Oakland Post, week of May 3 - 9, 2023

Williams

in Tribute to Dr. W. Hazaiah Williams, the Founder of Four Seasons Arts

By Post Staff

Amadi Azikiwe, Violist and Violinist

Mayor Sheng Thao this week released her “One Oakland” Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2025 Proposed Budget. Despite a massive twoyear deficit of $360 million, the budget proposal closes the gap and makes needed investments in community priorities while streamlining city government.

AMADI AZIKIWE, Violist and Violinist MIKAEL DARMANIE, Pianist

Saturday, May 13 – 3:00 pm

Oakland Teachers Walk Out

St. John’s Presbyterian Church; 2727 College Avenue, Berkeley

Program: “Beethoven and Blues”

By Ken Epstein

After negotiating late into the night and months of fruitless bargaining with the Oakland Unified School District, Oakland teachers went out on strike Thursday morning.

“Our (50-member) bargaining team has been working for seven months working, making meaningful proposals that will strengthen our schools for our students,” said Oakland Education Associa-

tion (OEA) Interim President Ismael “Ish” Armendariz, speaking at press conference Monday after

Beethoven: Sonata in E flat, Op. 12, No. 3 David Baker: Deliver My Soul Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson: Blue/s Forms

-

60th Year, No. 17

• Safer streets: More than $9.1million will be directed to calm traffic, improve intersection safety and provide safe routes near schools to help reduce traffic violence and save lives. This includes $3.2 million for bike and pedestrian plans.

• Reimagining public safety: The proposals continue city efforts to ‘civilianize’ certain

pose Fund faces a large deficit, other revenue sources do not. The proposed budget leverages these funding sources to make significant investments, including:

noon.

Beethoven: Sonata in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer”

“OUSD has repeatedly canceled bargaining sessions, has failed to offer meaningful proposals or counterproposals at a majority of the bargaining sessions and has repeatedly failed to discuss certain items,” Armendariz said.

ing, the superintendent finally showed up on Sunday night at 11:00 p.m.to meet with our team (for the first time),” he said. “(But) the district continues to come to the table unprepared, and this is unacceptable.”

THIS CONCERT IS FREE OF CHARGE BUT TICKETS ARE REQUIRED ORDER YOUR TICKETS BELOW:

“This is illegal, and OEA has filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). Under California law, OEA has a right to strike over unfair labor practices,” he said.

OEA represents 3,000 teachers, counselors, psychologists, speech pathologists, early childhood educators, nurses, adult education instructors and substitute teachers, serving 35,000 Oakland public school students. Other labor groups representing school employees include SEIU 1021 and construction unions.

In a press statement released on Tuesday, OUSD said it has been trying to avert a strike.

“We inherited the largest deficit in Oakland’s history, but thanks to the ingenuity and hard work of our City staff, we have found a way to not only close that gap, but actually lay the foundation for Oakland to be stronger in the future,” said Thao.

“We had to make some tough

• The largest investment in affordable housing in Oakland’s history: The proposal allocates over $200 million over two years for affordable housing.

• Expansion of early childhood education: Utilizing federal, state, and local funds would allow for expansion of hours and services at Oakland’s Head Start and Early Head Start program.

• Infrastructure improvements: The budget proposes more than $106 million to build, repair and upgrade

functions of the Oakland Police Department by moving responsibility for Internal Affairs investigations from OPD to the Community Police Review Agency, allowing police investigators to be transferred to critical community safety units.

“The days (of bargaining) have been long, and after hours of wait-

OP-ED: Balancing the Budget—and the Needs of Our Residents

“The district will remain ready to meet with the teachers’ union at any time and looks forward to continuing our efforts to reach an agreement with OEA ... We will

Continued on page 10

choices in this budget, but in the end, we not only avoided catastrophic closures and cuts, we made real investments in our shared future,” said Thao. “This is a roadmap to weathering this crisis, making us more resilient to future challenges.”

Though the city’s General Pur-

A Moral Budget for Oakland

By Mayor Sheng Thao

When I took office in January, I knew that my Administration would be facing a large deficit.

In fact, with a $360 million shortfall over the next two years, it is the largest deficit in Oakland’s history. This inherited shortfall is largely the result of two factors: the loss of federal pandemic funding and a decline in revenue generated from the real estate transfer tax and transient occupancy tax.

But when you’re in need of City

services, something I know about all too well, it doesn’t matter why there’s a shortfall, it matters if you’ll have a job, whether you have an affordable place to live, whether you live in a city that has opportunities and resources for your children and your family. With this in mind, our challenge was unprecedented, but our mandate was clear: Balance the budget, invest in our communities, preserve jobs.

By Richard Johnson

As I move around the community, I constantly find people who feel the recent election results mainly benefitted certain powerful groups that had spent a lot of money to get their candidates or issues supported.

When some voters, especially some first-time voters, see the results of how these powerful groups use their money, they become dismayed, and they feel that the election results are flawed and tainted.

And, at the end of the day, they feel like they are held hostage and those harmed are mainly the people.

parks, recreation facilities, libraries, storm drains, and nonroad infrastructure, including $87 million for street repaving.

• Information technology: The proposal adds $10 million to upgrade and harden cybersecurity protections. Other changes would consolidate and streamline departments to make government more effective and efficient. Homelessness services would be merged with the Housing & Community Development Department for improved coordination.

Intergenerational family support programs provided by Parks, Recreation and Youth Development Department and Human

Continued on page 10

Giving Back (FIGB) organization seeks to change this sense of powerlessness by creating a new narrative of hope.

FIGB by going out and registering and educating more voters. This door-to-door, person-to-person approach will increase turnout and give them their own platform and voice at the polls. There is a huge population of potential voters that for the most part have been ignored and left out of the voting process.

To be frank, these feelings come from realizing that we the people lack of a voice that is heard and respected.

The Formerly Incarcerated

Recently, laws have changed that allow for empowering formerly incarcerated men and women the right to vote and express their

“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18 postnewsgroup.com

Weekly Edition. May 3 - 9, 2023

Dr. W. Hazaiah

Mayor Sheng Thao. File photo.

Carroll Fife. File photo.

Mayor Sheng Thao.

McCants is

for

Reed and Maureen

Your Taxes Raised $83.1 Billion for the State Last Fiscal Year; Schools Received $44.6 Billion

By McKenzie Jackson California Black Media

Schools across the Golden State received a windfall of $44.6 billion in local property tax revenue, according to the 2021-22 California Board of Equalization’s (BOE) Annual Report released late last month.

The funds collected from property owners for the 2021-22 fiscal year, which ended last June, was an increase of 3.8% from the previous fiscal year. Overall, local property tax revenues increased 4% or $3.2 billion to $83.1 billion total. In addition to schools, the funds were funneled to the coffers of local governments throughout California.

BOE Chairman Antonio Vazquez said in an April 18 statement that property taxes are a steady and reliable revenue stream for government services and schools that Californians depend on daily.

“The BOE’s critical role protects these dollars through its oversight of property tax assessments and that they are done fairly, uniformly, and consistently,” he said.

The board released a 26-page report weeks after California Democratic lawmakers proposed Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 11 to abolish the board and reassign its duties to other state tax agencies effective Jan. 1, 2026.

The board is responsible for overseeing property tax collection in all 58 of California’s counties. It also makes more than 13 million tax assessments every year.

The report, released yearly to provide information on revenue collected by the five-member tax body and detail its accomplishments, made no mention of the amendment.

In addition to Vazquez, who represents the BOE’s Third District, other members are: State Controller Malia M. Cohen; Ted Gaines (First District); Sally J. Lieber (Second District); and Mike Schaefer, Vice Chair (Fourth District). Yvette M. Stowers, who was appointed by the Board, serves as Executive Director.

