Arts and Culture

AfroTech conference a huge success in Oakland

Published

4 years ago

November 10, 2019

Oakland – AfroTech celebrated its fourth year and historic move to Oakland. The event has been previously held in San Francisco. This past weekend, 10,000 Black techies, startups, and entrepreneurs swarmed the city of Oakland for a chance to connect with some of the biggest names in media and tech during AfroTech’s 2019 Conference.

Held at the Oakland Convention Center in downtown Oakland, the conference saw another sold out event. Speakers from all over the U.S. came to network, promote and discuss Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Genentech who talked about new programs and projects that will encompass diversity and inclusion.

Pictured Twitter’s Tami Floden (Leads Sales and G&A Recruiting Teams ) and Raphael Williams (Recruiting Program Manager)

“We want our company to reflect on our service, and we’re continuing our journey to bring inclusion and diversity to how we work and who we are. Our goal is to be transparent and do our work at Twitter out in the open. Through increased openness, we believe we can learn together, discuss together, and make greater strides together.” – Twitter

The world of technology is growing by the minute and young entrepreneurs can’t wait to become more knowledgeable. AfroTech EXPO gave you an opportunity to interact with at least 25 or more companies who discussed their plan to incorporate Diversity and Inclusion. Free swag, demos and a really cool way to network with ideas on bettering technology in the future.

I spoke with Gerren Wilson, Head of Patient Partnerships at Genentech. Wilson’s current project involves building relationships with patient communities. Genentech will bring awareness to communities with lack of healthcare especially to those who battle diseases unable to find a cure.

“I have a specific focus of some work that we’re doing within the organization that we’ve titled “Advancement Inclusive Research,” said Wilson. “Which is about broadening inclusion with historically under represented patient communities into our clinical research programs. We want to help make smarter treatment decisions for patients.”

Afrotech Community Park

AfroTech provided a path for networking among entrepreneurs, companies, talent and people who work in Technology. To share, connect and discuss ways to push the culture forward is an outstanding opportunity. More companies want to breakdown barriers and create more platforms for African-Americans. From starting your own company to recruiting more people of color, AfroTech is about more than Technology.

More than 100 partners, sponsors and vendors took part in this years AfroTech conference. Black owned food trucks to vendors packed the Community Park which was free to all. Music, food, and a lounge area gave many of the attendees a chance to relax and take selfies. Events and parties were held after the conference sessions ended. The conference was held from Thursday through Saturday.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 09: Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson attends AfroTech 2019 at Oakland Marriott City Center on November 09, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for AfroTech)

Bernard Tyson who was a prominent mentor, leader and advocate while employed with Kaiser Permanente for 34 years. Tyson spoke at the AfroTech conference on Saturday morning and then passed away in his sleep early Sunday morning. He was the first African-American to hold a CEO position which he began in 2013. His opening statement at the conference began like this.

“I got into Healthcare because my mother was always sick, and I always spent a lot time in the hospital. I struggled to get into what we call today disparities of care where people are treated differently based on race.

I first joined Kaiser Permanente in getting my Master’s degree in Health Administration and I needed to do a residency program. So I selected Kaiser Permanente because we use Kaiser so much in our case studies. So I went to San Francisco medical center fully expecting to do a six months residency program. So about three months into the program I got involved in having to open the Open Heart unit in San Francisco. And one day the executive of San Francisco medical center asked me to do this massive assessment of one of the departments. So I went in and did that assessment making a bunch of recommendations and she said, ‘really good job now go implement them.’ I literally started a conversation saying this is really hard to implement as a resident but as a manager I could make it happen and I started as a Manager. So I started down that path.

This executive I was talking about was the hospital’s Administrator of the San Francisco Kaiser and she was an African-American. She gave me that first break. And the reason why I talk about it is because throughout my journey at Kaiser Permanente, while she was there, she was both a mentor and a sponsor and I talk to a lot of people today about the difference between a mentor and a sponsor and hopefully in your career you will have both of those.”

Malaika Bobino

Posts by Malaika Bobino

Related Topics:AfroTech Conference Bernard J. Tyson Fourth Year Genentech healthcare Kaiser Permanente Oakland Convention Center Twitter

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Arts and Culture

Faces Around the Bay Dr. Carl Blake, Pianist

Born in Liberty, Missouri, Carl Blake, a virtuoso and respected pianist, made his most recent migration to the East Bay in 1999. One might have seen him performing recently at Noontime Concerts in San Francisco, or at the Piedmont Center for the Arts in Oakland. He is Director of Music at The Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco. He was also co-organizer and collaborative pianist at Herbst Theater for The Majesty of the Spirituals concert in 2022 and has held several church positions in the Bay Area.

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Dr. Carl Blake

By Barbara Fluhrer

Born in Liberty, Missouri, Carl Blake, a virtuoso and respected pianist, made his most recent migration to the East Bay in 1999.

