Oakland Post
By Ken Epstein
“I stand before you today filled with excitement, optimism, and humility – for today marks a new chapter for our beloved Oakland,” said Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, speaking at her first press conference after she won the April 15 special election for mayor of the city.
“While we must respect the continued process of ballot-counting, the results are clear that the people of Oakland have elected me as their next mayor. Thank you, Oakland!” she said, speaking at the offices of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, which was packed with representatives of the media and Lee’s supporters.
Lee pledged she will “govern with the same leadership I’ve enga-
leased by the Alameda County Registrar of Voters, Lee won the race outright, coming in first in a field of 10 candidates. In the low-turnout election, Lee won 47,045 votes (50.06%), while second-place Loren Taylor received 42,276 votes (44.99%).
With the addition of Instant Runoff, Ranked Choice ballots added to the totals, Lee won 52.69% of the vote, compared with Taylor’s 47.31%. Lee beat Taylor by about 5,000 votes.
ged in my entire career: with transparency, integrity, and accountability; with unwavering focus on results you expect and deserve;
By Kate Eaneman
Special to The Post
When staff at the Women’s Cancer Resource Center started a fundraiser in 1995, they weren’t trying to create a high-profile event. They just wanted something meaningful: something that could bring people together to raise funds for East Bay women facing cancer.
They called it the Swim A Mile for Women with Cancer. There were no rankings, no competition, no stopwatch at the end of the lane. Just people swimming a mile at
their own pace in honor or memory of someone they cared about, and raising what they could to support WCRC’s work. In the years since, the event has shifted and stretched. It’s been held at several pools across the East Bay, including Holy Names and its current home at Northeastern University in Oakland, formerly Mills College. For a few years, a second swim was held in Marin. And in 2020, the event changed again — this time, out of necessity. With the pandemic forcing large gatherings to stop. It also
with an ability to bring together people who do not always agree but believe in a better Oakland.”
In the latest election results re-
According to reports last week, there were about 1,000 votes left to count, and a final official update on election results was scheduled to be released on Friday, April 25.
“I will be a hands-on mayor who
By Post Staff
The Oakland Unified School District announced this week that Supt. Kyla Johnson-Trammell will leave her position on July 1 after
62nd Year, No. 17
serving for eight years.
In closed session on Wednesday evening, the school board approved a voluntary separation agreement by a 4-3 vote, said Board President Jennifer Brouhard. The board will begin searching immediately for an interim superintendent who will start on July 1. Johnson-Trammell will continue as superintendent emeritus from July 1 to Jan. 15, 2026, to help with the transition, according to a joint statement released by JohnsonTrammell and the Board. In a personal statement to the community, Johnson-Trammell said:
The Free Mumia Speaking Tour Is
By Carla Thomas
PART 3
By Magaly Muñoz
In Oakland, the local investment is low.
In the last year, the city has cut grants to nonprofits like Meals on Wheels, which serves 3,000 hungry seniors, and Street Level Health Project, which provides groceries and meals to undocumented day laborers. Tax measures, like the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax, were intended to help decrease the food and health crisis but are also
not being managed in the way Oakland residents voted for, according to community leaders and advisory board members. The majority of the tax money is going towards funding city agencies.
The Oakland Post contacted city and county officials several times for comment but did not get a response.
Across the Bay, San Francisco is investing millions of dollars to address food insecurity through a pilot program that establishes free
For over 43 years, American journalist, political activist and bestselling author Mumia Abu Jamal has been incarcerated and remains on death row at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Mahanoy in Frackville, Pennsylvania.
As a teen journalist and member of the Black Panther Party, he was shot by police, beaten up, and framed for the death of a police officer in 1982. Public outcry and support have been consistent throughout the decades.
Now, his family, supporters, and legal team have launched
the Free Mumia Speaking Tour featuring his first-born son, Jamal Ibn Mumia, as well as his former attorney Rachel Wolkenstein, who has done extensive work on his case. The tour comes to Northern California from April 21-25 during what his supporters have designated Mumia Week. In 1982, Abu Jamal was convicted for the first-degree murder of a Philadelphia police officer and sentenced to death row. The inconsistencies and inaccuracies surrounding the case and trial have led many to believe Mumia is innocent and was targeted because of his political
Part 1
By Tanya Dennis
In September of 2015, The Post’s administrative assistant, Maxine Ussery, contacted this reporter regarding her family’s probate case that had been in the probate system since 2003. Reviewing Ussery’s case serves a dual purpose in why probate court should be avoided for settling estate issues.
The Ussery case is the personification of everything wrong with the probate court system, exemplifying how corruption, malfeasance, and fraudulent tactics are used by probate judges, attorneys and conservators for self-enrichment under the color of law. The
Ussery case is a warning to those considering going to probate court for resolution.
In 2002, Ananias Willis passed his $5.2 million property estate, including $390,000 in cash, to his five children. Willis had a will and a trust, and his wishes were clear: that the estate be managed equally between the five siblings, and any decision regarding cash would be made by at least three out of five of the beneficiaries. One sister disagreed, and demanded the estate go through probate. Fourteen years later, when their case ended in 2017, Willis’ $5.2 million in property had been sold to pay attorney and court fees and the
American journalist, political activist and author Mumia Abu Jamal with his son Jamal Ibn Mumia. Photo courtesy of Jamal Ibn Mumia
Supporters of the Swim A Mile | Move A Mile campaign from 2023. Courtesy photo.
Zakiya Jendayi was appointed sole beneficiary of Laura Dean Head’s estate by Dr. Head. Head’s
Kyla Johnson-Trammell.
photo.
AI is Reshaping Black Healthcare: Promise, Peril, and the Push for Improved Results in California
and executive director.
Judy Wawira Gichoya, MD, MS, is
radiologist, Dr. Gichoya’s work is centered around using data science to study health equity. Photo provided by the Emory University Winship Cancer Institute.
By Joe W. Bowers Jr. California Black Media
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
is changing how Californians receive medical care — diagnosing diseases, predicting patient needs, streamlining treatments, and even generating medical notes for doctors.
While AI holds promise, it also poses risks, particularly for Black patients. It can provide faster diagnoses and expand access to care, but it may also misdiagnose conditions, delay treatment, or overlook patient’s critical needs.
