Activism

Oakland Frontline Healers Launches Black Mental Health Initiative

“There are few places for Black folks to go when they’re in crisis, and available services are hard to access. When in crisis, people must trust the person offering assistance, and in the Black community its usually a person who doesn’t look like them. Despite best of intentions, not everyone can relate to our experience with America,” says Dr. Tony Jackson of Pranamind and President of the Bay Area Association of Black Psychologists.

Published

4 years ago

April 15, 2022

Oakland Post

Dr. Noha Aboelata of ROOTS and Dr. Tony Jackson of Pranamind and President of the Bay Area Association of Black Psychologists.

Black Mental Health: Part 1

By Tanya Dennis

April 2020, Oakland Black nonprofits and medical doctors formed a collaborative organization entitled Oakland Frontline Healers (OFH) to address the COVID-19 pandemic and its detrimental effects in the Black community. Oakland Frontline Healers ran toward the problem, providing PPE, testing, vaccines and services. Committed to providing the best knowledge and service, OFH member Umoja Health stopped giving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine because of its lack of efficacy after 60 days.

“We are unapologetically Black in all that we do,” says Daryle Allums, founder of OFH. “We are from the hood and for the hood, committed to healing our people during stressful times and hardships.”

As Oakland Frontline Healer members distributed food, housing vouchers, COVID-19 home test kits and other living essentials, reports of escalating violence and mental health episodes caused members to assess their next frontline mission. Black Mental Health won overwhelmingly.

“We got youngsters out here wilding out, and we can’t let the police be the only solution,” says Allums, adding that “We’re also addressing violence. Soon Oakland will see more of Adamika Village and Men of Influence’s Credible Messengers patrolling the flatlands.”

OFH members have been meeting with the Bay Area Association of Black Psychologists, and with the aid of Dr. Noha Aboelata of ROOTS, are creating holistic approaches to bringing solid, ethnically sensitive mental health services with fast response. As usual, securing funding is the number one obstacle, number two is finding enough qualified practioners. Dr Aboelata mused that “Developing a training program for more Black service providers is something we must consider.”

OFH hopes to establish two African American healing hubs, in West and East Oakland. They are also working on a larger center that will take years because of its complexity and scope, being led by the Association of Black Psychologists. The Black Mental Health Coalition project will address needs of people not on the County of Alameda’s radar.

“Currently the only place the County offers mental evaluations is in Santa Rita jail, and to be seen by a therapist, your illness must be severe. That profile misses 75% of Black people that could use some help with their stress or crisis. Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome is real, and COVID-19 has exacerbated the problem,” says, Tanya Dennis, lead facilitator of OFH.

“There’s unspent money at the State and County level, and Federal money is also available,” says Dennis. “We’re approaching these agencies for funding, but our first step is getting community support. Black folks can do that by telling us what they need.”

Dennis is requesting the public go to the OFH website and fill out their Black Mind survey, so leaders know what authentic, relevant service looks like. When the coalition presents to the County, State and Feds the Black collective voice must be heard. United, African Americans can get what has so long been denied, mental health care culturally sensitive and restorative.

Go to Oaklandfrontlinehealers.org to take the survey and opportunity to tell your story.

Interview with Karyn Tribble, Alameda County Behavorial Health and Dr. Noha Aboelata

Oakland Post

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‘Hire Oakland’ Job Fair Draws 2,000, Connecting Residents to Immediate Job Opportunities

Oakland’s Hire Oakland job fair, hosted by Mayor Barbara Lee’s office, connected over 2,000 job seekers with employers, highlighting a strong demand for quality jobs and career pathways in the city.

Published

15 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Left to right: Yawo Tekpa, OPIC Manager, One Stop Operator; Sofia Navarro, Deputy City Administrator; and Ray Lankford, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.

By Post Staff

The Office of Mayor Barbara Lee, in partnership with the City of Oakland and regional employers, hosted a successful Hire Oakland job fair this week at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, bringing together job seekers and employers for a day focused on opportunity, connection, and economic mobility.

With more than 2,000 RSVPs, the event on Wednesday reflected strong demand across Oakland for access to quality jobs and career pathways. Attendees participated in on-site recruitment, application support, and hands-on workshops designed to help job seekers navigate hiring processes and prepare for interviews.

Over the course of the day, employers and community partners engaged directly with residents in a welcoming, high-energy environment centered on opportunity and hope. Participating employers included EBMUD, Samuel Merritt University, the City of Oakland, BART, PG&E, AC Transit, East Bay Regional Parks District, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and many others offering immediate openings and career pathways across sectors.

Workforce development partners Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) and Lao Family Community Development provided connections to résumé support, interview coaching, and individualized job search assistance throughout the event.

