‘Nobody
Hospital Incident Spurs Push to End ICE Collaboration in Contra Costa
BY DENIS PEREZ-BRAVO
Healthcare workers joined community advocates Aug. 12 in urging Contra Costa County supervisors to halt sheriff cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, citing a recent incident in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents denied hospital staff access to a detained patient.
Dozens of people rallied outside the Martinez government center before dozens spoke on the sheriff’s oversight report during the Board of Supervisors meeting.
The push comes two weeks after ICE agents brought an unresponsive detainee to John Muir Health Concord Medical Center, denied his family information about his condition, and “snuck him off to an ICE detention facility,” according to Dr. Douglas Yoshida, an emergency physician at Stanford Tri-Valley Medical Center.
“Healthcare worker intimidation has been used for decades by authoritarian regimes,” Yoshida said at the outside rally. “Federal law actually allows information to be given to the family if the patient consents, even if they’re incarcerated.”
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Yoshida drew parallels between the treatment of undocumented immigrants today and his own family’s experience during Japanese American internment in World War II. His father, then 15, was not allowed to see his mother for weeks while she had cancer.
“I’m here today to ask the Board of Supervisors, as supporters of democracy, to stand up against dictatorship and speak up for immigrants, diversity and compassion” Yoshida said. “Please adopt a non-cooperation ordinance against ICE. Do not let history keep on repeating itself.”
Nurses Call for Changes
Yoshida was joined by John Muir Health workers from Concord who, in red shirts, stood in solidarity with their patients.
“Our patients should never be forced to forgo life-saving treatment because our government has made our workplace sites of harm and terror,” said Katelyn Mobeen, a registered nurse at John Muir in Concord.
Mobeen outlined specific protections nurses want to see: policies preventing staff from disclosing patient immigration status and shielding healthcare workers from retaliation for refusing to assist
The Contra Costa Pulse is a community media project focusing on local and health news coverage in West and East Contra Costa County. The project is supported by STRONG Collaborative Fund.
immigration enforcement.
“No nurse or staff members will face retaliation, discipline or dismissal for advocating on behalf of a patient with undocumented status or refusing to participate in actions that may harm such patients,” she said.
Sheriff Defends Current Policy
Sheriff David Livingston said the department has notified ICE about 55 individuals this year. That is out of 293 requests for notification from ICE, or close to 19%. The department has received more notification requests from the federal agency than last year but fulfilled a lower percentage.
In 2024, the department made 70 notifications to ICE out of 274 requests, nearly 26%.
Livingston said the department is following state law; it notifies ICE when the suspect has a high-level criminal background.
But District 4 Supervisor Ken Carlson, a former police officer, questioned the value of the policy saying that the county was not gaining anything from notifying ICE of these cases.
“Why report at all?” Carlson asked during Livingston’s presentation.
Carlson said that in a previous meeting, some people argued a noncompliance order would let criminals back on the streets. He countered that by saying that serious white offenders who have completed their sentences are also released into the community, and he believes undocumented people should have that same right.
Advocates Cite Erosion of Trust Advocates said even limited ICE cooperation undermines community trust. Raul Arana of United Latino Voices called the recent hospital incident “a painful reminder that ICE is allowed to operate fiercely in our county.”
“When our sheriff collaborates with them, it destroys the trust we’ve built,” Arana said.
United Latino Voices, along with Monument Impact, Reimagine Richmond, Indivisible Resisters and the Faith Alliance for a Moral Economy will continue to pressure supervisors to adopt an ordinance that would bar the sheriff’s department from complying with ICE notification requests, absent any court orders.
Healthcare workers like nurse Katelyn Mobeen rallied outside the Aug. 12 county supervisors meeting to rally for immigrant rights. Speaking to the crowd, she said, “Our patients should never be forced to forgo life-saving treatment because our government has made our workplace sites of harm and terror.”
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Contributors
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The Contra Costa Pulse is a community media project founded by New America Media, focusing on local and health news coverage in West and East Contra Costa County.
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North Richmond Block Party Connects Renters With Pathways to Homeownership
BY DENIS PEREZ-BRAVO
Acommunity block party in North Richmond featured music, food and face painting — but the heart of the event was about something deeper: helping longtime renters become homeowners.
Organized by Richmond LAND and Smerkish Brand, the “Buy Back the Jets” event aimed to connect residents of the Las Deltas community with tools and resources for buying homes in their neighborhood.
Among those drawn to the event was Richmond resident DeWanda Joseph, who came looking for practical steps toward owning residential property.
“I came out today excited to hear about the possibility of homeownership, and my hope has risen tremendously,” Joseph said.
She has her eyes on a multi-unit property in the area.
“There are some places over here that are for sale that have three or four units on a property. So that equates to about six apartment units, and you can build up if you choose to,” she said.
Joseph, who has strong credit and plans to buy jointly with family members, said her goal is to create lasting security for future generations.
“It is a heritage and inheritance,” Joseph said.