AI’s impact on Black patients depends on how biases in medical data and algorithms are addressed in its development.
“As we progress toward a society with increased use of AI technology, it is critical that the biases and stereotypes that Black Americans have faced are not perpetuated in our future innovations," said Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson (D - San Diego), a physician and state senator spearheading legislative efforts to address AI bias in healthcare.
Why AI Matters for Black Californians
Black Californians experience some of the worst health outcomes in the state due to systemic inequities, limited healthcare access, and exclusion from medical research. More than 16% of Black
adults report fair or poor health, versus 11.5% of Whites. Black adults have the highest death rates from prostate, breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. Statewide, diabetes affects 13.6% of Black adults versus 9.1% of Whites, and 27% of Black adults over 65 have heart disease, compared to 22% of Whites. Life expectancy for Black Californians is about five years shorter than the state average.
Benefits and Risks of AI in Healthcare AI processes vast amounts of medical data using computer algorithms designed to identify patient health patterns, helping doctors to diagnose diseases, recommend treatment, and increase patient care efficiency. By analyzing scans, lab results, and patient history, AI can detect diseases earlier, giving it the potential to improve care for Black patients, who face higher risks of prostate cancer, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.
Dr. Judy Gichoya, an interventional radiologist at the Emory University Winship Cancer Institute and AI researcher at Emory’s Healthcare AI Innovation and Translational Informatics (HITI) Lab, sees AI as a tool with great potential but cautions that its effectiveness depends on the diversity of the data it is trained on. She says, “Without diverse
Four Bills Focus on
Compensation for Descendants of
People ESSAY: Technology and Medicine, a Primary Care Point of View
By Dr. Adia Scrubb Special to California Black Media Partners
Technology has enhanced communication between medical professionals and patients; improved patient care management; and eased access to care and information, benefiting both patients and medical clinicians.
But despite the ease and many conveniences these patient care improvements have ushered in, adequate patient care still includes physician supervision, examinations, and interaction, which present challenges for keeping up with demands on the healthcare system and accurate patient education.
Technology has made more educational resources available at our fingertips, and it has created independence for those who want to know more about their bodies.
The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, restricted millions of people to their homes which required reliance on the internet for communication and information. Personal internet searches became essential to understanding information about COVID, human physiology, symptoms, and keeping up with vaccine updates. However, this increase in independent online research resulted in people accessing more misinformation circulating on the internet. This posed a challenge for medical providers trying to treat patients according to research-based guidelines. With
so much information within reach, it was difficult for providers to help their patients distinguish between legitimate evidence-based sources and opinion, speculation and fabrication.
Nowadays, patients continuously arm themselves with medical information and challenge clinicians with the research they gather from internet sources in an effort to advocate for themselves and their care. This often leaves medical professionals with the complex task of navigating challenging discussions, pointing patients to validated and verified medical information, and following evidence-based medical guidelines for treatment.
Reviewing information before an appointment can certainly make an office visit much more productive, but it is important to acknowledge the possible bias and limitations of internet searches. Consideration of the author, source, and date of the information may help determine its validity.
Furthermore, simply asking medical professionals for their preferred patient information resources will direct patients to safe and validated information that is in line with standards of care practices. This can help patients better understand the recommendations from their doctors and streamline their internet searches.
Access to individual online medical record information
Edward Henderson California Black Media
Last week, California Black Media (CBM) provided an update on four bills in the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) 2025 Road to Repair package.
The 16 bills in the Black Caucus’s 2025 “Road to Repair” package focus on “repairing the generational harms caused by the cruel treatment of African American slaves in the United States and decades of systemic deprivation and injustice inflicted upon Black Californians,” said the CLBC in a release.
This week, CBM examines four more bills in the package — each offering ways for Black Californians to receive restitution for past injustices — from housing assistance and reclamation of loss property to fairer pay and the establishment of a state agency charged with determining eligibility for reparations.
Here are summaries of these bills, information about their authors, and updates on how far each one has advanced in the legislative process.
Assembly Bill (AB) 57
AB 57, introduced by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (DInglewood), would require that at least 10% of the monies in the state’s home purchase assistance fund be made available to applicants who meet the requirements for a loan under the home purchase assistance program and are descendants of formerly enslaved people.
The Assembly Judiciary Committee is currently reviewing the legislation.
Assembly Bill (AB) 62 AB 62, also introduced by McKinnor, would require the Office of Legal Affairs, to review, investigate, and make certain determinations regarding applications from people who claim they are the dispossessed owner of property seized from them because of racially motivated eminent domain. The bill would define “racially motivated eminent domain” to mean when the state acquires private property for public use and does not provide just compensation to the owner due in whole, or in part, to the owner’s race.
AB 62 is currently under review in the Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill (SB) 464
SB 464, introduced by Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), aims to strengthen the existing civil rights laws in California concerning employer pay data reporting. The bill mandates that private employers with 100 or more employees submit annual pay data reports to the Civil Rights Department. These reports must include detailed demographic information — including race, ethnicity, sex, and sexual orientation — pertaining to their workforce distribution and compensation across different job categories. Furthermore, beginning in 2027, public employers will also be required to comply with these reporting requirements.
Continued on page 7
Dr. Adia Scrubb Photo provided by California Black Media..
(Left to right:) Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson. CBM file photo. Dr. Timnit Gebru is DAIR’s founder
Photo courtesy of Dr. Gebru.
an associate professor in the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Gichoya serves as co-director in leading the Healthcare AI Innovation and Translational Informatics (HITI) Lab. Trained as both an informatician and an interventional
Adult Day Program
Dedicated staff needed to work with individuals with developmental disabilities in communitybased settings, or environments. Qualifications: High school or equivalent. Driver’s license. Dependable and efficient. Background check. Physical exam and TB test. Training available. Decent wages. Please call (510) 690-9570.
BOOK REVIEW:
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Author: Bridgett M. Davis, c.2025, Harper, $29.99, 367 Pages
Take care.
Do it because you want to stay well, upright, and away from illness. Eat right, swallow your vitamins and hydrate, keep good habits and hygiene, and cross your fingers. Take care as much as you can because, as in the new book, “Love, Rita” by Bridgett M. Davis, your well-being is sometimes out of your hands.
