OPIC in Partnership with Pastors of Oakland Convened Workforce Development Agencies and Reentry Services Providers to Address How Jobs & Services Can Help to Heal Violence & Hostilities in Oakland
Workforce Agencies included: Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC), Spanish-Speaking Unity Council, Lao Family Community Development Corp., West Oakland Jobs Resource Center, Oakland Unified School District Adult Education and The YEP The Oakland Private Industry Council Career Center organized and hosted a convening of key stakeholders in Oakland’s battle to reverse the rising and increasingly deadly violence in Oakland. Raymond Lankford of Oakland PIC credited Gay Plair Cobb, Oakland PIC’s CEO Emerita, and Pastor Phyllis Scott with being one of the driving forces behind the meeting. Richard Johnson, President of The Formerly Incarcerated
Giving Back and a columnist for the Oakland Post, has been urging Faith and communitybased nonprofits to develop programs for livable wage jobs and affordable housing as a way to “end the Hostilities” plaguing Oakland. The group in attendance heard from Pastor Scott Richard Johnson and other community leaders, included youth and adult workforce Continued on Page 10
First row (kneeling from left to the right): Sam Johnson, Jr., Ellie Lefiti, Carde Taylor; Second row (standing, beginning with Raymond - left to right: Raymond Lankford, Sofia Navarro, Priscilla Drawsand, Phyllis Scott, Richard Johnson, Minister King X, Michele Clark, Sam Johnson, Sr.; Third row (standing - left to right): Earl Jacobs, Charles Turner, Louis King,, Kim Jones, Chris Iglesias, Olu Oluwole. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
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Weekly Edition. Edition. Oct. 5-11, 2022
Reimagining Gun Violence Prevention and Public Safety for Oakland’s Children, Youth, and Families By Council President Pro Tem Sheng Thao
Oakland has fallen short on delivering for our youth. From public school closures to lack of career pathways, to the divestment from important job development programs — it’s made it harder for young Oaklanders and their families to find a path to success. As a councilmember and as Oakland’s next mayor I will make this a top priority. A few weeks ago, I was invited to join elected officials across the country to announce a report issued by New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams titled “Reimagining Gun Violence Prevention and
Commentary
Public Safety For New York City.” The report highlighted specific, data-driven investments and policies cities can pass to reduce gun violence. One part of the report highlighted how youth-centered job programs impact crime. “In ‘The Effects of Youth Employment on Crime: Evidence from New York City Lotteries’ researchers found that youth who participated in [Summer Youth Employment Program] during the duration of the summer decreased their chance of being arrested by 17%, their chance of being
Mayoral Candidate Sheng Thao immediately met with PIC, Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back, Oakland Chaplaincy and other non-profits to hear of their plans to encourage an end to the violence and hostilities. She pledged to be supportive of plans to provide jobs and economic opportunities to the reentry community. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.
arrested for a felony by 23%, and their chance of being convicted of committing a crime by 31%.” said the report. Oakland once had an expansive Youth Summer’s Job Program which hired around 2,000
students, while today we have only about 200 and during the pandemic the program was not active. Meanwhile gun sales and
At this stage of the campaign season, candidates are receiving endorsements from leaders and institutions in Oakland and to some extent, from outside the city. Those who publicly endorse a candidate — even though it is only a single person, as responsible citizens they will fill out all three of their choices. Even though ranked choice has been with us since the mid-2000’s in the Bay Area generally, ranked endorsements have not become a part of how leaders in the community conduct their endorsement announcements. A single endorsement
from a community leader or respected institution should not be a signal to only vote for one candidate and leave the other slots blank. Why should I think beyond my No.1 choice? First of all, no one is going to have 50% of the votes after the first round is counted. One by one, the lowest scoring candidates will be eliminated, with their first choice voters having their 2nd and 3rd choices assigned to those candidates who have not already been eliminated. Suppose you only vote for
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Don ‘t Lose Your Rank - Be Pro-Choices When Voting
By Geoffrey Pete
Election season is upon us. An opportunity is before us to choose a fresh face for the Mayor’s chair in Oakland. Since 2010, Oakland has used a system of ranked choice voting to select the Mayor, City Council members and other municipal offices. Its basic function is for the voter to rank three people they would select for those offices, if more than two candidates are running. The board of elections considers the voter’s 2nd & 3rd choices until a remaining candidate has more than
Geoffrey Pete
50% of the assigned votes and is declared a winner.
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Community Coalition Backs People’s Progressive Ranked Choice Slate for Mayor
We are a coalition of grassroots organizations and leaders who support the ranked-choice slate of three mayoral candidates — the only three candidates who are working toward values for a future of Oakland that is humane and embodies the interests of the diverse families and individuals who live in Oakland now. Our candidates are Greg Hodge, Sheng Thao, and Allyssa Victory. The coalition is asking voters to vote for these three in whatever order (first, second and third) that they prefer. Our coalition has come together in opposition to the corporate-backed coalition that seeks to transform Oakland into a glitzy playground for the rich and another profit center for developers, financiers, and bankers. The leadership of the current administration has produced blight, rampant
59th Year, No. 16
A coalition of Oakland community leaders and organizations held a press conference Wednesday at Oakland City Hall backing a People’s Progressive Slate for Oakland Mayor: Greg Godge, Allyssa Victory and Sheng Thao. Shown (bottom row) L to R: Allyssa Victory; Walter Riley; and Devonté Jackson, Movement for Black Lives. (Second Row): Liz Suk, Oakland Rising; Doug Blacksher, Black Business Roundtable; Greg Hodge; Sheryl Walton, East Bay Democratic Club; (Back Row): unidentified; John Holme, Wellstone Democratic Club; and Peter Brown, Schools and Labor Against Privatization. Photo by Ken Epstein. violence, rapidly escalating homelessness, and communities that are losing their neighborhood public schools.
We need a mayor’s office that focuses on creating a city that is clean and where everyone is housed, employed,
and safe. Oakland residents and city officials can work toContinued on Page 10
Barbara Lee Receives John Lewis Award
The March on Washington Film Festival honored Congresswoman Barbara Lee by giving her the John Robert Lewis Lifetime Legacy for being a visionary leader in the fight for civil rights and for “getting into good trouble to advance social justice”. Previous recipients included poet Nikki Giovanni,2019, Congressman John Lewis (post humously)in 2020,and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, 2021.
Real Solutions to End Gun Violence
Civil Rights Attorney and Candidate for Alameda County District Attorney, Pamela Price talks with business owner Dorcia White about recent shootings in Oakland. White is the owner of Everett & Jones in Jack London Square. See story on Page 10.
Ignacio De La Fuente Gets Warm Welcome at Acts Full Gospel Church
Bishop Bob Jackson of Acts Full Gospel Church introduces mayoral candidate Ignacio De La Fuente. De La Fuente came to address the church congregation about the recent uptick in violence in Oakland. Photo by Frederic Neema/Octamedia Productions. See story on Page 10