Bay Area

Community Rally Backs Mayor Sheng Thao’s Firing of OPD Chief Armstrong

Supporters of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao held a rally this week, praising the mayor for firing OPD Chief LeRonne Armstrong and for demonstrating her firm commitment to implement constitutional policing in Oakland that protects all of its residents.

Published

1 year ago

March 6, 2023

Oakland Post

Attorney Walter Riley and Pamela Drake

By Post Staff

Thao has faced protests by the former chief’s backers when he was placed on administrative leave with pay and then fired several weeks ago after investigators found he had failed to hold an officer accountable for misconduct.

After being placed on administrative leave with pay, Armstrong had spoken at rallies denouncing the federal court-appointed overseer and said that he made no mistakes in his handling of a police misconduct case.

Speakers at the rally on Tuesday, which included Oakland’s Chinatown community and the Oakland Progressive Alliance, said the firing was necessary if Oakland hopes to end 20 years of federal oversight of its police department.

“We stand with the actions that will continue to move the city out of the long shadow of federal oversight, scandal, coverups and into an era of accountability and transparency between the community and the Police Department,” said Saabir Lockett of East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, quoted by NBC Bay Area.

Speakers at Tuesday’s rally did not offer specific reasons why they felt the chief needed to be dismissed, but said they believe the mayor’s actions pave a path to accountability for the entire Police Department.

“Our community needs changes, they need reform,” said Kenneth Tang with APEN Action Oakland, quoted by NBC. “They want to see improvement in their communities and accountability is the first step to ensure public servants are being accountable.”

Walter Riley, an Oakland civil rights attorney, said the opposition to the mayor was fueled by people who were upset that she had won the election and hoped to reverse or hobble recent progressive election victories in Oakland and Alameda County.

“The people who lost in the mayoral campaign do not like the fact that we have Sheng Thao in office, do not like that we have a core of progressive City Councilmembers in office,” said Riley, an Oakland lawyer and civil rights activist.

Among other speakers at the rally were Stewart Chen, president of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council; Barry Szeto, CEO of the Pacific Renaissance Plaza Residential Association; Pamela Drake, Wellstone Democratic Club; Liz Suk, executive director, Oakland Rising Action; and Elaine Peng, president, Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities.

Armstrong appealed his firing last week, saying it was a wrongful and retaliatory termination that should be overturned.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Conversation with Sara Lomax-Reese CEO of WURD Radio

Don't Miss

South African Play Explores Impact of Historic Xhosa Prophetess Nongqawuse

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

3 days ago

April 26, 2024

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

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

7 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference

California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

American Business Women’s Association Vice President Velma Landers, left, with California State Controller Malia Cohen (center), and ABWA President LaRonda Smith at the Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the ABWA at the Black Wealth Brunch.

By Carla Thomas

The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.

ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.

“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.

More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.

Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.

“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.

“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.

“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.

By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”

Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”

Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.

“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”