Arts and Culture
Deputy Library Director Bestowed National Honor
A respected national publication called Library Journal took notice and awarded Deputy MCFL Director Raemona Little Taylor in its 2022 Movers & Shakers class of community builders for her outstanding leadership and impact to the library industry as a change agent. Only 41 people were in the 2022 class, and just over 1,000 librarians nationwide have earned such status since the awards were first given in 2002.

Raemona Little Taylor earns accolade as advocate and literacy partner
Courtesy of Marin County
Advancing equity, from talk to action, is a trademark for Raemona Little Taylor, Deputy Director of the Marin County Free Library (MCFL). And there’s no way the COVID-19 pandemic was going to get in her way.
A respected national publication called Library Journal took notice and awarded Little Taylor in its 2022 Movers & Shakers class of community builders for her outstanding leadership and impact to the library industry as a change agent. Only 41 people were in the 2022 class, and just over 1,000 librarians nationwide have earned such status since the awards were first given in 2002.
Library Journal has provided features and news reporting about American libraries since 1876 and is the top trade publication in that industry. Movers & Shakers profiles up-and-coming, innovative, creative individuals from around the world — both great leaders and behind-the-scenes contributors — who are providing inspiration and model programs for others, including programs developed this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little Taylor is just the second MCFL employee to receive the national recognition; Diana Lopez, manager of the Marin City MCFL branch, was selected in 2016.
The publication noted that Little Taylor “worked tirelessly” to develop successful initiatives that are considered widely inclusive, stepping up to serve people in need and in marginalized populations. Her signature projects have included offering services to incarcerated youth, developing school partnerships, providing direct tutoring services, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Learning Bus, a “green” vehicle that brings literary and education outreach services to children and their families living in rural areas of West Marin. She also piloted a Reading Buddies program and implemented blueprints for safety around children working with adult volunteers.
Undeterred by the pandemic, Little Taylor moved the Reading Buddies program online, teamed with partners to create 500 new wireless hotspots for school-age children who were rushed into online learning for the first time, and led efforts to create a licensed day care center for children of health care and essential workers at an MCFL branch.
“The entire Marin County Free Library team stands with Raemona in our commitment to racial equity in Marin County,” said MCFL Director Lana Adlawan. “Raemona works tirelessly to ensure that community and staff voices are heard and that library programs are inclusive for all. She isn’t afraid to dream big and work hard to make new things happen. I am excited to see what she dreams up next!”
Little Taylor’s passion lies in offering services around literacy and education that are appropriate to the realities of disproportionately affected communities. The first step is acknowledging what she described as a long history of libraries as segregated spaces.
“Until libraries and librarians grapple with their history as gatekeepers for white-dominant culture, they will struggle to create welcoming and inclusive workplaces where diverse workers feel like they truly belong,” Little Taylor told the Library Journal. “It can be a real challenge to work within institutions as the one and only Black, Indigenous and people of color [BIPOC] staff member. We need to move beyond being tolerated to being celebrated.”
Little Taylor, an MCFL employee since 2017, is the public services administrator of the 10 MCFL branches and two mobile vehicles serving patrons in the field. Previously she was a teen and adult services librarian at the Fairfax branch and then senior librarian and education initiatives coordinator for four branches in West Marin. After earning her master’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, she began her professional career as a public records researcher and in several roles with the Nashville Public Library prior to joining MCFL.
Nominations for annual awards were vetted by the editors of Library Journal, giving weight to factors such as innovation, the impact of the person’s work, and the potential for programs to serve as models and inspiration for others in the field.
Activism
Oak Temple Hill Hosts Interfaith Leaders from Across the Bay Area
Distinguished faith leaders Rev. Ken Chambers, executive director the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC); Michael Pappas, executive director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council; and Dr. Ejaz Naqzi, president of the Contra Costa County Interfaith Council addressed the group on key issues including homelessness, food insecurity, immigration, and meaningful opportunities to care for individuals and communities in need.

Special to the Post
Interfaith leaders from the Bay Area participated in a panel discussion at the annual meeting of communication leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held on Temple Hill in Oakland on May 31. Distinguished faith leaders Rev. Ken Chambers, executive director the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC); Michael Pappas, executive director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council; and Dr. Ejaz Naqzi, president of the Contra Costa County Interfaith Council addressed the group on key issues including homelessness, food insecurity, immigration, and meaningful opportunities to care for individuals and communities in need.
Chambers, said he is thankful for the leadership and support of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints’ global ministry, which recently worked with the interfaith congregations of ICAC to help Yasjmine Oeveraas a homeless Norwegian mother and her family find shelter and access to government services.
Oeveraas told the story of how she was assisted by ICAC to the Oakland Post. “I’m a Norwegian citizen who escaped an abusive marriage with nowhere to go. We’ve been homeless in Florida since January 2024. Recently, we came to California for my son’s passport, but my plan to drive for Uber fell through, leaving us homeless again. Through 2-1-1, I was connected to Rev. Ken Chambers, pastor of the West Side Missionary Baptist Church and president of the Interfaith Council of Alameda County, and his car park program, which changed our lives. We spent about a week-and-a-half living in our car before being blessed with a trailer. After four years of uncertainty and 18 months of homelessness, this program has given us stability and hope again.
“Now, both my son and I have the opportunity to continue our education. I’m pursuing cyber analytics, something I couldn’t do while living in the car. My son can also complete his education, which is a huge relief. This program has given us the space to focus and regain our dignity. I am working harder than ever to reach my goals and give back to others in need.”
Richard Kopf, communication director for The Church of Jesus Christ in the Bay Area stated: “As followers of Jesus Christ, we embrace interfaith cooperation and are united in our efforts to show God’s love for all of his children.”
Activism
Learning Life’s Lessons
Since his release over five years ago, Richard has committed himself to making a difference, particularly by reaching out to women and families who lack the presence of a father or husband. He knows he cannot undo the years lost behind prison walls, but he is determined to use his past to build a better future for others. His story mirrors that of many who have walked a similar path. Yet, it remains uniquely his own – a testament to the power of change, resilience, and the belief that even from tragedy, something good can emerge.

