utilizing Republican talking points to attack “women of color who are currently serving in Oakland, creating stark divisions in the public discourse,” and seeking to “agitate people around a divisive, yet organizable conservative agenda.”

The letter said local NAACP leaders are seeking to misdirect people on the sources of crime and disorder in Oakland, instead blaming ‘wokeness,’ progressive policies, ‘liberal Democrats,’ and debunked claims that ‘defund the police’ are the sources of everything wrong in the city.”

Proposals for reform of the Oakland chapter include:

“Cease the spread of false information. Factcheck first.”

• Remove any member, officer, or former elected official … who seeks to weaponize Oakland NAACP for personal gain.

• Disentangle the Oakland NAACP from the political agenda of the Alameda County Republican Party.

“Reject all connections with Sam Singer,” a corporate public relations operative.

“Provide transparency on all financial contributions.”

Acting President of Temple University Dies Suddenly After Memorial Service

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ute sets called “What Is a Band?” from noon to 1 p.m.

The set is an interactive musical program designed for children to introduce them to a live band. Through the “call and response style,” children become a part of the band while learning about the piano, the bass, the drum,

NAACP: Rehire Armstrong ...

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ple have obtained the leaked document.

The arbitration hearing was conducted by retired federal judge Maria Rivera, who has issued a 54-page opinion, which the Oakland NAACP says has found that the “investigation which formed the basis for his initial termination was unreliable.”

However, in a statement issued this week, Mayor Thao stood by her decision to fire the former chief, saying he was terminated not for failing to punish an officer guilty for misconduct but because Armstrong responded to criticisms of how he handled the officer’s misconduct by denouncing the significance of the misconduct and protesting federal court oversight of OPD.

Rivera wrote in her report that “the discipline imposed on Chief Armstrong should be reversed and removed from his personnel record,” the NACCP alleged in a press statement about the arbitration report, which is considered a personnel matter and not available to the public.

“This was a complete vindication of Chief Armstrong that established he had done nothing to warrant his termination,” wrote the Oakland NAACP, which has been in the forefront of public pressure defending the chief.

Judge Rivera further said “the parties should meet and confer, together with their counsel, to discuss the viability of resolving the dispute in a manner to be negotiated, including the possibility of reinstatement,” according to the NAACP press release said.

“Too much time has been wasted playing politics, while Oaklanders are terrorized by violence and the crimes they face daily and businesses are driven from the city,” said Cynthia Adams, Oakland NAACP president.

In her statement, Thao said, “At the beginning of this year, I was faced with the difficult decision of how Oakland and our police department could ensure our commitment to accountability and reform in light of a troubling report illustrating failures within our disciplinary process.”

JoAnne A. Epps had served Temple University for 40 years. Courtesy photo via NBC News.

NBC News

Referred to by a colleague as a ‘calm force in troubled waters,’ Temple University Acting President suddenly died Tuesday after falling ill at a memorial service, officials at the Philadelphia school said.

While attending a memorial for Charles L. Blockson, JoAnne A. Epps, 72, slumped in her chair onstage while someone else was

speaking and was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.

“President Epps was a devoted servant and friend who represented the best parts of Temple,” the university said in a statement. “She spent nearly 40 years of her life serving this university, and it goes without saying her loss will reverberate through the community for years to come.”

and the voice. And musical terms like melody, a capella, call and response, syncopation, rhythm, polyrhythms, unison, and improvisation.

Informative and fun, Benin, who is also a music teacher, will invite a few children to join her on stage to take a turn at playing a percussive instrument.

After Benin’s set, the festival

Chief Armstrong “immediately dismissed the allegations as ‘mistakes’ and not systematic problems, and insisted the officer had already been held accountable,” Mayor Thao said.

“My decision was based on Mr. Armstrong’s knee-jerk response to the outside investigator’s report and the poor judgment it revealed, not on the report itself,” the mayor said.

“That lack of leadership led me to lose confidence in his commitment to reform, and his ability to serve Oakland as a credible messenger and partner to the federal court and federal monitor in finally ending 20 years of oversight,” she said.

“Mr. Armstrong had a right under state law to object to his termination and have a neutral hearing officer make non-binding recommendations to the City,” according to Mayor Thao.

“While I similarly cannot publicly discuss the hearing officer’s findings, since they are personnel records, I will say that there was no recommendation that I reverse my decision to move the department forward under new leadership … Neither my administration nor the federal court agreed with Mr. Armstrong that the findings could be written off as ‘mistakes,’ she said.

A news story from KQED, which examined the arbitrator’s report, said that the arbitrator found that the original investigation that led to Armstrong’s suspension early this year for mishandling a police officer’s misconduct case had many inaccuracies and urged Mayor Thao to meet with Armstrong to discuss the possibility of reinstatement.”

“It would be wise for both parties, and of great benefit to the citizens of Oakland, to avoid the costs and related toll of protracted litigation,” the arbitrator wrote.

welcomes the Prescott Circus, an Oakland youth group that will — literally — bring in the clowns.

