• Special Interests Articles

    SF Labor Protests for Construction Jobs

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Featured, News Articles, San Francisco, Special Interests Articles

    Sheet Metal workers led a protest Wednesday at BRE’s Annual Shareholder’s Meeting in downtown San Francisco.

    Members of Sheet Metal Workers’ Local Union 104 and other construction trades unions joined forces this week with environmentalists, transit advocates, and community leaders in a day of action at BRE’s Annual Shareholder’s Meeting to protest use of out-of-area workers at “substandard wages in developments around the Bay Area. “It is critical that the...

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    Huffman Calls on Speaker Boehner to Work on Budget Agreement

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Marin County News, News Articles, Special Interests Articles

    Jared Huffman

    Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), a member of the House Budget Committee has called on Speaker John Boehner to appoint representatives to a conference committee on the budget so Congress can reach an agreement that creates jobs, strengthens the middle class, and reduces the deficit: “For months, House Republican leaders have complained about inaction...

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    Youth Rocks the Rebuild for Performing Stars

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Entertainment, Marin County News, News Articles, Special Interests Articles

    First row, from left: The Marin School for the Arts, The Marin City Zydeco Boys - Daesan, Kevin, Oceil, Evan, Marsean and Nicholas. Second row: Ali MacMillian, Matt Jaffe (guitar), Sema Serifsoy-diFalco, Rose Paradise. Third Row: Will Kepler (guitar), John Strand (drums), Darren Miyawaki (sax), Sean McGee (bass), Angelina Quezada (vocal), Sabrina Saunders (keyboard), Marita Prodger (vocal), Ryan (beat box) and Raymon (guitar). Fourth row: The Spotted Botanists: Max Mercier (guitar), Zak Langford-Do (guitar), Kai Langford-Do (drums), Adam Hilario (bass), Chloe (piano), Chase McDonald (guitar), Talita Stiles (vocal). Fifth row: Olivia Fischer Smith (Keyboard), Matty Michna (guitar), West Houser (drums), Brian Whitelaw-McDonald (bass), Devon Lawrence (vocal and keyboard), Matt Jaffee and the Distractions. Bottom row: Felecia Gaston and Miller Klitsner standing outside Sweetwater, and with the Square Three Design Studio displaying plans for redesigning the Performing Stars studio, Youth Rock Rebuilds! logo. (Photos by Godfrey Lee).

    Youth Rocks the Rebuild, an organization of young adult musicians, performed a concert benefit at the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley last Sunday, April 21, to help redesign the Performing Stars of Marin’s dance studio. The Marin City Zydeco Boys – Daesan, Kevin, Oceil, Evan, Marsean and Nicholas – performed at the beginning...

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    Find Jobs, Careers at East Bay HIREvent

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Events, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Filing tax forms was a fresh reminder to many that both their income and employment status are in need of a boost. Whether that means rejoining the workforce, finding a better job or going in a different career direction, the East Bay’s HIREvent in Emeryville offers an ideal venue to explore a broad array...

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    San Leandro Crossings Development Update

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Events, News Articles, South County, Special Interests Articles

    City staff and representatives from nonprofit housing developer BRIDGE Housing Corporation will present an update on the proposed Cornerstone building, which is part of the San Leandro Crossing development project at the San Leandro BART station, Monday, May 6, at 7 p.m. in City Council chambers. The Cornerstone building will consist of 200 affordable...

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    Community Child Care Council of Alameda County 40th Anniversary

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, South County, Special Interests Articles

    The Community Child Care Council (4C’s) of Alameda County will be hosting its 40th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, May 4 at 6 p.m. The organization will present awards to Michael A. LeNoir, M.D., president-elect of the National Medical Association; George Halvorson, president and CEO of Kaiser Permanente; Kristina Adams, president-elect of the California Child...

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    Afternoon of High Tea and Vintage Fashion in San Leandro

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Events, Lifestyle, Oakland News Articles, South County, Special Interests Articles

    The Alta Mira Club is presenting a Vintage Fashion Show and Tea on Saturday, May 4 at the Alta Mira Club House, located at 561 Lafayette Ave. in San Leandro. High tea, which will be served at 12:30 p.m., includes tea or coffee and a spread of assorted tea sandwiches and desserts. Theresa LaQuey,...

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    San Leandro Expands Dates and Hours for Summer Swimming

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Children, Entertainment, Family, News Articles, Publicity, SECTIONS, South County, Special Interests Articles

    The San Leandro Recreation and Human Services Department will operate pools over the summer at the San Leandro Family Aquatic Center, Boys and Girls Club and Farrelly Pool. Each of the pools offers swim lessons for all ages and levels at a variety of times with American Red Cross certified and trained instructors.  To...

