Commentary

COMMENTARY: On the Queen’s Passing, and the Obama’s Portraits of Democracy

Granted, the Queen had no real “political” power; but as “head of state,” she still had enormous influence in Great Britain and the dozen or so countries in the Commonwealth. It made her a bit of a contradiction. A hood ornament but not the engine of the old British Empire. She was a living museum piece, a reminder of a repulsive imperial past. A colonizer’s deodorizer.

Published

4 years ago

September 17, 2022

Oakland Post

Granted, the Queen had no real “political” power; but as “head of state,” she still had enormous influence in Great Britain and the dozen or so countries in the Commonwealth.

By Emil Guillermo

The same week Queen Elizabeth died at age 96, back in the news for the unveiling of their White House portraits were Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.

BOMO are reminders: Don’t go overboard on the Queen.

In other words, if I say Queen and you say Latifah, or even Beyonce, you’re keeping it real.

Have compassion for Queen Elizabeth II as a human being, sure. But remain repulsed by all that the monarchy stands for.

Tradition? You mean like the hundreds of thousands of Kenyan Kikuyu people imprisoned in the 1950s in what Harvard professor Caroline called the “British Gulag.”

It was so bad that finally in 2013, survivors of the Gulag sued and forced the British to quietly settle with 5,228 survivors. Reparations payments of 3,800 pounds each were for “torture and ill-treatment at the hands of the colonial administration,” according to a Parliament spokesman.

It all happened during the Queen’s watch.

Kenya was just a fraction of the British Empire’s violent past. All of it together, from the Middle East, to Asia, to Africa, subjugated at one time more than 700 million people. It makes the Queen the nostalgic mascot of white supremacy, in a tradition where “I’m royal and you’re not,” means much.

In 1983, I recall covering the Queen when she visited San Francisco. I was not her loyal subject, neither were the 700 Irish protestors outside the St. Francis Hotel. Then as now, I am gratefully reminded how America has no monarchy.

But it can have a president and first lady like Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.

The day the Obamas were back in the White House a Washington Post investigation exposed how a former disgraced president, the one after Obama, had documents containing the top-secret nuclear capabilities of a foreign government, at his Mar-a-Lago civilian home.

On a day like that, we all realized how much we missed “No Drama Obama.”

Barack Obama kept things light so we could remember happier times.

“Thanks for letting us invite a few friends to the White House,” Barack Obama said to Biden at the start. “We will try not to tear up the place.” A burst of laughter put people at ease. But maybe because we all know he couldn’t tear up the place any worse than President 45.

We all know what Obama meant through just a few of his associated acronyms. Health care through ACA (The Affordable Care Act). A life in America for the young, innocent, and undocumented through DACA (Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals). A home no longer “underwater” due to the bad loans banks made during the recession thanks to HAMP (Home Affordable Modification Program).

But this was a time for art, not policy. Barack Obama’s portrait, a masterful bit of photorealism by Robert McCurdy, captured the first biracial African American from Hawaii ever to be president, as a standout amid a background of white space.

And there was Michelle Obama, in a Sharon Sprung portrait, full of life and color, a first lady like never before.

Both Obamas individually portrayed, artfully, and more truthfully than any literal photo, leaving viewers with plenty of room for imagination, appreciation, and inspiration.

A braided Michelle Obama was humbled to see her canvas. “This big, beautiful painting staring back at me,” she said. “I never could have imagined that any of this would-be part of my story.”

But this is the story of America.

“Too often in this country, people feel like they have to look a certain way or act a certain way to fit in,” Michelle Obama said. “That they have to make a lot of money or come from a certain group, or class or faith in order to matter. But what we’re looking at today, a portrait of a biracial kid with an unusual name, and the daughter of a water pump operator and a stay-at-home mom, what we are seeing is a reminder that there’s a place for everyone in this country.”

That’s the takeaway.

The British can have their impotent figureheads, their kings and queens bloodied by history.

In America, we have the power of democracy.

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. See him on www.amok.com

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

First Black Woman Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award from League of Calif. Cities

Don't Miss

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on the Passing of Ying Lee

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Commentary

COMMENTARY: Oakland’s Black Students Have Gained Ground: We Shouldn’t Stop Now

New state data reveals that Black students in the Oakland Unified School District are making academic gains in reading and math at rates significantly faster than their peers statewide. These improvements follow a 2023 decision by board leadership to cancel school closures and instead invest in the Black Thriving Community Schools program. While the district continues to address budget challenges, proponents argue that maintaining these targeted resources is essential to narrowing long-standing achievement gaps. Read more about the specific policies driving these results.

