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Former Golden State Warrior Ralph Sampson Stands Tall for Oakland

Education was key for Sampson who wanted to graduate from college. Unbeknownst to the public, Sampson’s choice to pass up money for a college degree was a courageous step for him because he had dyslexia. That was the bigger victory for Ralph as he crossed the stage with a college degree in hand.

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Today, Ralph Sampson is still credited with re-engineering the “Big Man” position, inspiring the likes of fellow Warriors Kevin Durant, Chris Webber, Kevin Garnett and others to diversify their play outside of the norm.
Today, Ralph Sampson is still credited with re-engineering the “Big Man” position, inspiring the likes of fellow Warriors Kevin Durant, Chris Webber, Kevin Garnett and others to diversify their play outside of the norm.

Special to the Post from Give to Change Foundation

Once known as the most heavily recruited high school athlete of all time, Ralph Sampson, grew up in Harrisburg, Va., and was the top high school basketball player in the country.

His 7-foot, 4-inch stature made him a true freak of nature. But it wasn’t just his size that was impressive — he could handle the basketball and run the floor like a guard. This skill had never been showcased by someone of his size. On the University of Virginia’s basketball team, he was celebrated with Player of the Year accolades and numerous offers to leave college early to play in the NBA.

But education was key for Sampson who wanted to graduate from college. Unbeknownst to the public, Sampson’s choice to pass up money for a college degree was a courageous step for him because he had dyslexia. That was the bigger victory for Ralph as he crossed the stage with a college degree in hand.

After graduation, he entered the NBA draft in 1983 and was the No. 1 pick by the Houston Rockets, where Ralph would later be known as one half of the “Twin Towers.”

Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon became a dominating duo in and outside the “paint,” with jaw-dropping performances through the 1980s. Ralph excited arenas across the country with plays that would constantly snatch headlines, until a terrible knee injury cut his playing days short.

But that injury didn’t stop Sampson from being selected into the Naismith NBA Basketball Hall of Fame. Eventually, Sampson was traded to the Golden State Warriors, where he played the Center position.

Today, Sampson is still credited with re-engineering the “Big Man” position, inspiring the likes of fellow Warriors Kevin Durant, Chris Webber, Kevin Garnett and others to diversify their play outside of the norm.

In addition, Ralph Sampson is now using his tall influence to give forward. He has a new Venture fund, charity and advocacy initiative, that supports small businesses and upcoming student athletes.

This is one of his motivations to stay active in the Bay Area, where he once played for our own Golden State Warriors. Ralph quietly worked with youth and business owners to assist them in various capacities. Gary Reeves, a local philanthropic contributor worked closely with Ralph to deploy resources back into the community at large.

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How the Crack Cocaine Epidemic Led to Mass Sex Exploitation of Black People PART 3: The Case Against SB357: Black, Vulnerable and Trafficked

Although California Senate Bill 357 was intended to alleviate arrests of willing sex workers under anti-loitering laws, it opened up a Pandora’s box loophole that hinders the ability of law enforcement to halt human trafficking, especially of young Black and Brown girls. This segment continues to explore the history that led to this latest form of exploitation in Oakland.

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Sable tied up.
Sable tied up.

By Tanya Dennis and Vanessa Russell
Although California Senate Bill 357 was intended to alleviate arrests of willing sex workers under anti-loitering laws, it opened up a Pandora’s box loophole that hinders the ability of law enforcement to halt human trafficking, especially of young Black and Brown girls. This segment continues to explore the history that led to this latest form of exploitation in Oakland.
It was 1980: The beginning of the end for the Black family and Black community as we knew it.
Crack cocaine was introduced to the United States that year and it rendered unparalleled devastation on Black folks. Crack is a solid smokable form of cocaine made by boiling baking soda, cocaine, and water into a rock that crackles when smoked.
The tremendous high — especially when first smoked — and the low cost brought temporary relief to the repeatedly and relentlessly traumatized members of the Black community.
What was unknown at the time was how highly addictive this form of cocaine would be and how harmful the ensuing impact on the Black family when the addicted Black mother was no longer a haven of safety for her children.
The form made it easy to mass produce and distribute, opening the market to anyone and everyone, including many Black men who viewed selling crack as their way out of poverty.
These two factors — addicted Black women and drug-dealing Black men — would lead to the street exploitation for sex as we know it today.
Encouraged to try it free initially, most poor, Black women in the 1980s used crack cocaine in a social setting with friends. When the free samples disappeared the drug dealer offered to supply the women crack in exchange for allowing him to sell their bodies to sex buyers.
The increase in the supply of women willing to exchange sex for crack — a.k.a. the “sex for crack barter system” — caused the price of sex to decrease and at the same time increased the demand for sex because more buyers could afford it.
The desperation of the women to get their hit of crack made them willing to endure any form of abuse and treatment from buyers during sex, including unprotected and violent sex.
It also pushed desperate Black women onto the street to pursue sex buyers, flagging down cars and willing to have sex anywhere actively and desperately. Street prostitution grew and buyers were able to buy oral sex for as little as $5.
This sex-for-crack barter system resulted in a dramatic increase in sexually transmitted diseases including HIV and AIDS, both of which are disproportionately represented among Black people.
It also resulted in unplanned pregnancies by unknown fathers, which then resulted in children born addicted to crack who were immediately placed in the foster care system where they were often abused and/or neglected.
For his part, the Black man who engaged in the mass production and distribution of crack was often killed by gun violence while fighting over drug territory or incarcerated for long periods of time as use and sales and distribution of crack carried longer sentences than powdered cocaine.
Crack unleashed an entire chain of new trauma upon the Black family which then all but collapsed under this latest social attack that had started with chattel slavery, followed by Jim Crow, redlining, school segregation, food deserts, et. al.
Exploitation was and is at the root of the crack cocaine epidemic. It is the latest weapon used to prey upon Black people since the beginning of our time in the United States.
The sex industry and legislation like SB357 have only increased harm to Black people who have been historically oppressed with racist laws and epidemics including crack. More must be done to restore the Black community.
Tanya Dennis serves on the Board of Oakland Frontline Healers (OFH) and series co-author Vanessa Russell of “Love Never Fails Us” and member of OFH.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tanya-Leblanc/publication/236121038_Behind_the_Eight_Ball_Sex_for_Crack_Cocaine_Exchange_and_Poor_Black_Women/links/0c9605162c8f362553000000/Behind-the-Eight-Ball-Sex-for-Crack-Cocaine-Exchange-and-Poor-Black-Women.pdf?origin=publication_detail

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Oakland Post: Week of March 22 – 28, 2023

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March March 22 – 38, 2023

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 22 - 38, 2023

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Oakland Post: Week of March 15 – 21, 2023

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 15 – 21, 2023

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 15 - 21, 2023

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