Activism

Advocates: Gov. Newsom Still Has Chance to Fund DV Prevention

The costs of sexual and domestic violence are astronomical, continued ValorUS. The lifetime economic burden of domestic violence in California is nearly $400 billion and sexual violence costs the state of California $140 billion annually, according to ValorUS’s recent report, “The Cost and Consequences of Sexual Violence in California.”

Published

4 years ago

March 13, 2022

Oakland Post

Something like 5,000 women lose their lives every year to domestic violence, and the numbers are probably even greater than that because there is a blurred area due to how law enforcement determines whether or not the death of a woman was as a result of domestic violence or some other issue.

Charlene Muhammad | California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom missed an opportunity to help prevent sexual and domestic violence when he failed to include funding for intervention and support programs in the state’s 2022-23 budget, advocates say.

In January, Newsom presented a $286.4 billion budget proposal titled the “California Blueprint” to the State Legislature for consideration. At that time, the governor announced an estimated $45 billion surplus. Last week, the Legislative Analyst’s Office projected the estimated surplus to be between $6 billion and $23 billion more.

Domestic Violence advocates say they are hopeful.

The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV) and over 100 supporting organizations submitted a request for $15 million per year ongoing. They point out their request was modest and well within the capacity for the state’s budget. Yet, for a second year, Newsom ignored the request, and along with it, promising strategies that address the root causes of violence, they say.

“In the world of politics and dollars, things are always changing, so absolutely, we are planning to redress, and we hope that things will change,” Dr. Aleese Moore-Orbih, CPEDV executive director, told California Black Media.

“Even though it wasn’t included, initially, in this budget, we know the governor has lots of power. He can make any change he wants to at any time, and so we will continue to try to inform him of the importance of including prevention funding in our state budget,” she continued.

In a recent press release, leaders of the coalition said they will keep pushing for funding. They remain optimistic that the Legislature and Governor will work together to provide funding in the final budget in June that will support the critical prevention work their organizations do across the state – especially successful programs that were previously funded.

Moore-Orbih says it is not a matter of changing Newsom’s mind. She believes he already understands the urgent need for the funding. But “something political” could have moved his office to not include it, Moore-Orbih said.

ValorUS, a national organization that works to prevent and end sexual violence, conducted research on how prevention could save thousands of lives lost to domestic violence every year. It found that one third of women and one quarter of men in California will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.

The costs of sexual and domestic violence are astronomical, continued ValorUS.

The lifetime economic burden of domestic violence in California is nearly $400 billion and sexual violence costs the state of California $140 billion annually, according to ValorUS’s recent report, “The Cost and Consequences of Sexual Violence in California.”

“By preventing sexual assault or preventing an abusive relationship, the state can save billions in healthcare and law enforcement costs, reduce the cost of lost productivity, and improve mental health,” according to the report released in 2018.

According to the Little Hoover Commission, which began studying California’s response to intimate partner violence in late 2019, California does not have a substantial prevention or early intervention program.

In May 2020, the Commission released its first report on the topic, Intimate Partner Violence: Getting Money to Those on the Front Line.” It asked the Governor and Legislature to provide grant funding upfront to service providers.

“The state should create and adequately fund prevention and early intervention programs and ensure that those initiatives are included in all applicable statewide strategic plans ranging from early childhood education to reducing homelessness,” the authors wrote.

Moore-Orbih agrees.

“Something like 5,000 women lose their lives every year to domestic violence, and the numbers are probably even greater than that because there is a blurred area due to how law enforcement determines whether or not the death of a woman was as a result of domestic violence or some other issue,” she emphasized.

It is important to have a vision for prevention, backed up by dollars, not just an increase in how people respond to the crisis, Moore-Orbih went on, adding that the cycle of violence will continue until something meaningful is done to break it.

“If we don’t do prevention work, if we don’t start to shift our thinking, our culture, if we don’t start shifting our behavior, in terms of relationships, if we don’t start raising our children in safe and healthy environments, then that means what we have been experiencing, we will continue to experience which means children are going to grow up in violent environments, and they’re going to be traumatized,” she warned.

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Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant Plans Bay Area Farmers Market Initiative

Published

1 week ago

July 18, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant displays watermelons from her Sacramento farm at the Temescal Festival in Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas.

In her 80s and still actively working as an agricultural engineer, Effie Gant continues to break barriers in urban farming and community leadership.

The certified USDA grower and respected urban farmer, based in South Sacramento, was recently spotted vending at the Freedom Farmers’ Market by the Temescal Street Fair on Saturday, July 11, where she proudly displayed dozens of sweet, juicy watermelons.

Festivalgoers gathered not only to purchase her produce but also to enjoy activities like the popular watermelon-eating contest. Yet beyond the festive atmosphere, Gant has a larger vision.

Gant is now setting her sights on the Bay Area, where she plans to launch a farmers’ market to increase access to fresh, locally grown food.

Known for her leadership in sustainable agriculture and food justice, she brings decades of hands-on experience and community advocacy to regions where food access remains inconsistent.

She has built a strong reputation through her work with Meadowview Urban Farm and the Yisrael Family Urban Farm, cultivating crops such as watermelons, honeydew melons, and collard greens. Her approach emphasizes sustainability, education, and empowering residents to grow their own food, even in small urban spaces.

As a USDA-certified grower, Gant blends technical expertise with grassroots engagement to combat food insecurity.

