Tribute to Allen Temple Baptist Church Pastor Emeritus
Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith
and II.
By Rev. Dr. Martha C. Taylor Allen Temple Baptist Church
Historian
Most tributes are written from the writer’s personal perspective of the deceased. My intent is to expand this tribute so that readers feel a sense of shared experiences and admiration. Pastor Smith had a unique gift of making each person feel as if their relationship with him was deep and personal; making every single one of us feel like the most important person he knew. To that extent this tribute is written as shared experiences and admiration for a man who was exceptional in his ministry, his mission and his life. To pay tribute to this giant of a man is a high privilege and honor.
The Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr. lived a life beyond himself. Using his famous quote, “I wish I could make it plain,” my desire is to make this tribute plain so that the reader can feel Dr. Smith’s compassion, wisdom, his love for the other, his faithful service while he traveled the Jericho Road.
His deep faith was a powerful example to others; affirming a shared hope in God as we recall
his lasting legacy. We celebrate his life, his love for the other, and a legacy that few will attain.
J. Alfred Smith was born May 19, 1931, in Kansas City, Missouri. He was raised by his loving mother, Amy Gates Smith, and his grandmother, Mrs. Martha Henry. He obtained his early education in Kansas City and graduated in 1948 from R. T. Coles High School. That same year, he was licensed to preach, and in 1951 he was ordained at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Kansas City where he served as assistant pastor for three years.
In 1950, Pastor Smith married the love of his life, Joanna Goodwin. To this union, five beautiful children were added to the family, bringing even more joy and happiness. Their marriage lasted until she was called home to be with the Lord on Aug. 12, 2007. Later, the Lord blessed Dr. Smith and Rev. Bernestine Farley in marriage. Together they were powerful ministry partners with a blended family. Rev. Bernie, as she is fondly called, is an ordained minister, having served at the Allen Temple Arms I
During the 1950s to ’60s, Dr. Smith pastored various small churches in Missouri He also served for three years as principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Keyesville, Missouri, over a period of 20 years. With a heart to excel, and knowing that God wants his leaders properly equipped to serve the people, he burned the midnight oil and enrolled in several colleges and universities and earned four degrees; a Bachelor of Science in elementary education (1952), Bachelor of Divinity (1959), Masters of Theology in Church and Community (1966), Master’s in American Church History (1972), and a Doctor of Ministry (1975).
In 1971, Dr. Smith was elected senior pastor of Allen Temple Baptist Church. He was elected president of the Progressive Baptist State Convention of California in 1979, and president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention in 1986. Smith joined the teaching faculty at the American Baptist Seminary of the West as professor of Christian Ministries in 1992.
The question which arises at
this time is what were some of the human qualities, God-given gifts, his dedication to his calling that impacted his ministry locally and beyond? Pastor Smith loved to pray; he knew his power and strength came from a deep prayer life with God. His meetings started with prayer, his phone calls ended in prayer, and amazingly, he often would make phone calls and say “I was just thinking of you, let’s have a word of prayer.”
Dr. Smith did not set out to make himself famous, however, he became a renowned celebrated pastor, preacher, professor, prophet, author, and theologian. He has been honored as one of the top Black preachers of America, earned and received countless awards and was the recipient of hundreds of honoree acknowledgements that would be a small book in itself.
He addressed the United Nations to oppose South African apartheid and preached in pulpits worldwide, never shying away from controversial issues that represent the marginalized. Dr. Smith had a way of attracting people; he
Oakland Post
Post Staff
By
The City of Oakland and Memar Properties, Inc. (MPI) have been awarded
$32,975,000
The Mark Twain Homes, the city’s 11th Homekey+ project, is located
we’re adding 109 affordable housing units that will provide stability and dignity for Oaklanders who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing homelessness,” Lee continued. “And we will keep building on this momentum to make Oakland a city where everyone has a clean, safe place to call home.”
A Life of Service: Dr. Nadine Scott and Ariel Outreach Mission
Dr. Nadine Scott, co-founder and executive director Ariel Outreach Mission. Photo Courtesy of Dr. Nadine Scott & Arielom.org.
Director Dr. Nadine Scott, D. Hum. Her life’s work reflects a steadfast belief that every person deserves dignity, safety, and a pathway forward.
Dr. Scott’s calling began not in boardrooms or offices, but on the streets of Oakland. Witnessing women huddled at bus stops or sleeping along city sidewalks, she was moved to action. She, along with her sister, founder of AOM, Pastor Karla Jackson, and a small group of volunteers began offering support and shelter resources, work that formed the foundation of what would become Ariel Outreach Mission.
“Prior to assisting people on the streets, my sister Karla and I supported unhoused college students, so we provided homes for young women getting their education,” said Scott. For more than four decades, AOM has carried forward that same mission, dedicated to helping the most vulnerable secure housing, stability, and hope serving over 450,000 people. AOM’s services include just
co-founder and Executive
By H. Geoffrey Watson, M.D.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), passed by Congress and signed into law by Pres. Donald Trump on July 4, will result in significant cuts to federal health programs leading to millions of Americans losing insurance coverage.
The law, which will become active in January 2026, includes major changes to the Affordable
Care Act, Medicaid and Medicare and is expected to strain the healthcare system and increase costs and exacerbate existing problems with access disparities.
It is anticipated that more than 10 million people will lose Medicaid coverage by 2034 according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The California Hospital Association estimates that 1.8
Special to The Post
Belva Davis, who started out as a free-lance writer for Jet magazine and the Sun Reporter and went on to break the color line as the first Black woman TV journalist on the West Coast, has died. She was 92.
Hired in 1966 at KPIX, the CBS affiliate in San Francisco, Davis, as a Black woman, was so rare that for Black families, the sight of her on air meant someone watching ran to the telephone to
alert others that ‘a Negro was on TV.’
After her stint at KPIX, Davis would remain on the air for nearly five decades with time at KRON and KQED where she hosted “KQED Newsroom” and “This Week in Northern California” until she retired in 2012.
Born in Monroe, Louisiana, on Oct. 13, 1933, Belvagene Melton moved to Oakland with her family in the 1940s. A graduate of Berkeley High School, she was accepted to San Francisco State College, but couldn’t attend because her family couldn’t afford tuition.
Without any training in the craft, Davis began to write for Black publications in 1957 and then KDIA radio. When she and the station’s news director were verbally and physically attacked at the Republican National Convention at San Francisco’s Cow Palace in 1964, it galvanized her move to television journalism, where, again, she learned on the job.
“She confronted prejudice, confronted every possible barrier, and yet became the journalist who was most trusted and most believed,” former San Francisco
FOPL 75th, Free Books, Arts Crafts Friends of the Oakland Public Library,(FOPL) is celebrating its 75th anniversary on Sat. Sept. 27, at The Bookmark Bookstore, 933 Broadway, with a free Open House featuring arts and crafts, free giveaways (cookbooks, anyone?), and special book lovers’
By Carla Thomas In 2025, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) commemorated its 50th anniversary with the premiere of the
documentary “Beyond the Headlines: The NABJ Journey.”
Directed by James Franklin Blue III, the 40-minute film trac-
Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr. , Allen Temple Baptist Church Pastor Emeritus. Photo courtesy Allen Temple Baptist Church.
H. Geoffrey Watson, M.D. Courtesy photo.
An artist’s rendering of the Mark Twain Homes in East Oakland. Oakland awarded $33 million in Homekey+ funds for the Mark Twain Homes. Courtesy image.
Cover of Belva Davis’ 2011 memoir “Never in My Wildest Dreams.” File photo.
Oakland Police Department Chief Floyd Mitchell. Official photo.
At the Oakland International Film Festival (OIFF) at the Grand Lake Theater (l-r) Bob Butler, former KCBS anchor and past NABJ president; journalist Allison Davis, and NABJ founder and UC Berkeley School of Journalism Dean Michael D. Bolden. Photo By Carla Thomas.
