Oakland

Miles Bailer Armstead, 45

Published

6 years ago

June 3, 2020

Editor’s Note:

Miles Bailer Armstead’s life tragically ended at his property in East Oakland as a result of the all-to-common violence in our community. He was taken away from his family of four children, a wife and parents. We are publishing his family’s beautiful tribute to the man who faithfully sought to serve others.

Miles Bailer Armstead was a devoted son, husband, father, youth sports coach, church leader, professional networker, wealth management private banker—not to mention, die-hard New York Giants fan. He enriched all our lives with his big personality, infectious energy, enthusiasm, compassion, competitiveness, wit, fun-loving nature and love of family.

Miles was born November 20, 1975 in Manhattan, New York to Bonnie Bailer, an educator and attorney and Dennis Armstead, an artists’ manager. Miles started his education at St. John the Divine’s Cathedral School and continued his education at the prestigious Thacher School in Ojai, CA. He would go on to earn his B.S. in Political Science from the University of San Francisco (USF).

At 13, Miles recovered from two major surgeries that could have caused blindness and permanent brain damage. By age 19, Miles had traveled to 19 countries learning a deep love and appreciation for different cultures.

After graduating from USF, Miles began his professional career in business finance sales for such companies as Bank of America, Wells Fargo and most recently, Fremont Bank where he achieved many awards.

In 2002, Miles married his college sweetheart, Alexandra Leigh Brown. They raised three beautiful children (Chloe, Quinn and Elle). Although the marriage ended 11 years later, Miles remained a devoted, caring and compassionate father.

In 2017, Miles married his life partner Melina Ann Esquilin and loved Melina’s daughter, Isabella, as his own. Miles and Melina are expecting their first child together in August.

Miles, a sports enthusiast, was also a PTA board member, classroom volunteer, and the father that played on the jungle gym in his suit and tie. However, what he loved most was being an assistant coach for two years and then head soccer coach for six years with the Oakland Soccer Club.

Miles always took on leadership roles with various volunteer networks including the Sigma Alpha Epsilon International Fraternity, the Black Student Union, the Multicultural Student Union and was active with the Associated Students of USF the Business Network International, Embarcadero Chapter and the exclusive ProVisors business network.

He partnered with his wife Melina to lead multiple annual 24-Hour Relays at Oakland Technical High School—supporting the Ever Forward Club’s youth mentorship program.

In the spring of 2019, Miles and Melina made the ultimate family and church commitment and joined their current pastors as part of their Core Team to serve the city of Oakland by opening The Fathers House Oakland (TFH Oakland), an untraditional church helping people experience God, find family and live a life fulfilled—a mission that encompassed Miles’ life to the end.

Miles’ desire was to fill the foyer of Grand Lake Theater with the love of God and community. He greeted each parishioner by name as they returned every Sunday. Miles’ mark and legacy for the love of God, service, team, family and Oakland will continue to live on through TFH Oakland, his children, co-workers, friends, and family.

Miles is survived by his wife Melina, children—Chloe, Quinn, Elle and Isabella, mother, Bonnie Bailer and her husband Philmore Glover, father, Dennis Armstead and his wife Ingrid, brother Bradley and his wife Lisa Jean, brother, Terence and his wife Sandra, sister, Stephanie Douglas and her husband Jeff, mother-in-law, Judith Caliz, grandmother, Marvelyne Bailer and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces and his dog, Macho.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC