Berkeley

BHS Student Wins Princeton Prize for Promoting Race Relations

Published

10 years ago

May 22, 2015

Berkeley High School Senior Kadijah Diani Means has been working hard during her high school career to bring racial equity to the world – and the world is watching.

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Means, 18, was recently awarded the prestigious Princeton Prize for Race Relations at a ceremony in San Francisco for her years of hard work.

The award recognizes young people who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the cause of positive race relations and who have worked to increase understanding and respect among all races.

Winners of the 2015 Princeton Prize in Race Relations pose with previous prize winners during a visit to campus April 24-25. The 2015 winners, from high schools around the United States, were honored for their work in increasing understanding and mutual respect among all races. Photo courtesy of the Office of the Alumni Association.

Just 27 high school students from around the United States were selected to receive the 2015 Princeton Prize. The students were honored April 24 and 25 during the annual Princeton Prize Symposium on Race held on the Princeton campus.

Means was honored locally in San Francisco on May 17.

The winners traveled to the New Jersey campus in April to participate in a two-day program that included group discussions, presentations, and speeches on topics such as “Prejudice in the Blink of an Eye: The Science of Racial Bias” by Stacey Sinclair, associate professor of psychology and African American Studies, and “The Power of Story” by Anthony Carter, former chief diversity officer at Johnson & Johnson.

Means said her goal is to make this world a better place by building equity. She’s not interested in becoming a politician, but wouldn’t mind running campaigns to help others, she said.

Means was nominated for the award for a variety of projects including: directing and editing a documentary about race at her school, planning a Policy Brutality Awareness Rally with Amnesty International and her school’s Black Student Union, organizing a school walkout and rally to protest racial injustice in the United States, and organizing a workshop for young African American women.

As she graduates, Means will end her term as president of Berkeley High School’s Amnesty International Chapter and Chair of the school’s Black Student Union.

She was accepted to several colleges and is still uncertain about which she will ultimately attend. Though wherever she lands, she plans to continue working to make people aware of racism, implicit and explicit bias and systematic racism, she said.

She has garnered lots of media attention over the past year for her activities. She was selected as the sole high school student to participate in a roundtable discussion with US Attorney General Eric Holder in January when he visited the Bay Area.

During the event, she was able to spotlight important issues like why police body cameras is just not enough and the militarization of police forces, she said.

And, she’s not done with her work. Just last weekend, she recorded a podcast for This American Life about the Birds and the Bees and how to discuss difficult topics with children.

Means has already made an impact in her community and to the world – and it’s just the beginning.

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Bay Area

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

Published

4 weeks ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.

By Oakland Post Staff

The Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley is celebrating its 90th church anniversary on Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at 3301 King Street in Berkeley.

The celebration will feature Pastor Darnell Manuel of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo as guest speaker, along with many other special presentations.

Those who wish to share in Progressive’s history can purchase a 100-page full-colored souvenir book for $25.

The church boasts a number of notable people who either regularly attended or became members of the church since its inception, including former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, and one of the organizers of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Helen J. H. Stephens.

Pastor Stuckey often remarks how longevity flourishes at the church — it boasts 13 centenarians (people who have reached 100 years or more). Currently, it has one centenarian who is still surviving, Mrs. Dorothy Chambers, and 14 members who have reached 90 years or more.

Recently, on Feb.17, the pastor and his wife Kay Frances, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

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Activism

Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

2 months ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

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Golden State Warriors Program Is Inspiring Next Generation of Female Engineers

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

Published

3 months ago

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Oakland Post

Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

The Golden State Warriors and e-commerce giant Rakuten are joining forces to inspire the next generation of female engineers through Building STEAM Futures, part of The City Calls campaign.

Organizers say the initiative is founded on the idea that science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) are crucial fields for innovation and progress, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in these areas is more important than ever. Studies consistently show that girls are underrepresented in STEAM fields, resulting in a gender disparity that limits potential and hinders diversity.

On Saturday, March 8, International Women’s Day, the Warriors and Rakuten hosted 20 middle school girls from Girls Inc. of Alameda County at Chase Center’s Above the Rim for a hands-on bridge-building experience. The young girls from Girls, Inc. of Alameda County had an opportunity to design, build and test their own bridge prototypes and learn the fundamentals of bridge construction from the Engineering Alliance and the UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team.

This STEAM experience for the girls followed the first session in January, where they took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, learning about its design and construction from industry experts. The City Calls campaign, tipped off with the unveiling the Warriors’ new bridge-themed City Edition jerseys and court design earlier this year.