Oakland
OP-ED: 12 Years a Clipper
By Andrew F. Williams
I won’t waste any ink providing background details on what’s going on with the Los Angeles Clippers or the NBA right now. If you’re not up to speed, then click here to get caught up. Instead, I’ll start this story on Day 2, minutes before tipoff in Game 4 of the playoffs between the Clippers and the Golden State Warriors. Full disclosure: I’m from Oakland. Amidst mountains of speculation and anticipation surrounding what kind of statement the Clippers players would or would not do, I sat on my couch waiting for another 1968 Olympics moment. Good Lord was I disappointed.
As theClippers took the floor for their warm up, they all met at half court in a high-profile huddle. With a big flourish, they tore off their warm-up jackets and tossed them on the floor, revealing red shirts turned inside out. That would be the Clippers refusing to rep the logo of a franchise owned by a recently-outed, but long-suspected bigot. Not a bad start for a protest. Unfortunately, minutes later, they were on the court, playing Game 4 in full Clippers regalia—logos and all.
Clippers protest owner Donald Sterling’s racially infused confused before Game 4 on April 27th at the Oracle Arena.
My problem with this mini-protest is that it failed to do the one thing that a protest must do—create urgency to provoke action. Instead, this show seemed to be an attempt to do as little as required before moving onto to the real business of playing basketball.
With all due respect, I completely understand the coaches’ and players’ desire to stay focused on the task at hand. Still, I was unimpressed. So, while I admit that I’ve never been a professional athlete, I find myself needing to sound off on the late night before heading to bed. Plus, one of my favorite sayings is still “Take my advice—it’s free, and I’m not using it.” With that in mind, I present to you another Live From Tomorrow list…
10 Things That the Los Angeles Clippers Should Have Done
1. Refuse to play. They could have just stayed home. Or, they could have showed up, but refuse to take the court. Honestly, this is my least favorite option. I can still remember watching the World Cup in 2010 as several French players refused to play because of a disagreement with their coach. I was, and still am, disgusted with their actions. I subscribe to the idea that in
some respects, you play for yourself, not the coach or the owner. But, at least refusing to play would have created urgency.
2. Request an off-season trade. What if every player on the Clippers spoke with their agent, then filed a formal trade request with the franchise? This would have raised the stakes without jeopardizing the team’s playoff run. After all, NBA players have been known to request trades for much smaller offenses than what the Clippers have been subjected to. And please, spare me that played out “they have kids to feed” B.S. The minimum salary in the NBA is around a half a million dollars per year. That means every player on the Clippers is doing just fine, even the ones with splinters in their asses from riding the bench every night. If there is an NBA player that cannot financially afford to sit out a season, then he is an idiot, and needs to learn how to manage his money better. Find another team… go play in Italy… find a ghost writer to do a screenplay about your story and call it 12 Years a Clipper*. If grape-pickers, miners and
Clippers Owner Donald Sterling,
garment-workers can do it, so can you.
3. Bring the message onto the court. This action is very common in professional sports around the world. Almost every week, teams in theEnglish Premier League sport a ribbon, patch, or arm band of some sort to commemorate something important. NFL players even wear pink socks! While a little insignia would not have been groundbreaking, it would have been a way to channel and highlight the team solidarity.
4. Rock the mic. If I can listen to the 2nd runner up from American Idol butcher the Star-Spangled Banner, then I know there’s room Chris Paul** to say a few words on the mic—and to the world—at halftime or before the game. It’s better than watching a crew of backup dancers shoot cheap t-shirts into the second row with an air gun.
5. Drop the logos. Completely. The Clippers could have kept going with their idea, which was a good start, except fort the fact you could still see the logo on their pants. What if they all took the court in plain uniforms with no logos? The great thing about this action is that it would have forced the hand of the NBA. I’m sure Adidas would’ve had something to say about it. Plus, my guess is that somewhere in the rule book, it says that NBA players can’t just wear whatever they want. After all, didn’t they fine players for wearing their shorts too low? Can you imagine if the league had to make a decision about what to do? Do they make the Clippers forfeit the game? Do they let them play in plain uniforms? I doubt Mark Jackson’s Warriors would have been filing any complaints in the latter case. My sense is that what the players want most is for the league to get off the fence and have their back. I can’t think of a better way to do this than to put the ball inthe commissioner’s court—are you with us, or against us?
