Oakland

Oakland’s ‘City College:’ Laney’s future in an ever-changing city, nation

Published

7 years ago

August 24, 2017

Laney College student with Tower Administration Building in the background. Laney serves an estimated 11,000 students annually. Photo courtesy of Laney College

By Laney College President Tammeil Y. Gilkerson

Laney College has long prided itself on being Oakland’s City College, right in the heart of downtown, serving as a gateway to a college education for many in our community. One of 114 community colleges in California, Laney serves over 11 thousand students per year – students that represent the rich diversity that reflects the greater Bay Area.

More significantly, for decades Laney has been disrupting the negative narrative about the City and the community we serve by celebrating the rich cultural backgrounds, resiliency and intelligence that our students embody. Our students are warriors who despite centuries of racial, social and economic oppression, continue to rise and seek out opportunities to better their lives and their communities.

Our alumni represent elected officials, community and business leaders; individuals who are actively contributing to making our communities and nation stronger.

In the last week, there has been renewed attention on affirmative action policies and the Justice Department’s investigation of possible discrimination against Asian-Americans. While focus is on entrance to Ivy League schools, community colleges like Laney have historically served as an open door providing the ladder of opportunity for all students, including first-generation, immigrants, and those seeking retraining.

What gets left out of the message constantly, however, is that we are the best step into traditionally competitive four-year college and universities, providing a high quality, affordable option for everyone.

Here in the state, approximately one out of three University of California students transferred from a community college, according to the UC System. Take for example, Aaron James Price one of our Laney students, whose essay, “From Homeless Veteran to UC Berkeley,” was published in the Oakland Post just a couple of weeks ago. His story is not unique to the Peralta Colleges.

It’s time to change the narrative in our community. We are not the “junior college” second option for students. We are the first and best choice and the economic engine that drives innovation and change in this community. Moreover, Laney, in particular, is at the forefront of training multi-ethnic leaders who can meet the demands of working effectively in the diverse society we live in.

Today, people of color make up the majority of California’s population and are expected to represent the majority of Americans in just a couple of decades. I believe the debate around affirmative action is critically important and that we cannot be in denial about the future of our nation and the need to produce the next generation of leaders who have been exposed to a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and people that make-up today’s global community.

At Laney, we’re ahead of the game. Our students are living and learning in spaces that are preparing them for the global society we live in. Now more than ever, the state, business and educational community must reframe their previous ideas about community colleges. It’s time to invest heavily and join Laney College in continuing to disrupt the narrative about our students and our community.

When our students rise, our communities rise.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Faces Around the Bay: Sidney Carey

Sidney Carey was born in Dallas, Texas. He moved with his family to West Oakland as a baby. His sister is deceased; one brother lives in Oakland. Carey was the Choir Director at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church for 18 years.

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Courtesy of Sidney Lane.

By Barbara Fluhrer

Sidney Carey was born in Dallas, Texas. He moved with his family to West Oakland as a baby. His sister is deceased; one brother lives in Oakland.

Carey was the Choir Director at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church for 18 years.

He graduated from McClymonds High with a scholarship in cosmetology and was the first African American to complete a nine-month course at the first Black Beauty School in Oakland: Charm Beauty College.

He earned his License, and then attended U.C., earning a secondary teaching credential. With his Instructors License, he went on to teach at Laney College, San Mateo College, Skyline and Universal Beauty College in Pinole, among others.

Carey was the first African American hair stylist at Joseph and I. Magnin department store in Oakland and in San Francisco, where he managed the hair stylist department, Shear Heaven.

In 2009, he quit teaching and was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. He was 60 and “too old for a heart transplant”. His doctors at California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) went to court and fought successfully for his right to receive a transplant. One day, he received a call from CPMC, “Be here in one hour.” He underwent a transplant with a heart from a 25-year- old man in Vienna, Austria

Two years later, Carey resumed teaching at Laney College, finally retiring in 2012.

Now, he’s slowed down and comfortable in a Senior Residence in Berkeley, but still manages to fit his 6/4” frame in his 2002 Toyota and drive to family gatherings in Oakland and San Leandro and an occasional Four Seasons Arts concert.

He does his own shopping and cooking and uses Para Transit to keep constant doctor appointments while keeping up with anti-rejection meds. He often travels with doctors as a model of a successful heart-transplant plant recipient: 14 years.

Carey says, “I’m blessed” and, to the youth, “Don’t give up on your dreams!”

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Emiliano Zapata Street Academy Celebrates 40 Years Serving Oakland Families

The Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, a public alternative high school, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year with a community party and festival last Saturday with live music, good food, vendors’ booths, and activities for adults and children.

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Live music was part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, a public alternative high school, on April 27, at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church on Telegraph Avenue and 29th Street. Photo by Ken Epstein.

By Ken Epstein

The Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, a public alternative high school, celebrated its 50^th anniversary this year with a community party and festival last Saturday with live music, good food, vendors’ booths, and activities for adults and children.

Attending the Saturday, April 27 celebration were current and past students, families, faculty, and supporters of the school. The school is located at 417 29^th St., and the celebration was held nearby at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland.

For more information, go to www.streetacademy.online or call 510) 874-3630 or (510) 879-2313.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Oakland Ambassadors Strengthen Ties and Aid Efforts in Ghana

Oakland natives and esteemed members of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), Jonathan P. Jones and Dr. Maritony Efua Jones, recently embarked on a significant journey to Ghana as guests of the World Martial Authority Ghana. This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Elder Jorg Klebingat, Flint Mensah, Richard Burton, H.E. Dr. Maritony Jones, Amb. Jonathan Jones, Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, Elder Alfred Kyungu. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.

Upon their arrival at Katota Airport in Accra, Ghana, the Joneses were warmly received by His Royal Majesty Okatakyie Asafo Boakye III, the distinguished king of Sanzule Kingdom in the Eastern Nzema, and Etse Nyamedi of World Martial Authority, Ghana.

Nyamedi accompanied the Joneses to the city of Mepe, which had recently experienced flooding, to assess damages and engage with local leaders, elders, and youth regarding the city’s urgent needs after major floods last fall.

Key concerns and priorities identified by the community include comprehensive flood mitigation measures, agricultural support, housing initiatives, educational enhancements, improved healthcare access, and the development of communal recreational spaces.

The Joneses were also graciously invited to meet with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at their headquarters in Accra. This meeting provided insights into ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ghana and explored avenues for collaboration to further assist Ghanaian communities.

The LDS leaders shared their prompt response to the recent flood, demonstrating their commitment to humanitarian aid by dispatching substantial supplies including medical provisions, sanitation items, blankets, and food to assist flood victims just four days after the disaster.

Additionally, Boakye extended a special invitation to the Joneses to his palace, where they were pleasantly surprised with a heartfelt recognition ceremony. Maritony Jones was honored as the Queen Mother of the Sanzule Kingdom in acknowledgment of her dedicated work, while Jonathan Jones was lauded and welcomed as the ambassador of the Sanzule Kingdom, symbolizing a meaningful homecoming to their ancestral land.

The visit not only strengthens ties between Oakland and Ghana but also underscores the collaborative spirit and commitment to meaningful progress and humanitarian endeavors shared by all involved parties.