Dis Atty Gen. Bonta Praises Court for Blocking Federal Funding Freeze ... see page 2
Fannie Lou Hamer: The Relentless Voice of the Civil Rights Movement ... see page 2
National Council of Negro Women Offers Touching Gift for Victims of Sexual Assault.. see page 4
COMMENTARY: Our Dollar Has Power: Black Economic Resistance Still Matters... see page 6
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
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Longtime KTVU Anchor Dennis Richmond, 81
62nd Year, No. 6
Weekly Edition February 5 - 11, 2025
DR BROOKS: Like Physicians, U.S. Health Institutions Must ‘First, Do No Harm’
Protesters across the country, including those who joined a demonstration in Oakland shown here, stood in solidarity Monday protesting President Donald Trump’s immigration actions. Photo by KQED.
Across Country, Elected Officials and Others Defend Immigrants by Refusing to Cooperate with Trump’s Dennis Richmond. Photo courtesy KTVU. By Post Staff The 81-year-old Ohio native, Call for Mass Deportations known for his calm baritone and Dennis Richmond, who rose through the ranks from typist to reporter to become KTVU TV’s longest-serving news anchor, died Wednesday. He had suffered a heart attack two months ago. Richmond was one of the first African Americans to anchor a mainstream TV news station when he got his start in 1976, and even more rare was staying on the air for 36 years.
signature mustache, was much
admired by colleagues, elected officials and, most of all, his viewers.
“Dennis was a strong presence
in the KTVU newsroom for
decades, guiding the team and
setting high standards for himself and his colleagues in everything
they did,” the channel's general Continued on page 10
‘OPD employees shall not provide law enforcement assistance… to I.C.E. in any capacity,’ according to OPD Lt. Dorham
By Ken Epstein
Elected leaders and organizations around the country are refusing to cooperate with President Trump’s mass roundups and deportations. In the forefront are African American mayors of several major cities, including Brandon Johnson of Chicago and Newark Mayor Ras Jua Baraka. “When 30,000 Ukrainians sought asylum here in the City of Chicago, nobody said a mumbling word. But all of a sudden (when) indigenous people who are trying to get to a land that was robbed from them through colonization, they want me, as a Black man, to
be mad at them. You got to be out of your freaking mind,” said Mayor Johnson. “Regardless of who is in the White House, Chicago is a city that opens its arms to people from around the globe,” he said. “We will continue to protect civil and human rights, and we welcome all individuals and families who want to work, live and thrive here in our beloved city. The Welcoming City Ordinance is a law, and it is the law of the land here in Chicago. We will uphold it, along with the complementary Illinois Trust Act to ensure that our immigrant comContinued on page 10
Interfaith Council of Alameda Oakland Poll: Tell Us What County, Community Orgs, Address Food Insecurity, You Think About the Cost Housing, and Safety of Groceries in Oakland
Albert L. Brooks MD. Courtesy photo. By Albert L. Brooks MD
OPINION
Special to The Post Presidential administrations significantly impact the health and wellbeing of our patients and communities. Through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the agencies within it, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the National Institutes of Health, this new administration will decide how financial resources
are allocated, dictate the focus of federal research, and determine how our public health care insurance systems are managed, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Vaccines for Children program, Medicare, and Medicaid. The decisions made over the next four years will impact all Americans but will be felt more acutely by those most underserved and vulnerable. As physicians, we are greatly Continued on page 10
iStock.
By Magaly Muñoz
In 2023, the average spending on groceries increased by nearly $30 each month from the year before; people are spending over $500 a month to put food on the table. Through previous reporting by the Post, we’ve learned that families in Oakland are depending more and more on free or low cost groceries from food banks because they can no longer afford the rising costs of food at the store. Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods. We’ve recently spoken to families across these two areas of Oakland and have heard several stories that all point to one problem: food is expensive. Some individuals are spending upwards of $150 a week for themselves or double if they have teens or small children in the family. We’ve also heard stories of people with chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure
struggling to maintain their diets because they’re having a hard time affording the food that helps them stay healthy. Do these experiences sound similar to what you or your family are dealing with every month? Are you struggling to afford your basic groceries every week? Do you depend on food banks to help you get by? Are there any chronic illnesses in your household that need to be managed by a special diet? We want to hear about your experiences and ideas for solutions. The Oakland Post is investigating food access in Oakland and how residents are surviving as the cost of living continues to increase. Your experiences will help shape our reporting and show local leaders the need to invest in our communities. In order to get as much feedback as possible, we ask that you fill out a brief questionnaire by visiting tinyurl.com/Oakland-Post-foodsurvey. You can also scan the QR code above to reach the survey. After you fill it out, please consider sharing the link with your friends and family in Oakland. If you have questions, please reach out to our Oakland reporter Magaly Muñoz at mmunoz@postnewsgroup or text/call her at (510) 905-5286.
iStock
What You Should Know About Your Rights As An Immigrant In the U.S.
By Magaly Muñoz
Volunteers with Helping Others Win (HOW). Photo by Kevin Hicks. By Kevin Hicks As the costs of basic necessities continue to rise, the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC), along with local organization Helping Others Win (www.helpingothers-win.org), have committed to easing the burdens many families are facing. LaMel Smith, Executive Director of Helping Others Win, has partnered with Sr. Pastor Ken Chambers, Pastor Candase Chambers, and Board President Ashley Chambers of West Side Missionary Baptist Church, along with the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC), for the past two years to provide food donations every Wednesday and Friday at the ICAC Hub. In collaboration with the Alameda Food Bank, they distribute fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats to as many
as 500 community members a day from different demographic groups. When food supplies remain after distribution, volunteers extend their efforts to tent cities and homeless encampments. Oakland has a rich history of food donation dating back to the early 20th century. The civil rights movement gave rise to grassroots efforts addressing food insecurity, with the Black Panther Party pioneering free meal programs for children in low-income neighborhoods. Today, organizations such as Helping Others Win, West Side Missionary Baptist Church (www. westsidelove.org), and the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (www.interfaithac.org) continue to advocate for food equity and Continued on page 10
With the start of the second Donald Trump administration, many in the immigrant community are concerned about what this presidency will bring for themselves and their families, considering undocumented immigrants are at the top of Trump’s hit list. It’s important to know what rights undocumented and all other residents have in case of a possible encounter with immigration officials. Here is a list of rights you have when in contact with immigration: ● Do not open the door: ICE must have a warrant signed by a judge to enter your home. Do not open your door unless an ICE agent shows you a warrant. ICE can hold a warrant against a window or slide it under the door. To be valid, the warrant must have your correct name and address on it. ● If immigration agents enter your home without your permission, verbally express that you do not give them permission to enter your home or search your belongings.
● Do not answer any questions. You have a right to remain silent. If you do choose to answer questions, do not lie. ● Do not sign any documents. ● Ask to speak with your lawyer or a loved one. You can simply say, “I need to speak to my attorney.” Before you sign anything, talk to a lawyer. Agents may try to get you to sign away your right to see a lawyer or a judge. ● If you feel safe, record the event with your cell phone either through video or audio only. ● ICE Lies: Do not agree to what ICE asks. For example, do not follow them to their office, to immigration offices like USCIS, or to meet them for coffee. Below are some commonly asked questions and answers from ACLU’s Immigration Staff Attorney Maria Romani, that have arisen after reports of ICE in California communities. Responses have been edited for clarity and length. What does it mean to live in a Continued on page 10