News

Black Lawyers Submit Names of Three Candidates for California Attorney General

The CABL recommends that either Diane Becton, Paul Henderson or Terry Wiley to replace California Attorney General Xavier Becerra

Published

5 years ago

January 3, 2021

Kiki

Terry Wiley, Diane Becton, Paul Henderson

The California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) submitted the names of three accomplished African American attorneys to the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) as possible candidates for the state’s soon-to-be open Attorney General position.

In a 46-page document that includes biographical data of the organization’s recommendations, CABL called on Black members of the state Legislature to support attorneys Diane Becton, Paul Henderson or Terry Wiley to become the next Attorney General. The group also forwarded the proposal listing the candidates they are supporting – all public servants with significant experience — to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“We are in a unique position to know, understand, and recommend one of our own members to serve as the next California Attorney General,” stated the letter dated December 23 from Melinda Murray, president of CABL. “We strongly urge the Legislative Black Caucus to consider the above three candidates and to interview them for recommendation to Governor Newsom.”

Earlier in December, President-elect Joe Biden nominated current California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of Health and Human Services in his administration. Since then, various candidates have emerged as possible replacements for the state’s top lawyer and law enforcement official.

CABL’s decision to focus on who replaces Becerra rests not only on finding a candidate who can ably prioritize and address the broad and complex range of legal issues all Californians face. The group says it is also motivated by the need to address the persisting concerns of criminal justice reform and police use of force in Black communities.

In the wake of George Floyd’s violent death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer and the continued unlawful killings of unarmed Black men and women by law enforcement around the country, the attorney general’s office and the California Dept. of Justice “need someone dedicated to criminal justice reform,” the Black lawyers’ organization stated.

“Californians need and deserve someone who can successfully implement the mandates of Assembly Bill 1506, which authorized the California Attorney General’s Office to investigate and prosecute cases of police use of force resulting in death and officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death,” Murray stated.

The organization believes, Becton, Henderson and Wiley are all candidates with the experience to carry out those tasks. Gov. Newsom signed AB 1506 into law in September. Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) authored the legislation.

“Americans across the country took to the streets this summer rightfully demanding more and better of our criminal justice system – and of ourselves,” Newsom said. “We heard those calls for action loud and clear and today are advancing reforms to improve policing practices by ending the carotid hold and requiring independent investigations in officer-involved shootings.”

Becton has spent most of her professional career as a judge, lawyer and manager. In 2017, she was sworn in as the 25th District Attorney for Contra Costa County. Following her appointment by the county’s Board of Supervisors, she was elected to the position in June 2018.

For 22 years, Becton served as a judge in Contra Costa County. She is a former president of the National Association of Women Judges, the nation’s leading organization for women in the judiciary, and past chair of the State Bar Council on Access and Fairness.

Becton leads a prosecutorial office of approximately 222 lawyers, investigators, and staff. She is the first woman, the first African American, and the first person of color to serve as Contra Costa District Attorney since the office was established in 1850.

Henderson has spent his entire professional career working in public service for the city of San Francisco. He was recently appointed director of the Dept. of Police Accountability, where he and his legal team are tasked with investigating all complaints regarding police use of force and misconduct.

Prior to this appointment, Henderson, an openly gay man, spent seven years as the deputy chief of staff and public safety director to the late mayor of San Francisco, Edwin M. Lee.

Henderson served as chief of administration and prosecutor for former San Francisco D.A. Kamala Harris from 1995-2010. Handling all types of cases, ranging from nonviolent misdemeanors to serious felonies, Henderson became known as an expert in interpreting complex criminal justice public policy issues.

Henderson, who served under four elected district attorneys, was both the highest-ranking LGBT attorney and African American male attorney in the history of the San Francisco District Attorney’s office.

Terry Wiley is an Assistant II District Attorney and the third ranking prosecutor in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, located in Oakland. Wiley joined Oakland’s DA Office in 1990. He has supervised the felony trial team, the Juvenile Division and the Oakland Branch Courthouse.

Wiley has served in most assignments on the criminal side of the office and has prosecuted difficult and challenging felony cases, including the case against three Oakland police officers who called themselves “the Riders.”

In that case, the officers were accused of kidnapping, planting false evidence and assaulting citizens. Three of the four officers, eventually fired, were acquitted for criminal charges while the fourth cop fled the country. Civil lawsuits settled in the case totaled $10.9 million and led to police reform within the Oakland police department.