It was a family story told often: when Davis was born, her sister, Rita, then 4 years old, stormed up to her crying newborn sibling and said, ‘Shut your … mouth!’ Rita, says Davis, didn’t want a
little sister then. She already had two big sisters and a neighbor who was somewhat of a “sister,” and this baby was an irritation. As Davis grew, the feeling was mutual, although she always knew that Rita loved her.
Over the years, the sisters tried many times not to fight — on their own and at the urging of their mother — and though division was ever present, it eased when Rita went to college. Davis was still in high school then, and she admired her big sister.
She eagerly devoured frequent letters sent to her in the mail, signed, “Love, Rita.”
When Davis was in college herself, Rita was diagnosed with
lupus, a disease of the immune system that often left her constantly tired and sore. Davis was a bit unfazed, but sympathetic to Rita’s suffering and also annoyed that the disease sometimes came between them. By that time, they needed one another more than ever.
MacArthur Fellow Dorothy Roberts’ Advocates Restructure of Child Welfare System
erts is excerpted from the MacArthur Fellows web site.
A graduate of Yale University with a law degree from Harvard, Dorothy Roberts is a legal scholar and public policy researcher exposing racial inequities embedded within health and social service systems.
Asm. Corey Jackson Proposes Safe Parking for Homeless College Students Sleeping in Cars
Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty 1997)”, she
nied agency to Black women and
First, they lost their father. Drugs then invaded the family and addiction stole two siblings. A sister and a young nephew were murdered in a domestic violence incident. Their mother was devastated; Rita’s lupus was an “added weight of her sorrow.”
Sine 2012, she has been a professor of Law and Sociology, and on the faculty in the department of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
After their mother died of colon cancer, Rita’s lupus took a turn for the worse.
“Did she even stand a chance?” Davis wrote in her journal.
“It just didn’t seem possible that she, someone so full of life, could die.”
Roberts’s work encompasses reproductive health, bioethics, and child welfare. She sheds light on systemic inequities, amplifies the voices of those directly affected, and boldly calls for wholesale transformation of existing systems.
Let’s start here: once you get past the prologue in “Love, Rita,” you may lose interest. Maybe.
Roberts’s early work focused on Black women’s reproductive rights and their fight for reproductive justice. In “Killing the Black
Most of the stories that author Bridgett M. Davis shares are mildly interesting, nothing rare, mostly commonplace tales of growing up in the 1960s and ’70s with a sibling. There are a lot of these kinds of stories, and they tend to generally melt together. After about fifty pages of them, you might start to think about putting the book aside.
But don’t. Not quite yet.
In between those everyday tales, Davis occasionally writes about being an ailing Black woman in America, the incorrect assumptions made by doctors, the history of medical treatment for Black people (women in particular), attitudes, and mythologies. Those passages are nowand-then, interspersed, but worth scanning for.
This book is perhaps best for anyone with the patience for a slow-paced memoir, or anyone who loves a Black woman who’s ill or might be ill someday. If that’s you and you can read between the lines, then “Love, Rita” is a book to take in carefully.
This work prompted Roberts to examine the treatment of children of color in the U.S. child welfare
By Bo Tefu California Black Media
fering a stark but practical solution aimed at immediate relief.
state intervention and the results of those interventions.
Through interviews with Chicago mothers who had interacted with Child Protective Services (CPS), Roberts shows that institutions regularly punish the effects of poverty as neglect.
CPS disproportionately investigates Black and Indigenous families, especially if they are lowincome, and children from these families are much more likely than white children to be removed from their families after CPS referral.
After nearly two decades of research and advocacy work alongside parents, social workers, family defense lawyers, and organizations, Roberts has concluded that the current child welfare system is in fact a system of family policing with alarmingly unequal practices and outcomes. Her 2001 book, “Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare,” details the outsized role that race and class play in determining who is subject to
Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), is the author of AB 90, which would require community colleges and California State University campuses to create overnight parking programs where students can sleep safely in their vehicles. With 1 in 4 community college students in California experiencing homelessness in the past year, Jackson says the state must act urgently.
As California’s housing crisis continues to impact students, new legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 90, promises to allow college students without stable housing to sleep in their cars on campus, of-
“This just deals with the harsh realities that we find ourselves in,” he said at a recent hearing.
In “Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families—and How Abolition Can Build a Safer World (2022),” Roberts traces the historical, cultural, and political forces driving the racial and class imbalance in child welfare interventions.
These include stereotypes about Black parents as negligent, devaluation of Black family bonds, and stigmatization of parenting practices that fall outside a narrow set
The bill passed its first committee vote and is gaining attention as housing affordability remains a top concern across the state. California rents are more than 30% above the national average, and long waitlists for student housing have left thousands in limbo. CSU
reported more than 4,000 students on its housing waitlist last year.
of norms.
Supporters stress that the bill is not a long-term solution, but a humane step toward helping students who have no other place to go. A successful pilot program at Long Beach City College has already shown that safe, supervised overnight parking can work, giving students access to restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a secure environment.
She also shows that blaming marginalized individuals for structural problems, while ignoring the historical roots of economic and social inequality, fails families and communities.
Roberts argues that the engrained oppressive features of the current system render it beyond repair. She calls for creating an entirely new approach focused on supporting families rather than punishing them.
Her support for dismantling the current system of child welfare is unsettling to some, but her provocation inspires many to think more critically about its poor track record and harmful design.
However, the CSU and community college systems oppose the bill, citing funding concerns. Critics also worry about safety and oversight. But Jackson and student advocates argue the crisis demands bold action.
“If we know students are already sleeping in their cars, why not help them do it safely?” said Ivan Hernandez, president of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.
By uncovering the complex forces underlying social systems and institutions, and uplifting the experiences of people caught up in them, Roberts creates opportunities to imagine and build more equitable and responsive ways to ensure child and family safety.
a five-year period to spend as they
min, Jericho Brown, Tony Cokes,
olds, and Dorothy Roberts. This is the eighth and last in the series highlighting the Black awardees.
Assemblymember Corey Jackson. File photo.
Love Rita Book Cover. Courtesy of Harper.
Public Notices, Classifieds & Business
datasets, AI could overlook critical signs of diseases, especially in underrepresented populations like Black patients.”