By Carla Thomas
Mayor Barbara Lee, Regional Leaders, SF Foundation Launch $10M Fund for Immigrant Families
The funds will provide housing, food, and emergency aid to families impacted by federal immigration enforcement
By Post Staff
In a show of regional solidarity, the San Francisco Foundation and elected leaders of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with a broad coalition of community leaders, are launching the Stand Together Bay Area Fund.
This new fund aims to raise $10 million to provide urgent financial assistance to immigrant families across the Bay Area who are facing unprecedented hardship due to aggressive federal immigration enforcement.
“Our immigrant neighbors deserve safety, dignity, and the knowledge that the entire Bay Area - Oakland, San Francisco, and beyond - stands with them,” said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, speaking at the Sept. 19 press conference.
“This fund is our commitment to protect families from the fear of deportations and raids, to strengthen our communities, and to push back against policies that seek to divide us,” Lee continued.
The fund, which will be housed at the San Francisco Foundation, will pool resources from individuals, corporations, the faith community, and philanthropic partners to support trusted, community-based nonprofit organizations working on the frontlines with immigrant communities.
These organizations will provide direct emergency assistance and outreach to families impacted by detention, deportation, violence, and the
fear of immigration raids to cover essential needs such as rent, food, and other basic living expenses.
“Immigrant communities are a vital part of the Bay Area's social and economic fabric, and they are currently under attack," said Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation.
“The Stand Together Bay Area Fund is our collective response to this moment,” he said.
“San Francisco's immigrant communities have been at the heart of our culture and our economy, and we will always remain a welcoming city,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie.
“That’s why, with the San Francisco Foundation, elected leaders, and community partners from across the region, we are launching the Stand Together Bay Area Fund to support immigrant families in crisis.
Said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, “This fund is a commonsense solution to a very real problem our neighbors are facing. But it's about more than money — it's a reminder to our immigrant families, the same families who have made the Bay Area what it is today, that we have their backs.”
To ensure funds are deployed quickly and efficiently, the San Francisco Foundation has named Mission Asset Fund (MAF) as the first grantee of the Stand Together Bay Area Fund. MAF's existing ALMA Fund is a proven model for providing direct, emergency cash assistance to immigrant families
Continued on page 7
America’s Oldest Park Ranger Celebrates Her 104th Birthday
By Mike Kinney
Richmond resident, national Civil Rights icon, and America's oldest U.S. Park Ranger, Betty Reid Soskin, recently celebrated her 104th birthday on Sept. 22.
Soskin was born on Sept. 22, 1921, in Detroit.
When the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 devastated multiple states, her family moved to Oakland.
During World War II (WWII), Soskin worked as a filing clerk for the then-segregated International Boilermakers Union in Richmond, where the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park is located today.
After the war, in 1945, Soskin and her husband, Mel Reid, opened Reid's Records, one of the first Black-owned record stores in Berkeley.
This writer remembers: when I worked for KDIA, I used to drop off the weekly playlists to their record store on Sacramento Street in southwest Berkeley. I fondly recall many conversations with Betty and Mel about the record industry in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1970s.
She later married William Soskin, a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley. They were married from 1978 to 1988.
In 2000, Betty served as a field representative for California State Assemblymember Dion Aroner, whose district included parts of Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
In that role, Soskin attended a
CITY OF OAKLAND REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR Strategic Planning Consulting Services for the Oakland Public Safety Planning & Oversight Commission (OPSPOC)- Measure NN
Contract Amount: TBD Terms: 1 Year
Project Description: The City of Oakland and the Office of the City Administrator is seeking Qualification Summaries from Consultants to support and facilitate the development of the FourYear Community Violence Reduction Plan as described in Measure NN, and in coordination with the OPSPOC and the Office of the City Administrator. The City prefers to grant a oneyear contract. The contract may be awarded to a team of consultants or to multiple individual consultants. The OPSPOC and the Office of the City Administrator will directly oversee the administration of work.
Proposal Submittal Deadline: Friday, October 17, 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 an invitation? Start Early with iSupplier registration. Upon completion of registration, send an email to iSupplier@oaklandca.gov listing “RFP for Strategic Planning Consulting Services for OPSPOC” 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 • 50% 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. For project-related questions contact Contract Administration at contractadmin@oaklandca. gov
2. For iSupplier related questions after registration contact iSupplier@oaklandca.gov
Asha Reed, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council, (Friday, September 26, 2025)
The City Council reserves the right to reject all proposals.
University of California Employees and Students Sue Trump Administration
meeting on the creation of the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park. By 2003, she had become a consultant on its development, offering historically accurate accounts of African American men and women who were a sizable part of the WWII shipyard workforce — stories drawn from both her research and her own lived experience. In 2007, because of her extensive knowledge and insights, she was appointed as a National Park Service ranger at the age of 85. She retired from the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in 2022.
Former Richmond mayor Nat Bates said: “I have known Betty for over 50 years. She is legendary because of her contributions to the City of Richmond and especially at the Rosie the Riveter National Park. She was there during the war effort and always told the true stories of the contributions of Black people who left the Deep South to help America win WWII. Betty is a true icon to the City of Richmond and to the United States. She is a lovely lady who is both humble and loving. She is definitely admired. I can remember when President Barack Obama acknowledged her service to the nation.”
Soskin retired from the U.S. Park Service in 2022, making her the oldest serving park ranger in the country.
On her 104th birthday, she celebrated with students at Betty Reid Soskin Middle School in El Sobrante, near Richmond. The school was formerly known as Juan Crespi Middle School; in 2021, the West Contra Costa Unified School District renamed it in her honor.
By McKenzie Jackson California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom joined Democratic leaders and national influencers to rally support and funding for a November California ballot measure that seeks to redraw the state’s congressional maps, positioning it as a counter to Republican gerrymandering in Texas and other GOP-led states.
Held on Sept. 16, the event lasted several hours and was livestreamed for a wider audience. Newsom explained that Califor-
By Bo Tefu California Black Media
University of California students, faculty, staff, and labor unions filed a federal lawsuit on Sept. 16 against the Trump administration, alleging it is using civil rights laws to restrict academic freedom and undermine free speech.
The lawsuit follows the federal government decisions to fine the U.C. system $1.2 billion and freeze research funding at UCLA over alleged antisemitism and other civil rights violations.
According to the suit, the Trump administration’s proposed settlement with UCLA demands access to faculty, student, and staff data, ends diversity scholarships, bans overnight demonstrations on campus, and requires cooperation with immigration enforcement. The plaintiffs say these actions threaten the independence of universities and public research.
“The blunt cudgel the Trump administration has repeatedly employed in this attack on the independence of institutions of higher education has been the abrupt, unilateral, and unlawful termination of federal research funding on which those institutions and the public interest rely,” the lawsuit states.
The UC system, while not a direct party to the suit, said it
nia’s Election Rigging Response Act, also known as Proposition (Prop) 50, is essential to Democrats’ chance to win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm election and stop the Republican-led Congress from solidifying President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda.
“It’s Prop 50 for a reason,” Newsom said during the virtual event.
“It impacts all 50 states. Donald Trump realizes and recognizes that he is likely — almost overwhelmingly — to lose the midterms. He is trying to hold on to power. The only way he can hold onto power is to rig the system.”
California’s top Democrat noted that five new Republican seats in the House are likely to be delivered to Trump in Texas through gerrymandering and the president’s allies in other red states are focused on doing the same before next year’s election.
“This is a profound and consequential moment in American history,” Newsom said. “We could lose this republic if we do not assert ourselves and stand tall at this moment and stand guard to this republic and our democracy. I feel that in my bones.”
One million dollars in small donations was raised during the
is pursuing legal and advocacy efforts to restore funding.
Spokesman Stett Holbrook said, “Federal cuts to research funding threaten lifesaving biomedical research, hamper U.S. economic competitiveness and jeopardize the health of Americans who depend on the University’s cuttingedge medical science and innovation.”
UC President James Milliken described the federal actions as “one of the gravest threats to the University of California in our 157-year history.” The UC system receives more than $17 billion annually in federal support, including nearly $10 billion for Medicare and Medicaid research, and student aid.
