U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon presented a ‘prebuttal’ on behalf of the Working Families Party ahead of President Donald Trump’s State of The Union address on Tuesday. An edited version of her speech appears below.
“We are the party for working people from every background. And we come together with the simple belief that government should be run by and serve the people—not just the privileged and the wealthy. And when I look at what’s been happening in our government today, this mission has never felt so urgent.
Every American story is unique. But I know many of us are facing the same struggles.
I know what it’s like to rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table—because I have. I know what it’s like to rely on Social Security Disability Income—because I have.
Everything from eggs and rent to lifesaving prescription drugs are getting more expensive, while corporate profits are soaring.
This is the pain working people have been feeling.
And let’s be real. Donald Trump and Elon Musk have never had to stretch a dollar to put food on the table. We know they’re lying when they say they want to lower costs or help Americans—they don’t care.
They got rich off cutting corners, cheating workers, and
The Richmond Standard
BART is inviting artists to submit their existing artwork to be used in a variety of spaces, including stations, trains, and BART headquarters.
Local artists ages 18 and over who reside in one of the five BART counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara — are invited to sub-
mit their work by the application deadline of March 23 at 11 p.m.
Additionally, applicants must be U.S. citizens or have legal residency and working status in the United States at the date of application and this will be required at a future date if the artwork is requested for licensing. BART employees are not eligible to apply.
The transit agency is seeking art
By Barbara Fluhrer
At halftime on March 10, the Golden State Warriors will honor Tammie Adams “as an impact warrior who has gone above and
beyond for her community and doing good around her.”
Adams, who is the principal at Horace Mann Elementary School, graduated from Holy Names High School and received post graduate degrees and National Board Certification from California State University East Bay. She started as a K-3 teacher, Elementary Language and Literacy Specialist and school improvement coach.
She is praised by her colleagues. “Principal Adams goes above and beyond for her students and staff,” a Horace Mann colleague said.
By Magaly Muñoz
By Magaly Muñoz
The Oakland City Council voted unanimously on a resolution Tuesday evening to reopen three fire stations with recently acquired revenue. The fire stations are expected to reopen before the end of the budget cycle this June.
Councilmembers Janani Ramachandran, Rebecca Kaplan, and Zac Unger said they found over $7 million in new revenue through city events like the recent NBA AllStar Weekend and a decrease in self-insurance liability funding to use towards reopening the closed stations and other community improvements.
The three fire stations were temporarily closed after a vote in December that reduced funding to Oakland police and fire departments as well as arts and culture programs. Four more fire stations were scheduled to close in the coming months but were halted by the City Administrator's office for the moment.
“The message from the Oakland community has been clear. With competing interests, understandably so, there is nothing more vital to the voices of Oakland residents than preserving essential public safety resources, which
Special to The Post
Internationally renowned musicians with local roots, Too $hort and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, will be joining the Oakland Ballers ownership group.
The privately owned club, launched in 2024 by Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel, play home
games at historic Raimondi Park in West Oakland. The team is the first West Coast franchise of the Pioneers League, which was founded in 1939.
In its first season, the club reached the playoffs and enjoys a lively fanbase which raised $1.2 million in investments over nine days
Across the country, Republicans are attempting to sever billions of dollars in funding to social services that support millions of Americans, including thousands in Oakland and the surrounding Bay Area.
According to the California Budget and Policy Center (Budget Center), millions in affordable health care, housing, and food assistance are at stake for Oakland residents.
In Congressional District 12, represented by Lateefah Simon (D), over 260,000 people or 35% of the population benefit from health coverage through Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program that serves low-income residents. The district receives $3.52 billion in funding.
If federal funding is cut, 148,000 adults in the district would be at risk of losing their healthcare coverage, which is nearly 63% of adults currently covered.
Federal funds make up over one-third of the state budget, totaling $170 billion under current
state estimates, according to the Budget Center. The proposed cuts would reduce federal funding in California by up to $20 billion, forcing the state to make reductions and cuts elsewhere that would further harm residents.
Funding for food assistance, like CalFresh, is also in danger. Over 100,000, or 14% of residents, benefit from the statewide SNAP/EBT assistance program, with over $235 million in funding going into District 12. Meanwhile, over 45,000 students benefit from free or reduced lunch at school.
In the 2024-25 cycle, California is budgeted to spend $14.9 billion on CalFresh. The state also spends over half a billion dollars on the free lunch program, according to School Meals for All. In San Francisco, or District 11 represented by Nancy Pelosi (D), $3.15 billion is spent on MediCal and 96,000 adults are at risk of losing their coverage with the proposed cuts. Additionally, over $192 million in CalFresh funding
“She’s the first to get to school and the last to leave. She is always looking for ways to help our students thrive.”
One of Tammie’s special projects is conducting monthly parent workshops to support families as they work with the children at home. She has also supported numerous teachers in obtaining their National Board Certifications.
Tammie is the daughter of two educators: the late Levi Reeves and Dorothy Reeves. She was brought up in The Church by The
By Post Staff
It’s been 25 years since the NBA’s most gifted players
touched down in the Bay Area.
The National Basketball Association turned it up and turned it out
all over the Bay. Both sides of the Bay Bridge got a taste of basketball royalty. However, one thing that the Bay Area could be proud of was the acknowledgments that were preserved for Golden State Warriors legend Al Attles.
Al Attles III hosted a
U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon. Photo by Ethan Wong.
Tammie Reeves Adams. Life Touch Photography.
Attles Jr., Wilhelmina Attles, Chris Mullins, Al Attles, Sr. Photo
of Al Attles Jr.
Photo courtesy of the transit agency.
