Bay Area

FAME’S Pastor Smith Claims “Triumph Over Tragedy” — Fire Mobilizes a City and a Nation

FAME, the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Oakland, held its first service at a temporary location, Temple Beth Abraham on MacArthur Blvd, after their Telegraph Avenue building went up in flames last month. The temple is just 12 walking blocks away from FAME’s charred structure.

Published

3 months ago

March 6, 2023

Oakland Post

Pastor Rodney D. Smith of FAME, the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Oakland addresses the media after Sunday services at Temple Beth Abraham on MacArthur Blvd., it's temporary location. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

Amidst the music notes of an organ and shouts of “Amen,” throughout the super-charged service, Pastor Rodney D. Smith encouraged his congregation to stand on their faith. He also predicted that FAME, with the help of friends throughout the nation, would rise above the ashes be better than before. Smith’s sermon topic dealt with the concept of liminal space, which is defined as a period of transition. He cited the biblical scripture of three Hebrews engulfed in fire, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednago, but miraculously unburned and protected by God’s liminal space.

“You make sure the history books say, ‘They rose above the ashes and whatever was before, it’s greater now!’ We didn’t give up or throw in the towel,” said Smith.

On Sunday night Feb. 26, fire fighters doused the FAME building with water hoses for over 5 hours. Video footage of the fire, which burned into early Monday morning was tweeted initially by the Oakland Fire Department. The footage went viral, allowing people across the nation to view the fiery flames and billowing smoke, causing the tragedy to resonate beyond the local community. The fact that FAME is the oldest Black church in Oakland further fueled empathy toward a homeless congregation and a piece of American history burning down.

“Family you are no longer FAME, you are now America’s church,” said Smith, as parishioners stood from their pews, cheering in agreement.

Rev. Smith said Rabbi Mark Bloom, Temple Beth Abraham’s leader, welcomed FAME’s congregants with open arms and has offered space for their services through March. During the week, Bloom spoke to the media saying he was familiar with Pastor Smith, so extending the invitation was natural. Rabbi Bloom also expressed that the commonality of the history struggles and abuse of Black people and Jewish people being “othered and ostracized” throughout society added to the significance of the FAME Oakland’s use of the synagogue.

Pastor Rodney Smith said he was grateful for the outpouring of support and is “laser-focused on keeping hope, a bright future and continuity of services for our members at the forefront.”

Smith, originally based in Atlanta, Georgia, began pastoring in Oakland two years ago. “Rabbi Bloom was one of the first faith leaders to reach out to me at that time, giving me a tour of this very facility,” said Smith of the synagogue. “We had lunch and became friends. We had no idea we’d (FAME) be here two years later.”

While FAME will worship at the temple for a short time, they have yet to determine a long-term plan.

Smith also plans to produce an ecumenical service to celebrate Oakland’s resilience. “The building is burned down, but the ministry doesn’t stop. The church is not the building, the church is what’s in your heart. And with our faith, we believe that this happened for a reason giving us an opportunity to bring people together,” he said.

While the start of the fire is still under investigation, there has been some speculation that a homeless person may have started a fire to create warmth. “The frustration is that California and the city have many resources and with homeless people living under bridges and in their cars, this is an old topic that needs to be addressed. This fire presents an opportunity for us to do something about it,” said Smith.

Pastor Smith strongly feels that his church’s tragedy will change the trajectory of the entire city.

Smith said, “FAME is Oakland. FAME is Black History. FAME is strong. Oakland is strong. FAME was one of the first institutions in the area to educate Black people.” He described a scenario that would have made Martin Luther King Jr. proud: The city re-examines itself and billionaires, millionaires, the middle class, the poor, the elected officials, public officials and faith leaders of all faiths rise up together to not only rebuild the church — but transform the community and city.

“It’s going to happen. The history books will show how the tragedy at 3701 Telegraph led everyone to step up to the plate and change everything.”

