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Community Colleges Closing the Racial Opportunity Gap?

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By Dr. Rowena M. Tomaneng, Berkeley City College President

How can community colleges work effectively and successfully with students coming from the most marginalized communities in the region, many of whom come to college without college-level academic skills? If our formal mission declares a commitment to students of all backgrounds, how can we expect truly academic performances from those students deficient in college-level skills? The severe disproportionate numbers of academically underprepared students comprise students of color, and competent researchers see racism as a profound and long-standing cause of this educational blight.

Students who experience racism have low self-esteem and confidence, feel anxious and stressed, fall behind in schoolwork and get lower results in their exams. In their work on men of color and academic achievement, Harris and Wood (2013) researched how “societal messages about African American and Latino men’s academic abilities or racist stereotypes that depict them as lazy or disinterested in education can influence both students’ and educators’ views about the likelihood that these students will be successful in community college” (from “Student Success for Men of Color in Community Colleges: A Review of Published Literature and Research, 1998-2012).

As a first-generation immigrant from the Philippines, my public education experience in California reflects what many students of color continue to face in educational institutions—marginalization due to explicit and implicit racial/ethnic bias. In grade school, I remember being teased for my accent and being asked if my Pilipino family ate our pets. Even as I pursued my University of California graduate degrees, I experienced disparaging micro aggressions from my white counterparts and professors. Collectively, these experiences impacted my confidence and raised self-doubt in my academic abilities.

In addition to acknowledging research, we need to take stronger action to counter racist and other discriminatory behaviors to restore hope and self-esteem among students of color, so they can believe they will succeed in college. We can also build nurturing learning communities, for example, that use culturally relevant curricula and a pedagogy of self-reflection and personal narrative to validate student experiences. I believe that this “learning community” model provides a necessary cultural and curricular shift on the part of college faculty to begin unpacking the existing assets and capacities of our widely diverse students, rather than to focus on what they do not yet have.

At Berkeley City College (BCC) we have developed learning community programs such as PERSIST (Personal Initiative and Social Transformation), a one-semester bridge program that serves as a gateway toward success in college, for students who wish to transfer or to achieve workforce preparedness. The PERSIST cohort model serves students at the basic skills level who come from socio-economic disadvantage or disability, and as such provides intentional and effective educational access and success for populations underrepresented at BCC.

Our model was also conceived with a Social Justice imperative. PERSIST advances student access, success and equity, and addresses those egalitarian BCC core values of communication, computational skills, critical thinking, self-awareness, interpersonal skills, and information competency. To this end, PERSIST uses an “immersion” model put forth by the Academy for College Excellence (ACE), with two founding faculty as ACE Master Mentors nationwide. Major themes of the PERSIST/ACE Foundational Curriculum include: Deindustrialization of Education, Naming Needs and Emotion, Authentic Communication, and Bringing What You Learn Out into the World.

Successful learning experiences are dependent on the sustained engagement of diverse students. Continued experiences of racism are undeniably associated with increased levels of hopelessness and lower academic achievement. Our current political climate makes it incumbent upon educators to challenge and delegitimize racist and other discriminatory messages in order to restore hope, dreams, and valuation of self among students of color. If we can engage in this consciousness-raising work collectively across our institutions, then we can get one, two, three steps nearer to closing the racial achievement gap.

Visit Berkeley City College if you are interested in learning more about PERSIST and other Learning Community programs. The faculty and I are eager to share our students’ stories with you! You can contact me directly to schedule a visit at rtomaneng@peralta.edu

Bay Area

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

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Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.
Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.

By Oakland Post Staff

The Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley is celebrating its 90th church anniversary on Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at 3301 King Street in Berkeley.

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

The celebration will feature Pastor Darnell Manuel of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo as guest speaker, along with many other special presentations.

Those who wish to share in Progressive’s history can purchase a 100-page full-colored souvenir book for $25.

The church boasts a number of notable people who either regularly attended or became members of the church since its inception, including former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, and one of the organizers of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Helen J. H. Stephens.

Pastor Stuckey often remarks how longevity flourishes at the church — it boasts 13 centenarians (people who have reached 100 years or more). Currently, it has one centenarian who is still surviving, Mrs. Dorothy Chambers, and 14 members who have reached 90 years or more.

Recently, on Feb.17, the pastor and his wife Kay Frances, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

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Activism

Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear  the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

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Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.
Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear  the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing,  just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

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Activism

Golden State Warriors Program Is Inspiring Next Generation of Female Engineers

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

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Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.
Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

The Golden State Warriors and e-commerce giant Rakuten are joining forces to inspire the next generation of female engineers through Building STEAM Futures, part of The City Calls campaign.

Organizers say the initiative is founded on the idea that science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) are crucial fields for innovation and progress, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in these areas is more important than ever. Studies consistently show that girls are underrepresented in STEAM fields, resulting in a gender disparity that limits potential and hinders diversity.

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

On Saturday, March 8, International Women’s Day, the Warriors and Rakuten hosted 20 middle school girls from Girls Inc. of Alameda County at Chase Center’s Above the Rim for a hands-on bridge-building experience. The young girls from Girls, Inc. of Alameda County had an opportunity to design, build and test their own bridge prototypes and learn the fundamentals of bridge construction from the Engineering Alliance and the UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team.

This STEAM experience for the girls followed the first session in January, where they took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, learning about its design and construction from industry experts. The City Calls campaign, tipped off with the unveiling the Warriors’ new bridge-themed City Edition jerseys and court design earlier this year.

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