Economics

McClymonds Students Take Millionaire Entrepreneurs To Lunch

Published

9 years ago

October 21, 2017

Dr. Dennis Kimbro addresses McClymonds High School students in the inaugural Pathway to Entrepreneurship course for high school and Merritt College credits. Photo By Carla Thomas

On Monday October 16th, over two dozen McClymonds high school students had the rare opportunity to take a millionaire to lunch. Hosted in the school’s library, the event apart marked the inaugural Entrepreneurship Pathway program at McClymonds High School.

“We are proud to start this school year at McClymonds by implementing year-one of an “Entrepreneurship Pathway,”” said McClymonds High School Principal, Jarod M. Scott.

In partnership with Merritt College, McClymonds is the first high school in Oakland to offer a three-year sequenced dual-enrollment pathway program.

“Students will now have the opportunity to earn high school credits and earn up to 17 college credits and a certificate in entrepreneurship from Merritt College,” said Merritt College President Marie Elaine Burns.
“Alliances make great communities,” she said. “I’m elated to involve dynamic speakers to this program.”

The “Take a Millionaire to Lunch” inaugural day featured special guest Clark Atlanta University Professor, Dr. Dennis Kimbro, who is also an author and entrepreneur, encouraged students to reach their highest potential as leaders and business owners. His latest book is “The Wealth Choice; Success Secrets of Black Millionaires.”

“Your attitude determines your altitude and with hard work and focus the possibilities for these students and any student is limitless,” said Kimbro. “Your ideas and your passion will take you far, if you follow basic steps to success.”

This program will be priceless in terms of the possibilities it will open up to students,” said coordinator Dr. Allie Whitehurst. Instructor Charles Hill will teach students the “Introduction to Business” class.

Students were also surrounded by supportive community leaders throughout the afternoon, including Brian McGhee of OUSD’s African American Male Achievement program and advocate Cheryl Perry League. The new superintendent of Oakland Unified School District, Kyla Johnson-Trammell, addressed the audience.

“This is what learning should be. We want students to be able to think and dream big so they can transform this nation and this world. These students are the next Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) and the creator of the newest app,” she said. Oakland is a city of entrepreneurship and we want more businesses that reflect the community, said. Johnson-Trammell.

Tech innovator and holder of 21 patents, Dr. Harry Bims, spoke of building his business up to a net worth of $8 million and selling it for an undisclosed amount. He is currently president of Protocomm Systems. Businessman Derrick Deadwiler of Deb, USA, Inc. also shared his journey.

Chris Howard of Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) said, “Students will be engaged in a great curriculum developed by NFTE.”

McClymonds’ senior, Destiny Renee Shabazz, who provided Dr. Kimbro’s intro, proudly stated she plans to become the mayor of Oakland. Next generation leaders in class included sophomores: future cosmetologist, Camryn Ware, future sports shop owner, Gary Alexander II and future real estate mogul, Derrick Bui.

“I want to open up a salon that provides hair, skin and nail care,” said Ware. “I hope to own a shop that sells sports paraphernalia like Marshawn Lynch,” said Alexander. With an older sister currently in the real estate business, Bui said he’s learning a lot by attending open houses.

Kimbro made his rounds at several Bay Area events, including the 51st Anniversary of the Black Panther Party at Merritt College on Friday. Kimbro shared his research on the staggering disparities of Black men incarcerated at an accelerated rate compared to whites. He also spoke on how the community can break the pipeline to prison cycle with education and collaboration.

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Activism

The People’s Coalition to Stop Deed Theft Speaks at National Probate Reform Coalition Meeting

Evangeline Byars and Carmella Carrington lead the STOPDEEDTHEFT.org movement, fighting rising deed and title fraud, which disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities nationwide.

Published

16 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Left to right: Evangeline Byars and Carmella Carrington are gaining nationwide attention with their STOPDEEDTHEFT.org movement.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition (NPRC) has learned that aside from rampant theft of properties occurring through probate court, deed theft extends even further with the support of banks, police, judges, attorneys and “the system” to steal Black and Brown properties.

Deed and title fraud are rising, with FBI data showing over 9,300 complaints and $173.6 million in losses in 2024 alone.

To that end, NPRC invited Evangeline Byars of The People’s Coalition to Stop Deed Theft as their keynote speaker on May 7.

Deed theft victims reach out to Byars because she has a reputation of getting things done. Introduced to community organizing at Medgar Evers College in 2011, Byars was mentored by Harry Belafonte and gained further movement training in 2012-13 through his “Gathering for Justice.” Byars also trained with the Youth Brigade 32BJ, Union in 2012 where she learned to map, target, and execute actions.

With that knowledge as an advocacy worker, Byars ran for president of TWU Local 100 for transit workers. During challenges of the union and political changes in New York when unions no longer had friends in government, they organized.

In 2025, deed theft victims approached Byars and told their stories. Byars investigated, and discovered rampant, unrelenting theft of properties, primarily from Black and brown families, got involved and helped them with their fight, teaching them how to sustain their fight at the grassroots level while remaining politically independent. This independence gave them the ability to move without co promise.

Deed theft is the taking of someone’s deed through fraudulent mortgages or a stranger that accesses property records, prepares paperwork and files for an owner’s property. New York is a’ first notice’ state, which means whoever appears first on record is the designated deed holder.

Deed theft escalated between 2013-23, the outcome of the subprime market, when people faced mass foreclosure and short sales. By 2014 people, primary Black and Brown, were fighting for their property.

In California, title theft (deed fraud) is a fast-growing threat often targeting high-equity homes, vacant land, and rentals. As of 2024, California leads the nation in real estate fraud with over 1,583 cases costing roughly $24.8 million in losses in a single year, reflecting the state’s prime position for scammers due to high property values, the FBI reports.

Byars says, “Deed theft affects Black and Brown people: it is by design, leading to the erasure of people of color homeownership that is happening nationwide. In every big city across the United States, towns and municipalities, we are witnessing a mass exodus of Black and brown people. This theft cannot occur without judges, notaries and law enforcement, it is a syndicate of players working together for the removal of people by illegal ejectment or eviction.

The People’s Coalition to Stop Deed Theft does court watch and constantly highlight the inequities in the court system.

Byars says, “This is a human rights crisis. Because of Wall Street and what New York signifies to the nation, know that no state is safe. Any person can come and create paper terrorism, slap forgery notes on homes; engage in illegal guardian procedures; initiate foreclosures; apply for fraudulent loan modifications; then there’s outright theft and forgery, just taking people’s homes. Believe me, it’s happening nationally and on the daily, These predators also target seniors over the age of 60 and women.”

The People’s Coalition to Stop Deed Theft take direct actions against perpetrators and are working with the New York District Attorney to create an office dedicated to gighting deed theft.

“Two ways to protect your deed is to keep a note, never satisfy your mortgage, because the bank is the biggest gangster, but if you’re making a payment, it keeps them in check. Or put your home in a living trust, once you have a trust, it hides the owner’s name and protects the person from predators.”