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Chicago Community Baby Shower Aims at Lower Rate of Infant Mortality

Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson ministered to mothers during the Chicago Citywide Community Baby Shower held at the end of 2022. About 400 new and expectant mothers attended this event, held at the Imani Village community center on the city’s South Side.

Published

3 years ago

February 21, 2023

Oakland Post

New mothers had the opportunity to hear from and meet Heidi Murkoff, author and creator of the What to Expect Project. “I’m just here for the hugs,” said Murkoff of the time she spent greeting new moms and their babies and handing out free copies of her books. Picture taken by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

Special to the Post

Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson ministered to mothers during the Chicago Citywide Community Baby Shower held at the end of 2022.

About 400 new and expectant mothers attended this event, held at the Imani Village community center on the city’s South Side.

Hustle Mommies and the Urban Mom Collective organized the event in collaboration with the Rev. Dr. Que English, director of the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“I felt that sense of sisterhood,” Johnson said. “People were looking out for each other, getting to know one another [and] recognizing that they are in it together, and our desire is to raise successful and happy children.”

Event organizers connected mothers with the local community and government resources, including prenatal care and mental health services. A panel of guest speakers provided information on the importance of self-care during and after childbirth and support services offered by doulas and midwives. At the end, mothers received any of various items they needed — diapers, baby strollers, clothing, baby bottles, car seats and other essentials donated by the Church of Jesus Christ.

“It was a blessing for me. I saw it [advertised on social media], and it was last minute, but it was amazing! I came and I had nothing, but I have so much now. I think it’s great for us expectant mothers to look forward to something,” said LaShawn Thomas, an expectant mother.

“To be able to do that with you guys has been amazing,” expressed Ariel DeNey Rainey, founder of Hustle Mommies and co-founder of the Urban Mom Collective.

“And not only that, it takes a team, it takes a village. The Church [of Jesus Christ] was part of our village. They provided us with volunteers as well as support and help for the moms,” said Ebony Wrenn, co-founder of the Urban Mom Collective.

New mothers had the opportunity to hear from and meet Heidi Murkoff, author of the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” series of pregnancy guides and creator of the What to Expect Project Foundation.

“I’m just here for the hugs,” said Murkoff of the time she spent greeting new moms and their babies and handing out free copies of her books. “It doesn’t matter where you go in the world. … We are all connected by being moms. We all share an emotional bond.”

“The whole purpose was to bring them together to connect them with needed resources as well as their children, [but] the community shower was just a drop in the bucket,” said the Rev. Dr. English. The event is part of a wider effort by English and the Church of Jesus Christ to address maternal health issues afflicting Black and Native American communities in the United States.

“These opportunities to work with our friends in government and community are so important for us to touch the lives of [individuals],” Johnson said. “We look at things globally, but we must also look at the needs of the one. Today was a sweet opportunity to minister one by one.”

“What is so beautiful about it is that this is not a start-and-stop project. This is not one time. This is an investment into the lives of people,” said the Rev. Dr. English.

Many of the women who attended the event live in underserved communities and represent a demographic in the United States that is plagued by maternal health complications and the loss of newborns.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the infant mortality rate for babies born to African American women (10.6 per 1,000 live births) is more than twice that of infants born to white mothers (4.5 per 1,000 live births) and the U.S. Native American (7.9 per 1,000 live births) and Pacific Islander (8.2 per 1,000 live births) communities face comparable circumstances.

The Church of Jesus Christ is supporting similar efforts in other U.S. cities. In New York City, for example, the Church is providing funding to train doulas for mothers in vulnerable communities.

“It isn’t just about today,” said Sharon Eubank, director of Humanitarian Services for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who attended the event with President Johnson. “There is a trained person that will be with every mom — prenatal, at the birth and post-natal — to help her navigate the change in her life.”

These efforts, said Johnson, are especially aligned with the mission of the Church’s Relief Society, which provides opportunities for Latter-day Saint women to expand their influence and to bless their families, wards, stakes, communities, and nations.

“In 1921 [maternal and newborn care] became a focus of the Relief Society. … We’re just doing what we’ve always done, expressing an interest and love for our sisters around the world. Wherever we serve, wherever we are, we can bless and lift. We’re all mothers. Women need each other.”

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Congresswoman Barbara Lee on Feinstein’s Retirement

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BAY AREA POLITICIANS LAUD CAREER OF SEN. FEINSTEIN, WHO ANNOUNCES SHE WON’T RUN IN 2024

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Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant Plans Bay Area Farmers Market Initiative

Published

5 days ago

July 18, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant displays watermelons from her Sacramento farm at the Temescal Festival in Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas.

In her 80s and still actively working as an agricultural engineer, Effie Gant continues to break barriers in urban farming and community leadership.

The certified USDA grower and respected urban farmer, based in South Sacramento, was recently spotted vending at the Freedom Farmers’ Market by the Temescal Street Fair on Saturday, July 11, where she proudly displayed dozens of sweet, juicy watermelons.

Festivalgoers gathered not only to purchase her produce but also to enjoy activities like the popular watermelon-eating contest. Yet beyond the festive atmosphere, Gant has a larger vision.

Gant is now setting her sights on the Bay Area, where she plans to launch a farmers’ market to increase access to fresh, locally grown food.

Known for her leadership in sustainable agriculture and food justice, she brings decades of hands-on experience and community advocacy to regions where food access remains inconsistent.

She has built a strong reputation through her work with Meadowview Urban Farm and the Yisrael Family Urban Farm, cultivating crops such as watermelons, honeydew melons, and collard greens. Her approach emphasizes sustainability, education, and empowering residents to grow their own food, even in small urban spaces.

