Dis California Students Sue Over Inequitable School Facility California African American Chamber of Commerce Hosts Controversy Deepens Over Oakland’s Contract for ‘Building an Equitable Economic Future’ Summit ... see page 2 ‘Flock’ Police Surveillance Camera System ... see page 4 Funding in Low-Income Districts ... see page 2
Congresswoman Simon Brings East Bay Mayors Together to Address Shutdown Impacts ... see page 4
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
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Weekly Edition October 29 - November 4, 2025
62nd Year, No. 44
Community Groups Oorganize to Fight Back Against Government Food Controll
“Food is a basic human right,” Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas said in a statement. “Nobody should go hungry, especially our most vulnerable populations including children, seniors, immigrants, families and the medically frail.” Courtesy photo.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. Courtesy photo.
Mayor Lee Celebrates By Richard “Razor” Johnson is that this president — along with gripping our nation today. GreenLight Fund’s $1M Post News Group Columnist those who elected and continue We, the citizens, are being used Local Leaders Investment to Launch Peace It’s no surprise that food is once to support him — is blinded by a as pawns in a game of vote-rigSeek to Soften the again being used as a political tool false sense of patriotism. They re- ging, food denial, and escalating Academy for Oakland’s Blow as Federal to strengthen the position of the fuse to see that this administration racial tension — all driven by dePresidency so that office can be couldn’t care less about whether liberate, calculated acts of corrupViolence Prevention Government used for revenge against Ameri- We the People eat or starve, as long tion. These are not random events. Shuts Down Workforce as he and his billionaire cronies They are by design. cans in need. SNAP Benefits
Over 175,000 residents of Alameda County a half million in Bay Area rely on SNAP for food
Oscar Grant Sr., Christina Chavac and Richard Johnson. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.
The sad and unfortunate reality
Continued on page 10
continue to profit from the turmoil
Entrepreneurs, Investors and Advocates Attend 6th Annual Bay Area Capital Connections Conference By Carla Thomas
By Ken Epstein
California Black Media
SNAP (Supplemental Nutri-
On Oct. 9, the 16th Annual
tion Assistance Program) ben-
Bay Area Capital Connections
efit cuts, which go into effect
(BACC16) Conference took place
Saturday, Nov. 1, are expected to
at BLOC15 in Oakland, bringing
negatively impact Oakland and
together
the wider Bay Area by increas-
migrants and low-income famiContinued on page 10
Nine-Year Investigation Results in Arrests of Suspects Linked to 24 Oakland Homicides
inves-
tors, and advocates to celebrate
ing food insecurity, especially for vulnerable populations like im-
entrepreneurs,
BACC16 THRIVE Award Winner Olton Rensch, founder of Tallio’s with THRIVE Award Nominees: Dupeola Badejo-Olayinka of Èsín Skincare, Antonia Lara Sanchez of Piscola Mami, Nikki Lopez of Caring Haven, Candace Fisher of Agape and Shalom, and Virada Chatikul of Imaginana Stir Fry Stories at the 16th Annual Bay Area Capital Connections (BACC16) Conference at BLOC15 at Jack London Square in Oakland.
businesses and partnerships that advance equity. The BACC16 THRIVE Award, presented by Kaiser Permanente, honored exceptional entrepreneurs whose ventures are making a transformaContinued on page 10
Special to the Post
Mayor Barbara Lee has secured a $1 million multi-year investment from nonprofit funder GreenLight Fund San Francisco Bay Area to bring Urban Peace Institute (UPI) to Oakland. UPI will establish a Peace Academy to train and support the city’s frontline community violence intervention workforce in partnership with the Department of Violence Prevention (DVP). Lee announced that the Peace Academy can help advance the city’s comprehensive
approach to public safety by strengthening the capacity of violence interrupters who work daily to de-escalate conflicts and prevent retaliation. The Program’s development is slated to begin immediately with the first training cohorts. Mayor Barbara Lee said: “Oakland has seen real progress on reducing homicides and shootings, and there’s still more work to be done. Our approach combines enforcement and accountability with prevention and intervention. The DepartContinued on page 10
Congresswoman Simon Brings East Bay Mayors Together to Address Shutdown Impacts
Oakland Police Department. By Post Staff Oakland
Police
Assistant
Chief James Beere held a news
conference Thursday to discuss the recent arrest of Sureños gang
members who are believed to be
responsible for dozens of violent Continued on page 10
(Left to right) Derek Smith, CAACC board member; Cathy Adams, CAACC President; CAACC Chairwoman, Patricia Watts; Secretary Toks Omishakin; Sharon Evans, CAACC board member; Dr. Vic Baker, CAACC board member. See full story on page 2.