Cohen, the first African American woman to chair the BOE, was

voted State Controller last November. She took office in January this year.

This year’s report found that the total net statewide countyassessed property value increased by 7% to $7.6 trillion in fiscal year 2021-22, up $500 billion from the previous year.

The assessed property value has increased annually for the past 10 years from $4.6 trillion in 2013. For example, it was $5.8 trillion in 2017, $6.9 trillion in 2020, and $7.2 trillion in 2021.

Schools receive a lion’s share of property tax revenues. The 2020-21 fiscal year, $38.5 billion went to counties ($11.7 billion), cities ($10.4 billion), and special districts ($16.3 billion).

Local governments also received $2.2 billion from stateassessed property tax revenues.

Last May, the board set the values of 339 state-assessed properties — mainly public utilities and railroads — at $133.9 billion, an increase of $10.8 billion from the previous year. This property tax revenue together with the countyassessed property tax monies will give local municipalities $85.3 billion in property tax funds.

The report also informs Californians of the Taxpayers Rights Advocate (TRA) Office, which is independent of the BOE.

The TRA Office receives contacts from taxpayers and others who are either seeking assistance with a problem or a disagreement they have in the assessment and collection of property taxes or a concern with a program administered by our agency,” the report reads. “Generally, the TRA Office assists taxpayers who have been unable to resolve a matter through normal channels and seek confirmation that they were treated fairly under the law.”

The BOE report found that the state government will receive $3.3 billion in revenue from the Alcoholic Beverage Tax Program, Tax on Insurers Program and Private Railroad Car Tax.

The Alcoholic Beverage Tax Program garnered $429 million. The program is a per-gallon excise tax collected on the sale, distribution, or importation of alcoholic

beverages to the state. The monies from this tax are placed into the Alcohol Beverage Control Fund and are withdrawn to be used by the state’s general funds or to pay refunds under the program.

The Tax on Insurers Program, administered by the board, State Controller’s Office, and California Department of Insurance, generated $2.9 billion for the state. Insurance companies conducting business in California are subject to as many as three taxes — a tax on gross premiums, a retaliatory tax, and the ocean marine tax.

The Private Railroad Car Tax, an in-lieu property tax on railroad cars owned by non-railroad companies and operated upon California railroads, generated $9.8 million in funds.

The report also revealed that bills that became effective in the last two years impacted programs run by the Board of Equalization. Assembly Bill 137, for example, extended the assessment appeals decision deadline for qualified applications whose two-year deadline was between March 4, 2020, and March 31, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021. One bill, AB 1203, expanded the type of work experience an individual must have to be eligible to serve on an assessment appeals board in Los Angeles County to include professional experience in fields such as real estate.

Senate Bill (SB) 825 extended the welfare exemption from property tax for land conservancies and trusts from lien date 2022 to lien date 2027. The legislation also extended the sunset gate for intercounty pipeline right-of-way assessments from 2020-21 to 202526.

In a letter at the beginning of the budget report, Board of Equalization Executive Director Yvette Stowers said the board is focused on its mission of tax administration to support California governments.

“We are proud to serve this great State of California and will continue to do our part to provide essential revenues for the state and local governments,” Stowers wrote.

trict 5 residents to the following seats:

• Seat 5: An individual who has been incarcerated

• Seat 8: An individual with expertise in the impact of redevelopment activities on Black communities

• One (1) At-Large Seat

Anna Lee Mraz Special to California Black Media Partners

The fifth of May, Cinco de Mayo, is a holiday that celebrates the Battle of Puebla, which took place in 1862 near the Mexican city of Puebla. On this day, the Mexican army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, defeated the French in their attempt to take over the country.

While this date is not widely celebrated in Mexico, except for perhaps in Puebla itself, it has become a popular holiday in the United States.

It’s a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s independence. In fact, Mexico’s Independence Day is celebrated on Sept. 16.

In 1867, five years after the Mexican army’s victory over the French forces at Puebla, the triumph was first celebrated in the United States, in Texas where General Zaragoza was born. Later in 1930, the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles held an official celebration that helped establish the

identity of the Mexican and Latin American community in the United States.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the celebration of Cinco de Mayo gained popularity in the United States due to the efforts of the Chicano movement. This movement fought for the civil and human rights of Mexican Americans and played an important role in structuring the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo became a way for the Mexican American community to assert their identity and say “We, Mexicans, are here. This is us. We speak Spanish and this is how we celebrate.”

In 1980, as the Chicano movement was gaining momentum, U.S. beer companies began to market Cinco de Mayo through advertising campaigns that encouraged the community to celebrate their identity by consuming their products.

Subsequently, other companies followed suit giving a twist to the meaning of the celebration and redefining it as a celebration of Mex-

ican culture in the United States. As a result, while Cinco de Mayo is now widely celebrated, many people who participate in the festivities are unaware of its origins.

Cinco de Mayo has evolved to become not only a celebration of Mexican culture but also a symbol of the struggle and unity of all oppressed migrant and Latino communities.

This date is typically celebrated with large festivities that feature Mexican music, traditions, art, food, and beverages.

Rubén Ábrica, mayor of East Palo Alto, pointed out in an interview with Peninsula 360 Press that during the celebrations of Cinco de Mayo “people of Mexican descent celebrate their contributions to the American society and join Latino communities affirming their culture, history, and aspirations for justice and equity for the Latinx community and for the people of the United States and around the world.”

Ábrica acknowledged that the celebration of Cinco de Mayo in Continued on page 8

As part of Alameda County’s efforts to address the legislative, social, and economic inequities faced by African Americans in Alameda County, the Board of Supervisors voted to approve the formation of a Reparations Commission.

The Commission will be tasked with facilitating listening sessions, recording key takeaways from the listening sessions, and gathering research to formulate and present a draft action plan to the Board of Supervisors Ad Hoc Reparations Committee, for final approval by the full Board.

The Reparations Commission will have a 15-member structure with each Board member appointing three members. Supervisor Carson will be appointing Dis-

If you would like to apply to be considered for any of the above seats, you must fill out this form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/ e/1FAIpQLSdCkNsLY28oXdWC5ozJaTC_ oQoYPIKGQ92iv2HCULLoB40PnQ/viewform.

Applicants will be required to submit a resume and statement of interest with their form. The application form will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

The Fifth District includes the cities of Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and West Oakland, North Oakland, Rockridge, Grand Lake, and portions of the Fruitvale, Manzanita and Dimond District neighborhoods.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Jordan Mitchell: Jordan.Mitchell@acgov.org | (510) 272-6695

Photo courtesy of California Black Media

Band plays during the celebration of 5 de Mayo organized by the Comité Latino of East Palo Alto.

Photo by Manuel Ortiz. Peninsula 360 Press

Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson Seeks Members for Reparations Commission

How to Exercise Good Financial Health

California Black Media Political Playback: News You Might Have Missed

By Tanu Henry and Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

Assemblymember Mike

Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase & Co. With spring in full bloom — now is a perfect time to start a fresh foundation for a healthy financial future. Good financial health is the foundation on which strong and resilient households, communities and economies are built, but the reality is, many struggle to manage their financial daily lives.

In recognition of Financial Literacy Month, Myseha Brown, Community Manager with JPMorgan Chase in Oakland offered top financial tips to help achieve financial freedom and build generational wealth.

1. Small steps lead to bigger opportunities: No matter what amount of money you have, taking small steps towards building a solid financial foundation is key. Whether it’s saving a little more each month, starting to save for the first time or monitoring your credit score, these steps can help you prepare for the unexpected while setting you up for long-term success.

2. Establish good credit: The main elements of securing a good credit score include paying your bills on time, the length of time you’ve had a credit history, and the amount and type of accounts you have. Potential lenders will use this

information to determine your credit risk. Managing your finances wisely will help you establish strong credit, a practice that will pay off when you want to make larger purchases like a car or a home.

