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State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Addresses Hate in Schools Following Racist Incident in Culver City

Thurmond reinforced the State’s Education to End Hate initiative, a program that has allotted $20 million for school districts to implement anti-racism and anti-bias initiatives in public schools. California school district superintendents, county superintendents, and charter school administrators can receive up to $20,000 for each approved proposal submitted to the state Department of Education.

Published

2 years ago

August 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Standing next to Tony Thurmond, LA County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Second District, speaks at the podium surrounded by local representatives, school officials, parents, students and the community on Thursday, August 8, 2024.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Last week, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond denounced hate crimes in schools following a racist and homophobic incident that occurred at a Culver City school.

At a press conference on Aug. 8, Thurmond joined the Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD), the County of Los Angeles Commission on Human Relations, other state officials and community leaders to urge students and families to support state-led efforts to end hate crime in their communities.

At the event, Thurmond referenced the Los Angeles County vs. Hate Initiative, a campaign that connects students to resources and programs that promote safety and anti-bias in state public schools. Recently, L.A. County officials worked with partners to expand programs and make resources available in all 80 school districts across the county.

“We must push back against hatred,” said Thurmond. “Especially when acts of hate occur in our schools, we must address them head-on.

In July, two boys were arrested at the Culver City school after officers found a broken classroom window and graffiti in various areas of the school. The officers also uncovered hate speech against Black People and LGBTQ individuals. The two boys were arrested and later released to their parents, authorities stated.

Police later revealed that the two boys reside in L.A. and neither one of them attended schools in Culver City.

Triston Ezidore, a CCUSD board member, commended local government and school district officials for taking action to promote safety at public schools.

“This is what happens when elected officials at every single level of government together with everyday neighbors with our teachers, our students, our faith-based organizations, and community partners to tackle the very pressing issue of hate at our schools,” said Ezidore.

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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

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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.