Community

Van Hook, Evans, Scoggins Receive Judge Carroll Community Service Awards

Published

9 years ago

May 9, 2015

The Black American Political Action Committee’s (BAPAC) Eighth Annual “Judge George D. Carroll Community Service Awards Reception and Fundraiser” will be on Thursday, May 14, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

George Carroll was elected to the Richmond City Council in 1961. In 1964, he became mayor of Richmond, the first Black man to hold such an office in a major U.S. city, and in 1965, he was the first Black man appointed Judge to the Richmond Municipal Court.

Over six years ago, BAPAC created the Judge George D. Carroll Community Service Award. This distinguished award was established in honor of the judge’s public service record, his belief in family values, individual integrity, personal responsibility, public service and concern for the welfare of others.

This year’s event will be held in the Richmond Memorial Auditorium Lobby, 403 Civic Center Plaza. Tickets are $45, and a reserved table of 8 is $400.

At the event, BAPAC will honor five community leaders who have demonstrated unselfish commitment to public service, family values and tireless work in the community for the common good.

The 2015 honorees are Pastor Alvin C. Bernstine, Charles Evans, Gloria Scoggins, Florene VanHook and Kyra Worthy.

This week’s Richmond Post features Florene Van Hook, Charles Evans, and Gloria Scoggins

Florene Van Hook

Florene Van Hook came to Richmond as a young child with her grandmother Ida Bell Spears, who worked on the Richmond Shipyards. Ms. Van Hook graduated from Richmond High School and attended Contra Costa Community College before transferring to University of California, Berkeley. She married Randolph Van Hook and is the mother of two sons, and the great-grandmother of four.

Van Hook worked as a legal secretary and secretary for the West Contra Costa Unified School District where she distinguished herself by making sure parents of low achieving students received assistance to help them advance.

For more than 35 years she devoted time with other community organizations such as the School Advisory Committee (SAC), School Site Council (SSC), and the District Advisory Committee (DAC). The DAC honored her for “Outstanding Leadership and Commitment.”

She was elected to the National Coalition of Title 1 Parents, and has testified before the U.S. Congress and the Sacramento legislature.

She is an active member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Richmond, pastored by Rev. Ulis Redic. She serves as the Youth Director and helped establish after-school tutorial programs. Some of her other church service activities include the Inspirational Choir, Scholarship Committee and as a Mission Sister, she visits and prepares meals for the sick.

She also volunteers to visit and deliver gifts to the residents of the Vale Health Care Center in San Pablo.

Charles Evans

Charles Evans is an award winning chef and visionary behind CJ’S BBQ & Fish, 3 of the Bay Area’s most well known eateries. Evans is known for his humble, sincere demeanor, warmth and unshakeable work ethic, which has allowed him to win many nationwide cook-offs.

Inspired by his Arkansas family, he learned how to prepare gourmet meals and created his own seasonings and sauces. Mr. Evans launched his first restaurant in 1997, called CJ’s in Fairfield, CA. In 2002, he established his second restaurant in Richmond and later his third in Vallejo.

His exceptional catering is sought after by many officials, including Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the Black Firefighters of Richmond, retired Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl XI champion George Atkinson, singer Lenny Williams, Richmond’s Dwayne Patton and his band. Many companies patronize his business, such as AT&T, Chevron, ILWU local unions, Kaiser Foundation, Richmond’s PAL organization, the George Miller Youth Fund and Congressman George Miller’s Birthday Extravaganza.

He has received many awards for hiring local residents and for his donations to charitable organizations. He is a member of Antioch Baptist Church. His numerous volunteer activities include: Richmond’s Crime Prevention Task Force, Richmond PAL and Richmond Main Street initiative. He received the Republican of the Year 2003 Gold Medal award for his leadership in business.

Mr. Evans, a celebrated grandfather, is also an active community leader who sponsors youth baseball teams, 100 Black Men of America, church organizations, prison rehab programs and mentors juveniles.

At the end of a busy day, Mr. Evans always makes time to sit with his 96-year old mother at her table to eat dinner where, with a smile, he always says, “Today was a good day.”

Gloria Scoggins

Gloria Scoggins, a Richmond native, has been active in education for 44 years. She has continued the legacy of her mother Ernestine Martin, a longtime Richmond resident, business owner and civic leader.

She earned her undergraduate degree in Child Development from California State University, Hayward and Masters Degrees from the University of San Francisco and Mills College in Oakland.

Scoggins has been recognized for her commitment to social justice and public service to the underrepresented and disadvantaged families in West Contra Costa County.

She has been active with the following community organizations and initiatives: the Blackboard of West Contra Costa, Emerging Young Leaders, ASCEND, Girls Inc. of WCCC, Richmond Pioneers, College Bound Girls, RCF (Richmond Community Foundation), Focus Group on Violence, Teacher Training and Mentoring and Church Ministries.

Presently, she serves as the President of the Blackboard of West Contra Costa, an organization that works to eliminate the opportunity gaps of underserved students. She also serves on the RCF Board of Directors where she seeks to build the capacity of the Richmond community.

