Oakland Post, week of December 14 -21, 2022

City Council Committee Hears Report on Economic Impact of Oakland A’s Howard Terminal Proposal

Seeing Crimes During Holiday Season? Don’t Stand by and Watch, Take Action

By Post Staff

Dr. Nola Agha, a nationally recognized sports economist and University of San Francisco professor of Sport Management, this week presented findings of her study on the revenues, costs, and economic impacts of the A’s proposed development at Howard Terminal to the Oakland City Council’s Community & Economic Development (CED) Committee.

Agha’s independent study was commissioned when the city failed to provide the independent economic analysis of the project’s proposed development agreement and financing framework requested by City Council in April.

Agha’s report at Tuesday’s CED

meeting was based on information about the proposal available to the public, provided by the Oakland A’s, Oakland City Administrator Ed Reiskin, and the City Council’s July 2021 non-binding term sheet, and includes updated projections based on the current economic forecast.

Outgoing Mayor Libby Schaaf’s administrative team argues that an economic analysis of the impact of the Oakland A’s $20 billion real estate development at the Port of Oakland is impossible to analyze until behind-closed-door negotiations between City staff and A’s owner John Fisher’s team are completed, and there is a final deal.

City Council Moves to OK Establishment of Public Bank for Oakland, East Bay

Lookout, Lookup and Watch Out! Raise Your Voice and Shout! Don’t Walk Alone at Night!

Use your Cellphone and Camera.

Right?

By James E. Vann

Next Door

The current (continuing) spate of crimes — from petty theft of packages on doorsteps and damage to property — to felonies that can lead to great bodily harm and death such as pulled guns, shootings, robberies, hijackings, stabbings, grab-and-runs, auto break-ins, vehicle tows is beyond maddening. Something has to change...Maybe us!!!

To curb crime, we have to do more. Here are my suggestions:

1. We must PUT MORE EYES ON THE STREET and be aware of things that look strange.

2. We must LOOK OUT WINDOWS & DOORS MORE OFTEN to guard against not only our own property theft but our neighbors’ as well.

3. We must MAKE BETTER USE OF OUR CELL PHONES by taking more photos of STRANGE PEOPLE, VEHICLES, AND LICENSE PLATES.

4. We must learn and practice

MAKING NOISE & SHOUTING OUT... to surprise and STOP THIEVES in the act.

5. We must NOT WALK ALONE, NOR LATE in the evening on isolated streets or pathways.

6. We must be on the ready to CALL 911 as soon as we observe WRONGDOING.

7. PARENTS, CARETAKERS and NEIGHBORS must watch for and immediately report to OPD Crime Stoppers at 510777-8572 any notable changes in the behavior of relatives, friends, and neighbors if you observe any of the following: odd accumulation of things; sudden switching of vehicles; prolonged absences, and other peculiar happenings to HALT WRONGS EARLY IN PROCESS.

Because we are in this together, and because we want nice, safe, beautiful neighborhoods fit for wonderful living, we must, collectively, up our game by each day doing something a little different to help us...ALL OF US...TOGETHER!!

Published with permission of the author from original post on Next Door website.

White Teacher Fired After Telling Students His Race Was ‘Superior’

On Tuesday, the City of Oakland took another step toward establishing the Public Bank of the East Bay.

The Oakland Finance and Management Committee voted to approve forwarding District 3

approve the resolution along with the viability study. Kaplan had proposed the initial public bank study in the previous Oakland budget, and the regional multi-city collaboration that allowed the public bank effort to get to this stage.

“I want to thank everyone who has been working for many years to bring a public bank to the East Bay - not just to the City of Oakland – a regional collaborative of multiple governments that by standing together, can strengthen our economic opportunity and our ability to affordably finance needed projects

Councilmember Carroll Fife’s resolution to the City Council meeting on Dec. 20, 2022, with the intent for the City of Oakland, in collaboration with Alameda County, City of Berkeley and City of Richmond, and additional cities as interested, to establish the bank.

Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, a longtime supporter of strengthening funding for local small businesses and important public projects, successfully moved to

and ensure access to funding for local small businesses and underserved communities,” said Kaplan. The need and support for a pub-

In the video, the unidentified white middle school teacher was captured saying, “Deep down in my heart, I’m ethnocentric, which means I think my race is the superior one.”

By Defender News Service

A teacher in the Pflugerville Independent School District which is located in Austin, Texas, is no longer employed by the district after a video surfaced of him saying he believes white people are “the superior” race.

In the video, the unidentified white middle school teacher was captured saying, “Deep down in my heart, I’m ethnocentric, which means I think my race is the superior one.”

It’s unclear what led to the controversial conversation inside a classroom at Bohls Middle School.

Rapper Southside’s son is in that class and they put the video

on social media, which quickly went viral. The video shows the students’ quick reaction to the statement, which prompted one student to ask, “So white is better than all?”

The teacher then asks the students to let him finish speaking before adding, “I think everybody thinks [that] they’re just not honest about it.”

Several students then appear to confront the teacher about his bold claim, asking him if he just openly admitted to being racist.

“I think everybody is a racist at that level,” the teacher responded.

When asked a second time if

Harvard Appoints Its First Black President

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Harvard University announced Claudine Gay as its new president.

Gay, the dean of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, becomes just the second woman — and the first African American — to hold the post in the institution’s history.

The university was founded in 1636.

Dr. Gay will take office in July 2023.

“Claudine is a remarkable leader who is profoundly devoted to sustaining and enhancing Harvard’s academic excellence, to

championing both the value and the values of higher education and research, to expanding opportunity, and to strengthening Harvard as a fount of ideas and a force for good in the world,” Penny Pritzker, senior fellow of the Harvard Corporation and chair of Harvard’s presidential search committee, told the Harvard Gazette.

“As the Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences since 2018, and previously as dean of social science, Claudine has brought to her roles a rare blend of incisiveness and inclusiveness, intellectual range and strategic

Community Mobilizes to Save Holy Names University for Students and Future Students

By Ken Epstein

As

in Oakland struggles with deep financial difficulties, local elected officials and community leaders are coming forward with offers to help find ways to resolve the problems and save the city’s primary remaining university.

Rumors are swirling around the campus that the university could close at the end of the school year in May 2023, dispersing many of its students to colleges in nearby cities.

Some Oakland leaders are exploring alternatives that would benefit the Oakland community and its students. If HNU actually closes, some are looking at turning the campus into a home for one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which are known for welcoming white, Latino and AsianAmerican students, as well as African American students.

Many Oaklanders are committed to preserving the Holy Names campus as a diverse center for higher education that grants bachelors’ degrees and trains teachers, health professionals and social workers. Several people told the Oakland Post they will do whatever they can to prevent the beautiful hill campus from being sold to developers to build exclusive private residences.

The Oakland Post attempted several times to contact Steven Borg, chairperson of the HNU Board of Trustees, but was unable to reach him before the

newspaper’s deadline. In addition to his position on the board, Borg is an independent marketing consultant.

Here are the questions the Post texted to Borg:

• There are people in the community, including political leaders of the City of Oakland, who want to support HNU to resolve these issues. Have you met with them, or do you plan to meet with them?

I have also heard that the Board dissolved its fundraising committee five years ago. Is that true? Why was that? Do you have fundraising plans?

• Will you talk to city officials who want to help?

• What steps do you plan to take to protect HNU and its longstanding role as an institution that is crucial to the education of thousands of local students and educational and medical professionals that serve the community?

• There are rumors that some are considering offering the HNU campus to real estate developers. Are you considering that?

At a meeting with the Holy Names community Thursday afternoon, Board President Borg said that HNU would continue offering classes for the Spring semester but cannot say anything else. He also announced that the university’s president, Michael Groener, was on leave of ab-

Holy Names University

From City Hall Reports

John Fisher, Oakland A’s owner and real estate developer.

