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Leader of Historic S.F. State University Strike, Jerry Varnado

Jerry Wayne Varnado, who passed away on Sept. 8, 2021, was a leader of the most successful and long-lasting student strike in the history of U.S. education.

Published

5 years ago

September 26, 2021

Christy Price

Caption: Jerry Wayne Varnado (center) with his wife, Marilyn, and his son Jerry R.H. Varnado at the 2011 SF State College of Ethnic Studies Anniversary.

Special to the Post

Jerry Wayne Varnado, who passed away on Sept. 8, 2021, was a leader of the most successful and long-lasting student strike in the history of U.S. education.

He was a founder of the first Black Student Union in the country and later became a practicing attorney.

Born on July 7, 1944, in Jackson, Miss., Varnado was the first of nine children born to John Otis and Lula Mae Varnado. Jerry graduated from Jim Hill High School in 1962.

He was determined to leave the South and aspired to go to school in California. He joined the Air Force and upon discharge, he used his veteran benefits to go to college.

He moved to San Francisco and lived with his aunt, within walking distance of San Francisco State University (SFSU). He was admitted to SF State in 1966 and initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc in 1967. His fraternity brothers recognized his leadership potential and immediately elected him chapter president.

Varnado earned a B.A. in economics in 1969 and later a law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law.

As a student at S.F. State, he was involved with the Negro Students Association and co-founded the Black Student Union (BSU). In 1968, he and fellow BSU leaders established a coalition with the Third World Liberation Front, other students, faculty, and community members and organized the longest student strike in the history of the nation to protest the lack of access, misrepresentation, and the overall neglect of indigenous peoples and people of color within the university’s curriculum and programs.

The strikers’ demands reflected a respect for the diverse intellectual traditions and cultural expressions of scholars, activists, and artists of color and indigenous people throughout the country.

The strike fought for tenure for minority instructors, Dr. Nathan Hare and open enrollment for African American students, including actors Danny Glover and Clarence Williams III.

Historically, SFSU, as a 4-year non HBCU, admitted more African American freshmen in the fall of 1969 than any other U.S. university. The activism and sacrifices of Varnado and other strikers were the impetus for the founding of the College of Ethnic Studies with departments in Africana Studies (formerly Black Studies), American Indian Studies, Asian American Studies, and Latina/o Studies (formerly La Raza Studies) in 1969.

Their efforts enabled future generations of students at SFSU to learn about the histories, cultures, and intellectual traditions of communities of color and indigenous peoples in the U.S. in the first-person and also to practice theories of resistance and liberation to eliminate racism and other forms of oppression.

Varnado lived a life of leadership, mentorship, and support to his community, family, and friends.

After completing his studies at SFSU and his law degree, he practiced law in the San Francisco Bay Area. He married the love of his life, Marilyn D. Jones in 1980, who he met at SFSU but later reunited in 1976.

Jerry and Marilyn had two sons: Jerry R.H. Varnado and Charles C. Varnado.

Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, he could not gather with friends and family, and this brought him more despair than being ill.

Preceding him in death were his father and mother John Otis and Lula Mae Varnado; brother, John Otis Varnado Jr.; and sisters, State Senator Alice Varnado Harden (Dennis) and Mildred L. Robinson (Willie).

He leaves to cherish his memory his five sisters Wilma G. Butler (Alex), Dr. Phillis Varnado, Shirley Varnado, Sharron Porter (Andrew) and Dr Jacqueline Jackson (Wilton) along with a myriad of uncles, aunts, cousins, and dear friends,

Donations Services will be held on October 8 and attendance will be limited to family and close friends due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Donations may be made with a check made payable to the “University Corporation, San Francisco” with “Jerry Varnado Scholarship Donation” noted on the memo line. Please mail donations to:

Office of University Development
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave., ADM 153
San Francisco, CA 94132

The San Francisco Post’s coverage of local news in San Francisco County is supported by the Ethnic Media Sustainability Initiative, a program created by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services to support community newspapers across California.

Christy Price

Posts by Christy Price

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Activism

‘Hire Oakland’ Job Fair Draws 2,000, Connecting Residents to Immediate Job Opportunities

Oakland’s Hire Oakland job fair, hosted by Mayor Barbara Lee’s office, connected over 2,000 job seekers with employers, highlighting a strong demand for quality jobs and career pathways in the city.

Published

46 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Left to right: Yawo Tekpa, OPIC Manager, One Stop Operator; Sofia Navarro, Deputy City Administrator; and Ray Lankford, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.

By Post Staff

The Office of Mayor Barbara Lee, in partnership with the City of Oakland and regional employers, hosted a successful Hire Oakland job fair this week at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, bringing together job seekers and employers for a day focused on opportunity, connection, and economic mobility.

With more than 2,000 RSVPs, the event on Wednesday reflected strong demand across Oakland for access to quality jobs and career pathways. Attendees participated in on-site recruitment, application support, and hands-on workshops designed to help job seekers navigate hiring processes and prepare for interviews.