Joseph’s vision of generational security stems from her family’s deep roots in the area. Her relatives came to the area in the 1940s, when the neighborhood was still a predominantly Italian community.
Her family was among some of the first African American people to live there.
“They lived on the property, and they helped each other to take care of children
as they rotated going to work at the shipyards.”
As North Richmond evolves, Joseph said it’s important that Black residents have the opportunity to shape its future rather than be pushed out of it.
It’s this kind of community concern that drives collaborative efforts like “Buy Back the Jets,” which was also organized by the Community Housing Development Corporation, Our Power Coalition, Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services, Richmond Community Foundation and the Housing Authority of Contra Costa County.
The event also featured a free backpack giveaway by Change 4 Fivehundred, free food by TMD Catering, DJ Gary on stage, live performances by Donté Clark, D’Barbie and JLR Delly, face painting, a photo booth and two video game trailers.
But throughout the event, the main focus stayed on homeownership support, with financial educators and real estate professionals on hand to guide residents through the process.
Patricia Stewart, a local real estate agent and graduate of a real estate development cohort led by Richmond Neighborhood Housing, hosted a table for Infiniti Investments.
She spoke with residents about what it really takes to buy a home.
“So first of all, if you’re interested in purchasing, what do you have to do?”
She highlighted a person’s credit score as a place to start. And then figuring out how much the property costs and how much money is needed to get a loan from the bank.
“Once they do get approved, what do I do with that approval letter? You know, who do I talk to?” she said.
Professional partnerships matter, she
said, noting that “not everyone who has a license in this profession might pair up and be a good fit for you.”
Stewart also brought up the opportunities of family-based purchasing strategies to those that came to her table.
“I talked to a lot of people about purchasing as a family. They think they have to do it all alone,” she said. “Well, if you and your family are all living together, you can purchase together.”
This collaborative approach extends to Stewart’s vision for long-term wealth building.
“Once you purchase, you can use that equity to purchase again and again and to build wealth,” she said.
Her philosophy encompasses not just initial homeownership, but sustainable financial growth over generations that Richmond LAND and its collaborating organizations hope to bring to Richmond.
“This has been a community-led event, and we really hope that it can inspire and motivate people to believe in the possibilities that exist for them,” said Amy Young, Richmond LAND’s real estate manager.
The event’s turnout excited Young, who said she was glad to know that information was being spread and that Richmond LAND — a community land trust with a focus on affordable housing — was gaining members.
After this event, the organization will continue to conduct regular member meetings where participants collaborate on project decisions and planning initiatives.
“We’re trying to connect people to resources and have a good time while doing it, creating a collective for the neighborhood to be able to own the neighborhood,” Young said. •
New Senior Care Center Opens in El Sobrante
BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY BAY CITY NEWS
Attendees of the opening of El Sobrante’s new senior care center ate free food, got personal tours of the facility, and listened to local leaders commemorating the occasion.
The Center for Elders’ Independence on Aug. 1 opened a new PACE, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, center on San Pablo Dam Road. The facility will assist approximately 400 individuals aged 55 years and older with their daily care routines by providing access to on-site medical teams, physical therapy, behavioral health services, and community-building activities.
PACE centers are regulated by the state and federal government and are required to have specific services for participants such as a dedicated clinic, transportation, rehabilitation, and coordinated care. The centers are intended for seniors who would otherwise reside in nursing facilities.
According to the California Department of Health Care Services, a person eligible to receive PACE services must be 55 years or older, reside in a PACE service area, be determined eligible at the nursing home level of care by the Department of Health Care Services, and be able to live safely in their home or community at the time of enrollment.
Maria Zamora, president and CEO of Center for Elders’ Independence, highlighted features of the new space that she said makes it one of the best facilities
for people to receive continuous care as they age. She said the PACE center is built around having a comprehensive and “one stop shop” approach to care where aging individuals will be able to receive specialized attention from one place.
Senior care centers are not the same as a senior living community, said Zamora. The role of PACE and facilities like it is to help individuals and caretakers with the responsibilities associated with aging.
“When somebody enrolls in a PACE program, we really become responsible for all of their caring services. It’s the medical care, social care, it’s just about everything,” said Zamora. “The goal, intention and mission of PACE is to allow these older adults to live in their own homes and community with our supportive services wrapped around them.”
Zamora says the majority of residents at the centers they operate are lowincome and use either Medicare or Medicaid to cover costs.
When asked if the recent cuts to parts of Medicare and Medicaid in the fiscal year 2025-2026 federal budget have affected the Center for Elders’s Independence, Zamora said they have plans in place that would draw money from non-governmental sources so services can continue, but the organization would still have to wait and respond to whatever specific changes are made into the law.
“There aren’t any cuts that are targeted specifically at PACE, so we will likely see a secondary impact of the other cuts. We’re still doing a lot of analysis on the
bill to see how this might impact us,” said Zamora. “We’ve done some contingency planning with the best we could, but it really is kind of a wait and see.”
Staff at the center were excited to welcome new participants as they stood along the light blue wall accented by hardwood floors.