“California’s three-strike laws gave me 2 life sentences for drug possession. After serving 28 years, mostly in solitary confinement, I am free to lead a movement to get the formerly incarcerated to give back.”
By Richard Johnson
I have written this book in hopes of being able to help others from not traveling down the path that leads to imprisonment or a cemetery. At the very beginning of writing this book, it began as a message to my son Fati Yero Gaidi, who was only two years old at the time that I was given two life sentences in prison for drug possession, under the newly implemented three-strikes-you-out law. The more that I wrote, the book began to evolve beyond its intended purpose for my son; it became something that any and everyone could utilize on their separate journeys through life challenges that we encounter. The book helped me put my thoughts, reasoning, perceptions, and views on display, while opening doors that, for the most part, were closed. The book can be purchased via Amazon. Learning life lessons.
About the Author
By Post staff
Richard “Razor” Johnson, 74, is a man whose life journey is marked by hard-earned wisdom, redemption, and an unshakable commitment to guiding the next generation. Once sentenced to life under California’s Three Strikes Law, he was released through what he calls nothing short of divine intervention. His time behind bars, particularly in Pelican Bay State Prison, gave him a new raw and unfiltered understanding of life’s hardest truths.
With the realization that time is precious and the future is shaped by the lessons we learn, Richard writes with urgency and purpose. His book—a 300-page labor of love—is dedicated to young men who may not have a father to teach them the meaning of life’s most important words. Through definitions filled with wisdom, experience, and deep personal insight, he offers direction to those who find themselves lost, just as he once was.
Since his release over five years ago, Richard has committed himself to making a difference, particularly by reaching out to women and families who lack the presence of a father or husband. He knows he cannot undo the years lost behind prison walls, but he is determined to use his past to build a better future for others. His story mirrors that of many who have walked a similar path. Yet, it remains uniquely his own – a testament to the power of change, resilience, and the belief that even from tragedy, something good can emerge.
His words are not just lessons; they are a call to action. He hopes that by investing in young minds with wisdom and insight, they will be better equipped to navigate life’s trials, learn from their mistakes, and find their path to success. Richard “Razor” Johnson writes not just to be heard, but to help – because he knows firsthand that sometimes guidance can make all the difference.
Post publishers Paul and Gay Cobb visited Johnson in San Quentin and attended his graduation while he was in prison. He became a columnist with the Post News Group and has continued his advocacy for the formerly incarcerated by urging them to “give something back”. Johnson says he will be speaking at prisons, colleges, and media outlets to help organize voter registration and community service projects.
Activism
New Oakland Moving Forward
This week, several socially enterprising members of this group visited Oakland to explore ways to collaborate with local stakeholders at Youth Empowerment Partnership, the Port of Oakland, Private Industry Council, Oakland, Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, the Oakland Ballers ownership group, and the oversight thought leaders in the Alameda County Probation Department.

By Post Staff
Since the African American Sports and Entertainment Group purchased the City of Oakland’s share of the Alameda County Coliseum Complex, we have been documenting the positive outcomes that are starting to occur here in Oakland.
Some of the articles in the past have touched on actor Blair Underwood’s mission to breathe new energy into the social fabric of Oakland. He has joined the past efforts of Steph and Ayesha Curry, Mistah Fab, Green Day, Too Short, and the Oakland Ballers.
This week, several socially enterprising members of this group visited Oakland to explore ways to collaborate with local stakeholders at Youth Empowerment Partnership, the Port of Oakland, Private Industry Council, Oakland, Mayor-Elect Barbara Lee, the Oakland Ballers ownership group, and the oversight thought leaders in the Alameda County Probation Department.
These visits represent a healthy exchange of ideas and plans to resuscitate Oakland’s image. All parties felt that the potential to impact Oakland is right in front of us. Most recently, on the back side of these visits, the Oakland Ballers and Blair Underwood committed to a 10-year lease agreement to support community programs and a community build-out.
So, upward and onward with the movement of New Oakland.
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