Mother’s Day “Be-HATtitudes” ‘
Rev. Dr. Martha C. Taylor
Mother’s Day Group
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Sis. Norma Mondy & Sis. Joycelyn Hutchinson
Sis. Doreen Bullard & Sis. Patsy Lockhart
Allen Temple Baptist’s Crowns of Glory Continue to Reign ‘
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Sis. Nanette Gray
Sis. Loraine Caldwell
STORY ON PAGE 8
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Sis. Margie Traylor
Sis. Darlene Nero & Sis. Marilyn Stewart
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
postnewsgroup.com
Teachers Settle
60th Year, No. 18
Weekly Edition. Edition. May 17 - 23, 2023
Family Asks for Help to Find Killer of Mother of Two
Hadiyah Loudermilk Shakir Teachers union vice president Kampala Taiz-Rancifer speaks on bullhorn during an Oakland educators strike, which began May 4 and ended Monday. Photo courtesy of OEA. By Ken Epstein Striking Oakland educators went back to work this week after the teachers union bargaining team reached a tentative agreement with the Oakland Unified School District at about 4 a.m. Monday morning. “Our collective power forced OUSD to commit to living wages for educators, more resources in our schools, enforceable working conditions and common good issues for our students and their families,” the union said on social
media. The tentative contract, which ends the union’s unfair labor practices strike against OUSD that began on May 4, contains significant wage increases for teachers and other union members and is potentially history making as it breaks new ground on “common good” proposals to improve conditions at schools to benefit students, parents, and teachers. Monday was considered a “Transition Day,” and Tuesday was the first day of classes in a turmoilContinued on page 8
Geoffrey Pete. Photo by JonathanFitnessJones
High-Rise Threatens Geoffrey’s Inner Circle’s Future (See page 8 for story)
City Council Honors Jewish Heritage Month
Photo: iStockphoto
COMMENTARY: Who is Asian?
By Emil Guillermo
District 1 Councilmember Dan Kalb (left) stands with honoree Lisa Shulman Malul who is holding a copy of the resolution celebrating Jewish Heritage Month. Photo by Jonathan ‘Fitness’ Jones. By Ken Epstein The Oakland City Council has passed a resolution celebrating May as Jewish American Heritage Month, recognizing Jewish American community leaders “whose service and leadership in Oakland are contributing to a more vibrant and just city,” according to the resolution passed at Tuesday’s Council meeting. The resolution, which was introduced by Mayor Sheng Thao and Councilmember Dan Kalb, explains that Jewish Heritage Month was proclaimed by the federal government in 2006. Oakland’s resolution also emphasized connections between Jewish
Americans and other ethnic and racial groups, pointing out that Jewish Americans are ethnically, racially, socially, politically, and economically diverse, and about 25% of Bay Area Jewish households include a person of color. The resolution also called attention to the dramatic rise in anti-Semitic hate. Between 2021 and 2022, Jewish Americans faced a 36% increase in anti-Semitic incidents, including “physical attacks, vandalism, verbal and physical harassment, and hateful comments posted on social media.” “The City of Oakland shares an Continued on page 8
The Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Congo-Kinshasa, which formerly was known as Zaire. Kuminga is not from the neighboring Republic of Congo, another country altogether. But when fans call out Kuminga’s name during the season can they even place his ancestral home on a map of Africa? Warriors’ announcer Kelenna Azubuike is listed in research docs as “Nigerian-American.” Where’s Nigeria on the map? East Africa or West? Central? No, that’s Congo. And is his kind of African American more African than American? How about compared to someone born in Oak-
land? This is the general public ignorance when it comes to all of us in America. The situation for Asians is not much different from Africans. Replace the continents and consider public figures with Asian backgrounds, and you’ll likely get similar wrong guesses and blank stares. Try this one: Arab Americans are from Central Asia and are therefore Asian American? Technically, they are. But when you ask anyone what is or who is Asian, the default answer from far too many is “Chinese.” The fact is the Asian Americans who contribute to America’s diversity are already wildly diRead the full story on postnewsgroup.com
Next week it will be four years since Hadiyah Loudermilk Shakir, was senselessly murdered. Hadiyah was a beloved mother of two children, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend a devoted community and cultural advocate and activist who worked multiple jobs to care for her children. Hadiyah clearly understood the relationship with her God and knew that belief could be the vehicle to drive her children to success in life. Tragically, her own life was cut short when she became the innocent victim of a gun battle that took place on May 22, 2019, in the 7400 block of Weld Street in the early evening. “This cold-hearted murderer must be identified and face the consequences of that murderous act. Somebody out there knows something, somebody out there saw something. Be courageous, make that call. Put yourself in the shoes of the family. How would you feel?” said a family member. Hadiyah’s family is seeking
justice and is pleading with the public to come forward and do the right thing. “Evil took her life. Let’s have justice! We believe in Good over Evil. If you believe in Good over Evil, come forward and call!” The Family Support Advocates stands with Hadiyah’s grieving children, family and loved ones to ask that anyone in the community with information that can lead to the arrest and conviction of the murderer to come forward and contact the Oakland Police Department Homicide Section at 510-238-3821 or the TIP LINE at 510-238-7950. CrimeStoppers of Oakland is offering a reward for an arrest in this case. #JusticeforHadiyah. FAMILY SUPPORT ADVOCACY TASK FORCE The mission of the Family Support Advocacy Task Force, a committee of the Violence Prevention Coalition, is to advocate for local, state, and federal policies and legislation to enhance and expand support to families and friends of those who experienced violence; for more compassionate and transparent communication between law enforcement, the district attorney with the family of homicide victims and to push for the elimination of all violence, but particularly gun violence and homicides.
Mayor’s Commission on Sex Trafficking
Mayor Sheng Thao. Official portrait. By Post Staff
On Tuesday May 16, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao announced the launch of the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, a cross-sector of survivors, community organizations and public agencies.
Their mandate will be to: 1. Identify and help implement targeted and strategic plans to address human trafficking, with a focus on buyers, and 2. Build community awareness of human trafficking and the efforts to address it.
Members of the Advisory Council include representatives from the survivor community, communitybased organizations, Oakland Police Department, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, City of Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention, Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and the Office of Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Addressing human trafficking and sex trafficking continues to be a priority for my Administration,” said Thao. “Part of that effort requires bringing people together who are working on different parts of this issue, who represent diverse perspectives, and bring a range of resources to the table. This is an issue that requires all of us working together to ensure the safety of our residents.” “Human and sex trafficking has been going on for decades in Oakland and across the state and nation,” according to Bas. She’s been working with survivors, “neighbors and city departments on a comprehensive approach that includes more violence interrupters and outreach workers on the