Dis ‘A Promise Kept’: California Establishes First-in-theNation Reparations Agency ... see page 2
Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson Explains How Medi-Cal Cuts Will Hurt Families. see page 2
Newsom and Elected Officials Make Case to Black Press for Prop 50 .. see page 2
ESSAY: Intentional Self Care and Community Connections Can Improve Our Wellbeing ... see page 7
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
62nd Year, No. 42
Weekly Edition October 15 - 21, 2025
postnewsgroup.com
MLK Way at 57th Street in Oakland Renamed Bobby Seale Way for Black Panther Co-Founder
Barbara Lee. File photo.
OPD Chief Floyd Mitchell. Official portrait.
Mayor Lee Responds to OPD Chief Floyd Mitchell’s Decision to Resign
Man Arrested for Making Death Threats Against Mayor Barbara Lee
By Ken Epstein
David Pokorny, 45, of El Cerrito, has been charged with mailing racist death threats to Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. Arrested last week, Pokorny faces a felony for threatening a public official and also hate-crime allegations. He has pleaded not guilty. The first email, sent Sept. 7, used racial slurs to refer to Black Oakland residents. The sender threatened to kill them, as well as government officials, including Lee, police officers, and judges. The most recent email, sent Sept. 21, directly threatened Lee:
“You are a psychopath,” the sender wrote, “and I’m going to torture and murder you.” Responding, Mayor Lee said, “Violence has no place in our city or our democracy. Intimidation and hate will not silence Oakland public servants or the communities we represent. We will continue to do the people’s work — regardless of circumstances.” Pokorny was arrested Oct. 7 in Southern California and booked into Santa Rita Jail. As of Wednesday, he remained in custody, with bail set at $70,000.
California Institution for Women Celebrates Historic College Graduation
By Ken Epstein
The Office of Oakland Mayor Celebration honoring Bobby Seale, Oct. 22, 5 - 7 p.m. Courtesy photo. By Zac Unger
We are so proud to honor the legacy of the great Bobby Seale by commemoratively renaming 57th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way to Bobby Seale Way in North Oakland. Seale, 88, has dedicated his life to advancing social justice, racial equality, and community self-determination. He played an incredibly important part in the history of our country by cofounding the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, in Oakland in 1966 with the late Huey Newton.
Our City has a tremendous history of activism, and it is a legacy we are proud of and strive to continue as our community and country face so many incredible challenges right now. In 1962, Bobby Seale and Virtual Murrell cofounded the first known Black student organization called the Soul Students Advisory Council at Oakland City College located at 57th and Grove streets, now MLK. Jr. Way. Later they co-founded the first Negro history class, which led Continued on page 10
Barbara Lee has responded to the announcement that OPD Chief Floyd Mitchell has decided to resign. Chief Mitchell announced last week that he will be stepping down
Port of Oakland September Cargo Volumes Dip Amid Shifting Trade Patterns
Port of Oakland. File image.
Liberty Hall at 1483-1485 Eighth St. in Oakland was built in 1877 as a store and residence. Wikimedia photo.
Photo courtesy California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. By Carla Thomas On Saturday, Oct. 4, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the first graduating class from California State University, Los Angeles at the California Institution for Women. The landmark day for criminal justice reform and educational ac-
cess marked an important milestone for incarcerated women across the state. Twenty-two women earned their Bachelor of Arts degrees in Liberal Studies, representing California’s ambitious efforts to cultivate rehabilitative environments for incarcerated individuals. Continued on page 10
A Call to Save Liberty Hall: Oakland’s Beacon of Black Heritage Faces an Uncertain Future
Special to The Post
On a quiet corner near the West Oakland BART Station stands a weathered but proud monument to
African American history — the Universal Negro Improvement Association’s Liberty Hall, also known as the Marcus Garvey Building. Built in
OPINION
Continued on page 10
Argent Materials Oakland CleanTech Community Asset Helps Those in Need
Hundreds of residents in West Oakland were forced out by eminent domain before construction began on the 980 freeway in 1968. Courtesy photo.
Past, Present, Possible! Oakland Residents Invited to Reimagine the 980 Freeway
By Randolph Belle Special to The Post Join EVOAK!, a nonprofit addressing the historical harm to West Oakland since construction of the 980 freeway began in 1968, will hold a block party on Oct. 25 at Preservation Park for a day of imagination and
community-building from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Organizers ask attendees coming to 1233 Preservation Park Way to think of the event as a “time portal”— a walkable journey through the Past (harm and flourishing), Present (community conditions and resilience), and
Continued on page 10
Photo courtesy Argent Materials, Inc. By Zennie Abraham CEO, Zennie62Media Argent Materials, the Oakland business that turns old concrete and asphalt into new construction products, generally goes by “Argent Materials Oakland CleanTech” but should be called “Argent Materials
East Oakland CleanTech for The Community”. Here’s why. First, Argent Materials is located at 8300 Baldwin St, which is right in the Coliseum Industrial Zone, and just a three-minute drive from the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Complex. That’s in East Continued on page 10
from his position after 18 months. His final day will be Dec. 5. “I want to thank Chief Mitchell for his dedicated service to Oakland and his leadership during a critical time for our city,” said Mayor Lee. “Under his tenure, we have Continued on page 10
By Post Staff
The Port of Oakland handled 178,942 twenty-foot containers (TEUs) in September 2025, a 6.6% decline year-over-year and 7% below August volumes. Port officials said the decrease reflects market adjustments tied to tariff uncertainty and shifting global trade flows rather than the usual seasonal trends. Full imports totaled 75,716
TEUs, down 7.9% from September 2024, while full exports reached 60,123 TEUs, a 2.2% decrease. Despite these short-term dips, overall trade flows remained balanced, supported by steady vessel calls and efficient terminal operations. Year-to-date through September, Oakland marine terminals processed 1.72 million TEUs, up 0.7% compared to the Continued on page 10
Pamela Price Launches YouTube Podcast