This lawsuit follows similar actions against private universities,includingHarvard, Brown, and Columbia, as well as K-12 public school districts investigated for alleged discrimination in diversity programs. The case is led by the American Association of University Professors and represented by Democracy Forward, a legal group experienced in challenging frozen federal funding.
The outcome could set a national precedent for how the federal government interacts with public universities, shaping research, campus governance, and academic freedom.
“Yes on 50” virtual campaign rally that featured words from a litany of high-profile Democratic figures and grassroots organizers including California Congressional Reps. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34) and Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and former First Lady and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Podcasters such as Jessiah Eberlan and Katie Phang — and content creator — Harry Sisson also appeared on the livestream, along with acclaimed actor and activist Martin Sheen.
Prop 50 will ask Californians to vote “yes” or “no” to adopting new maps that could create as many as five new safe seats in Congress for Democrats, which would offset Texas’s newly carved Republican congressional districts.
Supporters say it is a one-time correction to counterbalance unfair maps drawn in Republican-led states.
Opponents such as former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger argue that Prop 50 undermines the voter-approved California Citizens Redistricting Commission and opens the door to partisan gerrymandering in California.
Richmond resident, Civil Rights activist and America’s oldest park ranger Betty Reid Soskin celebrates her 104th Birthday. Photo by Beth LaBerge.
Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation, speaks on Sept. 19 at the kickoff of the Stand Together Fund to support immigrant families. To his right is Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and on his left San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. Photo by Ken Epstein. iStock.
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By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez
Author: Anna Gifty OpokuAgyeman foreword by Chelsea
Your favorite Uncle will want to hear from you in about six months, maybe sooner.
He’ll want to talk about your wallet, first and foremost. He’ll be interested in your home and your workplace, and he’ll check your memory and your math skills. Nice guy, he’ll probably ask after your family, too. You can’t avoid Uncle Sam’s inquisitiveness but with “The Double Tax” by Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, you’ll see how to stop the “pink tax” from being worse if you’re Black.
When she was a young child, Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman noticed that when it was time to leave for church, the women in her family struggled to get ready
on time. Hair, make-up, dressing, it all took more effort for her mother and sisters than it did for the menfolk.
Generally speaking, women have social requirements they must follow that manufacturers have seized upon, leading to “pink taxes,” or extra costs placed on things for women that are identical to products made for men. Unfair, yes, and in the case of Black women and life, she says, there’s often a double-tax.
Take, for instance, hair.
Studies show that a woman’s looks are linked to her checkbook, and hair and beauty products matter. Products marketed to women cost more than that which is marketed to men, and the cost is even higher for Black women’s products. That’s if they can find them nearby.
Women go up against gender stereotypes when applying for jobs; Black women go up against
MacArthur Fellow Dorothy Roberts’ Advocates Restructure of Child Welfare System
erts is excerpted from the MacArthur Fellows web site.
Mary Smith Peake: Teaching Freedom Through Education
of norms.
stereotypes of gender and race –which can also lead to “tokenism” and wage gaps. Women get stuck in lower-paying jobs and are often discouraged from reaching for STEM-related careers, but studies show that Black women suffer higher rates of this discrimination.
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.
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.
So, what can be done?
Fund minority businesses, Opoku-Agyeman says. Change how your business uses resumes. Support better access to education for Black women. Be transparent in your organization’s pay scale. Revisit your company’s policy on motherhood.
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.
Finally, identify gaps in the system and close them. Doing so will help now, and later.
Roberts’s early work focused on Black women’s reproductive rights and their fight for reproductive justice. In “Killing the Black
Sometimes, it seems like life is all uphill. And that may be twice as applicable for women of color, as you’ll see in “The Double Tax.”
But is this a book you need?
Read a little, think about its first few pages, and you may decide that Agyeman isn’t talking to you. If you’re a woman of color, what’s here is old news; instead, she seems to be talking more to male supervisors, bosses, and CEOs of all races with personal stories that underscore her points. That doesn’t mean White women won’t learn a few things – raising another woman up is always a good action - but men who don’t pay the pink tax will surely get more from it.
Although what you’ll find here is a bit broad, this book will open eyes to what’s hidden in plain sight, and you’ll find ideas for change that can affect the status quo.
For that, “The Double Tax” is a singularly helpful book.
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.
By Tamara Shiloh
Mary Smith Peake’s life is a story of courage, hope, and the power of education. Born in 1823 in Norfolk, Virginia, Peake lived at a time when it was illegal to teach enslaved African Americans how to read or write. Still, she believed that learning was the key to freedom and dignity, and
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
she devoted her life to teaching others — even when it was dangerous.
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.
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
Mary’s mother was a free woman of color, and her father was English. As a child, Mary was sent to live with her aunt in Washington, D.C., where she attended a school for Black children. Education opened doors for her, and she quickly discovered her love for reading and writing. But when she returned to Virginia, she saw how different life was for most African Americans. Enslaved men, women, and children were denied even the most basic education. Mary felt a deep responsibility to change that. She began secretly teaching people in her home. Imagine the risk she took — if caught, she could have been punished harshly. But Peake knew knowledge could never be taken away once it was given. She often taught chil-
dren during the day and adults in the evenings. Her students learned not only letters and numbers but also the importance of believing in themselves.
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.
In 1851, she married Thomas Peake, a free Black man, and they had a daughter named Daisy. Even as a wife and mother, Peake continued her mission to teach. By the early 1860s, the Civil War had begun, and thousands of enslaved people were fleeing to Union-held areas seeking safety and freedom. These men, women, and children were called “contrabands of war.” Many of them settled near Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia.
It was there that Peake’s teaching reached its greatest impact. In 1861, under the shade of a large oak tree, she began teaching formerly enslaved children how to read and write. This tree later be-
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.
Special to The Post
Oct. 1, it was noted that eight of the 22 MacArthur fellows were African American. Among the re cipients of the so-called ‘genius grants’ are scholars, visual and media artists a poet/writer, histo rian, and dancer/choreographer who each receive $800,000 over
Dorothy Roberts. Photo courtesy of the John D. and Catherine T. Ma cArthur Foundation.
Mary Smith Peake. Fair use.
Author Gifty Opoku-Agyeman. Photo courtesy of @corbinswainphoto.
Public Notices, Classifieds & Business
California vs. Hate Hotline Logged Nearly 1,200 Incident Reports in 2024
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) released new data on Sept. 18 indicating a continuous demand for support and resources through California (CA) vs Hate, the state’s multilingual statewide hotline and online portal.
In 2024, 1,180 hate incidents were reported to the CA vs Hate telephone and digital resource, CRD revealed. Reports came from 49 counties across California, in-
cluding all 10 of the state’s most populous counties.
The portal intends to provide a safe and anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of non-emergency hate crimes and hate incidents, as well as a “platform to speak out against hate,” stated Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency.
In more than two-thirds of cases reported, the person asked about receiving counseling, legal assis-
The California Department of Civil Rights, community partners, and officials from the state of California released new data highlighting the impact of the California vs. Hate campaign’s first year of operation at the California Secretary of State Office in Sacramento on May 20, 2024. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
tance, or other resources. The hotline provides support in over 200 languages by phone and 15 languages online.
In California, it is considered a hate crime if an individual or group is targeted because of their actual or perceived identity — including nationality and immigration or citizenship status. According to CRD, racial or ethnic bias was mentioned in 44% of reports.
“Hate has no place in California,” stated Gov. Gavin Newsom,
responding to the release of the report. “Every person has the right to feel safe in our state. As we continue grappling with increased hate incidents, we will keep working for the health and safety of our communities.”
In a June 2025 report released by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), there were 494 reported anti-Black hate crime events in California in 2024, continuing a trend where Black indi-
Continued on page 7
Mary Smith Peake ...
Continued from page 4
came known as the Emancipation Oak, because it was where the first Southern reading of the Emancipation Proclamation was held in 1863. Today, the tree still stands as a powerful symbol of freedom and learning.
Peake was soon chosen as the
$10M Fund for Immigrant Families ...
Continued from page 2
experiencing a financial crisis.
