Bay Area
“Vallejo Unites” Captures the City’s Spirit and Vitality
“Vallejo Unites,” an exciting initiative designed to bring Vallejo’s community together, is thriving, and wants to share the excitement with city residents.
The program goals and priorities, as set forth by the City Council, address a range of community concerns that will bond and unite the community behind a more effective and engaged city government.
“We have such strength in this community, including more than 200 active neighborhood watch groups and associations,” said Joanna Altman, assistant to the City Manager. “We want to explore the depth and diversity in our arts organizations and non-profits, our robust youth program opportunities, our economic development investment and a growing higher education community, just to name a few of the things that bring this amazing community together.”
The City of Vallejo sees Vallejo Unites as more of a movement than a program. The purpose is to bring the community together to take action on the City’s goals and priorities. Vallejo Unites is a vehicle to share progress toward those goals.
Vallejo Unites ambitious initiative reflects the goals of the council, community and city staff. From progress on Mare Island to efforts that address the needs of the homeless to the city’s balanced budget, the movement is making true progress on many fronts. Vallejo Unites hopes to capture and sustain that progress, and the public is invited to join in the effort.
“While it is important to celebrate our successes, we must also face our challenges – together – as a community,” said Altman. “Progress can only be made with a community that is united with the values and goals of the city that seeks to serve them.”
Vallejo has been touted as one of the most diverse city’s in the United States given its equal breakdown of 22% to 28% Hispanic, Asian, Black, and White. Because the city’s demographic spans all ethnicities, cultures, and socio-economic groups, everyone’s participation in this movement is welcomed and appreciated. Residents can get involved by going to the VallejoUnites.net website, connecting on social media, watching the videos, and sharing with their family, friends, and neighbors.
“Our objective is to have everyone learn more about Vallejo Unites, a positive place for our community,” said Altman. “We encourage residents to stay engaged with us by sharing photos and stories on social media with #vallejounites, on how you are uniting Vallejo. We benefit from your voice and participation. Together, Vallejo Unites.”
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
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Alameda County
DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland
Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.
Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.
Bay Area
State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference
California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.
By Carla Thomas
California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco.
The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.
“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.
ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.
“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.
More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.
Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.
“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.
“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.
“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.
By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”
Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”
Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.
“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”
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