Too $hort. Wikipedia photo. Billie Joe Armstrong: Facebook photo.
Dis Neo Soul Vocalist Angie Stone,
Corey Jackson: California Cannot Save
Trump Administration Targets DEI in Schools, Threatens Federal Funding
By Bo Tefu California Black Media
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has ordered schools receiving federal funding to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that use race as a factor in admissions, hiring, financial aid, and other policies. The guidance, sent in a Dear Colleague Letter on Feb. 14, follows the 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard Supreme Court decision, which struck down race-conscious admissions policies.
On March 1, the DOE released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document clarifying the letter’s enforcement. The guidance states that schools cannot use race-con-
scious practices, including race-based scholarships, targeted DEI programs, or racial considerations in hiring and promotions. It also confirms that separating students by race in any form is illegal under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
DOE Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor warned in the letter that institutions failing to comply within 14 days could face investigations and loss of federal funding. “Students should be assessed according to merit, accomplishment, and character—not prejudged by the color of their skin,” he stated.
This directive is part of the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle DEI policies. In January, Trump signed an ex-
ecutive order directing federal agencies to eliminate “illegal preferences and discrimination” in government and to push the private sector to do the same. Additionally, DOE launched an online portal to report DEI practices in public schools.
While the Biden administration defended race-conscious policies, Trump’s DOE is now enforcing strict interpretations of anti-discrimination laws, positioning this as a return to merit-based education. Schools across the country are now reviewing their policies to determine how to comply with the federal mandate while maintaining commitments to diversity and equity.
board’s Gospel Airplay chart in 2024.
Stone grew up in a musical family in Columbia, South Carolina, where her mother sang at home and her father toured locally with a gospel quartet.
She started out in the 1970s with a female rap group, known as The Sequence, which yielded the hit “Wish I Didn’t Miss You.”
A stint in the 1990s with Vertical Hold followed before her solo career took off in the neo-soul era in the early 2000s when her contemporaries included Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Maxwell, and D’Angelo.
Some California Gun Owners Are Frustrated by Long Wait Times for Concealed Carry Permits
By Edward Henderson California Black Media
It is taking so long to acquire licenses for concealed carry guns in California that some Black residents are beginning to suspect the delays are rooted in racial bias or political foot-dragging.
The average wait time for a concealed carry gun license in California can be up to six months or more. This is a significantly longer wait compared to other states.
Julio Amayo, who works for Los Angeles County training canines, recently applied
for a license and was told there would be a 16-to-20 month wait just for the initial interview.
“It’s a protection thing. I grew up in South Central Los Angeles back in the ‘90s. It was not uncommon to just go to sleep with gunfire, nightly, or have a helicopter circle your house if something was going on in the neighborhood,”
Amayo said. “It’s just a safety thing for me.”
Amayo is not alone.
Black Californians who spoke with California Black Media (CBM) pointed out that
some of California’s gun laws are rooted in racism and a fear of its Black residents owning firearms. It is well documented that the Mulford Act grew out of reactions to the Black Panthers in Oakland openly carrying firearms during the 1960s. They are hoping that some of those historical racial biases do not still exist in state policymaking.
They also point out that California’s Democratic state leadership strongly supports restrictions on gun ownership. Therefore, they say, there
Angie Stone, a three-time Grammy
was killed in an early morning car crash in Alabama on March 1. She was 63. On the way to her Atlanta home from a Mardi Gras performance near Montgomery, the cargo van Stone was riding in flipped
over and was then hit by a big rig. Everyone else in the cargo van survived except Stone.
The winner of two Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, Stone received the Soul Music Icon Award at the Black Music Honors in 2021 and was a featured vocalist on Damon Little’s “No Stressing,” which peaked at #1 on Bill-
Taking a turn at acting, she appeared in stage and screen roles. She appeared on Broadway in “Chicago,” portraying Big Mama Thornton, and in the films “The Hot Chick,” “Ride Along,” and “The Fighting Temptations,” which starred Beyoncé KnowlesCarter.
“Thank you for your voice, your strength, and your artistry,”
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
As California continues to face a severe housing crisis, only 17 % of households can afford to purchase the median-priced singlefamily home, which is less than half the national average, according to a report by the California Association of Realtors.
Two state legislators would like that number to increase as Californians experience even higher costs of living post-pandemic.
On Feb. 18, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Sen. Christopher Cabaldon (DWest Sacramento) introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 736 and Senate Bill (SB) 417, legislation that would place a bond measure on the June 2026 California primary ballot to provide $10 billion to the state’s affordable housing programs.
“All of our communities need it. That’s the reality,” Wicks told California Black Media (CBM) about the state’s need for housing that costs no more than 30% of a household’s gross income. “You see demand in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Everywhere across the state has been hit hard by the housing crisis.”
The two bond proposals share the same name, the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026. If the
measures pass out of the Assembly and Senate — and voters approve the ballot proposal — they will provide 35,000 affordable homes and rental housing units while assisting 13,000 extremely low-income and homeless families, Wicks said.
In addition, bond funds would be set aside for farmworkers and tribal housing. They would also preserve and rehabilitate tens of thousands of homes and provide supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.
“The housing crisis has only been exacerbated in areas impacted by wildfires — disasters that have destroyed homes, tightened rental markets and made it even harder for every community across the state to access the workers, materials, and funding needed to build affordable housing,” Wicks said. “One of the most important ways California can respond is through a substantial new housing bond.”
Wicks said that 65% of low-income renters in the state are rentburdened, paying more than 30% of their income toward housing, which leaves them with meager resources for necessities such as food, transportation, educational supplies, and health care.
