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Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
postnewsgroup.com
Weekly Edition. Edition. August 28 - September 4, 2024
61st Year, No. 35
Oakland Hosts Town Halls on Public Safety to Discuss Concerns with Residents
Photo: Xinh Bui, Academic Case Manager/ After-School Program Support Staff at Youth Together. Pictured from left to right, Maaliyah Taylor, Kioni Reed, Naomi Jima, Nadiya Chaney, Ariya Jackson, Bison Browne, and Gary Reeves. Photo courtesy of Kbean®.
Get Involved: Through Comedy, Oakland School Students Are Learning Conflict Resolution
By Oakland Post Staff
Kbean®, Full Force Brothers, and G88 Media Lab partnered to launch the Reel Funny program in middle schools and high schools in Oakland — with plans to expand the program nationwide. The program enables students to learn, experience, and share how to resolve conflict using comedy and improvisation, and it cultivates a healthy and constructive social
Oakland Public Safety Leadership team held a series of town halls to discuss and answer concerns around public safety strategies and initiatives by city leaders. Photo by Magaly Muñoz. By Magaly Muñoz
environment. It aims to instill long lasting lessons and life skills around setting and respecting “boundaries.” The program already garnered the attention and support of numerous entertainment and philanthropic brands, including the Academy Awardwinning actor and comedian Jamie Foxx (Laffapalooza) and the Emmy Award-winning actor Blair UnderContinued on page 10
The City of Oakland held a series of town halls on public safety this week to discuss and address residents' biggest concerns about strategies city leaders are implementing to make the town a safer place. To kick off the series, the public safety leadership team met at Beth Eden Baptist Church, where pews were filled with people ready to ask questions of city officials they don’t often get to interact with. “I want [this town hall discussion] to be honest. I want this to be productive and solutions
like ours play in serving Black students and fostering their success. Our incredibly diverse district in the East Bay includes Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College. Over 30% of our students identify as Latinx, and all four colleges are either designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) or are on the path to that designation. 20.8% identify as Asian American or Pacific Islander, again with our colleges designated as Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) or on that path. The HSI and AANAPISI designations and resulting grants allow our colleges to support these historically marginalized communities with programs tailored specifically for these student cohorts. Frustratingly, there is no such designation for Black-Serving In-
stitutions. And there should be. Research shows Black students face unique challenges in their educational journey. They are more likely to delay attending college after high school, more likely to attend college part-time, less likely to earn a degree, and more likely to take on a more significant amount of student debt than other student groups. Collectively, 19.1% of students at the Peralta Colleges identify as Black, surpassing the 10% enrollment threshold required by SB 1348. This statistic is not just a number; it reflects our ongoing need for creating and sustaining educational environments where Black students can excel. Merritt College, in particular, holds a significant place in this narrative. It was here, nearly 60 years ago, that the Black Panther Party was founded, a pivotal moment in Continued on page 10
Recognizing Peralta Colleges as Black-Serving Institutions: A Call to Action for SB 1348
Courtesy photo. Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson Chancellor, Peralta Community College District As Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District, I am excited to endorse California Senate Bill SB 1348, which proposes a state-level designation for BlackServing Institutions of Higher Education. This bill is a critical step toward recognizing and supporting the significant role that institutions
Mia Bonta Offers College Bound Scholarship Tips
Mia Bonta, Assemblymember, 18th District is thrilled to share valuable academic resources designed to uplift students seeking higher education in Assembly District 18 and beyond. With last year’s frustrations with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”),
I encourage our emerging leaders to proactively prepare to ensure they have the opportunities and financial support to envision themselves in higher academic institutions. As a former school board member, Mia knows how transformative education can be so along with her
