Activism

IN MEMORIAM: Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa Dies at 90

Tutu was born into a poor family in Northwest South Africa, saying of his upbringing that they were not affluent, but “we were not destitute either.” He excelled in high school and gained admission to medical school but couldn’t afford to attend. He became a teacher for several years and had become a server in the church, eventually seeking ordination into the clergy in 1960.

Published

5 years ago

January 6, 2022

Oakland Post

Desmond Tutu. Facebook photo.

By Post Staff

Often called the ‘conscience of South Africa,’ Archbishop Desmond Tutu died of complications from prostate cancer in Cape Town on Sunday morning. He was 90.

His body will lie in state at St George’s Anglican Cathedral and the church bells will ring for 10 minutes for five days at midday in his honor. Tutu’s funeral Mass will be held on Jan. 1, 2022.

The first Black archbishop of South Africa was a prominent leader in the anti-apartheid movement, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and named the head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by the late Nelson Mandela in 1994. He also lent his voice to other human rights issues, supporting LGBTQ rights and independence for Palestine.

He was also known for supporting women and ordained many to serve in the church.

He studied theology in the United Kingdom for a few years, returning to South Africa to teach at a seminary and the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. As the anti-apartheid movement gained steam in the 1970s and 1980s, Tutu emerged as a gentle but strong voice stressing non-violent protest, and gaining status rivaled only by Nelson Mandela, the imprisoned president of the African National Congress.

While on a three-month sabbatical in New York City in 1984, Tutu spoke against apartheid at the United Nations. It was during that time that he learned he had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

At the award ceremony in Oslo, Sweden, his acceptance speech was typically humble: “This award is for mothers, who sit at railway stations to try to eke out an existence, selling potatoes, selling mealies, selling produce. This award is for you, fathers, sitting in a single-sex hostel, separated from your children for 11 months a year…This award is for you, mothers in the KTC squatter camp, whose shelters are destroyed callously every day, and who sit on soaking mattresses in the winter rain, holding whimpering babies…This award is for you, the 3.5 million of our people who have been uprooted and dumped as if you were rubbish. This award is for you,” he said.

In 1985, Tutu became the Bishop of Johannesburg, rising to Archbishop of Cape Town the following year.

After Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and began negotiating the dismantling of apartheid, Tutu mediated the rival Black factions.

Mandela, who had met Tutu only once decades before at a debating event, appointed Tutu to head the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to look into human rights abuses in 1996.

Tutu’s political positions did not always meet with public approval. Anti-apartheid organizations opposed Tutu’s intent to investigate their actions as well as the apartheid apparatus.

Tutu saw parallels between South Africa’s apartheid and Israel’s treatment of Palestine: his support for Palestinian rights drew criticism from some Jewish groups who accused him of anti-Semitism.

Tutu also supported equality for women, demonstrating it by ordaining a number of women into the Anglican clergy. He also was a proponent of LGBTQ rights and spoke out on combatting the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

He retired as archbishop in 1996 and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997, which he battled off and on for the rest of his life. He traveled widely in Africa, Europe and the United States, speaking in a variety of venues and even teaching briefly at a college in the early 2000s.

Returning to South Africa, he withdrew from public life in 2010.

Tutu is survived by his wife of 66 years Nomalizo Leah Shenxane; son Trevor Thamsanqa Tutu and daughters Mpho Andrea Tutu, Naomi Nontombi Tutu and Theresa Thandeka Tutu.

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Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant Plans Bay Area Farmers Market Initiative

Published

1 day ago

July 18, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant displays watermelons from her Sacramento farm at the Temescal Festival in Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas.

In her 80s and still actively working as an agricultural engineer, Effie Gant continues to break barriers in urban farming and community leadership.

The certified USDA grower and respected urban farmer, based in South Sacramento, was recently spotted vending at the Freedom Farmers’ Market by the Temescal Street Fair on Saturday, July 11, where she proudly displayed dozens of sweet, juicy watermelons.

Festivalgoers gathered not only to purchase her produce but also to enjoy activities like the popular watermelon-eating contest. Yet beyond the festive atmosphere, Gant has a larger vision.

Gant is now setting her sights on the Bay Area, where she plans to launch a farmers’ market to increase access to fresh, locally grown food.

Known for her leadership in sustainable agriculture and food justice, she brings decades of hands-on experience and community advocacy to regions where food access remains inconsistent.

She has built a strong reputation through her work with Meadowview Urban Farm and the Yisrael Family Urban Farm, cultivating crops such as watermelons, honeydew melons, and collard greens. Her approach emphasizes sustainability, education, and empowering residents to grow their own food, even in small urban spaces.

As a USDA-certified grower, Gant blends technical expertise with grassroots engagement to combat food insecurity.

Beyond farming, Gant serves as CEO and President of Highways to Hedges, a nonprofit focused on environmental justice and community development. She is also president of the Hampton Station Neighborhood Association and board chairman for HHCORE, where she advocates for safety, equity, and economic opportunity.

Her proposed farmers market will connect small-scale farmers with urban communities while elevating Black farmers and other underrepresented growers.