3. Embrace digital tools: Apps, online goal sheets and budget builders are a great way to manage your finances. Look into what digital tools your financial partner offers. Whether it’s credit and identity monitoring, or setting up repeating automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account, these tools will help keep you on track with your payments and savings goals.

4. Include the whole family in the process: It’s never too early to get kids started on their financial journey. Ask your bank about opening up a joint checking account geared towards children to help them establish good financial habits. A joint account can offer features designed to help kids learn the importance of saving and meeting their financial goals, whether it’s tracking their spending, creating recurring payments and setting spending limits, or being rewarded when completing chores and earning an allowance to deposit. Once your child understands the impor-

FOUR SEASONS ARTS Annual Founder’s Concert

tance of saving the money they earn, they can begin to build savings habits that will last a lifetime.

5. Ask for help: Whether it’s meeting with a banker or talking to friends or family, conversations and advice can be critical to improving financial health, from building a budget to more complex matters like saving for retirement.

6. Keep the conversation going: Talk with your partner or other family members regularly about your financial goals and how you plan to achieve them and check in with your children to discuss their financial activity — whether it be what or where they’re spending, how much they’re earning, or their savings goal. These discussions all provide opportunities to keep money as part of your family conversations.

Establishing solid financial habits can be a lifetime process, but it’s easier if you learn the fundamentals as early as possible. It’s never too early, or too late, to begin your journey, and this month is a great time to get started or recommit to your financial health. For more financial health tips, visit chase.com/financialgoals.

Gipson Demands Sac County Remove Foster Children from Former Jail

tweeted. “More than that, he was a civil rights activist who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and worked with President Nelson Mandela to end Apartheid in South Africa. We will all miss his wisdom, his advice, and his huge giving spirit.”

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) also honored Belafonte’s life and work in a tweet.

“Sad to hear of the passing of my friend Harry Belafonte,” Lee wrote. “The world has lost not only a great musician and actor, but a civil rights activist and warrior for justice whose voice helped change America for the better. Thank you for your work, your courage, and your service.”

Democrats Shoot Down GOP-

Backed Fentanyl Bills

American teen from Chicago, was lynched for allegedly flirting with a white woman a few days earlier.

The story of Till and his mother Mamie Till-Mobly is a “story of a family’s promise and loss” and the country’s “reckoning with hate, violence, and the abuse of power,” Biden said.

“It’s a story that was seared into our memory and our conscience — the nation’s conscience — when Mrs. Till insisted that an open casket for her murdered and maimed 14-year-old son be the means by which he was transported,” Biden said. “She said, ‘Let the people see what I’ve seen.’”

Biden also commended Black publications for their reporting on the lynching and its aftermath, Till’s funeral, and the ensuing trial that freed the perpetrators.

Last week, Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) demanded Sacramento County officials stop housing foster children in a former juvenile correction center.

The lawmaker, who authored Assembly Bill (AB) 175 that expanded and clarified the Foster Youth Bill of Rights, says what Sacramento County is doing is “unacceptable” and is in violation of state law.

“This is heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking,” said Gipson, who explained that sex traffickers have access to the facility.

“We can find shelters for dogs, and people take those animals and roll out the red carpet,” Gipson told KCRA TV in Sacramento. “Are you telling me we can’t find placement for children in this county?”

Sacramento County officials say the decision to place 15 “high needs” foster children aged 13 to 17 years old at the Warren E. Thornton Juvenile facility is a temporary measure while the county seeks a legal and permanent solution.

Gipson Also Pushes Two Tax Bills

Dr. W. Hazaiah Williams

in Tribute to Dr. W. Hazaiah Williams, the Founder of Four Seasons Arts

Amadi Azikiwe, Violist and Violinist

AMADI AZIKIWE, Violist and Violinist

MIKAEL DARMANIE, Pianist

Saturday, May 13 – 3:00 pm

St. John’s Presbyterian Church; 2727 College Avenue, Berkeley

Program: Beethoven and Blues

Beethoven: Sonata in E flat, Op. 12, No. 3

David Baker: Deliver My Soul

Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson: Blue/s Forms

Beethoven: Sonata in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer”

To order tickets, go to: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5566292

Last week, at a rally at the State Capitol, Gipson also discussed AB 1498, legislation he authored that would establish an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) minimum of $300. According to the California Budget and Policy Center, 78% of people who qualify for EITC are people of color.

Gipson also expressed his support for another EITC-related legislation, AB 1128, at the rally. AB 1128 would “remove the requirement that a qualifying child has to be younger than 6 years of age as of the last day of the taxable year.”

California Elected Officials

Among Black Leaders

Mourning Harry Belafonte

Black actors, musicians, businesspeople, politicians and more wrote heartfelt tributes and messages of condolences last week after news broke that Harry Belafonte had passed.

Belafonte, singer, actor, activist, philanthropist, civil rights leader and first Black person to win an Emmy Award, died of congestive heart failure April 25 at his home in New York City.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA43) paid tribute to her friend on Twitter.

“Another superstar has just passed. My dear friend, Harry Belafonte, was an extraordinarily talented singer and performer,” she

Democrats on the Assembly Public Safety Committee last week voted down several bills aimed at addressing California’s Fentanyl crisis.

The measures would have strengthened penalties for Fentanyl dealers who possess large quantities of the drug — or kill or injure people they sell the drug to.

“Californians will continue to die, victims of drug dealers profiting off poisoning our communities,” Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher said in a statement. “These bills were not criminalizing addiction, returning to the ‘war on drugs,’ or any other lie told by the pro-fentanyl lobbyists. They were reasonable, bipartisan proposals to save lives.”

Assemblymembers Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), who chairs the Public Safety Committee and Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) pointed to “harm reduction programs,” which experts say are more effective tools to fight the Fentanyl crisis than the punitive measures being proposed by lawmakers.

Jones-Sawyer says more arrests do not solve the problem in the long-term.

“As soon as you arrest somebody, unfortunately they may get replaced by somebody else and then there are even more drugs on the street,” he said. “Unfortunately, it’s a lucrative business. We’ve got to get to what the Governor is doing, for example, getting to the supply side. Which is stopping the drugs from getting across the border.”

Bonta pointed to the major criminal justice reform efforts the state is undertaking, as well as a $61 billion investment in harm reduction programs, including distribution of test strips and drug overdose medication.

Biden Highlights Importance of the Black Press at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

At the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, President Joe Biden spoke about the importance of the Black press and the tragic death of Emmett Till, an event that helped galvanize the civil rights movement in the 1950s.

Biden told the room full of journalists that during Black History Month this year he hosted the screening of the film “Till.”

On Aug. 28, 1955, while visiting family in Money, Mississippi, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African

“The reason the world saw what she saw was because of another hero in this story: the Black press,” Biden said “That’s a fact. JET Magazine, the Chicago Defender, and other Black radio and newspapers were unflinching and brave in making sure America saw what she saw. “And I mean it.”

Two Black Women Among New Appointees to Emerge California Board

Two Black women are among four new appointees to the board of Emerge California, an Oaklandbased body that describes itself as “the state’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office.”

Brittni Chicuata and Alana D. Matthews are the two new Black women members of the 9-member board. The organization had a 70%win rate out of the 125 candidates it supported in last November’s general election.

“I’m excited to welcome these powerful and accomplished women leaders to the Board of Directors to help lead Emerge California forward and build on our success in 2023 and beyond,” said Board Chair Rhodesia Ransom. “Since our founding more than twenty years ago, Emerge California has trained over 850 Democratic women to run for office, and we’re just getting started. These four women have valuable expertise and skills that will help us grow our movement to even greater heights.”

The other two new board members are Stacey Owens and Marina A. Torres.

Chicuata is Director of Economic Rights at the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.

