Oakland

Councilmember Lynette McElhaney Endorses #BlackOutNFL

Published

9 years ago

August 31, 2017

Last week, hundreds gathered outside of NFL headquarters to protest the League’s retaliation against Colin Kaepernick and for turning a deaf ear to the suffering of their fans.

The NFL collectively has ostracized Kaepernick, a member of the NFL players union, for exercising his constitutionally protected right of free speech, after kneeling during the National Anthem to call attention to the disproportionate injuries and deaths of Black people at the hands of law enforcement.

“I support the #BlackoutNFL protest because it is past time for us to engage in a national discussion to insist that law enforcement uphold Constitutional protections as they perform their duties,” said McElhaney. “As more players, including Oakland native Marshawn Lynch move to exercise their rights, the public must be concerned about the League’s stance against athletes and other employees.

McElhaney believes the NFL’s position to punish Kaepernick has a chilling effect on all voices of dissent and makes all employees vulnerable to retaliation by an employer for all forms of peaceful protest.

“Today, it’s punishing those affirming that Black Lives Matter; tomorrow, it could be employees standing up for immigrant rights or speaking out against terrorist attacks targeting LGBTQ people like the Orlando shooting. We have to speak up now to protect the players and to protect all of our rights to free speech,” she added.

In 2015, a cop tackled a bikini-clad Black teen girl and aimed his gun at unarmed Black teens peacefully assembled at a McKinney Texas pool party. In 2016, Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw was convicted and sentenced to 263 years in prison after sexually assaulting African-American women in Oklahoma City’s poorest neighborhoods. This year, on Father’s Day, Bakersfield Police claimed to believe Tatyana Hargrove, a 5’2, 19-year old woman was in fact a 5’10, 170-pound man and beat her viciously; and, the Oakland Police Department that has been entrenched in the sex scandal of a teenager.

All of these matters are examples of issues Kaepernick’s protest sought to expose and “deserve national attention” said McElhaney.
Despite the NFL’s measures to denounce domestic violence by its players following Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Rice’ incident in 2014, the NFL’s practice of retention and promotion of its players who have physically and emotionally assaulted their wives and girlfriends continues to assert the behavior is acceptable.

Berkeley sociologist Harry Edwards said, “They [NFL] have brought in people who have been associated with double murders… people who have been associated with rape, drafted a guy in this past draft that hit a woman so hard in Oklahoma he could have killed her. They have brought back people who have been guilty of vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, and who have beaten on women [multiple] times.”

By nurturing a culture that tolerates domestic violence even as it punishes free speech the NFL is complicit in creating a hostile work environment for their employees, 70 percent of whom are Black men.

McElhaney urges all consumers to join in the #BlackoutNFL protest until the National Football League, the NFL Player’s Association and owners take action to:

1) Affirm and Protect the Free Speech rights of all employees (not be confused with protecting hate speech);

2) Condemn any action by law enforcement that deprives any citizen due process protections;

3) Support the Movement for Black Lives;

4) End the collusion that has prevented Colin Kaepernick from being offered a position commensurate with his athletic skills and performance.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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March 22, 2026

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC