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Congresswoman Lee and Senator Padilla Hold Roundtable Discussion on Rising Gun Violence in Oakland

Published

3 years ago

October 14, 2022

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) join community roundtable discussion to address gun violence.

Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) held a roundtable discussion with community leaders and local elected officials to address the recent rise in gun violence in Oakland, hear from attendees, provide legislative updates, and discuss federal support for local public safety initiatives.

“I am pleased that Senator Alex Padilla and East Bay community leaders joined me in a roundtable discussion today about the alarming rate of gun violence, crime and public safety concerns in Oakland,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Words cannot express my sorrow and condolences to the loved ones we have lost due to gun violence. Today, we discussed how systemic racism plays out in our communities. The majority of victims of gun violence are unfortunately Black and brown people. Our discussions today reaffirmed our commitment to fight for safe communities, support legislation to get guns off of the streets and deal with the root causes of crime. Our young people deserve investments in education, jobs, housing, mental health, social and racial justice efforts and more to ensure the quality of life they deserve. Actions speak louder than words. I thank all of the participants for their contributions to the discussion and look forward to lending federal support for many of the strategies proposed today.”

“We’ve seen devastating acts of gun violence play out across the country, and we can no longer let these events pass by without fighting for meaningful change,” said Senator Padilla. “Earlier this year, Congress passed the most significant gun safety legislation in nearly thirty years, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and we started to break the chokehold the gun lobby has held on Congress for decades. But we must continue building on this momentum. From expanding background checks to banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, there’s more we must do to get weapons of war off our streets and save lives.”

“There has been so much violence and pain recently in Oakland, but they say those who are closest to the pain are closest to the solution,” said Anne Marks, Executive Director of Youth ALIVE!. “With Congresswoman Lee’s leadership, we are closer than ever to real, lasting solutions through investment in community-led, cost effective strategies like ours at Youth ALIVE!. We can save lives using a public health approach to violence.”

In June, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The first major gun violence prevention legislation passed in nearly three decades, the law includes support for state crisis intervention orders; protections for victims of domestic violence; enhanced background checks for buyers under 21; anti-violence community initiatives; child and family mental health services; and stronger enforcement of gun trafficking and straw purchases.

Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest-ranking Black woman in the U.S. Congress.

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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

3 days ago

March 1, 2026

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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.