Beyond farming, Gant serves as CEO and President of Highways to Hedges, a nonprofit focused on environmental justice and community development. She is also president of the Hampton Station Neighborhood Association and board chairman for HHCORE, where she advocates for safety, equity, and economic opportunity.

Her proposed farmers market will connect small-scale farmers with urban communities while elevating Black farmers and other underrepresented growers.

“I want to teach the next generation about farming and how lucrative it can be,” Gant said. “You don’t need hundreds of acres. You can start with one acre or even your backyard.”Gant also noted her involvement in a collective of farmers who supply produce through government-supported programs.

“We operate as a team, and we all benefit,” she said.

Through workshops, speaking engagements, and hands-on training, Gant and her organization continue to educate communities about agriculture and food justice. Her market initiative will emphasize affordability, cultural relevance, and nutrition education.

Her broader work includes creating edible forests in partnership with Soil Born Farms, planting fruit trees directly in neighborhoods to expand food access. As a mentor with the Center of Expertise on Food Justice and Health Equity, Gant remains a leading voice in building sustainable and resilient food systems.

Gant says she welcomes the community to join her in creating a new farmer’s market.

“Farming is essential to life,” she said. “I want to train as many people as I can to use food and farming as a tool for empowerment, health, and long-term change.”

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Oakland Post: Week of July 15 – 21, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 15 – 21, 2026

Published

1 week ago

July 18, 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.

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From Disparity Study to Solutions: Oakland Coalition and Mayor Barbara Lee Renew Commitment to Reform City Contracting

She committed to ensuring the coalition has direct access to City leadership by designating Assistant Deputy City Administrator Chuck Baker the primary liaison. Working alongside Deputy City Administrator Sofia Navarro, DWES Director Emylene Aspilla, Race and Equity Director Darlene Flynn, and other City departments, the coalition will continue advancing these priorities while maintaining regular communication with City leadership.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Present at the recent meeting on implementing recommendations on Oakland’s Disparity Study on city work contracts were (first row, l. to r.): Chuck Baker, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Darlene Flynn. Second row, l. to r.) Samuel Adams, Erica Astrella, Chadwick Spell, Cathy Adams, Stanley Cooper, Maria Wagner, Len Turner, Derek Barnes, Paul Cobb. Photo courtesy of Oakland Mayor’s Office.

Special to The Post

On June 30, a coalition of minority business leaders, contractors and others met with Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to discuss the City’s commitment to implement recommendations outlined in Oakland’s Disparity Study and eliminate barriers that have historically prevented Black and minority-owned businesses from fully participating in public contracting opportunities.

Representatives of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (OAACC), National Association of Minority Contractors Northern California (NAMC NorCal), Construction Resource Center (CRC), and the East Bay Rental Housing Association (EBRHA) said the meeting represented an important milestone in a process that has been underway for several months.

On April 21, the Oakland City Council’s Life Enrichment Committee received a progress report from the Department of Workplace and Employment Standards (DWES), where Director Emylene Aspilla presented the coalition’s working document and outlined a collaborative implementation plan between the coalition and the City. That report established 30-, 60-, and 90-day objectives focused on five key priorities:

Reforming Local and Small Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE) waiver practices
Strengthening prompt payment compliance
Improving procurement forecasting and transparency
Expanding contractor capacity building and business development
Increasing oversight, accountability, and public reporting

A series of working sessions was scheduled between coalition representatives, DWES, and the City Administrator’s Office to begin implementing those priorities but were temporarily delayed by the resignation of former City Administrator Jestin Johnson.

Rather than allowing that momentum to stall, OAACC President and CEO Cathy Adams requested a meeting with Lee to gain clarity on the City’s direction and reaffirm its commitment to implementing the recommendations contained within the Disparity Study.

Coalition leaders described the meeting as productive, candid, collaborative, and encouraging.

During the meeting, Lee spoke not only from her role as mayor but also from her experience as an 8(a) contractor and business owner, sharing that she understands firsthand what it takes to build and grow a successful company, employ a substantial workforce, compete for public work, and navigate the complexities of municipal contracting.

Mayor Lee also expressed her commitment to personally participate in future working meetings with the coalition.

“This meeting represents a renewed commitment to partnership,” said Adams. “Mayor Lee listened, engaged, and demonstrated that she wants to move beyond conversation and into implementation.”

CRC’s Len Turner said the roadmap is already in place. ““The City already has the evidence. What’s been missing is execution. …Now it’s time to deliver results.”

Mario Wagner, president of NAMC NorCal agreed that the next phase must focus on implementation, funding, and accountability.

“The coalition is ready to get to work. …The next step is ensuring these initiatives receive meaningful funding in the upcoming fiscal budget cycle. Just as important, the City must establish transparent reporting mechanisms that keep the public informed through regular progress reports, measurable benchmarks, and accountability.”

Coalition leaders also acknowledged that while City leadership has indicated it is reviewing Local and Small Local Business Enterprise waiver practices, the community continues to seek a formal response regarding existing long-term waivers, including waivers extending 10 and 25 years. The coalition believes those waivers should be comprehensively reviewed and, where appropriate, rolled back as part of the City’s broader contracting reforms.

The coalition is also calling on the City to include meaningful funding in the upcoming fiscal budget cycle to support implementation of the Disparity Study recommendations and establish better methods and mechanisms to keep the public informed through regular progress reports, measurable benchmarks, and transparent accountability.

The coalition’s immediate next step is to schedule a working meeting with Baker, Aspilla, Lee, and the appropriate City staff to review what has already been accomplished under the implementation framework.