Commentary

Billionaire’s Outer Space? How about the Outer Space Caused by Inequality in Oakland?

I’m contemplating this because frankly, “outer space” as metaphor makes me wonder. If you’re a person of color, we’ve been there before.

Published

5 years ago

July 17, 2021

Christy Price

Tim Mossholder/Unsplash

Did you relate to Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson’s recent PR blitz where he’s trying to make it a “thing” to go to the edge of space?

If you’re in Oakland, would outer space be Orinda? Or the Oakland hills?

I’m contemplating this because frankly, “outer space” as metaphor makes me wonder. If you’re a person of color, we’ve been there before.

When I was a fry cook’s son, the first in my family to go to an Ivy League college, I didn’t just get a full-ride scholarship.

To me it was like a ticket to …outer space.

Though it’s hard to say who was the alien. The kids I met from the expensive prep schools.

Or the public school me.

What about asking your boss for a raise in a company where you feel like an alien? You’re in outer space.

That was my lens watching Branson’s PR stunt when he forayed into the edge of space last weekend.

For the record, there was one person of color on board Branson’s flight on Sunday. One out of six? The numbers still don’t sound terribly diverse. So, thank God for Sirisha Bandla.

Bandla, 34, immigrated with her family from India as a young girl when her father, an academic, came to America. Bandla grew up with a love of science and went on to Purdue University to study aeronautical engineering, then got an MBA. She’s now the VP of Virgin’s government affairs and research operations. Cush gig. And she gets to go into space.

On Sunday, after getting her wings, and popping champagne like a Super Bowl champ, Bandla was grabbed from behind by Branson, who went underneath Bandla’s legs to lift her up on his shoulders and carry her off the stage. (Hello, Virgin H.R. department?)

Perhaps it was just the post-flight exuberance.

When Branson went to the edge of outer space last Sunday he did just enough to qualify as a civilian astronaut. More than 50 miles into the sky, the Virgin rocket plane went about the same distance as a car would have from the southernmost part of Wash., D.C. to the northernmost part of Baltimore. Just enough for some G-force fun, a bit of weightlessness, and a glimpse of the Earth that was to die for.

But will that be worth $250,000 a ticket to an average consumer?

For all the talk about the billionaire space race being the “democratization” of space, I’d correct that adjective to describe the venture as space and its “commercialization.”

This isn’t just something you put on the Discover card. Not enough space (pun intended).

Nor would you take out a mortgage on your home to be a 21^st Century space tourist. Would you?

Let’s face it. This is an elitist’s bucket list fantasy.

But Branson has the answer. You can enter his lottery/charity to win your ticket to ride. “Space for Humanity” gives you a chance to win two seats aboard a Virgin Galactic flight.

“Just imagine a world where people of all ages, all backgrounds, from anywhere, of any gender, of any ethnicity, have equal access to space, and they will in turn, I think, inspire us back here on Earth,” Branson said, brimming with a sense that diversity has a place in space.

It’s the good guy thing to say in a vanity moment to the extreme.

Much had been said about the so-called “overview effect,” the humbling shift in perspective when one gets a galactic glimpse of the earth.

But Branson is already considered a better than average “good guy.” How much better will he be post-flight? If space is transformative, shouldn’t we be sending the climate deniers? The vaccine deniers? The people who still think Trump was robbed of victory last November and will be re-installed as president at any moment? The people who want to restrict voting rights that will impact all people of color?

You know the type. Essentially, it’s the people who threaten our democracy. They’re the Americans in need of a perspective change. People for whom a bungee jump from a tall canyon is not enough. Send them to the edge of the world for that “we are all one team” moment, with the hope they’ll return as kinder, more empathetic humans for the good of the country, if not the world.

You know we need it when 4,100 attended CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) in Dallas this past weekend, where Trump won a straw poll among attendees as their presidential choice for 2024.

Does Branson sell one-way tickets?

Frankly, if Branson wants to really make a difference with his billions, forget about traditional “space” and look to the space that’s emerged from the inequality in this country.

There are places in Oakland no one cares about or bothers to visit that may as well be in outer space. They’re areas with real people that all could be developed and made productive. And it wouldn’t even take a big investment to be life changing.

Now that would be far more gratifying than selling billionaire joy rides to the edge of space.

Christy Price

Posts by Christy Price

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Activism

‘Hire Oakland’ Job Fair Draws 2,000, Connecting Residents to Immediate Job Opportunities

Oakland’s Hire Oakland job fair, hosted by Mayor Barbara Lee’s office, connected over 2,000 job seekers with employers, highlighting a strong demand for quality jobs and career pathways in the city.

Published

1 hour ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Left to right: Yawo Tekpa, OPIC Manager, One Stop Operator; Sofia Navarro, Deputy City Administrator; and Ray Lankford, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.

By Post Staff

The Office of Mayor Barbara Lee, in partnership with the City of Oakland and regional employers, hosted a successful Hire Oakland job fair this week at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, bringing together job seekers and employers for a day focused on opportunity, connection, and economic mobility.

With more than 2,000 RSVPs, the event on Wednesday reflected strong demand across Oakland for access to quality jobs and career pathways. Attendees participated in on-site recruitment, application support, and hands-on workshops designed to help job seekers navigate hiring processes and prepare for interviews.