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2026

Post News Group

By Walter Riley

Oakland’s Black students are making faster gains in reading and math than Black students statewide, according to state data released Oct. 15.

Those gains followed decisions by school board President Jennifer Brouhard and Vice President Valarie Bachelor to keep schools open, invest in Black students and support teachers.

Since 2023, Black students in Oakland Unified School District have gained about 31 points in English and math on the California School Dashboard — roughly three times the statewide English gain and more than twice the math gain. Our students still trail their statewide peers, but they have narrowed that gap by about a third.

In 2022, the previous board voted to close or reduce grades at 11 schools, mostly serving Black and Brown families. A state civil rights investigation later found the plan would have unlawfully discriminated against Black, low-income and disabled students. Brouhard and Bachelor opposed those closures and, after winning election, voted to cancel remaining plans in January 2023.

The board then expanded support through Black Thriving Community Schools, providing additional resources where Black enrollment exceeds 40%, and funded teachers dedicated to Black students and families. Its reparations policy requires schools to develop plans for Black student achievement.

Meanwhile, the district reduced a $100 million budget shortfall to about $30 million without closing schools, cut central office positions and approved its first balanced budget in 22 years. More than 99% of teaching positions were filled when this school year began.

These investments must grow. Black Thriving Community Schools still reach only some students who need them. Every Oakland child deserves a safe, racially just neighborhood school staffed by qualified teachers who can afford to stay.

The opposing slate argues closures should remain an option to address budget pressures. But a Stanford study found closures do not improve district finances because departing families take student funding with them. Other research links closures to lower college attendance and adult earnings. Majority-Black schools nationally are more than three times as likely to close.

Oakland knows the consequences. There is another path. Brouhard and Bachelor have begun moving Oakland in that direction, protecting classroom investments while confronting financial pressures.

Progress deserves continued public support. We cannot afford to reverse course.

About the Author

Walter Riley is a civil rights attorney and longtime community organizer in Oakland.

Post News Group

Posts by Post News Group

Black History

From Backyard Grilling to Jack London Square: Jamale Carlyle’s Chicken Wing Success Story

Jamale Carlyle turned a backyard hobby into a flourishing business after using grilling to cope with the loss of his mother and sister. The former corporate executive and CPA transitioned from a twenty-year career in the power industry to selling chicken wings at farmers’ markets in Tracy and Oakland. Following immediate success and viral social media attention, Carlyle opened two permanent storefronts and established a charitable partnership to support local youth. His journey highlights a unique path from internal auditing to community entrepreneurship. Read more.

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2026

Post News Group

Jamale Carlyle had a long career working for power companies before embarking making his grilling hobby into a business. Courtesy photo.

By Tanya Dennis

For Jamale Carlyle, what began as a way to cope with personal loss has grown into a thriving chicken wing business with locations in Tracy and Oakland’s Jack London Square.

Raised in Los Angeles, Carlyle remains a southern kid at heart, guided by the values and principles instilled in him growing up. In 2020, he lost his sister, and two months later, his mother passed away. The losses left him grieving half of his immediate family and searching for a way forward.

He turned to God, and to two favorite pastimes: grilling chicken wings and deep sea fishing. Friends who gathered in his backyard encouraged him to turn his chicken wings into a business.

Carlyle had built a successful corporate career before becoming an entrepreneur. An economics graduate of the University of California, Irvine, he earned a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Southern California and became a certified public accountant (CPA).

He spent more than 20 years in the power industry, including working for Edison International in Los Angeles and Boston. He later joined JP Energy Partners in Dallas, helping its team take the company public.

After moving to San Francisco in 2016, Carlyle spent 10 years with Pattern Energy, a wind energy company, where he served as vice president of Internal Audit and took on numerous corporate responsibilities.

But in 2025, grilling became more than a hobby. Carlyle began selling his wings at farmers’ markets, initially dedicating four hours every Saturday. Nervous about his first outing in Tracy, he wondered whether his friends had simply been encouraging. Instead, he sold out on opening day.

He later brought his business to Jack London Square’s Farmers Market, where he again sold out on his first day. As demand grew, he expanded into catering before opening his Tracy storefront in May 2026 and his Jack London Square location in July.

Social media helped fuel the momentum. In Tracy, enthusiastic reviews on the community’s Rants and Raves Facebook page brought customers through the door. His Jack London Square debut also gained traction online, generating approximately 100,000 views on social media on his on opening day.