Dr. Timnit Gebru, a computer scientist and AI ethics expert, is the founder and executive director of DAIR (Distributed AI Research Institute) in Oakland. She has extensively studied bias in AI systems and their impact on marginalized groups.
Gebru acknowledges that AI has the potential to improve healthcare by enhancing efficiency and expanding access to medical resources. But, like Gichoya, she strongly stresses that for AI to be effective and equitable it needs to be subject to rigorous oversight.
AI is already helping doctors personalize cancer treatment by identifying biomarkers and genetic mutations. UCSF and Stanford Health use AI to analyze tumor DNA to match patients with the most effective chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
In diabetes care, AI predicts blood sugar fluctuations, helping doctors adjust treatment. It helps radiologists in early disease detection and identifies sepsis sooner, reducing hospital deaths. In cardiology, AI detects early signs of heart disease, spotting plaque buildup or abnormal heart rhythms before symptoms appear. It also helps predict strokes by analyzing brain scans to determine risk and guide intervention.
Kaiser Permanente uses AI scribes to reduce paperwork and
improve patient interactions. Covered California has partnered with Google Cloud to use AI to streamline document verification and eligibility decisions.
Despite these advancements, AI systems trained on biased medical data can perpetuate inequities for Black patients.
Gebru explains, “If AI learns from historically discriminatory medical decisions—such as undertreating Black patients—it will scale those biases.”
A notable example is in dermatology, where AI frequently misdiagnoses conditions in Black patients because most training datasets are based on lighterskinned individuals. "Melanoma looks very different on darker skin,” Gebru notes. “It's not just darker—it often appears differently, like under toenails, a pattern AI trained mostly on lighter skin won’t detect."
Another risk of AI in healthcare is automation bias, where healthcare providers over-rely on AI, even when it contradicts medical expertise. "Doctors who would have prescribed medications accurately without AI sometimes make mistakes while using automated tools because they overtrust these systems," Gebru adds.
AI-driven health insurance claim denials are a growing concern. UnitedHealthcare faces a class-action lawsuit for allegedly using an unregulated AI algorithm to deny rehabilitation coverage to elderly and disabled patients.
Beyond bias, AI also poses an environmental threat. AI systems require enormous amounts of energy for computing and massive
amounts of water to cool data centers, which exacerbates climate change, an issue that already disproportionately impacts Black communities.
Trump Administration and DEI Impact
The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) threatens funding for AI bias research in healthcare.
Less federal support could stall progress in making AI systems fairer and more accurate, increasing discrimination risks for Black patients.
California’s Legislative and Regulatory Response
Recognizing AI’s risks in healthcare, California lawmakers and state officials are implementing regulations. Weber Pierson introduced Senate Bill (SB) 503 to ensure that AI algorithms used in healthcare are tested for racial bias before implementation.
“We’ve already seen how biased medical devices like pulse oximeters can fail Black patients,” Weber Pierson explains. “If algorithms used in patient care aren't inclusive, they're not going to accurately serve melanated individuals.”
At a press conference introducing SB 503, Weber Pierson stressed that AI must be held accountable. "This bill focuses on ensuring that software used as an accessory to healthcare staff delivers sound, nondiscriminatory decisions that promote equitable outcomes.”
Other legislative efforts include Senate Bill (SB) 1120, by Sen. Josh
California Rideshare Drivers and Supporters Step Up Push to Unionize
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
On July 5, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into federal law the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Also known as the “Wagner Act,” the law paved the way for employees to have “the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations,” and “to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, according to the legislation’s language.
Today in California, over 600,000 rideshare drivers want the ability to form or join unions for the sole purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid and protection. It’s a right, and recently at the State Capitol, a large num-
ber of people, including some rideshare drivers and others working in the gig economy, reaffirmed that they want to exercise it.
On April 8, the rideshare drivers held a rally with lawmakers to
garner support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1340, the “Transportation Network Company Drivers (TNC) Labor Relations Act.”
Authored by Assemblymem-
Becker (D-Menlo Park), which stops insurance companies from using AI alone to deny or delay care and Assembly Bill (AB) 3030, by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier), which requires healthcare providers to inform patients when AI is used in their care.
Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a legal advisory barring AI from unfairly denying healthcare claims, falsifying records, or restricting access to care based on medical history. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2023 executive order directs state agencies to assess AI’s impact and establish consumer protections, particularly in healthcare.
Actions Black Patients and Families Can Take
As AI becomes more common in healthcare, Black Californians can ensure fair treatment by asking
if AI is used, seeking second opinions, and supporting groups addressing algorithmic bias. They can:
• Ask their healthcare providers whether AI played a role in their diagnosis or treatment.
• Request second opinions if an AI-generated diagnosis seems questionable.
• Advocate for AI policies and legislation promoting fairness and accountability.
• Engage with community health organizations like the California Black Health Network (CBHN) that is engaged in ensuring AI is developed in ways to improve health outcomes for Black patients.
Rhonda Smith, CBHN’s executive director, says bias in medical algorithms must be eliminated. “There should never be any race-based adjustment in
delivering patient care,” she said. CBHN supports inclusive research and legislation like SB 503 to ensure AI promotes equity. Ensuring AI Benefits All Communities As a legislator, Weber Pierson is pushing for stronger safeguards to ensure AI serves all patients equitably. She says, "Innovation and technology are good, but new challenges arise if we don’t move in a direction inclusive and thoughtful of all people who utilize the healthcare space."
AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, but experts warn it must be developed and regulated with transparency, accountability, and fairness — ensuring it reduces rather than worsens, racial health disparities.
ANNUAL FOUNDER'S CONCERT
Honoring Dr. W. Hazaiah Williams
Saturday, May 10 - 3:00 pm
St. John's Presbyterian Church 2727 College Avenue, Berkeley
Dr. Williams was one of the first African American presenters of a major classical music concert series in the United States and it is to him that we offer this special tribute. His love of classical music began as a child when he attended concerts by legendary artists such as tenor Roland Hayes and contralto Marian Anderson In 1958, at a time when the classical music world, and much of the rest of society, was racially segregated, he began presenting artists of all races and organizing racially diverse audiences. Over 40-plus years in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, he introduced to the world some of the finest musicians of our time.
Tickets are FREE.