“We are incredibly proud to be the inaugural grantee of this critical regional fund,” “Our ALMA Fund was created for moments like this, and this partnership with the San Francisco Foundation and Bay Area mayors will allow us to do more, faster. This investment is not just financial; it's a powerful statement of solidarity that will
Redistricting Fight Heats Up ...
Continued from page 2
During an appearance at the University of Southern California last week, Schwarzenegger said Democrats want to eliminate the state’s redistricting commission.
“They want to get rid of it under the auspices of, ‘We have to fight Trump.’ Doesn’t make any sense to me,” he said. “Two bad behaviors don’t make a right behavior.
California vs. Hate Hotline ...
Continued from page 6
viduals are the most-targeted racial group.
In 2021, Attorney General Rob Bonta launched the Racial Justice Bureau (Bureau) within the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The Bureau is a part of the state’s efforts to lead the development of strategies to address bias and hate at their roots and to strengthen responses to hate crimes in California.
Rosalyn Green is the Black Power-Building and Justice Reinvestment Director for the Monterey County Black Caucus and a member of the Stop the Hate network. She participated in the event in May at the State Capitol to advocate for more funding for the program.
“The funding really does make a difference and suppresses hate activities,” Green told California Black Media (CBM).
“The NAACP California Hawaii State Conference strongly
first Black teacher employed by the American Missionary Association, a group dedicated to providing education for freedmen. She taught in the Brown Cottage, which became the first building of what is now Hampton University, a historically Black university. Sadly, Peake’s health began to fail, and she passed away from tuberculosis in 1862 at just 39 years
help us provide a lifeline to families living in fear and financial distress,” said José A. Quiñonez, CEO of Mission Asset Fund.
Initial partners include prominent community organizations such as Faith in Action and the SF Interfaith Council, demonstrating a broad base of support from day one.
Individuals interested in donating to the fund visit standtogetherbayarea.org and make an online donation or contact the San Francisco Foundation at (415) 733-8590 for other donation
Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
So far, the fundraising effort has gained remarkable momentum.
At press time, around $70 million had been raised in less than two months for Prop 50. The family of George Soros, a prominent Democratic financier, has contributed $10 million to effort.
On both sides of the issue, Democratic and Republican donors are expected to spend as much as $200 million to influence voters before the November election.
supports CA vs Hate hotline,” stated Rick L. Callender, NAACP CA/ HI State Conference President.
“We will continue to stand as a proud supporter of the CA vs Hate hotline resource, as we know our Black and Brown brothers and sisters are disproportionately targeted with hate and discrimination.”
How To Report A Hate Crime: CA vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal. Reports can be made anonymously by calling (833) 8664283, or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT or online at any time.
The caller will speak with a trained civil rights agent in over 200 languages. Outside of the scheduled hours and days of operation, the public can leave a voicemail or call 211 to report a hate incident and seek support from a professional trained in culturally competent communication and trauma-informed practices.
For more information on CA vs Hate, visit CAvsHate.org.
A Century of Quiet Strength: The Life and Legacy of Lubertha Anderson
By Aisha Miller Granddaughter
When we think of a century, we often think of history books, inventions, wars, and presidencies. But a century can also be measured in the meals prepared for loved ones, the gardens tended with care, the dresses sewn late into the night, and the wisdom passed from one generation to the next. This is the story of Lubertha Anderson, who turns 100 years old on Oct. 8, 2025.
Born in Saint Joseph, Louisiana, to Willie and Alice Scott, Lubertha was the oldest of eight children. Life on her father’s farm was full of horses, cows, chickens, vegetables, and fruit trees. Yet, it was also a life of responsibility. As the eldest, she cared for her siblings and began cooking at just nine years old. Balancing on a stool, she stirred pots of cabbage and baked cornbread, choosing the kitchen over cotton fields.
Education was important, though often interrupted by farm work. She loved school and athletics, even playing basketball in middle and high school. Her father disapproved of pants for girls, a reminder of the cultural barriers she often challenged quietly but firmly. For a time, she lived with her Aunt Mattie, helping with ironing work to earn money—a preview of the work ethic that defined her life.
Like thousands of other African Americans during the Great Migration, Lubertha sought freedom and opportunity in the West. With her cousin Remalia, she boarded the Southern Pacific train—her first train ride ever— and left Louisiana behind. Arriving in Oakland at the Seventh Street station, she stepped into a
new world.
It was in Louisiana that she first met Thomas Anderson, who worked at a local drugstore. He offered her extra scoops of vanilla ice cream, a simple gesture that blossomed into a lifelong love. Together, they built a life in California, raising their family in Richmond and Berkeley.
Lubertha became known for her nurturing spirit. She was the family’s best cook, filling the table with homemade meals. She sewed school clothes, prom dresses, suits, and curtains, often working late into the night and heading to work the next morning without complaint. She and Thomas
By Bo Tefu
California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the California Men’s Service Challenge on Sept. 16, a statewide initiative aimed at addressing disconnection, mental health challenges, and declining opportunities among young men.
The program calls on 10,000 men to serve as mentors, coaches, and tutors, while inviting organizations across California to participate in building belonging and purpose.
“Too many young men and boys are suffering in silence — disconnected from community, opportunity and even their own families. This action is about turning that around,” said Newsom. “It’s about showing every young man that he matters, he has purpose, and he has a community.”
The initiative is part of Newsom’s broader effort through the
California Service Corps and partner organizations to create pathways for leadership, community engagement, and career development. Participants will work directly with young men, helping them connect to education, careers, and community resources.
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom emphasized the collaborative nature of the effort.
“Women and men may face different challenges, but we share a responsibility to lift up the next generation…The California Volunteers Men’s Service Challenge calls on 10,000 young men to step forward as mentors and coaches, offering the care and connection that can combat isolation and build belonging,” said Siebel Newsom.
The program partners with organizations including Improve Your Tomorrow, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Mentor California, the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, the Giants Community Fund, and the American Institute for Boys and Men. These groups will help provide mentorship, service opportunities, and skill-building experiences.
“Young men across California are struggling with disconnection, loneliness and a lack of direction,” said GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday. “Through service, we can give them a sense of purpose and the opportunity to build careers while making a difference in their communities.”
Courtesy of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Facebook page. Lubertha Anderson. Courtesy photo. Continued on page 8
On Edge: Incarcerated Firefighters Await
Newsom’s Signature on Pay
Raise Bill
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
Incarcerated firefighters serving time in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation system are on edge as they await Gov. Gavin Newsom decision to sign or reject Assembly Bill (AB) 247.
Authored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), the bill was passed on Sept. 12 by the California legislature and has made its way to the governor’s desk for consideration.
If Newsom approves AB 247, it will establish a pay raise for incarcerated firefighters.
“Right now, the incarcerated firefighters in California make roughly $1 an hour for their backbreaking, heroic labor,” Bryan said.
“I believe that we can do better, and I believe that we should do better. Nobody should put their life on the line and earn less than the minimum wage. This bill raises the incarcerated firefighters by over 700%. It dignifies their lifesaving efforts.”
The bill passed with unanimous support in the Assembly and Senate, indicating broad agreement on the need for the pay increase, including all 20 Republicans in the lower house. AB 247 passed 39-0
in the Senate, with nine Republicans voting in favor of the measure.
Assemblymember Heath Flora (R-Ripon), the new minority leader of the California State Assembly, was a volunteer firefighter for over 15 years, eventually rising to the rank of battalion chief. He has worked alongside incarcerated firefighters and knows the essence of their bravery.
“We talk about recidivism, we talk about programs that work … this one is the absolutely best,” Flora said of the Conservation Camp Program. “I am proud of the author (Bryan) for bringing this forward in giving these men and helping these women what they deserve.”
AB 247 guarantees that incarcerated people who battle California’s wildfires are fairly compensated for their critical service—a practice rooted in a tradition that dates back to 1915.
The bill will bump their pay to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during active fire incidents. According to the CDCR, current remuneration swings from $5.80 to $10.24 per day, plus $1 per hour during active emergencies.
CDCR reported that incarcerated fire crews contributed 42% of the total emergency response hours
in 2024. It’s the highest number ever recorded by the department’s fire camps.