Jessenya Ramirez-Sacasa, El Sobrante’s center director, led tours throughout the facility and answered questions.
The center’s spiritual director Mi Chun said she was ready to help lead people of all faiths, or none, in community building programming.
Speeches were made by elected officials that all commemorated the importance of having a senior care facility in the local area.
“This is the largest growing demographic in our county and in our state, seniors, and unless we figure a way to do more of this and other supportive services, they’re not going to live the quality of life that they deserve, and they’re going to have to move away,” said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia. “That’s not what we want. We want them to stay here, and which is why we support these types of projects and look for increased partnerships.”
“It’s more than a medical center, it’s a community center,” said Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez. “What I take most from this is the inclusiveness and how it invites us in, not to just seek medical care, but to be part of the community.”
One participant, Tracy Noble, spoke about the positive experience she has See El Sobrante, pg. 6
Q&A: Torres Leaves Ambrose Parks Board, Bay Point Advisory Council
INTERVIEW • MALCOLM MARSHALL
L ifelong Bay Point resident Eduardo Torres has stepped down from his position as Ambrose Recreation and Park District board director. He had been with the district since December 2020. Torres also resigned from the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council, to which he was appointed by then-Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover in February 2024.
Those interested in filling his seat on the advisory council should contact Lynn Reichard-Enea at lynn.reichard@bos. cccounty.us or (925) 427-8138. Torres, who recently moved out of Bay Point, spoke with the Contra Costa Pulse about his time on the board, his vision for Bay Point’s future, and what’s next for him. The interview has been edited lightly for clarity.
Contra Costa Pulse: When you look back on your time on the board, what’s the issue where you feel you made the biggest impact?
Eduardo Torres: Bringing the voice of the community and equity as part of the conversations, whatever that looked like, in our decisions. I think sometimes people get into these positions, whether they’re on boards or councils, and forget that they’re there to represent the community.
If anything, I feel like one of the biggest things I brought was a direct connection between the community and the board — often speaking truth to what was being expressed to me by Bay Point residents.
CC Pulse: How have you seen Bay Point’s community involvement change during your time?
ET: I think I’ve seen more engagement, but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be more. There absolutely should be. I was only in the position a short time, and while I got to know the regular faces at meetings, I felt like those folks underrepresented our broader community. There just isn’t enough participation from residents, and that needs to change.
But for the people that did have concerns or questions, I made myself very accessible. Those individuals were engaged. In those instances, people actually showed up and participated in this process of government. But oneand-done doesn’t get things done, we
need consistency from residents asking for change.
There are still a lot of things in the community that need attention and aren’t being discussed.
CC Pulse: Given the challenges residents face — like the lack of a high school, public safety concerns and limited economic opportunities — what does the future hold for Bay Point?
ET: I think the future of Bay Point is really in the hands of the residents. But my personal opinion is that Bay Point needs to be annexed by Pittsburg. We’re West Pittsburg. We have close ties historically and geographically to Pittsburg, and we’ve seen how that city has grown while we’ve remained stuck without support.
Quite frankly, being in the position I’ve been in, I can say: It’s not working. The county isn’t helping us. The school district isn’t helping us. So what are we doing?
Also, the name Bay Point itself is geographically and historically inaccurate. The Bay Point that once existed was somewhere else, not where we currently are. We’re with Pittsburg. So let’s be part of Pittsburg. What are we holding on to?
CC Pulse: Is that an unpopular opinion?
ET: I’ve talked to enough people to know that most people seem to be in favor of it. Many wonder why we haven’t already been annexed. Some ask why we haven’t become a city. Of course, there are economic reasons; we don’t have the tax revenue to support our own city government. That’s left us in the situation where we have 20,000 people living in the largest unincorporated community in Contra Costa County, sandwiched between cities and the delta.
The only opposition I’ve heard has been from some older residents who probably fought to make West Pittsburg happen years ago, but it didn’t. So I don’t know what we’re still holding onto.
CC Pulse: What initially inspired you to get involved with the Ambrose Recreation and Park District?
ET: Life experiences, absolutely. Growing up in the 1970s and ’80s, the park system shaped a lot of us. It gave us outlets for baseball, for sports, for community
gatherings. So when I saw what looked like disinvestment in our parks, that concerned me. Even though I don’t have kids, my friends and family do. I wanted to make sure their kids could have the same experiences we had. I wanted our parks to be healthy, accessible and highquality.
Too often, I saw people going to other cities just to enjoy their parks. I thought, why aren’t we staying here and enjoying our own? That’s what motivated me.
CC Pulse: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced as a board director and how did you address them?
ET
: There was probably some tension at first because I was such a strong advocate for parks and had already been organizing in the community. I think that maybe it was seen as a threat by some on the board.
Early on, it was hard to get some things considered, even things clearly for the community’s benefit. But credit to my colleagues: we eventually learned how to work together. We made decisions with good intentions for the community.