Order your tickets at ccarpenter@fsarts.org or 510-845-4444
featuring Tai Murray, violin and Kyunga Lee, piano
PROGRAM:
Elena Kats-Chernin - A Nostalgic Piece
Daniel Kidane - Pieces of Light (solo violin)
Jean Sibelius - Five Pieces, Op. 81
Maurice Ravel (arr. Jascha Heifetz) - Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, Nos. 6 & 7
Benjamin Britten - Suite Op. 6
Eleanor Alberga - No-Man’s Land Lullaby or No Man’s Medley
Katherine Balch - Cleaning (solo violin)
Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Aus der Musik zu “Viel Larmen um Nichts” Four Pieces
Tickets are FREE.
Order your tickets at ccarpenter@fsarts.org or 510-845-4444
Presented by Four Seasons Arts, Inc.; 2930 Domingo Avenue, #190; Berkeley, CA 94705 www.fsarts.org 510-845-4444
Dr. W. Hazaiah Williams
Four
Bills Focus on Financial Compensation ...
Continued from page 2
The Senate Committee on Labor, Public Employment, and Rules is currently reviewing SB 464. A hearing is expected to be held on April 23.
Senate Bill (SB) 518
SB 518, introduced by Sen.
Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego), establishes the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery to address and remedy the lasting harms of slavery and the Jim Crow laws suffered by Black Californians.
SB 518 is under review in the Senate Judiciary Committee. A hearing is expected to be held on April 22.
Newsom Fights Back as AmeriCorps Shutdown Threatens
Vital Services in Black Communities
By Bo Tefu California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom is suing the federal government over its decision to dismantle AmeriCorps, a move that puts essential frontline services in Black and Brown communities across California at risk, the Governor’s office said.
From tutoring students and mentoring foster youth to disaster recovery and community rebuilding, AmeriCorps has been a backbone of support for many communities across California.
“When wildfires devastated L.A. earlier this year, it was AmeriCorps members out there helping families recover,” Newsom said when he announced the lawsuit on April 17. “And now the federal government wants to pull the plug? We’re not having it.”
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration is behind the rollback, which Newsom calls “a middle finger to volunteers.”
Meanwhile, Newsom’s office announced that the state is expanding the California Service Corps, the nation’s largest state-run service program.
AmeriCorps has provided path-
ways for thousands of young people to gain job experience, give back, and uplift underserved neighborhoods. Last year alone, over 6,000 members across the state logged 4.4 million hours, tutoring more than 73,000 students, planting trees, supporting foster youth, and helping fire-impacted families.
The California Service Corps includes four paid branches: the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps, Youth Service Corps, California Climate Action Corps, and AmeriCorps California. Together, they’re larger than the Peace Corps and are working on everything from academic recovery to climate justice.
“DOGE’s actions aren’t about making government work better. They are about making communities weaker,” said GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday.
“These actions will dismantle vital lifelines in communities across California. AmeriCorps members are out in the field teaching children to read, supporting seniors and helping families recover after disasters. AmeriCorps is not bureaucracy; it’s boots on the ground,” he said.
... a Primary Care Point of View ...
Continued from page 4
such as blood tests, MRI reports, and office visit notes has been a great expansion of technology in medicine. This digitization of medical information enables and positions patients to take a leading role in managing their own care. What used to be multiple sheets of paper in a large file folder is now a click away at any time. Despite these benefits, instant access can be overwhelming for both patients and medical providers– especially since patients, in many instances, can receive their test results online before the physician has had the opportunity to review them.
Patients may review the office visit notes or their lab results out of context or misinterpret information which can lead to anxiety, confusion, and fear. Clinicians are put in a difficult position when they are not able to suddenly break away from their scheduled office visits to reassure an unscheduled patient about their results and next steps.
Medical providers have tools to assist with identifying sensitive results that need urgent review, and efforts are made to notify anxious patients as soon as possible. However, a patient can be proactive in scheduling a follow-up visit ahead of time to specifically review results with their provider. This can help patients avoid the stress of suddenly trying to get ahold of their doctor when dealing with unclear or concerning results. Normal test results often don’t require explanation, but allowing several days for your provider to work through hundreds of test results before sending messages requesting clarification will help medical professionals prioritize their responses to test results based on medical urgency.
Technological improvements such as online messaging and video/telephone appointments have made access to care much easier both for patients and clinicians. Telephone and video visits have been especially beneficial for patients who are elderly, disabled, or do not have access to transportation. However, the increase — and ease of — access has created much higher demand for physi-
cian time both during and outside of the office visit. Test results, patient messages, insurance forms, emails, medication requests are all pouring in while providers conduct their daily scheduled appointments. Thus, very little time is left in the day for a clinician to respond to every email, fill out every form, and review every lab result when they are responsible for 1,800 or more patients.
This situation, unfortunately, creates a perceived delay in response in a culture where an instant response is expected from messaging and phone calls. But the reality is that the medical provider is constantly playing catch up to thousands of inquiries due to the aroundthe-clock online access patients now have.
Patients can make the most of their experience and their physician’s time by taking the time to learn their physician’s communication preferences. Despite the multiple modalities of access (telephone, email, video, in-person), a medical provider will have a preferred method of communication with their patients. Some may ask their patients to make an appointment to explain a complex topic, instead of responding to multiple messages. Others may prefer to communicate via phone call if they have to deliver bad news.
There will likely be more medical providers who prefer to communicate only through email or video appointment as remote work becomes more common. If a patient’s communication preferences align with their physician’s preferences, it will create a stronger patientdoctor relationship and foster more effective and impactful communication.
The expansion of technology in medicine has fostered better collaboration, communication, and education between patients and their medical professionals. Combining electronic resources with rapport, mutual respect, and trust for providers will help patients navigate this new landscape of healthcare.
About the Author
Dr. Adia Scrubb, MD, MPP, is a Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician currently practicing in Solano County.
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bers Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), AB 1340 would allow drivers to create a union and negotiate contracts with industry leaders like Uber and Lyft.
“All work has dignity, and every worker deserves a voice — especially in these uncertain times,” Wicks said at the rally. “AB 1340 empowers drivers with the choice to join a union and negotiate for better wages, benefits, and protections. When workers stand together, they are one of the most powerful forces for justice in California.”
Wicks and Berman were joined by three members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC): Assemblymembers Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood), Sade Elhawary (D-Los Angeles), and Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights).
