More than 200 people gathered at Scott’s Seafood Bar & Grill on Aug. 2 to honor Nichole Starr Jordan, a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), Xi Gamma Omega (XGO) Chapter, as she became the first of their number to lead the Far Western Region. Attendees representing the region’s nine states, leaders from the Divine 9, and local dignitaries were present.

Regional Director Jordan sits on the Board of Directors (Directorate) composed of international officers and nine other regional directors who oversee the management of the sorority’s more than 1,074 chapters throughout the United States and 11 other nations.

The international president and CEO of the directorate provides leadership to 360,000 sorority initiates.

Initiated in Mu Kappa Chapter, UC Davis, Jordan has served the sorority at the chapter, regional, and international levels including as XGO president and Twenty Pearls Foundation president and most recently as International Technology Committee chairman.

Awards for her AKA work include the Mildred L. Robinson Outstanding Chapter President Award and the Charlene D. Carodine Unique Professional Achievement Award. With a Civil Engineering B.S., UC Davis, an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Jordan was the first African American female to matriculate in the Wharton West Executive MBA program.

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Jordan is the chief operating officer at Indr, Inc. As a leader in private industry and community advocacy, she is involved with several non-profit entities including as Bay Area board director of the American Red Cross, president of the board of directors for the San Francisco African American Art and Culture Complex, and a member of Black Women on Boards as the associate producer for “OnBoard the Film,” an award-winning documentary highlighting the contributions of Black women in corporate America.

Joining the celebration from AKA were: Carrie J. Clark, international regional director, Lambda Pi Omega Chapter; Shawn E. Simmons, South Central Regional director, Xi Alpha Omega Chapter; Carol R. Dixon, past Far Western Region director, Rho Delta Omega Chapter; Kimberly Mayfield, deputy mayor, Oakland, CA, XGO; Ka’Dijah Brown, president of the board of directors Berkeley Unified School District, XGO and Cheryl Cotton, California deputy superintendent of Public Instruction, Alpha Nu Omega Chapter.

In attendance also were members of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.: Ryan McCreary, Northern California District director, Gamma Phi Lambda, Berkeley and Jonathan Bouligny, president of Gamma Phi Lambda Chapter.

Kappa Alpha Psi attendees included: Frederic Roots II, Sr., Province Vice Polemarch, Seattle Alumni Chapter and John Norman Sr., Polemarch, Berkeley Alumni Chapter.

Omega Psi Phi member Byron Deadwiler, president of the Xi Nu Chapter was also present.

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By Magaly Muñoz

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao issued an executive order on Monday directing all city departments to enforce the 2020 encampment management policy and begin a much more diligent approach to homeless encampment sweeping.

“Being homeless is not a crime in Oakland, but it doesn’t give the right to break other laws,” Thao said in a video statement.

The order comes months after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Grants Pass v Johnson decision to allow local municipalities the right to close encampments even if no shelter is available.

The encampment policy prohibits camps in “high sensitivity areas” such as schools, businesses, walkways, recreational centers, and parks.

Thao said that prioritizing which camps will close down immediately will come down to where they are located, such as the high sensitivity areas, and the public safety concerns the camps attract, such as fires, violent crimes, and illegal dumping.

Oakland joins other California cities, including their Bay Area neighbors San Francisco and Berkeley, in a calculated approach to cracking down on the homelessness crisis.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed has been vocal in her decision to increase sweeping and get people off of the streets, which many have criticized as a political ploy as she seeks reelection this fall.

Thao followed up her executive order with another video Tuesday afternoon, where she and Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey walked through the Martin Luther King Way encampment, stating the city recently cleared out 40 tons of debris from the littered area.

The city began clearing out the encampment early last week with some reports saying that staff threw away people’s personal belongings, including a wheelchair.

The mayor’s office did not respond for comment at the time of publication.

About 40 people were living in the camp, according to the City. Sixteen people received shelter, nine enrolled in a county medical respite program, and 12 individuals declined offers of shelter and self-relocated. An individual with two broken legs was also taken to the hospital.

In the video, Duffey explained that two weeks prior to an encampment closure, outreach teams are asked to visit the site and pair people with services and offer temporary housing.