I hope they understand now that my passion came from wanting to see Bay Point thrive. It wasn’t about personal attacks. It was about equity, making sure we got our fair share and the best parks possible.
I’m an organizer and an advocate. For people unfamiliar with the difference between that and being an elected official, it can come off as aggressive. But that’s just my passion. Whatever position I’m in, I’m going to speak for the people. Sometimes that rubs people the wrong way or makes people feel that I’m being aggressive when, in reality, I’m just being very passionate about my community. I want us to win.
CC Pulse: What advice would you offer to the next generation of board leaders and community advocates?
ET: I’d say, always remember where you come from. Bay Point has been underfunded, underappreciated, and overlooked for a long time. We’ve never gotten the respect or inclusion we deserve.
So it’s important to be vocal, really vocal. Stand up, get on your soapbox, and demand what we need. Funders and organizations consistently overlook us. That’s why it’s so important to speak
See Bay Point, pg. 6
Pittsburg Police Hosts
BY EMILY MOLINA
The Pittsburg Police Department spent an afternoon building relationships with families at its first “Palabras Con la Policía,” or “Words With the Police,” event.
Held at John S. Buckley Park in the predominantly Spanish-speaking Alturas neighborhood, the event brought residents and officers together to talk about safety and strengthen community ties.
The event came to fruition with the help of Officer Sandra Salazar, who said she saw a need to connect the community and the police department, particularly for Latino residents to feel welcome to engage with the department.
According to the most recent available data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 43.9% of Pittsburg residents are Hispanic/Latino, making that the largest ethnic group in the city’s population.
City Council member Angelica Lopez, who serves on the city’s public safety subcommittee, said the department makes itself accessible to residents by hiring bilingual officers.
“Denouncing a crime in our language is half the battle,” said Lopez. “If we can’t speak the language, we can’t tell the story of what’s going on.”
Alturas resident Mari, who said she was not comfortable with providing her last name, said that speaking with bilingual officers who listened to her concerns gave her a positive impression of the department’s efforts to help her neighborhood. She appreciated being able to speak with officers in Spanish about the car thefts in her neighborhood and her own experience as a victim of car theft.
The website CrimeGrade.org gave Pittsburg as a whole an F for vehicle theft. Crime statistics provided by the city of Pittsburg only go through September of last year but show that there were 468 motor vehicle thefts in 2024 up to that point, putting the city on pace for an increase from the 593 thefts in 2023.
While Pittsburg police officers are focused on local public safety, Lopez acknowledged that federal immigration enforcement has fueled unease in immigrant communities.
“The council wants to see more community involvement from the police, especially with Hispanic residents,” Lopez said, “because civil unrest had grown to the point where some people were afraid to report crime.”
In early June, the Pittsburg Police Department released a statement reaffirming its commitment to community safety and denouncing immigration enforcement by ICE.
Salazar hopes events like “Palabras Con la Policía” can better illustrate the police department’s values of public safety and build good relationships with residents. She said officers are always helping residents regardless of how minor the issue is.
The Pittsburg Police Department does not ask about immigration status when responding to residents and their policies are aligned with the Government Code and the California Values Act regarding immigration detainers, according to their statement. For Salazar, her priority as an officer is to ensure trust between the police department and residents to encourage residents to reach out to the department
Slopes and Scenery: Explore the Trails of West Contra Costa
STORY AND PHOTOS • JOE PORRELLO
West Contra Costa County features some of the East Bay’s best hiking trails — four of which are free on weekdays, allow dogs, have shaded paths, great views, picnic areas, ample parking and weather that’s often ideal with refreshing breezes (and hardly any mosquitoes).
Despite all the benefits, there are regularly very few people walking along the beautiful paths in wildlife areas that were once home to different Native American tribes and are now operated by the East Bay Regional Park District.
Certain natural features that could be found in any such landscape, like rattlesnakes, ticks, poison oak, mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats, might deter some potential hikers. Then, there can be steep and narrow paths to contend with, and trails so dry that they crack during the summer become so muddy they’re almost unwalkable in winter.
Nevertheless, each of the four trails described here has unique traits making them worth a visit.
Sobrante Ridge
Sobrante Ridge Botanic Regional Preserve is the least frequented of these four areas. A small parking lot at the end of Coach Drive in Richmond is considered the main entrance, but the park is also accessible through multiple neighborhood trailheads.
Its lack of visitors may stem from being the only
mentioned area without a restroom or water station, but the serenity alone is worth it.
Not to mention, Sobrante Ridge is one of only two sites in the world where the Alameda Manzanita grows. The rare tree’s burgundy bark reveals a neon orange color underneath when it peels — a sight to behold. In the spring, it blossoms with flowers.
The 277-acre park and its four paths covering a little over four miles can be conquered in roughly two hours. Along the way, one sees seemingly endless rolling hills, made green by the forestry, and views of Mt. Diablo, all while having equal parts sun and shade to enjoy.
Although there are only small stretches of flatground and trails can be slightly strenuous, picnic tables are scattered throughout and strategically placed with great views to catch a quick break.
