California Black Media

BWOPA, on the Frontline of Black Politics in California for 55 Years

Founded in 1968, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) is a statewide non-profit advocacy and membership organization committed to solving problems affecting Black Californians. BWOPA originated as an extension of a group known as Bay Area Women for Dellums, under the leadership of Edith M. Austin.

Published

2 years ago

December 26, 2023

Oakland Post

LaNiece Jones, Dezie Woods-Jones, State President, BWOPA. Photos by CBM

By Edward Henderson
California Black Media

Founded in 1968, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) is a statewide non-profit advocacy and membership organization committed to solving problems affecting Black Californians.

BWOPA originated as an extension of a group known as Bay Area Women for Dellums, under the leadership of Edith M. Austin.

Starting with 12 politically active women from various Bay Area cities, the group grew to over 200 Black women working to elect former U.S. Rep. Ron V. Dellums to Congress.

After raising $75,000 and successfully helping to elect Dellums, the original group members continued to meet and work on other political causes.

BWOPA’s political influence and involvement has played a major role in the election of many other dynamic women who were the first African American women elected in their respective areas.

Women such as the Honorable Judith Ford, Alameda County Municipal Court; Darlene Lawson from the Oakland Board of Education; Doris Ward, San Francisco Board of Supervisors and former County Assessor for the City and County of San Francisco; former Congressmember Diane Watson, who represented California’s 33rd Congressional District; U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris; Congressmember Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Congressmember Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) are among the powerful elected representatives who received early support from BWOPA.

California Black Media spoke with LaNiece Jones, executive director and chief operating officer of BWOPA, about the organization’s impact, challenges and successes during the last year.

What does your organization do to improve the lives of Black people in California?

We believe African-American women should be included within the top ranks of corporate executive leadership and at all levels of elected or appointed political decision-making to positively influence policies affecting the African-American community.

Our core issue areas are health, education, criminal justice reform and economic security.

What was your greatest success over the course of the last year?

BWOPA/TILE (Training Institute for Leadership Enrichment) in partnership with WeVax (Human Services Association), Sierra Health Foundation and the California Department of Health, rolled out the statewide “Black & Vaxxed” campaign to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and to empower the Black community to make informed decisions about vaccines.

This past May, BWOPA/TILE hosted its annual Legislative Learning Day in Sacramento at the State Capitol. There were close to 100 attendees. Every year, high school students, young leaders, and BWOPA chapter members have a chance to meet with their state representatives and learn how the State Legislature works.

Also, in May of this year, 13 emerging leaders matriculated through the 7th session of the Dezie Woods Jones (DWJ) Public Policy leadership program. Launched in 2015 and named after founding member and state President of BWOPA, Dezie Woods-Jones, the fellowship program aims to assist aspiring young Black women between the ages of 25-45, to become thought leaders, subject matter experts, advocates, and innovators of public policies who positively impact their communities.

In your view, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians face?

We’ll start with health equity. This holds especially true for the working class and lower income individuals in our community. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), health equity is achieved when everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health.

What was your organization’s biggest challenge?

There is a lot of work that needs to be done to improve the quality of life for Black people in California. To that end, it can sometimes be challenging to orchestrate and juggle the time, manpower and finances around the most actionable and advantageous programs, initiatives, and collaborations that address our core issue areas of health, education, economic security, and criminal justice reform.

Does your organization support or plan to get involved in the push for reparations in California?

First, BWOPA created its own Reparations Now Task Force led by Rita Forte (Oakland). Several BWOPA Reparation Now Task Force members attended the California reparations task force statewide hearings for the past two years.

Last year, we also partnered with California Black Power Network to host reparation listening sessions with our members and other Black residents in California.

How can more Californians of all backgrounds get involved in the work you are doing?