One might have seen him performing recently at Noontime Concerts in San Francisco, or at the Piedmont Center for the Arts in Oakland. He is Director of Music at The Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco. He was also co-organizer and collaborative pianist at Herbst Theater for The Majesty of the Spirituals concert in 2022 and has held several church positions in the Bay Area.

Blake obtained a Bachelor of Music from Boston University and continued post-baccalaureate studies in Jamaica before earning a Master of Arts in Music at San Jose State University. He was the recipient of two Fulbright residencies in Honduras and completed a third residency at the University of St. Petersburg in Russia. He has a Doctor of Musical Arts from Cornell University.

At age 19, Blake, then an undergraduate piano major at Boston University, was “discovered” by Impresario Dr. W. Hazaiah Williams, who is the Founder and Director of Today’s Artists/Four Seasons Arts.

Williams honored Blake by awarding him the first Marian Anderson Young Artist Award. Anderson personally presented the award at the Masonic Auditorium in S.F. Subsequently, Blake was presented by Dr. Williams in his San Francisco debut at The Herbst Theatre. Williams subsidized a year of study abroad for Blake at the Paris Conservatory of Music. Additionally, Williams sponsored Blake’s New York Weill Hall debut, where he has performed twice since. Blake performed several times at the Yachats Music Festival in Oregon.

Blake continues to perform nationally and abroad. His hobbies are reading, baking and travel. He says, “I’m still pumping ivories, as Belgian pianist Jeanne Stark described the disciplined practice of concert piano.”

Oakland Post

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Arts and Culture

Oakland Jazz Great Offers Master Class as City Declares “John Handy Day”

World-renowned jazz master saxophonist John Handy, a McClymond’s High School graduate, was presented with a Mayor of Oakland Proclamation declaring Feb. 12, as John Handy Day in the city. Handy is most notably known as the featured saxophonist for Charles Mingus on “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” from the album “Mingus Ah Um” (1959) and on “Hard Work” from his own album “Hard Work” (1976).

Published

2 months ago

February 24, 2024

Oakland Post

(L-R) Del Handy, John Handy, Roger Glenn, and Joe Warner celebrate John Handy Day at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, Oakland. Photo by Lady Bianca.

By Conway Jones

World-renowned jazz master saxophonist John Handy, a McClymond’s High School graduate, was presented with a Mayor of Oakland Proclamation declaring Feb. 12, as John Handy Day in the city.

Handy is most notably known as the featured saxophonist for Charles Mingus on “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” from the album “Mingus Ah Um” (1959) and on “Hard Work” from his own album “Hard Work” (1976).

“John Handy is a jazz icon and an inspiration to musicians everywhere,” said Ayo Brame, a 16-year-old Oakland tenor saxophone player who is enrolled at the Oakland School for the Arts.

In celebration of this day, the reception in downtown Oakland at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle was a gathering of artists, young and old, coming together in his honor and celebrating his 91st birthday.

Handy presented a Saxophone Colossus free masterclass for musicians. This class afforded a rare opportunity to learn about the saxophone from an aficionado. The class was free and open to all – saxophonists, vocalists, aficionados, students, and casual listeners.

“As a longtime friend for over 60 years, and fellow musician who has had numerous opportunities to share the stage with John, it has always been a pleasure performing with him and hearing his creative interpretations of the music and his gift of ease inspiring the next generation of jazz musicians,” said Roger Glenn, a multi-instrumentalist.

Oakland Post

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Arts and Culture

Musical Chronicling Life of Betty Reid Soskin Set for Bay Area Debut

Betty Reid Soskin’s storied 102 years includes time spent as a WWII defense worker, activist, business owner, songwriter, National Park Service park ranger and so much more. Now the Richmond icon is the subject of a musical based on her incredible life.

Published

2 months ago

February 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Betty Reid Soskin. Photo courtesy of Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond.

The Richmond Standard

“Sign My Name to Freedom,” a San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO) production which will focus on the life, music and writing of Ms. Soskin, will premiere at San Francisco’s Z Space Friday, March 29 and continue through Saturday, April 13. Tickets range from $15–$65 and can be purchased online at https://www.sfbatco.org/smntf

The musical is directed by Elizabeth Carter, while playwright Michael Gene Sullivan integrates Ms. Soskin’s own music throughout dialogue between what SFBATCO calls “The Four Bettys” as they progress through a century of experiences of this awe-inspiring American woman.

The cast of “Sign My Name to Freedom” features Tierra Allen as Little Betty, Aidaa Peerzada as Married Betty, Lucca Troutman as Revolutionary Betty and Cathleen Riddley as Present Betty Reid Soskin, according to Artistic Director Rodney Earl Jackson Jr. and Managing Director Adam Maggio. Other casting will be announced in the future.

Jackson said that having Soskin’s blessing to steward her life’s story is an honor and career highlight for him and that her journey stands as “a beacon for Black Americans, women and people of color all across the world [and] is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.”

San Francisco’s Z Space is located at 450 Florida St. in San Francisco. Check out the trailer here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-ap9N2XBB0