Kennedy Grove
Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area also features four paths totaling roughly four miles with even sun and shade that take about two hours to complete altogether.
Each unpaved path has very rough, steep and narrow sections, other than the very moderate Laurel Loop Trail. On the bright side, the way back is all downhill and often has refreshing winds.
The 222-acre park has views of San Pablo Dam and rolling hills both green and brown. Visitors can hear whispering eucalyptus trees and critters like salamanders scattering off paths over dry leaves when they hear footsteps approaching.
Kennedy Grove features a vast grassy meadow
surrounded by tall trees and a paved walkway, picnic tables and grills, a volleyball court, restrooms and ADAapproved water stations.
Alvarado Park
A 42-acre section at the northern tip of 2,789-acre Wildcat Canyon, Alvarado Park sits on the opposite side of San Pablo Dam from Kennedy Grove.
With interconnected paths and entrances in many neighborhoods, it offers the chance for changes of scenery depending on which trail one takes. Lots of slight climbs pay off with unique sights of the bay and up close and personal encounters with grazing cows.
Point Pinole
Designated as a state landmark with 2,432 acres and over 12 miles of intertwining trails, Point Pinole Regional Shoreline is the flattest and overall easiest to hike of the four areas.
The interconnected paths have abundant shade, multiple restrooms and water fountains with attached dog bowls, views of marshes and up close sights of San Pablo Bay, accessible beaches and bay breezes.
Visitors can also stand on a bridge waiting for trains to pass beneath them, go fishing on a 1,250-foot pier, see bunches of shedding eucalyptus trees or read from the many information tables placed throughout.
More Information
Visit ebparks.org for additional information, including specific park hours and parking fees. •
Sobrante Ridge Botanic Regional Preserve is among the standout places to hike in West Contra Costa with trails that offer views of lush green rolling hills without a lot of people around.
The view upon crossing a bridge into Point Pinole Regional Shoreline is just the beginning of some great sights to come.
Views at Alvarado Park are one-of-a-kind and can be accessed with relative ease from higher entry points.
San Pablo Dam can be seen without obstruction from the Upper Seafoam Trail at Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area..
Even the grazing cattle at Alvarado Park can soak in the sights.
Alameda Manzanita trees create a tunnel of sorts on the eponymous Manzanita Trail at Sobrante Ridge.
‘Nobody Calls Because It’s Their Best Day Ever’: My Summer With the Antioch Police Department
COMMENTARY • MORELIA GIL CUBILLO
Sitting beside Dispatch, I counted seven glowing monitors — each dedicated to a different slice of emergency response: radio, call trackers, gunshot identifiers. My ears filled with “Code 5150,” “6, Train, Robert, James, 2, 4, 4.” Then, “Medical aid, my sister’s unconscious,” a male voice pleaded. A young man had just found his sister unresponsive, but breathing, and dialed 911. After the call, my colleague looked over and quietly reminded me, “Nobody calls because it’s their best day ever.” That line echoed through the rest of my summer internship with the Antioch Police Department. I wanted a summer job between high school graduation and the start of college. No, I needed a job. And I wanted to better understand how my hometown works, so I applied to the Springboard Internship Program through the city of Antioch. Serendipitously, I was placed with Antioch Police; just days before this internship began, I completed an introductory criminal justice class — a senior dual-enrollment course taught at Antioch High School by a Los Medanos College instructor. Thus, I started this internship with many questions, eager to experience the system I had learned about in essays and lectures with a backstage pass. That course taught me the importance of understanding the three pillars of the justice system: law enforcement, courts and corrections. If a democratic society wants officers, judges and lawmakers to be accountable to the citizenry, the public needs to understand what they actually do.
I was assigned to the APD Records Unit. The
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loudly everywhere you go.
occasional phone call punctuated the constant thrum of fluorescent lights and keyboards, which formed the soundtrack to each day. My main task was scanning recent and decades-old case files and transferring them into a digital system. By internship’s end, I had processed over 1,200 cases. Most days, filing, scanning and crossreferencing filled all hours. I shadowed other units as — Investigations, Crime Analysis and, of course, Dispatch. At the front counter, I helped interpret for Spanishspeaking residents who entered anxiously after having waited five to 12 months to have basic errors in their case’s paperwork or report corrected. Insistent on having their voices heard, they explained and re-explained their situations even once we explained there was nothing more the front counter could do for them. They weren’t mad at me — they were just tired of being ignored. Interpreting was nothing new to me. As a child of Mexican immigrants, I have long served as a bridge between two worlds. Since elementary school, I have acted as an interpreter — translating baking instructions, parent-teacher meetings, phone calls, you name it. I also took on the role of interpreter and
translator as an office assistant at AHS.
Still, I was surprised to learn that, in a community consisting of 36.1% Latinos, according to the Bay Area Census, there was no Spanish speaker at the front counter at all times. Even so, I was glad to meet the two new Latina hires for the records office.
