National

President Obama Speaks, Sings of ‘Amazing Grace’ in Memory of Rev. Pinckney

Published

10 years ago

June 30, 2015

President Obama eulogizes Rev. Clementa Pinckney Friday at TD arena in Charleston, South Carolina. Pinckney and eight members of the historic Emanuel AME church were tragically killed in a mass shooting two weeks ago. (Lawrence Bryant/St. Louis American)

by Kenya Vaughn
Special to the NNPA from the St. Louis American

“His sacrifice must lead to reconciliation,” said U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC).

Rev. Clementa Pinckney paid the ultimate price when a stranger was allowed to stranger join him and about a dozen others for bible study at Charleston’s historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church two weeks ago.

Pinckney, a South Carolina State Senator in addition to serving as senior pastor of “Mother Emanuel”, was mourned by the thousands who packed into Charleston’s TD arena and millions via television and live stream on Friday.

“His last act was to open his doors to someone he didn’t know, he didn’t understand and who didn’t look like him,” Scott said. “Let’s not close the doors that Senator Pinckney gave his life to open.”

The service stretched from late morning to mid-afternoon as nearly a dozen came to bid farewell to the leader of “Mother Emanuel” through remarks and reflections, culminated by a soul-stirring eulogy delivered by President Barack Obama.

By eulogy’s end –members of the clergy endearingly referred to him as “Reverend Obama” after he lifted the audience not only through words, but by a surprising impromptu rendition of “Amazing Grace” that compelled clergy, the massive choir and mourners to join in.

Just like the church and Charleston community echoed in the wake of the tragic mass shooting that killed nine faithful members, Pinckney’s home going would echo the theme of forgiveness and the “amazing” grace that moved President Obama to song.

“The alleged killer was so filled with hate,” Obama said. “He failed to comprehend what Rev. Pinckney so clearly understood – the power of God’s grace. Blinded by hatred, the alleged killer couldn’t see the grace surrounded by Rev. Pinckney and others. But God works in mysterious ways. God has different ideas. He [Roof] didn’t know that he was being used by God.”

Rev. Pinckney and then Senator Obama met during his 2008 presidential campaign. He is also a practicing member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church – and offered a bit of insight on how Re. Pinckney was able to seamlessly merge his ministerial calling along with his political work.

“Our calling is not just within the walls of the congregation, but life and the community in which our church resides,” Obama said of the oldest historically black religious denomination in the Western Hemisphere.

In his thirty minute eulogy, President Obama managed to touch upon the issues of racism, gun violence and the confederate flag debate. All became hot topics in the wake of the tragic shooting that suspect Dylan Roof reportedly confessed to police said was orchestrated to spark a race war.

“By taking down that flag, we express god’s grace. But I don’t think God wants us to stop there,” President Obama said. “Perhaps this tragedy will cause us to answer some tough questions – cause us to examine what we are doing to cause our children to hate. Maybe we now realize how racial bias can infect us- how we’ll call Johnny back for a job interview, but not Jamal.”

President Obama praised the families of the victims, the city of Charleston and the state of South Carolina for their reaction to the tragedy. In particular, he pointed out the spirit of forgiveness and compassion expressed by the family and the greater “Mother Emanuel” church family and the progressive action by Governor Haley in her efforts to get the Confederate flag removed.

He talked about the legacy of hatred that has managed to survive not only in the south, but all across the nation –and how Rev. Pinckney tireless efforts to eradicate its lingering aftermath.

“Clem understood that justice grows out of recognition of ourselves in each other – and that you being free means me too,” President Obama said. “I believe it would be a betrayal against everything Rev. Pinckney has stood for if we go back to a place of business as usual.”

He encouraged mourners to take note from Rev. Pinckney’s life and implement grace in working towards building a truly united America.

“This whole week I’ve been reflecting on this this thing called grace,” Obama said. “Clem knew that the path of grace involves an open mind – but more importantly an open heart. If we can find that grace, anything is possible. If we can tap that grace everything can change.”

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Activism

Desmond Gumbs — Visionary Founder, Mentor, and Builder of Opportunity

Gumbs’ coaching and leadership journey spans from Bishop O’Dowd High School, Oakland High School, Stellar Prep High School. Over the decades, hundreds of his students have gone on to college, earning academic and athletic scholarships and developing life skills that extend well beyond sports.

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

NCAA football history was made this year when Head Coach from Mississippi Valley State, Terrell Buckley and Head Coach Desmond Gumbs both had starting kickers that were Women. This picture was taken after the game. Courtesy photo.

Special to the Post

For more than 25 years, Desmond Gumbs has been a cornerstone of Bay Area education and athletics — not simply as a coach, but as a mentor, founder, and architect of opportunity. While recent media narratives have focused narrowly on challenges, they fail to capture the far more important truth: Gumbs’ life’s work has been dedicated to building pathways to college, character, and long-term success for hundreds of young people.

A Career Defined by Impact

One of his most enduring contributions is his role as founder of Stellar Prep High School, a non-traditional, mission-driven institution created to serve students who needed additional structure, belief, and opportunity. Through Stellar Prep numerous students have advanced to college — many with scholarships — demonstrating Gumbs’ deep commitment to education as the foundation for athletic and personal success.

