Activism

COMMENTARY: Elections Are Not Popularity Contests: I Stand 2 Vote for the Best Candidate

The Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back (FIGB) refuses to be denied restorative justice: we want our voices heard. We want solutions. We want affordable housing. We want an end to violence. We have long been ignored, overlooked, and denied the benefits of democracy, but we can and must make a demand through voting.

Published

4 years ago

October 31, 2022

Oakland Post

Caption: Richard Johnson, right, with Mr. Fab at the recent election Town Hall at Dezi’s.

By Richard Johnson | Post News Group

In choosing the right person to represent an official position, you must be mindful that your choice truly mirrors your concerns, values and, of course, your wishes for the community.

Way too often we select and vote for reasons other than what is truly needed for that office. Be it palm-greasing, backdoor promises, or solely for ethnicity, we cannot afford to squander our votes. The choice should always be based on the best-qualified person to handle that position, whoever they may be. Sure, favors are expected in a lot of instances, for this is certainly the nature of politics.

However, no one should ever allow their selection to be motivated by emotions over capabilities. In your choice, it should be a prerequisite that candidates are able to deal with the job description over who they know and/or how much money they can raise.

Voting is not a popularity contest.

Choices have to be about the candidate having the correct skill set and strategic principle, thinking that can match the demands of the position. Being proficient in one area does not qualify anyone for a job. The need for qualified results is of high priority. Thus, your mindset in your choices has to match the needs at hand.

Politics are so polluted that the ones who suffer and end up down the rabbit hole lost in oblivion the most are the elderly, young, and misinformed. Ask yourself — not with your heart nor with personal gain in mind — who we need most to pull us up out of decay, hopelessness and the seemingly imminent destruction of the society that we exist in at this juncture in life.

More emphasis has to be placed on understanding what has to be done and who can best address it.

Further, we cannot rely on book knowledge alone because it takes both intellect, theoretical ideas and community input to govern. What’s learned in the classroom at times is not applicable to real-life challenges. Put it this way, if something has not worked in the past what makes you think it will work to address the future?

Our thinking must evolve with the times. Old ideas and methods must equally be updated in order to successfully correct things that have changed for the worst. We must rely on solution-based thinking that uses a logical approach to successfully deal with contradictions. This also applies to voting for measures, bills, reforms, and all things that affect our daily lives.

I am not telling you who to vote for or what policy measures to choose.

What I am recommending, however, is to always pick the best person qualified and the measure and laws that support what is needed for community progress.

Election Day is upon us now.

Go to the polls with confidence.

If not, we all suffer, and uncertainty continues to rule. Let hope and faith guide you, not indecision and misguided loyalty to a scheme based on uncertainty.

Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back (FIGB) is highly encouraging fellow members with similar backgrounds to register and vote as well as have family members do the same.

Take a selfie and contact the Oakland Post to verify that you and your extended family members have voted. This election is about better living wages, sheltering the unsheltered and stamping out injustices.

Your vote is your voice. Go to your County offices, polling places or your post office to turn in your ballot. Voteless is essentially a vote for hopelessness!

FIGB refuses to be denied restorative justice: we want our voices heard. We want solutions. We want affordable housing. We want an end to violence. We have long been ignored, overlooked, and denied the benefits of democracy, but we can and must make a demand through voting.

An example of the true power of the vote is in Ferguson, Missouri. After the killing of Michael Brown in 2014, the town got together and voted the sheriff, mayor, and police chief out of office.

So, spread the word via Facebook, Instagram, and all social media outlets.

I attended the Mr. Fab/SoulBeat Election Town Hall at Dezi’s to stand in firm solidarity to vote for freedom, justice, and equality.

FIGB has joined with our churches, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations to knock on doors, make calls and use social media to vote like our lives depended on it. Because it does.

And in this time of racism, violence, miseducation and homelessness, voting is needed more than ever.

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Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant Plans Bay Area Farmers Market Initiative

Published

1 day 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

1 day 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

5 days 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.