6. A work slowdown. This is a classic protest move of industrial laborers—they don’t exactly strike, but they don’t exactly work. The Clippers could have taken the court as if everything was normal… but then refuse to play offense! Imagine how awesome that would be to watch Chris Paul walk the ball across half court then just stop. How beautiful would it have been to watch them rack up back-to-back-to-back 24 second shot clock violations. The message would have been clear. The irony is that the Warriors put up 39 points in the first quarter, leaving the Clippers down by 15 after only twelve minutes of play. Maybe if the Clippers had just “slowed down” the game and focused on playing some defense they would have been better off.
Magic Johnson
7. Black Player Salute. This one might be my favorite. The Clippers could have taken the court with custom jerseys sporting the names of some of the greatest black basketball players on whose back the league was built. Some giants that come to mind immediately are Bill Russell, Error! Hyperlink reference not valid., Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Julius Erving, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Moses Malone, Bill Russell, Lenny Wilkins, and Bill Russell, just to name a few.*** If they wanted to get real creative, they could have included great black athletes who broke down barriers in other sports: Muhammed Ali, Arthur Ashe, John Carlos, Althea Gibson, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Jack Johnson, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Carl Lewis, Joe Louis, Willie Mays, Jesse Owens, Leroy “Satchel” Paige, Jackie Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson, Wilma Rudolph, Tommie Smith, Marshall “Major” Taylor, Venus Williams, Tiger Woods****, and the list goes on. Can you imagine J. J. Redick stepping on the court with a red and blue Jim Brown jersey? And don’t try to tell me that they didn’t have enough time to get the jerseys made. I got a dude in East Oakland that can get you customized knockoff soccer jerseys from any club in the world by tomorrow, so holler at ya boy.
8. Win the game. If the Clippers hadn’t gotten spanked, then we’d all be talking about how they rallied together and used this adversity as motivation. But they did get spanked. In all fairness, I know they wanted to win. But they didn’t. I’m just saying. Maybe it sounds harsh, but as I write this, I feel bad for the players, but I do NOT feel motivated to rally behind them. If they had actually taken a stand, then I would be writing a very different article write now. But they didn’t, so I’m just another Warriors fan hoping that they lose, and hoping that they all find a better team to play for next season.
9. Play 2 on 2. The Clippers could have let J. J. Reddick and Hëdo Turkoglu take on the Warriors by themselves. Or, better yet, the two teams could have coordinated to arrange a 2 on 2 matchup: Reddick and Turkoglu vs. David Lee and Steve Blake. In other words: imagine an NBA without the black people.
10. Do nothing. Part of me feels like doing absolutely nothing would have been better than staging the mini-protest that they did. Wouldn’t that have been more true to their stated mission of staying focused on the game and playing basketball? I guess I feel like they did something just because they had to—but what they did was useless.
Ultimately, they missed an opportunity to make history—not to make a scene, or to make history for themselves, but to create a moment that would live on in history forever. Like Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the winners podium. Like Ali refusing conscription into the army and forfeiting his heavyweight belt.. Instead, it may become another footnote in the history of American racism and so-called “Error! Hyperlink reference not valid..”
* The title of this blog post is taken from a hilarious meme that started circulating on the internet on Sunday, April 27, 2014.
** Ironically, Chris Paul is President of the NBA Players Association.
*** I was tempted to include Michael Jordan, but the cat always seemed to have his tongue when it was time to say something important.
**** Don’t even start with me
Education
As Progressive Democrats Celebrate ‘Blue Tsunami,’ Oakland Counts Victories
As national Democrats celebrate a significant shift in the midterm elections, local leaders in Oakland are tracking early results from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters. While Mayor Barbara Lee and several City Council incumbents have secured decisive victories, attention remains fixed on high-stakes school board contests. Progressive candidates currently face strong challenges from opponents backed by corporate funding and local political organizations. With many ballots still uncounted, the final composition of the board and several regional transit measures remain in the balance. Read more.
Concerns remain over school board races as ‘moderates’ lead progressives
The Alameda County Registrar of Voters has released the first round of election results, though many ballots remain uncounted and results are still incomplete.