James E. Vann

Dr. Claudine Gay

PHOTO: iStockphoto

Councilmember Carrol Fife

Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan

Paul Cobb Will Ussery

Conway Jones Gus Newport

COVID-19 Spike Protein Could Cause Blood Vessel Leaks That Lead to Organ Failure

By Eli Walsh Bay City News Foundation

COVID-19’s spike protein may contribute to blood vessels secreting fluids into a person’s body, which can lead to severe health outcomes like respiratory failure, according to a study from researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

The study published Friday in the journal “Nature Communications,” found that the spike protein on COVID virus particles can damage the walls of blood vessels throughout the body, causing a condition known as vascular leak.

As a result, plasma and other fluids carried in blood vessels can

lead to the lung and heart damage that often occurs in severe COVID cases.

Blocking the protein’s damage to blood vessels could thus help prevent some of the virus’ most serious symptoms and outcomes, according to the researchers.

“In light of all the different variants that are emerging and the difficulty in preventing infection from each one individually, it might be beneficial to focus on these triggers of pathogenesis in addition to blocking infection altogether,” said Scott Biering, a UC Berkeley postdoctoral scholar and lead author of the study.

The spike protein can act similarly to the dengue virus protein

NS1, according to the researchers.

The dengue virus, spread by infected mosquitoes, can also cause vascular leak and lead to organ failure due to severe loss of blood or other fluids that make the heart pump.

The researchers also noted that the spike protein does not cause symptoms on its own, instead working alongside a viral COVID infection to cause serious illness.

“We had identified this protein secreted from dengue virusinfected cells that, even in the absence of the virus, is able to ... disrupt internal barriers,” said Eva Harris, a senior author of the study

Will OUSD’s New Board Rescind Planned School Closures?

By Zack Haber

As new directors are set to take office in the Oakland Unified School District’s Board of Education in January, the Oakland Education Association, along with some advocates, say there will soon be enough votes to stop current plans to entirely or partially close six OUSD schools.

“Our position has always been very clear on this issue, we are opposed to school closures,” said OEA 1st Vice President Ismael Armendariz in an interview. “Now the voters have spoken and there’s a clear mandate to stop closures.”

Currently, five elementary schools are scheduled to be closed by the end of the school year: Brookfield, Carl B. Munck, Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy, Grass Valley, and Horace Mann. Additionally, the K-8 school Hillcrest is set to have its 6-8th grades removed. But on Nov 30, Director Mike Hutchinson introduced a resolution to overturn all the scheduled closures. If at least two of the newly elected directors support Hutchinson’s resolution, along with Director Vancedric Williams, who has opposed school closures for his entire tenure on the board, the board will have the four votes needed to rescind the scheduled closures.

In interviews with this reporter, Valarie Bachelor and Jennifer Brouhard, who are set to take office as school board directors in January after winning their elections in November, both said they plan to vote to stop the closures. Bachelor and Brouhard highlighted rescinding school closures as a key element in their campaigns and received endorsements and support from OEA.

OUSD’s enrollment process

started on Dec. 1, and families can now select which schools they would like to enroll their children in. Schools currently set for closure, however, are not available to be selected on the enrollment portal. Bachelor and Brouhard both oppose this omission.

“I think it’s hugely problematic that those sites are omitted from the enrollment system,” said Bachelor. “It’s extremely difficult to backfill positions and enrollment.”

In an interview, Brouhard said that by leaving these schools off of the enrollment website, OUSD is “choosing to believe these schools are closed when they’re not.”

When asked about how newly elected school board members who oppose school closures affect the district’s current enrollment process, OUSD’s Director of Communications John Sasaki said, “We follow the direction of the board, if that direction changes, we will follow that new direction.”

Bachelor and Brouhard both said they plan to vote in January to rescind the currently scheduled closures. If the board votes to overturn the closures, schools currently set for closure will appear on the enrollment website. The enrollment period extends until Feb. 10. Sasaki has confirmed that waiting to make an enrollment selection does not affect who is prioritized for which school, as long as the selection is made within the enrollment period.

“All applications received between Dec. 1 and Feb. 10 are part of the on-time enrollment period and are treated the same,” said Sasaki.

Ismael Armendariz, of OEA, said that since the schools set for closure are not currently available

on the enrollment website, families interested in attending those schools should wait until after the vote in January to make their enrollment decisions. They won’t be penalized for waiting.

“I want to encourage parents who have been fighting to keep their schools open to hang on a little bit longer,” said Armendariz. “Because Oakland voters are behind you.”

The election of two board members opposed to school closures came after backlash from proposed closures from staff, along with many students, families and community members.

Last February, OUSD’s Board of Education approved a plan to close or merge 11 schools over a two year period which enrolled (or still enroll) a significant majority of combined Black and Latinx students. To protest closures, OEA members staged a one day strike, hundreds of students walked out of class to march, and two staff members held a hunger strike.

By the end of last school year the board voted to close two schools, Parker Elementary School and Community Day School, and partially closed La Escuelita, a K-8 school, by removing its 6-8 grade classes. In response to the Parker Elementary School closure, OUSD family members, students and community members occupied the site for over four months, and organized services there that included a free summer school.

As new school board members are set to take office, Oakland based groups opposed to school closures, like Parents United for Public Schools and Schools & Labor Against Privatization, are working to inform families that

Fatal Sunday Shooting Marks City’s 115th Homicide This Year

By Keith Burbank Bay City News Service

A man was shot and killed Sunday morning in Oakland in the city latest homicide, police said Monday. The shooting occurred just after 5 a.m. in the 5800 block of East 16th Street, near Seminary Avenue and International Boulevard.

Police went to the area after the city’s gunshot detection system alerted officers, who found the man with

an apparent gunshot wound or wounds, police said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting marks the city’s 115th homicide this year.

That compares with 130 at the same time last year, according to police. Officers have made no arrests in the shooting, police said.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to please call the police department’s homicide section at (510) 238-3821 or the tip line at (510) 238-7950.

Currently, five elementary schools are scheduled to be closed by the end of the school year: Brookfield, Carl B. Munck, Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy, Grass Valley, and Horace Mann. Additionally, the K-8 school Hillcrest is set to have its 6-8th grades removed.

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. The illness caused by this virus has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). (Courtesy Alissa Eckert, MSMI / Dan Higgins, MAMS via CDC 2019)

California One of 18 States That Reached $5.7 Billion Opioid Settlement with Walgreens

Elders Have Their Say in New Book

Los

Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is Sworn-in, Focuses on Homelessness

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Correspondent

In her first act in office, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will declare a state of emergency against homelessness in an announcement at Los Angeles’ Emergency Operations Center.

The new mayor asserts that the move “will allow her to take aggressive executive actions to confront the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. The declaration will recognize the severity of Los Angeles’ crisis and break new ground to maximize the ability to urgently move people inside.”

On Nov. 16, 2021, during an interview on Black Press USA’s daily morning show “Let It Be Known,” Bass spoke on homelessness saying it was “a humanitarian crisis,” and added that there were “40,000 people in the city unhoused, many living in tents all around the city.”

Clearly Bass is moving quickly to make homelessness a top prior-

ity during her first weeks in power.

On Dec. 11, Bass, 69, was sworn-in as Los Angeles’ 43rd mayor at a historic ceremony by Vice President Kamala Harris. Her predecessor, Mayor Eric Garcetti, looked on at City Hall with thousands of others taking in the history of the moment. Karen Bass earned more votes than any candidate in the history of Los Angeles. Her election was also the most expensive ever, as Bass defeated Rick Caruso, who spent $100 million on his campaign.

Bass served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2022 for California’s 33rd congressional district and was chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. She was also a member of the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010 and spent her final years there as speaker of the California House.

Bass acknowledged California’s first female Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis in the audience and Los Angeles’ all-female County Board of Supervisors.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Bonta was sworn in as the 34th Attorney General of the State of California on April 23, 2021. (Office of the California Attorney General via Bay City News)

By Olivia Wynkoop Bay City News Foundation

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alongside 17 other attorneys general, announced a $5.7 billion settlement agreement with the pharmacy retailer Walgreens for their alleged contribution to the opioid epidemic.