But not just clowns. They’ll bring tradition in the form of stiltwalking, a form of entertainment in several African and Caribbean countries incorporated in carnivals and pageants. There’ll be jugglers and kids performing balancing acts as well as hip-hop dancing. They’re on stage from 1:20 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Asé Arts, run by Nichole Talbott, is a community art studio in the Mosswood Park neighborhood. She will provide all-day arts and crafts activities for children. She has separate tables for very young children and sets tasks

A few feet away, Benjamin ‘Benja’ Mertz, will supervise a touch-and-play booth where children will get a chance to experiment with instruments, mostly percussive. It serves as a follow-up to Benin’s set on bands. Mertz will be at the festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A storyteller as well as a musician, he might be persuaded to regale kids with a tale or two.

Adults, of course, are not left out. On the main stage that day, the festival will have the John Santos Quartet, selections by Dimensions Dance Theatre, second-line style music from New Orleans native Michael Jones of MJ’s Brass Boppers and Alvon Johnson will close out the day with a lively blues set.

Nobody will be hungry with soul food classics and creole dishes for sale by Carolyn’s Creole Kitchen, Arnette Cheri catering and Krazy Kettle desserts.

The 8th Annual Oakland BlackEyed Pea Festival, a celebration of African American traditional music, food and art will be held:

When: Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023

Time: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Oakland Technical High School, 4351 Broadway, Oakland, 94611

Cost: Free

For more information, please call 510-332-5851 or email at oakbepf@gmail.com.

amara tabor-smith Wins 2023 Religion and the Arts Award

Continuing, she said, “I placed then-Chief Armstrong on administrative leave so that I could take careful consideration of the best path forward. During that period, I was troubled by then-Chief Armstrong’s many statements indicating that he saw no need for deep reflection or change within the department.”

When faced with the case of an officer who was involved in a hit-and-run accident and failed to report it, and “whether OPD failed to rigorously investigate it,”

However, the arbitrator’s report did not go as far as calling for Armstrong to be reinstated. The report also rejected Armstrong’s claim he was fired because he was a whistleblower and found no evidence to back up the former chief’s claim that the federal monitor was improperly raising issues to extend the federal court’s oversight of OPD to enrich himself at the city’s expense.

The arbitrator also “did not fully endorse Armstrong’s claims that he was fired for exercising his First Amendment rights,” according to KQED.

KQED also said that under the Oakland City Charter, Mayor Thao does not have the authority to rehire a police chief. “Instead, the chief must go through the police commission’s hiring process,” according to KQED.

By Magaly Muñoz Bay Area native choreographer amara tabor-smith is the 2023 winner of the American Academy

of Religion’s Religion and Arts Award.

The award is given to an artist, critic, creator or scholar who’s made a contribution to the understanding of the relationship between art and religion, both for the academy and for a broader public, according to the academy’s website.

The American Academy of Religion (AAR), is an academic society that looks to elevate the study of religion and to educate the general public of these expansive practices and religious beliefs as it connects to art.

Tabor-smith says she was surprised to have been given the award, as she hadn’t even known she was nominated.

“Anytime anyone is recognizing my work or honoring the work, I am humbled by it,” she said. “I’m always looking to deepen the connection between my art practice and spiritual practice in service of shifting a collective vibration towards liberation and well-being.”

Based in Oakland, tabor-smith is the artistic director of Deep Waters Dance Studio where her performances are inspired by folklore of Africana and Black traditions to create multimedia dance theater projects rooted in Black, queer, feminist frameworks.

Among these frameworks, she says her inspiration derives from

her spirituality, her community, and her desire to use art as healing activism. She says that she uses the connection between these inspirations in her artwork as a medicine and prayer to evoke a shift toward wholeness and well being.

“I see my art as a ceremony, I see my art as a ritual, I see my art as prayer,” tabor-smith said. “It is the place that has served to be equal for me in terms of its impact as much as the ritual ceremonies that are in my tradition.”

Her most recent project, which spanned eight years, is called “House/Full of Blackwomen” and addressed the displacement and sex-trafficking of Black women and girls in Oakland through multi-site, ritual dance theater.

Tabor-smith said her project was inspired by a former dance teacher, Ed Mock, who had a performance with a section called “Room Full of Black Men” which sought to highlight the absence of Black men in San Francisco by overwhelming the audience with their presence.

At the height of his career in San Francisco, Mock was considered a Black queer icon in dance and managed to mesmerize audiences and admirers with his styles in mime and jazz dance.

With Mock’s work in mind, tabor-smith gathered a group of Black women around a table and after considerable discussion ultimately they settled on sexual

Police accountability activist Cathy Leonard, left, and longtime NAACP members Doug Blacksher, and Walter Riley at the press conference on Tuesday. Photo by JonathanFitnessJones.

A cohort of young performers with the Prescott Circus will perform at the Black-Eyed Pea Festival on Sat. Sept. 30. Courtesy photo.

tabor-smith (she/they) is an Oakland, CA-based dance and performance maker, and the artistic director of Deep Waters Dance Theater. Courtesy photo.