I learned quickly that police departments are about much more than crime control. Paperwork — so many reports — drives everything. Reports taken soon after crimes capture details that victims will likely forget as days pass and give investigators timelines to work with. However, while reading crime analyst update spreadsheets tracking firearm, vehicle theft and assault cases, I noticed at least a third of the police reports I scanned lacked necessary information.
Antioch leads Contra Costa County cities in a contest no one wants to win. Over 1,600 vehicles were stolen here last year, “besting” second place Richmond by hundreds. Most mornings began with two or three people at the front counter, waiting to report their cars stolen, and, as the day progressed, stolen vehicle calls flowed into the Records Information Management
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for their safety needs.
Wherever I went, I brought Bay Point with me. That needs to continue. Too often, people get into positions like this and get complacent, like the job is done once they’re elected. But it’s never done. You have to keep advocating, building relationships, and looking for opportunities. Without real ties to the community, you’re not going to accomplish much. So just stay rooted, stay loud, and always advocate for Bay Point. We need all the help we can get.
CC Pulse: What’s next for Eduardo Torres?
ET: To be continued. Honestly, I don’t know what’s next. Right now, I’m focused on my life, thinking about the next five to 10 years and where things go from here. I don’t have plans to run for office again anytime soon. I don’t see myself jumping into anything unless it involves advocacy and organizing, which I’ll never stop doing. So I see it as less about what’s next for me and more about what’s next for the community. •
CA
Youth-Led, Community Media for Richmond,
“I don’t want people to feel like there’s a fear of contacting your local police department because of everything happening,” said Salazar.
Right off the bat at the event, some attendees asked officers how to report crime to the department when they needed help.
Glenda Rivera lives a few doors down from the park, and said she’s seen officers respond quickly to any issues in her neighborhood, which she says gives her peace of mind.
Rivera brought her nephews to socialize with the officers at the event because she wanted them to have a positive experience with police. And she said they did, having fun playing soccer with an officer.
“Sometimes, kids grow up negatively about the police, but having these interactions with officers will help kids and parents know they’re safe in any emergency,” said Rivera.
Sgt. Kyle Baker said that an evening like this one — where officers are sharing ice cream and socializing with residents, enjoying ice cream together and speaking with them about what police officers do — is a great way to strengthen relationships with people. “In law enforcement, we wear a lot of different hats, and one of our favorite ones is the one that gets to connect with folks and build relationships.”
Police Chief Steve Albanese said the positive reception would lead to more community conversations.
“Our officers are people just like them, and we’re here to make their lives better if we can,” said Albanese. •
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No timeline has been set as of now.
Arana said the uncertainty of life for an undocumented immigrant is constant, and that is why he works to support families who live in fear.
And fighting for a non-compliance ordinance is a way to give families some peace of mind.
As of press time, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department has not yet responded to a request for comment on this public action and the possibility of a county-wide non-compliance ordinance.•
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had at PACE centers. She recommended participating in the center’s services for people who are looking for regular and reliable care at an older age, but want to stay in their homes and not reside in a senior community center.
“I just wanted to say I really appreciate the opportunity to be able to come here once a week to see people, to have the same people and same things I need,” said Noble. “I would be traveling over to Concord, but now there is this local one.”
According to projections from the California Department of Finance, the number of people in Contra Costa County ages 65 or older is expected to rise by 71% by 2040 compared to the numbers in 2020. •
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Continued from above
System the way the tide peaks and ebbs in the delta.
This internship also taught me that workers in a large organization often feel lonely. But three weeks in, something happened to bring us more together than our weekly ice breakers. At noon, a coworker returned from break, hands close to her chest, cradling a kitten she’d found all alone, mewling in a parking lot space. Four of us followed her outside, hoping to find the mother. After 10 minutes of searching, my boss walked next door to ask Animal Services for professional help. An Animal Services worker placed the kitten in a box outside with a pink blanket, saying she would return at 4 p.m. to see whether the kitten’s mother had returned.
I checked on the kitten once or twice per hour by 3:30. As the kitten grew weaker, I convinced our boss to bring the kitten inside. Four of us huddled together: one kept the kitten warm, I helped it go to the bathroom, another cooled overheated formula that Animal Services provided. We fed him together.
Caring for this kitten brought us literally together and emotionally closer. Afterwards, a co-worker from Records sought me out to share pictures of her volunteering at a zoo — fondly reminiscing about her experience.
My internship began with co-workers keeping the office door closed when I needed to grab files and ended with a doorstop, shared pizza, and long conversations about the future. •
Recent Antioch High School graduate Morelia Gil Cubillo shares her story of interning at the Antioch Police Department this summer. (Photo courtesy of Morelia Gil Cubillo)
See Intern, pg. 6
Supervisors OK 4-Year Plan to Establish County Black Wellness Hub
BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors unanimously greenlit a three-phase implementation plan for the African American Holistic Wellness and Resource Hub that outlines the rollout of mobile services, a permanent location — and, now, the hub’s new name. The hub, to be named in honor of the late former Supervisor Federal D. Glover, is an $8.9 million effort by the county to address racial disparities that Black residents face in health, economic development and other areas of life.