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

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Bay Area

Mayor London Breed: State Awards San Francisco Over $37M for Affordable Housing

On April 30, Mayor London N. Breed announced San Francisco has been awarded more than $37.9 million in funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) as part of the State’s Multifamily Housing Program (MHP). The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed (File Photo)

By Oakland Post Staff

The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

The new development at 1515 South Van Ness Ave. will provide 168 affordable homes to low-income families, formerly homeless families, and persons living with HIV earning between 25-80% of the San Francisco Area Median Income (AMI).

In addition, the project is anticipated to provide family-friendly amenities and ground floor community-serving commercial spaces that preserve the prevailing neighborhood character of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District.

“This funding unlocks our ability to move on building affordable housing units for families in San Francisco at a crucial time. We understand the level of need for more housing that is accessible, and like the state, the city continues to face a challenging budget cycle,” said Breed. “1515 South Van Ness is a good example of what can be achieved in San Francisco when you have strong community partnerships and an unwavering commitment to deliver on critical needs for our residents.”

“From the beginning of my term as Supervisor, I have fought to bring affordable housing to 1515 South Van Ness” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. “In the interim, the site has been utilized for homeless services and shelter, and I am thrilled that HCD has recognized the value of this development, and we are finally ready to break ground and bring 168 affordable homes to low income and formerly homeless families in the Mission.”

Owned and occupied by McMillan Electric Company until 2015, the City and County of San Francisco purchased 1515 South Van Ness Avenue in June 2019 with the intent of developing new affordable housing.

In November 2020, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) released a Multi-site Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking qualified developers to build affordable housing on the site, and subsequently selected Chinatown Community Development Corporation (CCDC) and Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in May 2021 to develop the site.

The project is expected to begin construction in winter 2025.

“A strong, long-term push by Mission advocates to make this site 100% affordable is now paying off, with 168 family units that include services and childcare. People of color communities know what they need, and we are excited to be in partnership with a team, consisting of MEDA, CCDC, and MOHCD, that listens,” said Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director at CCDC.

“We are excited to be in partnership with CCDC, yet again, and for the opportunity to develop intergenerational affordable housing in the City’s Mission District,” said Luis Granados, executive director at MEDA.

Increasing housing affordable to lower-income and vulnerable residents is a key priority in the City’s Housing Element which calls for additional funding for affordable housing production and preservation, as well as Mayor Breed’s Housing for All Executive Directive that sets out the steps the City will take to meet the bold goal of allowing for 82,000 new homes to be built over the next eight years.

Tuesday’s funding announcement emphasizes the importance of regional and state collaboration in order to reach our housing and climate goals.

“We are thrilled—not just to bring a project of this size to a community with great need — but to do so with community-based developers and their partners who understand the neighborhood and sensitivities around cultural preservation,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez.

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Community

Opening Soon: Vibe Bistro Is Richmond’s New Hub for Coffee, Cuisine, Community and Culture

Vibe Bistro, located at 1503 MacDonald Ave., Suite B, Richmond, CA, is announcing its grand opening week, May 21-26, 2024. The café will be a hub where people can come together to enjoy coffee, cuisine, community, and culture, according to the establishment’s owner, Free Brown.

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Vibe Bistro Logo

By Y’Anad Burrell

Vibe Bistro, located at 1503 MacDonald Ave., Suite B, Richmond, CA, is announcing its grand opening week, May 21-26, 2024.

The café will be a hub where people can come together to enjoy coffee, cuisine, community, and culture, according to the establishment’s owner, Free Brown.

“Vibe Bistro is Richmond’s neighborhood haven for soulful coffee, delicious food, and vibrant experiences. Vibe Bistro is not just a coffee shop; it’s a place where ‘coffee meets community” says Brown.

It occupies the space formerly known as the Richmond Food Hall, which was also the former location of OakStop Richmond.

During the grand opening week, folks are invited to join in celebrating the spirit of community. From Tuesday, May 21, Vibe Bistro will be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, serving specialty coffees, convenient grab-n-go options, and delicious breakfast and lunch selections.

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 23, from noon to 2 p.m., followed by surprise festivities that the owners say you will need to experience in-person to fully enjoy.

Vibe Bistro’s art exhibition opens May 23, through Sunday, May 26. It features a special artist talk led by renowned curator Jowhari Trahan, a story on glass, and a mural unveiling by Richmond’s own Nakari Syon.

Additionally, the community is invited to immerse themselves in artistic expression throughout the week with art and craft classes.

Get ready for ‘Feature Fridays’ at Vibe Bistro, where they will showcase the culinary creations of local food businesses. This initiative is not just about food, it’s about fostering a spirit of collaboration and community.

All local businesses are invited to be part of this exciting journey, says Brown.

For more information, visit www.VibeBistro.com, sign up for the newsletter to stay connected, and follow all social media platforms at @TheVibeBistro.