Business
Alameda County Community Briefs
Please join Supervisor Carson & Alameda County Behavioral Healthcare Services – Health Equity Division for a virtual kick-off listening session providing key updates regarding the search and purchase of an African American Wellness Hub Facility.
Developing an African American Wellness Hub in Alameda County
Monday, April 17, 2023
5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Please join Supervisor Carson & Alameda County Behavioral Healthcare Services – Health Equity Division for a virtual kick-off listening session providing key updates regarding the search and purchase of an African American Wellness Hub Facility.
Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArfuqtqzIpH91LVytVY1FGH3jNM9XGRmg2?fbclid=IwAR2cu01JhyO40sfks_AchadAgfs-wTZmW-Wv1RQjwSGeF3XpfLge6WLEA6Y#/registrationFor more information, email: Janice.Adam@acgov.org
*Additional listening sessions will be held for each of the supervisorial districts
Mental Health Services Act 3-Year Plan
Help shape mental health services in Alameda County! The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Three-Year Plan (Draft) for Fiscal Years 2023-2026 is available for review and the public comment period is open now through April 30, 2023.
Read the draft plan and submit your comments to https://acmhsa.org/reports-data/#2023-2026plancomments
You may also submit your comments via email to: mhsa@acgov.org
Annual Fair Chance Job and Resource Fair
In recognition of National Reentry Month, the Alameda County Social Services Agency, in partnership with the Oakland Private Industry Council, Alameda County Probation Department, and the Alameda County Workforce Development Board, is hosting a Fair Chance Job and Resource Fair.
Employers seeking workers include SAV MART, Chick Fil A, Tesla, Pacific States Petroleum, Marriott Hotels, Southwest Airlines and more.
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
RingCentral Coliseum
7000 Coliseum Way
Oakland, CA 94621
The event aims to provide local businesses the opportunity to meet highly skilled, but often overlooked, candidates face-to-face and offer them jobs on the spot. Representatives on-site will be offering drug screening, assistance with California ID applications, live scan fingerprinting, music, stylist and barber services, and more. This event is open to all job seekers.
Job seekers, please register in advance at: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=LP_9Mm74o0ukfWpEp_RaZOQhMwjjYrVCryHjxWsX6jJUMUZMOEVQNzJCOENJT05FUVFWQlNIVFVNTS4u
West Oakland Spring Nonprofit Mixer
Calling community leaders, foundations, business leaders and community members across Oakland and the East Bay to join Capacity for Equity and Success (C4ES) for our West Oakland Spring Nonprofit Mixer.
Thursday, April 27, 2023
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Preservation Park – Nile Hall
668 13th St.
Oakland, CA 94612
This mixer will feature the current C4ES Cohort of 15 West Oakland based Nonprofits alongside some of the amazing organizations that are supporting them and this C4ES pilot.
The West Oakland Nonprofit Mixer intends to provide an introduction and networking space for service providers who are located across three zip codes (94607, 94608, 94612) to meet, network, and share resources and enhance the fabric of nonprofit community connections.
We are all excited about warmer weather and more opportunities to gather in person. We are suggesting you come in your Spring Festive Attire (we will leave it up to you to interpret that as you wish).
Heavy appetizers and wine will be provided. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/west-oakland-spring-nonprofit-mixer-tickets-591831492927
Alameda County Assessor’s Office Annual Homeowners Resource Fair
Join Alameda County Assessor Phong La at the 4th Annual Homeowners Fair!
Saturday, May 6, 2023
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Berkeley Adult School
1701 San Pablo Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
This year’s topic is accessory dwelling units (ADUs) – also known as granny flats, in-law units, backyard cottages and secondary units!
Come join us to:
- Learn the steps to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit from Berkeley City Staff
- Get information from local utility companies about Accessory Dwelling Units
- Visit our community resource fair and enter raffles for fun prizes
Have any questions? Need special accommodations? 2023Fair@acgov.org
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
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.
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.
By Carla Thomas
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.
“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.”
Business
Black Business Summit Focuses on Equity, Access and Data
The California African American Chamber of Commerce hosted its second annual “State of the California African American Economy Summit,” with the aim of bolstering Black economic influence through education and fellowship. Held Jan. 24 to Jan. 25 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, the convention brought together some of the most influential Black business leaders, policy makers and economic thinkers in the state. The discussions focused on a wide range of economic topics pertinent to California’s African American business community, including policy, government contracts, and equity, and more.
By Solomon O. Smith, California Black Media
The California African American Chamber of Commerce hosted its second annual “State of the California African American Economy Summit,” with the aim of bolstering Black economic influence through education and fellowship.
Held Jan. 24 to Jan. 25 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, the convention brought together some of the most influential Black business leaders, policy makers and economic thinkers in the state. The discussions focused on a wide range of economic topics pertinent to California’s African American business community, including policy, government contracts, and equity, and more.
Toks Omishakin, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CALSTA) was a guest at the event. He told attendees about his department’s efforts to increase access for Black business owners.
“One thing I’m taking away from this for sure is we’re going to have to do a better job of connecting through your chambers of all these opportunities of billions of dollars that are coming down the pike. I’m honestly disappointed that people don’t know, so we’ll do better,” said Omishakin.
Lueathel Seawood, the president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of San Joaquin County, expressed frustration with obtaining federal contracts for small businesses, and completing the process. She observed that once a small business was certified as DBE, a Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, there was little help getting to the next step.
Omishakin admitted there is more work to be done to help them complete the process and include them in upcoming projects. However, the high-speed rail system expansion by the California High-Speed Rail Authority has set a goal of 30% participation from small businesses — only 10 percent is set aside for DBE.
The importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in economics was reinforced during the “State of the California Economy” talk led by author and economist Julianne Malveaux, and Anthony Asadullah Samad, Executive Director of the Mervyn Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute (MDAAPEI) at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Assaults on DEI disproportionately affect women of color and Black women, according to Malveaux. When asked what role the loss of DEI might serve in economics, she suggested a more sinister purpose.
“The genesis of all this is anti-blackness. So, your question about how this fits into the economy is economic exclusion, that essentially has been promoted as public policy,” said Malveaux.
The most anticipated speaker at the event was Janice Bryant Howroyd known affectionately to her peers as “JBH.” She is one of the first Black women to run and own a multi-billion-dollar company. Her company ActOne Group, is one of the largest, and most recognized, hiring, staffing and human resources firms in the world. She is the author of “Acting Up” and has a profile on Forbes.
Chairman of the board of directors of the California African American Chamber of Commerce, Timothy Alan Simon, a lawyer and the first Black Appointments Secretary in the Office of the Governor of California, moderated. They discussed the state of Black entrepreneurship in the country and Howroyd gave advice to other business owners.
“We look to inspire and educate,” said Howroyd. “Inspiration is great but when I’ve got people’s attention, I want to teach them something.”
-
Community2 weeks ago
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business2 weeks ago
V.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Community2 weeks ago
AG Bonta Says Oakland School Leaders Should Comply with State Laws to Avoid ‘Disparate Harm’ When Closing or Merging Schools
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
-
Community2 weeks ago
Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
-
Community2 weeks ago
Richmond Nonprofit Helps Ex-Felons Get Back on Their Feet
-
Community2 weeks ago
RPAL to Rename Technology Center for Retired Police Captain Arthur Lee Johnson