The settlement reached Monday resolves a multistate lawsuit alleging Walgreens fueled and profited from the opioid addiction crisis by dispensing substances without proper oversight.

The abatement funds, which will be split amongst participating states, may bring in over $500 million to California’s ongoing efforts to provide treatment and ser-

By Carla Thomas

Elders had their say in Downtown Oakland at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 10. Each senior was featured in a colorful picturesque book, “A Generation Found: The Journey Continues,” by Roohee Marshall.

The wet and rainy day did not stop about 40 guests from hearing the life stories and the impact they made in the Bay Area and globally. From Post News Group Publisher Paul Cobb to former Berkeley Mayor, Eugene “Gus” Newport, to 94-year-old activist Wilfred “Wil” T. Ussery, the stories of courage, wisdom, and legacy moved the audience.

expresses in the book.

With over 50 interviewees, words of wisdom are shared on every page, information that only longevity can create.

Relatives of some of the subjects were thrilled about the book and the event at 410 14th St.

Maxine Ussery, wife of former BART board member Wil Ussery, wore her floor-length, black mink coat for the occasion. “Isn’t this wonderful?” she queried. “The author interviewed them and has now flown in from Detroit to feature the book.”

trait Gallery in Washington, D.C.,” he said. Jones is also the founding chairman of the Western Aerospace Museum, otherwise known as the Oakland Aviation Museum.

After the formal discussion ended, the speakers featured in the book were swarmed by members of the audience, many of whom were senior citizens themselves.

Cobb, Ussery, and Newport then further reminisced of even more intriguing events and experiences.

Newport spoke of his time with Malcolm X and Nelson Mandela.

Study Reveals Crisis in New Recruit Police Training Across America

Sen. Warnock’s Victory is a Win for Georgia and America

By Ben Jealous

If you haven’t watched Sen. Raphael Warnock’s speech on the night of his reelection in Georgia on Dec. 6, stop everything you’re doing, and watch it now. Then tell your kids to watch it. And your neighbors.

What you’ll see is 20 minutes that will leave you with a deep feeling of inspiration and gratitude, and a question: why was this so hard? How is it that Warnock was so clearly the best candidate and had to prove it four times, in the last two years?

Let’s take the question first.

The surprise victories by Sen. Warnock and Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2021 were triumphs over systemic racism and a vicious misinformation and disinformation campaign by far-right forces.

Immediately after they won, Georgia became ground zero for a state voter suppression effort that included harsh crackdowns on early and mail-in voting.

The runoff system that Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker were forced into was itself a relic of 1960s white supremacy. It was created by a Georgia segregationist who hoped it would stop Black candidates from winning in a crowded field where white votes were split.

Meanwhile, Walker’s entire campaign was a far-right ploy to split Black votes while giving white Republicans plausible deniability about their party’s racism. Most Black voters saw right

through it. But the GOP mustered enormous political firepower and financial resources for their scheme. That made the race close when it never should have been close.

It made Sen.Warnock’s road, which was always going to be hard, even harder.

On the night of his reelection, Sen. Warnock addressed all of this with his usual dignity. He gave the credit to Georgians for electing the state’s first Black and first Jewish senators at a time when the Far Right was trying to divide the country.

He took on the conservative pundits claiming his victory was proof that there was no voter suppression in Georgia. Just because Georgia voters endured long lines in the rain doesn’t mean there is no suppression, he said. It means Georgians refused to have their voices silenced.

The rest of his address showed that Georgia has reelected a senator who values social justice and still believes it can be achieved through representative democracy. Democracy, he said, is the political enactment of a spiritual idea: that each of us carries within us a divine spark.

It is a political system that is rooted in the belief that each of us has value, that if we have value, we have a voice, and that our voice is our vote. I’m paraphrasing here, and words on the page don’t do justice to Sen. Warnock’s oratory

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

A comprehensive new report asserted that American authorities have traditionally trained police officers on the cheap, noting that more than 71% of agencies devote less than 5% of their total budget to recruit training.

Issued by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), the report found that nearly half of the agencies responding to the survey agreed that spending on recruit training had increased over the past five years.

However, that was before police budgets faced the dual challenges of cuts related to the COVID-19 pandemic and calls to “defund” the police.

The 84-page exposition noted that investments in training could be stalled or reduced at the very time they need to increase to bring about changes required in American policing.

Researchers found that in many jurisdictions, “the goal seems to be moving as many recruits as possible through academy training as fast as possible and at the lowest possible cost.”

Marshall’s collection of interviews and photographs immortalized the memories, conversations, and reflections of the 65+ generation. Totaling 259 pages, the large, display table book featured slices of each subject’s life story. Ranging from two to six pages each, the stories provide the insights, history, and strength of individuals with a perspective, an answer, and overall explanation of their personal journey.

“As life takes a new form, I am reminded that in each and every elder that I have had the honor of being graced by their presence, I have witnessed the sincerity of heart that they have for family, humanity, and the world,” Marshall

Wil Ussery shared his wife’s enthusiasm. “Our stories are important and it’s important to share them with the community and world,” he said.

Gay Plair Cobb, wife of Paul Cobb, was all smiles. “The book is special and a testament to the value our generation brings.”

Though he wasn’t present at the event, the story of Conway Jones, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, stands out. Jones who has served his country and founded several organizations and companies, humbly stated that his mother, grandmother, son, and wife are his biggest inspirations.

Ironically, Jones says he fought many of his fights not on a battlefield but through the arts as a patron. “In 2017, I donated my bronze statue of Congressman John Lewis to the Smithsonian’s National Por-

Newport also shared how even though his grandmother’s mother was a slave, and endured some horrific times, she still had a love for all people and a desire to make the world a better place. “Where does this type of love come from?” he asked. “Somebody who has suffered that kind of thing.”

Newport’s mother shared many stories with him, including that his grandmother’s honeymoon, at the age of 16, was ruined by the KKK and cops stealing their wedding gifts and arresting the newlyweds for two days.

“My colleagues and I did all we could to serve others and advance our causes,” said Cobb.

Sherman Ra’oof, a 77-year-old computer tech engineer from San Jose, was also featured.

For more information visit: https://www.rooheemarshall.com

Roohee Marshall’s collection of interviews and photographs immortalized the memories, conversations, and reflections of the 65+ generation

Researchers concluded the report by noting that American policing needs to re-imagine and retool recruit training.

Photo Caption: On Dec. 11, Bass, 69, was sworn-in as Los Angeles’ 43rd Mayor at a historic ceremony by Vice President Kamala Harris. Instagram photo courtesy of Karen Bass

Ben Jealous

“The White Wall: How Big Finance Bankrupts Black America” by Emily Flitter

Wells Fargo Holds Community Holiday Fair at Piedmont Elementary

By Jessica Ngai Wells Fargo Public Affairs

YMCA of the East Bay, in collaboration with Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson and Wells Fargo, held a free Season of Giving holiday fair at Piedmont Elementary School on Tuesday to ensure that families and children from marginalized communities will receive gifts and holiday cheer this season.

“It is a privilege and an honor to be a part of the partnering efforts to help bring smiles, gifts, and joy to families during this time of year,” said Alameda County Board of Supervisors President Keith Carson.

“I am extremely grateful to YMCA of The East Bay and Wells Fargo for taking intentional steps to make sure that families heavily impacted with the rising cost of living are able to thoroughly enjoy the holiday season without additional financial stress.”

Families with children and community representatives gathered at 4314 Piedmont Avenue in the late afternoon for hot cocoa, cider, and cookies. Arts and crafts activities included decorating holiday stockings, sugar cookies, and gingerbread houses.

Toys were distributed on a first come, first serve basis, with each child receiving one gift. Families also had the opportunity to bring gifts that needed wrapping at a gift-wrapping station.

