Activism

Dr. Joy DeGruy Visits Oakland as Guest of Dept. of Race and Equity

Published

7 years ago

September 26, 2019

On her most recent visit to Oakland, “Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome” author Joy De Gruy expounded on two areas of American history that impact the way Black – and other people- think about the original and lingering impact of the institution that shaped the U.S.

The First Congregational Church of Oakland was packed to capacity on Fri., Sept. 13, 2019, as guests heard from DeGruy, now an internationally renowned speaker and researcher.
Hosted by the City of Oakland Department of Race and Equity, and entitled ‘The Town Talks About Racial Equity’ series, DeGruy shared her compilation of 20 years of research in a slide presentation.

She calls the result of generations of abuse in America and Africa PTSS (Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome), while illuminating the conditions that led to the Atlantic Slave Trade and allowed racism and repression to continue through to the present day.

From the Statue of Liberty in New York to the Middle Passage starting on the Cape Coast, she unearthed truths and the great lengths the establishment exercises to hide facts.
“Most people are totally unaware that the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States to celebrate the freedom of African slaves in America,” said DeGruy. “Can you imagine how this information, if taught in schools, would impact our Black youth?”

DeGruy explained that the statue (Liberty Enlightening the World), commonly known as the Statue of Liberty, was originally sculpted with broken chains on the wrists and ankles of the statue but the artist was pressured to modify it. DeGruy says as a result of her putting the truth out, the Department of the Interior reached out to her and asked that she train the guides on that truth about the statue.
“So, as of 2016, the chains and the truth are a part of the tour,” she said.

DeGruy also shared some details about the prisons in Africa where millions of captured Africans were held prior to being placed on ships as cargo headed to the Americas, stacked 18 inches apart on voyages that lasted months, a journey known as the Middle Passage.
DeGruy said when the slave dungeons in Ghana were transformed into a museum; builders were unable to level the floor. “Leveling the floors was a challenge because it was two feet of human feces and excrement. Since it was never removed, our ancestors were literally wading in two feet of human excrement 18 inches apart, awaiting their fate packed on a ship before being enslaved in America.”

Some audience members gasped, while others wiped tears from their eyes, no longer able to hide outrage and shock of facts hidden throughout history.
“Many intellectuals like to debate me and want to minimize slave brutality in America.” Disputing the critics, DeGruy shared quotes from slaves and medical data of a condition only found in slaves – proof that slaves had been worked so hard that the muscle detached from the bone.”

For DeGruy, the cognitive dissonance (the act of behaving contrary to factual evidence) in the United States must cease.
“That’s like breaking a person’s leg and then getting mad at them for limping,” she said. “White supremacy has brain-washed people into seeing Black and Brown people as ‘other.’ And when you relabel a person as an ‘other.’ you can justify your mistreatment of them.”
According to DeGruy, most Americans aren’t truly protected by the Constitution. “It was “created for wealthy white landowners.” “In order for us to even begin to work toward racial justice and equity; we have to have an honest conversation about the past.”
Darlene Flynn, director of the Department of Race and Equity with the City of Oakland said the series is intended to bring communities together to bring about social change. “Dr. DeGruy offers great insight into our history and when you understand the past you can change the future.”

Carla Thomas

Posts by Carla Thomas

Related Topics:Department of Race and Equity First Congregational Church of Oakland Joy DeGruy

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Activism

‘Hire Oakland’ Job Fair Draws 2,000, Connecting Residents to Immediate Job Opportunities

Oakland’s Hire Oakland job fair, hosted by Mayor Barbara Lee’s office, connected over 2,000 job seekers with employers, highlighting a strong demand for quality jobs and career pathways in the city.

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Left to right: Yawo Tekpa, OPIC Manager, One Stop Operator; Sofia Navarro, Deputy City Administrator; and Ray Lankford, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.

By Post Staff

The Office of Mayor Barbara Lee, in partnership with the City of Oakland and regional employers, hosted a successful Hire Oakland job fair this week at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, bringing together job seekers and employers for a day focused on opportunity, connection, and economic mobility.

With more than 2,000 RSVPs, the event on Wednesday reflected strong demand across Oakland for access to quality jobs and career pathways. Attendees participated in on-site recruitment, application support, and hands-on workshops designed to help job seekers navigate hiring processes and prepare for interviews.

Over the course of the day, employers and community partners engaged directly with residents in a welcoming, high-energy environment centered on opportunity and hope. Participating employers included EBMUD, Samuel Merritt University, the City of Oakland, BART, PG&E, AC Transit, East Bay Regional Parks District, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and many others offering immediate openings and career pathways across sectors.

Workforce development partners Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) and Lao Family Community Development provided connections to résumé support, interview coaching, and individualized job search assistance throughout the event.