Yvonne Wheeler, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor; April Verrett, president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Tia Orr, executive director of SEIU; and a host of others participated in the demonstration on the grounds of the state capitol.
“This is not a gig. This is your life. This is your job,” Bryan said at the rally. “When we organize
and fight for our collective needs, it pulls from the people who have so much that they don’t know what to do with it and puts it in the hands of people who are struggling every single day.”
Existing law, the “Protect AppBased Drivers and Services Act,” created by Proposition (Prop) 22, a ballot initiative, categorizes appbased drivers for companies such as Uber and Lyft as independent contractors.
Prop 22 was approved by voters in the November 2020 statewide general election. Since then, Prop 22 has been in court facing challenges from groups trying to overturn it.
However, last July, Prop 22 was upheld by the California Supreme Court last July. In a 2024 statement after the ruling, Lyft stated that 80% of the rideshare drivers they surveyed acknowledged that Prop 22 “was good for them” and “median hourly earnings of drivers on the Lyft platform in California were 22% higher in 2023 than in 2019.” Wicks and Berman crafted AB 1340 to circumvent Prop 22.
“With AB 1340, we are putting power in the hands of hundreds of thousands of workers to raise the bar in their industry and create a model for an equitable and innovative partnership in the tech sector,” Berman said.
Gov. Newsom Approves $170 Million to Fast Track Wildfire Resilience
By Bo Tefu
California Black Media
With wildfire season approaching, last week Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 100, unlocking $170 million to fasttrack wildfire prevention and forest management projects — many of which directly protect communities of color, who are often hardest hit by climate-driven disasters.
“With this latest round of funding, we’re continuing to increase the speed and size of forest and vegetation management essential to protecting communities,” said Newsom when he announced the funding on April 14.
“We are leaving no stone unturned — including cutting red tape — in our mission to ensure our neighborhoods are protected from destructive wildfires,” he said.
AB 100 approves major investments in regional conservancies across the state, including over $30
million each for the Sierra Nevada, Santa Monica Mountains, State Coastal, and San Gabriel/Lower LA Rivers and Mountains conservancies. An additional $10 million will support wildfire response and resilience efforts.
Newsom also signed an executive order suspending certain regulations to allow urgent work to move forward faster.
This funding builds on California’s broader Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, a $2.7 billion effort to reduce fuel loads, increase prescribed burning, and harden communities. The state has also launched new dashboards to keep the public informed and hold agencies accountable.
California has also committed to continue investing $200 million annually through 2028 to expand this effort, ensuring long-term resilience, particularly in vulnerable communities.
CITY OF OAKLAND REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR Retirement Plan Administration and Record Keeping Services
Terms: 5 Years
Contract Amount: TBD
Project Description: The City of Oakland, Human Resource Management Department, is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide retirement plan administration, record keeping, education, communications, investment-related, and other services for the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan and OBRA-Part-time, Seasonal, Temporary Plan, and Retirement Health Savings Plan.
Proposal Submittal Deadline: Friday, May 16, 2025, by 2:00 P.M. via iSupplier.
Reminders:
• All who wish to participate in this RFP must register (at least 5 days prior to submittal due date) through iSupplier at (https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/register-with-isupplier) to avoid last minute submittal complications and receive addenda/updates on this RFP. For additional help registering and submitting your proposal to iSupplier please watch the user guide videos at (https://www.oaklandca.gov/documents/isupplier-user-guides).
• Did not receive and invitation? Start Early with iSupplier registration. Upon completion of registration, send an email to iSupplier@oaklandca.gov listing “RFP for Retirement Plan Administration and Record Keeping Services” as the subject and request an invitation to the RFP. The Contract Analyst will add your business to the RFP invitation.
• The following policies apply to this RFP: Equal Benefits • 0% L/SLBE • Living Wage • Campaign Reform Act • Professional Services Local Hire • Prompt Payment • Arizona Boycott • Dispute Disclosure • Border Wall Prohibition • Sanctuary City Contracting and Investment Ordinance.
Answers to Questions:
1. Contact Information: The following City staffs are available to answer questions regarding this RFP.
a. Contract Admin: contractadmin@oaklandca.gov
b. Department of Workplace and Employment Standards: dwes@oaklandca.gov
2. For iSupplier related questions after registration contact iSupplier@oaklandca.gov
Asha Reed, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council, (Friday, April 25, 2025)The City Council reserves the right to reject all proposals.
California for All College Corps
The Free Mumia Speaking Tour ...
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beliefs. Due to the tireless efforts of many, Abu-Jamal's death sentence was commuted in 2011, and he now serves a life sentence without parole.
“My father is innocent and deserves to be free," said Jamal Ibn Mumia. “We will continue fighting until he is free.”
While in prison, Abu Jamal wrote several books including, “Live on Death Row,” in 1996, and his most recent work, “Have Black Lives Ever Mattered?” in 2017.
Abu Jamal expressed that growing up with his father on death row has not been easy and it has impacted his family heavily.
“He has missed the day-today life of being free to be with his family, spend time with his grandchildren, and have quality
medical care while incarcerated," said Mumia. The younger Mumia will discuss his father’s literary and radio career, updates from the legal team, and the urgency of having his father's medical needs met.
The Free Mumia Speaking Tour has made stops at: The Peace and Justice Center in San Jose on April 21, EastSide Arts Alliance in East Oakland on April 22, Santa Rosa Junior College and the 88th Ave branch of the Oakland Public Library on April 23. On Mumia's birthday, April 24, the tour goes to the African American Art and Culture Complex in San Francisco and Karibu Wine Bar in Alameda for a spoken word event, on the final night of the tour April 25.
For more information visit @ MumiaFreedomTour on Instagram.
OUSD Supt. Chief Kyla Johnson-Tremmel ...
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“As I prepare to step away from my role as your superintendent on June 30, I do so with immense pride in what we’ve accomplished together. The last eight years have brought some of the most challenging — and most defining — moments in our district’s history. Through it all, Oakland has shown what’s possible when we stay grounded in our mission and vision and work in partnership for our students.”
The joint statement from Johnson-Trammell and the Board modifies her existing contract. According to the joint statement: “in August 2024, the OUSD Board of Education approved a three-year transitional contract for Superintendent Johnson-Trammell, with the next school year (2025-2026) allowing for a shift in responsibilities to support the transition to a permanent superintendent at the start of the 2026-2027 school year.”