Nationally, Democrats, liberals and progressives celebrated Tuesday evening as President Donald Trump was dealt a devastating blow in the midterm election. The Republican Party lost control of the Senate and the House as “Maga” candidates were swept away not just by a ‘blue wave,’ but a ‘blue tsunami.’
In Oakland, incumbent Mayor Barbara Lee, who served two years and ran for a full four-year term, won decisively.
A proposal backed by Lee, Measure EE, also won. The Charter amendment will create a strong mayor system of government while providing the City Council with new checks and balances on mayoral power.
District 2 Councilmember Charlene Wang is leading with 65.62% of the vote. Opponent Nate Adams trails with 34.38%.
District 4 Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, ran unopposed for reelection, receiving 14,029 votes.
District 6 Councilmember Kevin Jenkins bested opponent Nancy Sidebotham and District 2’s Charlene Wang also won reelection.
City Auditor Michael Houston is running unopposed for reelection and won 60,773 votes.
Progressive school board members, Jennifer Brouhard (D2) and Valarie Bachelor (D6), supported by teachers and school activists, face serious challenges from candidates backed by pro-corporate funders and the political organization, Empower Oakland.
Arielle Fleisher leads Brouhard 53.49% to 46.51%.
In District 6 with three contending candidates, Alexandra Williams leads with 38.06% of the vote. Incumbent Bachelor has 36.89%, and Leana Powell is trailing with 25.04%.
In District 4, incumbent Mike Hutchinson is narrowly leading a field of three candidates. He received 40.87% of the vote, while Kathryn Camp has 39.92%, and Sylvia Pfeiffer Williams has 19.21%.
In the races for AC Transit Board, Director Joel Young (Ward 3) leads with 53.11% of the vote, Sarah Syed (Ward 4) is ahead with 78.37% of the vote, and Murphy McCalley (Ward 5) leads with 63.07%.
Regional Transit Measure RTM, which would increase sales taxes in five Bay Area counties to shore up BART and other regional transit, was leading in five counties by a combined 62% of the vote.
Community
Golden State Valkyries Become Bay Area Legends Winning WNBA Championship on Halloween Night
In only their second year as a franchise, the Golden State Valkyries captured the 2026 WNBA Championship with a 68-63 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Playing before a sold-out crowd at Chase Center on Halloween night, Gabby Williams delivered a historic 30-point performance to earn Finals MVP honors. The victory marks a rapid rise for the expansion team, which has already set league attendance records and surpassed a $1 billion valuation. Fans gathered by the hundreds of thousands this week to celebrate the new Bay Area legends, read more.
In only their second year as a franchise, the Golden State Valkyries became the WBNA 2026 Champions, with Gabby Williams named WNBA Finals MVP. A Halloween night movie of magic and there was no surprise that the game was sold out, with more than 18,000 fans inside Chase Center while thousands more packed the open space at Thrive Center from hours preceding the game through the final buzzer.
In the decisive Game 7, Williams delivered a legendary performance, scoring 30 points to lead the Golden State Valkyries to a 68-63 championship victory over the Atlanta Dream. Remarkably, 28 of her 30 points came in the second half, setting a WNBA postseason record for points in a half and earning her Finals MVP honors.
The team celebrated its victory on Wednesday with a rally in Oakland followed by a ferry ride to San Francisco’s Embarcadero and then a two-mile parade that drew about 400,000 fans.
Williams has become a symbol of the Bay Area’s impact on the team. Although born in Nevada, Williams has deep family roots in Oakland and has often said the city’s culture, community, and basketball traditions shaped her identity and playing style.
After signing with the Valkyries, she began calling the city home and noting that “there’s no Golden State without Oakland.”
The Valkyries have several ballers who made an impact on winning this series, including Veronica Burton, Tiffany ‘Tip’ Hayes, Kayla Thornton, Kaila Charles, and Cecilia Zandalasini.
Veteran center Kiah Stokes brought championship experience and defensive leadership when she signed a multi-year free-agent contract with the franchise on April 13. A former first-round draft pick out of UConn and a three-time WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces before joining Golden State, Stokes was recruited by head coach Natalie Nakae, with whom she had previously worked in Las Vegas.