NCAA football history was made this year when Head Coach from
Mississippi Valley State, Terrell Buckley and Head Coach Desmond
Gumbs both had starting kickers that were women. This picture was
taken after the game.

A Personal Testament to the Mission: Addison Gumbs

Perhaps no example better reflects Desmond Gumbs’ philosophy than the journey of his son, Addison Gumbs. Addison became an Army All-American, one of the highest honors in high school football — and notably, the last Army All-Americans produced by the Bay Area, alongside Najee Harris.

Both young men went on to compete at the highest levels of college football — Addison Gumbs at the University of Oklahoma, and Najee Harris at the University of Alabama — representing the Bay Area on a national level.

Building Lincoln University Athletics From the Ground Up

In 2021, Gumbs accepted one of the most difficult challenges in college athletics: launching an entire athletics department at Lincoln University in Oakland from scratch. With no established infrastructure, limited facilities, and eventually the loss of key financial aid resources, he nonetheless built opportunities where none existed.

Under his leadership, Lincoln University introduced:

Football
Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Men’s and Women’s Soccer

Operating as an independent program with no capital and no conference safety net, Gumbs was forced to innovate — finding ways to sustain teams, schedule competition, and keep student-athletes enrolled and progressing toward degrees. The work was never about comfort; it was about access.

Voices That Reflect His Impact

Desmond Gumbs’ philosophy has been consistently reflected in his own published words:

“if you have an idea, you’re 75% there the remaining 25% is actually doing it.”
“This generation doesn’t respect the title — they respect the person.”
“Greatness is a habit, not a moment.”

Former players and community members have echoed similar sentiments in public commentary, crediting Gumbs with teaching them leadership, accountability, confidence, and belief in themselves — lessons that outlast any single season.

Context Matters More Than Headlines

Recent articles critical of Lincoln University athletics focus on logistical and financial hardships while ignoring the reality of building a new program with limited resources in one of the most expensive regions in the country. Such narratives are ultimately harmful and incomplete, failing to recognize the courage it takes to create opportunity instead of walking away when conditions are difficult.

The real story is not about early struggles — it is about vision, resilience, and service.

A Legacy That Endures

From founding Stellar PREP High School, to sending hundreds of students to college, to producing elite athletes like Addison Gumbs, to launching Lincoln University athletics, Desmond Gumbs’ legacy is one of belief in young people and relentless commitment to opportunity.

His work cannot be reduced to headlines or records. It lives on in degrees earned, scholarships secured, leaders developed, and futures changed — across the Bay Area and beyond.

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Families Across the U.S. Are Facing an ‘Affordability Crisis,’ Says United Way Bay Area

United Way’s Real Cost Measure data reveals that 27% of Bay Area households – more than 1 in 4 families – cannot afford essentials such as food, housing, childcare, transportation, and healthcare. A family of four needs $136,872 annually to cover these basic necessities, while two adults working full time at minimum wage earn only $69,326.

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

Affordable housing is the greatest concern for consumers, it’s followed by the cost of groceries. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

A national poll released this week by Marist shows that 61% of Americans say the economy is not working well for them, while 70% report that their local area is not affordable. This marks the highest share of respondents expressing concern since the question was first asked in 2011.

According to United Way Bay Area (UWBA), the data underscores a growing reality in the region: more than 600,000 Bay Area households are working hard yet still cannot afford their basic needs.

Nationally, the Marist Poll found that rising prices are the top economic concern for 45% of Americans, followed by housing costs at 18%. In the Bay Area, however, that equation is reversed. Housing costs are the dominant driver of the affordability crisis.

“The national numbers confirm what we’re seeing every day through our 211 helpline and in communities across the region,” said Keisha Browder, CEO of United Way Bay Area. “People are working hard, but their paychecks simply aren’t keeping pace with the cost of living. This isn’t about individual failure; it’s about policy choices that leave too many of our neighbors one missed paycheck away from crisis.”

The Bay Area’s affordability crisis is particularly defined by extreme housing costs:

Housing remains the No. 1 reason residents call UWBA’s 211 helpline, accounting for 49% of calls this year.
Nearly 4 in 10 Bay Area households (35%) spend at least 30% of their income on housing, a level widely considered financially dangerous.
Forty percent of households with children under age 6 fall below the Real Cost Measure.
The impact is disproportionate: 49% of Latino households and 41% of Black households struggle to meet basic needs, compared to 15% of white households.

At the national level, the issue of affordability has also become a political flashpoint. In late 2025, President Donald Trump has increasingly referred to “affordability” as a “Democrat hoax” or “con job.” While he previously described himself as the “affordability president,” his recent messaging frames the term as a political tactic used by Democrats to assign blame for high prices.

The president has defended his administration by pointing to predecessors and asserting that prices are declining. However, many Americans remain unconvinced. The Marist Poll shows that 57% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, while just 36% approve – his lowest approval rating on the issue across both terms in office.