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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Business

Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs Law Streamlining Affordable Housing Rules

The legislation builds on the governor’s efforts that have reversed decades of inaction on housing and homelessness — creating more homes and the largest reduction in unsheltered homelessness in more than 15 years.

Published

16 minutes ago

July 19, 2026

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From left to right: Jesse Arreguín, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sharon Quirk Silva, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, and Janelle Chan. Photo courtesy Sarah Henry.

In Oakland on July 13, Gov. Newsom signed AB 179 — the state’s new housing budget trailer bill that cuts red tape, modernizes how California finances affordable housing, and lowers the cost of building a unit by up to $70,000.

Oakland is the first pro-housing city in the Bay Area, and it’s not slowing down. Oakland is cutting through bureaucracy, unlocking new financing, and clearing the path for more affordable homes to get built faster.

Special thanks to East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBADC), State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk Silva, and California Housing and Community Development Director Gustavo Velasquez.

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Commentary

OPINION: Board VP Valarie Bachelor Says OUSD Is Moving Ahead Under Committed Leadership

As I reflect on this past year serving on the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Board, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together. While there is still important work ahead, this year demonstrated what is possible when we stay focused on students, collaborate t

Published

36 minutes ago

July 19, 2026

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Valarie Bachelor, Vice President, Oakland Board of Education.

We inherited one of the most difficult financial situations in OUSD’s history.

Together with Interim Superintendent Dr. Denise Saddler, the Senior Leadership Team, our fiscal consultants, and my Board colleagues, we made difficult decisions that put the district on a stronger path forward.

For the first time in 22 years, OUSD has adopted a balanced budget. We earned a Qualified Second Interim certification and submitted a Positive Third Interim report — major milestones that reflect disciplined leadership, sound fiscal management, and our commitment to preserving local control while avoiding both a state loan and school closures.

As Chair of the Facilities Committee, I’ve also had the privilege of seeing years of community advocacy become reality.

This month, I attended the groundbreaking for Coliseum College Preparatory Academy’s new high school building and gymnasium — an investment decades in the making that will provide East Oakland students with modern, climate-controlled, age-appropriate learning spaces.

I was also honored to celebrate the groundbreaking for the transformation of McClymonds High School alongside the Mac family. This project will bring modern classrooms, engineering labs, athletic facilities, accessibility improvements, updated building systems, a renovated cafeteria, and so much more to one of Oakland’s most historic campuses.

And we’re not stopping there. We’re looking ahead to the transformation of Melrose Leadership Academy while continuing to complete projects across the district, including improvements at Roosevelt and other school sites.

None of this would be possible without the persistence of parents, students, educators, school leaders, and the Oakland voters who invested in our schools by passing Measure Y.

Thank you for believing in our students.

This year also brought important progress for our employees. We reached tentative agreements with OEA, SEIU Local 1021, and our Building & Grounds staff, recognizing the essential role our employees play in serving Oakland’s children.

We’re also strengthening the district’s long-term financial outlook by expanding Transitional Kindergarten hubs, growing in-district non-public school programs, and continuing to identify new revenue opportunities that better serve students while keeping resources within OUSD.

None of these accomplishments happened overnight, and none happened because of one person. They are the result of dedicated staff, community advocates, labor partners, district leadership, and Board members working through disagreements, solving problems together, and keeping students at the center of every decision.

Thank you to everyone who has partnered with us this year. Serving Oakland’s 34,000 students is both an honor and a responsibility. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, grateful for everyone who helped make it possible, and excited for the work ahead as we continue turning the corner and building the schools our students deserve.

About the Author

Valarie Bachelor is Vice President, Oakland Board of Education.

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Black History

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Honors 100 Black Men of the Bay Area

During the July 14 Board of Supervisors meeting, Board President David Haubert recognized the chapter for its “exceptional leadership, unwavering dedication, and collective efforts to uplift and strengthen our community.”

Published

59 minutes ago

July 19, 2026

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Members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors honored 100 Black Men of the Bay Area at the supervisors’ July 14, 2026, meeting. Photo courtesy of 100 Black Men.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors, led by District 4 Supervisor Nate Miley, honored 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc. for its recent recognition as the 2026 Large Chapter of the Year by its parent organization, 100 Black Men of America, Inc.

Introduced by Supervisor Nate Miley, the County’s commendation acknowledged the Bay Area Chapter for receiving the highest level of recognition achievable within the 100 Black Men of America’s international network of over 100 chapters.

The honor recognizes the Bay Area chapter’s exceptional execution of the organization’s core programs: Mentoring, Education, Health & Wellness, and Economic Empowerment.

The chapter’s Chairman of the Board Danny Lee Williams said, “This recognition is not just for us, but it’s for the young people we mentor, the families we support, and the neighborhoods we serve. This is a reminder that our efforts are seen and their value is impactful. We also acknowledge that the work continues. Together with community leaders and institutions like this Board, we can assure that our young men and women are not only supported today, but they are empowered to lead tomorrow.”

The 100 Black Men of America organization was founded in New York in 1963 and incorporated in 1986, with the Bay Area Chapter forming in 1988.

For more information about the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, their mentorship initiatives, or upcoming programs, visit www.100blackmenba.org or follow the chapter on social media @100blackmenofthebayarea.