As a USDA-certified grower, Gant blends technical expertise with grassroots engagement to combat food insecurity.

Beyond farming, Gant serves as CEO and President of Highways to Hedges, a nonprofit focused on environmental justice and community development. She is also president of the Hampton Station Neighborhood Association and board chairman for HHCORE, where she advocates for safety, equity, and economic opportunity.

Her proposed farmers market will connect small-scale farmers with urban communities while elevating Black farmers and other underrepresented growers.

“I want to teach the next generation about farming and how lucrative it can be,” Gant said. “You don’t need hundreds of acres. You can start with one acre or even your backyard.”Gant also noted her involvement in a collective of farmers who supply produce through government-supported programs.

“We operate as a team, and we all benefit,” she said.

Through workshops, speaking engagements, and hands-on training, Gant and her organization continue to educate communities about agriculture and food justice. Her market initiative will emphasize affordability, cultural relevance, and nutrition education.

Her broader work includes creating edible forests in partnership with Soil Born Farms, planting fruit trees directly in neighborhoods to expand food access. As a mentor with the Center of Expertise on Food Justice and Health Equity, Gant remains a leading voice in building sustainable and resilient food systems.

Gant says she welcomes the community to join her in creating a new farmer’s market.

“Farming is essential to life,” she said. “I want to train as many people as I can to use food and farming as a tool for empowerment, health, and long-term change.”

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Oakland Post: Week of July 15 – 21, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 15 – 21, 2026

Published

5 days ago

July 18, 2026

Oakland Post

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From Disparity Study to Solutions: Oakland Coalition and Mayor Barbara Lee Renew Commitment to Reform City Contracting

She committed to ensuring the coalition has direct access to City leadership by designating Assistant Deputy City Administrator Chuck Baker the primary liaison. Working alongside Deputy City Administrator Sofia Navarro, DWES Director Emylene Aspilla, Race and Equity Director Darlene Flynn, and other City departments, the coalition will continue advancing these priorities while maintaining regular communication with City leadership.

Published

1 week ago

July 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Present at the recent meeting on implementing recommendations on Oakland’s Disparity Study on city work contracts were (first row, l. to r.): Chuck Baker, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Darlene Flynn. Second row, l. to r.) Samuel Adams, Erica Astrella, Chadwick Spell, Cathy Adams, Stanley Cooper, Maria Wagner, Len Turner, Derek Barnes, Paul Cobb. Photo courtesy of Oakland Mayor’s Office.

Special to The Post

On June 30, a coalition of minority business leaders, contractors and others met with Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to discuss the City’s commitment to implement recommendations outlined in Oakland’s Disparity Study and eliminate barriers that have historically prevented Black and minority-owned businesses from fully participating in public contracting opportunities.

Representatives of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (OAACC), National Association of Minority Contractors Northern California (NAMC NorCal), Construction Resource Center (CRC), and the East Bay Rental Housing Association (EBRHA) said the meeting represented an important milestone in a process that has been underway for several months.

On April 21, the Oakland City Council’s Life Enrichment Committee received a progress report from the Department of Workplace and Employment Standards (DWES), where Director Emylene Aspilla presented the coalition’s working document and outlined a collaborative implementation plan between the coalition and the City. That report established 30-, 60-, and 90-day objectives focused on five key priorities:

Reforming Local and Small Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE) waiver practices
Strengthening prompt payment compliance
Improving procurement forecasting and transparency
Expanding contractor capacity building and business development
Increasing oversight, accountability, and public reporting

A series of working sessions was scheduled between coalition representatives, DWES, and the City Administrator’s Office to begin implementing those priorities but were temporarily delayed by the resignation of former City Administrator Jestin Johnson.

Rather than allowing that momentum to stall, OAACC President and CEO Cathy Adams requested a meeting with Lee to gain clarity on the City’s direction and reaffirm its commitment to implementing the recommendations contained within the Disparity Study.

Coalition leaders described the meeting as productive, candid, collaborative, and encouraging.

During the meeting, Lee spoke not only from her role as mayor but also from her experience as an 8(a) contractor and business owner, sharing that she understands firsthand what it takes to build and grow a successful company, employ a substantial workforce, compete for public work, and navigate the complexities of municipal contracting.

Mayor Lee also expressed her commitment to personally participate in future working meetings with the coalition.

“This meeting represents a renewed commitment to partnership,” said Adams. “Mayor Lee listened, engaged, and demonstrated that she wants to move beyond conversation and into implementation.”

CRC’s Len Turner said the roadmap is already in place. ““The City already has the evidence. What’s been missing is execution. …Now it’s time to deliver results.”

Mario Wagner, president of NAMC NorCal agreed that the next phase must focus on implementation, funding, and accountability.

“The coalition is ready to get to work. …The next step is ensuring these initiatives receive meaningful funding in the upcoming fiscal budget cycle. Just as important, the City must establish transparent reporting mechanisms that keep the public informed through regular progress reports, measurable benchmarks, and accountability.”

Coalition leaders also acknowledged that while City leadership has indicated it is reviewing Local and Small Local Business Enterprise waiver practices, the community continues to seek a formal response regarding existing long-term waivers, including waivers extending 10 and 25 years. The coalition believes those waivers should be comprehensively reviewed and, where appropriate, rolled back as part of the City’s broader contracting reforms.

The coalition is also calling on the City to include meaningful funding in the upcoming fiscal budget cycle to support implementation of the Disparity Study recommendations and establish better methods and mechanisms to keep the public informed through regular progress reports, measurable benchmarks, and transparent accountability.

The coalition’s immediate next step is to schedule a working meeting with Baker, Aspilla, Lee, and the appropriate City staff to review what has already been accomplished under the implementation framework.