Wicks’ and Calbadon’s office shared that the reason for California’s housing crisis is the critical gap between housing supply and
demand. According to the Statewide Housing Plan, prices in the state continue to climb. In August 2021, the statewide median sales price of a single-family home landed a new record — $827,940. The Statewide Housing Plan estimates that California needs approximately 300,000 new housing units annually, including 125,000 affordable units for lower-income households. From 2014 to 2023, the state has produced approximately 13,000 affordable units per year.
“We’re 3.5 million homes shy of where we need to be as a state,” Wicks shared with CBM. “And we need about 1 million affordable units.”
Lack of homeownership has hit Black Californians hard in the last several years, according to various reports. Data from 2019 revealed that 41% of Black families in California owned their homes compared to 68% of White families, according to the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), a 1.5% dip from 1960.
“The drop in the homeownership rate of Black households results in what housing advocates and economists call a ‘racial homeownership gap’ between the share of White households that own homes and the share of Black households that own homes,” OBI’s report stated.
By Post Staff Singer-songwriter
nominee,
iStock.
Angie Stone. Wikimedia photo.
Stone, 63
iStock.
Asm. Buffy Wicks (D-East Bay). Sen. Christopher Cabaldon (D-Napa).
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.
Special to The Post
When grants were announced
a five-year period to spend as they see fit.
Thurmond Details Education Priorities, Funding Challenges During Senate Committee Hearing
stronger outcomes. “How do you explain the performance?” she asked Thurmond.
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.
Thurmond acknowledged the challenges but argued that LCFF alone does not fully fund public education. “California has underfunded education for decades,” he said. “LCFF is a step forward, but we need a stable and long-term funding source to meet the actual cost of education.”
A Fight Over California’s Priorities
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.
Ochoa Bogh also questioned whether California’s overall spending — nearly 40% of the state’s total budget — was enough to fully support education needs.
Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty 1997)”, she
nied agency to Black women and
This work prompted Roberts to examine the treatment of children of color in the U.S. child welfare system.
semblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) informed Californians that the state will not be able to fill in the anticipated gap in federal funds.
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.
ple to “make it clear” to their representatives that they are “voting against the interest of the people they profess to represent.”
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.
Oct. 1, it was noted that eight of the 22 MacArthur fellows were African American. Among the recipients of the so-called ‘genius grants’ are scholars, visual and media artists a poet/writer, historian, and dancer/choreographer who each receive $800,000 over
By Joe W. Bowers Jr. California Black Media
The California State Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education, chaired by Sen. John Laird (DSanta Cruz), held a hearing on Feb. 27, where State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond provided a State of Education address and discussed key education funding priorities.
Investing in Student Success
Thurmond discussed initiatives aimed at improving student outcomes, particularly in underserved communities. He pointed to California’s universal preschool, free meal programs, and his newly launched “Cohort to Move the Needle on Test Scores,” a coalition of 250 school districts working to close achievement gaps in math and reading.
“Education saved my life,” Thurmond said. “It’s the greatest equalizer we have, and we must protect it.”
Addressing Student Achievement and Education Funding
Ochoa Bogh raised concerns about student performance.
Their names are Ruha Benjamin, Jericho Brown, Tony Cokes, Jennifer L. Morgan, Ebony G. Patterson, Shamel Pitts, Jason Reynolds, and Dorothy Roberts. This is the eighth and last in the series highlighting the Black awardees. The report below on Dorothy Rob-
“The 2024-25 and proposed 2025-26 budgets have Proposition 98 general funds per-pupil spending at nearly $19,000 – a 59% increase from 2019-20,” she stated. “Despite this, the 2024 California dashboard shows students 13.2 points below the English Language Arts standard, 47.6 points below the mathematics standard, and only 45.7% of our English language learners are making progress, a decline of 3% from 2023.”
Thurmond acknowledged these concerns, explaining that many of California’s education investments are recent and will take time to yield results.
“We’re seeing trending in an upward direction, but we never rest on our laurels,” he said. “We always are going to work to make sure that every student is getting the best experience that they can.”
Debate Over Education Funding Formula
Ochoa Bogh questioned why the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), providing extra resources since 2013 for foster youth, English learners, and lowincome students, hasn’t yielded
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.
Chairing an Assembly Budget Committee hearing on Feb. 26, Jackson said, “California cannot save you. The cuts are that devastating. That bad. That disgusting. So, if you are on Medi-Cal, if you’re receiving CalFresh, if you are getting housing support, if you’re getting support for childcare, if you’re getting SSI [Supplemental Security Income], you are in big trouble.”
“In your professional opinion, what would be the considerable, true investment that California should be spending on education?” she asked.
By Bo Tefu California Black Media
Roberts’s early work focused on Black women’s reproductive rights and their fight for reproductive justice. In “Killing the Black
Thurmond declined to give a specific percentage but emphasized that long-term investments in teacher training, student support, and infrastructure were essential.
Sen. Laird Highlights Local School Challenges
Laird backed Thurmond’s call for continued investment, sharing firsthand accounts of visiting schools where students were forced to do homework in Taco Bell parking lots just to access WiFi.
“I’ve seen it across my district — teacher shortages, families struggling with the cost of living, schools serving as food pantries for kids who have nothing at home,” Laird said.
Laird and Thurmond agreed on the need for educator housing, noting that some school districts have already begun constructing affordable housing for teachers to combat high turnover rates. What’s Next?
California’s 2025-26 education budget allocates $118.9 billion for K-12 and community colleges, marking record spending with $7.8 billion in new investments.
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
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.