There was a raffle for special prizes such as bikes, toy cars, and tablets as well.

“The importance of giving children the opportunity to play with toys cannot be overstated; that’s a simple right every child should have. It brings a level of learning and development, health, and well-being for every child,” said Fran Gallati, president and CEO of YMCA of the East Bay.

Gallati was mindful that at this time of year “many vulnerable families we serve are struggling to make it through the holiday season, trying to juggle necessities such as food and housing with buying gifts for their children due to high inflation costs, gas prices, and layoffs. Our

partnership with Wells Fargo will provide over 200 gifts to children from our Early Childhood Impact and Expanded Learning Program during this year’s Season of Giving.”

In addition to the gifts, a $12,500 check was presented to YMCA of the East Bay to help low-income families this holiday season, and a special presentation of “wish list” gifts to several high need families identified by YMCA staff.

“We know income has not been keeping pace with inflation and families are feeling the pressure to dip into their savings to keep up with the rising costs of food and consumer goods,” said Steve Hitchcock, branch banking regional director for Wells Fargo.

“This holiday season, Wells Fargo is proud to donate an additional $12,500 to YMCA of the East Bay to support the needs of underserved families and children and spread much-needed holiday cheer,” Hitchcock said. “We’re thrilled to co-host this community event with YMCA and have East Bay elected officials join us for a day of festive activities to make the holidays a bit brighter this year.”

Jessica Ngai works in the Wells Fargo Public Affairs department for the San Francisco Bay Area.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

The big red brick building down the road is where you get your groceries.

You have to drive there, past the shiny chrome car dealership, left by the green gas station. The yellow fast-food place is your kids’ favorite; that’s in the same block. And that large brown building? That’s where you do your banking and keep your money. But, as in the new book “The White Wall” by Emily Flitter, can you get that money out?

A number of years ago, when she was a banking reporter for the New York Times, Flitter tried to follow a lead on a Black man who’d been fired from his job at a major financial company. It turned out to be a weak lead but meanwhile, she met a lawyer who turned her toward a much bigger issue: racism in the financial industry.

Recent polls show that most Americans have no idea that there’s a racial wealth gap. They don’t know about the Black/white gap in family wealth. They have no clue that Black families fared much worse in the 2008 financial crisis than did whites, or that they’re struggling again in this post-pandemic time.

The truth is that racism thrives in banking institutions where, Flitter says, Black consumers are often profiled as “suspicious” by white bank employees, even if they have a paper trail of proof for their own money. Black borrowers are often given less service and more wrong

information; Flitter also found instances where skin color determined interest rates. Bank customers who are Black aren’t always offered the valuable perks that white customers get. Insurance companies are not servicing Black homeowners the same as they do white homeowners. Not even Black business owners escape racism within the financial industry.

That isn’t even mentioning the proportionately low number of Black employees in those institutions, or the insufficient number of high-level leaders.

Clearly, says Flitter, “Corporate America has a long way to go.” Pick up your copy of “The White Wall,” hold it tight, and make room on your lap for your jaw. It may be dropping a lot while you’re reading this shocking book.

Or maybe not. What’s in here might not come as much of a surprise to some readers who live this reality every day — and for that, author Emily Flitter has some words for you, starting with this: what you’ve experienced is no anomaly.

For Wall Street and for every large business in the nation, she offers more in an entire chapter devoted to ideas on how to do better by making financial services more accessible for Black Americans.

On that, there’s good news in Flitter’s final words and that’s a happy start but, judging by the many, many stories she shares, readers could absolutely be forgiven for any lingering pessimism...

Still, this informative book is easy for even the most busy executive to read — and use — and its essential message shouts to be heard. This book could create new consciousness, or “The White Wall” may also leave you blue.

Group photo of Wells Fargo volunteers and YMCA of the East Bay staff.

Wells Fargo Associate Product Manager Tim Goodman passing out gifts to Oakland children at Piedmont Elementary School during YMCA of the East Bay’s Season of Giving Holiday Fair, co-hosted by Wells Fargo.

Wells Fargo and YMCA of the East Bay volunteers raffle off special prizes to Oakland families and children to make the holidays a bit brighter this year.

Crisis in

Magnolia Dispensary: A Pathway to Medical Cannabis

By J. Barry Washington Post Archive Story

It was approximately three years ago that my beloved mother passed from terminal lung cancer. She was put on “home hospice” in November 2012, and the doctor declared she had less than six weeks to live. She had no appetite and was dwindling away. Through the healing power of a medical cannabis chocolate bar, used as an appetite stimulant, my mother’s life was extended more than two years. It gave her an appetite and she regained her “joie de vivre”.

After her death, I decided to delve more deeply into the business of medical cannabis. I enrolled in the free classes offered by Magnolia Dispensary in Oakland.

Barbara Blaser, a registered nurse, was one of the teachers in the series called “Starting & Running a Marijuana Business.”

Recognizing that seniors and medical patients are the fastestgrowing users of cannabis, Magnolia hired Barbara Blaser, an amazing 73-year-old registered nurse, who was recently quoted in the September 2019 issue of the AARP Bulletin, “Marijuana and Your Health.”

Blaser develops programming designed to ease clients into the brave new world where the healing powers of cannabis are used to reduce dozens of prescription meds that are known to have dangerous side effects.

She teaches classes and gives free individual consultation to pa-

tients on products that might suit their needs. Her own route to cannabis started years ago when a serious illness left her in a coma, on a ventilator, and in need of intensive work to relearn how to walk, among other things. Blaser has the empirical knowledge about what she’s teaching.

Cannabis can certainly be used to “get high,” but it’s also being used to treat many of the issues people experience as they age, such as stiff knees and dementia.

In addition, research proves that it can be effective in treating Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, autism, and PTSD. Magnolia hosts a veterans’ organization, EVAC (Educating Veterans About Cannabis) that gets rave reviews from the participants.

They argued that this approach had been driven partly by the desire to quickly get more officers on the street – a challenge that became particularly acute as officer hirings declined and retirements and resignations increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic and as homicides and other violent crimes surged.

“Besides recruiting and hiring, there is perhaps no activity that is more crucial to the success of police departments and sheriffs’ offices than how they train recruits,” researchers wrote.

“Recruit training is where new officers acquire the basic knowledge and skills to do their jobs. It’s where they learn the right way to do things and have an opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them, without the serious consequences of making those mistakes in the field.”

They continued:

“It is where new officers acquire the foundation of technical know-how that will stay with them throughout their careers. But recruit training is about more than just technical instruction.

“Recruit training is where prospective officers are introduced to the concept of public safety and public service. The training academy is where police agencies can articulate their philosophy and vision and begin to instill their core values.

“Finally, recruit training is where agencies build and reinforce their culture through the next group of frontline employees.”

While policing has changed

in many respects throughout the years, officers struggle with challenges on several fronts, including dealing with individuals in crisis.

The report contended that, far too often, police recruits are trained as warriors, not as guardians and partners intended for civil communities.

To effect change, new officers should receive new and adequate instruction sensitive to the communities they serve, researchers wrote.

“The current state of recruit training demands that we rethink – and remake – the system for how new police officers is trained,” the researchers argued.

“We need national consensus and national standards on what the training contains, how it is delivered, and by whom.

“This report may present a grim picture of the current state of recruit training, but it also puts forth a series of principles that can help guide the transformation of training to meet the challenges of policing for today and tomorrow.”

Chuck Wexler, the executive director of the PERF, said one could ascertain much about a police training academy from the moment an individual walks in the door and encounter a group of recruits.

“If the recruits immediately back up against the nearest wall, look straight ahead, and bark out in unison, ‘Good morning, ma’am!” or “Good afternoon, sir!” you pretty much know the culture and operating philosophy of that academy,” Wexler stated.

“If, on the other hand, the recruits pause, look you in the eye, and offer a more conversational, “Good morning, sir” or “How are you today, ma’am,” that tells you something else.

