Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
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63rd Year, No. 19
Weekly Edition May 13 - 19, 2026
2,000 Job Seekers Sign Up at City Hall Applicants: ‘We want to work. We want jobs that pay livable wages so we can afford to live’
Mayor Barbara Lee, Oakland Pivate Industry Council, and Lou Family Services sponsor job fair that featured 18 companies and agencies
(Left and middle:) This week’s Hire Oakland job fair at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza brought together job seekers and employers. Photos courtesy of City of Oakland. (Right:) Left to right: Yawo Tekpa, OPIC Manager, One Stop Operator; Sofia Navarro, Deputy City Administrator; and Ray Lankford, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones. By Post Staff The Office of Mayor Barbara Lee, in partnership with the City of Oakland and regional employers, hosted a successful Hire Oakland job fair this week at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, bringing together job seekers and employers for a
day focused on opportunity, connection, and economic mobility. With more than 2,000 RSVPs, the event on Wednesday reflected strong demand across Oakland for access to quality jobs and career pathways. Attendees participated in on-site recruitment, ap-
plication support, and hands-on workshops designed to help job seekers navigate hiring processes and prepare for interviews. Over the course of the day, employers and community partners engaged directly with residents in a welcoming, high-energy envi-
School District Extends Supt. Dr. Denise Saddler’s Contract for a Second Year
Mayor Lee Declares ‘Delroy Lindo Day,’ Presents Actor with Key to the City
ronment centered on opportunity and hope. Participating employers included EBMUD, Samuel Merritt University, the City of Oakland, BART, PG&E, AC Transit, East Bay Regional Parks District, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and many others offering
By Carla Thomas Oakland honored one of its most distinguished residents on May 6 as Mayor Barbara Lee presented acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo with the Key to the City and an official proclamation declaring “Delroy Lindo Day.” The event, titled “Rooted in Legacy: Honoring Delroy Lindo,” took place at Oakland City Hall and Continued on page 10
Cassie ‘Mama C’ Lopez Honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year
Cassandra Lopez, known as “Mama C,” is surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors at Oakland’s annual Mother of the Year celebration at the Morcom Rose Garden, Saturday, May 9. Photo by Mateenah FloydOkanlawon. By Ken Epstein The City of Oakland recognized Cassandra, “Mama C,” Lopez – parent, teacher, community activist, and justice warrior – as Oakland’s Mother of the Year in a Continued on page 10
EBMUD Supt. Dr. Denise Saddler. File Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. photo. Enshrines the File photo. Legacy of William By Post Staff By Oakland Post Staff The Oakland Board of Educa‘Bill’ Patterson Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee
By Carla Thomas
On Tuesday, May 12, Oakland honored a towering community figure, William “Bill” Patterson, with the unveiling of a bronze plaque and the renaming of the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) boardroom in downtown Oakland. Board members, family, colleagues, and mentees gathered to reflect on Patterson’s enduring legacy at the meeting. Patterson, who died in 2025 at the age of 94, was remembered as a tireless advocate, mentor, and public servant whose influence shaped generations across the East Bay. “This is well deserved,” said Patterson’s cousin, Maria Simon. “He was such a big part of the Oakland community. It’s heartwarming to know he was known by so many people. “So many credit him with helping them get their first job. It was especially meaningful when he held the Bible for Mayor Barbara Lee’s swearing-in. He truly believed in the goodness of people, in possibilities, and in the power to bring things to fruition.” Oakland NAACP President Cynthia Adams described Patterson as a father figure. “He took me under his wing,” she said. “This recognition is a very special moment.” Fellow NAACP member Robert “Bob” Harris echoed that sentiment, recalling Patterson as “a great member of the NAACP and a proud Kappa Alpha Psi man.” Patterson’s son, William Patterson Jr., reflected on his father’s professional life. Continued on page 10
tion voted this week to extend Superintendent Denise Saddler’s contract for another year, from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. Under the new agreement, Saddler’s job title will become “superintendent”; she will no longer be called “interim.” Along with the new title, she will receive full superintendent benefits and salary at $367,765.45 per year, according to the employment agreement. The vote to approve the new contract passed 5-2 at Wednesday night’s board meeting. Saddler’s original interim contract was for one year. The school board was planning to select a permanent superintendent by the fall but earlier this year decided to delay the search. The new contract reflects the Board of Education’s “determination that continuity in executive leadership is in the best interests of the district as Oakland Unified continues implementation of its fiscal stabilization strategies, academic priorities, labor relations initiatives, and operational improvements,” the employment agreement reads. In November, the board approved a $150,000 contract with a consulting firm to carry out that search, but Board President Jennifer Brouhard told KQED last month that the process never got off the ground. “No work was done, no money has been paid for the work (to) the search firm for the superintendent search,” Brouhard said. “Hopefully, we’ll be resuming that in the Continued on page 10
individualized job search assistance throughout the event. The strong turnout underscores a clear reality: Oakland residents are eager for pathways into meaningful work, and sustained investment in youth and Continued on page 10
Oakland Mayor Pushes Charter Overhaul to Clarify Roles in City Government, Increase Accountability and Improve Service Delivery
William “Bill” Patterson, Jr. Courtesy Peralta College District. Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee presents Oakland actor Delroy Lindo the key to the City at the City Council chambers of Oakland at City Hall in downtown Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas.