Although there are offers of shelter being made at sweeps, Thao’s executive order states that in no way will “emergency or urgent closures be delayed for shelter unavailability,” meaning sites can be closed down and people will have to disperse even if they have nowhere else to go.

Duffey clarified that although workers cleared out a massive amount of debris from the MLK site, the city is aware that the illegal dumping is often coming from individuals targeting encampments to litter the area because it’s easier to place blame on the people already living there.

Thao shared her experience of homelessness in both video statements, saying she lived in her car with her son after she escaped an abusive relationship. She added that she never once thought about “pitching a tent on the streets.”

Advocates are upset at the recent order, arguing it will exacerbate the harm to unhoused Oaklanders.

Talya Husbands-Hankin, founder of Love and Justice in the Streets, said the order will force these vulnerable residents into unsafe conditions because of the failure to provide permanent housing. She added that this action is aligning itself with values of a Trump-appointed Supreme Court and is “contrary to the values of justice and equity that Oaklanders want to uphold.”

“We know that sweeps are not the answer, and we urge Mayor Thao to redirect all resources into immediately opening public land for community-led solutions and funding permanent housing to uplift human rights for all Oakland residents,” Husbands-Hankin said.

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Larry Sims passed away on Thursday, Aug. 29 surrounded by his loved ones in Oakland, California. He was 81

Affectionatey know as ‘Papa,’ Larry was born on Dec. 8, 1942, in DeWitt, Arkansas to Arthur “Buddy” Sims and Para Lee McCoy. He moved to California with his family in 1951. Larry graduated from Oakland High School, in 1961, marrying his high school sweetheart, Joyce Leonard, in 1962. They raised two children, Darnell, and Deborah.

Larry enjoyed family camping trips to Yosemite. He also enjoyed all types of sporting events and loved all the Bay Area teams. An avid Oakland Raider fan, he held season tickets for years and would attend games with family and friends.

Larry attended the Oakland A’s World Series Games from 1972 through 1974. Over the years, Larry became a diehard 49er fan and had no problem wearing his 49er gear while attending a Raiders game in L.A.

He was also passionate about airplanes. Larry took flying lessons and received his private pilot license. He also enjoyed going to see the Blue Angels every time they came to town.

After his divorce, Larry met Leona Davis. They dated, fell in love, and married in 1987. Through this union, Larry gained a daughter, Sandra, aka Sadaqa, from Leona’s previous marriage.

Later, as Larry and Leona became empty nesters, they embarked on parenthood once more by raising their grandson, Christopher. Larry joined the Frito-Lay organization and worked there until his retirement. He received the company’s top award, The Ring of Honor, along with numerous other awards.

During his free time, Larry loved entertaining at his home, especially playing card games, such as bid whist. He enjoyed Leona’s singing and playing. Larry remained devoted to Leona until her passing in January 2013. He was heartbroken.

Since 1979, Larry was a faithful member of Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church. Larry was devoted to his Bible studies. He would read scripture and give advice to all who needed it. Larry volunteered with the Vacation Bible Camp and drove the church van to the retreat.

Also, he was a member of the Forever Young Group. Larry volunteered for several positions in the church over the years, but his true passion was the sound room. He joined the sound room in the 1980s and managed the sound room from 2005 until 2023. Larry left an impression on everyone he met. He was fun-loving, caring, funny, compassionate, friendly, and loved his family.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Susan; his brothers, Wilbert, Sylvester, and Ronnie; and his spouse, Leona. He leaves behind: his son, Darnell (Sheila), his daughters, Deborah, and Sandra and his grandson/son, Christopher; his grandchildren; Brandon, Joyce, McKinsey, Anthony, Racheal, Jai‘Lynn, Angelnay, Dae’Len, and Braylon; his great-grandchildren; Jai, Jayce, Jaxon, Jay’el and Sincere. In addition, he leaves to mourn his sister, Renee Muckeroy, his brother, Leslie “Micky” Sims, his former wife and close friend, Joyce Sims, a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, friends, and his Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church community.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, at Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church, 3534 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland.

A viewing will be held on Sept. 19 from 5-6 p.m. at Fouche Hudson Funeral Home, 3665 Telegraph Ave., Oakland.

If desired, friends may make memorial contributions to either LABC Scholarship Fund or LABC Hunger Task Force.

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