“Academies have tradition-

ally followed a paramilitary, boot camp-like model that emphasizes discipline, deportment, following orders, and a strict hierarchy where recruits are often on the lowest rung.

Wexler continued:

“Discipline and following the chain of command are certainly important and necessary aspects of police training and operations. But when those elements become so pervasive that they overshadow almost everything else, it can undermine the academy’s mission, which is to prepare new police officers to serve and protect their communities with compassion and humanity.”

Researchers concluded the report by noting that American policing needs to re-imagine and retool recruit training.

They recommended that officials rethink how academies are operated and staffed, what the recruit curriculum contains, and how the training is delivered and by whom.

They also suggested authorities rethink how to use realitybased scenario training more broadly and effectively and how recruit training integrates with field training once recruits leave the academy.

“Re-imagining policing begins with tackling how police officers are taught. This report is a blueprint for fundamentally rethinking the current way we train new police officers – for dismantling the existing model and building a new approach,” Wexler asserted.

“The goals are ambitious and far-reaching. But we hope that if police agencies can attract those who possess the ‘right stuff,’ we can provide them with the kind of training that will take us into the future guided by a new way of

drug diversion prevention, investigate “suspicious” prescriptions before dispensing them and allow for site visits at pharmacy locations.

vices to those addicted to opioids.

“This settlement is another win in our ongoing fight to bring help and healing to California communities harmed by the opioid crisis,” said Bonta. “To all those struggling with substance abuse disorders, to all those desperately in need of treatment and recovery options -- help is on the way.”

Walgreens also has to satisfy court-ordered requirements to help prevent another substance abuse crisis from occurring again. The company agreed to create a program to train employees on

Walgreens also agreed to provide sales data from its distributor to drug manufacturers, in efforts to help identify and prevent times where prescription medicines are obtained illegally

Last month, Walmart also reached a multi-billion-dollar settlement agreement with state attorneys general to resolve a lawsuit with similar claims.

California is currently assessing settlement terms with CVS, another retail pharmacy chain that attorneys general alleged to have fueled the opioid crisis.

COMMENTARY: Blacks and Asians in Solidarity for Rev. Warnock

the known philanderer, abortion hypocrite, and alleged domestic abuser.

Shouldn’t have been that close.

As the count revealed, Warnock continually outdid himself in his key demographics, including AAPIs.

have spoken and said “a vote is a kind of prayer, for the world we desire for ourselves and for our children. Voting is faith put into action.”

He spoke about his MLK roots, John Lewis, and his own mother.

By Emil Guillermo

The news has moved on — but hold on. The big takeaway from the Georgia runoff between Rev. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker wasn’t just the Black voters in solidarity in Atlanta and its suburbs. In coalition with Black voters were Asian American Pacific Islanders.

In Georgia, we’re there. At an estimated 133,000 voters, we’re relatively small in number, but we can help coalitions win big politically. And what did Warnock win with in the end? About 105,000 votes. Almost the same as the number of Asians.

Shows you just what a precarious situation our country is in.

Walker, a handpicked Trump celebrity clone whom even Dave Chappelle has called “observably stupid,” should have lost by several hundred thousand votes, given all his negative qualities.

He should have been rejected as a viable candidate in the first place.

Walker lost by about 105,000 votes.

That’s all that separated Warnock, a pastor at MLK’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Walker,

Data from the AALDEF exit poll (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund) showed that AAPI support for Warnock grew from 60.1% in November to 78.1% in Dec. 6 runoff election.

And the AALDEF poll indicates AAPI voters were motivated in the runoff by healthcare issues and abortion access. Warnock needed us. We were part of the coalition of voters who made democracy work on Tuesday.

Walker managed to acquit himself by doing the non-Trumpy thing. He conceded. That should be a thing among Republicans, but since Trump, it hasn’t been.

And then Walker said, “I don’t want any of you to stop dreaming. I don’t want you to stop believing in America. I want you to believe in America and continue to believe in the Constitution and in our elected officials.”

It was a humbling thing you wouldn’t have seen from Walker’s mentor, Donald Trump, who was silent as the last of his big bets in the midterm elections crashed and burned. What a day for the twiceimpeached former president. On the day his company, the Trump Organization, was convicted of tax fraud, the last of his major hand-picked midterm candidates went down.

By comparison, Warnock showed why he was the night’s ultimate choice. He said the people

“She grew up in the 1950s in Waycross, Georgia, picking somebody else’s cotton, and somebody else’s tobacco. But tonight, she helped pick her youngest son to be a United States Senator.”

Warnock’s victory spoke of the journey all BIPOC communities have made to be part of this country and to enter into spaces where heretofore we would not have been welcome. Major Asian ethnic groups were systematically excluded in the U.S. starting with the Chinese in 1882.

We know the pain.

And AAPI felt Warnock had our back. If you’re going to win in a diverse America, you’d better not forget us. The Warnock blueprint? He made sure his message was translated in Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Korean.

In his election night speech, Warnock reassured constituents by saying, “I just want you to know I see you.”

And Warnock really did.

Maybe now so will others in the political realm. Because AAPIs were a big part of a coalition with Blacks and other Georgians that gave Democrats their 51st vote and a real working majority in the U.S. Senate.

Bay Area native Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator in radio, TV and newspapers who has worked in San Francisco and Washington, DC. His talk show is on www. amok.com

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

A new exhibition debuting next spring at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will celebrate Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther hero costume. “Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures,” opens on March 24, 2023.

“Investigating Afrofuturist expression through art, music, activism and more, this exhibition explores and reveals Afrofuturism’s historic and poignant engagement with African American history and popular culture,” Smithsonian officials wrote in a news release. ”

Through the 4,300-square-foot exhibition, visitors will view a variety of objects from Afrofuturism pioneers, including Octavia Butler’s typewriter, Nichelle Nichols’ Star Trek uniform and Nona Hendryx’s spacesuit-inspired costume worn while performing with LaBelle.

The exhibition also utilizes select objects to elevate stories that speak to Black liberation and social equality, such as Trayvon Martin’s flight suit from Experience Aviation, and his childhood dream of being an astronaut.

“Trayvon Martin’s flight suit tells the story of a dream of space flight ended tragically by earthbound violence,” said Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“We are honored to tell more of Trayvon’s story, exploring his love of flight and mechanics and his fondness for science and technology. Afrofuturism charts the joy of a rich, imagined future, often in the face of injustice.”

“Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures” will be on view in the museum’s Bank of America Special Exhibitions Gallery from March 24, 2023, through March 2024.

For more details about the new exhibition and to sign up for additional updates, visit the museum’s Afrofuturism website.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Recognizes California Statewide Convening on Poverty

Lee called 20 Million in California Living in Poverty a “Moral Disgrace”

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, recognized the Poor People’s Campaign California Statewide Convening on Poverty on the House Floor.

Congresswoman Lee, alongside Bishop William Barber of the Poor People’s Campaign, called the 20 million people living in Poverty in California a “moral disgrace,” and uplifted the launch of an initiative called “Close the Gap California.”

photo from the Black Black Star News

“Extreme poverty affects over 20 million people in California, this is a moral disgrace. We need the moral resolve to pass laws and policies that fully address interlocking injustices that have only deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This country was founded on the moral commitment to ensure domestic tranquility, promote general welfare, and secure liberty and justice for all. It’s time we realize a Third Reconstruction to build an equitable, thriving, and resilient economy from the bottom up. That’s why I’m calling on my colleagues to have the political will to extend the Child Tax Credit and enact other domestic policies

focused on addressing poverty in communities in California and across the country.

“I thank Bishop Barber and the Poor People’s Campaign for their consistent moral clarity and commitment to ensuring every community can live a life of dignity and prosperity. As Chair of the Majority Leader’s Poverty Task Force, I won’t stop fighting until we pass our legislation for a Third Reconstruction in Congress to tackle poverty, economic inequality, and racial injustice. This is a moral imperative.”