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    Floyd Mayweather Takes on Northern California’s Robert “Ghost” Guerrero

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, San Francisco, Special Interests Articles

    Floyd Mayweather

    By Lee Hubbard The weekend of Cinco de Mayo will be the place to be in Las Vegas, Nevada, as current Welterweight World Boxing Champion Floyd Mayweather will return to the ring to fight Robert Guerrero in “May Day: Mayweather vs. Guerrero.” The championship bout will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM...

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    Free Rotacare Health Clinic Tuesday Nights

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Entertainment, News Articles, Richmond News, Special Interests Articles

    Free medical diagnosis/service is now available for the medically uninsured at the Richmond Rotacare clinic Tuesday evenings from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 2727 Macdonald Ave.in Richmond, The clinic opened in March in response to the request to Rotary by the Health Department of Contra Costa County so that medical services would be...

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    Shop at JCPenny to Support Girls Inc. College Scholarships

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, Richmond News, Special Interests Articles

    Amya Harris (left) and Mieasha Harris at JCPenny, Hiltop Richmond.

    By Mieasha Harris, Executive Director – Girls Inc. WCCC Shoppers at the JCPenny store at Hilltop in Richmond are helping  Girls Inc. raise $1 million for college scholarships. At mid-month, donations to the  nonprofit have already reached nearly $500,000. Girls Inc. of West Contra Costa County has been designated by the Hilltop JCPenny in...

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    Joan Davis Receives Community Service Award

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Community Service, News Articles, Richmond News, Special Interests Articles

    joan Davis

    By Kia Croom Joan Davis, president and CEO of the Richmond Community Foundation, is one of five individuals who will be recognized by the Sixth Annual Judge George Carroll Community Service Awards Program sponsored by the Black American Political Action Committee (BAPAC) of Contra Costa County. Davis is a native of Omaha, Nebraska and...

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    New Children’s Book “Finnegan and Fox: The Ten-Foot Cop”

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, Special Interests Articles

    By Terri Schlichenmeyer The Bookworm Sez It was the scariest half-hour of your life. You were somewhere with Mom or Dad and they let go of your hand for just a minute. Just a minute, and suddenly you were in a sea of legs with no idea what happened. You were totally, completely lost....

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    Kamala Harris Backs Upgrade of Prescription Drug Monitoring

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Attorney General Kamala Harris this week praised the passage of a bill she is sponsoring to upgrade and expand California’s prescription drug monitoring program as an important step in combating a serious public health and law enforcement issue. The bill passed out of the Senate Business and Professions Committee on a 7 to 2...

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    The Secret Is Healthy Living, Says Olympics Boxing Trainer Virgil Hunter

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    By H. Geoffrey Watson, MD Local boxing trainer Virgil Hunter’s advice to young men on living a healthy lifestyle are recommendations that pack a punch. He began training champion boxer Andre Ward when he was nine years old and has influenced pro-fighters from around world who come to him for advice and training. “Starting...

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    Oakland Rotary Sponsors Zoo Trip for 250 Kindergarteners

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Linda Pitts, Transitiional Kindergarten teacher at Garfiled Elementary School, chaperones some of the 250 children who spent the day at the Oakland Zoo.

    250 students from Oakland School’s 11 Transitional Kindergartens spent Friday, April 12 at the Oakland Zoo, sponsored by the Oakland Rotary Club. Thirty-five Rotarians led the field trip, which focused on art and biology. This year, Oakland Rotarians and other partners provided $22,000 for classroom learning tools and supplies,  $15,000 worth of books, $11,000...

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    Drew Debro Awarded for Public Speaking

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Drew Debro

    Public speaker Drew Debro, 17, was recently presented with the Oakland Unified School District’s Distinguished Participation Award for “Demonstrating the importance of literacy and his eloquence of speaking in the style of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” A senior at Oakland Technical High School, Debro started his career in public speaking at the age...

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    San Leandro Honors Earth Day

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Environment, Featured Events, Information, News Articles, South County, Special Interests Articles

    The City of San Leandro will honor Earth Day 2013 by hosting or partnering on a number of springtime events. Residents can commemorate the occasion by learning about the city’s recycling programs, attending the Watershed Festival, visiting local Bay Friendly Gardens, receiving locally made compost, participating in the annual citywide garage sale, or joining...

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    Fremont Student Wins President’s Environmental Youth Award

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Pavan Raj Gowda.

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week announced that 12-year-old Pavan Raj Gowda of Fremont  is one of the recipients of the 2012 President’s Environmental Youth Award for his environmental stewardship work, which includes founding “Green Kids Now, Inc,” a non-profit organization focused on raising children’s awareness of environmental issues. “EPA is proud to...

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    Second-Grader Receives Perfect Score on STAR Test

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Children, News Articles, San Francisco, Special Interests Articles

    John Isaiah Norwood

    John Isaiah Norwood, an eight-year-old third-grader at John Sinnott Elementary School  in the Milpitas School District and recent Greene Scholar Science Fair award recipient, accomplished an extremely rare feat for his school, school district, and even the state of California. When he took the STAR test for the first time as a second grader,...