A day after the U. S. House of Representatives voted to approve a resolution cutting nearly $2 trillion from the federal budget, As-
“Given what Republicans have just voted on last night, I just don’t see that California will have what we need to ensure that people will continue to get their payments, continue to get their healthcare, continue to get assistance with their housing,” Jackson stated.
Jackson pointed out that House Republicans from California also voted for the cuts and urged peo-
These include stereotypes about Black parents as negligent, devaluation of Black family bonds, and stigmatization of parenting practices that fall outside a narrow set of norms.
She also shows that blaming marginalized individuals for structural problems, while ignoring the historical roots of economic and social inequality, fails families and communities.
A representative from the California Department of Finance who testified at the hearing, said, “We are analyzing all the federal funding we receive, but with that said, there is no way the general fund can backfill the loss of federal funds.”
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.
U.S. Rep. Sydney KamlagerDove (D-Los Angeles) said she voted “hell no” on the resolution she is calling the “Republican ripoff.”
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.
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.
“I refuse to be complicit in Donald Trump and House Republicans’ attempts to steal from my constituents. Hell no to raising health care premiums by $2,020 a year; hell no on ripping food assistance away from 40 million Americans; and hell no on giving $4.5 trillion in tax cuts to the Billionaire Boys Club,” KamlagerDove said in a statement.
Dorothy Roberts. Photo courtesy of the John D. and Catherine T. Ma cArthur Foundation.
Asm. Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) speaking with CLBC members on the floor of the Assembly. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey, file photo, Feb. 19, 2025.
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. File photo.
Public Notices, Classifieds & Business
Newsom’s $245 Million Plan Based on Input from Experts, Regular Californians
By Bo Tefu
California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom last week introduced the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint, a wideranging plan drafted to foster economic growth, job creation, and innovation. The initiative, shaped by input from 13 regional plans, comes with a $245 million investment to support workers, small businesses, and key industries across the state.
Newsom said the proposal, released on Feb. 26, includes the in-
put and concerns of both experts and local Californians.
As part of the plan, Los Angeles will receive $13 million in funding to aid economic recovery efforts, particularly in response to recent wildfires. Newsom emphasized that California’s economic success stems from regional contributions and collaborative efforts that help acquire sustainable economic growth.
“California’s economic dominance and success are grown locally, with the contributions of each diverse region of our state,” said
Newsom.
“California thrives because we work together, despite adversity and even disagreement. It is this collective resilient spirit that will help move Los Angeles forward and help us overcome any challenge that stands in our way,” he said.
Key Investments in Jobs & Economic Development:
● $125 million for “ready-to-go” projects in strategic sectors.
● $15 million to support economic initiatives for California Native American tribes.
● $92 million for apprenticeship and workforce training programs, including:
● $52 million for apprenticeships in finance, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare.
● $16 million for youth apprenticeship programs.
● $24.1 million for healthcare job training, focusing on behavioral health and nursing.
Newsom announced targeted funding to aid Los Angeles’ recovery efforts. The State’s plans to support LA’s Economic Recovery include:
● $10 million for the LA Region Small Business Relief Fund, in partnership with LA Rises, Magic Johnson, and Mark Walter.
● $3 million to support business recovery campaigns and economic development programs. The California Jobs First Economic Blueprint aims to streamline workforce development, expand job opportunities, and strengthen key industries over the next decade, said Newsom’s office.
Photo courtesy of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Facebook page.
Long Wait Times for Concealed Carry Permits ...
Continued from page 2
may not be any incentives built into the state’s bureaucracy to speed up the processing of gun permits.
The California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) and The California Department of Justice (DOJ) are the two agencies in the state that process gun permits. The BSIS has noted that there are a number of reasons for delays, including incomplete or inaccurate applications, federal processing delays, and incorrect fees, among others.
In 2022, there was a surge in new gun applications after a Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decision
determined that New York State’s requirement to demonstrate ‘proper cause’ before obtaining a permit to carry a concealed weapon in most public places was unconstitutional. That decision overturned similar, long-standing gun control laws in California.
Attorney General Rob Bonta both expressed his disappointment with the Court’s decision, prompting counter measures by the state that critics say may be prolonging the permit issuing process.
“The fact is, individuals who are not law-abiding, responsible citizens simply shouldn’t possess firearms — and they especially shouldn’t be allowed to carry a concealed weapon in public,” said Bonta in a release following the SCOTUS’s decision.
“When there are critical
delays accessing a constitutional right, especially around the right to defend oneself and family, you do have to wonder about the impact it’s having on underserved communities and populations,” said gun owner Micah Grant.
“What we definitely don’t want is a system where only the connected and elite can have added assurances and those without are left only to hope,” continued Grant, who is also chair of the board of trustees of CBM.
Craig DeLuz is the owner of 2A News and a gun enthusiast for more than 10 years.
“You’re seeing even people who were averse to firearms being more proactive in engaging in buying firearms because they are recognizing the need for self-defense,” said DeLuz.
Continued from page 2
said Knowles-Carter, in a web site statement. “Your incredible legacy will live on forever. Rest in peace, Angie Stone.”
In a statement, family members reflected on her legacy and lasting impact on her fans, the Associated Oress reported.
“Angie Stone believed in giving back to her fans and the com-
munity with her Foundation, ‘Angel Stripes, the Angie Stone Foundation.’ She lived and died doing what she loved most which was music,” the statement added.
“Angie was an example for Black women and girls everywhere. Angie also loved and championed for Black Men with her number one hit entitled ‘Brotha.’”
A Zeta Phi Beta sorority mem-
SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH
ber, a part of the Divine Nine, Stone had recently attended the College for Ministry.