Praising Johnson-Trammell’s accomplishments, the joint statement said, “(She) has done an extraordinary job over the past eight years, a historic tenure marked by stability, strong fiscal oversight, and improvements in student achievement.”
According to the statement, her achievements include: increased graduation rates improved literacy increased student attendance rates, “exemplary” COVID pandemic leadership, “historic” pay raises to educators, • Improvement in OUSD’s facilities bond program, • ensuring strong fiscal systems and budgeting
The district’s progress under Johnson-Trammell’s leadership
“provides a strong foundation for the transition and work ahead,” according to the joint statement. “The plan has always prioritized a smooth and thoughtful transition. A formal search for a permanent superintendent was (originally) scheduled to begin in fall 2025,” but now the board is “initiating this process focusing on transparency and deep community involvement.”
As Johnson-Trammell’s years of service are coming to an end, there remain significant unresolved challenges facing the district including a $95 million budget deficit and the threat of school closings and employee layoffs, as well as contract negotiations with the Oakland Education Association (OEA), the teachers’ union.
Another ongoing controversy has been the superintendent’s extremely high salary, which was negotiated less than a year ago under the leadership of Boardmember Mike Hutchinson and former Boardmember Sam Davis.
Johnson-Trammell is one of the highest paid superintendents in California and the country, earning a total compensation package of $637,036.42 a year.
The contract had granted her a pay raise and a final three-year contract extension through the 2027 school year.
Under that contract, she would only continue as superintendent during the current school year, and then for two additional years she would work on research projects and prepare the district for a new superintendent – at the same rate of pay she now earns, plus raises.
During those two years, a temporary superintendent would be hired to handle the responsibilities of running the school district.
Supporters of Swim A Mile | Move A Mile ...
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meant, however, that opportunities were opened. People were invited to swim, walk, or move a mile however and wherever they could. That year, the event became the Swim A Mile | Move A Mile for Women with Cancer, and the name has stuck.
Some participants now ‘move their mile’ from neighborhood parks or home treadmills. Others return to the pool each spring. Whichever way they take part, everyone fundraises. That money makes up more than a quarter of WCRC’s annual budget.
Over the last 30 years, participants have raised over $8 million and moved more than 14,000 miles—the equivalent of crossing the United States more than five times. All in support of WCRC’s free cancer services in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
WCRC was founded in 1986 to serve people facing cancer who were often left out of traditional systems of care. Most clients today are low-income, and the majority are women of color over the age of 50.
The organization provides free therapy, support groups, wellness classes, and patient navigation, all rooted in cultural humility and community connection.
Lee Lays Out Plan for First 100 Days ... The Case Against Probate Court ...
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will address the structural challenges that impact everything from our budget to whether we can walk our streets safely at night,” said Lee.
“I’ll lead a government that serves the people, not special interests, and work to deliver the core services Oaklanders rely on.”
Mayor-elect Lee highlighted her 100-Day Plan to immediately address the city’s toughest challenges, including:
• Bringing together Police Department leadership and representatives from all business corridors to improve public safety strategies;
• Working to secure Oakland’s fair share of Alameda County resources to address homelessness and provide meaningful solutions, including housing and support services;
• Staffing up blight reduction crews and partnering with the District Attorney’s Office to aggressively prosecute illegal dumping;
• Convening the CEOs of the 10 largest Oakland employers to develop public-private initiatives that enhance economic growth and advance public safety;
• Directing permitting reform to streamline city processes and reduce bureaucracy for small businesses; Appointing a taskforce of ethics experts and good governance advocates to modernize Oakland’s Charter, ensuring stronger accountability and transparency in city government;
• Conducting a forensic audit of city contracts to ensure public funds are spent effectively and responsibly by contractors and nonprofits.
To assist her, she has convened a Transition Team, co-chaired by Oakland residents Keith Brown, executive secretary-treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council and former president of the Oakland Education Association (OEA), and Barbara Leslie, Oakland Port Commissioner and executive director of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
In response to a question about how she would deal with some of President Donald Trump’s discriminatory policies, she said, “We’ve got to make sure that Oakland stands strong and resists some of these policies that would really traumatize and be wrong for
our immigrant community (and others).”
“I hope we stay unified in pushing back and resisting what (would be) devastating for Oakland. So that’s going be up to us,” she said. “We here in Oakland aren’t going to allow those divisions to occur because we want equity for every single resident in Oakland.”
While she recognizes that Oakland “is a deeply divided city,” she said she ran for office because she believes there is an “opportunity to unite our community; we can all work together to transform Oakland into a safe, clean, and thriving city where every resident is heard and represented.”
Lee said she did not rely on her past record to win the election but worked hard for every single vote, speaking to people one-on-one in discussions, house meetings, and forums.
“For the past 100 days, as I have for the past 30 years, I worked hard each and every day to continue to earn the trust and respect and vote of every Oaklander during this historic election,” she said.
“In the event that there is any question whatsoever, I want to make it very clear that I have spent the last 30 years of my service representing all of Oakland. All of Oakland. Not just the voters (who voted for her). I have a record that demonstrates that,” she said.
“Don’t allow anyone to say that I’m only representing those who voted for me,” Lee continued. “Because I have a history of governing and representing the entire city regardless of whether they voted for me or not. And I intend to continue to do this as mayor.”
Lee’s team organized a grassroots campaign, identifying 10,000 supporters and conducting a “Souls to the Polls,” neighborhood-based, get-out-the vote effort; held 71 house parties and neighborhood events, and participated in nearly 30 community forums and debates.
Her campaign mobilized more than 500 volunteers and won 800 personal and organizational endorsements.
While some of her opponents argued that Oakland is hopeless, Lee says her experience shows that optimism is justified.
“Time and time again, Oaklanders have faced our toughest obstacles by uniting to meet our challenges,” she said. “At this critical moment, we must not be a city divided, but a community united.”
Oakland’s Most Vulnerable Neighborhoods ...
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What has kept the event going isn’t marketing or corporate backing. It’s people—many of whom come back year after year. Some swim to honor a friend or family member. Others move in memory of someone they lost. For some, it’s a tradition that’s lasted across generations.