Matthews, an Emerge alumna, is an Assistant District Attorney and Policy Director for the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office. She is also an Adjunct Professor at McGeorge School of Law where she founded the Racial Equity and Justice Summer Practicum program.

Photo courtesy JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Asm. Mike Gipson (D-Carson)

At the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, President Joe Biden spoke about the importance of the Black press and the tragic death of Emmett Till.

Alana D. Matthews

By Daisha Williams

Post News Group Intern

Clara

W. Kamau Bell, a talented Black comedian, writer, and filmmaker, visited Oakland School for the Arts on Thursday, April 27. His Q & A with students from various pathways was intended to inspire them as well as show them the many brave, innovative things they can achieve with their art.

The host of the CNN show “United Shades of America,” was born in 1973 in Palo Alto, raised in Boston, and Chicago and attended the University of Pennsylvania before dropping out.

Returning to California, he established himself as a comedian, doing small shows in bars. He says that one of his biggest inspirations early on was Dick Gregory.

(Gregory was a popular comedian during the 1950s and ‘60s who later stopped comedy and pursued activism more heavily.)

Since then, he’s been very busy: It’s amazing how much Bell has achieved as a Black man in America.

Since his start, Bell has done countless things with his career, from comedy specials to a recent documentary about the lives of mixed-race kids in the Bay Area and even writing an autobiography in 2017 called “The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6’4, African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama’s Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian.”

According to Wikipedia, he released his first album in 2007 and in 2012 the S.F. Weekly and the San Francisco Bay Guardian newspapers both named him San Francisco’s best comedian.

When asked by OSA students if he thinks it’d have been easier for him to get where he is today if he was a white man he responded, “America is set up for white men. I can’t say what that would’ve meant for my career. . .

But certainly, there are examples of people around me where white men have gotten through the door where we were like “that guy’s not even that [funny].”

He talked about his show several times during the Q & A, including one particularly shocking and risky episode when he visited the Ku Klux Klan in 2016. He was able to do something that no one had done before, at least on television. But still, if he could go back, he definitely wouldn’t do it the same way.

He said he felt extremely unsafe in that situation, made worse by the fact that the majority of his staff was white. This experience is what led him to demand having more Black and Brown people on the staff: He would’ve left the show if that accommodation wasn’t made.

The episode with the KKK wasn’t the only circumstance of Bell talking to racists. When asked how he handles these situations he revealed a variety of methods.

Bell says he resists the urge to argue, saying that sometimes in an interview the best thing you can do is to just let them talk.

It’s hard, he admits, and that sometimes he shuts down, can’t let himself take in what is being said. This is why he needs to have people on set with him who can firsthand experience the weight of what he is experiencing.

Some might wonder why Bell puts himself through this. However, the answer is simple, he wants to use art as a way to make the world more aware of the Black experience, of the trials and triumphs of a group of people that have been unsung.

Bell says that every time he begins a new project, he asks himself, “Is this the project that dismantles white supremacy?”

The answer is often no, but it’s an admirable thing to strive for.

Wikipedia contributed to this report.

Master Mechanic Elex Stewart, 100

became a master mechanic.

Employed by Alameda County for over 30 years, he also established his own auto repair business and was a successful property owner.

Stewart married the love of his life, Mary Joyce Stewart, in 1943.

Together they raised four daughters, Yvonne, Joyce Ann, Linda, and Apryle.

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

The California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans is recommending that the State Legislature fund a governmental department dedicated to assisting reparations applicants prove their ancestry to enslaved people in the United States.

The task force’s proposal to establish a “genealogy branch” within the proposed California American Freedmen Affairs Agency (CAFAA) will be included in the task force’s final report, which is scheduled to be submitted to the Legislature by the end of June 2023. The branch would provide access to expert genealogical research to confirm reparations eligibility for an estimated 2.5 million Black Americans in California who are likely to seek restitution.

“The legislation that created the California Reparations Task Force requires the body to recommend reparations proposals that provide special consideration for descendants of slaves,” task force chairperson Kamilah V. Moore told California Black Media on April 10. “Thus, eligibility for Californians should they qualify for reparations through the proposed California American Freedmen Affairs Agency is of utmost importance. The agency will be positioned to provide perpetual special consideration to this unique and special group, through direct reparatory justice services and oversight of existing agencies.”

The task force will recommend that the CAFAA be headquartered in Sacramento and have satellite offices all around the state. California is in line to become the first state in the United States to pro-

vide Black Americans reparations, or restitution for slavery and other state-sanctioned discrimination or exclusion.

As the determining factor for compensation, the task force narrowly decided in March 2022 that lineage, not race, will determine who will be eligible for reparations to align with Proposition 209, state law prohibiting the consideration of race in public policy decisions or determinations.

During that March 2022 meeting, the task force listened to the perspectives of 11 genealogy experts who offered insights on qualification for reparations before voting 5-4 in favor of eligibility.

“My purpose here is to tell the [task force] that it is absolutely possible to trace one’s lineage to individuals who were enslaved in the United States,” McDowell said. “For the vast majority of African Americans, it is relatively easy.”

Dr. Hollis Gentry, a genealogy specialist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture Library, shared personal experiences of tracing her ancestry to slavery. She used the Freedmen’s Bureau Records, national archives, and records from Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

Gentry suggested that an agency should be established to manage the eligibility process. It should be connected to state archives and offices of vital records to facilitate access to records that would assist reparations applicants.

Other genealogists who testified pointed to the lack of access to historical records and the difficulties created when enslaved families were separated after members were sold, traded, and auctioned.

DNA, provided instructions for how one might want to do genealogy research to locate “enslaved ancestors using the completely free Familysearch.com website.”

Farrish, the lead genealogist for the non-profit Reparation Generation, noted three criteria for determining potential reparations applicants’ lineage: ancestors born in the Deep South states prior to 1865, ancestors living in the U.S. prior to the 1900s, and ancestors living in the Deep South states prior to the Great Migration of the 1940s.

“First, we must define what it means to be African American. For the sake of this discussion, African Americans are those involuntarily brough to the United States for the purpose of being enslaved,” Farrish told the task force. “Using genealogy to prove descendancy from this group would involve tracing one’s lineage back to either a person enslaved in this system or a time when there was little to no presence of legal voluntary immigration from African or Caribbean countries.”

In August 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 189, legislation that would facilitate processing lineage-based reparations claims using state data. SB 189 authorizes the State Controller’s Office and the Department of Human Resources to disaggregate Black employee demographic data in an effort to identify who has immigrant origins and who descends from enslaved people in the United States.

SB 189 was authored by the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC) and Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena). CJEC is a statewide coalition of organizations, associations and community members united for Reparations for Black U.S Slavery Descendants.

One of the experts, Dr. Evelyn McDowell, an Associate Professor and Accounting Department Chair at Rider University in New Jersey, is a member and president of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage (SDUSMP), a society that works to preserve the memory and history of slavery.

The 10-year-old organization, McDowell said, has successfully helped its members trace their lineage through a mix of research and analysis of the U.S Census, birth and death certificates, and state laws that tracked the enslaved.

Kellie Farrish, a genealogist with over 15 years of experience in Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis and lineage tracing using

Lookout: Six Bills Call for More Responsible Policing, Safer Streets

Aldon Thomas Stiles

California Black Media

Watching your tax dollars, elected officials and legislation that affects you.

The California Legislature is currently considering several bills related to gun safety, criminal justice, and police accountability.

Elex Stewart, a retired Alameda County auto mechanic, passed away on Friday, April 28. He was 100 years old.

Stewart was born on Sept. 25, 1922, in Port Hudson, Louisiana., the second of the nine children his parents, Eddie and Mary Stewart, brought into the world. He received his high school education at Southern University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

A veteran of the World War II, Stewart continued his education in Oakland, CA, at Heald Business School and Laney Trade School and

Stewart was a man of faith and as a member of Allen Temple Baptist Church for over 60 years he contributed to the growth of the church and the community. Stewart was a beloved family man and friend and will be missed by many.