After Sunday service and a brief press conference on site, Smith was chauffeured to Acts Full Gospel Church of God in Christ in East Oakland to gain fund-raising support to rebuild FAME.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of May 24 – 30, 2023

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 24 – 30, 2023

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2023

Oakland Post

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 24 - 30, 2023

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Activism

Rise in Abductions of Black Girls in Oakland Alarms Sex-Trafficking Survivors

Nola Brantley of Nola Brantley Speaks states, “America’s wider culture and society has consistently failed to address the abduction and kidnapping of Black girls in Oakland and across the country, and this lack of concern empowers and emboldens predators.”

Published

1 week ago

May 20, 2023

Oakland Post

Nola Brantley and Sarai Smith-Mazariegos

By Tanya Dennis

Within the last 30 days there have been seven attempted kidnappings or successful abductions of Black girls in Oakland.

Survivors of human trafficking who are now advocates are not surprised.

Nor were they surprised that the police didn’t respond, and parents of victims turned to African American community-based organizations like Adamika Village and Love Never Fails for help.

Advocates say Black and Brown girls disappear daily, usually without a blip on the screen for society and government officials.

Perhaps that will change with a proposed law by state Senator Steven Bradford’s Senate Bill 673 Ebony Alert, that, if passed, will alert people when Black people under the age of 26 go missing.

According to the bill, Black children are disproportionately classified as “runaways” in comparison to their white counterparts which means fewer resources are dedicated to finding them.

Brantley, a survivor of human trafficking has been doing the work to support child sex trafficking victims for over 20 years, first as the director for the Scotlan Youth and Family Center’s Parenting and Youth Enrichment Department at Oakland’s DeFremery Park, and as one of the co-founders and executive director of Motivating, Inspiring, Supporting and Serving Sexually Exploited Youth (MISSSEY, Inc.)

“It really hit home in 2010,” said Brantley, “before California’s Welfare Institution Code 300 was amended to include children victimized by sex trafficking.”

Before that law was amended, she had to vehemently advocate for Black and Brown girls under the age of 18 to be treated as victims rather than criminalized.

Brantley served hundreds of Black and Brown girls citing these girls were victims so they would be treated as such and offered restorative services. “To get the police to take their disappearances seriously and file a report almost never happened,” she said.

Then Brantley received a call from the Board of Supervisors regarding a “special case.” A councilman was at the meeting, as well as a member of former Alameda County Board Supervisor Scott Haggerty’s Office who had called Brantley to attend.

“The child’s parents and the child were there also. They requested that I give my full attention to this case. The girl was white and there was no question of her victimization,” Brantley said.

Brantley felt conflicted that of all the hundreds of Black and Brown girls she’d served, none had ever received this type of treatment.

Her eyes were opened that day on how “they” move, therefore with the recent escalation of kidnapping attempts of Black girls, Brantley fears that because it’s happening to Black girls the response will not be taken seriously.

Councilwoman Treva Reid

“I thank Councilwoman Treva Reid and Senator Steven Bradford (D) for pushing for the passing of the Ebony Alert Bill across the state so that the disappearance of Black girls will be elevated the same as white girls. We’ve never had a time when Black girls weren’t missing. Before, it didn’t matter if we reported it or if the parents reported the police failed to care.”

Senator Steven Bradford

Sarai S-Mazariegos, co-founder of M.I.S.S.S.E.Y, and founder and executive director of Survivors Healing, Advising and Dedicated to Empowerment (S.H.A.D.E.) agrees with Brantley.

“What we are experiencing is the effects of COVID-19, poverty and a regressive law that has sentence the most vulnerable to the sex trade,” S-Mazariegos said. “We are seeing the lack of equity in the community, the cause and consequence of gender inequality and a violation of our basic human rights. What we are seeing is sexual exploitation at its finest.”

Both advocates are encouraged by Bradford’s Ebony Alert.

The racism and inequity cited has resulted in the development of an underground support system by Brantley, S-Mazariegos and other community-based organizations who have united to demand change.

Thus far they are receiving support from Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, and Oakland City Councilmembers Nikki Fortunato Bas and Reid of the second and seventh districts respectively.

For more information, go to http://www.blackandmissinginc.com