Assemblymember Sade Elhawary (D-Los Angeles) is a strong supporter of incarcerated firefighters and has also authored legislation aimed at providing them with better pay, benefits, and career opportunities.
Elhawary co-authored with Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) AB 812,” titled the Recall and Resentencing for Incarcerated Firefighters.” The measure would require the CDCR to issue regulations for referring incarcerated firefighters to the court for resentencing.
“These individuals perform essential work side-by-side with professional firefighters, often on the front lines,” Elhawary said. “AB 247 (and AB 812) is more than about wages. It’s about acknowledging humanity and giving people a chance to rebuild their lives while they are helping us to save ours. Their bravery deserves respect and proper compensation.”
Newsom Signs Nation’s Strongest Laws to Protect Schools, Hospitals from Federal Immigration Raids
iStock
By Bo Tefu California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 20 signed what he called the nation’s strongest protections against federal immigration enforcement tactics, aimed at shielding children in schools and patients in hospitals from Trump-era “secret police” raids.
Newsom signed the legislation at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex — a compound housing four specialized public high schools — in Los Angeles.
The new laws prohibit federal officers, including ICE, from concealing their identities by requiring visible badge or name and restrict immigration enforcement in classrooms and nonpublic hospital areas without a judicial warrant. They also require school administrators to notify families when enforcement occurs on campus.
“Public safety depends on trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve — but Trump and Miller have shattered Continued on page 9
The Life and Legacy of
Lubertha Anderson ...
Continued from page 7
worked hard to ensure that each of their children had the opportunity to attend college. Her lessons were practical yet profound: “Education is the number one priority.” “Save your money.” “Always have enough to get back home.” “Help others— you may one day need help yourself.” Her love was expressed in action, through meals, clothes, and unwavering support.
Her professional life reflected the same spirit of care. She worked as a housekeeper before completing training as a home health aide.
For 35 years, she served with the Contra Costa County Health Department, where she became indispensable to the well-baby clinics. Public health nurses relied on her organizational skills and dedication.
At the Seventh-Day Adventist church, she served as Sabbath School superintendent, Vacation Bible School coordinator, and hostess for pastors. She and Thomas also provided fresh flowers weekly, ensuring beauty in worship. She was the quiet “queen of hospitality,” serving with grace and generosity.
Beyond work and service, Lubertha cultivated a rich personal life. Her vegetable garden overflowed with tomatoes, beans, squash, and strawberries. She loved sewing and took pride in her handwork. She visited Hawaii and Mexico, and traveled extensively to Europe many times, where Italy became her favorite country to visit. She also enjoyed “traveling” through magazines and television shows.
Perhaps one of her most defining acts of determination came when she purchased a home in Richmond, becoming the first Black family in her neighborhood. When her husband finished work one day, she handed him clean clothes, picked him up, and announced they were signing the papers for the house—a surprise that set the foundation for generations to come.
She also taught herself to drive a stick-shift Ford station wagon, teaching all of her children to drive—sometimes with a carload of children bouncing in the back.
Lubertha lived through the Jim Crow South, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights era, and the election of America’s first Black president. When Barack Obama was elected in 2008, she was overjoyed, never imagining she would see that day in her lifetime.
While others reminisced about “the good old days,” she offered a different perspective: those times were simply different. She expressed gratitude for modern conveniences like electricity and washing machines, and she always embraced change with practicality.
Today, Lubertha’s greatest pride is her family—her six children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchild, each carrying a piece of her love and perseverance.
Her legacy is one of faith, family, and fortitude. She taught patience, kindness, and determination. She modeled generosity and hospitality. And she instilled in her family the importance of education, frugality, and love.
As she turns one hundred, her story reminds us all that a century is not just measured in years, but in lives touched, lessons taught, and love given.
If you accepted or processed Discover credit cards between 2007–2023, you could be eligible to get a payment from a class action settlement.
**YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO A SETTLEMENT PAYMENT**
To receive a payment, file a claim by May 18, 2026
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?
A proposed class action settlement has been reached in three related lawsuits. The lawsuits allege that, beginning in 2007, Discover misclassified certain Discover-issued consumer credit cards as commercial credit cards, which in turn caused merchants and others to incur excessive interchange fees. The misclassification did not impact cardholders. Discover denies the claims in the lawsuits, and the Court has not decided who is right or wrong. Instead, the proposed settlement, if approved, will resolve the lawsuits and provide benefits to Settlement Class Members.
WHO IS INCLUDED?
The Settlement Class includes all End Merchants, Merchant Acquirers, and Payment Intermediaries involved in processing or accepting a Misclassified Card Transaction during the period from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2023. To view the full Settlement Class definition, including defined terms and excluded entities, go to www. DiscoverMerchantSettlement.com.
WHAT CAN I GET?
To receive a settlement payment, with very limited exceptions, you will need to file a claim by May 18, 2026 and/or provide additional
information to the Settlement Administrator. Under the proposed settlement, Discover will make payments to eligible Settlement Class Members who submit valid claims. Discover has agreed to pay between $540 million and $1.225 billion plus interest in connection with this settlement. Your settlement payment amount will be calculated based on a variety of factors.
YOUR OTHER OPTIONS.
You can file a claim for a payment by May 18, 2026 and/or provide additional information. Alternatively, you can exclude yourself from the settlement by opting out, in which case you will receive no payment under this settlement and retain any right you may have to sue Discover about the claims in these lawsuits or related to the Misclassified Card Transactions. If you do not exclude yourself, and the Court approves the settlement, you will be bound by the Court’s orders and judgments and will release any claims against Discover in these lawsuits or related to the Misclassified Card Transactions. If you do not exclude yourself, you can object to or comment on any part of the settlement. The deadline to either exclude yourself or object to the settlement is March 25, 2026. Visit the website for information on how to exercise these options.
Incarcerated firefighters from the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp were recognized on the California Senate floor in March 2025 and again on the Senate floor in April 2025 for their bravery during fires. Screenshot.
Newsom Signs Nation’s Strongest Laws to Protect Schools, Hospitals ... Continued from page 8
that trust and spread fear across America,” Newsom said. “California is putting an end to it and making sure schools and hospitals remain what they should be: places of care, not chaos.”
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said the measures protect families who live in fear of deportation.
“Our places of learning and healing must never be turned into the hunting grounds this federal administration has tried to make them out to be,” she said.
Lawmakers echoed her sentiment, with Assemblymember
Mike Fong (D-Alhambra) noting that AAPI communities are among the most impacted, and Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) calling the package “a major win for our communities” that sets “important guardrails so that immigrant families can feel safe whether they are at school, at the doctor, or in their own neighborhood.”
nians can more easily get the services they need,” said the Secretary of State’s office in announcing the program. Officials added that hosting the events in local communities is intended to reduce travel burdens and provide faster, more convenient service.
To obtain an apostille, participants must bring the original notarized or certified document, a completed request cover sheet, and payment. The fee is $20 per apostille, plus a $6 special handling fee for each signature that requires authentication. Payment is accepted by Visa, Mastercard, check, or money order. Cash is not accepted.
Due to high demand, officials warn that wait times at the pop-up shops may run up to three hours.
Residents who cannot attend may send documents with a trusted person to submit on their behalf. Apostille requests can also be processed by mail or in person at the Secretary of State’s offices in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
Asm. Gipson’s Ghost Guns Bill Passes in
California Assembly and Senate
By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media
Both the California Assembly and Senate voted this month to advance Assembly Bill (AB) 1263, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC).
The bill seeks to tighten oversight of privately manufactured firearms—those made without serial numbers — by holding individuals who help produce them legally liable.
AB 1263 has now moved to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for his approval or veto.
sive in terms of using our technology.”
According to Gipson’s office, AB 1263 broadens the scope of California’s Firearm Industry Responsibility Act (FIRA), establishing a “firearm industry standard of conduct” that requires members of the firearm industry to take precautions and prevent illegal sales and harm.
In addition, AB 1263 creates a new misdemeanor crime for the unlawful manufacture of firearms” and creates a rebuttable presumption that the owner or operator of a website is liable for digital firearm manufacturing code posted on their site.
puters. “We must be sure there are laws that stay consistent with technology, background checks, and serial numbers. AB 1263 represents the work that we’ve been doing here in California.”
