Berkeley

Barack Obama, Stephen Curry host town hall for MBKRising

Published

7 years ago

February 20, 2019

Oakland, CA – Former President Barack Obama hosted a powerful town hall with special guest Stephen Curry. One of Oakland’s most recognized Warriors player sat along side Obama on stage in between twenty chosen young men. The mood was light and laughter was present.

Obama whose an excellent speaker and motivator was in the driver’s seat while Curry rode along during their Q&A session. Introducing himself as “Oh I’m Michelle’s husband and this is Ayesha’s husband.” Obama brought some light to a sold out private event that brought out hundreds of young African-American men from all over the U.S.

It’s the fifth anniversary of My Brother’s Keeper Rising of the initial launch of My Brother’s Keeper, an initiative started by the former President following the death of Trayvon Martin. An opportunity for young men of color and community leaders to connect, learn and share. Today’s event kicked off the two-day event and it did not disappoint.

The MBK Alliance, now part of the Obama Foundation, leads a national call to action to build safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color where they feel valued and have clear paths to opportunity, with a focus on encouraging mentorship and reducing youth violence.

Musical genius and EGOT recipient, John legend held a Q&A with the mom’s who lost their sons to senseless violence. Dr. Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, Rep. Lucy Mcbath, mother of Jordan Davis, and Rev. Wanda Johnson, mother of Oscar Grant. Each woman spoke to the young men about hope, faith and not giving up on themselves.

“This is a club no one wants to be a part of, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” said McBath.

“I was broken and hurt and didn’t know how to deal with that type of pain,” Martin explained. “I reached out to other mother’s who sons were killed to senseless gun violence. I helped other woman and that helped me.”

Obama talked about his own childhood and how hard it was for him to grow up without a father present. When Curry spoke about his upbringing, he focused on not much of his dads 16 year NBA career but more his consistency to be present in his life for the ups and the downs.

“I was all kinds of screwed up when I was in high school,” said Obama. For me, I was a good kid in the sense that think I was always kind to people, I didn’t have a mean spirit. But I did not have a clear purpose or clear sense of direction during a big chunk of my high school years. Some of it was anger about my father not being there.”

Curry who relished in Obama’s advice often joined in to discuss his own hurdles throughout his career. Obama gave him an assist when he brought up his ankle issues that kept him sideline much of his early career. Curry through laughter explained just how tough that process was and how a good surrounding can lead you to success.

“The confidence to kind of get over that hump was a process,” he explained. “The swagger that you see on the court now it wasn’t always there. It was a constant struggle.

Self confidence was something that wasn’t always natural for me. It took me awhile to get to a place where I was comfortable in the room and comfortable in dealing with challenges.”

Tomorrow is Day 2 and will conclude MBKRising. Guest speakers will feature Ryan Coogler who directed “Black Panther” and is a native of Oakland along side actor Michael B. Jordan.

Malaika Bobino

Posts by Malaika Bobino

Related Topics:Barack Obama John Legend My Brother's Keeper Oakland Steph Curry Stephen Curry

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Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

Oakland Post

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Arts and Culture

Farwest Region Deltas Celebrate Centennial With “September Breakfast” Honoring Vivian Osborne Marsh

The region was established in 1925 under the leadership of Vivian Osborne Marsh, who became its first Regional Director. Marsh was a pioneering scholar and civic leader, earning recognition as the first Black woman to receive both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in anthropology from UC Berkeley.

Published

10 months ago

September 14, 2025

Oakland Post

Farwest Regional Director, Kimberly Usher, Mayor Barbara Lee, US Representative Lateefah Simon, and Farwest Regional Representative, Radiya Ajibade. Photo courtesy of Farwest Regional Photographer Vicki P. Love.

By Antoinette Porter

Hundreds of members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and their guests gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union at the University of California, Berkeley, to mark the 100th anniversary of the sorority’s Farwest Region.

Marsh went on to serve as Delta Sigma Theta’s 7th National President, where she launched the sorority’s National Library Project to expand access to books in underserved Black communities in the South. During her presidency, the organization also became a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, lobbying Congress to pass anti-lynching legislation.

Bak in the Bay Area, Marsh devoted her career to advancing educational opportunities, mentoring young people, and strengthening community life. That commitment continues to shape the region, which supports initiatives in education, social justice, and economic development. Current projects include raising scholarship funds for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, voter education campaigns, and health and wellness programs.

A century after its founding, the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta remains active across California and other western states, carrying forward Marsh’s vision of service and advocacy.

Oakland Post

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Arts and Culture

Cal Performances Presents Angélique Kidjo & Yo-Yo Ma in Sarabande Africaine at UC Berkeley Greek Theatre on Aug. 30

On Saturday, Aug. 30, the pair will debut the Bay Area premiere of Sarabande Africaine, joined by pianist Thierry Vaton, percussionist David Donatien, and special guest Sinkane. The program illuminates centuries of musical interplay between African traditions and Western classical forms, using the Baroque sarabande dance, and its African ancestor, the Congolese spirit dance Zarabanda, as a gateway to exploring the deep, interconnected roots of global music.

Published

10 months ago

August 25, 2025

Oakland Post

Angelique Kidjo and Yo-Yo Ma. Wikimedia photos.

By Carla Thomas

On Labor Day weekend two of the world’s most celebrated musicians and cultural ambassadors, Grammy Award–winning vocalist Angélique Kidjo and legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma join forces for an evening of music, history, and cultural dialogue at UC Berkeley’s historic Hearst Greek Theatre.

Both Kidjo and Ma have built careers not only as great performers but as passionate advocates for cultural understanding. Sarabande Africaine is as much a conversation about shared heritage as it is a musical performance, blending genres, geographies, and histories.

“Every day there are moments when all of us can feel we are on the inside of something and also when we feel we are on the outside of something,” said Yo-Yo Ma. “To be able to understand both at the same time and oscillate between the two gives us a larger perspective on the world.”

“If your mind is open, and there is no fear, it’s easier to listen, and to question yourself,” said Kidjo.

The upcoming performance is presented within Cal Performances’ Illuminations: “Exile & Sanctuary” series for the 2025–26 season. The production explores exile as more than just physical displacement, but a disruption in identity and belonging, while sanctuary represents both refuge and the creative space where new connections and communities can take shape.

Cal Performances’ Illuminations bridges performances with UC Berkeley’s academic research, pairing the arts with conversations about urgent global issues.

Kidjo’s continued partnership with Cal Performances includes her 2021–22 artist-in-residence, premiering her music-theater work Yemandja, set in 19th-century West Africa during the transatlantic slave trade.

She also participated in the Bias in Our Algorithms and Society panel alongside campus leaders like Jennifer Chayes, and joined the Black Studies Collaboratory for a dialogue on music, diaspora, and the world.

She has since returned to Berkeley for multiple performances, most recently in 2024 at Zellerbach Hall.

Yo-Yo Ma’s history with Cal Performances spans decades, beginning in 1997. One notable project includes the 2018 performance of Bach’s complete cello suites at the Greek Theatre, a testament to his devotion to creating “transformative concert experiences in iconic spaces.”

For tickets and more information, visit calperformances.org.