Activism

L.A. Congresswoman Karen Bass Praised for Leadership on George Floyd Policing Act

Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37), who is running for Mayor of Los Angeles, introduced the legislation that passed in the House of Representatives but has stalled in the Senate. “When the Senate failed to act, [Sen. Cory Booker] and I went to the President and asked him to act,” Bass tweeted the day Biden signed the order. “We worked closely with the White House and came up with an executive order that will help bring transparency and accountability to law enforcement,” she said.

Published

2 years ago

June 9, 2022

Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

Karen Bass stands behind President Joe Biden as he signs an executive order on policing in the presence of Vice President Kamala Harris, far left, and other members of the House of Representatives and Senate. Facebook photo.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles, California Black Media

Last week, on the second anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, President Joe Biden signed an executive order inspired by police reform legislation introduced in Congress called the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37), who is running for Mayor of Los Angeles, introduced the legislation that passed in the House of Representatives but has stalled in the Senate.

“When the Senate failed to act, [Sen. Cory Booker] and I went to the President and asked him to act,” Bass tweeted the day Biden signed the order.

“We worked closely with the White House and came up with an executive order that will help bring transparency and accountability to law enforcement,” she said.

The executive order establishes a new database for federal law enforcement officers, such as FBI or DEA agents, who have been fired for misconduct.

While state and local law enforcement agencies are not required to contribute to this database, there will be an avenue for them to participate in this process if they decide to do so.

“It will enhance accountability, improve transparency, and raise policing standards in an effort to help end the horrific incidents of violence that we often witness, like the murder of George Floyd,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said in a statement. “That the families of those impacted by police violence, law enforcement groups representing our nation’s officers, and civil rights groups are standing with the administration in solidarity to embrace this executive order shows that positive change is possible.”

Los Angeles-based activist Kelli Todd Griffin, convener of the California Black Women’s Collective, believes that this executive order is “a step in the right direction,” but that there is still more work to be done to reduce violent police encounters.

“The executive order cannot do what Congress can do, but it can still address some of the critical issues,” Griffin said. “There’s got to be change in order to progress.”

Biden made a similar assertion during the signing event at the White House, where Bass was present.

“Members of Congress, including many here today like Senator Cory Booker and Congresswoman Karen Bass … spent countless hours on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to find a better answer to that question [of public trust and public safety]. I sincerely thank you all for your tireless efforts. But they’re not over,” Biden said.

Bass’s work on the bill has gained support from community leaders like Griffin.

“I want to make sure that I applaud Congressmember Karen Bass who stayed committed to ensuring this sea change moment happened,” Griffin stated. “She spent countless hours working with her colleagues, civil rights organizations and the Administration to develop an executive order that had substantial, systemic actions that can be taken. We needed her leadership and vision in this work.”

On the day of the signing, Booker took to Twitter to share a message of remembrance for George Floyd.

“He was a son, a father, a brother,” Booker said. “We all bear responsibility for a system that has allowed what happened to George Floyd to happen with such frequency. Changes are coming at the local, state, and national level. But more change is needed.”

Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

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

Published

20 hours 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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Activism

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

1 day 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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Activism

WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

2 days 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.