Arguments against AB 1263 largely focus on concerns related to Second Amendment rights, firearm manufacturing, and potential restrictions on free speech.
Groups like the Gun Owners of America and Second Amendment advocacy groups contend that AB 1263 is unconstitutional, arguing that the right to privately build firearms is fundamental.
By Bo Tefu California Black Media
The California Secretary of State’s office has launched a new Apostille Pop-Up Shop series, bringing document authentication services directly to communities across the state. The series kicked off Sept. 17 in San Diego in partnership with the San Diego Assessor-Recorder-County
Clerk’s Office.
Upcoming events include Dublin on Sept. 26, Salinas on Oct. 1, Fresno on Oct. 20, and Santa Ana on Oct. 23. At each location, residents can have official documents such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, and educational records authenticated for international use.
“This is about expanding access and making sure Califor-
By Emil Guillermo
Jimmy
Kimmel’s return after a short suspension from his job as ABC late night show host was nothing less than a victory for the First Amendment.
Every last one of us in this country should be reassured and proud.
But will it last?
ABC took Kimmel off the job temporarily after his remarks that President Trump was exploiting Charlie Kirk’s assassination for political gain. I didn’t see anything wrong with the comments; but it angered the FCC chair Brendan Carr who seems to have such an antiliberal bias that he made threats to ABC.
You don’t regulate speech that way in America.
On Tuesday, Kimmel was unsilenced and picked up where he left off.
He said it was “never his intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” the only way he referenced Kirk.
Kimmel even said how his own first words on social media showed his intent to send “love to (Kirk’s)
family and asking for compassion and I meant it. And I still do.”
He lauded how Kirk’s widow Erika had the grace to forgive her husband’s killer. And how he wished that was what we “carry forward” from the tragedy rather than his ABC situation.
Kimmel said he understood that some may feel his comments were “ill-timed or unclear or maybe both. And for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way.”
Kimmel was more honest than apologetic—not that he needed to apologize.
He just needed people to understand the First Amendment, and how it should work in America.
“This show is not important,” he said. “What is important is that we live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”
Kimmel said he’s talked to other talk show hosts from countries like Russia who told him they’d be “thrown into prison for making fun of those in power.”
“They know how lucky we are,”
The pop-up shop program reflects a broader push to modernize government services and ensure residents across California have easier access to critical resources. By offering mobile services in multiple counties, the Secretary of State’s office aims to make document authentication faster, more convenient, and more accessible.
The effort underscores the importance of apostilles, which allow Californians to use official state documents abroad with international recognition. Officials say expanding the service directly into communities helps residents save time and ensures California remains connected globally.
On Sept. 12 the Assembly voted 62-13 in favor of the legislation. The day before the Senate voted to pass the bill with 29-10 vote.
AB 1263 is poised to become California state law at a time when political violence, state gun laws, and the Second Amendment have taken center stage in the national conversation.
Gipson said ghost gun bills are “needed now more than ever.”
“It’s something I’ve been working on since I’ve been in the legislature. It’s a proliferation in all of America and California,” Gipson told California Black Media (CBM). “The ghost-gun industry has found loopholes in our laws, and they have become eva-
Kimmel said. “Our freedom to speak is what they admire most about this country, and that’s what I’m embarrassed to say I took for granted until they pulled my friend Steven (Colbert, the CBS late night talk host) and tried to coerce the affiliates who run our show in the cities that you live in to take my show off the air.
That’s not legal. That’s not American. That is un-American.”
MY SHOW
By the way, I’m back from Canada where I did my latest “Emil Amok” monologue.
I’ll do my constantly evolving show on Nov. 19 at the SF Marsh.
Save the date and get tickets now: https://themarsh.org/shows_ and_events/marsh-rising-emilguillermo/
It’s an American Filipino perspective with some humor.
And if you want a taste of my standup, I’ll be at the San Francisco Filipino Comedy Festival, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. at Bindlestiff Studios in SF, 185 6th St.
The show also features talents like Al Manalo and Shawn Felipe, who just won the August San Francisco International Comedy Competition.
Get tickets online: https://www. bindlestiffstudio.org/filipinocomedyfest3
About the Author
Emil Amok is a veteran journalist, commentator, and stage monologist. He has written a weekly column on Asian Americans for more than 30 years.
Gipson’s bill specifically targets the distribution of instructions for creating 3D-printed and computer numerical control-milled (CNC) firearms. This ghost gun manufacturing method is widely used in the firearms industry for producing high-quality, precise, and consistent parts.
AB 1263 mandates that vendors selling firearm-making equipment like 3D printers and CNC milling machines must provide a clear and conspicuous notice about California’s laws regarding firearm manufacturing.
“These guns are plastic, undetectable, and can pass through metal detectors,” Gipson said, describing ghost guns made by com-
CITY OF OAKLAND REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR ON-CALL INVESTIGATION SERVICES
Contract Amount: TBD Terms: 3 Years
The California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA) has stated its opposition to AB 1263, stating that “To remove technology from an already grossly imbalanced situation puts law-abiding citizens in harm’s way.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is a sponsor of AB 1263 and any other legislation that prevents loopholes for individuals to purchase unfinished parts to assemble untraceable firearms.
“In the state of California, we have seen firsthand the effectiveness of our commonsense gun-safety laws,” Bonta stated in March. “Ghost guns not only leave law enforcement in the dark but also put our communities at risk.”
Project Description: The City of Oakland, Human Resource Management Department seeks qualified investigators to conduct personnel, employment, and EEO investigations. Multiple three-year contracts may be awarded. Selection does not guarantee work or compensation. Scope, budget, and timeline will be negotiated per assignment. Investigators must demonstrate experience with employment law and workplace investigations. Contracts will be awarded to those deemed most qualified based on expertise, methodology, and ability to conduct impartial, timely investigations.
Join with Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87399586123?pwd=LRgS88iBTf5fbxas ULjVRlpmylP7Dj.1
Or with the following info:
• Meeting ID: 873 9958 6123
• Passcode: 343947
Proposal Submittal Deadline: Friday, October 17, 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 RFQ. For additional help registering and submitting your proposal to iSupplier please watch the user guide videos at (https://www.oaklandca.gov/documents/isupplier-user-guides). Receipt of a confirmation email indicates that a proposal was successfully submitted.
• Did not receive and invitation? Start Early with iSupplier registration. Upon completion of registration, send an email to iSupplier@oaklandca.gov listing “RFP for On-Call Investigation Services” as the subject and request an invitation to the RFQ. The Contract Analyst will add your business to the RFQ invitation.
• The following policies apply to this RFQ: 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. For project-related questions contact Contract Administration via email at Contractadmin@ oaklandca.gov
2. For iSupplier related questions after registration contact iSupplier@oaklandca.gov
Asha Reed, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council, (Friday, September 26, 2025) he City Council reserves the right to reject all proposals.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1263, authored by Asm. Mike Gipson (D-Carson), proposes stricter regulation of “ghost guns,” or unserialized and untraceable firearms. The measure has moved to the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for consideration. On Gipson’s right at a press conference held at the State Capitol on education is Dr. Robert “BJ” Snowden, the Interim Executive Director for the California State University (CSU) Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Excellence. On the left is Dr. Keith Curry, the President and CEO of Compton College and the Compton Community College District. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
Courtesy of California Secretary State’s Office.
Continued from page 1
about everyone including veterans and seniors.
“We could not have done this work without our volunteer staff, family, and our dear husbands,” said Scott. Scott’s husband is Elder Andrew Scott, Jr. of New Hope Church of God In Christ (G.O.G.I.C.) and her brother-in-law Pastor Charles Jackson, who leads God is Good Ministries in Oakland with her sister.
“God has been good to us and we’ve just tried to use our blessings to help others,” said Scott.
Running two shelters, a resource center, and a myriad of services is costly, so Scott welcomes sponsors and donations.
“Some of our peer organizations have closed down due to finances. We are grateful to continue our work but could use more funding.”