Wiley is currently a member of the American Bar Association Criminal Standards Committee, a past vice president of the National Bar Association, and a past member of the State Bar of California Board of Trustees.

CABL represents approximately 6,000 Black attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. According to its web site, the organization was founded in 1977 to eradicate the root causes of racism and to defend the legal and human rights of African Americans.

Kiki

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Related Topics:CABL California Attorney General Xavier Becerra California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC)George Floyd Joe Biden

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A Long Time Coming: School District Kicks Off Massive $97 Million Renovation of West Oakland’s McClymonds High School

The extensive project will involve the full modernization of the campus, including essential upgrades to building systems such as plumbing replacement (with lead abatement), seismic improvements, and modernization of heating, electrical, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Indoor spaces will be updated with new flooring, wall treatments, and upgrades to classrooms, labs, shops, and sports locker rooms.

Published

3 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Renderings of McClymond High School renovation. Courtesy image.

‘We gather on sacred ground,’ said OUSD Supt. Denise Saddler

By Post Staff

After being stalled for many years, the massive $97 million renovation of McClymonds High School is finally breaking ground under the leadership of the district’s new superintendent, Dr. Denise Saddler, and backed by the unrelenting efforts of the school’s parents, students, school board members, community, and alumni.

The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) held the groundbreaking ceremony on June 12 to kick off the three-year modernization project for McClymonds, a historic center of African American culture and educational opportunity in Oakland, located at 2607 Myrtle St. in West Oakland.

The overhaul will include seismic and environmental upgrades, a new turf field, and modernized campus facilities. The comprehensive transformation is financed by Measure Y, a $735 million general obligation bond approved by Oakland voters to renovate and upgrade aging school sites.

This renovation is considered a milestone for the West Oakland campus, which has operated in the same building since 1938 and has been in dire need of structural and plumbing safety remediation for years.

Speaking at the event, Supt. Denise Saddler said,

“We gather on sacred ground… that has shaped generations of Oakland leaders, scholars, artists, activists, entrepreneurs, educators like Mr. Herman Brown – one of our top math teachers. I also want to say it’s the historic home of the mighty Warriors (athletic teams). It’s a historic home of so many people.”

“This was, for Black people, our high school,” she continued “For more than a century, McClymonds has stood as a beacon of excellence in West Oakland and beyond. It’s not simply a school building; it’s a symbol of resilience, pride, community, and possibility.”

The superintendent said the legacy of McClymonds includes legendary alumni such as NBA player-coach Bill Russell, whose excellence transformed the game of basketball and whose courage helped transform the nation.

The school’s legacy also includes MLB players Frank ‘Judge’ Robinson and Curt Flood, basketball player Paul Silas and civic leaders including Lionel Wilson, a Superior Court judge and Oakland’s first African American mayor.

She emphasized that the groundbreaking was not only about honoring the past, but also about investing in the future.

“(It) represents Oakland’s commitment to the young people of West Oakland. It sends a powerful message that our students deserve facilities that match their brilliance, their talent and their dreams. “

The cafeteria also will be reconfigured, and outdoor areas will feature a new grandstand, track and field upgrades, accessible field bathrooms and concessions, and updates to the plaza, garden, and outdoor gathering areas.

Mayor Barbara Lee, who attended the event, thanked Oakland voters for passing the Measure Y bond that is paying for the school’s renovation.

Renderings of McClymond High School renovation. Courtesy image.

“It’s a good day – It’s a good news day,” she said. “The voters who (approved) Measure Y care about our young people. Today, we have the opportunity on this historic day to say, well done. Thank you to the voters for the facilities our community, our students, our teachers deserve.”

School Board member VanCedric Williams, whose district includes McClymonds, said that OUSD passed repeated school bond measures for decades, promising to renovate the school, but it did not happen.

“I just want to thank all the community (who) put pressure on the district to do right, to hold school board members accountable, and to really say, ‘We’re not going to take anything less than a renovation.’”

“When I first met Dr. Saddler, she said, ‘I have a commitment to McClymonds – I’m going to make it happen.’ And she has done something in one year that has not been done in 20 years. So, I have the belief that we’re going to get it done.”

Rising senior LaTanya Nolen, praised the school for the opportunities she has received and for the dedication of its staff.

