Events

Lecture Series to Address Gender Inequality with Anita Hill

Published

8 years ago

March 8, 2018

The world is ripe to revisit Anita Hill’s story—and to catch up on where her story has gone.
Young women today were too young to have watched the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in 1991, but they may know Hill’s name anyway.

She testified at these hearings about the sexual harassment she experienced while working for Thomas at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Thomas was confirmed—by the narrowest margin of approval in over a century—and continues to serve as a Supreme Court justice.

In December 2017, Hill was asked to lead the Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace.

The commission was spearheaded by women in entertainment, and seeks to correct the industry’s issues, thrust into the spotlight by the #MeToo movement.

Their second meeting is in March.

“When you have a culture that supports harassment, it also supports other kinds of biases,” Hill said. “We’re going to be looking at all of the ways that under-represented or marginalized communities are kept from having equal opportunity and equal outcome in the entertainment industry.”

Hill has said that coming forward with the allegations in 1991 changed the trajectory of her life. Since that hearing, she has leaned into that trajectory and used her platform to continue the conversation around sexual harassment in the workplace.

Although Hill’s testimony sparked this conversation 27 years ago, only recently has the conversation sparked a movement.

In 1992, there were almost 10 times as many sexual harassment claims filed with the EEOC than the year before—from 1,244 to 10,532. This is a source of pride for Hill.

“I’m not just proud of the fact that they filed complaints in court or with their employers; I’m also proud that they were able to share their stories with their families,” she said. “This is something that women had been keeping secret from the people who cared about them…and just had no idea that they had to suffer.”

Hill has had many accomplishments beyond her difficult testimony from that year.
She became the first tenured Black professor at the University of Oklahoma, wrote several books, and has remained an advocate for equality for over the last 27 years.

She’s now a full-time law professor at Brandeis University, although she is currently on a one-year leave.

And her leave is not a vacation—she’s at MIT assessing the 45th year of Title IX and the various ways that women still suffer disadvantages in higher education, particularly women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

She’s also serving on the board of directors of the National Women’s Law Center, the organization that administers the money raised from the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund.

When I asked Hill what her greatest accomplishment was, she said, “I haven’t had it yet.”
Hill is proud “that the groundwork that had been laid by me and by many other women who have been involved in research, filed complaints, or done advocacy work has led to this moment.”

But she says there is still work to do.

“With the work of this commission, and with the work that I’m continuing to do, I’m [confident] that we will see more change,” she said.

Women’s movements are working to hold abusers accountable, and reduce the risks of coming forward with sexual harassment complaints. But Hill said it’s still not possible for every woman to formally come forward.

“Not everybody’s going to be able to file a complaint, because we still know that there are women who are too vulnerable to come forward,” she said.

Hill said she wants to take a look at the history of sexual harassment, and “to see this moment in time as an enlarging of our ideas about what is freedom and what’s equality,” she said.

“For too long,” she said, “the idea that women and girls—and really all people—should be free of sexual coercion, wasn’t part of a bigger agenda of equality. And this is a moment where we can make it a part of that.

“So how we now think about equality needs to include the freedom to work, and go to school, and walk the streets free of sexual assault and harassment.”

Hill is excited to come to Oakland. She is speaking at the Barbara Lee & Elihu Harris Lecture Series on Saturday, March 10, 7 p.m., at the Oakland Marriott City Center, 1001 Broadway in Oakland.

The event, which is free, is part of the Elihu Harris & Barbara Lee Lecture Series, co-presented by the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District.
To RSVP, call (510) 434-3988.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Fundraising for OUSD Students to Travel to South Africa for Two-week Study Program

Don't Miss

Overtime Pay Drives Some Police Officer Salaries to Over $300,000 a Year

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 11 = 17, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 11 – 17, 2026

Published

10 hours ago

February 16, 2026

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.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Community Celebrates Turner Group Construction Company as Collins Drive Becomes Turner Group Drive

The event drew family, friends, and longtime supporters of Turner Group Construction, along with a host of dignitaries. The mood was joyful and warm, filled with hugs, handshakes and belated New Year’s greetings. Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and a festive display of gourmet cupcakes as they conversed about the street sign reveal.

Published

6 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

The Turner Construction group members.

By Carla Thomas

It was a family affair on Friday, Jan. 23, at the corner of Hegenberger Road and Collins Drive in East Oakland as community members, local leaders, and elected officials gathered to celebrate the renaming of Collins Drive to Turner Group Drive. The renaming saluted the Turner Group’s 45-plus years of economic development and community investment.