Known as one of the league’s premier rim protectors and rebounders, Stokes quickly became a defensive anchor for the expansion franchise and played a major role in leading the Valkyries to their historic championship run.
The Valkyries have accomplished something extraordinary, proving that a new franchise can make an immediate impact both on and off the court. In their first year, the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season and set all-time league attendance records. The franchise sold out all home games, reporting 18,064 attendees per game in both seasons — the highest attendance figures in WNBA history. The Valkyries’ success has also translated into extraordinary franchise value. After entering the league by paying a $50 million expansion fee, the organization generated record revenues and rapidly became one of the most valuable franchises in women’s sports, valued at over $! billion.
The WNBA Finals’ deciding game averaged 3.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA playoff game in league history and the most-watched finals game since 1999.
The record audience reflects the league’s growing popularity and has major implications for its future, including higher media rights value, increased advertising revenue, stronger sponsorship opportunities, rising merchandise sales, and greater ticket demand.
The Finals also featured sold-out arenas and record postseason viewership, demonstrating that the WNBA is expanding its commercial reach, attracting new fans, and strengthening its position as a major professional sports league.
Business
Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce Hosts Statewide Convention, Generating $3 Million in Economic Impact
The Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce recently hosted the 47th Annual California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce Statewide Convention, drawing more than 1,000 attendees to the city. The event generated an estimated $3 million economic impact, benefiting local retailers, hotels, and small businesses throughout the region. Organized in partnership with Visit Oakland, the convention featured a marketplace for local entrepreneurs and focused on advancing economic prosperity for Latino-owned businesses. Several innovative features were introduced during the summit to provide lasting resources for the state’s business community, read more.
The Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce (OLCC) recently served as the Host Chamber for the 47th Annual California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CHCC) Statewide Convention, held in Oakland in August 2026.
The Convention welcomed more than 1,000 attendees from throughout California and generated an estimated $3 million economic impact for the City of Oakland, providing significant support to local hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, retailers, and small businesses.
In conjunction with Visit Oakland, OLCC brought in various local sponsors and worked closely with the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, to make the Oakland Convention a success.
The success of the 47th Annual CHCC Statewide Convention demonstrates what is possible when business leaders, entrepreneurs, community organizations, and public partners work together with a shared vision, said Aliza Gallo, president of the OLCC.
“By welcoming more than 1,000 attendees and generating an estimated $3 million economic impact, we not only showcased Oakland as a premier destination for business and innovation but also created lasting opportunities for local businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Gallo, who also served as co-host of the event.
She adds that the “convention elevated Oakland’s visibility, strengthened statewide and local partnerships, and reinforced the Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce’s commitment to advancing economic prosperity for our members and our community.”
As part of its leadership role, OLCC introduced two innovative features designed to extend the convention’s impact beyond the event itself. Conference workshops were recorded and made available for continued learning and professional development.
These recordings will be shared with OLCC members and made available for broader public access, expanding educational opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs throughout California. The workshop content will also be distributed to the 85 Latino Chambers and Affiliate Members within the CHCC network, which collectively is 135 member organizations statewide.
In addition, OLCC created and managed the Oakland Mercadito, a vibrant marketplace showcasing local Latino and Latina entrepreneurs. The Mercadito provided small business owners with an opportunity to market their products and services, connect with new customers, and gain exposure to business and community leaders from across the state.
The initiative highlighted Oakland’s entrepreneurial talent and demonstrated OLCC’s commitment to supporting small business growth and economic opportunity.
“Oakland is one of the most diverse cities in the United States” commented Peter Gamez, president & CEO of Visit Oakland. “Our city’s celebration of culture makes everyone feel they belong here and allows for truly authentic experiences.
“Our diversity is a powerful draw for groups and individual visitors. We are extremely proud of this and continue to cultivate and grow this message as we welcome conferences and conventions to The Town,” Gamez said.
For more information, see the Visit Oakland video about the CHCC Convention In Oakland: https://lnkd.in/p/eRpe2sYD
The Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce is the source of this story.
About The Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce
Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce (OLCC) www.oaklandlatinochamber.com is dedicated to advancing economic opportunity, strengthening business capacity, and elevating the visibility of Latino-owned businesses throughout Oakland and the East Bay. Through advocacy, partnerships, technical assistance, and community engagement, OLCC works to ensure that Latino entrepreneurs have the resources and support necessary to thrive.
