Activism

Black Golfers to Honor Oakland Native for Work in Diversity

Oakland native Kendall Murphy has more than a dozen years of experience in the golf industry, most recently serving as a career consultant for the PGA of America supporting the Northern California PGA Section. Concurrently, he works as an adjunct professor at the Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV). From 2012 through May 2021, Murphy was the assistant director and program coordinator of UNLV’s PGA Golf Management Program.

Published

2 years ago

June 4, 2022

Oakland Post

Kendall Murphy

By Post Staff

Oakland native Kendall Murphy will be inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of Fame in Palm Beach, Florida, on May 29, 2022.

It will be the latest accomplishment for Murphy, 36, who has a string of accomplishments with the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA).

He is a former PGA career consultant, PGA golf pro, college golf coach and assistant director of the Professional Golf Management program at University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Further, Murphy is the first director of diversity, equity and inclusion for Troon, a golf course management company operating in more than 30 countries.

Murphy has more than a dozen years of experience in the golf industry, most recently serving as a career consultant for the PGA of America supporting the Northern California PGA Section. Concurrently, he works as an adjunct professor at the Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV). From 2012 through May 2021, Murphy was the assistant director and program coordinator of UNLV’s PGA Golf Management Program.

He is a member of the PGA of America and a two-time winner of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the PGA’s Golf Professional of the Year award (2018 and 2019).

Murphy’s diverse background in golf started in Oakland, where he worked as a head golf professional at Metropolitan Golf Links and then in Moraga as the assistant men’s golf coach at St. Mary’s College of California.

Although he was not a professional golfer, Murphy developed an interest in the sport when, at age 10, he played in the junior program at Lake Chabot Golf Course. He attended Oakland’s St. Paschal’s Elementary School and then Berkeley’s Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School and Berkeley High School, where he was a member of the league-winning Varsity Golf Team.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in recreation with a concentration in professional golf management from UNLV and a master’s degree in Kinesiology/sport management from St. Mary’s College of California.

He is also the co-founder/co-chair of the Black PGA Professionals Caucus and currently serves on the PGA National Education Committee.

When interviewed, Murphy said, “Our world is in an unprecedented time for transformation through intentional action. The future of excellence is one that paves the way for diversity equity and inclusion with ease. I am honored to be a part of growing the Troon experience of excellence with my new position and being part of this visionary team. I am dedicated to creating the industry blueprint for others to follow.”

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

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WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.