Activism

Coalition of Schools and Port Workers Calls for Day of Action Against Privatization, April 29

“The billionaires are after our public resources here in the City of Oakland,” according to a Schools and Labor Against Privatization (S.L.A.P.) media statement. “The Oakland School Board has recently voted to close 11 public schools, despite overwhelming opposition from the community. School closures disproportionately harm communities of color. They are part of a long-term plan by corporations to destroy public education — selling them off to real estate developers or converting them into charter schools.”

Published

4 years ago

April 24, 2022

Oakland Post

Teachers and Longshore workers of ILWU Local hold a rally at Oakland City Hall Feb. 17, kicking off the labor/community coalition to stop the A’s real estate deal to privatize the Port of Oakland and the closure and privatization of neighborhood public schools. Photo courtesy of Indybay, Leon Kunstenaar.

Coalition will hold Zoom forum April 30 to ask candidates where they stand on a school and port privatization

By Post Staff

Many Oakland teachers will be striking and joining with ILWU longshore workers on Friday, April 29 against privatization and closures of Oakland schools and the privatization and destruction of the Port of Oakland by the Mayor, the City Council and state Democrats. There will be a rally at 2 p.m. at Oscar Grant Plaza and march through Oakland.

Coming together as a new organization called Schools and Labor Against Privatization (S.L.A.P.), the coalition decided to hold a rally on International Workers Day (May 1). Because the holiday this year falls on a Sunday. The strikes and march will be held on Friday.

Following the day of action, S.L.A.P. will hold a forum on Zoom on Saturday, April 30 to interview candidates for mayor, Alameda County Board of Supervisors and Alameda County Supt. of Schools, to find out where they stand on the issue of school closings and Port privatization.

On the day of the action, ILWU Local 10 has informed the port that they will have a Port shutdown. A rally will be held at 2 p.m. at Oscar Grant Plaza at Oakland City Hall, with a march at 3 p.m. to Oakland Unified School District Headquarters at 1000 Broadway.

“The billionaires are after our public resources here in the City of Oakland,” according to a S.L.A.P. media statement.

“The Oakland School Board has recently voted to close 11 public schools, despite overwhelming opposition from the community. School closures disproportionately harm communities of color. They are part of a long-term plan by corporations to destroy public education — selling them off to real estate developers or converting them into charter schools.

“Meanwhile, the City of Oakland is planning to spend $855 million in taxpayer money to construct a new A’s stadium and condo complex at Howard Terminal, which is crucial to the Port of Oakland,” the statement continued. “These privatization schemes are part of the gentrification of Oakland — attacking working-class communities, destroying union jobs, and displacing low-income residents of the Bay Area.”

The Saturday Zoom candidate forum will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. To register for the meeting, go to https://tinyurl.com/2wckehd7

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.