Stewart was preceded in death by his wife, three of his daughters, his grandson Charles, and five of his siblings. He is survived by his daughter Yvonne, seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, two sisters and a brother.

Stewart’s family arranged for a celebration of his life at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 10 at Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland.

Several of these bills have already been approved by the Assembly Safety Committee and are now under review by other legislative committees. If passed, they could affect policing in your community, juvenile arrests and rights, tickets for traffic violations, and state policy around gun ownership.

Public Safety Committee

Chair Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) authored Assembly Bill (AB) 574. Under the proposed bill, gun owners would need to confirm possession of all their registered weapons when purchasing a new gun.

Jones-Sawyer maintains “many firearms are not reported missing or stolen until they have been used in a crime.”

Daniel Reid, western regional

director of the National Rifle Association (NRA), has voiced his organization’s opposition to AB 574.

“We feel like the bill lacks clarity,” said Reid. “If the firearm can’t go without a ‘yes’ answer you have a Fifth Amendment issue. It violates your right against self-incrimination. People can’t be compelled to incriminate themselves if they are in violation of this law.”

The Assembly Appropriations Committee is currently reviewing AB 574. A hearing date has not yet been set.

Jones-Sawyer has also intro-

duced AB 1090. It would allow a board of supervisors to remove an elected sheriff with a four-fifths vote.

The bill states that sheriffs facing removal would be notified of the reason and would have an opportunity to defend themselves.

Cory Salzillo, Legislative Director of the California State Sheriff’s Association, opposes AB 1090, claiming it undermines the electoral process.

“This is not good government,” said Salzillo. “This is disenfranchising voters.”

Explaining why the bill is needed, Jones-Sawyer said, “the bill provides counties with a meaningful tool to remove a sheriff for serious violations of the public trust.”

AB 1090 is currently under consideration in the Assembly Local Government Committee.

Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) authored AB 1643. This bill would prohibit minors — ages 12 to 17 years old — from participating in a program of supervision unless the minor has committed an offense in which the restitution owed ex-

SB 189 “feels like a generational step forward for our people, for the state, and for the country,” Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC) lead organizer Chris Lodgson said after Newsom signed the bill. “We are a specific group of people, and we need and deserve to be recognized as such, for reparations and for everything else we are owed.

The task force will hold its next meeting May 6 in Oakland at Lisser Hall, which is located at 500 MacArthur Boulevard, Mills College at Northeastern University. It will begin at 9 a.m. PT.

ceeds $5,000.

Proponents of AB 1643 clarified that this bill would allow minors to be eligible for diversion programs, and judges and probation departments will still have discretion.

This bill is part of California’s broader effort to reform its criminal justice system by prioritizing rehabilitation over punishment.

Supporters of this bill say one of its goals is to avoid the trauma and stigma associated with youth who go through the criminal justice system.

Last week, the Assembly Appropriations Committee postponed a hearing on the bill.

AB 642, introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), would limit the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by law enforcement in felony arrests and prevent individuals from being stopped based on FRT information. The bill would also require law enforcement agencies to have written FRT policies and maintain records of its use, which would be reported to the California State Auditor.

AB 642 is not Ting’s first attempt to restrict FRT. The lawmaker’s AB 1215 in 2019 temporarily banned the use of FRT in

W. Kamau Bell. Santa

University photo.

Dr. Evelyn McDowell

Kellie Farrish

Public Safety Committee Chair Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) authored Assembly Bill (AB) 574.

Rev. Tony Pierce CEO of Oakland’s Black Wall Street Project, addresses the California Reparations Task Force in Sacramento, Calif., on March 29, 2023. The task force will ask lawmakers to institute a geneology branch to certify individuals’ ancestral claims for reparations. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

The

Reparations Task Force to Recommend “Genealogy Branch” to Prove Eligibility

PART 7:

ByTanya Dennis and Vanessa Russell

Facts and reality establish that passing SB 357 and similar legislation harms Black communities which are some of the most vulnerable and traumatized people in America.

When the ACLU co-authored SB357 and claimed that full decriminalization of sex work would improve public health and safety, whose health and safety were they referring to?

Authors of this article are proponents of the equity model which would decriminalize exploitation for the exploited and provide exit services, while continuing to hold sex buyers and exploiters accountable.

The exploited, whether they identify as survivors of human trafficking or independent sex workers, should not be criminalized. The problem is that the ACLU and social service agencies align with proponents of decriminalizing sex buying knowing that Black girls are the most impacted by an increase in demand.

There range of opinions about this topic is vast. Some advocates are looking to cure human trafficking with criminal convictions and longer sentences, without simultaneously prioritizing investment in prevention and intervention care for BIPOC communities.

Others, such as those who support SB357, are advocating for full decriminalization despite the knowledge that demand for sex from marginalized and disempowered communities will increase.

Groups like Open Society Foundations, which is funded by George Soros, pushes for full decriminalization and states in their “Ten Reasons to Decriminalize Sex Work” white paper that decriminalizing the act of sex-buying will improve human trafficking response rates.

In their report, they note that New Zealand, which fully decriminalized sex work, was “doing great work on human trafficking.”

Melissa Farley of Prostitution Research had a completely different perspective on sex work de-

Cinco de Mayo ...

Continued from page 2

East Palo Alto retains its historical significance by inspiring the community to stand up for their rights and fight “against racist oppression and inequality. These issues have caused suffering for many people, particularly those who are people of color and other vulnerable groups.

The Cinco de Mayo holiday provides an opportunity to explore themes of freedom, culture, and identity. By

criminalization in New Zealand.

In her white paper, she noted that after New Zealand’s decriminalization of prostitution, “the violence and sexual abuse continued as before” and “sex workers felt that the law could do little about violence; that it was an inevitable element of the sex trade.”

The other unanswered question raised decriminalizing sex work is what happens to those who remain in the industry even though they want to get out. Reports in New Zealand say that sex workers no longer receive job training or housing advocacy.

Some of the loudest voices in support of SB 357 are those of privileged people who do not understand the implications of these policies that disproportionately harm Black women and girls. They fail to understand that not all forms of sexual exploitation are equal.

Elizabeth Quiroz, a survivor who was sold at the age of 16 and trafficked throughout the Bay Area, has a strong reaction to full decriminalization.

“Fully decriminalizing the sex trade will promote human trafficking in our communities and expose our most vulnerable populations, such as people of color, to additional violence and

challenging stereotypes and rejecting one-dimensional representations of Mexican culture: tropes like Sombreros, Burros, and Huaraches.

Undoubtedly, the celebration of Cinco de Mayo has deeper roots than being a celebration where Mexican music is played, it must be more than an excuse to drink Tequila or Mezcal (but who needs one, right?), or a marketing strategy for beer companies, and where typical food is consumed.

There is more than one good reason to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year.

trauma,” Quiroz said. “Without accountability for the buyers and exploiters, even those who enter the industry on their own free will can eventually become victims of human trafficking.”

The logic outlined in the ACLU decriminalization white paper and legislative position reveals the authors have not considered the health and safety of Black women and girls.

SB 357 has not provided alternatives to police intervention. Those interventions could include

• paid ubiquitous outreach

• survivor advocacy across the state

• exit services such as housing

• workforce development

• mental health services

The mental health service providers should be required to be familiar with the systemic oppression in Black communities and understand the dangers of the street trade, which is where Blacks women and girls are the most vulnerable and the most exploited.

Tanya Dennis serves on the Board of Oakland Frontline Healers (OFH) and series co-author Vanessa Russell of “Love Never Fails Us” and member of OFH.

