Activism

Giving Back, While Giving Thanks

Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back (FIGB) wants everyone to truly embrace the concept of giving back year-round to those in need, which could help to alleviate homelessness, joblessness, poverty, hunger, healthcare and many of the ills that have befallen our community in every conceivable way.

Published

3 years ago

November 20, 2022

Oakland Post

Caption: FIGB co-founder and Post columnist Richard Johnson with Stanley Cox, aka, Mistah FAB.

Mistah FAB Collaborates With FIGB, AASEG and Post to Help Needy

By Richard Johnson

Every year the season of giving is highlighted by the acts of those who desire to give to those who are less fortunate.

We should salute and embrace those givers!

One such person is Stanley Cox, better known as Mistah FAB, who has been giving to the community for more than 18 years. He has demonstrated a remarkable spirit of thanks, gratitude, and humility in all of his various forms of giving back to his community.

This year, the Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back (FIGB) organization, in partnership with the African American Sports Entertainment Group (AASEG) and the Post News Group, will volunteer in collaboration with Mistah FAB by distributing a variety of items — from turkeys and other food items to coats, gloves, blankets, boots, umbrellas, hats and more to the needy.

The upcoming event is Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at 4506 Market Street, Oakland, CA. All items are Free! As stated by Mr. Fab, a hot meal will be prepared on the spot for homeless individuals. We look forward to your attendance.

FIGB considers this opportunity to serve, especially needy families with children, both a pleasure and an honor.

The gifts we give are confirmation of what’s in our hearts.

FIGB wants everyone to truly embrace the concept of giving back year-round to those in need, which could help to alleviate homelessness, joblessness, poverty, hunger, healthcare and many of the ills that have befallen our community in every conceivable way.

Giving back is our way of saying that we are truly our brother’s keepers. When each one of us reaches others through selfless actions we will set a positive example for others to emulate.

At times, as a society, we fail to realize that life always has its ups and down, yet through the graciousness of God we overcome a lot.

In recent years, however, it appears that society has allowed the failures to overtake the successes, causing too many to lose hope and faith and replace it with selfishness, greed and disregard for their fellow human beings.

Look around you and see what I see; the pain, hurt and despair is what we have allowed ourselves to become and to exist in. People of wealth and means can be at the forefront of giving if they truly desired.

It should never be a question of “should I,” or “shouldn’t I?” It should always be “how can I help?” It should always be how can I help change suffering and poverty into stability, joy, and appreciation for life?

Whether we accept it or not, we are an extension of one another.

We need more people like Mistah FAB who truly understands what it takes for us to believe, trust and have faith that through a sense of giving we can change the trajectory of defeat.

One does not have to be wealthy to give. The only criteria are that you give wherever you can to help others. Everything will fall in place and take shape for the betterment of all.

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

Published

1 week ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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.