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Community Leaders Call for Solidarity Over Threats and Harassment of Black Women Leaders

A new database by Princeton University and the Anti-Defamation League has begun tracking threats received by public officials, identifying women, particularly women of color, to be targeted, totaling 42.5% of all incidents.

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A press conference Monday, Feb. 6 at Oakland City Hall calls for solidarity against threats of violence and intimidation of Black women leaders. Some of the elected officials and leaders at the event were [Bottom row l-r]: Assemblymember Liz Ortega, Councilmember Carroll Fife and State Senator Senator Aisha Wahab. (Middle row): Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, Mayor Sheng Thao and Assemblymember Mia Bonta. (Top row): Councilmember Kevin Jenkins and Rev. Cheryl Ward. Photo by Ken Epstein.
A press conference Monday, Feb. 6 at Oakland City Hall calls for solidarity against threats of violence and intimidation of Black women leaders. Some of the elected officials and leaders at the event were [Bottom row l-r]: Assemblymember Liz Ortega, Councilmember Carroll Fife and State Senator Senator Aisha Wahab. (Middle row): Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, Mayor Sheng Thao and Assemblymember Mia Bonta. (Top row): Councilmember Kevin Jenkins and Rev. Cheryl Ward. Photo by Ken Epstein.

“We are seeing a sharp polarization of politics and when people build on fear … we are seeing a rise in violence across the nation,” says Councilmember Carroll Fife

By Ken Epstein

A press conference this week on the steps of Oakland City Hall called for community solidarity against the increased dangers posed by threats of violence and harassment of women of color — particularly Black women who are elected leaders or leading members of justice advocacy organizations.

While threats, violence and harassment are rising across the nation, including highly publicized threats against Congressional leaders Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, these threats are also increasing in Oakland, which is not immune.

“We are seeing a sharp polarization of politics, and when people build on fear or want to dispossess their fear onto other individuals, it can result in violence and harassment — we are seeing a rise in violence across the nation,” said Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife, who called for the press event after increased threats against herself and others.

This “is an attempt to limit democracy; they are seeking to stall and stymie the voices of people who are transforming government in order to stop the change that they know is so desperately needed and desired by the community,” said Fife.

“This is why I chose to finally share my experiences after years of dealing with it in silence, because it isn’t just about me,” she said. “I have taken a vow to fight for my constituents and to fight for the residents of this city, and the more that I speak, the more that I hear other stories. These stories need to be documented in order for us to address the deeply rooted issues motivating this violence and harassment.”

Attending the press conference were state and local leaders including Councilmember Fife, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, California Senator Aisha Wahab, Assemblymember Liz Ortega, Assemblymember Mia Bonta, City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas and Councilmembers Rebecca Kaplan, Kevin Jenkins and Janani Ramachandran.

Also attending were about 100 individuals and members of many local organizations who came to stand in solidarity.

A new database by Princeton University and the Anti-Defamation League has begun tracking threats received by public officials, identifying women, particularly women of color, to be targeted, totaling 42.5% of all incidents.

The Oakland Progressive Alliance (OPA) has begun a petition calling on business leaders, civil rights groups and advocates connected to any of the individuals perpetrating misleading, politically motivated or dangerous rhetoric to join them in publicly condemning these personal attacks. They are also urging the community to speak out when they see the scapegoating of Black women and women of color in leadership positions.

In her remarks, State Senator Wahab said, “Threats of rape are a particular avenue of violence that are only reserved for those of us who are not heterosexual men. I, too, have been on the receiving end of such threats. … If we stay quiet about this type of abuse, the efforts to … make us shrink, cower and be quiet will only continue.”

Councilmember Kaplan said, “This is a good morning because this is what solidarity looks like. This is what it means when we say we will not stand idly by when people are attacked and particularly when Black women are attacked.

“These attacks are happening because people fear the kind of justice and transformation that is happening. These attacks are a sign of the success of these incredible Black women leaders.”

Kaplan continued: “We will not stand by whether it is individuals leaving disgusting voice mails, putting comments online, whether it is the rightwing white supremacist Proud Boys coming into Alameda County to attack people in our communities, whether it is a politician at the national level raising hate or it is one at the local level raising hate as a part of a political strategy.”

Cat Brooks, a journalist, actor, and a founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP), said, “Let me be clear: the work is going to continue. (In spite of) your threats, your actions, your voicemails, your emails, your Twitter warrior messages, the work is going to continue.”