Acknowledging the value and importance of Mexican Heritage and learning about the rich history of Mexican people in the United States is a worthy endeavor.

Karina Alvarado from Peninsula 360 Press provided information for this article.

This California Black Media report was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

Photo: Ron Q. Jenkins

Simon Burris: *Africana Diaspora

Black History Month II Crossword

**African-ish: Mother's Day www.simonburris700.com

Happy Mothers Day!

Across

1 **Wealthy Ethiopian queen gifted King

Solomon 9,000 pounds of gold [plus] spices and precious stones (1Kings 10:10)

7 **Karen ___; Los Angeles CA mayor

11 Every year

12 **Jazz's Fitzgerald

13 "___-haw!"

14 **Underground Railroad leader Tubman

16 Not at home

18 If not

19 "Old MacDonald" first words

20 **Actress Ruby ___

21 Besides

22 Promissionary note, for short

23 Donkey

25 Month for mothers

26 Concerning

27 **Ella Fitzgerald's state of birth (abbr.)

29 **___ DuVernay; "Selma" filmmaker

31 *Singer Al Green's home state (abbr.)

32 Wearing

33 Angers

36 **R&B singer with 24 Grammys

40 Native of (suffix)

41 International (abbr.)

42 Do the Wright thing

44 **Irene ___ "Fame" of TV and films

45 **___ Markle; American-born British princess

Down

1 **Poet Angelou

2 Again

3 Presses, folds and stretches

4 _ _ ROPE, AFRICA, etc

5 Code word

6 **Rosa Park's state of birth (abbr.)

COMMENTARY: Biden’s Answer to Ageist Voters:‘Dark Brandon’

It’s been a standard stock MAGA laugh until Biden folks started using a counter-meme that showed Biden behind his aviators, speaking directly to MAGA-types.

“You’re lost, Jack,” Dark Brandon says. “Let’s get you back on the rails.”

The Biden-Harris meme didn’t trend until last weekend at the WHCD when the dark glasses went live.

It struck me as the perfect counter to people who see Biden as Mr. Magoo.

7 **Halle ___; film actress

8 *Muhammad ___

9 "I can not ___ ___ wink" (2 wds.)

10 Glossy

15 Plunder

17 * Kanye West's novel name

23 Language of the Koran

24 **First name in tennis Williams

25 **Pop singer Carey

27 **___ Davis of "The Help" movie

28 Cape ___, Mass.

30 Roman six

34 **Blues singer James

35 "No one has ever ___ God" (1 John 4:12)

37 "Yes, that's right" (texting)

38 Video maker, for short

39 First mother

43 I guess (social media term)

CITY OF SAN LEANDRO STATE OF CALIFORNIA

ENGINEERING AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT

NOTICE TO BIDDERS FOR

SURFACE SEAL PHASE FOR ANNUAL STREET PAVING 2021-23

COSL PROJECT NO. 2022.0050

BID NO. 22-23.010

1. BID OPENING: The bidder shall complete the “Proposal to the City of San Leandro” form contained in the Contract Book. The proposal shall be submitted in its entirety. Incomplete proposals will be considered non-responsive. Sealed bids containing the completed Proposal Section subject to the conditions named herein and in the specifications for SURFACE SEAL PHASE FOR ANNUAL STREET PAVING 2021-23 addressed to the City of San Leandro will be received at City Hall, 835 East 14th Street, 2nd Floor San Leandro at the office of the City Clerk up to: 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at which time they will be publicly opened and read.

2. WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of applying asphalt rubber chip seal, slurry seal, and microsurfacing on City streets; and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.

3. OBTAINING THE PROJECT PLANS AND CONTRACT BOOK: The project Contract Book may be obtained free of charge from the City’s website at: https://www.sanleandro.org/Bids.aspx.

Bidders who download the plans are encouraged to contact the City of San Leandro Engineering and Transportation Department at 510-577-3428 to be placed on the project planholder’s list to receive courtesy notifications of addenda and other project information. Project addenda, if any, will be posted on the website. A bidder who fails to address all project addenda in its proposal may be deemed non-responsive. Printed, hardcopies of the contract book can be purchased from East Bay Blue at: https://www.eastbayblueprint.com. Search the public projects planroom to find the subject project.

4. MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE: Attendance at a pre-bid conference is mandatory for bidding this project: A firm that does not attend one of the pre-bid conferences and is not documented on its attendance sheet is not qualified to bid on the project.

Pre-bid meetings will be held via Zoom. Pre-bid conferences will be held for this project as follows:

• Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 3:00 pm. This meeting will also be simulcast on Zoom: the virtual meeting can be accessed by internet as follows: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/81805888656?pwd=cXpMZjhYYXExVlUwNktTTFY0RlB0 dz09

Meeting ID: 818 0588 8656

Passcode: 366469

• Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 10:00 am. This meeting will also be simulcast on Zoom: the virtual meeting can be accessed by internet as follows: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/81723474604?pwd=ZUVwSU9QWHJZT0dlK3ZLQmlxbG hxZz09

Meeting ID: 817 2347 4604

Passcode: 118913

The information presented at each of the conferences will be identical. Questions regarding the plans and specifications may be submitted in writing to the project engineer until 5:00 p.m. five (5) days before, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, bids must be received by the City. The City will not respond to oral questions outside of the pre-bid conference. The response, if any, will be by written addendum only. Oral responses do not constitute a revision to these plans or specifications.

5. SAN LEANDRO BUSINESS PREFERENCE AND PARTICIPATION GOALS: The work performed under this contract is not subject to Section 1-6-225 of the San Leandro Municipal Code regarding local business preference and participation.

6. SAN LEANDRO COMMUNITY WORKFORCE AGREEMENT: The work performed under this contract is subject to an amended Community Workforce Agreement adopted by City Council Resolution 2015-104. Contractors attention is directed to Section 10

Dated: April 12, 2023

Kelly B. Clancy City Clerk

By Emil Guillermo

Biden as this ‘Dark Brandon’ semi-action-figure guy can use the character to simply say the truth about anything.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous column, when most people think of Joe Biden for president again, they think Geritol.

If that’s you, you probably remember the old TV ads on the “Ted Mack Amateur Hour.” If so, that’s a tribute to your mental acuity at your advanced age. Have a little compassion for your fellow oldsters, please.

In recent polls, both old and young haven’t been polite about the No. 1 reason they think Biden shouldn’t run again.

It’s his age. And no one is whispering it. It’s loud and clear.

Last week, Biden had some opportunities to reverse the trend. The state dinner honoring South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was made memorable when Yoon broke into a version of “American Pie.”

Yes, “Bye-bye, Miss American Pie,” recorded by Don McLean in 1971.

Yoon didn’t drive the Hyundai to the levee till the levee was dry. But it would have been a perfect cue for Biden to come in strong with a K-Pop boy band medley.

Or maybe just go America all the way with a Jay-Z inspired “I’ve got 99 problems and age ain’t

one.” Doing karaoke is a cool trick to come across hipper and younger than you might be.

Unfortunately, Biden did not rise to the occasion.

But by the weekend, Biden came up with maybe something better—that could help defeat all the ageism he’s facing.

The occasion was the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD), a huge affair with journalists and celebrity sources, and C-SPAN cameras watching everyone.

But this year, it featured what could be Biden’s secret weapon against ageists.

Biden broke out the live action version of “Dark Brandon.” It’s just Biden looking “cool,” as he talked political smack while wearing his dark aviator glasses.

“Dark Brandon?” It’s not Joe Biden in dark makeup.

Just dark aviators.

It’s a total usurping of a political meme developed in 2021 by the MAGA folks. When Biden appeared at a NASCAR race and a crowd taunted him by name, a respectful broadcaster interviewing Biden at the time said the crowd wasn’t using an epithetic phrase to curse Biden.

