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Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
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62nd Year, No. 11
Weekly Edition March 12 - 18, 2025
Blair Underwood Named Oakland Ballers’ Social Impact Ambassador
Televised Debate Highlights Differences Between Top Oakland Mayoral Candidates
He Joins Too $hort, Billie Joe Armstrong in Team’s Ownership
LaNiece Jones and Burt Jones will take on special responsibilities so that Mayor Kevin Jenkins can focus of Oakland’s budget issues. Courtesy photo.
Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee and former Oakland City Councilmember Loren Taylor, now running for mayor, debated on Saturday. Screen ccapture from broadcast. By Ken Epstein
Mayor Kevin mayoral debate this week brought sharp focus the different Jenkins Appoints into approaches of the two top The Oakland Ballers’ new investors and boosters include (left to right): Oakland Rapper Too $hort, Actor/ Deputy Mayors contenders for Oakland mayor in Philanthropist Blair Underwood and Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day front man. Post composite image. the April 15 special election. to Advance fessional baseball may seem like nancing and fresh ideas to the City Special to The Post According to former of Oakland.” Public Safety, Congresswoman The Ballers baseball team an- it comes out of left field, but the Barbara Lee’s Underwood’s acting career also strong statement, Oakland is a nounced the appointment of actor esteemed actor, producer, director, Cleaner features significant baseball crossauthor and philanthropist has quicity full of beautiful, progressive Blair Underwood as their social Communities over which includes starring in the people that has a track record of etly woven his way into the social impact ambassador. The Ballers highly celebrated film ‘Soul of the leading the country politically and Initiative also said that Underwood will be fabric of many homes and personjoining the Oakland Ballers ownership group. The Ballers also recently announced that Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong and hip-hop superstar and entrepreneur Too $hort are joining the team. Last year, when the Ballers launched a community investment round, more than 2,200 fans invested $1.234 million in just nine days. The Ballers have now opened a second investment round that seeks to raise $2 million. Underwood’s entry into pro-
al conversations for more than 35 years through his body of work. “I truly appreciate the social fabric of inclusion that the Oakland Ballers are promoting through their love of baseball,” said Underwood. “I was really attracted to the team’s approach to rebuilding under-resourced footprints and tackling an issue in The Town. Having served the City of Oakland for 20-plus years in the area of philanthropic concerns, it all aligned with my New Oakland initiative to bring alternative fi-
CA Attorney General Rob Bonta. File photo.
Attorney General Bonta Sues to Halt Termination of K-12 Teacher Training Grants $148 million of funding at stake for California programs addressing ongoing teacher shortage
By Post Staff
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, leading a multistate coalition, has filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful termination of grant funding for K-12 teacher preparation programs. Beginning on Feb. 7, California institutions received letters purporting to terminate grants with a total value of at least $148 million in critical funding to address the state’s ongoing teacher shortage through teacher preparation programs. These programs are designed to create a pipeline for teachers serving rural and urban communities
and teaching harder-to-fill positions like math and science and have been shown to increase teacher retention rates and ensure that educators remain in the profession beyond the crucial first five years. The attorneys general argue that the terminations, impacting institutions across the nation and which were issued without warning and with immediate effect, violate the Administrative Procedure Act. The attorneys general are seeking an order to prevent disruptions to these programs, which would immediately reduce the number of teachers and teacher trainees serving in schools. “The Trump Administration is pursuing an anti-education agenda
Game’ in which he played Jackie Robinson. Underwood was also the first recurring African American cast member on the hit television series “Sex and The City,” and broke barriers by playing Stanley Kowalski in a Broadway production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” a role previously made famous by the late Marlon Brando. “Blair Underwood is a champion of inclusion from the diamond to the street,” said Paul Freedman, Oakland Ballers co-founder. “His Continued on page 10 that would yank teachers out of schools and prevent new teachersin-training who are close to being ready to serve our students from filling empty classrooms,” said Bonta. “States across the nation are facing a critical teacher shortage. But instead of trying to help us solve it, instead of doing the bare minimum and honoring grants that have already been awarded and obligated, the U.S. Department of Education is attempting to terminate funding for vital teacher preparation programs that train teachers to go into hard-to-fill positions and high-poverty or high need schools across the country. “As a father myself, I can’t sit back while the Trump Administration attempts to pull the rug out from under aspiring teachers – especially when it’s our kids’ education on the line. I’ll see the Trump Administration in court.” “The elimination of funding to the Teacher Quality Partnership grants awarded to universities in the California State University system will cause widespread and irreparable harm to the students and school districts we are so honored to serve through these grants,” said California State University Chancellor Mildred García. In 2024, more than 400,000 teaching positions in the U.S. — representing about 1in 8 of all teaching positions nationwide — were vacant or filled by uncertified teachers. When schools are unable to find qualified teachers, students suffer. Teacher shortages can result in larger class sizes, cancelled courses, or classes staffed with teachers less able to teach a subject.