Congresswoman Lee is a sponsor of, H. Res. 438, the Third Reconstruction Resolution, which demands the U.S. fully address poverty and low wages from the bottom up. The proposal was introduced with Rep. Pramila Jayapal and co-chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign, Bishop Dr. William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis.

This resolution is a historic omnibus vision to summon the moral and political resolve of the nation to center the needs of the 140 million people who are poor, low-wealth and/or living one emergency away from economic ruin – and millions more since the pandemic – with moral laws and policies.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, recognized the Poor People’s Campaign California Statewide Convening on Poverty on the House Floor.

Smithsonian African American Museum Honors Chadwick Boseman in New Exhibit

Black Vendors Association Brings Holiday Creations, Crafts and Gifts

We

M. @egyptsia1@yahoo.comor @510- 395-3641: and/or MarvinX @ jmarvinX@yahoo.com or 510-575-7148.

By Marvin X,

Founder, Organizer, The Black Vendors Association (BVA), (Photos by Jim Dennis)

are happy to announce the Black Vendors Association is being organized to support North American African Street Vendors. Before leaving office, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB946 establishing rules for street vending statewide. He did so after protests by

30,000 Latino and Latina Vendors in Los Angeles. We thought it was about time for North American Africans to take advantage of SB946, so we received a generous grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to organize Black Street Vendors Association.

The BVA is supporting Black Vendors at Lake Marriott and recently subsidized Vendors at the African American Business Exchange

Kwanza Holiday Gift Show. BVA paid 50% of the booth fees for 20 Vendors and covered their insurance after they paid the nominal annual membership fee of $50.00. Members have also received mini-grants. BVA General Manager is Sister Egyptsia. For more information, please call Egyptsia

Damisha Wright, African Market

Desirae Rosgen, Spirituali-Tea

Letitia Moran, Youth Rising

Egyptsia Mcgillvery, President, BVA

Thomishion Booker, Hey Books

Left to Right – Stanley Hunt, Nathaniel Hatton, Ebony Hatton, and

Brittani Collins

Thomas Tuckerson, The Book Man

Business and Philanthropic Leaders Expand Commitment to Stimulate Minority Business Growth in Oakland

we live and work,” said Tony Tolentino, vice president of Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase.

“Through Entrepreneurs of Color Fund, Oakland small businesses will gain access to another source of capital and expanded technical assistance, contributing to their overall success.”

PCV will provide investments and loans to small and mid-size businesses that can be used to hire staff, buy equipment or vehicles, pay for renovations, or stock up on inventory.

Coronado Neighborhood Council Holiday Celebration

Walgreens Launches Free Paxlovid Delivery Services with DoorDash and Uber

By Christina Dello Buono

JPMorgan Chase announced Thursday that the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund (EOCF) program is expanding in Oakland to support diverse-led small businesses and accelerate their opportunities for growth.

Through a collective commitment of $2.5 million over two years, JPMorgan Chase and the Rockefeller Foundation are deepening the EOCF’s Bay Area footprint in Oakland, collaborating with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and several Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to help local entrepreneurs of color increase their access to capital, mentorship, and technical assistance.

These organizations are working together to support the expansion of the EOCF in Oakland where only 29% of all businesses in the Bay Area region are estimated to be owned by

People of Color, and are more vulnerable to COVID-19 impacts, according to a report by Asset Funders Network.

While the Chase Business Leader Outlook finds optimism on the rise among Black, Latino and Hispanic entrepreneurs about their company’s future, systemic barriers to accessing capital remains a challenge in Oakland and nationwide for minority business owners.

“Small businesses are critical to the health of our economy, and we want to provide underserved entrepreneurs with an opportunity to grow and make a difference in the communities where

“Breaking down barriers to access to capital for Black and Latino/a small business owners has the potential of generating almost $300B in new wealth,” said Gregory Johnson, managing director of the Economic Equity initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation.

“The Entrepreneurs of Color Fund is aiming to have a real impact on Oakland’s communities of color and The Rockefeller Foundation is proud to support this work as a part of our Rockefeller Foundation Opportunity Collective.”

The EOCF was originally launched in Detroit in 2015 with LISC, a network of CDFIs, and JPMorgan Chase, to bridge gaps that have historically constrained growth for diverse-led businesses.

The EOCF Oakland will provide additional capacity to CDFI partners ICA, Community Vision Capital and Consulting, ESO Ventures Inc. (ESO), and Pacific Community Ventures (PCV) to support entrepreneurs of color in Oakland and throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

“Strong communities need a diverse small business ecosystem that fuels local income and supports a good quality of life for residents,” noted Steve Hall, vice president at LISC. “EOCF helps bridge the unfair capital gap that entrepreneurs of color have long faced so they have the chance to build wealth, create jobs and contribute to the kind of vibrant economic infrastructure that positively impacts everything from housing to health.”

Through the EOCF Oakland, LISC, ICA, Community Vision Capital and Consulting, ESO and

Beyond providing capital, the CDFIs will also provide technical assistance and advice on a range of topics including marketing, merchandising, accounting, website design and maintenance, or licensing.

“At ICA we know that entrepreneurs have the power to transform communities and drive wealth-building opportunities. That’s why we’re thrilled to grow our collaboration with JPMorgan Chase and the ecosystem of partners to deploy investments from the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund to the many incredible Oakland founders in the ICA network,” said Allison Kelly, chief executive officer of ICA. “Funds specifically designated for People of Colorowned businesses are essential for overcoming systemic barriers and building an economy that works for all.”

“The capital we received through ICA and the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund Bay Area, was essential for helping grow Don Bugito, from opening a new farm to making critical hires,” said Monica Martinez, founder and CEO of Don Bugito. “I look forward to seeing what the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund can do for our incredible ecosystem of small business in Oakland now, too.”

To date, the EOCF has provided more than 2,100 loans and deployed more than $115 million in capital to Black, Latino, Hispanic and other underserved entrepreneurs in major areas such as the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Detroit, Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, Wash., D.C, and Newark.

Christina Dello Buono is vice president of communications, Northern California, for JPMorgan Chase & Co.

For the last three years, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coronado Neighborhood Council (CNC) has met at the park located at 18th Street and Virginia Avenue to decorate the tree that was planted for CNC by the City of Richmond.

This gathering would usually include decorating the tree with ornaments and candy canes, a gift exchange, and lunch including sandwiches, cookies, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and more.

This year was a little different. The weather forecast predicted a 100% chance of rain for most of the day, so CNC made the decision to wait for a clearer day to decorate the tree—but the party would still take place. The owners of Marty’s Grill, across the street from the Post Office and Kaiser Hospital at 1000 Nevin Ave., agreed to accommodate the council.

CNC chose a menu that included a chicken tender combo, a bacon cheeseburger combo or Beyond Meat burger combo. The food was delicious, and the service was even better.

In past years, CNC would invite a member of the Richmond City Council to join them and say a few words. This year, its first year after being divided into districts, District 3 invited its representative and also invited Cezar Cepeda from District 2.

The celebration started with Coronado Neighborhood Councilmember John Stewart giving thanks for the occasion and for the food. The celebration ended with Maxine Fisher, CNC event coordinator, facilitating the gift exchange game.

In partnership with DoorDash and Uber, last week Walgreens announced free delivery of Paxlovid, a COVID-19 oral antiviral therapy, directly to the doorsteps of those who need it.

With more than 8,000 Walgreens locations offering sameday delivery services, available to anyone who lives within 15 miles of participating Walgreens locations, the majority of Americans have access to this program, about 92% of the population.

This initiative is aimed at increasing access to COVID-19 treatment, with a focus on reaching those in socially vulnerable or medically underserved areas at a time when COVID-19 cases are beginning to rise again across the United States.

