Activism
Black Men Awarded for Their Inspiration to Youth
Felecia Gaston and the Phoenix Project held the Black Men Working Award Ceremony to honor men in Marin City who have inspired young Black men to pursue greatness. The event was held at the 200 lot in Marin City on Tuesday, Dec. 12. Along with the free haircuts, a BBQ dinner was given to the several hundred people who gathered to enjoy and celebrate the award ceremony.
By Godfrey Lee
Felecia Gaston and the Phoenix Project held the Black Men Working Award Ceremony to honor men in Marin City who have inspired young Black men to pursue greatness.
The event was held at the 200 lot in Marin City on Tuesday, Dec. 12. Along with the free haircuts, a BBQ dinner was given to the several hundred people who gathered to enjoy and celebrate the award ceremony.
Marion Washington, chief of the Marin County Probation Department, was Master of Ceremonies. Rev. Marcus Small of Peoples Inter-Cities Fellowship opened the ceremony with prayer. Bishop Johnathan Logan Sr., Cornerstone COGIC, welcomed everyone to the event.
Stephanie Moulton Peters, Marin County Board of Supervisors, gave a brief history of the Phoenix Project. Harold Wallace, MCHWC, also spoke briefly on Black Men and Health.
Also recognized were Larry Adams, Darnell Roary, Homer Hall, Cheryl Fisher, and Jose Varela as co-founders of the Phoenix Project 2009. In addition, David Sutton, chief of the Marin County Public Defender’s Office and Phoenix Case Managers, Wayne Price, Kevin Smith, and Homer Hall were recognized.
The retirees, and the years they served, are: Donnie Roary (30 yrs.), Carl Dedrick (31 yrs.), Lawrence Dora (10 yrs.), Michael Page (22 yrs.), Ralph Wilson Sr. (35 yrs.), Honor Jackson (35 yrs.), Jesse Washington (27 yrs.), Paul Austin Sr. (28 yrs.), Warren Alexander (28 yrs.), David Johnson (39 yrs.), Tim Grayson (25+ yrs.), Mark Paige (16+ yrs.), Harvey Red Tucker (30 yrs.), Bernard Hastings (15 yrs.), Ray Foster (27 yrs.), Ralph Wilson (30+ yrs.), Mark Lewis (25 yrs.), Angeille Johnson (20 yrs.), Nathaniel Coleman Jr. (10 yrs.), Edward Marcus (40+ yrs.), and Phillip Scott (35 yrs.).
The “Marin City Legends” and the years they served: are Jesse Polk (30+ yrs.), Ramon Polk (30+ yrs.), Larry Striplin (45 yrs.), Robert Hill (12 yrs.), Donald Morgan (29 yrs.), Clarence Striplin (35 yrs.), and Donald Miggins (37 yrs.).
The “Clean and Sober” Awards went to Owen Snell (32 yrs.), Jessie Broomfield (16 yrs.), Julian Maunder (2 yrs.), James Tyrone Roary (10 yrs.), Michael Harris, Jr. (3 yrs.), Shannon Bynum Sr. (23 yrs.), Markelle Taylor (22 yrs.), Orlando Wiggins (15 yrs.), and Ramon Polk (15 years).
Emmanuel McLemore was awarded the Fresh Start/Expungement award.
The “Successfully Completed Parole” Award went to Shamron Mitchell, Levester Williams, Jr., Tiare Berkeley, Emmanuel McLemore, Kenny Carter, Chas Langley, and Ricky Hill.
The “Golden Gate Village – Groundsman Not Wasting Time and Hard Work” Award went to Emmanuel McLemore, Kenny Carter, Claude Burton Jr., and Stevie Dean Jr.
Donnie Roary was recognized and awarded again for serving as the Community Chef for Marin City.
Those who went Above and Beyond in their service are Jesse Polk for more than 50 years of community service, Clarence Page for steadily working for over 65 years, and Charles Earl Dent for serving the community for over 30 years.
The “Above and Beyond Academic Excellence” award went to Professor Walter Turner.
Allen Talley, the first and only Black man to win the Marin Master Bowling Tournament in 2004, was recognized.
Editor’s Note: If I have missed any men who were awarded, or who has inspired a young man or woman to pursue greatness, and may like to share their story in the paper, please contact Godfrey Lee at godfreylee2@yahoo.com , and I will be happy to write your story for the paper.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
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Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024
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Activism
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.
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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