How the Sandwich Generation Can Help Protect Aging Parents’ Finances
As Progressive Democrats Celebrate ‘Blue Tsunami,’ Oakland Counts Victories
Golden State Valkyries Become Bay Area Legends Winning WNBA Championship on Halloween Night
IN MEMORIAM: Marcia Ann Gillespie, Editor of Essence and Ms. Magazines, Dies at 82
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi Honors local ‘Women of the Year’ at Annual Awards Ceremony
Richmond Neighbors Put Pantry Power on the Map
Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce Hosts Statewide Convention, Generating $3 Million in Economic Impact
HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History
HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History
Five Hospitals Said No! Who Will Help Annette Henry Recover?
Oakland NAACP, BWOPA Speak Out Against Alleged Harassment of Black Women Political Leaders
COMMENTARY: Oakland’s Black Students Have Gained Ground: We Shouldn’t Stop Now
From Backyard Grilling to Jack London Square: Jamale Carlyle’s Chicken Wing Success Story
SEIU Local 1000 and State of California Will Continue to Negotiate New Labor Contract
OPINION: We Can Restore Checks and Balances on Trump
COMMENTARY: Valarie Bachelor and Jennifer Brouhard are Excellent School Board Members and Deserve to Be Reelected
Listening as a Lifeline: A Doula’s Witness to Black Maternal Health
OUSD Receives State Review of District Finances; Outlines Progress Since January
HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History
Zakiya Jendayi Arrested, Locked Out of Home by Sheriff’s Deputies
SEIU Local 1000 and State of California Will Continue to Negotiate New Labor Contract
Golden State Valkyries Become Bay Area Legends Winning WNBA Championship on Halloween Night
COMMENTARY: Your California Living Trust Could Be Next: When Evidence Isn’t Enough
Fate of Bay Area Public Transit Hinges on Regional Transit Measure
Oakland Post: Week of September 30 – October 6, 2026
It’s Time to Lose Weight Before the Holidays
Mayor Barbara Lee Holds Special State of the City Address in Deep East Oakland
Democrats, Community Groups Back Measure EE to Change How Oakland Is Governed
Oakland Awarded More than $14 Million in State Funding
OP-ED: Proposition 44 Would Put a Price on Trust
The Conversation With Al McFarlane 6/23/26
Media Monday 6/22/26
LIVE! ASK ALMA! — TUES. 6.23.26 7PM EST
Car Buying Secrets: 4 Hidden Checks Before You Sign!
Is This 550 HP Charger Worth YOUR Money? AutoNetwork Review
Celebrating Juneteenth – Frederick Douglass on education and resistance
LIVE! — ASK ALMA! — TUES. 6.19.26 7PM EST
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Parking, Safety, and 360 View #shorts
2025 Ioniq 5 New Wiper & Powerful Performance! #shorts
Electric SUV Range: Is 259 Miles Enough? #shorts
EV Charging: How Fast Can You Charge an Electric Vehicle? #shorts
Biometric Cooling… Messaging Seats…Come on! 2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph 4WD
Charged Up: Witness the Magic of a Fully Electric Car! #shorts
Range Rover Sport PHEV Included…: See What’s Inside This Luxury SUV! #shorts
Invisible Hood View: Perfect Parking with X-Ray Vision! #shorts
-
Commentary2 weeks agoCOMMENTARY: Valarie Bachelor and Jennifer Brouhard are Excellent School Board Members and Deserve to Be Reelected
-
Education2 weeks agoOUSD Receives State Review of District Finances; Outlines Progress Since January
-
Black History1 week agoHISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History
-
Business2 weeks agoSEIU Local 1000 and State of California Will Continue to Negotiate New Labor Contract
-
Community1 week agoGolden State Valkyries Become Bay Area Legends Winning WNBA Championship on Halloween Night
-
Business2 weeks agoCOMMENTARY: Your California Living Trust Could Be Next: When Evidence Isn’t Enough
-
Business3 weeks agoFate of Bay Area Public Transit Hinges on Regional Transit Measure
-
Community4 weeks agoIt’s Time to Lose Weight Before the Holidays