“Her love of God and her faith led her to have a deep desire to share her belief in God and bring more people to Christ,” the statement added.
The Associate Press, USA Today, 11Alive, The Montgomery Advertiser, and Wikipedia are the sources of this report.
Second Baptist Church is currently seeking a passionate dedicated leader to serve as our next Senior Pastor in accordance with the Baptist faith. As we embark on this new chapter, we are prayerfully searching for an individual who aligns with our core values consistent with the standard set forth in I Timothy 3:1-7 and our vision to further God’s work within our community. Teaching the Bible and effectively preaching God’s word.
Pastor Qualifications
• Be a licensed and ordained minister in the Baptist faith
• Have a minimum of five years (preferred) of pastoral experience
• Have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited College/University and Theological Seminary training (preferred)
• Be a visionary with sound judgment and discernment
• Be a teacher of the word of God with sound biblical doctrine
• Possess effective communication skills (written and oral)
• Demonstrate financial awareness and responsibility
• Possess effective administration skills and able to organize and lead staff
• Growth oriented and pastoral care capability
• Demonstrate ability to work effectively with a congregation across all ages and genders
• Three letters of recommendation (clergy, layperson, personal)
• Copies of license, ordination, transcripts of educational accomplishments Application Submission Instructions
The following must be submitted and/or postmarked by April 18, 2025
• Resume with cover letter
• Copy of license, ordination certificate, degrees and any other certificates How to Submit the Application:
• Mailing Address - Second Baptist Church 1170 Benicia Road Vallejo, CA 94591
• Email Address -sbcsearchcommittee1170@gmail.com
Angie Stone, 63 ...
OPINION: The President’s Speech. He Doesn’t Like People Like Us
By Emil Guillermo
I call the president CFDT34 because the First Amendment says I can.
It is a statement of fact.
CFDT34 stands for “convicted felon, Donald Trump, 34 counts.”
Can we really trust him?
Judging from Tuesday night’s joint congressional address, he’s also the most longwinded president to address Congress, turning his speech into a partisan rally, rather than a unifying address.
He cheered giving tax cuts to the rich, not to people on Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid.
He bragged about cutting government waste. Yes, we’re all for cutting things that don’t matter. But who defines that?
Trump bragged about the end of “wokism” and his cuts to “di-
versity, equity, and inclusion,” programs in the federal government.
At the beginning of the speech, one brave representative took a stand. He was Rep. Al Green (DTX-9). He’s a 77-year-old from Houston, an alumnus of Florida A&M, Howard University, the Tuskegee Institute, and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
All Americans have more in common with Green than say with Elon Musk, who got applause and praise during the speech.
Consider the chaos exhibited by CFDT34 in the first six weeks of his presidency.
By CFDT34’s own count: 100, the number of executive orders, and 400 executive actions. But they include things like holding up money already appropriated
by Congress to help Africa with food and medicine. The courts are now deciding if his actions are illegal or unconstitutional.
The first six weeks have also included the wholesale firing of thousands of federal workers.
Are there ever enough people?
Have you tried talking to a federal agency lately with a question about your Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid?
And then there are the tariffs that Trump announced, starting a trade war with our biggest trading partner, China, and our two nearest allies, Canada and Mexico. Putting tariffs on goods ranging from 20-25% is almost sure to hit everyone buying products like food, cars, and gas.
Green’s Stand If you had questions about
AREA PREMIERE
The internationally acclaimed South African artist returns to campus with his latest creation for the stage, a chamber opera set that takes place on a 1941 sea voyage from Marseille to Martinique. The production merges surrealist imagery with real-life historical events, lush South African choral
the first six weeks of CFDT34 as president, Rep. Green stood up for you.
He was promptly removed.
Green said he believes the president “has done things that I think we cannot allow to continue.”
“This whole budget that he has is one that is going to cause Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California) to be cut, and when he said he had a mandate, it triggered something. It really did. Because he doesn’t have a mandate, and he doesn’t have a mandate to cut health care from poor people.”
Other members of Congress either didn’t show up, or walked out, including Maxwell Frost (DFl-10), and Ayanna Pressley (DMA-7). Cory Booker (D-NJ), the current longest serving African American in the Senate, attended. He said he “honored the institution,” but not the president.
People wanted to hear about the economy, but the loudest parts of CFDT34’s speech were on all the culture issues: Wokism, DEI, anti-trans, and anti-immigration rhetoric.
So, does that make CFDT34 the stupidest president in our history, advocating views that are illadvised, sometimes illegal, and even unconstitutional? One who poses the greatest threat to our democracy?
That’s my opinion.
About the Author
Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. See him on YouTube@emilamok1. Contact him on Patreon and Substack.
California Legislative Black Caucus Honors Unsung Heroes
By Bo Tefu California Black Media
The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) honored everyday Californians making a difference in their communities during a program observing Black History Month in Sacramento last week.
That ceremony was held at the State Capitol in the chambers of the California Assembly on Feb. 25.
The CLBC said the goal of their annual “Unsung Heroes” ceremony was to honor individuals whose quiet acts of courage and dedication have made significant impacts in communities members represent.
Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (DSan Diego), Chair of the CLBC, hosted the ceremony, acknowledging those who may not make headlines but whose contributions are “vital to progress.”
“While we celebrate the wellknown figures of Black history, we must also recognize the unsung heroes whose acts of courage and service often go unnoticed,” she said.
Among the honorees were Tasha Williamson, a civil rights activist and founder of Project Safeway, a community initiative that assists
victims of violence and homicide survivors. Another honoree, Karen Mack, is the founder of LA Comms, a nonprofit that uses arts and culture to address key community issues like health and education in South Los Angeles and Delphine Metcalf-Foster of Vallejo, a 21-year Army veteran and Gulf War hero who was the first woman National Commander of Disabled American Veterans.