Oh no, said the broadcaster, it was the crowd shouting, “Let’s go, Brandon.”

The host totally changed the phrase, censored the “f” word and inserted “go.” And then “Biden” became “Brandon.” And that’s how the code for a MAGA meme developed.

Jan. 6. Trump as rapist. GOP as anti-woman, anti-abortion, anti LGBTQ. You name it.

A clownish character deflects any criticism and enables Biden to be honest and candid without being too political. It’s a joke, right? And guaranteed to drive MAGAtypes crazy.

It’s also made to win over skeptical young voters who see Biden as too old. Too old? Not that cool guy in the “aviators” who is singing their tune.

It’s the kind of positive pandering to the youth culture that could work in 2024.

The times we’re in necessitate Cool Joe. It’s the “Dark Brandon Age.”

We already know how critical this next election will be in terms of preserving the victories that have been the hallmark of our democracy for more than half-a-century: Voting rights, civil rights, abortion rights are all being threatened.

It means the 2024 campaign could decide the direction of America for the next four to five decades.

If that happens, this next election could be, as they say, one for the ages.

It shouldn’t be one for the ageists.

It won’t be if “Dark Brandon” can help it.

NOTE: I will talk about this column and other matters on “Emil Amok’s Takeout,” my micro-talk show. Live @2p Pacific. Livestream on Facebook; my YouTube channel; and Twitter. Catch the recordings on www.amok.com.

Lookout...

Continued from page 5 The

body cameras for three years.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) expressed their opposition to AB 642 because the civil rights advocacy organization believes it does not go far enough.

“If it is intended to stop the civil rights disaster that is admittedly face recognition surveillance, it unfortunately backfires,” said ACLU California Action Director of Government Affairs Carmen-Nicole Cox. “The recently authored amendments do not adequately protect against freedom from unreasonable government surveillance, wrongful seizure, or dissuade its misuse.”

Another bill Ting introduced, AB 645, authorizes a five-year pilot program that would temporarily legalize speed enforcement cameras in six California cities: Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach and San Francisco.

“My city of San Francisco is

committed to reducing traffic fatalities to zero,” Ting said in a press release. “More than 70% of our city’s fatalities occur on just 12% of our streets.”

The pedestrian advocacy group Walk San Francisco has been a vocal supporter of AB 645 while other organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union have strongly opposed it, citing its encroachment on privacy rights.

The Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection voted to approve AB 645 and has referred it to the Appropriations Committee for consideration.

The Assembly Public Safety Committee voted to place AB 1260, authored by Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin), “on call.” The “on call” designation means that the legislation is subject to change, but it has not been rejected.

AB 1260 would require parole departments to determine an inmate’s minimum eligible parole date based on their sentence and any credits earned or expected to

be earned during incarceration. Credits refer to points awarded for good conduct or behavior. The bill would also require parole departments to notify the district attorney when an inmate is being released based on credits earned or revoked and the county to which the inmate is returning.

Patterson stated his bill would provide more standardization and oversight for sentence lengths based on the credit system.

“How can we be sure that an inmate is serving the proper length of time — and this includes possibly serving too much time — without any third-party verification whatsoever?” questioned Patterson.

A representative of the advocacy group Initiate Justice says that AB 1260 is “not necessary,” because there already exists an online victim notification system.

But proponents of the bill argue that the current system places the burden on relatives and next of kin to keep checking online to see if the release date has changed.

The Oakland Police Commission Needs You!

We need residents committed to reform to apply to be on the Police Commission. You must be over 18 and live in Oakland, and you can’t be a police officer or City employee. You do not need to have a high school diploma or work history. Formerly incarcerated individuals are encouraged to apply.

The job of Commissioner is rewarding, but It is not an easy one! Are you ready to spend time in meetings, meeting preparation, and committee work? Are you ready to face occasional resistance from City Hall and criticism from the community?

Can you work with people you disagree with? Can you disagree without being disrespectful? Are you ready to be part of public meetings that are recorded and shown on KTOP (the City’s cable station)? Are you willing to learn more? If this sounds like a fit, see below!

To apply, go to www.oaklandca.gov/policecommission. If you don’t have access to the Internet, or if you have any questions, call Selection Panel member Lorelei at (510) 368-5598 between 10:00 am and 8:00 pm, any day. Applications are due May 31, 2023.

continue to do everything possible to avoid a work stoppage.”

“Our children’s education does not need to be interrupted by negotiations with our union, especially given the major offer the District made on Monday,” other district press statements said. “We are committed to continuing to work with our labor leaders to discuss their salaries and support services for our students without the need for a strike.”

OUSD’s latest salary proposal, released this week, includes a 10% raise retroactive to Nov. 1, 2022, and a $5,000, one-time payment to

Balancing the Budget and the Needs of Citizens...

Continued from page 1

Thanks to the ingenuity and hard work of our City staff, our “One Oakland” proposed budget accomplishes all of the above— while also making significant investments in our communities, including the largest in affordable housing in the city’s history.

Yes, we were forced to make difficult decisions, but it was also an opportunity to create efficiencies and improve coordination in City government, reducing costs and strengthening our ability to serve our communities.

As a result, our proposed budget includes a new reorganization of City departments— Department of Homelessness & Housing Development; Department of Children, Youth and Families; and Department of Planning, Building and Economic Development.

The reorganization will ensure each department has a clear mission related to community priorities and save $2 million per year, allowing us to preserve vital services in these challenging times.

This reorganization will be supported by an improved management structure in the City Administrator’s Office. Departments with related services will be grouped into “channels” and report to or coordinate with a dedicated Deputy or Assistant City Administrator.

To further close the gap, we are freezing vacant positions—300 in total—many of which have been open for a long period of time; allowing for attrition, meaning if a position becomes vacant, we will hold off hiring a replacement until funding becomes available; and

Preparing for the Future...

Continued from page 1

concerns in matters that affect their lives as well.

FIGB is in collaboration with Charles Reed, a formerly incarcerated advocate, along with the aid of volunteers such as Maureen Forney and Ruth Schoenbach, are on the front lines daily to make this happen daily.

They certainly would welcome and appreciate other volunteers that want to assist as well. Voting is a right that could potentially correct the wrongs which confront society in every manner. However,

all members.

OEA’s recent salary proposal asked for a 10% retroactive raise to all members, a one-time $10,000 payment to members who return for the 2023-2024 school year, and increases from $7,500 to $10,000 to salaries, based on years of experience.

In addition to pay demands, OEA is making “common good” proposals that serve families and the community, including protecting and enhancing special education programs, putting the brakes on closing schools in flatland neighborhoods, shared school leadership, safety, and support for students.

delaying on spending.

In all cases, we did this with the goal of minimizing impacts on services. And we will prioritize hiring for these positions if revenue exceeds forecasts.

This budget is a reflection of my Administration’s values: Centering Equity; Valuing the City Workforce; and Strategic Thinking.

This is why, despite the environment we face, the proposed budget allocates more than $200 million over the next two years toward affordable housing; expands early childhood education through Oakland’s Head Start and Early Head Start program; includes more than $106 million to build, repair and upgrade parks, recreation facilities, libraries, storm drains and non-road infrastructure; and invests more than $9.1 million toward street safety.

The proposed budget will also allow for better coordination of key public safety goals while continuing the ‘civilianization’ of certain functions of the Police Department.

This is a budget that manages our fiscal situation responsibly, responds to the needs of our residents and local businesses, and reflects my Administration’s commitment to direct investments in our communities—all while avoiding layoffs.

I applaud our City staff for this huge accomplishment, balancing not just the budget but the needs of our residents.

I look forward to hearing community input through a series of public forums—and to adopting this budget on June 30 so we can move forward together, as One Oakland.

Sheng Thao is the 51st and current Mayor of Oakland.

unless we take full advantage of this protected right, nothing will happen to halt the trajectory of wrong that is permeating our culture and our society.