“I want to teach the next generation about farming and how lucrative it can be,” Gant said. “You don’t need hundreds of acres. You can start with one acre or even your backyard.”Gant also noted her involvement in a collective of farmers who supply produce through government-supported programs.

“We operate as a team, and we all benefit,” she said.

Through workshops, speaking engagements, and hands-on training, Gant and her organization continue to educate communities about agriculture and food justice. Her market initiative will emphasize affordability, cultural relevance, and nutrition education.

Her broader work includes creating edible forests in partnership with Soil Born Farms, planting fruit trees directly in neighborhoods to expand food access. As a mentor with the Center of Expertise on Food Justice and Health Equity, Gant remains a leading voice in building sustainable and resilient food systems.

Gant says she welcomes the community to join her in creating a new farmer’s market.

“Farming is essential to life,” she said. “I want to train as many people as I can to use food and farming as a tool for empowerment, health, and long-term change.”

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Oakland Post: Week of July 15 – 21, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 15 – 21, 2026

Published

1 day ago

July 18, 2026

Oakland Post

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From Disparity Study to Solutions: Oakland Coalition and Mayor Barbara Lee Renew Commitment to Reform City Contracting

She committed to ensuring the coalition has direct access to City leadership by designating Assistant Deputy City Administrator Chuck Baker the primary liaison. Working alongside Deputy City Administrator Sofia Navarro, DWES Director Emylene Aspilla, Race and Equity Director Darlene Flynn, and other City departments, the coalition will continue advancing these priorities while maintaining regular communication with City leadership.

Published

4 days ago

July 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Present at the recent meeting on implementing recommendations on Oakland’s Disparity Study on city work contracts were (first row, l. to r.): Chuck Baker, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Darlene Flynn. Second row, l. to r.) Samuel Adams, Erica Astrella, Chadwick Spell, Cathy Adams, Stanley Cooper, Maria Wagner, Len Turner, Derek Barnes, Paul Cobb. Photo courtesy of Oakland Mayor’s Office.

Special to The Post

On June 30, a coalition of minority business leaders, contractors and others met with Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to discuss the City’s commitment to implement recommendations outlined in Oakland’s Disparity Study and eliminate barriers that have historically prevented Black and minority-owned businesses from fully participating in public contracting opportunities.

Representatives of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (OAACC), National Association of Minority Contractors Northern California (NAMC NorCal), Construction Resource Center (CRC), and the East Bay Rental Housing Association (EBRHA) said the meeting represented an important milestone in a process that has been underway for several months.

On April 21, the Oakland City Council’s Life Enrichment Committee received a progress report from the Department of Workplace and Employment Standards (DWES), where Director Emylene Aspilla presented the coalition’s working document and outlined a collaborative implementation plan between the coalition and the City. That report established 30-, 60-, and 90-day objectives focused on five key priorities:

Reforming Local and Small Local Business Enterprise (L/SLBE) waiver practices
Strengthening prompt payment compliance
Improving procurement forecasting and transparency
Expanding contractor capacity building and business development
Increasing oversight, accountability, and public reporting

A series of working sessions was scheduled between coalition representatives, DWES, and the City Administrator’s Office to begin implementing those priorities but were temporarily delayed by the resignation of former City Administrator Jestin Johnson.

Rather than allowing that momentum to stall, OAACC President and CEO Cathy Adams requested a meeting with Lee to gain clarity on the City’s direction and reaffirm its commitment to implementing the recommendations contained within the Disparity Study.

Coalition leaders described the meeting as productive, candid, collaborative, and encouraging.

During the meeting, Lee spoke not only from her role as mayor but also from her experience as an 8(a) contractor and business owner, sharing that she understands firsthand what it takes to build and grow a successful company, employ a substantial workforce, compete for public work, and navigate the complexities of municipal contracting.

Mayor Lee also expressed her commitment to personally participate in future working meetings with the coalition.

“This meeting represents a renewed commitment to partnership,” said Adams. “Mayor Lee listened, engaged, and demonstrated that she wants to move beyond conversation and into implementation.”

CRC’s Len Turner said the roadmap is already in place. ““The City already has the evidence. What’s been missing is execution. …Now it’s time to deliver results.”

Mario Wagner, president of NAMC NorCal agreed that the next phase must focus on implementation, funding, and accountability.

“The coalition is ready to get to work. …The next step is ensuring these initiatives receive meaningful funding in the upcoming fiscal budget cycle. Just as important, the City must establish transparent reporting mechanisms that keep the public informed through regular progress reports, measurable benchmarks, and accountability.”

Coalition leaders also acknowledged that while City leadership has indicated it is reviewing Local and Small Local Business Enterprise waiver practices, the community continues to seek a formal response regarding existing long-term waivers, including waivers extending 10 and 25 years. The coalition believes those waivers should be comprehensively reviewed and, where appropriate, rolled back as part of the City’s broader contracting reforms.

The coalition is also calling on the City to include meaningful funding in the upcoming fiscal budget cycle to support implementation of the Disparity Study recommendations and establish better methods and mechanisms to keep the public informed through regular progress reports, measurable benchmarks, and transparent accountability.

The coalition’s immediate next step is to schedule a working meeting with Baker, Aspilla, Lee, and the appropriate City staff to review what has already been accomplished under the implementation framework.