Activism

COMMENTARY: The Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back Org ‘Just Serve’ on Mother’s and Father’s Days

The Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back organization (FIGB) sought to extend to the mothers what they had to offer with the blessings from the Most High. Members of the newly formed (FIGB) were pleased to have the opportunity to repay their debt to the community for their past indiscretions. We felt like it’s time for us to own up and do all that’s within our power to make amends to the community.

Published

4 years ago

June 9, 2022

Oakland Post

Richard Johnson and some members of the Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back organization give Mother’s Day cash gifts and food. They have distinguished themselves by their efforts to “Just Serve” communities of need and to help rectify the damages they have participated in in the past. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones

The organization gears up for another event June 18 at CAL-PEP in West Oakland

By Richard Johnson

During my years in prison, nearly every inmate looked forward to celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, especially if they knew who their father was. And for those of us who were fathers, these holidays had special family meaning. Now, as members of the formerly incarcerated population, we continue to derive special meaning for these holidays. In our minds, both days should be combined into a family day.

Mending the Broken Connections with Mother

May 7, 2022 was a very eventful day for some of the mothers who elected to participate in the pre-Mother’s Day event held at DeFremery Park in West Oakland. A number of mothers took the time to come out and be blessed with an inscribed journal and a small amount of cash as a thank you for being exceptional mothers, especially in these very complicated times.

The Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back (FIGB) organization sought to extend to the mothers what they had to offer with blessings from the Most High. Members of the newly formed FIGB were pleased to have the opportunity to repay their debt to the community for their past indiscretions. We felt like it’s time for us to own up and do all that’s within our power to make amends to the community.

We hope this is only the start of a new beginning that will help to mend the broken connection that in the past created a lot of adversity toward productivity in our community. May the light of the Savior continue to be that beacon necessary to move ahead in the right direction.

Also, it was very personal for me because May 7 was my survival date on this earth. What a remarkable gift to spend it doing good. One recipient expressed her special thanks for the cash gift because she needed the gas money for work. Another recipient received gifts for an entire group home full of mothers in recovery. Gifts were also delivered to mothers who lack transportation.

Recognizing Our Fathers

Just like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day should be a symbolized day set aside for those fathers who have shown by their actions that they deserve acknowledgment of not only being a parent, but a shining light to fatherhood. Anybody can plant a seed, but not everyone is capable of nourishing that seed with the genuine guidance, patience and understanding, necessary to raise that child as they evolve.

We, the Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back, are partnering with other organizations, groups and individuals to show our appreciation to the fathers who have stepped up to the fatherhood plate.

Fatherhood is everlasting. It doesn’t end when the child turns 18. Being that father year in and year out requires one’s full devotion and attention at all times, without pause. There are too many fathers lacking what it takes to be counted among those in the class of true fatherhood. No one comes into this world equipped with the knowledge of fatherhood. It’s a learned behavior that requires our full concentration.

We will be participating in an event June 18 at CAL-PEP (2811 Adeline St. on 28^{th St.}) in West Oakland from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

The collaborating sponsoring groups are Grassroots Resource Connection, African American Sports and Entertainment Group, BOSS, Pennies for Peace, California Prison Focus, KAGE Universal, The Oakland Post and Formally Incarcerated Giving Back. Other co-sponsors include George Turner and Bill Haney.

For more information, contact Victoria Layton at fiani@tarfoundation.org.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

Published

4 days ago

March 7, 2026

Oakland Post

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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

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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

3 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.