Dr. Elaine Bachelor, CEO of MLK Community Healthcare, was honored for dedication to reducing health disparities in South Los Angeles and providing care to over 1.3 million residents.
“Every life saved is a victory,” said Bachelor. “We are building a healthier future, one community at a time, and it’s an honor to be part of this essential work.”
Gil Robertson IV was honored for his contributions as a prominent journalist and president of the African American Film Critics Association. Other notable honorees were Jamila Land, co-founder of the Abolish Slavery National Network, and Cinder Eller Kimball, a senior community affairs liaison for the Inglewood Police Department, among others.
2024–25 Season
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
precision, and passion remain the hallmarks of this august company more than 65 years after its inception. Ailey’s dancers return to Berkeley with new and classic works that illuminate the rich panorama of Black American experience.
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) (right) with honoree Delphine Metcalf-Foster (left) of Vallejo, a 21-year Army veteran and Gulf War hero who was the first woman National Commander of Disabled American Veterans. Photo courtesy California Black Media.
... Rep. Lateefah Simon ...
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squeezing our communities for tax breaks. Now they’re pulling the same scam—but on a whole new level. They are cheating Americans out of a functioning government and injecting chaos into people’s everyday lives.
And if they are willing to… gut consumer protections, fire air safety workers, what do you think they’re going to do to our public schools? Our VA hospitals? Your Social Security benefits?
I’ll tell you what’s coming around the corner: A sicker, poorer America.
What Republicans want most of all is the biggest tax cut for the richest people who ever lived, and to make us pay for it.
We work too hard for our children to succeed and to take care of our elders, to give it all up now.
The fight we’re in now isn’t left vs. right. Blue state vs. red state. This is about the ultra-wealthy vs. the rest of us.
And if you don’t like what’s happening right now—you can change it. If everyone on your block votes for the government we deserve—we can change this whole thing. We can elect everyday folks to lead our school boards and
state legislatures. They should be in Congress and the White House. We can get there.
This starts with rejecting every bit of Trump’s agenda and building a government that lives up to our highest values as Americans.
Let’s make healthcare a human right. Let’s make every public school a great public school. Build more affordable housing and make home ownership an attainable reality. Raise the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour. Get money out of politics so that it’s voters—not big donors—in the driver’s seat.
So how can you help?
One, you can become a member of the WFP and help elect working class people in your community. Or maybe you want to run for office yourself. WFP provides working class candidates around the country with training and support.
I’m an organizer at heart. And as an organizer, if I’m in a room with people who agree with me 90% of the time, then I know I need a bigger room. Let’s build a bigger room. And let’s create a nation that finally works for all of us. Rep. Lateefah Simon’s press office provided this report.
Al Attles Celebrated ...
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and “Jamie Foxx”). In addition, Mr. Attles’ 1975 World Champion Warriors team hosted a number of activities throughout the Bay Area singing the praises of the leader.
Mr. Attles was the first HBCU graduate to coach an NBA Championship team. He was also one of the few NBA alumni to become a coach and administrator with the same franchise for 60 years.
It’s those that played for him and admired him from afar that reflected on his impact and consistency to pursue excellence. Steph Curry spoke fond words of him at
the prestigious NBA Retired Players Brunch while Ms. Attles and family emotionally witnessed his respect. Rick Barry, who was honored, also praised Attles’ character and coaching style.
Clifford Ray and Charles Dudley distributed books and shoes to under-resourced students as an extension of the generosity Mr. Attles had once bestowed on them.
Throughout the weekend pockets of the Bay Area were consistently yelling out the spiritual relevancy of the Golden State Warriors’ most loyal Golden State Warrior, Al Attles.
Oakland City Council Votes to Reopen Fire Stations ...
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absolutely include each and every single one of our fire stations,” Ramachandran said.
Several public speakers urged the Council to pass the resolution, citing worries over the quickly approaching wildfire season and the recent fire tragedies in Los Angeles that engulfed over 23,000 acres.
Fire Captain Seth Oyler said the trend, nationally and in Oakland, to want to do more with less is unacceptable. He added that he knows with this budget crisis, it’s not always possible to get everything residents want, but this resolution is much more achievable.
“I really want to be six feet tall. I do. I wake up every day hoping, and it hasn't happened yet, but I do know that we can get these firehouses reopened before the end of June, with your support and your unanimous vote for this,” Oyler said.
The resolution was well received by the Council but some disagreement on use of one-time funds stirred mixed feelings.
Councilmember Carroll Fife questioned the use of one-time funds to solve a growing problem, the very subject she and other councilmembers were vilified for during last year’s mid-cycle budget conversations. The Council at the time passed the budget by using promised one-time funds from the Coliseum sale, which has had its own hiccups in the months following the decision.
Budget administrator Bradley Johnson said the use of one-time funds to reopen fire stations is not at all different from the mid-cycle budget decisions. The one-time funds will help provide services for this current planning period but will leave the City in a position where they may not have another solution in the upcoming biennial
BART Calls for Artist Submissions ... Undocumented Workers Are Struggling
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that will reflect “the BART system and its integral role in all of our lives in the Bay Area.”
“We are looking not only for images of the trains, tracks, and stations — though we know we will receive beautiful ones — but also art that represents what makes BART the Bay and the Bay BART,” the agency said.
“How does the diverse geographies, geologies, and ethnographies you encounter on BART intertwine? How has BART influenced or inspired you as an artist?”