The strong turnout underscores a clear reality: Oakland residents are eager for pathways into meaningful work, and sustained investment in youth and workforce programs is essential.

That is why Mayor Lee has prioritized relaunching the Oakland Police Cadet Program and the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP)—ensuring young people have early access to paid work experience, mentorship, and long-term career pathways, according to a City press statement.

“The turnout shows what we already know—Oaklanders are ready to work, ready to grow, and ready to build their futures here at home,” said Lee. “When we connect people directly to employers and invest in young people early, we are not just filling jobs—we are changing lives and strengthening our city’s future.”

The Hire Oakland job fair is part of the City’s broader effort to strengthen workforce pipelines, expand access to good-paying jobs, and ensure Oakland residents are first in line for local opportunity.

About Hire OaklandHire Oakland is a citywide workforce initiative led by the Office of Mayor Barbara Lee in partnership with City departments, workforce development organizations, and regional employers. The program connects Oakland job seekers to real-time hiring opportunities, training resources, and career pathways.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Cassie ‘Mama C’ Lopez Honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year

Cassandra “Mama C” Lopez, a dedicated parent, teacher, and activist, was honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year for her unwavering commitment to community and justice.

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Cassandra Lopez, known as “Mama C,” is surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors at Oakland’s annual Mother of Year celebration at the Morcom Rose Garden, Saturday, May 9. Photo by Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon.

By Ken Epstein

The City of Oakland recognized Cassandra, “Mama C,” Lopez – parent, teacher, community activist, and justice warrior – as Oakland’s Mother of the Year in a celebration at Oakland’s Morcom Rose Garden on Mother’s Day weekend.

Long recognized as a leader in her community, she was nominated by District 3 City Councilmember Carroll Fife to receive the city’s 73rd annual Mother of the Year award.

Speaking at the crowded ceremony on Saturday, May 9, where Mama C received roses and a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Lee, Fife said she felt honored to nominate Lopez, an “amazing woman – a hell-raising humanitarian, for the energy, the passion, but most of all the love for community” that makes her one of those “exceptional women whose lives, exemplify love, sacrifice, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the family and community they serve.”

Cassie Lopez was born in 1945 to Pauline and Calvin Weaver, a family that had left Florida and Jim Crow for the east side of Detroit. From an early age, she was instilled with a sense of Black awareness, love, and the importance of community in the face of hardships, including poverty, freezing winters, low pay, and slum landlords.

Fifty-five years ago, she married Juan Lopez. The couple has three children and has lived for decades in a neighborhood on the edge of downtown Oakland near Mosswood Park.

Said her husband, Juan, “Mama C has been a selfless mother of our own children, and she also became a teacher. Our home became a second home for many young people. For some, it was refuge from difficult home situations, and for others, a safe place to hang out.

“Throughout the years, Mama C was sometimes a foot soldier and other times a leader, immersed in some of the biggest national and citywide struggles of the day,” Juan said. “But less known to many is the role she played day in and day out where the rubber hits the road.

“For 35 years, she has shepherded the Mosswood Park and Recreation Center – through its good and bad times. If the Center exists (and thrives) today, it has to do with Mama C, working alongside neighbors, center directors, community advisory council, and when necessary, community coalitions, city officials, the religious community, and the labor movement.”

Said Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon, “I am an old friend of my sister here. We met in 1970 in the sugarcane fields of Cuba, where we were helping the Cuban government harvest their sugar. We have been friends ever since. She has always been someone who does not give in to despair.”

David Johnson, an educator in Oakland, was one of the neighborhood children who grew up in the community created by Mama C and her family

“Cassandra Lopez is a beacon of light, full of compassion. She has dedicated her life to quality education to the poor and working class,” serving for 40 years as a Spanish teacher in Oakland schools, he said.

“She has dedicated her life to speak truth to power, justice to the silent, and as a member of the community, she advocates for programs and resources,” he said.

In her remarks, Mama C recognized the influence and power of all mothers. “Together, we all stand on the backs of our mothers. Mothers play a special role in society. We give when we have almost nothing left to give. We hurt when some people don’t see the hurt and the pain that our families endure. But we keep on moving forward.”

Looking at what African Americans, other people of color and working people face in the country today, she said, “We are deserving of the very best because our hands, our bodies produce the wealth of world, and yet we get the least. We see our country wholesale being stolen away from us, and we are told to grin and bear it. We’re not bearing it; we’re fighting against it.”

Continuing, she said, “There’s enough wealth in this world that there should be no hunger in the world. There should be nobody without a decent place to live. Nobody should be sleeping on the street. Teachers should get the freedom to be creative and tell the stories that exist in this nation that make us strong and great.

“We have a lot to do. We cannot despair. We cannot run. People are learning, and together, collectively, we can do it.”