California African American Chamber of Commerce Hosts ‘Building An Equitable Economic Future’ Summit at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (at podium) (D-CA-12) convened the mayors of seven East Bay cities including (l-r) Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, Piedmont Vice Mayor Conna McCarthy, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, Emeryville Mayor David Mourra, Albany Mayor Robin López, San Leandro Mayor Juan González, and Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii. Photo By Jonathan Fitness Jones. See full story on page 4.
New Oakland Clinic Tackles Skin Disease Inequities in African American Community
At the Wilma Chan Highland Hospital HS (hidradenitis suppurativa) Clinic in Oakland, Dr. Becki Li and Adult Medicine Health Coach Intern Suleima Mendez meet with HS patient Nick. Photo By Carla Thomas. By Carla Thomas A new dermatology clinic at the Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus in Oakland is breaking ground in addressing longstanding racial disparities in skin disease.
Opened in mid-2025, the clinic, led by Dr. Leon Clark, chief of dermatology at Alameda Health System, in partnership with Dr. Becky Li, is the only dedicated program of its kind in the East Bay.
Located on the seventh floor of the K Building, the clinic provides both scheduled and walk-in care every other Monday, with a focus on serving African American patients affected by chronic and often overlooked skin conditions. At the heart of the new clinic’s mission is treatment for hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a painful, chronic inflammatory disease that disproportionately affects African Americans. Studies show that Black patients are approximately three times more likely to develop HS than white patients, yet the condition is often misdiagnosed or left untreated until it reaches advanced stages. “Hidradenitis suppurativa is one of the most underrecognized skin diseases, especially in communities of color,” said Dr. Li.
“Our goal is to bring attention to this condition and provide the best of care to patients who have suffered.” The clinic offers both direct medical attention and supportive care, including community-based group sessions that combat isolation and stigma. By offering urgent pain management and continuous support, the clinic hopes to create a model for culturally competent dermatologic care. Nearly all of the clinic’s current HS patients are African American, underscoring the need for a dedicated facility to close gaps in dermatologic care. Historically, research and treatment funding have favored more widely studied skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, leaving diseases like HS underfunded and misunderstood.
The clinic also serves a broader patient population, but its priority remains improving access for Black and Brown communities that have long been underserved by mainstream medicine. As part of the Highland Hospital teaching network, Dr. Clark’s team trains medical residents and local clinicians to better identify skin conditions in patients with darker complexions. Medical textbooks often depict diseases on lighter skin tones, resulting in frequent misdiagnoses. By improving physician training, the program aims to foster equity and awareness across the healthcare system. HS patient Nick says he travels over an hour to get what he considers better care from the new clinic. “It’s been a journey dealing with this disease, but I’m always hope-
ful for a cure,” he said. Clinic staff are concerned for their clientele possibly not having access to care, due to changes in their benefits. Complicated paperwork and policy changes could affect many on Medi-Cal and Medicare. “Those who need support the most, may be impacted by impending budget cuts,” said Dr. Li. Alameda Health System (AHS) has been recognized by BETA Healthcare Group for excellence in creating a culture of safety, transparency and continuous learning across its health care facilities. For the past five years, AHS has participated in the BETA HEART program, an initiative designed to support patient safety, transparency and improvement.