immediate openings and career pathways across sectors. Workforce development partners Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) and Lao Family Community Development provided connections to résumé support, interview coaching, and
is backing a sweeping proposal to restructure Oakland’s government, arguing the changes would make City Hall more accountable and improve the delivery of basic services like public safety, homelessness response, and infrastructure repairs. The charter reform measure,
introduced April 7 and co-sponsored by Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins, would ask voters in November to approve a “strong mayor, strong council” system designed to create clearer lines of authority inside city government. Under the proposal, the mayor would serve as Oakland’s chief executive, overseeing city departments, implementing policy, proposing the annual budget, and managing day-to-day operations. The measure would also give the mayor veto power over legislation and the budget, though the City Council could override a veto with a two-thirds vote. The City Council, meanwhile, would maintain legislative authority by adopting ordinances, approving budgets, conducting oversight hearings, and confirming key mayoral appointments. The proposal would also create
Left to right: Evangeline Byars and Carmella Carrington are gaining nationwide attention with their STOPDEEDTHEFT.org movement.
The People’s Coalition to Stop Deed Theft Speaks at National Probate Reform Coalition Meeting
By Tanya Dennis
The National Probate Reform Coalition (NPRC) has learned that aside from rampant theft of properties occurring through probate court, deed theft extends even further with the support of banks, police, judges, attorneys and “the system” to steal Black and Brown properties.
Deed and title fraud are rising, with FBI data showing over 9,300 complaints and $173.6 million in losses in 2024 alone. To that end, NPRC invited Evangeline Byars of The People’s Coalition to Stop Deed Theft as their keynote speaker on May 7. Deed theft victims reach out to Byars because she has a reputa-
an Independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to provide nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for councilmembers. “I’ve spent months listening to Oaklanders across every neighborhood about what they expect from their city government,” Lee said. “The Charter Reform Working Group’s engagement made clear that residents want a system where there are no questions about who is responsible for delivering results on public safety, homelessness, infrastructure, and basic services.” Jenkins said the proposal would strengthen both executive leadership and council oversight. “I’ve long believed Oakland works best when residents have clear lines of accountability and a government structure that aligns responsibility with results,” Jenkins said. Continued on page 10 tion of getting things done. Introduced to community organizing at Medgar Evers College in 2011, Byars was mentored by Harry Belafonte and gained further movement training in 2012-13 through his “Gathering for Justice.” Byars also trained with the Youth Brigade 32BJ, Union in 2012 where she learned to map, target, and execute actions. With that knowledge as an advocacy worker, Byars ran for president of TWU Local 100 for transit workers. During challenges of the union and political changes in New York when unions no longer had friends in government, they organized. In 2025, deed theft victims approached Byars and told their stories. Byars investigated, and discovered rampant, unrelenting theft of properties, primarily from Black and brown families, got involved and helped them with their fight, teaching them how to sustain their fight at the grassroots level while remaining politically independent. This independence gave them the ability to move without co promise. Deed theft is the taking of someone’s deed through fraudulent mortgages or a stranger that accesses property records, prepares paperwork and files for an owner’s property. New York is a ‘first noContinued on page 10