While AOM remains her passion, Scott’s service extends far beyond its doors. For the past 35 years, she has quietly supported churches, grassroots groups, and nonprofit organizations facing an all-toocommon challenge: managing the complex process of gaining and maintaining nonprofit status.
Time and again, organizations have come to her believing they were legally recognized, only to discover that their paperwork had never been properly filed with the State of California or the Internal Revenue Service.
With patience and expertise, Scott has stepped into those difficult moments to restore compliance and, in turn, restore trust. From East Oakland to other California communities and across state lines, she
has successfully guided approximately 150 churches and organizations through the maze of nonprofit regulations. Her record speaks volumes – every group she has assisted has regained its standing without setbacks.
What is perhaps most remarkable is that Scott’s consulting work has grown solely through word-ofmouth referrals. Past clients recommend her not only for her technical expertise, but also for her integrity, compassion, and commitment to seeing organizations thrive long after the crisis has passed.
She continues to provide annual guidance to ensure compliance, giving leaders the reassurance they need to focus on serving their communities.
Scott has also been a consultant for small businesses in need.
Scott is a graduate of San Francisco State University and played on the tennis team. Originally from Bakersfield, Scott says the hard work of her parents, Pastor Armentha and the late Pastor Albert Hines instilled in her the drive to help others.
“My parents were a great example of how to live for God and serve people. My parents had seven biological children and later three more when the parents of those children passed away.”
Scott’s father passed away in 2022, but Scott’s mother remains active and on the go at the age of 87. “She miraculously healed after breaking her hip in August, completed 21 days of rehab, and she herself continues to help others.”
For more information visit www.Arielom.org
Oakland Awarded $33 Million ...
Continued from page 1
Noel Gallo, Oakland City District 5 councilmember said, “this project is coming at a very important time for Oakland.”
“I am proud to see housing resources come to my district that will strengthen our community. Thank you to all of the partners for bringing the solutions we need,” Gallo added.
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced Homekey+ program awards to rehabilitate properties and create housing for residents experiencing homelessness. The funding is generated by the voter-approved Proposition 1, which provides $6.4 billion for mental health treatment and housing with services.
The Mark Twain Homes project includes the rehabilitation and minor new construction of a four-building development. The new development will include a community room, computer room, space for supportive services, bicycle parking, landscaping, and a common space for all residents. The project is central to necessary amenities such as a full-scale grocery store, a medical clinic, a public park, and a public library.
Homekey+, administered by the California Department of Housing & Community Development, is a state program that began at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Homekey+ facilitates the purchase and/or rehabilitation of hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, manufactured homes, and other properties, and conversion of them into homes.
Beyond the Headlines: NABJ’s 50-Year Journey ... A Life of Service ...
Continued from page 1
es NABJ’s evolution from its 1975 founding to its present status as an influential force for equity and representation in American news media. More than a retrospective, the documentary stands as a living testament to the perseverance of Black journalists, featuring interviews with NABJ’s co-founders, veteran correspondents, and contemporary voices.
It brings audiences inside the organization’s fight against newsroom marginalization with firsthand accounts detailing how Black journalists once faced isolation, biased assignments, and systematic career obstacles. The film explores the tactical approaches early NABJ members used to move newsrooms forward by forging alliances and using careful sourcing to insist on fair coverage, to training new journalists to persist despite setbacks.
NABJ pressed for diverse hiring, called out editorial bias, and
Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr., 94 ...
Continued from page 1
led marches that galvanized communities and varying nationalities to the steps of City Hall to speak on issues that plague communities. One of his favorite quotes: “In order to get to the sweet bye and bye you have to deal with the nasty now and now.” Dr. Smith fuels his passionate, prophetic preaching praying power from his dependence upon God that started at the knee of his mother, Amy Gates Smith.
Pastor Smith served everyone –from the lonely to high-ranking officials. Like Jesus, he walked with the marginalized with an opendoor policy, all were welcome. The powerful often sought wise counsel from him. Pastor Smith preached and taught all over the universe.
Life has many turns; the Rev. Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson – Allen Temple’s senior pastor – was licensed and ordained by Dr. Smith; she was his daughter in the ministry who became his pastor. They shared a close relationship.
James Ella James said it like this, “He was one of the most important people in my life. He was a real friend, brother, trustworthy and very caring person. It is so hard to describe James Alfred Smith. I don’t know anybody like him.”
I believe we all share James Ella James’ thoughts and feelings about Dr. Smith.
He was never too busy to listen; he had a compassionate heart that comforted others. Most of us know he could shed tears at the drop of a hat. He was a wonderful counselor who offered grace and perspective.
After Sunday morning worship, he always went to the nar-
The award leverages an additional $13 million of City of Oakland funds. With this latest award, Oakland has secured nearly $138.5 million in Homekey funds since 2020. The City’s Homekey projects provide a total of 599 deeply affordable units, which include:
• Clifton Hall, a former dormitory that offers 61 units for seniors and families.
• Inn by the Coliseum, a repurposed motel with 36 units.
• Project Reclamation, a series of scattered single-family homes for 80 families and individuals.
• Inn at Temescal, a repurposed motel with 21 units for veterans.
• Piedmont Place, a repurposed motel with 44 units.
• Kingdom Builders Transitional Housing, a repurposed motel with 34 transitional units.
• Imperial Inn, a repurposed motel that will offer 47 permanent supportive housing units.
• CSH Enterprise/Quality Inn, a repurposed motel with 104 units.
• Dignity Village, 40 modular units for seniors experiencing homelessness.
• The Maya Motel, a repurposed motel with 23 units.
Homelessness and housing affordability are top priorities for Oakland residents, according to Lee’s office. To address these challenges, the city is carrying out a multi-pronged approach, through a “3P” framework: Protect Oaklanders from displacement; Preserve the existing affordable housing stock; and produce new, deeply affordable housing units.
launched mentorship and leadership programs to ensure Black journalists could transform newsrooms, and eventually shape media ownership nationwide.
“Beyond the Headlines” honors a wide spectrum of NABJ visionaries. It spotlights pioneers like Max Robinson—the first Black network anchor—and cofounder Sandra Dawson Long Weaver. Stories from contemporary journalists such as Shaquille Brewster and Roland Martin are interwoven throughout. The film also pays tribute to NABJ Hall of Fame inductees whose legacies continue to inspire efforts for more inclusive journalism.
The documentary’s release was celebrated with a national tour this year. The NABJ Convention in Cleveland gave the film a standing ovation, and
“Beyond the Headlines” won several accolades, including Best Documentary at the Virginia Black Film Festival and the Henry
thex, shook hands and personally greeted people. He told me when you are greeting the people don’t forget to pat the little children on the head and tell them how much they are growing.
The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr. said Pastor Smith’s preaching, teaching and leadership commitments did not take him away from human rights struggles. “They take him deeper and deeper into the human rights struggles.”
Among Pastor Smith’s many outstanding contributions to his ministry, like housing for seniors, were his efforts to ensure that women were ordained and that they preached in the pulpit and elsewhere.
Among those he ordained early on, was Rev. Dr. Ella Mitchell. From the four corners of America, there are numerous women who owe Dr. Smith a debt of gratitude for embracing them into the ministry.
When Dr. Smith’s health was challenged with a stroke, crippling him, he then preached from a wheelchair. His last sermon at Allen Temple was on Father’s Day June 15: “A Good Daddy and his two sons.”
On Sept. 19, 2025, the Lord said “Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant.”
Dr. Smith’s legacy of faith will live on.
All Services will be held on the Allen Temple Baptist Church Campus and will be livestreamed Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 Lying in repose 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. followed by an evening of worship and witness Friday, Oct. 10, Celebration of Life – 11 a.m.
One Big Beautiful Bill Act ...
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million people in California will lose Medicaid insurance coverage and hospital care costs will increase by $9.5 billion over the next 10 years. States will be prohibited from adding extra taxes to pay for these losses. Elements of the effect of OBBBA on healthcare are:
1) Work requirements. By 2027, Medi-Cal recipients will be required to participate in at least 80 hours per month of work, school or community service. This will likely lead to losing coverage due to administrative burdens.