Special guests included former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, veteran broadcaster Valerie Coleman-Morris, Chevron Senior Public Affairs Representative Andrea Bailey, community leaders Cephus “Uncle Bobby” Johnson and Beatrice “Aunt Bea” Johnson of the Oscar Grant Foundation, and Oakland City Councilmembers Ken Houston, Carroll Fife, and Kevin Jenkins. Members of WEBCORE, the Nor Cal Carpenters Union, the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC), Swinerton and Alten construction companies, activists Elaine Brown and David Newton, and many others joined the celebration.

Inside the event tent, an emotional Oakland City Councilmember Ken Houston spoke of his deep connection to the Turner family.

“I grew up on the same street with the Turners,” he said. “When my father passed away, their parents and siblings embraced me like family. This is our city, and it’s an honor to name this street Turner Group Drive because of the love and effort this company and family have given. Many dreams came out of this building. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the Turners.”

Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, whose father once taught the Turner brothers, added, “Len Turner is an amazing person. He’ll help anyone.”

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee praised the company’s legacy, noting its creation of the Construction Resource Center, which trains and mentors the next generation of builders and developers through partnerships across the region. “This is a great day for Oakland and a profound acknowledgment of the Turner Group’s contribution to our community,” she said.

Fife echoed that sentiment: “This is a day for celebrating Black excellence. The Turner Group has poured into people and the community, showing us what’s possible.”

Among the many family members in attendance was the Turners’ 92-year-old patriarch, whose presence underscored the strength of the family’s legacy.

A touching highlight of the event came when Coleman-Morris was honored for her lasting mentorship of LaTanya Hawkins, now program manager of the Construction Resource Center. In 1979, Hawkins, then a fourth-grader, wrote Coleman-Morris a letter seeking advice. Coleman responded with words of encouragement that inspired Hawkins to pursue her dreams. The two stayed in touch for decades. On stage, they embraced as Coleman reflected on “the power of small acts of kindness to change a life.”

Coleman-Morris also shared reflections on leadership and community spirit, saying, “If we change the way we look at things, the things we see will change.” She then recited the Serenity Prayer, reminding the crowd, “We are a powerful community, we just need to believe it.”

Company leaders Len and Lance Turner closed the ceremony with words of gratitude and humor. Len thanked his mother, wife, family, legal team, and longtime supporters including Carson, Geoffrey Pete, and the late Dorothy King of Everett & Jones Barbecue. He also acknowledged the challenges the company had overcome, saying, “Without all of this support, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Through Turner Group Construction and the Construction Resource Center, the Turners have created new opportunities for underrepresented groups in the construction industry and continue to inspire the next generation of builders.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Cracking Down on Human Trafficking, California DOJ Announces 120 Arrests

According to the California DOJ, 87 arrests were made for loitering, 25 for solicitation, and eight for pimping and pandering. Officials said the operation focused on reducing demand for commercial sexual exploitation while prioritizing a survivor-centered approach.

Published

6 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Jan. 26 that 120 people were arrested during a coordinated, multi-county law enforcement operation aimed at disrupting human trafficking and connecting survivors with support services.

The arrests stem from Operation Stand On Demand, a six-day effort conducted from Jan. 19 through Jan. 24 across San Diego, Sacramento, Tulare, and Fresno counties. It involved more than a dozen state and local law enforcement agencies working together to target individuals involved in sex trafficking, including traffickers and buyers.

“This operation reflects an ongoing commitment by California law enforcement to target those who fuel trafficking and exploitation,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta.

“It’s a coordinated, multi-county law enforcement effort focused on disrupting sex trafficking, holding perpetrators accountable, and connecting survivors with support,” said Bonta.

San Diego County accounted for the majority of enforcement activity during the operation. District Attorney Summer Stephan said law enforcement agencies worked around the clock to identify and arrest individuals attempting to purchase sex.

“Our officers, in less than one week during this operation, took action, not words, by working around the clock and arresting and citing 105 people who thought that they were going to go out and buy a human being like they’re a hamburger or a slice of pizza,” Stephan said.

San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez chimed in.

“Communities like Santee and San Marcos, which were part of this operation, face unique vulnerabilities tied to transportation routes, student populations, and employment opportunities,” she said.

Bonta said the arrests are part of broader statewide efforts to combat human trafficking. Since 2021, the Attorney General’s Office said its human trafficking task forces have led to more than 900 arrests and connected more than 1,000 survivors to services and resources.

“Human trafficking is a complex, devastating crime, but when we work together, we can make a real difference, and this operation is proof positive of that fact,” Bonta said.

California DOJ officials said similar operations will continue as part of the state’s ongoing strategy to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable communities.