Activism
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Biden Administration for Hosting the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference
Congresswoman Lee was inspired by her predecessor, Congressman Ron Dellums, to establish the framework for the Global Fund. She worked closely with Republican Congressman Jim Leach to get H.Res.3519, the Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act of 2000, through the Banking Committee, which was eventually signed by President Bill Clinton in 2000. The legislation was later championed at the United Nations by Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Post News Group Staff
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee applauded President Biden for announcing that the United States will host the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference on Sept. 19, 2022 in New York City. The United States is proud to be a founding contributor of, and the largest single donor to, the Global Fund, having contributed nearly $20 billion since 2002.
Founded in 2002, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) is a unique financing mechanism that relies on a dynamic partnership among governments, the private sector, and civil society to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria in ways that contribute to strengthening health systems.
“Over the last two decades, the Global Fund has maintained strong bipartisan support in Congress,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Since the United States became the first country to pledge to it in 2001, the Global Fund partnership has saved over 44 million lives from the three deadliest infectious diseases before COVID-19 arose — AIDS, TB and malaria. Hosting the next Replenishment will speed the world’s progress toward ending these epidemics, while showing U.S. commitment to preventing future pandemics.
“This has been a top priority of mine spanning decades. We must invest in programs like the Global Fund and PEPFAR, which have saved countless lives, contributed to reducing health inequities and protecting human rights and health services for those around the world. As we continue to fight our current public health emergencies and prepare for those in the future, gatherings like the Replenishment Conference are crucial. I applaud President Biden for reaffirming the United States leadership in the fight for an AIDS-free generation.”
President Biden’s FY 2023 budget includes a request for $2 billion for the Global Fund intended to be a first part of a total U.S. $6 billion three-year Seventh Replenishment pledge, to save lives and continue the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The Global Fund raises funds ahead of each three-year grant cycle at replenishment conferences when donors formally pledge their intended contributions. The Seventh Replenishment Conference will raise funds to be used in the 2023-25 grant cycle.
Congresswoman Lee was inspired by her predecessor, Congressman Ron Dellums, to establish the framework for the Global Fund. She worked closely with Republican Congressman Jim Leach to get H.Res.3519, the Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act of 2000, through the Banking Committee, which was eventually signed by President Bill Clinton in 2000. The legislation was later championed at the United Nations by Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest-ranking Black woman in the U.S. Congress.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024
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Activism
Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties
Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
By Post Staff
Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.
His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.
Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”
Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.
At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.
The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.
Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.
In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”
Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”
After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”
Activism
WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY
Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971.
Sister Juanita Matthews
55 Years with Oakland Public School District
The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God
Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.
Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.
She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.
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