“I know Supervisor Glover is looking down, excited. So we’re making this motion together,” Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston said before voting to pass the plan.
The county will roll out services over the next four years, according to the plan, which includes prioritizing behavioral health services — especially for Black men — infant and maternal health, and reentry support for those transitioning from incarceration.
(Kendra Carr, a co-director of the county’s Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, said they had identified a dozen census tracts made up of large populations of African American residents that were located at the bottom 25th percentile of living conditions across the state. Those tracts were located in Richmond, North Richmond, Antioch and Pittsburg, according to Carr. The tract with the lowest score was in Antioch.
The hub’s first phase will last about five months, establishing the advisory board and issuing calls for proposals for “immediate” community-based rapidresponse services, said Peter Kim, the other co-director of the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice.
The second phase, set to begin in January, will last about three and a half years. From January 2026 to June 2029, the hub will recruit staff, including an executive
Community Media,
director, establish a community council and board of directors, create a nonprofit for the hub, and create a 10year sustainability plan.
“ORESJ will continue to play an active role,” said Kim. The office will support the executive director in maintaining partnerships with county agencies, health system partners, and in securing a permanent site facility. The third phase is when a permanent hub is planned to open, according to the office. The plan proposes that the physical site will have an ongoing allocation of $1.5 million annually beginning in the 2029-30 year.
The office has proposed that the permanent site be located in Antioch, according to Kim. The Antioch City Council this year unanimously backed that idea, getting behind a site on 1650 Cavallo Road that had been identified and gained support from most residents. Not all have been satisfied with the plan, which Carr and Kim acknowledged ahead of presenting their plan.
“While not all community leaders or residents may agree with every part of this plan, we do hope that everyone who has contributed their voice and input can see a piece of themselves reflected in the vision being proposed,” said Kim.
The amount of time and location of the permanent site have been a point of contention between the county and some residents. Gigi Crowder, executive director
of NAMI Contra Costa, advocated for the county to establish a site through the 40 Voices Campaign, but decided to start a community-led hub of her own.
“Despite 40 Voices’ successful advocacy of a total of $8.9 million from the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors, we’ve been asked to wait until 2029 for the physical site of the hub to be realized,” Crowder said in a GoFundMe to support the site. “We can’t afford to wait.”
Crowder, whose NAMI organization is one of the recipients of the county’s funding for its inaugural service providers, spoke in support of the county’s hub and about her advocacy at the meeting.
“I butt heads with Kendra [Carr] and Peter [Kim] about what I would like to see happen, but they should know … I make good trouble,” said Crowder. “And this good trouble has borne some good fruit.”
But Crowder still pushed back against the physical site’s proposed location on Cavallo Road, pointing out both the safety of the area and that disparities don’t only impact African American people who are low-income.
“It also affects individuals like Miles Hall and Tyrell Wilson, who were killed in the most prestigious, wealthiest parts of the county,” she told supervisors, referring to two young Black men who were killed by police in Walnut Creek and Danville, respectively, both while experiencing a mental health crisis. •
(Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)
‘Action Is About Support’: New Antioch Unified Superintendent Meets the Community
BY EMILY MOLINA
S
tudents and parents in the Antioch Unified School District are beginning the school year under the leadership of newly appointed superintendent Dr. Darnise Williams, whose arrival has brought both hope and high expectations
Williams was formally welcomed during a recent meet-and-greet hosted by the East Contra Costa County NAACP and Delta Bay Community Church, where it was held Aug. 2. The event provided residents and AUSD leaders with an opportunity to connect with the new superintendent and hear her vision for the future of the district.
With decades of experience as a California educator, Williams brings both expertise and personal insight to the role. As a Black woman raised in an educationrich family, she offers a perspective that reflects AUSD’s diverse student body, which is 36% Black and 50% Hispanic.
As she prepares to lead the district, Williams said her leadership would center on student empowerment and integrity in education.
“My commitment to Antioch is strong,” she said. “We have a lot of work to do, and action is about support.”
In her remarks, Williams addressed her desire to improve the education of the school district and bring integrity to the educational services that meet the needs of AUSD students.
The superintendent steps into a district facing deep challenges, such as low student performance in math and English, and staff frustrations resulting from the
Richmond Art Exhibit Keeps Memory of WWII Incarceration Camps Alive
BY JOE PORRELLO
During World War II, when her family was forced into an incarceration camp, Jeanie Kashima’s mother had no crib for her newborn, so she placed her in an orange crate.
Nearly 80 years later, Kashima is turning that painful history into art, sharing her Japanese American family’s incarceration story through a 17-piece collage exhibit at the Richmond Art Center.
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on Feb. 19, 1942, it granted the secretary of War and military commanders the authority to declare exclusive military regions in the United States. Though it didn’t specifically mention any demographic, the order became the legal basis for the forced removal and incarceration of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans — most of them U.S. citizens — during the war, according to the National Archives.