Over the course of the day, employers and community partners engaged directly with residents in a welcoming, high-energy environment centered on opportunity and hope. Participating employers included EBMUD, Samuel Merritt University, the City of Oakland, BART, PG&E, AC Transit, East Bay Regional Parks District, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and many others offering immediate openings and career pathways across sectors.

Workforce development partners Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) and Lao Family Community Development provided connections to résumé support, interview coaching, and individualized job search assistance throughout the event.

The strong turnout underscores a clear reality: Oakland residents are eager for pathways into meaningful work, and sustained investment in youth and workforce programs is essential.

That is why Mayor Lee has prioritized relaunching the Oakland Police Cadet Program and the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP)—ensuring young people have early access to paid work experience, mentorship, and long-term career pathways, according to a City press statement.

“The turnout shows what we already know—Oaklanders are ready to work, ready to grow, and ready to build their futures here at home,” said Lee. “When we connect people directly to employers and invest in young people early, we are not just filling jobs—we are changing lives and strengthening our city’s future.”

The Hire Oakland job fair is part of the City’s broader effort to strengthen workforce pipelines, expand access to good-paying jobs, and ensure Oakland residents are first in line for local opportunity.

About Hire OaklandHire Oakland is a citywide workforce initiative led by the Office of Mayor Barbara Lee in partnership with City departments, workforce development organizations, and regional employers. The program connects Oakland job seekers to real-time hiring opportunities, training resources, and career pathways.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Cassie ‘Mama C’ Lopez Honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year

Cassandra “Mama C” Lopez, a dedicated parent, teacher, and activist, was honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year for her unwavering commitment to community and justice.

Published

56 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Cassandra Lopez, known as “Mama C,” is surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors at Oakland’s annual Mother of Year celebration at the Morcom Rose Garden, Saturday, May 9. Photo by Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon.

By Ken Epstein

The City of Oakland recognized Cassandra, “Mama C,” Lopez – parent, teacher, community activist, and justice warrior – as Oakland’s Mother of the Year in a celebration at Oakland’s Morcom Rose Garden on Mother’s Day weekend.

Long recognized as a leader in her community, she was nominated by District 3 City Councilmember Carroll Fife to receive the city’s 73rd annual Mother of the Year award.

Speaking at the crowded ceremony on Saturday, May 9, where Mama C received roses and a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Lee, Fife said she felt honored to nominate Lopez, an “amazing woman – a hell-raising humanitarian, for the energy, the passion, but most of all the love for community” that makes her one of those “exceptional women whose lives, exemplify love, sacrifice, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the family and community they serve.”

Cassie Lopez was born in 1945 to Pauline and Calvin Weaver, a family that had left Florida and Jim Crow for the east side of Detroit. From an early age, she was instilled with a sense of Black awareness, love, and the importance of community in the face of hardships, including poverty, freezing winters, low pay, and slum landlords.

Fifty-five years ago, she married Juan Lopez. The couple has three children and has lived for decades in a neighborhood on the edge of downtown Oakland near Mosswood Park.

Said her husband, Juan, “Mama C has been a selfless mother of our own children, and she also became a teacher. Our home became a second home for many young people. For some, it was refuge from difficult home situations, and for others, a safe place to hang out.

“Throughout the years, Mama C was sometimes a foot soldier and other times a leader, immersed in some of the biggest national and citywide struggles of the day,” Juan said. “But less known to many is the role she played day in and day out where the rubber hits the road.

“For 35 years, she has shepherded the Mosswood Park and Recreation Center – through its good and bad times. If the Center exists (and thrives) today, it has to do with Mama C, working alongside neighbors, center directors, community advisory council, and when necessary, community coalitions, city officials, the religious community, and the labor movement.”

Said Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon, “I am an old friend of my sister here. We met in 1970 in the sugarcane fields of Cuba, where we were helping the Cuban government harvest their sugar. We have been friends ever since. She has always been someone who does not give in to despair.”

David Johnson, an educator in Oakland, was one of the neighborhood children who grew up in the community created by Mama C and her family

“Cassandra Lopez is a beacon of light, full of compassion. She has dedicated her life to quality education to the poor and working class,” serving for 40 years as a Spanish teacher in Oakland schools, he said.

“She has dedicated her life to speak truth to power, justice to the silent, and as a member of the community, she advocates for programs and resources,” he said.

In her remarks, Mama C recognized the influence and power of all mothers. “Together, we all stand on the backs of our mothers. Mothers play a special role in society. We give when we have almost nothing left to give. We hurt when some people don’t see the hurt and the pain that our families endure. But we keep on moving forward.”

Looking at what African Americans, other people of color and working people face in the country today, she said, “We are deserving of the very best because our hands, our bodies produce the wealth of world, and yet we get the least. We see our country wholesale being stolen away from us, and we are told to grin and bear it. We’re not bearing it; we’re fighting against it.”

Continuing, she said, “There’s enough wealth in this world that there should be no hunger in the world. There should be nobody without a decent place to live. Nobody should be sleeping on the street. Teachers should get the freedom to be creative and tell the stories that exist in this nation that make us strong and great.

“We have a lot to do. We cannot despair. We cannot run. People are learning, and together, collectively, we can do it.”