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COMMENTARY: Have We Grown Numb to the Sound of Gunfire?

Our pastors, community chaplains and civil rights groups have come together to lift up our voices seeking an end to this season of reckless violence. Sadly, this week was another bloody week here in Oakland as four more innocent lives were taken by senseless acts of reckless, unwarranted violence.

Published

3 years ago

September 28, 2022

Oakland Post

Rev. Phyllis Scott, President of the Pastors of Oakland

By Rev Phyllis Scott, President of the Pastors of Oakland

Last week, as the Pastors of Oakland and the NAACP held a prayer vigil seeking proactive solutions from the community and our elected officials, we witnessed a week of an unprecedented wave of violence, killings and crime.

The call has gone out to our city officials, a cry has gone out to law enforcement and a call has gone out to our mayor: “Stop the Violence!”

It appears we’ve grown numb to the sound of gunfire. Have we grown numb to the cries of grieving mothers who have been yelling for justice for shattered families and the tears of our children?

It seems as if the cry of outrage is growing faint. We’ve fallen into a frightening pattern.

We’ve become reactive rather than proactive. We wait for a body to drop in the cold of the streets before we become inflamed with righteous indignation.

If city officials have not risen to the level of righteous indignation — if they cannot or will not do anything to address the violence in the city right now, why should we trust them with a greater responsibility? The Scriptures teach us that “For to whom much is given, much is required.”

It’s up to communities, to the people of Oakland to demand and ensure that the seed of violence is identified and pulled out of our communities. We must provide economic justice through jobs and affordable housing now for the good of the people.

Let’s make our voices heard. Let’s join together. Let’s not grow numb to the sound of violence.

If you’re interested in letting your voice be heard, if you have a heart for peace — join in on the conversation. Register for a city-wide conversation by calling (510) 689-9544.

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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.