During that time, Kashima’s family lived in Berkeley before being confined in a temporary “assembly center” at Tanforan Racetrack in San Bruno along with roughly 8,000 other Japanese Americans for six months. They all were later relocated and kept in cramped, fenced, and guarded sites at 10 remote areas in six Western states and Arkansas.
previous superintendent, Stephanie Anello, who was fired last year due to mishandling staff complaints.
“You have a large apple to get at,” said East Contra Costa NAACP president Dr. Kimberly Payton, addressing Williams. A former parent in the district and the president of the NAACP chapter that supports families in East County, Payton said that parents have been left frustrated by the challenges students face in their education readiness.
“Our families here in Antioch have been victims of the lack of integrity, the lack of love,” she said. “I ask you to take into consideration that parents of AUSD have made the ultimate sacrifice, and the ‘give and take’ is you.”
In the 2023-2024 school year assessment, nearly 62% of Black students in AUSD were not proficient in English, and about 74% were not proficient in math.
Black students in the district face greater educational barriers, including being absent more than other student
Eventually, Kashima’s family was sent to Topaz Camp in Utah. While imprisoned there, Kashima’s mother went into labor before any hospitals were built.
“She had to deliver it in the infirmary, a really primitive kind of situation,” Kashima said. “That baby she delivered was the first baby born in Topaz — and that baby was me.”
Shortly after, in 1946, Kashima’s father died of pancreatic cancer, leaving her mother to care for a baby and two young children alone.
A house in Berkeley owned by Kashima’s grandfather stayed in the family thanks to her Uncle Ernie, who could afford the taxes and repairs, and a white lawyer who helped prevent the government from seizing the property.
“We were lucky — we could have been homeless like many others,” she said. “There were a lot of people that left Topaz who didn’t have a place to go. They stayed in temples and churches and storefronts.”
Kashima grew up in that house, attending Berkeley schools before earning her bachelor’s degree at San Francisco State. The home later became a haven for Japanese students attending UC Berkeley, as racism barred them from renting in the neighborhood.
“For decades and decades, there was such discrimination that the Japanese could not rent in that area,” Kashima said. “It’s still a white area.”
Kashima married and moved to San Diego, where she had two children. Then she obtained her master’s degree in special education from San Diego State.
Following her husband’s death in 1996, her mother’s death at the age of 104 in 2019, and her children both having kids of their own, Kashima turned to art during the pandemic.
“I wanted to do something and not just waste my time being isolated,” she said. “From 2020 until now has been the most creative period of my life.”
Her interest in art dates back to making collages in high school, taking art classes at SF State, and studying quilting and collage techniques at UC Berkeley. When she obtained rare photos taken by uncles stationed at
groups and being three times as likely to be suspended as other students.
“These numbers are personal,” said one Antioch resident during the meeting, who then gave Williams recommendations on incorporating more parent engagement in her tenure. The resident suggested more opportunities where parents and teachers could work together to support the needs of their students.
“I look at those numbers and [they] keep me up too,” said Williams. “But those numbers tell a story; there are layers to this game.”
The superintendent acknowledged that she can’t reduce these numbers or solve the district’s issues overnight, but she emphasized the importance of collaboration among educators, families and district leadership.
“It’s an exciting new chapter, but a challenging one,” said Williams. “But challenges bring opportunity for growth.” •
Topaz — where photography was prohibited — she had them enlarged and used them in her collages.
“Once I had four [collages] done, I really wanted to share them beyond my immediate family,” Kashima said.
Her work was first displayed at the Visions Textile Art Museum in San Diego before debuting at the Richmond Art Center on July 9.
“It never occurred to me that my work would ever be shown in a one-person exhibit, so I’m very pleased to be able to share the story,” Kashima said.
Richmond Art Center gallery coordinator Monica Morazan said Kashima’s proposal stood out.
“It’s very personal and it’s so nice to not only see her story; I thought that it would be very educational for younger people,” Morazan said.
The exhibition, “Reassembled Memories,” uses textured collages to depict both the harsh conditions of incarceration and intimate moments from her family’s life.
“I’m getting old, and I want these things to be remembered,” Kashima said. “A lot of people just don’t want to talk about it but I think they should, especially where we are now politically with what’s happening to immigrants.”
According to the New York Times, more than 60,000 people are currently in immigration detention — a modern record, based on Immigration and Customs Enforcement records.
Kashima’s next project will focus on the history of Japanese-run nurseries in Richmond, including one owned by her grandfather Oishi Seizo.
“When we didn’t have a father all those years, we would come to Richmond for that family support and got a rich childhood,” she said. “They’re all deceased now, but what they did for my family — I want remembered.”
“Reassembled Memories” will be on display until Sept. 6 at Richmond Art Center, which is located at 2540 Barrett Ave., Richmond, CA 94804 and open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. •
New superintendent Darnise Williams discussed her vision for the Antioch Unified School District at an Aug. 2 meet-and-greet.
(Emily Molina / The CC Pulse)