Bay Area
Brian McKnight and Oakland Interfaith Choir Bring ‘Church’ to S.F. Symphony
It was chilly and rainy in San Francisco on December 10, but guests basked in the warmth of the Christmas spirit at Davies Hall’s third annual Holiday Soul concert.
Featuring singer-songwriter Brian McKnight, guests were brought to church as the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, ushered in the Holy Spirit. Some praise-danced in the aisles, while others joyfully sang along with McKnight accompanied by the famous San Francisco Symphony with Thomas Wilkins as guest conductor.
The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (OIGC), led by Wilkins and McKnight, took the audience on a gospel odyssey of nearly a dozen songs. Dressed in a light gray suit that set off his salt-and-pepper beard, McKnight, also a producer and multi-instrumentalist, told the audience that he was thrilled to be in the Bay Area. “I love the Bay Area and tonight I have an opportunity to sing many songs I don’t get the chance to, so San Francisco, this one’s for you.”
The sultry-voiced McKnight demonstrated his melodic range, as he sang traditional holiday songs such as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song.” The orchestra and the OIGC band brought the bass as McKnight sang his popular love song “Shoulda Been Loving You.” The opening harp of “Still in Love With You” was also performed by McKnight along with “Still.”
McKnight dedicated “All I Need,” to his wife, Leilani Malia Mendoza. “She is my rock and keeps me grounded,” said McKnight. The heartfelt “When the Chariot Comes,” inspired by the death of a friend, gave McKnight an opportunity to sing beyond love songs and the spirit of Christmas. The award-winning McKnight has created 19 albums in the last 25 years.
The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (OIGC) featured director Terence Kelly performing Handel’s “Messiah,” Hairston’s arrangement of “Wade in de Water,” Dourox’s “Give Me a Clean Heart,” Kennicott Davis’ “Drummer Boy,” Walker’s “Amazing,” and Jones’ “Open Your Mouth and Say Something.” OIGC band members included David Belove on bass, Miles Lathan on drums, Jae Phoenix on tambourine and Louis Burrell and Ben Heveroh on keys.
The OIGC, in its third year at the SFS Holiday Soul concert, brings together singers and instrumentalists of diverse races and cultures. Founded in 1986, the choir’s mission is to inspire joy and unity among all people through Black gospel and spiritual music born out of Terrence Kelly’s Gospel Music Workshop from Living Jazz’s Jazz Camp West.
Wilkins has served as music director of the Omaha Symphony since 2005, as principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, artistic advisor of education and community engagement with the Boston Symphony and holds Indiana University’s Henry A. Upper Chair of Orchestral Conducting.
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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