Voting is the key to a muchneeded change in the electoral process because we have a vested interest in the outcomes that promote the betterment of communities.

The Third Act Organization of FIGB, Charles Reed, and associates is dedicated to working diligently to achieve these goals.

They need the help of volunteers who also share their belief that increased voter participation can strengthen our democracy.

Continued from page 1

Services Department will be combined into a new Department of Children, Youth and Families to provide more seamless services for families.

The Department of Economic & Workforce Development will be merged into the Department of Planning, Building, and Economic Development to provide a streamlined approach to housing production and major project development.

Releasing a press statement Monday, Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas and her budget team, including Councilmembers Carroll Fife, Kevin Jenkins, and Rebecca Kaplan, commended Thao for her plan to achieve a balanced budget while avoiding layoffs, maintaining critical services, and making record investments in affordable housing.

“We are very pleased to see the largest investment in affordable housing in Oakland’s history — $200 million over two years,” said Council President Bas. “Affordable housing is Oakland residents’ top priority, and we will finally make progress creating housing that’s accessible to very low-income and working families.”

“Oaklanders want results, and the proposed reorganization is a smart strategy to cut the bureaucracy and make government deliver,” said Fife. “I’ve called for the integration of Oakland’s housing and homelessness programs, together with my colleagues. (These changes) will help us focus on actually housing our unsheltered neighbors.”

“The mayor’s budget builds on the foundation the Council put in place to create a holistic community safety system,” said Councilmember and Public Safety Chair Rebecca Kaplan.

“This plan advances the work that I initiated with our community by expanding alternative crisis response through the Fire Department’s MACRO program,” Kaplan said. “It also continues critical violence prevention programs and civilianizes Internal Affairs investigations so those officers get out onto our streets.”

A Moral Budget for Oakland...

Continued from page 1

faith leaders and 20 congregations and/or faith -based institutions.

The Moral Budget Platform is drawn from the righteous hopes of the people of Oakland who wish to see our neighborhoods reflect the just economic power and sustainability we all deserve.

Housing

Thousands of our congregants are in alignment. We are tired of seeing our neighbors forced to sleep on the streets and so our city’s budget must codify that 10,000 of the 30,000 planned housing units in our city are explicitly for affordable housing.

To invest in our people, we must invest in our land. We believe in public land for public good, meaning that any key developments within the city must include strong community benefits agreements to ensure access to jobs and economic sustainability for the people of Oakland.

Billionaires cannot treat our city and our land like playthings.

We are the lifeblood of this city, and we have a right to shape developments so that they don’t just benefit greedy profiteers but provide our communities with the affordable homes and quality jobs we deserve.

Further, our city must invest in the legal resources necessary to defend tenants facing unjust evic-

“Unlike past budget deficits, there are no federal bailouts this time,” said Councilmember and Finance Chair Kevin Jenkins. “I appreciate that the mayor used every possible tool to close the deficit and maintain current City of Oakland employees — from the hiring slowdown announced in March to freezing vacancies and attrition.”

Oakland city workers represented by SEIU Local 1021, IFPTE Local 21, IAFF Local 55, and IBEW Local 1245 have released a joint statement in support of the mayor’s proposal.

“We applaud the mayor for balancing a historic deficit while protecting essential city services, preventing layoffs, and making the largest investment in affordable housing in Oakland’s history, the unions’ statement said.

“While we understand brownouts in fire services are a reality, we hope that as the budget improves, we focus on restoring services for residents,” said firefighter and paramedic Zac Unger, IAFF Local 55 President.

“The decision to balance the budget by freezing some vacant positions instead of laying off city workers is a critical one to protect services for residents,” said lead electrician Michael Patterson, IBEW Local 1245 chief steward.

“Many city workers are currently doing the jobs of two or three people. The mayor’s budget proposal is a major step towards addressing the understaffing crisis so that we can deliver better services to residents,” said recreation center director Angelica Lopez, chapter treasurer of SEIU Local 1021. “As we move forward with the budget process, ensuring that there are no service cuts for residents and no impact on filled positions must be major priorities for all of us.”

The City Council held a special meeting May 3 where Mayor Thao presented her budget proposal.

Councilmembers will host Community Budget Forums between May 17 and June 5. On June 14 at 4:00 p.m., City Council will hold a special meeting to hear the Council President’s Budget Amendments and any additional amendments from Councilmembers.

The City Council must approve a balanced budget by June 30.

tions and harassment from corporate landlords.

Public Safety

Everyone wants our city streets to be safer and so we must invest in public safety measures that are proven to prevent violence before it occurs. We cannot allow biases to perpetuate disparate law enforcement practices and the killing of unarmed Black people by police. Our streets need to be safer for everyone, not just those armed with a badge and gun.

Successful programs like MACRO show that we can have a civilian response to human problems that leave us all safer and better supported, when appropriately resourced.

As a social justice-driven faith minister, I spend a lot of my time walking through the streets of Oakland and celebrating the incredible community that exists here.

The people of Oakland know what we need and deserve to build safe, abundant lives. As the City Council reviews Mayor Thao’s budget, all eyes will be on the dollars and cents behind our city.

If we want to ensure that our elected officials are putting our values in action we must join together and raise our voices. Together we can ensure that the line items on a budget spreadsheet are treated as they should be—as sacred extensions of our shared lives in this city we love.

William R. Battles, 76, Fremont Athlete

Marched with MLK from Selma to Montgomery for Voting Rights

William R. Battles was born in Oakland, CA. To Chief Gordon L. Battles USS Navy & Mrs. Martha Battles August 3, 1946 at the Oaknoll Naval Hospital in East Oakland, California.

William was the 3rd child born to the Battles Family that lived on the Naval Base in Alameda.

Mrs. Martha Battles and her 3 children were Members of The Market St. SDA Church, pastored by Elder W. R. Nelson.

William attended Golden Gate Academy, Havens Court Jr. High and he graduated from Fremont High in 1964.

In 1970, Will graduated from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama with a BS Degree in Business Education.

In 1965, Will, along with 3 other Oaklanders that included Post Publisher Paul Cobb, Milton Hare and Fernando Canales, marched for voting rights with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

After a long Illness, Will passed away on May 2, 2023 at the Villa Rancho Barnardo Rehabilitation Hospital in San Diego, California.

Trader Joe’s Union Vote at Oakland Location

Certified By National Labor Relations Board

By Bay City News

The National Labor Relations Board certified the newly formed union of employees at an Oakland Trader Joe’s Friday. Employees at the store on College Avenue voted 73-53 on April 20 to become the first Trader Joe’s location in California, and fourth in the nation, to unionize.

“We are thrilled to be certified and can’t wait to sit at the bargaining table and work toward a contract that will improve our pay, benefits, and working conditions,” said Dominique Bernardo, a crew

member and organizer at the Oakland store.

The store joins three others around the country that have joined the Trader Joe’s United union. Trader Joe’s has filed objections to one of those elections, at a store in Kentucky, and a final ruling is still pending.

The certification of the Oakland vote by the labor board means that Trader Joe’s must negotiate a new contract in good faith with the union, which will join negotiations that have been underway with other unions since November 2022.

Teachers picket Thursday morning at Manzanita School in East Oakland, the first day of the Oakland teachers’ strike, May 4, 2023. Photo courtesy of OEA

In 1970, William graduated from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama with a BS Degree in Business Education.

In 1965, Will, along with 3 other Oaklanders that included Post Publisher Paul Cobb, Milton Hare and Fernando Canales, marched for voting rights with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

The ‘I Voted’ stickers laid out for Election Day at University of the Pacific DeRosa University Center in Stockton, Calif., on Nov. 8, 2022. (Harika Maddala/ Bay City News / Catchlight Local)