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    Singer Leah Tysse to Perform at Fundraiser for Homeless

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, San Francisco, Special Interests Articles

    Leah Tysse

    Proceeds from the concert will support the Glide Foundation, which provides meals and other services for the homeless in the Bay Area Soul/Indy-Rock Recording Artist Leah Tysse and her 8-piece band will perform Sunday, April 21 at a concert to support the Glide Foundation, which provides meals and other services for the homeless in...

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    Wells Fargo Gives $15,000 Grant to Berkeley Public Education Foundation

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Special Interests Articles

    Berkeley Public Education Foundation received $15,000. From left to right - Micky Randhawa, East Bay President for Wells Fargo; Mary Friedman, Board Vice Chair for Berkeley Public Education Foundation; Amrita Natt, district manager for Wells Fargo; Erin Rhoades, executive director for Berkeley Public Education Foundation. Photo by Mariana Phipps.

    Wells Fargo presented 15 checks to school foundations and school representatives at a recent event in the Alameda County of Office of Education in Hayward. . “In addition to the countless hours that our team members spend volunteering in local schools, we are proud to provide funding to schools throughout the East Bay,” said...

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    Homeowner Tanya Dennis Seeking to Mobilize Grassroots Opposition to Foreclosures

    by  • April 18, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Special Interests Articles

    Local homeowner Tanya Dennis is speaking to church groups about the continuing foreclosure crisis and will report her findings to President Obama, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Maxine Waters. “Black churches have always been the bastion of our community when we sought justice,” said Dennis, whose home was foreclosed on last week by Wells...

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    Independent Foreclosure Review Was “Doomed from the Beginning”

    by  • April 18, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Special Interests Articles

    Rep. Elijah Cummings

    By Tanya Dennis Lawyers, paralegals, mortgage industry veterans and thousands of other contractors working at banks and auditing firms were hired in January 2012 to review the mortgages of people whose homes were in foreclosure between 2009 and 2010. The purpose of their “independent” review was to find evidence of errors and misconduct alleged...

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    OCCUR Presents Model Built on Faith Workshop Capacity Building Workshop

    by  • April 18, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Post News Feature Story, Special Interests Articles

    OCCUR will present the third in a free series of workshops of the 2013 Model Built on Faith Capacity Building Series VI program, which will be held Tuesday, April 23 featuring Professor Marsha Pendergrass of Pendergrass Smith Consulting, who will discuss the critical success areas of strategic planning, forging collaborative partnerships, organizational development and...

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    Winter Noel, 9, Miss Oakland Congeniality

    by  • April 12, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Winter Noel of Oakland was crowned Miss Congeniality in the 2013 Miss Teen Oakland pageant competition on Saturday, April 6. Judged on personality and modeling routines of casual and formal wear, Noel participated in the Junior Pre-Teen division, one of four divisions in which young ladies ages 7 to 19 competed. Winter says she...

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    SXSW 2013 Spring Music & Film Festival

    by  • April 6, 2013 • Entertainment, Entertainment, Featured Events, Richmond News, San Francisco, SECTIONS, Socialmedia, Special Interests Articles

    Fundamental Strategic Marketing by JT Tha Bigga Figga. Photo by Damon Jamal .

    By Shaveela Raniga The South by Southwest (SXSW) 2013 Spring Music & Film Festivals, an “Artistry Battle” that takes place annually in Austin, Texas, this year featured artists and musicians from the Bay Area and around the world. One attention grabber was JT Tha Bigga Figga from San Francisco, who found a unique way...

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    Alameda County Honors Women’s Health Trailblazers

    by  • April 6, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Health, Special Interests Articles

    Alameda County recently honored trailblazing women who have broken through the glass ceiling as CEOs and leaders of some of the most influential health care organizations in the East Bay. Honoree at the March 28 at the 2nd “Women’s History Month Trailblazers” were Elaine Brown, author, activist and former chairperson of the Black Panther...

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    CubaCaribe Dance Festival in Oakland and SF

    by  • April 6, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Entertainment, Entertainment, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, Socialmedia, Special Interests Articles

    CubaCaribe Dancers in a recent performance. Photo by Andy Mogg.

    The 9th Annual CubaCaribe Dance Festival will present performances, workshops, demonstrations and lectures by master and emerging Caribbean and Latino musicians and choreographers, April 12 through April 28 in San Francisco and Oakland. The theme of this year’s festival is “Tributes to our Teachers.” Among the groups that will perform are the modern dance...

