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Legacy Keepers Bridge Gap Between Black Panthers and BLM

Published

6 years ago

September 11, 2020

B.P.P. Legacy Keepers (left to right) Amin Cooley's daughter Anaya Cooley, Co-Founder Amin Cooley, Co-founder Dr. Saturu Ned, Dr. Zafirah Ned. Photo by Michelle Snider.

The original Black Panther Party (1966-1982) left behind a legacy that is often side-lined by the imagery of Black men and women carrying guns in self-defense while wearing black berets and leather jackets. The legacy had been stifled as many party members became political prisoners, and without knowing it at the time, targets of an FBI program called COINTELPRO meant to destroy the party using various deceptive tactics.

With programs like free breakfast and lunch for school children, free health clinics and educational institutions, the BPP created over 60 documented community programs they called survival programs. Many of these programs have become a blueprint for activists today. The BPP created these programs acknowledging that the government was not going to come to communities and do the work of improving them, so the communities had to organize and build structural programs for themselves.

Founded in Oakland, with branches eventually spreading all over the U.S., the BPP believed the only way to create economic stability and self-sufficiency in Black communities was through a combined effort of the people who are from and part of their communities. That is where the term they often use, “All Power to the People,” comes from.

After the death of George Floyd sparked historical nationwide protests under the banner of Black Lives Matter, activists eagerly called original BPP member Saturu Ned looking for advice on how to maneuver what they saw as a modern-day revolution. Formerly known as James Mott, Ned became a BPP member in 1968 and was a member of the BPP’s Lumpen Band. He also taught at Oakland Community School, an award-winning school created by the BPP.

Amin Cooley was one of those activists who called Ned feeling frustrated and angry after watching the video of George Floyd’s death by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Cooley is from Oakland and was raised in a time when crack cocaine dominated the streets. He saw how it affected his community. He looked up to the BPP legacy but admits he did not know too much about its history.

When he was young, he went to see ‘Panther’ a film directed and written by Mario Van Peebles. “And this was like, a secret premiere, and I was like ‘wow, this is the first time I actually get to meet some Black Panthers,’” Cooley said. When he attended the premier he was not able to build up the nerve to talk to the original members who were present, but he remembered the movie making a big impression on him.

“It was about the community and I wanted to be a part of that. And I’ve always looked up to them my whole life. And when George Lloyd was murdered by the police, I cried, I cried really hard,” Cooley said. After sleeping all day he said he woke up the next day, “with a fire in my heart and my soul.”

Cooley reached out to a friend who knew Ned. Cooley said he told his friend, “We got to see the Black Panther Party back or at least the programs and the ideology because they have the blueprint in their head.”

Cooley connected with Ned, and they both became co-founders of B.P.P. Legacy Keepers. Under one non-profit with contributions being tax-deductible through the Pledge Group Foundation 501(c)3, B.P.P., Legacy Keepers is seeking to build a network of “legacy keepers” who are already doing community work as well as educate anyone who wants to bridge the gap of knowledge from the time of the BPP to the present.

Being an original Black Panther Party member is not required to be a legacy keeper. Anyone who is doing work similar to that of the original BPP like providing food, healthcare, housing, and legal support would be considered a legacy keeper of the original movement.

Calling for national access-for-all healthcare, advocating for affordable housing, working towards changing the justice system, all of these current-day political discussions fall in line with the BPP 10-point program.

The problem, Ned explained, is that today there is no clear leadership or messaging. He calls the current cycle of video recordings of Black people being killed by police followed up with marches and a hashtag to donate money a “death march” that has no clear vision or accountability. Marching has the purpose of raising attention to a problem, he said, but there is work to be done beyond that.

Legacy Keepers instructs their network users in the methodology of identifying what’s going on in communities and figuring out how to resolve community issues and problems. The problems are intertwined, so working on the idea of police reform or defunding the police would have to collate with other issues in communities, like healthcare, mental health, job security, housing, and food security.

Instruction is based on the BPP legacy using modern technology like classes over Zoom and studying how video phones and social media can be used for effective strategies.

With Ned’s wife, Dr. Zafirah Ned, other instructors available to teach these classes include Katherine Campbell, (Auntie) Francis Moore, and Professor Steve McCutchen. The B.P.P. Legacy Keepers network includes hundreds of individuals, organizations and businesses all over the country.

Cooley represents the younger generation who is learning under the guidance of Ned and will be an instructor as well. Saturu Ned has already done classes on Zoom to universities like Fresno State.

“We are giving classes to policymakers on a national basis, giving Zoom presentations to individuals who want to see how they can actually increase the effectiveness of their organizations,” Ned said. “with other organizations…switching from the concept of just Black Lives Matter, first the historical classes, and then the ideology. We’ll separate myths from fact.” The purpose Ned said, is to start conversations into specific plans and to turn plans into action.

“You’re talking about defunding the police. Every time we hear that, do we not ask where’s your plan?” Ned said. So far, he said he has not heard a concept with a detailed plan that could feasibly be turned into action, and that is a problem that organizing and educating current day legacy keepers can solve.

For more information go to bpplegacykeepers.com.

Michelle Snider

Associate Editor for The Post News Group. Writer, Photographer, Videographer, Copy Editor, and website editor documenting local events in the Oakland-Bay Area California area.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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