Events
Oakland Relay for Life, Standing Up Against Cancer
The 6th Annual Relay for Life was held July 19th & 20th in Oakland to stand up to cancer and honor those who have fought or are fighting cancer, sponsored by the American Cancer Society.
Each year, globally the event involves more than 4 million people in over 20 countries, and raises much needed funds for awareness to save lives from cancer. This year, through individual and team efforts the Oakland event raised over $26,000.
The theme this year at event, held at Oakland Technical High School, was “Fight Back,” inspiring relay participants to take action against a disease that has taken the lives of so many. Participants and survivors celebrated what they have overcome. Family members also had the opportunity to grieve, take action and remember.
“It feels good to be around people who understand,” said Gwendolyn Davis-Kyrimis, who created the team “Joy for Life” in honor of her sister Jacquelyn Inez Davis, who lost her battle to cervical cancer in February.
Standing beside her nephew Marcus Oliphant, Davis said doing the relay together as a family created healing as Oliphant grieves his mother and Kyrimis grieves her sister.
Davis was a transit worker in Reno, and at her memorial over 30 of her co-workers showed up to express love.
“This is an extension of that love we felt,” Oliphant said.
African Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival rate of any racial and ethnic group in the U.S. for most cancers. Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
If the spread is not controlled, it can result in death. The disease is caused by external and internal factors. The causes are complex but definitely reflect inequities in work, wealth, income, education, housing and overall standard of living, as well as access to high quality cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment of services.
Although the overall racial disparity in cancer death rates is decreasing, in 2009, the death rate for all cancers combined continued to be 31 percent higher among African American men and 15 percent higher among Black women.
Cancer survivor Sanalli Phelps spoke about how her successful bout with cancer, changed her life forever. “Cancer lifted me up, freed me,” she said. “I learned to say no to others and yes to myself.
Phelps says her motto now is “Life is short, but it’s mine.”
Most cancers are treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, biologic therapy, targeted therapy or some combination of these. A substantial proportion of cancer cases and deaths could be prevented with testing, adoption of healthier lifestyles, such as avoiding tobacco products, maintaining a healthy body weight, wearing sunscreen and being physically active. Yes, Black people need sunscreen too.
For more info or to donate go to http://www.cancer.org/cancer/
Arts and Culture
Richmond Preps for Full Weekend of Cinco de Mayo Festivities
Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival. The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.
By Mike Kinney
The Richmond Standard
Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival.
The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.
The parade’s Grand Marshall this year will be community organizer Diego Garcia, owner of Leftside Printing.
The festivities continue Sunday with the Cinco de Mayo Festival along 23rd Street, which last year drew over 100,000 people, according to the 23rd Street Merchants Association. This year’s festival will again run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between the intersections of Rheem Avenue and Clinton Avenue. It will feature two entertainment stages, one sponsored by La Raza 93.3 FM at 23rd and Rheem, and another sponsored by Radio Lazer FM at 23rd and Clinton.
Both events are important for the city and the region’s Latino community.
San Pablo Mayor Genoveva Calloway, who co-chairs the parade alongside John Marquez, president of the Contra Costa Community College District Board of Trustees, says Saturday’s festivities are about bringing the Richmond and San Pablo communities together in unity.
“This truly connects the spectators and people in the parade as one,” Calloway said. “The parade showcases the real communities of Richmond and San Pablo – our nonprofits, schools, horse riders, classic cars and trucks, our local businesses. All of these people represent the heartbeat of our community.”
Rigo Mendoza, vice president of the 23rd Street Merchants Association, said that at its heart, Richmond’s Cinco de Mayo Festival celebrates the date the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
But John Marquez started up the popular festival to bring the community together and also to exhibit the community’s businesses and culture to visitors, Mendoza said. The gathering was also a way to promote peace in the community.
Community
Swim to fight cancer
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 1 – 7, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 1 – 7, 2024
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