Activism

Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back to Hold Toy Giveaway December 18

“This toy giveaway is a much-needed service for those of us who have been previously in prison for a crime against our community,” said Richard Johnson, a formerly incarcerated Oakland Post columnist. “…Now that we’re back in society we wish to give back in many forms that helps to restore promise while giving peace and redemption that our actions in the past aided in the destruction of our society that we now live in. Unfortunately, due to the red tape (efforts to reach) the target class of children of the formerly incarcerated (is stymied.)”

Published

5 years ago

December 4, 2021

Oakland Post

By Post Staff

Richard Johnson is a formerly incarcerated Oakland Post columnist who has formed a non-profit organization called Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back to provide toys, food, clothes and gifts to families who have a loved one who is incarcerated or is now re-entering society.

Johnson says he wants to make sure that these families don’t get overlooked by verifying and validating that these families qualify.

“This toy giveaway is a much-needed service for those of us who have been previously in prison for a crime against our community,” Johnson said. “…Now that we’re back in society we wish to give back in many forms that helps to restore promise while giving peace and redemption that our actions in the past aided in the destruction of our society that we now live in. Unfortunately, due to the red tape (efforts to reach) the target class of children of the formerly incarcerated (is stymied.)”

Understandably, Johnson says, the ways to determine which children should receive gifts is limited.

Therefore, he will rely on trusted messengers such as pastors and community-based nonprofit organizations to provide verified names of families of the formerly incarcerated.

“We want to ensure that we reach those who truly need these items. We are asking the various churches to submit names of their parishioners so that the pastors can verify the necessary information.

“We hope the county social services agencies will alert their clients. The various public safety departments, attorneys, parole offices and others who can’t provide or publish their client lists can be helpful by communicating directly to the families they’ve served to inform them of the opportunity to receive gifts during this season of giving.

“We will need volunteers who may have a few hours to spare on this historic occasion to come out and assist us to make this occasion a memorable one for the children most in need. Toys and gifts for 300 or more children is the current targeted number.

Please visit www.postnewsgroup.com after December 5 to respond, volunteer or to donate gift items.

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Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

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

Published

1 day ago

September 7, 2026

Oakland Post

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Activism

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

1 week 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.