Still processing the rapid growth, Carlyle describes the business as something that began in his backyard as a stress reliever and became an unexpected calling, and a way of giving back.

“Giving back” has led to a partnership with Mike Jenkins, owner of Oakland Strong, a nonprofit gym known for Olympic style weight lifting and developing national and international champions. After Jenkins visited Carlyle’s store with members of his team, Carlyle returned the visit, and the two began discussing ways to partner to support the community.

“I’m really big on charity. I believe in giving back to the community,” Carlyle said. “I knew before I opened my store, I’d be doing something like this, this is what God wants me to do.”

Their collaboration will introduce the “Oakland Strong Bowl,” featuring 10 dry-rub Cajun wings and a vegetable-rice bowl for $17.99, with $2 from each purchase donated to the Oakland Strong Foundation. The initiative is expected to launch in early November.

“This builds community in Oakland and Jack London Square,” Carlyle said.

Looking ahead, Carlyle plans to expand the menu with chicken thighs, chicken tacos and additional sides. He is also pursuing a liquor license to create a destination where customers can enjoy wings while watching sports.

For now, he is focused on growing his two locations. But with customers embracing his food and his commitment to giving back, Carlyle sees the possibility of bringing his chicken wings to more communities throughout the Bay Area.

Post News Group

Posts by Post News Group

Commentary

OPINION: We Can Restore Checks and Balances on Trump

With the presidential administration facing criticism over its handling of healthcare, inflation, and government spending, political observers are shifting their focus toward the upcoming congressional elections to restore institutional checks and balances. Recent data suggests Democrats are within reach of the 218 seats needed for a House majority, while specific Senate races in states like Texas and Michigan remain pivotal. The outcome of these contests will determine the legislative branch’s ability to challenge executive policies on tariffs, taxes, and military engagement. Click to read more.

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2026

Post News Group

By Emil Amok Guillermo

Rapper Nikki Minaj is the latest high profile political tool of Donald Trump. The president recently remarked on the Afro-Trinidadian singer’s backside, praising her “beautiful ass.”

Is this what passes as an appeal for the Black vote? But Trump is an equal opportunity offender.

At recent rallies, Trump made homo-erotic comments about Republican men and their butts, like when he referred to Ohio Senator John Husted’s as a “pile of muscle.” But shouldn’t Trump be talking about the real issues?

Gas prices are now higher than they were under former President Joe Biden. Inflation is higher than when Trump took office, while he has redecorated the White House and already spent over $200 million on gold filigree. At least 3 million people have been kicked off of Medicaid or Obamacare because of Trump-backed legislation in Congress.

The country needs a change in how Trump does business. We need a strong independent Congress in both the House and Senate that will be our voice to stand up to ideas like a ‘forever war.’ Or tariffs against friend and foe.

This is the important math of the day: Democrats need 218 seats for a majority. Four more needed than their current 214. The latest Cook Report shows Democrats could gain 12-22 House seats.

But you still need the Senate, where Republicans have 53 members and the Dems have 47.

To have control, Dems would need to beat the tie breaker vote cast by VP J.D. Vance. Democrats need to get to 51 and that means four Senate victories on Nov. 3.

Of the key states politicos are watching, North Carolina and Georgia look blue. Can they get two more from toss-up states like Alaska (Mary Peltola?), Maine (Troy Jackson?), or Ohio (Sherrod Brown)? Observers are talking about two races in particular: Texas and Michigan.

In Texas the Talarico/Paxton race is fascinating. State legislator James Talarico is a choir boy compared to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton—whose rhetoric and record suggest he would be more amoral than Trump.

Then there’s Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed is running against Mike Rogers.

The Black vote has wavered there, with some high-level Black pols coming out against El-Sayed on Fox News. Trump has also called El-Sayed a “jihadist and a terrorist.”

Born in the U.S., El-Sayed is a highly educated Rhodes Scholar, and a physician. The “model minority” is a terrorist? But like all people of color, he gets othered. Assumptions get made. His skin color and his religion make him a terrorist.

What about local issues like the billionaire tax in California. Prop. 40? I hate direct legislation by propositions because the proposals are usually flawed and can’t be worked out easily—like if legislators actually did their job in the state house.

But taxing billionaires more has to happen on the state and federal level. Prop 40 is a start. Even if it’s one time and goes mostly to health care. It’s a start toward fairness.

Whatever you say. Just vote. Now. Early. Don’t wait.

About the Author

Emil Amok Guillermo is a journalist, commentator and comic monologist. See him on his micro talk show: YouTube.com/@emilamok1