oriented,” Mayor Sheng Thao said. On the leadership team with Thao were Police Chief Floyd Mitchell, City Administrator Jestin Johnson, Department of Violence Prevention Chief Holly Joshi, and Fire Chief Damon Covington. Director of the Department of Transportation Josh Rowan and Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey also joined the panel on Friday evening. City officials have faced harsh criticism on the public safety front, with many Oakland residents reporting frustration Continued on page 10
Oakland Students Learn to Foster Solidarity Through Multiracial Leadership Organization
By Magaly Muñoz
For over 25 years, an Oakland leadership organization has worked to foster multiracial relationships amongst students, where historically, there has been division. Youth Together was created by Raquel Jimenez, a Latino history teacher at Castlemont High School, who noticed tension between Black and Latino students. Through a coalition of other Oakland-based organizations, Youth Together was established to provide resources to students
and give them skills to build community with other racial groups. Student members of Youth Together told the Post that the reason they joined the organization was to build skills around social justice and connect with people they otherwise wouldn’t have met. One student, Oli, said the group helped her to grow confidence in speaking with new people and to learn more about the history of racial issues in Oakland, which she wishes teachers did more of to include in their curContinued on page 10
Diabetes Continues to Largely Impact LowIncome Black and Brown Communities
iStock. By Magaly Muñoz Communities of color, particularly Black and Brown people, are amongst the most affected by Type 2 diabetes (T2D) due to socioeconomic status, cultural, and environmental factors. More than 38 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, with up to 95% having Type 2 diabetes.
While individuals ages 45 and older are typically the age range for those being diagnosed, more and more children and young adults are developing the chronic illness, according to the CDC. Of the 1 in 10 people with diabetes, 16.4% of Black people and 14.7% of Hispanic people make up the highest rates among different groups.
Dr. Kevin Peterson, vice president of Primary Care at the American Diabetes Association, said in an email that the environments where Black and Brown people historically live, such as areas of high carbohydrate diets, contribute to the prevalence of this illness. But family history can also have a part to play in someone’s diagnosis. Although it is not always a determining factor, first-degree relatives, like parents, with Type 2 diabetes can increase someone’s risk of developing the same condition. Doctors recommend that if there is that direct link, taking precautions such as a healthy diet and exercise can minimize or eliminate the chances of having T2D. But Peterson also acknowledged that there can be difficulties with maintaining a healthy lifestyle for Black and Brown communities. Continued on page 10
Khadafy Washington: His 24-Year Memory Inspires Hope and Healing
colleagues, they legislated to ensure that this year’s budget reflected the priorities of having every student eligible for financial aid, livable wages for teachers and professors, and robust TK-12 priorities reflected in our 2024-2025 state budget. Marilyn Washington-Harris, posted 19 billboards around Oakland with the picture of her murdered son, Khadafy Washington, and the blaring question: Do You Know Who Killed Me? By Brigitte Cook August marks the 24th anniversary of the shooting death of Khadafy Washington. Washington was only 18 years old when he was killed at McClymonds High School just months after his graduation in August 2000. At McClymonds, Washington was the captain of the football
team and a talented athlete who enjoyed working out. At 5’6,” he impressed his bigger and taller teammates with his ability to lift 350lbs and to toe-to-toe with them on the gridiron. Preparing for the future, Washington enrolled in Laney College with dreams of continuing his football career and ultimately transferring to a college in Florida. However, those dreams were
abruptly and violently ended. The young athlete and rising star loved his family and friends, and they loved him, too — especially his sisters and his West Oakland community. For 24 years now, Washington’s family has been searching for answers and struggling with deep sorrow and grief stemming from his tragic, senseless and untimely death. During the months following his murder, outraged and in pain, Washington’s mother, Marilyn Washington-Harris, posted 19 billboards around the city with his picture and the blaring question: Do You Know Who Killed Me? Those signs were stark reminders to a city sometimes in denial that too many of its young men were dying violent deaths. Soon she was organizing marches to bring attention to Oakland’s problem with violence, and to the lasting pain families of victims endure. Privately, Washington-Harris would Continued on page 10