News

Oakland Frontline Healers Declare War Against COVID-19

Published

7 years ago

April 16, 2020

Not many people in the world imagined World War III would be against an invisible enemy, but all will agree Americans are fighting for their lives, especially those in the African American community. A Center for Disease Control and Prevention study found that 33 percent of Covid 19 related hospitalizations are African American while only accounting for 13 percent of the US population. This inequitable dynamic is playing out in urban areas across the country as Black communities must now also contend with the fall out of an economic downturn.

Both perturbed and inspired to act by this growing body of evidence, over 20 organizations representing and serving the flat land communities of Oakland have joined forces to advocate for the Black Community’s needs. This group, the Oakland Frontline Healers, is a collaborative of non-profits, grassroots volunteer organizations, churches, and community doctors, dedicated to winning the war against coronavirus.

“In the midst of social distancing orders, our weapons are the dissemination of COVID-19 information and the sharing of our resources, networks, and influence.” says Justin Lee of the Oakland Violence Prevention Coalition. “As people stay at home, our soldiers are the 100+ staffers and volunteers providing essential, direct services to the most at risk and hardest to reach members of the community.”

Despite having formed only two weeks ago, the Frontline Healers have already made great strides in addressing the holistic needs of the community.

The Frontline Healers have organized amongst themselves to deliver care packages consisting of food, protective gear, resources, and educational material directly to families, seniors, and homeless encampments. Participant violence interrupters have been in the field keeping peace in neighborhoods.

Currently, the Frontline Healers, under the direction of Dr. Geoffrey Watson, are establishing two drive-thru COVID-19 testing centers in Oakland to address the urgent need for testing Oakland’s most vulnerable populations, one in North/West Oakland and the other in East Oakland.

The next item on their agenda is advocating for the needs of the formerly incarcerated that were recently released en masse.

John Jones III, Director of Community and Political Engagement of Just Cities says, “The parole system has notoriously lacked the resources to help folks returning home for years. There have been no plans to ensure folks coming home have access to PPE, housing, nor removing the systemic and structural barriers that exist resulting from a criminal record. Overcoming those barriers will be a major issue Frontline Healers will address.”

Daryle Allums of Adamika Village describes Oakland Frontline Healers as an agency long overdue, “ We’ve been at war to get what our people need long before COVID 19 hit and now it’s like a crisis stacked on top of another crisis. The coronavirus may be invisible, but the structural issues that make our people vulnerable are now as clear as day. The Oakland Frontline Healers are here to do whatever it takes to upend those structures both during and after this crisis. ”

Learn more and support the Oakland Frontline Healers by visiting their website at oaklandfrontlinehealers.org

Tanya Dennis

Posts by Tanya Dennis

Black History

HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD — History has been made in Georgia. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has been elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman in American history to win the highest executive office in any state.

Published

6 days ago

November 5, 2026

Post News Group

Keisha Lance Bottoms during her 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary victory speech. Photo: Sikis2021 / Wikimedia Commons.

History has been made in Georgia. Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, has been elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman in American history to win the highest executive office in any state.

Bottoms’ victory over Republican businessman Rick Jackson represents a defining moment in American politics, breaking a barrier that has stood since the nation’s founding and placing Georgia at the center of a historic political transformation.

For generations, Black women have played a critical role in American democracy, organizing communities, leading movements, mobilizing voters and shaping public policy. Yet despite their contributions, no Black woman had ever been elected governor of a U.S. state.

Until now.

Bottoms’ election also makes her the first woman and first Black person elected governor of Georgia, a state whose political history has been deeply shaped by slavery, segregation, the civil rights movement and the long struggle for equal representation.

Her victory carries particular significance in a state where Black women have been among the most influential forces in voter registration, political organizing and Democratic electoral success.

A fifth-generation Georgian, Bottoms previously served as Atlanta’s 60th mayor from 2018 to 2022. During her administration, she led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, nationwide protests over racial injustice and a period of significant economic and population growth.

Following her time as mayor, Bottoms served as a senior adviser in President Joe Biden’s administration before returning to Georgia politics to pursue the governorship.

Her campaign focused on expanding access to health care, strengthening public education, increasing wages and addressing the rising cost of living. She also advocated for expanding Medicaid, raising Georgia’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and increasing compensation for teachers and other public employees.

Bottoms faced Jackson, a wealthy health care executive who invested heavily in his campaign and positioned himself as a political outsider. The contest drew national attention as Democrats sought to reclaim the Georgia governor’s office after more than two decades of Republican control.

The historic nature of Bottoms’ victory extends well beyond party politics.

Georgia, once at the center of some of America’s most consequential civil rights battles, has now elected a Black woman to lead its state government. It is a milestone that reflects generations of political participation, organizing and leadership by Black Georgians.

For Atlanta, the moment is especially significant. A former mayor of the city that helped shape the modern civil rights movement will now lead the entire state.

Bottoms’ election opens a new chapter in Georgia’s political history and establishes a milestone that will be remembered far beyond the 2026 election.

For continuing election coverage and results, visit AtlantaDailyWorld.com/election26.