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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

1 year 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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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

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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Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

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WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.