“Every student here is treated like they matter and given opportunities to grow and build onto themselves,” she said. “We’ve gotten to do things like sports, field trips, college and career excursions, networking, and more. Our futures are taken seriously, and the people around us are always pushing us so that we are prepared for it.”

Parent Brejea Colthirst said, “Thank you to everyone who had a part in this, who helped make this possible. Together, we are building something special.”

Brian McGhee, popular McClymonds staff member and alumni, pledged to build on the strength of McClymonds’ traditions. “Mack is back. We’re going to up the enrollment with this new school. We’re going to continue to know every student’s name who comes through this school. My job as a community manager is going to continue to provide resources for our families and our students, and continue to communicate with our parents, which is huge.”

Oakland Post

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Arts and Culture

IN MEMORIAM: Oakland Dance Legend Reginald Ray-Savage, 67

Savage lived his life as tribute to the teachers who had shared their wisdom on art and life with him. With a palpably genuine enthusiasm and desire to bring out the best in people, and pass the torch to the next generation, he poured into his students, as his teachers and mentors had into him. His infectious energy, love of life, and generosity of spirit inspired countless souls, both inside and outside the dance studio.

Published

3 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Reginald Ray-Savage brought the old-school teaching techniques he learned in the Katherine Dunham Dance Company to the youth at the Oakland School for the Arts in 2003. Courtesy photo.

Special to The Post

Reginald Ray-Savage – dancer, choreographer, and beloved teacher, mentor, and inspiration to many – passed away on May 17. The Oakland School for the Arts dance instructor was 67.

Born Reginald Ray, Jr. in St. Louis, Missouri, on Sept. 5, 1958, he formally adopted the name ‘Savage,’ to honor the great Archie Savage, his mentor at Katherine Dunham’s Performing Arts Training Center where his dance training journey began in East St. Louis, Illinois.

He soon started dancing professionally with Katherine Dunham Dance Company, making dance a way of life. His grit, tenacity, and notorious work ethic brought him scholarships to train at multiple prestigious dance institutions, including The Ailey School (NYC) and Ruth Page School of Dance (Chicago), under the direction of acclaimed ballet instructor Larry Long and Dolores Lipinski-Long.

He danced with several companies including Joel Hall Dance Company, Ruth Page Ballet Chicago, Lyric Opera, Chicago City Ballet, American Festival Ballet, and touring productions of “Music Man” and “A Chorus Line”.

In 1989, Savage moved to Oakland where he started teaching seven days a week, amassing a devoted following that was attracted to his no-nonsense, impassioned, and effective old-school teaching style.

In 1992, at the insistence of his committed core of students, he founded Savage Jazz Dance Company (SJDC). Over a span of 30 years, Savage produced more than 100 original works, and tour SJDC nationally and internationally, performing at Casa del Jazz in Rome to a packed house and rave reviews—the first dance company to receive such an invitation.

Savage built SJDC into one of the Bay Area’s most respected dance companies, creating a signature style known for its combination of disciplined training, blended with rich artistic musical expression, and raw energy.

In 2003, Savage joined the Oakland School for the Arts as chair of the School of Dance. Over the next two decades, he created, built, and maintained a strong dance program, recognized, and respected by other dance institutions for forging well-trained and resilient dancers and human beings.

The depth of Savage’s tough love and care, and the skill of his teaching and mentoring are reflected in the careers of his students who have gone on to dance with the San Francisco Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, Mark Morris Dance Group, Janet Jackson, Ariana Grande, and companies across the globe.

Mark Kitaoka, a photographer hired by Savage in 2016, posted a living eulogy on the dance instructor.

“When I see the self-pride he builds in his students I am constantly impressed that people like Savage still exist in our ‘meme’ society,” Kitaoka wrote. “The kids he mentors are fiercely loyal to one another and I’m certain his methods teach each of those kids to put aside social status, race and gender and is replaced by solid loyalty for other souls.

“What Savage contributes to our world cannot be completely summed up in a few meager paragraphs but can be seen in the countless lives of those he has touched. Because of him, our world, and the world of the future is both a richer and better place.

Reginald Ray-Savage will forever be missed, remembered, and lovingly quoted. He is survived by his beloved wife, Alison Hurley, his sister, Sonia, and his brothers, Pierre, and Andre. May his inextinguishable spirit and impact live on in all the lives he touched.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

3 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.