According to Walgreens COVID-19 Index data, overall positivity rates reached 36% this week. This steady rise in cases reinforces the critical need for access to lifesaving treatments.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health disparities and emphasized the need to address long-standing barriers, including access to treatments,” said Anita Patel, PharmD, vice president, pharmacy services development, Walgreens. “Our pharmacy teams will continue to play a trusted and essential role in helping to keep people protected from COVID-19, including getting people vaccinated, tested and treated as safely, equitably and effectively as possible.”

Eligible patients must have a Paxlovid prescription from a healthcare provider. After the pharmacy has filled the prescription and before it gets picked up, individuals can go online to select same day delivery by visiting Walgreens.com/PrescriptionDelivery, the Walgreens app or by calling their store.

This initiative is the latest offering in an ongoing collaboration between Walgreens, DoorDash and Uber to increase accessibility of life-saving treatments to medically underserved and underrepresented areas, following the companies’ response to the White House COVID-19 call to action to ensure a safe and healthy winter.

Certain health plans do not cover, or participate in, Same Day Rx Delivery. Check with your health plan for further details. Excludes California.

Same Day Prescription Delivery is available on eligible prescriptions only. Most prescription orders are available to be delivered to the patient’s home same day. Orders must be received by 4 p.m. to be eligible for Same Day Rx Delivery. Please note that while most prescriptions are expected to be delivered same day, some deliveries may not be eligible for delivery due to prescription type, delivery address, holidays, weather, or other delivery constraints.

Age-restricted items are not eligible for delivery. Other exclusions may apply. For details, visit our Help Center.

This initiative is the latest offering in an ongoing collaboration between Walgreens, DoorDash and Uber to increase accessibility of life-saving treatments to medically underserved and underrepresented areas, following the companies’ response to the White House COVID-19 call to action to ensure a safe and healthy winter.

Entrepreneurs of Color Fund to help drive inclusive growth and tackle racial wealth gap

Report on Economic Impact of Oakland A’s Howard Terminal Proposal

Continued from Page 1

The danger, however, is that once a final deal is completed, there would likely be a rush to pass it without looking at the details and economic analysis behind it.

The report was commissioned by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, which has significant concerns about the impact the proposed project would have on the survivability of the Oakland Port.

The report focused on three primary concerns with the A’ proposal:

• Revenue projections are overestimated;

• Direct cost projections are underestimated;

• Indirect, unanticipated, and often inconspicuous costs have not been accounted for. Summarizing her findings,

Continued from Page 1

savvy, institutional ambition and personal humility, a respect for enduring ideals, and a talent for catalyzing change. She has a bedrock commitment to free inquiry and expression, as well as a deep appreciation for the diverse voices and views that are the lifeblood of a university community.

“As her many admirers know, Claudine consults widely; she listens attentively; she thinks rigorously and imaginatively; she invites collaboration and resists complacency; and she acts with conviction and purpose,” continued Pritzker.

“All of us on the search committee are excited by the prospect of her bringing her high aspirations and interdisciplinary outlook across the Yard from University Hall to Massachusetts Hall. We are confident Claudine will be a thoughtful, principled, and inspiring president for all of Harvard, dedicated to helping each of our individual Schools to thrive, as well as fostering creative connections among them. She is someone intent on affirming the power of curiosity-driven learning. And she is someone eager to integrate and elevate Harvard’s efforts — throughout the arts and sciences and across the professions — to address complex challenges in the wider world.”

The Gazette reported that since 2018, Gay has served as the Edgerley Family Dean of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), the University’s largest and most academically diverse faculty,

Agha said, “Both the team and the City have made a lot of assumptions in designing the financing framework for this project, all of which put the City and taxpayers at greater risk down the line.

“A close look at the available information reveals that the project requires a historically large and growing public subsidy to be financially feasible. Publicly funded stadiums typically don’t pay off, and this one is unlikely to be any different.”

To read the full report, go to: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/oaklandstadiumalliance/pages/109/attachments/original/1664404798/ Evaluation_of_the_revenues_ costs_and_impacts_of_Howard_Terminal_-_Sept_21_2022. pdf?1664404798

spanning the biological and physical sciences and engineering, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts. As dean, she has guided efforts to expand student access and opportunity, spur excellence and innovation in teaching and research, enhance aspects of academic culture, and bring new emphasis and energy to areas such as quantum science and engineering; climate change; ethnicity, indigeneity, and migration; and the humanities. She has successfully led FAS through the COVID pandemic, consistently and effectively prioritizing the dual goals of safeguarding community health and sustaining academic continuity and progress.

The disruptive effects of the crisis notwithstanding, the school newspaper reported that she has also launched and led an ambitious, inclusive, and faculty-driven strategic planning process, intended to take a fresh look at fundamental aspects of academic structures, resources, and operations in FAS and to advance academic excellence in the years ahead.

“I am humbled by the confidence that the governing boards have placed in me and by the prospect of succeeding President Bacow in leading this remarkable institution,” Gay stated.

“It has been a privilege to work with Larry over the last five years. He has shown me that leadership isn’t about one person. It’s about all of us, moving forward together, and that’s a lesson I take with me into this next journey.”

White Teacher Fired After Telling Students His Race Was ‘Superior’

Continued from Page 1

he just said he is racist, the teacher said, “I did. I did. If I’m going to be honest with you.”

In a statement released on Nov. 14, Pflugerville ISD Superintendent Dr. Douglas Killian said that the teacher “is no longer employed” by the district and that the district “is actively looking for a replacement.”

Killian acknowledged that the incident “has prompted local and national media attention” and issued an apology to “any parents whose students have been included in the video without their knowledge.”

The full statement from Dr. Killian is below:

“Last Friday, Nov. 11, Pflugerville ISD officials were made aware of an inappropriate conversation a teacher at Bohls Middle School had with students during an advisory class. As of Monday morning, Nov. 14, the teacher in question is no longer employed by Pflugerville ISD and we are actively looking for a replacement.

In addition to providing this video to our administrators, the video was shared on social media by some in the class and has prompted local and national media attention. We apologize to any parents whose students have been included in the video without their knowledge.

We want to reiterate that this conversation does not align with our core beliefs and is not a reflection of our district or our culture at Bohls Middle School. Pflugerville ISD and Bohls MS staff work together to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our students. The advisory discussion was inappropriate, inaccurate, and unacceptable; and this type of interaction will not be tolerated in any PfISD schools.

We apologize to our students and families at Bohls Middle School for the undue stress or concern this has caused. We have counselors and administrators available for any of our students and families who want to discuss this situation further.

We always do our best to ensure the safety of all students; we encourage them to be self-advocates and let an adult know when something is wrong, as they did in this situation. If you see something, say something.

As always, we appreciate the support of our Bohls Middle School families and entire PfISD community.

We always do our best to ensure the safety of all students; we encourage them to be self-advocates and let an adult know when something is wrong, as they did in this situation; this could be to a parent, a teacher, or a counselor. If you see something, say something. We apologize for any undue stress or concern this has caused. As always, we appreciate the support of our families and community.

This article originally appeared in The Houston Defender.

Public Bank for Oakland, East Bay

Continued from Page 1 lic bank comes from the failing business model of many corporate banks that handle the vast majority of public funds in the East Bay and around the country which have consistently prioritized profits and serving the well-connected over community needs.

The biggest example of the failure of corporate banks is the Great Recession of 2008 when many banks engaged in predatory foreclosures and destabilized. But the Bank of North Dakota, the nation’s oldest public bank, was able to withstand the chaotic market trend while growing their fund and continuing to provide small business and student loans as well as economic and workforce development funds.

As reported in their mission statement, the vision for the Public Bank East Bay is to: “invest public monies from participating governmental agencies to meet the needs of local communities.

“PBEB will seek to return a reasonable, but not excessive, profit to its stakeholders by making economically sustainable loans and providing a high level of service to its partners and stakeholders.

“It will adhere to the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, and will prioritize environmentally regenerative, culturally equitable and participatory practices that reverse discrimination against members of economically and socially marginalized communities.”

The Council will consider the item on Dec. 20, 2022, City Council meeting.

