Activism
Holy Names University to Cover Tuition for New, Income-Eligible College Students
“Holy Names University has a long history of providing the financial support necessary to make a small, private college education accessible to more students,” said Elizabeth Mihopoulos, vice president for Enrollment Management. “With the HNU Tuition Guarantee, we can provide eligible families with the assurance that tuition is 100% covered.”

HNU’s tuition guarantee provides 100% tuition coverage for Pell and Cal Grant-eligible students
By Post Staff
In a major commitment to college affordability, Holy Names University in Oakland has announced that 100% of tuition will be covered for incoming first-year students eligible for both Pell and Cal Grants.
Starting in the fall of 2022, the HNU Tuition Guarantee will be available to new students enrolling at Holy Names University, located at 3500 Mountain Blvd.
“Holy Names University has a long history of providing the financial support necessary to make a small, private college education accessible to more students,” said Elizabeth Mihopoulos, vice president for Enrollment Management. “With the HNU Tuition Guarantee, we can provide eligible families with the assurance that tuition is 100% covered.”
The HNU Tuition Guarantee simplifies the financial aid process, which can often be daunting and confusing for students and families. To take advantage of the guarantee, students simply need to apply to HNU, complete their FAFSA before March 2, and apply for Cal Grant.
There is no additional application required.
The guarantee will apply all available federal and state grants, along with HNU scholarships and grants, to cover 100% of the cost of tuition. Room, board, textbooks, and fees are not included.
Students need to complete their FAFSA and Cal Grant application each year in order to remain eligible.
Visit hnu.edu to learn more about The HNU Tuition Guarantee.
Activism
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.

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
Activism
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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Activism
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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Activism3 days ago
Oakland Post: Week of March 22 – 28, 2023
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Activism1 week ago
Oakland Post: Week of March 15 – 21, 2023
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Activism2 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of March 8 – 14, 2023
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Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of March 1 – 7, 2023
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Bay Area3 weeks ago
Help Save North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church, the 2nd oldest Black Church in Oakland
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Black History2 weeks ago
Hidden History Black Museum Opens in Los Angeles
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Bay Area3 weeks ago
Alameda County Supervisors Will Allow Tenant Eviction Protections to Expire at End of April: Oakland’s eviction moratorium remains in effect for local residents
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Deadlocked OUSD Board Fails to Approve Proposed Budget That Would Cut Programs, Lay Off Teachers, Close Schools