Special to The Post
As the City of Oakland prepares for a critical budget cycle, Mayor Kevin Jenkins has appointed two trusted leaders, LaNiece Jones and Burt Jones (no relation), as deputy mayors to represent his administration and spearhead short-term, special projects focused on cleaner and safer communities. “With the upcoming budget process requiring my full attention, I am grateful to have LaNiece Continued on page 10
A nearly two-hour televised
culturally but is now in the midst a serious crisis. Working together in spite of major differences and appreciating residents’ resilience and solidarity, Oakland can solve the crisis and emerge stronger than ever, says Lee, fresh from the front lines serving in Washington, D.C., in the Republican-controlled Congress. Lee has a successful track record in the State Legislature and in Congress. Her achievements for Oakland include bringing many millions of dollars to the city, including $17 million in the past year for the Port, for Lake Merritt, for youth programs, and more. In contrast, the other top candidate, former Oakland City Councilmember Loren Taylor, says that Oakland is a ‘broken’ city where many people no longer
want to live or work and that needs new, more moderate leadership. The city needs new leaders who are not under the influence of old guard community organizations. Because of its reputation, Taylor says, Oakland is at a disadvantage and must work to convince public officials and private benefactors that it is a city worthy of their investments. In his remarks, Taylor said, “Oakland is failing its residents …We have to be honest with ourselves: Oakland is broken. We have a lot of things that need to be fixed and need to be fixed immediately. If we don’t respond with urgency, we could lose more residents, lose more businesses, lose more revenues driving us closer to bankruptcy.” Continuing, he stressed the need to remove the city’s current leaders, replacing them with leaders who will turn their backs on the labor and nonprofits who have had an influence on city policies. “Oakland needs fresh energy, new leadership, someone who is unencumbered by the existing establishment, those who have a vested interest, and have been having their way in our city, guiding decisions, not in the best Continued on page 10
D’Wayne Wiggins. Instagram photo.
D’Wayne Wiggins, Founding Member of the R&B group Tony! Toni! Courtesy photo. Toné!, Dies at 64 By Post Staff
On March 7, Oakland lost one of its musical luminaries, D’Wayne Wiggins, a founding member of the Grammy-nominated group Tony! Toni! Toné! Wiggins, who grew up in Oakland, died of complications from bladder cancer, which he had been battling for a year. He was 64. “D’Wayne’s life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California,” his family said in a statement. “He was a guitarist, producer, composer, philanthropist, mentor and founding member of Tony! Toni! Toné! He was deeply passionate about Continued on page 10
Bookmark Bookstore in Downtown Oakland 30% off on March 15 &16
The Bookmark Bookstore is offering more than 5,000 cookbooks from every major genre at 30% off for Friends of the Oakland Public Library members on March 15 and for all foodies, testers, tasters, home chefs and aspiring cooks on March 16. And if you are just an eater who loves all foods, a cookbook is an excellent gift. Since more than 100 restaurants will be participating in next week's Restaurant Week celebration that is designed to whet our appetites and make us want to
learn how to cook those wonderful dishes. You too can cook it if you book it from the Bookmark. The Bookmark Bookstore located at 933 Broadway is open daily Sunday - Friday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. And on Saturday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. To donate to the Friends of the Oakland Public Library email bookmark@fopl.org or call 510444-0473. Visit: https://www.fopl.org/ post/cookbook-30-off-salemar-15-16.