2) Stricter eligibility requirements. There will be more frequent eligibility checks (every six months), which will make it harder for people to enroll and stay enrolled in Medi-Cal. Starting Oct. 1, 2028, Medi-Cal recipients will be required to pay a $35 co-pay for medical services.
3) Immigrants. The bill will severely restrict Medicaid eligibility for certain lawfully present immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers regardless of their work history. Medicare beneficiaries who are immigrants may also be restricted.
4) Strain on providers. Cuts
Hampton Award for Excellence at the Roxbury International Film Festival, recognizing its strong impact on the industry.
At the Oakland International Film Festival (OIFF), the film was screened at the historic Grand Lake Theater in Oakland to a packed audience of Bay Area media makers.
Journalists Allison Davis, NABJ founder; Terry Collins, USA Today national correspondent; KTVU Channel 2 Morning anchor André Senior; Bob Butler, former KCBS anchor and past NABJ president and UC Berkeley School of Journalism Dean Michael D. Bolden spoke with panel moderator David Roach, OIFF executive director, about the importance of freedom of the press to preserve democracy in the U.S.
“We’ve worked very hard to ensure that journalists are knowledgeable and well trained on the new distribution platforms so their stories will continue to reach
Belva Davis, 92 ...
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Chronicle and Politico journalist
Carla Marinucci told KQED.
“She had to put up with being thrown out of press conferences, being called names, being called ethnic slurs. She never let any of that deter her,” Marinucci said.
Davis inspired the many Black female journalists who came after her. Former KRON TV anchor Pam Moore told KQED; “She is a legend, and she was a mentor, a friend, a mom… You don’t work in California and journalism as a person of color and not know about Belva Davis.”
Barbara Rodgers, another retired news anchor who worked with Davis at KPIX, observed that Davis’ on-air presence didn’t just inspire other Black women to enter the field.
“I say that Belva kicked open the door, but left her shoe in it,” Rodgers said. “She wanted to prop it open for all the rest of us and really encouraged us.”
“Belva was instrumental in the positive development of hundreds of Black women during the ’60s and ’70s,” said former Post News Group reporter Tanya Dennis, a former Maid of Berkeley 1967 and Miss Oakland 1968, two firsts for Black women. “She formed platforms for Black women to shine by organizing the Miss Bronze Beauty Pageants that allowed Black beauty to be celebrated during a critical time of transformation of the ‘I’m Black and Beautiful’ movement. Belva also encouraged many to become journalists by her successful achievements in media. I owe her so much.”
to Medicaid and other insurance will lead to an increase in uninsured patients and will likely lead to greater uncompensated care for providers, increased operational and financial strain and potential facility closures, particularly for rural hospitals.
5) Reproductive services.
Providers who participate in reproductive healthcare services, such as abortion will be prohibited from receiving Medicaid reimbursement. These significant healthcare changes associated with the bill will likely disproportionately affect African American, Latino, American Indian and Pacific Islander individuals who have the highest rates of morbidity and mortality in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Individuals are advised to contact social services, their Medi-Cal providers to find out more specifically how Alameda and Contra Costa counties will address these issues. Further communication with Congress and our political leaders will be important in understanding these changes and requesting modifications.controls.”
audiences,” said Davis. For Butler, participating in fellowships and cultural exchange trips for emerging journalists continues to expand the call of journalism.
Bolden said NABJ will always be a great place to network and bond with Black journalists while advancing opportunity and carrying the craft into the future.
While reflecting on NABJ’s five-decade journey, the film serves as a call to action in a profession contending with new challenges, disinformation, censorship, and shrinking local news. NABJ’s ongoing work ensures Black voices are amplified and respected, and safeguarded within journalism. As founders assert, the NABJ is more than an association: it remains both a moral compass and an engine for lasting change. NABJ’s 50th anniversary documentary demonstrates that its story, like journalism itself, is far from over.
munity work. “I was privileged to be at many of those events,” Lang said.
According to KQED and other sources, Davis covered the Berkeley riots during the Free Speech Movement, the Black Panther Party, the Jonestown mass suicide of members of the Peoples’ Temple who had migrated from San Francisco to Jonestown, Guyana, “the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and openly gay Supervisor Harvey Milk, and the AIDS crisis, as well as many local, state and national elections.”
She interviewed some of the most iconic newsmakers, including Muhammad Ali, Coretta Scott King and Fidel Castro, KQED reported and, late in her career, former Vice President Kamala Harris who was then California’s attorney general. She also reported early on about deadly use of force by local police.
In addition to the eight Emmy Awards she won from the San Francisco/Northern California chapter, Davis received lifetime achievement awards from American Women in Radio and Television and, in 2008, the National Association of Black Journalists. Online, NABJ shared Davis’ oft-repeated motto, “Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you dream it, you can make it so.” Davis titled her 2011 memoir “Never in My Wildest Dreams.”
As an active member and former vice president in her union, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Davis also had great impact.
“The broadcast community has lost a barrier-breaking legend. Belva helped establish the 40-hour work week for reporters and was a powerful advocate for broadcasters in the union,” said SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin. “On behalf of the members of SAG-AFTRA, we send condolences to her family and respect for the impact she had on our community.”
Besides her work, Davis advocated for community participation in the political process and cemented that personally with dinners at her San Francisco home.
“She was a trailblazer in civic and social responsibility,” said Perry Lang, a minister and former San Francisco Chronicle reporter who attended those dinners where Davis invited 15 to 75 people to share with each other their com-
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee met Davis as a young student at Mills College. “She was a steady source of inspiration, guidance, and friendship for me. I will never forget traveling to Italy for her wedding anniversary, where friends and family from across the world gathered to honor the remarkable bond between Belva and Bill.
“That celebration reflected the strength, joy, and grace she carried into every part of her life.
“For Black women and people of color working to break into media and television, Belva was a beacon… She made it possible for a new generation of journalists to see themselves in all forms of media and to know they had a place in shaping public conversation,” Lee said.
Davis is survived by her husband, Bill Moore; two children by her first marriage, Darolyn and Steve Davis, and granddaughter Sterling Davis.
Sources for this report include KQED News, NABJ and SAG-AFTRA web sites, Wikipedia, Nextdoor and the media relations office for Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee.
OPD Chief Stands by Decision ...
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$411 million in fiscal year 202627.
On Sept. 19, OPD announced that six traffic enforcement motorcycle officers would be reassigned to patrol duties. Later that day, Mitchell released the following statement:
“Before deciding to reassign these officers, I conducted a careful and comprehensive review of our community safety needs, patrol officer availability, and current staffing levels. Based on this assessment, my executive team and I made the difficult decision to reassign these traffic officers to dedicated patrol assignments to ensure timely responses to 911 emergency calls and officers’ safety across the Oakland community.
“Unfortunately, due to our current attrition rate of five to six officers per month and the lack of funding to start a police academy for over a year (June 2024- July 2025), this will not be the last reassignment of specialized officers back to dedicated patrol duties in the coming weeks. This will prioritize officers’ assignments to department essential functions in patrol, criminal investigations, Ceasefire, and Internal Affairs.
“The reassigned officers will be deployed to dedicated patrol beats across Oakland, assisting in filling vacancies currently covered through overtime, ensuring consis-
tent and sufficient coverage.
“OPD’s Executive Team remains committed to transparency and will continue to provide regular updates to elected officials, the Police Commission, community members, and department representatives.
“These updates include current staffing levels and any necessary changes in officer deployment, based on real-time needs, during weekly and monthly meetings.
“Finally, I want to address the unwarranted criticism levied at Mayor Barbara Lee regarding officer reassignments and deployment decisions made by OPD’s executive team during this unprecedented staffing crisis.
“The decision to cancel and not fund any police academies last year was made before Mayor Lee took office. Since then, Mayor Lee assumed office, she has been a strong advocate for the police department, supporting the funding of five police academies as part of the City’s two-year budget cycle (FY 20252027).
“Addressing the current staffing crisis will take time and require collaboration among all involved parties. To ensure the safety of our community and our officers, we must focus on retaining our current officers while recruiting new personnel.