The total number of applications will be limited to 400 (applicants not images), applications made early will ensure consideration. BART will be licensing the
images, and this is not an artwork purchase program.
Applications are available through Submittable, an online application system (https://bart. submittable.com/submit/321094/ bart-art-image-licensing-request-for-submittals). There is no charge to applicants for using Submittable. If you are a first-time user of Submittable, please allow adequate time to learn the use of this system. We recommend completing applications at least 48 hours prior to the stated deadline.
More info/rules: go to https://bart.submittable.com/submit/321094/bart-art-image-licensing-request-for-submittals
Read about the BART Art Program at bart.gov/art.
Oakland Ballers’ Ownership Group
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last July. Another opportunity for fan investment will open this year.
“Oakland has produced some of the best athletes and sports fans in the world and The Ballers commitment to feeding that competitive fire is exciting for me as an Oakland native,” $hort stated on the Pioneer League’s web site.
“I’m proud to be joining the Ballers ownership group, and excited for the impact we’re going to have on the community and the overall sports landscape in the Bay Area and beyond!”
Armstrong, the front man for the rock group Green Day, had been highly critical of the A’s departure from Oakland and became a fan of the Ballers. “Sports in the Bay Area have been transforming over the last couple of years,” Armstrong’s online statement read.
“We’ve had some emotional goodbyes to teams we grew up with, but recently there has been a major shift. The Oakland Ballers and the Oakland Roots & Soul (soccer) represent everything I love and grew up on in the Bay Area.
a statement. “This inspired us to reinforce our commitment by launching a new community investment campaign designed to transform the sports ownership model, giving fans a genuine voice and stake in the team.”
In addition to the economic rights that go with an investment in the Ballers, the B’s ownership structure goes beyond any previous sports ownership models, offering fans an unprecedented bundle of rights that includes checks and balances on key team decisions that include where the team is based, changes to the logos and brandmarks, and even some front office hiring decisions, the team said.
“We’re delighted that Too $hort and Billie Joe Armstrong will be joining our ownership group, along with thousands of Oakland fan owners,” Freedman said.
“These two local legends were real supporters in our first season, and it’s great to now have them on board in a more formal capacity.”
Continued from page 1
in the United States nine months ago. He, like many of the men standing beside him at the day laborer site, came to the U.S. in the hopes of providing a new life for his family. Now, Diego and other immigrants are worried as threats of deportation increase from the Trump administration.
Also worried are organizations such as Street Level Health Project, an Oakland-based nonprofit dedicated to providing access to health care and basic services to these laborers.
Street Level Health Project’s funding primarily comes from federal and local grants, These are in jeopardy because of city budget constraints and proposed cuts to federal social service dollars.
Already, the nonprofit’s local funding has been cut. The City of Oakland decreased one of the organization’s grants by $35,000 in one of its latest rounds of budget cuts, with city officials citing a looming budget deficit.
“Our primary day laborer program funding right now is secured, but we do have concerns in this next budget cycle if it will continue to be secured, given [the budget shortfall], and the recent cut to 13 community grants across the city,” said Executive Director Gabriela Galicia.
Founded more than 20 years ago, Street Level Health Project started with a handful of nurses and volunteers visiting day laborer sites in East Oakland to provide medical assistance and other resources to newly arrived immigrants. They quickly spotted symptoms common among day laborers: nausea, fatigue, and headaches. Sitting in the sun for hours waiting for work is typical. Once on a job, some men shared incidents of nearly passing out while working. Volunteer nurses also noticed signs of hunger among the men, with some going days without eating a proper meal.
Level Health Project had a hot meal lunch program at their central office in the Fruitvale, where the organization provided meals twice a week for over 50 people. The organization also had a hot meal breakfast program where they prepared 50 to 90 meals, three times a week.
Understanding the food insecurity that many day laborers face, the project launched a food distribution program in 2011, distributing nearly 70 bags of groceries weekly. Thanks to additional funding, they were able to increase that to 150 food bags a week during the pandemic.
In recent years, Street Level Health Project reduced its weekly grocery distribution back to 70 bags and cut its hot meal program completely. Galicia, the director, said that’s because of the end of COVID-19 funding and staffing reductions.
Street Level Health Project also receives regular donations from the Alameda County Food Bank, but Galicia said it has not been enough to restore the food distribution program to what it was during the pandemic.
Currently, Street Level has a $100,000 grant from the city of Oakland to provide wrap-around services for day laborers, such as getting jobs for the workers, providing assistance with CalFresh and MediCal applications, and referring people to legal aid or immigration assistance. Galicia said that funding is barely enough to do the amount of work that the city expects.
Meanwhile, the $35,000 cut in funding has impacted the organization’s workers’ rights outreach and education services, she said. The Oakland Post tried reaching out to city and county officials several times for comment but did not get a response.
budget conversations, Johnson explained.
“At some point in time, where we to stop being able to find onetime solutions, we would end up with a very large problem,” Johnson said.
Fife criticized the Council and city departments for not having the same vitriol for the current resolution that they did in June 2024.
“Where is the hair-o- fire like it was when our credibility was being challenged? From the Finance Department, from the City Administrator's office, from everyone? We were told how irresponsible we were being. Why is it different now?” Fife asked.
City Administrator Jestin
Johnson clarified that an important distinction between the two situations is that there are readily available funds to reopen the fire stations, whereas the City passed the midcycle budget in the summer with no tangible funding in their hands.
“I want an apology, because this is wild to me,” Fife added. “I hear you. Thank you for that explanation. It's money that we have today that we might not have tomorrow.”
The City will have to deal with a $140 million deficit in the coming months, meaning the fire stations and other city improvements that are being repaired in the next few weeks will likely be on the chopping block once again if no additional funding is found.