Community Mobilizes to Save Holy Names University for Students and Future Students

Continued from Page 1

By Stan Popovich Houston Forward Times Contributor

Do you struggle with your mental health and have a difficult time in getting the people you know to be more understanding?

In some cases, your colleagues might give you a hard time regarding your anxieties and depression.

As a result, here are seven suggestions on how to deal with the people you know regarding your mental health issues:

sence, and Sister Carol Sellman, long-time HNU administrator, has taken over as “Senior Administrator.”

Steps are already being taken to mobilize support for HNU. Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife and Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan have introduced a resolution, scheduled to be heard by the City Council at its December 20 meeting, “Recognizing The Enormous Importance of Holy Names University to the Oakland Community and Urging the University’s Administration to Work Collaboratively with Faculty, Staff, Students, Elected Officials, and Community Partners to Resolve the Issues Facing the Institution with the Goal and Intention of Maintaining It as an Independent Institution.”

Aniya Bankston, head of the HNU Black Student Union (BSU), and a second-year prenursing student, said she had some idea of the problems at HNU over the past few months but that there was a lack of transparency that left most students feeling insecure about what is happening at the institution.

“If I weren’t in the BSU and student government, I would feel blindsided,” explaining that many students are fearing that Holy Names was on the verge of moving or shutting down, she said.

1. Listen to the professionals and not your friends: Your peers may mean well, but when it comes down to it, the professionals are aware of your circumstances more than anyone. A counselor knows what you are going through and can help you deal with your problems. When you have questions about your mental health, consult with a therapist.

2. Don’t argue with others: It is important that you do not get into arguments with those who are giving you a rough time. Your number one priority is to get relief from your anxieties. It is not your job to worry about how others may view your circumstances. Your health is more important than what other people may think.

3. Your goal is to get better: Concentrate on how you can face your fears and anxieties. Don’t waste your time arguing with your colleagues who are giving you a difficult time. This isn’t a public relations event where you need to get approval from everyone. This is your life, and you are the one suffering. Your main focus is to get better.

Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein speaking at the 2022 General Assembly, Jewish Federations’ annual gathering. Jewish Federations of North America photo.

By Solomon O. Smith California Black Media

Hanukkah, one of the most visible holidays of the Jewish faith, is right around the corner.

As much as the public may be aware of Hanukkah, many Californians don’t understand the basics of this holiday, which will be celebrated by millions around the world for eight days beginning the evening of Sunday, Dec. 18 and ending the evening of Monday, Dec. 26.

Origins of Hanukkah

Hanukkah began with a war and a miracle, according to Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein, a rabbinic scholar and Black Jewish leader in the Jewish Equity, Diversity & Inclusion program of the Jewish Federation of North America, or JEDI.

It marks the freeing of Judea by the Jewish freedom fighters called the Maccabee over the Assyrian-

Greek occupiers more than 2,300 years ago. After recapturing the Holy Temple in Jerusalem which had been desecrated by the occupiers, the freedom fighters searched for oil to light the Temple menorah as part of the rededication of the temple. They found a single day’s worth of fuel, but it miraculously burned for eight days before being resupplied.

“So, there’s a combination of things in the holiday, which is really celebrating that the oil lasted longer, and also the war of the few against the many,” said Rothstein “And then, the over the last 15 or 20 years, many other themes have come into being, like light over darkness.”

By man, the holiday is referred to as the “festival of lights” and is celebrated on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. Because the Hebrew calendar follows the lunar

cycle, the dates of Jewish holidays change from year to year according to the Gregorian calendar. As a result, the beginning of Hanukkah can range from late November to late December.

Although often compared to Christmas, Hanukkah is not one of the High Jewish Holidays, which are considered more core to the belief system. Hanukkah is closer to Thanksgiving in tone. It celebrates the rededication of oneself to God, the faith, and family. The Celebration

The most visual part of the holiday is the lighting of the Hanukkah menorah, or “hanukkiah” in Hebrew. It holds eight candles, one for each day of the festival, and a helper candle or “shamash,” in the center which is used to light the others. It can be made of a wide range of materials and has become a symbol of the faith.

Many communities have large communal hanukkiah which are lit as part of an inclusive celebration. Washington, D.C. has a National Menorah and lighting

By Richard Johnson

It goes without saying that this is a season for giving from the heart and the pocketbook. As we start the new year, it is important to lay a foundation of giving back and lending a hand where it is much needed.

Once again, Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back (FIGB) is in collaboration with Mistah F.A.B. and his endeavors in the community. We will be passing out gifts for the children and essentials for those in need.

We must be mindful to give as much as we can in hopes of meeting the needs of others. We are constantly bombarded with images of hungry children and the lack of basic jobs and mental health services, but we should never allow the social ills to dim our spirit in giving back into the community.

Granted, these are very extreme and hard times, but it requires that we help and serve our community to the fullest of our capabilities.

Our kids deserve good, positive memories that enrich their recollection of good times.

To make sure this happens, African American Sports Entertainment Group (AASEG), Oakland Post News Group and FIGB is collaborating with Mistah F.A.B. in this annual giveaway.

The event will be held on Dec. 23, 2022, at 45th and Market Street at 12 noon.

Each child will receive their gift individually and we want to memorialize the moment with a photo.

For those who enjoy the spirit of giving, you can contribute to the event by donating toys, or if you have questions, please call Richard at 925-481-0496.

Above all, we want to bring joy to our children and to our community.

Yours truly, Richard Johnson

She said that she and some other students are willing to do what they can to support the survival of Holy Names during this difficult time, though many are worried about their educational futures and are busy filling out applications and exploring ways to transition to other educational opportunities.

Paul Cobb, publisher of the Oakland Post, who was awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from HNU, spoke to Borg and Groener about presenting some financial solutions and a plan to keep the HNU programs in Oakland adjacent to Golden Gate Academy where Cobb graduated.

Cobb said he will meet with the students, the governing group of sisters and the faculty members to present plans to bring investors to the campus. He also said he has received inquiries about possible city, county and national non-profit institutes seeking to support, create a joint venture or bring an Historic Black College Campus to that site.

“I want to reassure the sisters that the university’s spirit and mission of student involvement in Tutwiler, Miss., would be maintained by partnering with a Black university,” he said. “We could also involve the Peter Claver Society and others to seek the sisters’ support for the educational endowment’s continuous commitment to diversity since HNU’s student mix is nearly two-thirds Black and Brown. I am hopeful and look forward to meeting with the students. When I was the commencement speaker, I challenged the students to continue the struggle to keep HNU the most diverse college in America.”

4. Tell your friends to learn about your situation: Explain to your peers that the best way for them to help you is to learn about your mental health issues. They could talk to a counselor, read some good books, or join a support group to better understand your situation. If your friends won’t make an effort, then stay away from them because they will only make things worse.

5. Distance yourself from those who give you a difficult time: Distance yourself from those who won’t make an effort to help understand what you are going through. You need to surround yourself with positive and supportive people. If you have problems or issues with a particular person, you can always ask a counselor for advice.

6. You are not alone: It can be very frustrating to manage your fear-related issues when the people you know are on your case. Remember, you are not alone. There are millions of people around the world who struggle with their fears, anxieties, and depression. The key is to find those people who can relate to you through various organizations in your area.

7. Join a local mental health support group: There are many mental health awareness support groups in your area. Many hospitals, churches, and counselors in your area will be able to provide you with a list of these organizations. These groups will be aware of your situation and can give you additional advice regarding your problems. In addition, talk to a professional who can help relieve your depression and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with suggestions and insights on how to deal with your current problem.

Stan Popovich is the author of the popular managing fear book, “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear.” For more information about Stan’s book and to get some more free mental health advice, please visit Stan’s website at http://www. managingfear.com.

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When

Friends Do Not Understand Your Mental Health

Joy to the Community’s Kids: Bringing Blessings and Best Wishes!

Continued at postnewsgrop.com