Brooks said she has been subjected to countless threats over ATPT’s demands to end police violence, which claims the lives of over a thousand Black people a year. “Because people don’t like what I have to say, they think it’s OK to threaten my life, to threaten my home, to threaten my child.”

One of the first threats she received 14 years ago was a threat of sexual assault against her then 9-year-old daughter, she said.

Thao said, “We know this happens, (but) why does this happen? There are still far too many people in our society who cannot deal with women of color being in positions of power. These messengers of hate … cannot deal with women of color being in leadership and demanding, not asking, for respect and inclusion.

“They are trying to send a message to all women of color to stay in your lane, stay in your place. You wait your turn … This is what we say: ‘Hell no.’”

She continued: “We will not be intimidated. We will stand together, all of us beautifully together, and we will send a message to those messengers of hate: You cannot stop us.”

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How the Crack Cocaine Epidemic Led to Mass Sex Exploitation of Black People PART 3: The Case Against SB357: Black, Vulnerable and Trafficked

Although California Senate Bill 357 was intended to alleviate arrests of willing sex workers under anti-loitering laws, it opened up a Pandora’s box loophole that hinders the ability of law enforcement to halt human trafficking, especially of young Black and Brown girls. This segment continues to explore the history that led to this latest form of exploitation in Oakland.

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Sable tied up.
Sable tied up.

By Tanya Dennis and Vanessa Russell

Although California Senate Bill 357 was intended to alleviate arrests of willing sex workers under anti-loitering laws, it opened up a Pandora’s box loophole that hinders the ability of law enforcement to halt human trafficking, especially of young Black and Brown girls. This segment continues to explore the history that led to this latest form of exploitation in Oakland.

It was 1980: The beginning of the end for the Black family and Black community as we knew it.

Crack cocaine was introduced to the United States that year and it rendered unparalleled devastation on Black folks. Crack is a solid smokable form of cocaine made by boiling baking soda, cocaine, and water into a rock that crackles when smoked.

The tremendous high — especially when first smoked — and the low cost brought temporary relief to the repeatedly and relentlessly traumatized members of the Black community.

What was unknown at the time was how highly addictive this form of cocaine would be and how harmful the ensuing impact on the Black family when the addicted Black mother was no longer a haven of safety for her children.

The form made it easy to mass produce and distribute, opening the market to anyone and everyone, including many Black men who viewed selling crack as their way out of poverty.

These two factors — addicted Black women and drug-dealing Black men — would lead to the street exploitation for sex as we know it today.

Encouraged to try it free initially, most poor, Black women in the 1980s used crack cocaine in a social setting with friends. When the free samples disappeared the drug dealer offered to supply the women crack in exchange for allowing him to sell their bodies to sex buyers.

The increase in the supply of women willing to exchange sex for crack — a.k.a. the “sex for crack barter system” — caused the price of sex to decrease and at the same time increased the demand for sex because more buyers could afford it.

The desperation of the women to get their hit of crack made them willing to endure any form of abuse and treatment from buyers during sex, including unprotected and violent sex.

It also pushed desperate Black women onto the street to pursue sex buyers, flagging down cars and willing to have sex anywhere actively and desperately. Street prostitution grew and buyers were able to buy oral sex for as little as $5.
This sex-for-crack barter system resulted in a dramatic increase in sexually transmitted diseases including HIV and AIDS, both of which are disproportionately represented among Black people.
It also resulted in unplanned pregnancies by unknown fathers, which then resulted in children born addicted to crack who were immediately placed in the foster care system where they were often abused and/or neglected.

For his part, the Black man who engaged in the mass production and distribution of crack was often killed by gun violence while fighting over drug territory or incarcerated for long periods of time as use and sales and distribution of crack carried longer sentences than powdered cocaine.

Crack unleashed an entire chain of new trauma upon the Black family which then all but collapsed under this latest social attack that had started with chattel slavery, followed by Jim Crow, redlining, school segregation, food deserts, et. al.

Exploitation was and is at the root of the crack cocaine epidemic. It is the latest weapon used to prey upon Black people since the beginning of our time in the United States.

The sex industry and legislation like SB357 have only increased harm to Black people who have been historically oppressed with racist laws and epidemics including crack. More must be done to restore the Black community.

Tanya Dennis serves on the Board of Oakland Frontline Healers (OFH) and series co-author Vanessa Russell of “Love Never Fails Us” and member of OFH.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 22 – 28, 2023

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March March 22 – 38, 2023

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 22 - 38, 2023

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Oakland Post: Week of March 15 – 21, 2023

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 15 – 21, 2023

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 15 - 21, 2023

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