Stations 25 and 28 were closed in January. Station 10 closed for renovations in 2022 but has not been reopened due to years of budget issues. Fire Chief Damon Covington will be given authority on which fire stations will open first, depending on the needs of the community.
“The welcoming atmosphere, DIY attitude and the people behind it make me proud to be an investor and support the next generation of teams kids in the Bay will be proud of,” Armstrong said.
The amount of the performers’ investment has not been disclosed.
Oakland’s history of community resilience inspires the Ballers’ vision to build a team and sustain it by revolutionizing the connection between teams and communities, the team statement read. The Ballers aspire to lead a new era of sports ownership that prioritizes fans and recognizes their essential value to a team.
“Last year, we became the first sports franchise in the world to add a fan to the board of directors. Now major players in the Oakland community are joining the cause,” the team said.
“The B’s first community investment round was in high demand, and many fans missed the chance to become owners of the Ballers,” the team owners said in
“Oakland is the connection, it’s the diverse city of all walks of life and cultures,” $hort told the Hollywood Reporter. “We respect each other’s originality; you can be you and with your people.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Short says the team is emblematic of his hometown. And the name appeals to him even more. “If I can’t brag on a big-league franchise, I can brag on being a Baller,” he said.
Although the celebrity of these investors is significant, the Ballers’ owners are much more interested in maintaining grassroots authenticity. “This isn’t a case of celebrities coming in to save the day,” Carmel told the Hollywood Reporter. “It’s a local team, and Billie Joe and Too $hort are just some better-known locals.”
To their point, the Ballers held an open tryout for team members last year that led to signing three players, including Kelsie Whitmore, now the Ballers’ pitcher.
The Oakland Ballers’ web site and the Hollywood Reporter are the sources for this report.
Republican-Led Federal Budget Cuts ...
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goes into the area to financially assist 83,600 residents in the district.
Other potential impacts on the state budget could affect TK-12 grade schools, higher education, housing and homelessness, and CalWORKS recipients, according to the Budget Center.
Oakland
It’s uncertain how much total federal funding California or local districts could lose should the proposed federal budget cuts pass, but there’s no question that thousands of families on fixed incomes using these resources to get by will be affected.
Principal Tammie Reeves Adams ...
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“We’re the safety net to the safety net,” said Galicia. As Oakland’s sole organization devoted to helping undocumented workers, Street Level is often tasked with “picking up the leftovers” for groups that provide resources to the larger immigrant or underserved communities, she added. Now, that mission is under threat.
At day laborer sites in East Oakland, several workers said that they often skip buying groceries or meals for themselves in order to save money for rent or other necessities.
Diego, who like others interviewed for this story asked to not share his full name because of his undocumented status, said he’s lucky if he makes $300 a week. He said that is enough to pay for the small room he and his son rent in the Fruitvale – but not enough to feed them both. Diego said that he will sometimes go days without food.
The family Diego rents from is more fortunate, he said, because they’re able to afford meat and rice. At times, Diego said, it’s hard to ignore the savory smell that finds its way to his bedroom. Diego tells his son to look away from his landlord’s table to avoid feeling envious about what they cannot buy themselves.
“It’s hard because I know there’s food at the store, but there’s never enough [money] to buy it,” Diego said. “We barely have enough to pay our rent every month.”
On top of paying for the basics here in the U.S., day laborers also face pressure to support relatives in their home countries.
Galicia fears city leaders will make even harsher cuts during the upcoming budget cycle this spring to balance a $130 million shortfall. Last year, Oakland cut funding for public safety, arts and culture programs, and 13 other nonprofits that serve the city’s most vulnerable populations.
Yet the budget concerns don’t stop with local government.
Since President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, immigrant communities and the organizations that serve them have been in crisis mode.
Trump, who ran on a promise to deport millions of immigrants, has signed executive orders to stop birthright citizenship, shipped migrants to Guantanamo Bay, and attempted to freeze federal funding to social programs. Undocumented residents are increasingly anxious that their families might get separated.
Galicia said this is the time for local and state governments to invest in their organizations’ staff and direct resources, not take them away, from the people on the frontlines.
“I think that it’s just as important that funders are able to give to our teams, not just for the community but because the people doing the work have to be well, and we need ample resources to be able to do this work to support our community,” Galicia said.
For Pedro, the day laborer in Oakland, the combination of less support from nonprofits like Street Level Health Project, along with fear raised by the Trump administration’s deportation threats, has left him fearful. He is not alone, he said. He has noticed fewer day laborers showing up to their usual spots. Pedro said he himself fears encountering an immigration officer on his way to work.
Side of The Road. She is married to The Rev. John Adams, senior pastor at Elmhurst Presbyterian Church. They have three children and seven grandchildren. Adams’ compassion, communication and interaction with her school, community, church, relatives, and friends were empowered under the guidance of her parents and beloved grandmother, Ma Pearl. Her brother, Erwin, works for FDIC in the San Francisco Regional Office.
Pedro, interviewed on his BART ride home after an unsuccessful day of trying to find work in East Oakland, said his family in Guatemala regularly goes days without eating because he can’t make enough money in the Bay Area to send home to them.
Her words to live by come from Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
“A lot of [day laborers] have their families back in [Latin America], making it harder to keep up with our needs here,” Pedro said. Some days he said the only thing he eats is the fruit that some local organizations hand out to workers like him. Before the pandemic, Street
“We don’t want to leave our homes, but at the same time, if we don’t go outside, we don’t work,” he said. “If we don’t work, we can’t afford to live.”
Oakland Post 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.
