Activism

First Time Homebuyer Education Workshop

ECHO Housing will conduct an online Homebuyer Education Workshop that will help you determine if you are ready for homeownership, how to select a lender and shop for a home, all about closing costs, and how to be a successful homeowner.

Published

4 years ago

November 14, 2022

Oakland Post

You must attend the ECHO Housing workshop and a counseling session to be eligible to receive a HUD certificate. One-to-one counseling is available for workshop attendees.

Alameda County Briefs

By Melissa Male

ECHO Housing will conduct a Homebuyer Education Workshop for tenants living in Alameda, Contra Costa, or Monterey Counties, or working in Pleasanton or San Leandro.

This online workshop will help you determine if you are ready for homeownership, how to select a lender and shop for a home, all about closing costs, and how to be a successful homeowner. You must attend this workshop and a counseling session to be eligible to receive a HUD certificate. One-to-one counseling is available for workshop attendees.

It will be held online on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The deadline to submit the registration form is 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2022. REGISTER HERE

Demystifying the Dept. of Justice

The Office of Community Awareness, Response, and Engagement (CARE) at the California Department of Justice invites you to join its next Demystifying the DOJ quarterly series.

Experts from the CA Department of Justice (DOJ) will share insight on the DOJ’s role in consumer protections. In light of the holiday season, this presentation will share tips on how consumers can protect themselves from scams, fraud, and other consumer-related issues.

Additionally, there will be a presentation by the DOJ’s Registry of Charitable Trusts about their role in protecting and advising donors and charities year-round. It will be held online on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. REGISTER HERE

Earthquake Brace and Bolt Workshop in Berkeley

At this Berkeley Ready workshop, you’ll get information about the Earthquake Brace & Bolt rebates, earthquake risk, and permitting seismic retrofits, with plenty of time to answer your questions.

Homeowners who live in select ZIP Codes (including Berkeley zip codes), with homes that have certain characteristics, may be eligible for a grant of up to $3,000 to help pay for a seismic retrofit of their house.

Low-income homeowners, as funding permits, may qualify for a supplemental grant, which is additional funding over and above the Earthquake Brace & Bolt $3,000 grant. The workshop speakers include:

Mark Grissom, California Earthquake Authority, will speak about the Earthquake Brace + Bolt Program’s rebates of up to $3,000 and earthquake risk as well as myths and tips about earthquake insurance.
David Lopez, Assistant Building Official for the City of Berkeley, will answer questions about permitting seismic retrofits.

The online event will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Property owners must register online or by calling (877) 232-4300 between Oct. 18 and Nov. 29, 2022. Please direct any questions to the Office of Emergency Services at (510) 981-5506.

United Against Hate Week Film Screening

Attend a documentary film on Pittsburgh’s powerful community response to hate in the aftermath of the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. Through the voices of survivors, family members, diverse Pittsburgh residents and leaders, “Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life” shows unity in a moment of crisis, the resilience of a vibrant city, and a community working together to understand what it means to be “stronger than hate.” The screening will be followed by a panel discussion. “Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life” will be shown on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704.

Melissa Male is a staff member at the Office of Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

Published

3 days ago

September 7, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Post News Group

Dawna Williams, EOBA executive director speaks to attendees at the Black August Eperience on Aug. 21. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Flynn of EOBA.

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.