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    Lori Taylor, Hayward’s New Economic Development Manager

    by  • April 6, 2013 • News Articles, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Lori Taylor

    Hayward has announced the appointment this week of Lori Taylor as the city’s new economic development manager Taylor will lead Hayward’s economic development program, which includes overseeing a range of programs designed to attract new businesses and retain and expand existing businesses, as well as hosting business events and promoting the city’s attributes as...

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    McKinley Elementary School Receives “Platinum Sneaker” Award

    by  • April 6, 2013 • Alameda County, Bay Area, Children, Education, Foundations, Geneology, News Articles, South County, Special Interests Articles

    From left to right: San Leandro City Councilmember, Pauline Cutter; TransForm Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Jessica Cruz; McKinley Elementary’s Golden Sneaker Parent Champion, Darlene Lee; Principal of McKinley Elementary, Cher Situm; San Leandro Vice Mayor, Michael Gregory.

    Eight San Leandro schools participated in the Alameda County Golden Sneaker Contest during the month of March for healthy and greener transportation to and from school. The contest challenged students and teachers to walk, bike, carpool, or take transit to schools. Families who could not walk or bike to school still joined in the...

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    Banks Encourage Homeowners to Sell at a Loss

    by  • April 5, 2013 • Special Interests Articles

    Pam Hall

    By Tanya Dennis Banks are encouraging underwater homeowners to short sale their properties, that is, sell their home at a loss rather than go through foreclosure. In 2009, the Obama Administration designed a $75 billion   “Making Home Affordable program, initially created to help distressed borrowers’ receive loans so they could stay in their homes....

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    Kimberley Hayes, New Head of African American Art and Cultural Complex

    by  • March 31, 2013 • Art, Bay Area, Community Service, Education, Marin County News, Philanthropy, Special Interests Articles

    Kimberly Hayes

    By Lee Hubbard With a broad smile, Kimberley Hayes greeted the guests coming into the reception area on the third floor at the African American Art and Cultural Complex in San Francisco. Though she had already been working for two weeks as the new executive director at the complex, this was her introduction to...

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    Velma Ewing, 88, Widow of Tuskegee Airman

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Obituaries, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles, Vallejo News

    Velma Ewing on Mother’s Day last year..

    By Janice Ewing and Lateefa Ali The Tuskegee Airmen earned their place in history as they bravely defied convention and fought for what they loved.  We remember these men. But we seem to forget their wives who have also earned their place in history, defying convention and fighting for what, and who they loved....

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    Africans In America

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Africans in America, Bay Area, Berkeley, Featured, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles, Vallejo News

    AIA 2

    Part 3 Propitiation honoring Ancestors According to the Odu Osa Meji, in the Yoruba belief system, Odu (female oracle) established all the sacred groves (places) and maintained secrets of the sacred shrines of the Orisas (belief of the Yoruba, divine system) after descent. Women were not excluded from performing rituals at any sacred grove....

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    “Daddy Date” Offers Fun for Young Fathers and Their Children

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Article Archives, Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Andre Fikes and daughter Autumn (left) and Dante Toomer and daughter Kennedy .

    By Kia Croom, Contributing Writer Local extent organizer Dante Toomer recently held “Daddy Day,” an afternoon of activities for fathers to share with their children. The event, held on the afternoon of March 16 at Marina Park, took place in conjunction with a carnival sponsored by the City of Emeryville. Fathers and their children...

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    Tax Preparer Robin Swarn: “Whatever Is Going On, We Can Fix It”

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Robin Swarn

    By David Scott You don’t have to be rich or a movie star to find good help to do your taxes, according to Robin Swarn, a tax preparer with Jackson Hewitt. “We have news for everyday people seeking a tax refund or needing help with tax issues,” she said.  ‘’Whatever is going on, we...

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    Oakland’s James Meeks in NFL Draft

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Education, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    James Meeks, Jr. (center), with his parents James Meeks, Sr. (left) and Nina Meeks (right) at his graduation from Central Washington University.

    By Ashley Chambers Oakland native James Meeks  Jr. will get the chance to live out his dream, taking the opportunity of a lifetime in the NFL Draft next month. Towering at 6’5”, he will compete in the regional combine on March 23 with the Seattle Seahawks in Washington. A graduate of Central Washington University...

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    Breast Cancer and African Americans Bay Area Conference

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Health, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    The Stanford Cancer Institute’s Community Partnership Program is hosting the second annual conference, Breast Cancer and African Americans, on Saturday, May 4, 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 South Airport Boulevard, S. San Francisco. The purpose of this event is provide culturally tailored breast health and cancer...

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    Sickle Cell Advisory Council Offers Scholarships

    by  • March 22, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Education, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    The Sickle Cell Community Advisory Council of Northern California  is offering the Samuel Wallace Scholarship Award to high school seniors and college students living with the Sickle Cell disease. The advisory council was started in 1999 as a collaboration between patients of the former Alta Bates Sickle Cell program, administrators at Children’s Hospital of...

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