Janet started participating in 1997. At the time, she swam with her children. Now, her grandchildren take part, too. “Yes—it’s my very loving and supportive family,” she said.
She continues to participate each year because she believes in the work. “Raising money to support the services offered by the WCRC keeps me feeling good.” When asked what has stayed with her over the years, she answered simply: “Resiliency and community.”
That’s what Swim A Mile | Move A Mile has represented for 30 years. Not a race. Not a performance. Just people moving together for something that matters.
The 30th annual Swim A Mile | Move A Mile for Women with Cancer will be held May 3-4 at Northeastern University in Oakland (formerly Mills College). To register, volunteer, or learn more, visit: wcrc.org/swim.
grocery stores in food desert districts. Shoppers of the pilot market said they have seen a positive change to the way they feed their families and how much they’re able to save every month.
Oakland resident PC, who chose to use an abbreviated version of his name to protect his privacy, said he’d be interested in seeing a market like the one in San Francisco because it would alleviate the tight budget he has for himself.
PC said he’s had some unpleasant experiences with food distribution workers being rude to residents waiting for grocery bags. “The line is already long as it is and can sometimes feel shameful when you’re going through hard times,” PC said, so an option to get free food in a setting that resembles a market would be ideal.
The garden lead for West Oakland’s People’s Programs, ab banks, helps deliver fresh produce from a local garden to households in the projects, because the need for healthier options has been particularly high in recent years, they said.
People’s Program serves around 170 people in the 94607 area with groceries, along with a mobile health clinic and free breakfast program. Their goal is to serve a community that already deals
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$390,000 in cash plundered under court order, leaving beneficiaries $35,000 to split between them.
What Ussery (and the parties in the other 52 cases this reporter has been involved with) has experienced was nothing short of “legal theft under the law.” All cases experienced $500-per-hour attorney fees, delays or the postponement of hearings to drag out court appearances that force families to drain their estate under County conservatorship. In cases where conservatorship of the person was involved, families experience separation from the conservatee, one woman never seeing her son again by court order.
Ussery’s case led to massive pushback by numerous advocacy groups, calls to action, and demands for reform, including numerous requests for intervention from Alameda County Board of Supervisors, visits to state senators and representatives, cries for intervention from the California Judicial Council, who regulate court judges and their staff. All to no avail.
According to a Grand Jury Report by the County of Alameda 2022-23. “In 2019, the Alameda County District Attorney investigated allegations that, among other things, probate court staff committed financial abuse and failed to protect conservatees’ assets. The investigation found no evidence of criminal acts by probate court staff. It did, however,
find that involuntary conservatorship proceedings are often very expensive for conservatees,” and that “involuntary conservatorship proceedings can quickly drain proposed conservatees’ estates, which would not occur under a recorder’s fee or grant-funded model.”
The Grand Jury, finding no error, or crime, shows a broken system where the true beneficiaries of probate court are conservators, attorneys, and judges.
Having a will and a trust will not protect a person from probate officials. The case against probate will be made in subsequent articles as in the matter of Laura Dean Head, case # RP20061734. Beneficiary Zakiya Jendayi, the plaintiff in the Head probate case will reveal court officials involved in racketeering and how the appellate court upheld lower court rulings.
Of the 42 findings against Jendayi, Jendayi examined transcripts that prove 30 are false, six are misleading and six are errors by the lower court. Despite this fact, leading certified publications from numerous law firms and law organizations cite these false findings and rulings from the lower court.
The Supreme Court of California denied hearing the case. Jendayi is headed to the Supreme Court of the United States hoping for resolution to this injustice. The Case Against Probate Part II will chronicle her journey.
with its own set of disadvantages, and looks to show people that not everything needs to contribute to a bigger gain and people have the right to use the local land to grow the food they need.
banks said they see firsthand what the lack of investment in West Oakland has done to folks: homelessness, priced out living situations, environmental racism, and lack of food access.
They explained that although they feel a duty and a calling to the work at People’s Program to help an underserved neighborhood, they questioned how the city is pouring millions of dollars towards finding solutions to Oakland’s biggest problems but no significant change has happened yet. banks said there are basic necessities that should be birthrights and not restricted to what the government thinks people need.
“[The investment] is not enough. There’s no access to fair housing, not enough access to food, not enough access to healthcare. But that’s just not specific to Oakland, that’s a United States problem,” banks said.
Reporter Magaly Muñoz produced this story as part of a series as a 2024 USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism Data Fellow and Engagement Grantee.
Teachers’ Union Thanks Supt. JohnsonTrammell for Service to Schools and Community
By Post Staff
While pointing out that Supt. Kayla Johnson-Trammell has been planning to resign for a while, the Oakland Education Association (OEA) thanked her for years of service to the schools and called for community involvement in the search for a new superintendent.
“I speak for our Oakland community and the families OEA serves in thanking Supt. JohnsonTrammell for her service. With public schools and immigrant families under attack nationally from Trump and with budget challenges affecting many California school districts, these are tough times demanding the best of what we all have to offer,” said OEA President Kampala Taiz-Rancifer in a statement released Thursday.
“While we disagreed strongly on a number of issues,” said TaizRancifer, “Dr. Johnson-Trammell is a daughter of Oakland and a product of our public schools. We thank her for her service and wish her the best moving forward.”
She said the schools’ community was aware that the superintendent had been planning to leave well before this week’s announcement.
“The superintendent has spoken publicly throughout the year about her planned departure. In August 2024, the previous school board approved a renewed contract raising her compensation to over $600,000 per year and allowing her to step back from daily responsibilities beginning in the 2025-2026 school year,” said TaizRancifer.
She said the teachers’ union has been raising concerns about the need for stability and financial transparency in the district. “For three of the last four years, the district projected major deficits, only to end with millions in reserve.” This year, she said, the district added $90 million to central office overhead expenses.
“Just last month, a majority of school board directors took action to cap expensive consultant costs and develop alternative budget proposals that align spending with community priorities to keep funding in classrooms,” she said.
Taiz-Rancifer said the union stands behind the leadership of Board President Jennifer Brouhard and Boardmembers Valarie Bachelor, Rachel Latta, and VanCedric Williams.
OEA President Kampala Taiz-Rancifer. Courtesy photo.