BWOPA welcomes anyone who is interested in helping us fulfill our mission to build Black power. Visit our website at www.bwopatileleads.org.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 11 = 17, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 11 – 17, 2026

Published

13 hours ago

February 16, 2026

Oakland Post

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Bo Tefu

Trump’s White House Pushes to Control California Wildfire Recovery

The executive order signed Jan. 27 by President Donald Trump directs federal agencies to explore regulations that could override California and municipal permitting rules for homes and other structures destroyed in the fires. Land-use and rebuilding permits have traditionally been handled by cities and counties, making the move an unprecedented federal intervention into disaster recovery.

Published

6 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The White House is moving to take control of wildfire recovery efforts in the Los Angeles County area, issuing an executive order that would shift rebuilding permit authority from state and local governments to the federal government following the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires.

“I want to see if we can take over the city and state and just give the people their permits they want to build,” Trump told the media when signing the order.

The Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed about 16,000 homes, businesses, and other structures across Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and surrounding areas. According to local data, roughly 4,700 applications to rebuild have been submitted, with about 2,000 approved so far. Officials say the pace of rebuilding is consistent with recovery timelines from other major wildfires in California, where reconstruction often takes several years.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass quickly condemned the order, stating that it is unnecessary and legally questionable. Disaster recovery experts echoed those concerns, pointing to constitutional limits on federal authority over land-use decisions.

Trump’s order calls on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration to consider allowing builders to self-certify compliance with health and safety regulations to receive federal approval.

The dispute has become another flashpoint in the ongoing political battle between Trump and Newsom. The governor has requested $33 billion in federal disaster aid that has not yet been approved, while survivors continue to face challenges related to insurance payouts, high rebuilding costs, and legal disputes tied to the cause of the fires.

“Instead of finally sending to Congress the federal relief Los Angeles needs to rebuild from last year’s firestorms, Donald Trump continues to live in fantasy land,” Newsom wrote on X.

Bass said the White House could speed recovery by approving disaster aid and pushing insurers and lenders to support affected residents.

Trump’s order calls for draft regulations within 30 days and final rules within 90 days.

Oakland Post

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Bo Tefu

Gov. Newsom, AG Bonta to Local Law Enforcement: You Have Authority to Investigate Federal Agents

The guidance, released by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), emphasizes that local and state police have concurrent jurisdiction in cases involving federal officers and are not required to defer to federal investigations. The bulletin follows recent federal officer-involved shooting deaths in Minnesota and California.

Published

6 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a bulletin Jan. 27 reminding state and local law enforcement agencies that they have the authority to investigate potential violations of state law committed by federal agents, even when federal authorities do not cooperate.

The bulletin states that federal and state law enforcement have long worked together on investigations that can result in both federal and state charges, but recent actions by the federal government have raised concerns about obstruction and a lack of transparency. California officials say those developments require state and local agencies to be prepared to assert their legal authority.

“Especially when a fatal shooting occurs, no one should be allowed to rush in, seize evidence, and control the narrative before state and local law enforcement have lawful access,” said Newsom. “Transparency isn’t a talking point; it’s a legal and moral requirement.”

Bonta said federal agents do not have absolute immunity from state criminal prosecution and warned against claims suggesting otherwise.

“Let there be no question: State and local law enforcement in California have authority to investigate potential violations of state law, even when those violations are committed by federal agents,” said Bonta. “Federal courts have long recognized that federal agents do not have absolute immunity from state law prosecution.”

The bulletin advises agencies that states have primary authority to investigate and prosecute violations of state criminal law, including cases involving federal officers. It also notes that the California DOJ is available to assist local agencies and can seek court orders to preserve evidence or secure access to crime scenes if needed.

California officials pointed to a Minnesota case in which a Trump-appointed federal judge ordered the federal government not to destroy evidence amid allegations that federal authorities interfered with a state investigation into a fatal shooting involving a federal officer.

The move comes amid broader legal battles between California and the Trump administration over federal law enforcement practices. In recent months, Bonta has led or joined court filings challenging federal deployments and enforcement actions, while Newsom has opposed what state leaders describe as unlawful federal overreach.

The DOJ encouraged Californians to report alleged misconduct by federal agents through its online reporting portal, saying the state stands ready to investigate and, where warranted, pursue charges under the California Penal Code.