Community
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Observed Throughout Oakland
Jan. 18, 2021, marks the 26th anniversary of the MLK Day of Service, held nationwide to observe and celebrate the late Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy. The iconic civil rights leader would have been 92 this year. King was born on Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, GA.
Jan. 18, 2021, marks the 26th anniversary of the MLK Day of Service, held nationwide to observe and celebrate the late Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy. The iconic civil rights leader would have been 92 this year. King was born on Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, GA.
After tremendous activist campaigning over a period of 32 years, King’s birthday was enacted by Congress and signed into law by Pres. Ronald Reagan as a federal holiday in1983. Establishing the MLK holiday was a hotly contested objective with many legislative sponsors often experiencing death threats and property damage.
After a vicious backlash over a three-year period, the lone Black elected official in Utah, state Sen. Terry L. Williams (my brother) was joined by Coretta Scott King, the great dame of the Civil Rights movement, in Utah’s ultimately successful struggle to ensure the state holiday law passed in 1986.
This paved the way for the state of Arizona, influenced by Utah’s action, to complete the 50-state membership of establishing the holiday honoring Dr. King’s legacy in 1993. Various nationwide amendments and name changes for the holiday were finally concluded in 2000.
The MLK Day of Service has been designated as “a day on, not a day off” to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. Because of the coronavirus, the city of Oakland extended the service to 40 days instead of one and instead of groups, to work as individuals or families.
Here in Oakland, Khariyyah Shabazz, deputy executive director of the Higher Ground Neighborhood Development Corporation (HGNDC), and Executive Director Amber Blackwell will mobilize dozens of volunteers to clean up areas in East Oakland.
“This will be the 10th year that we have mobilized teams of volunteers to work cleaning neighborhoods throughout Oakland,” said Blackwell. “Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and our closing ceremonies will be at 1:00 p.m. Volunteers will be assigned to work in teams to perform specific tasks in the cleanup efforts.”
“Projects targeted for HGNDC this year will focus on areas around 10495 Edes Ave. in East Oakland. On this day, we plan to complete five service projects which will include: the Edes Avenue Beautification, Brookfield Elementary School cleanup, Greenway Maintenance, Tyrone Carney Park cleanup, and a food giveaway,” said Blackwell.
“We will also do senior cleaning where we will go into the backyards of seniors and eradiate debris from their property, removing items they have set out to be dumped. Each project will only last two hours depending on how much work there is to be done at each station. There will be a capacity of 10 people per group and we will enforce all CDC guidelines for the entire event.”
“Our plan will be to work in two groups with the first group arriving at 8:30 a.m. for signups. The second group will arrive at 11:00 a.m. for signups. We are asking that volunteers choose only one group to work with. A light snack and lunch will be provided for the volunteers.”
The mission of Higher Ground’s afterschool program is to provide a safe and nurturing space where students are given both the tools and access necessary to be successful in the academic arena, while exposing them and their families to varied cultural, artistic and fitness experiences that build resiliency and develop happy, well-rounded and successful people.
For more information on how you can help with activities during this year’s MLK Day of Service, call 510.230.5120 or visit www.highergroundndc@yahoo.com. Volunteers are asked to register via the website, or can show up on day of event and receive assignments.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024
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Antonio Ray Harvey
More Segregated Than Deep South: ACLU Releases Report on Calif. Public Schools
The 2024 State of Black Education: Report Card was recently published by the American Civil Liberties Union California Action (ACLU California Action). It states that California is the third most segregated state for Black students. Co-author of the report, policy counsel Amir Whitaker from ACLU Southern California explained the criteria the ACLU use to rank California during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education held at the State Capitol the day after the Memorial Day holiday.
By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
The 2024 State of Black Education: Report Card was recently published by the American Civil Liberties Union California Action (ACLU California Action).
It states that California is the third most segregated state for Black students.
Co-author of the report, policy counsel Amir Whitaker from ACLU Southern California explained the criteria the ACLU use to rank California during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education held at the State Capitol the day after the Memorial Day holiday.
“For every state in the Deep South, California (schools) are more segregated,” Whittaker said. “People often think that California is not segregated or unequal as Deep South states and others. The inequalities here (in California) are actually wider.”
New York and Illinois are ahead of California regarding the racial diversity of their student bodies. According to a report May 2022 report by Stanford Graduate School of Education, the Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City school districts are in the top 10 most racially segregated districts for White-Black, White-Hispanic, and White-Asian segregation based on the average levels from 1991-2020.
In bigger school districts, segregation between low-income (students who are eligible for free lunch) and non-low-income students increased by 47% since 1991, according to the Stanford Graduate School’s report.
“That’s why it’s important to look at this data,” Whitaker said. “When you have millions of people living in places like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, the urban areas are a lot more segregated than the south. That’s a big part of it.
A number of factors contribute to the segregation of schools in California such as parents sending their children to private schools, others optioning for homeschooling, and other reasons, Whitaker said.
The Brown v. Board of Education case declared that separating children in public schools based on race was unconstitutional. However, Whitaker pointed to cases after the landmark decision that circumvented that federal law.
According to a 2014 report by the Civil Rights Project, in the 1990s, decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court decision ended federal desegregation orders in San Francisco and San Jose. In addition, court decisions in the state that ordered desegregation in the 1970s were overturned by the 1990s. Legally, California has no school integration policy to adhere to.
“This is why we did this report. There needs to be a report just on this issue (of school segregation),” Whitaker told California Black Media. “Right now, there’s no task force or anything addressing it. I have never seen the California Department of Education talk about it. This is a pandemic (and) a crisis.”
ACLU Northern California hosted an overview of the report and panel discussion at the State Capitol on May 29. California Black Legislative Caucus member Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) and Sen. Steven Bradford were the guest speakers. Parents, students, educators, and Black education advocates from all over the state attended the 90-minute presentation at the State Capitol.
School segregation is the No. 1 issue listed in among the report’s “24 areas of documented inequality,” along with problematic trends of racial harassment, a continuous decline of Black student enrollment, school closures, connection with school staff, chronic absenteeism, low Black teacher representation, and parent participation.
Art
Mayor Breed, Actor Morris Chestnut Attend S.F.’s Indie Night Film Festival
On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco. San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.
By Y’Anad Burrell
On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco.
San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.
A weekly celebration of cinematic artistry designed to elevate emerging talent while providing a platform for networking and collaboration, entrepreneur Dave Brown created Indie Night to bridge gaps within the filmmaking community by fostering connections between like-minded individuals worldwide. The Indie Film Festival currently has over 450 film submissions worldwide, and its cinematic vault only continues to grow.
The festival showcased over 10 short films and trailers, and featured Faces of the “City: Fighting for the Soul of America,” produced by veteran actor Tisha Campbell. This film is about the vibrancy and legacy of San Francisco. The festival also previewed “When It Reigns,” a trailer by Oakland’s burgeoning filmmaker Jamaica René.
Indie films have not just challenged traditional cinematic norms; they’ve shattered them. These films offer unique storytelling perspectives and push creative boundaries in truly inspiring ways. With their smaller budgets and independent spirit, they often tackle unconventional subjects and portray diverse characters, providing a refreshing alternative to mainstream cinema. As a result, indie films have resonated with audiences seeking an escape from formulaic blockbusters and are increasingly celebrated for their authenticity and originality.
Organizers say the mission of Indie Night is to elevate the craft of independent artists and creators. It also provides a venue for them to showcase their work, network, and exchange information with new and established creatives. It creates a community that values and supports independent art.
For more about the Indie Night Film Festival, visit www.indienightfilmfestival.com.
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