Over the course of the day, employers and community partners engaged directly with residents in a welcoming, high-energy environment centered on opportunity and hope. Participating employers included EBMUD, Samuel Merritt University, the City of Oakland, BART, PG&E, AC Transit, East Bay Regional Parks District, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and many others offering immediate openings and career pathways across sectors.

Workforce development partners Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) and Lao Family Community Development provided connections to résumé support, interview coaching, and individualized job search assistance throughout the event.

The strong turnout underscores a clear reality: Oakland residents are eager for pathways into meaningful work, and sustained investment in youth and workforce programs is essential.

That is why Mayor Lee has prioritized relaunching the Oakland Police Cadet Program and the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP)—ensuring young people have early access to paid work experience, mentorship, and long-term career pathways, according to a City press statement.

“The turnout shows what we already know—Oaklanders are ready to work, ready to grow, and ready to build their futures here at home,” said Lee. “When we connect people directly to employers and invest in young people early, we are not just filling jobs—we are changing lives and strengthening our city’s future.”

The Hire Oakland job fair is part of the City’s broader effort to strengthen workforce pipelines, expand access to good-paying jobs, and ensure Oakland residents are first in line for local opportunity.

About Hire OaklandHire Oakland is a citywide workforce initiative led by the Office of Mayor Barbara Lee in partnership with City departments, workforce development organizations, and regional employers. The program connects Oakland job seekers to real-time hiring opportunities, training resources, and career pathways.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Cassie ‘Mama C’ Lopez Honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year

Cassandra “Mama C” Lopez, a dedicated parent, teacher, and activist, was honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year for her unwavering commitment to community and justice.

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Cassandra Lopez, known as “Mama C,” is surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors at Oakland’s annual Mother of Year celebration at the Morcom Rose Garden, Saturday, May 9. Photo by Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon.

By Ken Epstein

The City of Oakland recognized Cassandra, “Mama C,” Lopez – parent, teacher, community activist, and justice warrior – as Oakland’s Mother of the Year in a celebration at Oakland’s Morcom Rose Garden on Mother’s Day weekend.

Long recognized as a leader in her community, she was nominated by District 3 City Councilmember Carroll Fife to receive the city’s 73rd annual Mother of the Year award.

Speaking at the crowded ceremony on Saturday, May 9, where Mama C received roses and a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Lee, Fife said she felt honored to nominate Lopez, an “amazing woman – a hell-raising humanitarian, for the energy, the passion, but most of all the love for community” that makes her one of those “exceptional women whose lives, exemplify love, sacrifice, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the family and community they serve.”

Cassie Lopez was born in 1945 to Pauline and Calvin Weaver, a family that had left Florida and Jim Crow for the east side of Detroit. From an early age, she was instilled with a sense of Black awareness, love, and the importance of community in the face of hardships, including poverty, freezing winters, low pay, and slum landlords.

Fifty-five years ago, she married Juan Lopez. The couple has three children and has lived for decades in a neighborhood on the edge of downtown Oakland near Mosswood Park.

Said her husband, Juan, “Mama C has been a selfless mother of our own children, and she also became a teacher. Our home became a second home for many young people. For some, it was refuge from difficult home situations, and for others, a safe place to hang out.

“Throughout the years, Mama C was sometimes a foot soldier and other times a leader, immersed in some of the biggest national and citywide struggles of the day,” Juan said. “But less known to many is the role she played day in and day out where the rubber hits the road.

“For 35 years, she has shepherded the Mosswood Park and Recreation Center – through its good and bad times. If the Center exists (and thrives) today, it has to do with Mama C, working alongside neighbors, center directors, community advisory council, and when necessary, community coalitions, city officials, the religious community, and the labor movement.”

Said Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon, “I am an old friend of my sister here. We met in 1970 in the sugarcane fields of Cuba, where we were helping the Cuban government harvest their sugar. We have been friends ever since. She has always been someone who does not give in to despair.”

David Johnson, an educator in Oakland, was one of the neighborhood children who grew up in the community created by Mama C and her family

“Cassandra Lopez is a beacon of light, full of compassion. She has dedicated her life to quality education to the poor and working class,” serving for 40 years as a Spanish teacher in Oakland schools, he said.

“She has dedicated her life to speak truth to power, justice to the silent, and as a member of the community, she advocates for programs and resources,” he said.

In her remarks, Mama C recognized the influence and power of all mothers. “Together, we all stand on the backs of our mothers. Mothers play a special role in society. We give when we have almost nothing left to give. We hurt when some people don’t see the hurt and the pain that our families endure. But we keep on moving forward.”

Looking at what African Americans, other people of color and working people face in the country today, she said, “We are deserving of the very best because our hands, our bodies produce the wealth of world, and yet we get the least. We see our country wholesale being stolen away from us, and we are told to grin and bear it. We’re not bearing it; we’re fighting against it.”

Continuing, she said, “There’s enough wealth in this world that there should be no hunger in the world. There should be nobody without a decent place to live. Nobody should be sleeping on the street. Teachers should get the freedom to be creative and tell the stories that exist in this nation that make us strong and great.

“We have a lot to do. We cannot despair. We cannot run. People are learning, and together, collectively, we can do it.”