The strong turnout underscores a clear reality: Oakland residents are eager for pathways into meaningful work, and sustained investment in youth and workforce programs is essential.

That is why Mayor Lee has prioritized relaunching the Oakland Police Cadet Program and the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP)—ensuring young people have early access to paid work experience, mentorship, and long-term career pathways, according to a City press statement.

“The turnout shows what we already know—Oaklanders are ready to work, ready to grow, and ready to build their futures here at home,” said Lee. “When we connect people directly to employers and invest in young people early, we are not just filling jobs—we are changing lives and strengthening our city’s future.”

The Hire Oakland job fair is part of the City’s broader effort to strengthen workforce pipelines, expand access to good-paying jobs, and ensure Oakland residents are first in line for local opportunity.

About Hire OaklandHire Oakland is a citywide workforce initiative led by the Office of Mayor Barbara Lee in partnership with City departments, workforce development organizations, and regional employers. The program connects Oakland job seekers to real-time hiring opportunities, training resources, and career pathways.

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Activism

Cassie ‘Mama C’ Lopez Honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year

Cassandra “Mama C” Lopez, a dedicated parent, teacher, and activist, was honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year for her unwavering commitment to community and justice.

Published

26 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Cassandra Lopez, known as “Mama C,” is surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors at Oakland’s annual Mother of Year celebration at the Morcom Rose Garden, Saturday, May 9. Photo by Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon.

By Ken Epstein

The City of Oakland recognized Cassandra, “Mama C,” Lopez – parent, teacher, community activist, and justice warrior – as Oakland’s Mother of the Year in a celebration at Oakland’s Morcom Rose Garden on Mother’s Day weekend.

Long recognized as a leader in her community, she was nominated by District 3 City Councilmember Carroll Fife to receive the city’s 73rd annual Mother of the Year award.

Speaking at the crowded ceremony on Saturday, May 9, where Mama C received roses and a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Lee, Fife said she felt honored to nominate Lopez, an “amazing woman – a hell-raising humanitarian, for the energy, the passion, but most of all the love for community” that makes her one of those “exceptional women whose lives, exemplify love, sacrifice, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the family and community they serve.”

Cassie Lopez was born in 1945 to Pauline and Calvin Weaver, a family that had left Florida and Jim Crow for the east side of Detroit. From an early age, she was instilled with a sense of Black awareness, love, and the importance of community in the face of hardships, including poverty, freezing winters, low pay, and slum landlords.

Fifty-five years ago, she married Juan Lopez. The couple has three children and has lived for decades in a neighborhood on the edge of downtown Oakland near Mosswood Park.

Said her husband, Juan, “Mama C has been a selfless mother of our own children, and she also became a teacher. Our home became a second home for many young people. For some, it was refuge from difficult home situations, and for others, a safe place to hang out.

“Throughout the years, Mama C was sometimes a foot soldier and other times a leader, immersed in some of the biggest national and citywide struggles of the day,” Juan said. “But less known to many is the role she played day in and day out where the rubber hits the road.

“For 35 years, she has shepherded the Mosswood Park and Recreation Center – through its good and bad times. If the Center exists (and thrives) today, it has to do with Mama C, working alongside neighbors, center directors, community advisory council, and when necessary, community coalitions, city officials, the religious community, and the labor movement.”

Said Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon, “I am an old friend of my sister here. We met in 1970 in the sugarcane fields of Cuba, where we were helping the Cuban government harvest their sugar. We have been friends ever since. She has always been someone who does not give in to despair.”

David Johnson, an educator in Oakland, was one of the neighborhood children who grew up in the community created by Mama C and her family

“Cassandra Lopez is a beacon of light, full of compassion. She has dedicated her life to quality education to the poor and working class,” serving for 40 years as a Spanish teacher in Oakland schools, he said.

“She has dedicated her life to speak truth to power, justice to the silent, and as a member of the community, she advocates for programs and resources,” he said.

In her remarks, Mama C recognized the influence and power of all mothers. “Together, we all stand on the backs of our mothers. Mothers play a special role in society. We give when we have almost nothing left to give. We hurt when some people don’t see the hurt and the pain that our families endure. But we keep on moving forward.”

Looking at what African Americans, other people of color and working people face in the country today, she said, “We are deserving of the very best because our hands, our bodies produce the wealth of world, and yet we get the least. We see our country wholesale being stolen away from us, and we are told to grin and bear it. We’re not bearing it; we’re fighting against it.”

Continuing, she said, “There’s enough wealth in this world that there should be no hunger in the world. There should be nobody without a decent place to live. Nobody should be sleeping on the street. Teachers should get the freedom to be creative and tell the stories that exist in this nation that make us strong and great.

“We have a lot to do. We cannot despair. We cannot run. People are learning, and together, collectively, we can do it.”