Activism
Long Food Lines in Richmond as Residents Endure Rising Costs
In the last eight months, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano has seen demand for its services increase by about 50,000 people, to roughly 400,000, according to Jeremy Crittenden, spokesperson for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. The demand is only expected to increase, he said.
By Mike Kinney
Food Bank volunteers greeted long lines of people waiting in their cars and along the sidewalk at Thursday’s bi-monthly food distribution event in the Richmond Civic Center parking lot.
Starting Oct. 12, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano’s regular distribution will no longer provide drive-thru services and will only offer walk-up due to safety reasons.
Richmond Standard spoke with a couple of recipients waiting in line on Sept. 28. They expressed gratitude that the food bank will continue to distribute here on a regular basis, particularly as the costs to live have increased.
“I am grateful that we are able to get food here today,” said Ramon Martinez, who was waiting in line. Martinez described food prices as increasingly outrageous.
Added Jessica Johnson, “The closer we get to the holidays, the prices for food will be skyrocketing again. Having the ability to come here and get food is wonderful and really helps my family get through the next couple of weeks.”
In the last eight months, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano has seen demand for its services increase by about 50,000 people, to roughly 400,000, according to Jeremy Crittenden, spokesperson for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. The demand is only expected to increase, he said.
“We are aware that we are helping families that are struggling to buy groceries with our pantry distribution sites when we come to their community,” Crittenden said. “And now with a pending shutdown of the federal government, we know there will be more people in need of our food distribution for their families.”
Recipients at distributions can acquire bags of non-perishable foods, fresh produce and proteins. As an example, people received eggs, cheese, ground turkey meat, bags of onions, potatoes and apples, last week. Other items included cans of vegetables and pasta, a package of chicken breast meat and a box of macaroni and cheese.
Distributions will continue to be held in the Richmond Civic Center at 25th Street and Barrett Avenue on the second and fourth Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. Organizers say it is important to bring one or two bags with handles.
Of course, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano also provides regular distributions at other locations in Richmond and around the County. To view a list of distributions, including times, locations and other details, go to https://www.foodbankccs.org/map-city/richmond/
The Food Bank thrives with help from the community, particularly thanks to financial donations and volunteering.
“Volunteers are the heart of how we are able help and support families and people in need,” Crittenden said. “Volunteering and making a difference in people’s lives is a beautiful feeling.”
To find out ways to donate, go to https://www.foodbankccs.org/give-help/donate/ For volunteer opportunities, go https://volunteer.foodbankccs.org/
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
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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
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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.
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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