Bay Area
Burundi’s Ambassador visits Oakland to unite and collaborate with Oakland-Burundi Sister Cities
In a remarkable display of international goodwill and cooperation, Ambassador Dr. Albert Nasasagare, the former Special Advisor to President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, Africa, embarked on a historic visit to Oakland, California. Invited by Dr. Maritony Ann Jones, a fellow ambassador and humanitarian, the visit took place on Sept. 25th-26th, and it offered a unique opportunity to foster international relations and showcase Oakland’s hospitality by the Oakland-Burundi Sister Cities executive team.
By Post Staff
In a remarkable display of international goodwill and cooperation, Ambassador Dr. Albert Nasasagare, the Special Advisor to President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, Africa, embarked on a historic visit to Oakland, California. Invited by Dr. Maritony Ann Jones, a fellow ambassador and humanitarian, the visit took place on Sept. 25th-26th, and it offered a unique opportunity to foster international relations and showcase Oakland’s hospitality by the Oakland-Burundi Sister Cities executive team.
The visit was hosted and sponsored by JonathanFitnessJones, Oakland Post Ambassador to the Community/AASEG, and Ray Bobbit founder of African American Sports & Entertainment Group (AASEG), underscoring the significance of this diplomatic engagement.
Dr. Albert Nasasagare, met with the board and staff of the Oakland Private Industry Council (PIC) and was briefed on how projects like the AASEG could become a resource of hope and opportunity for groups like the Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back (FIGB) founded by Richard Johnson. The Ambassador was given information on how to develop and utilize youth employment and training programs by PIC CEO Ray Lankford.
Dr. Nasasagare also visited the offices of Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Y. Price where he met with DA Senior Staff Ottis Bruce Jr., Chief Assistant District Attorney, and Royl L. Roberts, Chief Assistant District Attorney, and Antwon Cloird Senior Program Specialist.
Their discussions revolved around the Burundi-Oakland Sister Cities exchange students program plans which were proposed to be in alignment with DA Price’s program called “Drum Major for Justice, ” which was launched this summer for the youth.
The Ambassador visited the Oakland Post and was invited by Paul Cobb, publisher of Oakland Post to join him at the City Hall, where he met District 6 City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins. Cobb invited the Ambassador to join him as an observer to a press interview at the City of Oakland Mayor’s office.
Ray Bobbit took the Ambassador on a city-wide tour and shared a brief history of Oakland, stopping at the local landmarks and seeing all parts of Oakland which also included touring the Oakland Coliseum.
The Ambassador wanted to immerse himself in the local culture and to learn of the city’s diversity. He engaged with residents who spoke French, Swahili and Kirundi, connecting with African communities in California. Ambassador Nasasagare said his visit was marked by “meaningful discussions and interactions, aimed at addressing common challenges and exploring opportunities for collaboration.”
One of the pressing issues discussed during the visit was the rising crime rates in California, particularly in the city of Oakland. Ambassador Nasasagare’s insights, drawn from his experience in Burundi, where a decade-long civil war wreaked havoc, proved invaluable. He emphasized the importance of listening to the voices of youth in the community, and the victims affected by crime and the need to work collectively to find solutions as a united community.
Ambassador Nasasagare’s journey to Oakland reflects his life story. Hailing from Burundi, a country in central Africa, he said he had witnessed firsthand how “political agendas exploited youth, leading to a decade-long civil war from 1993 to 2006, resulting in a staggering death toll of over 300,000.”
Poverty in Burundi surged during this period, reaching 67% of the population. Ambassador Nasasagare, even in his youth, recognized the need for change and rallied young people to work together to shape their future.
The Ambassador’s advocacy for youth empowerment led him to serve for fifteen years as Deputy Chief of Staff in Charge of Protocol for late President Pierre Nkurunziza, and was the former Special Advisor to Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye for three years. He is also the founder of the Youth Coalition in Action (YCA), a local NGO dedicated to helping children in need, mentoring youth and women for financial empowerment, and promoting community development and environmental protection.
The visit culminated in a dinner where future collaborations between sister cities and Burundi were discussed. The potential for empowering youth and organizing exchange programs for Oakland’s youth in Burundi, providing training and job opportunities, was a focal point of discussion and the visit. Mwaro in Burundi will become the first city in Burundi to be part of the Oakland-Burundi Sister Cities International, a project initiated by Ambassador JonathanFitnessJones.
Jones said Ambassador Dr. Albert Nasasagare’s visit to Oakland “has opened doors to new possibilities, emphasizing the importance of global cooperation, youth empowerment, and community development. It is a testament to the power of dialogue and partnership in addressing complex challenges and building a brighter future for all.”
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
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.
Alameda County
DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland
Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.
Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.
Bay Area
State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference
California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.
By Carla Thomas
California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco.
The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.
“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.
ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.
“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.
More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.
Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.
“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.
“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.
“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.
By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”
Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”
Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.
“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of March 27 – April 2, 2024
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
Beloved Actor and Activist Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. Dies at 87
-
Community2 weeks ago
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business2 weeks ago
V.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Activism2 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
-
Community2 weeks ago
AG Bonta Says Oakland School Leaders Should Comply with State Laws to Avoid ‘Disparate Harm’ When Closing or Merging Schools
-
Community1 week ago
Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame