Bay Area

Oakland Needs a Level Playing Field

Build It at the Coliseum and They Will Come!

Published

5 years ago

October 1, 2021

Isabelle Price

Oakland, CA,USA - May,1, 2013: This is O.co Coliseum.（2011-2016）

Something stinks about the Oakland A’s claim that the Oakland Coliseum is an unfit site for a new baseball stadium. Why can’t the Oakland A’s build a new state-of-the-art stadium, entertainment venues, and affordable and market rate housing at the Coliseum? Is it because the Coliseum is located in a predominately Black community?

This moment presents a great opportunity to bring major construction and new life to the people of East Oakland. Oakland’s progressive City Council must not fall for the A’s bullying threat that they will leave town if they don’t get a sweetheart deal to build a new stadium and luxury condos at Howard Terminal. If the A’s won’t build at the Coliseum, and help the people of East Oakland, let them leave.

The Coliseum was constructed in 1966. Ever since, loyal fans have attended games at the Coliseum without incident. Never once has a major incident occurred because the Coliseum is surrounded by Black folks. The only fights we know about were between Raiders fans. So, what are the A’s afraid of?

Look at the facts. We have heard claims that the Coliseum may have water table issues. Are they telling us that a waterfront stadium won’t have water issues? The stadium’s field could be lifted higher and leveled.

They say fans want a downtown stadium with easy access so they can attend games after work. Howard Terminal is not downtown, and it does not have easy access. To get to Howard Terminal, fans will have to dodge trucks and trains on busy road and rail routes. At one point, the A’s acknowledged that fact and offered up a gondola system, but we have not heard of that recently. Probably because they realized it does not make sense. (Imagine 15,000+ people trying to get in a gondola after a night game.)

By comparison, the Coliseum is located next to a BART station with a link to Oakland International Airport and it has an Amtrak stop right next door for out-of-town fans. The Coliseum also has adjacent bus routes along with freeway access and vast parking.

The A’s say they need to build luxury condos to help finance stadium construction costs. By implication, they are saying they could not sell luxury condos in the area where the Coliseum is located. This is the same kind of nonsense we heard years ago. Back then, we were told that major developers would not build anywhere in Oakland. Well, look around.

Consider this as well. The A’s threaten that if they don’t get their way, they will move to Las Vegas. They back up that threat with visits to alternative sites in Nevada. That belies their claims that they must have a downtown waterfront stadium. None of the potential Las Vegas sites are downtown and there are no waterfronts in the entire state.

The Coliseum has it all. It has been a successful venue for decades. It has great access. It is in a tax-favored enterprise zone. It is shovel-ready with none of the major environmental requirements that complicate the Howard Terminal site. Further, building at the Coliseum would be a life-changing boost to people living in an area that desperately needs major development.

The Oakland A’s have had a proud history in Oakland’s Black community. It brought us great heroes like Vida Blue, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, John “Blue Moon” Odom, Dave “Hendu” Henderson, Claudell Washington, Mike Norris and Dave Stewart who did much to promote Blacks in baseball and the well-being of our African American communities. Oakland was once a major incubator for future Black baseball stars. No longer! The A’s snub of East Oakland will cause the deterioration of Black baseball fans in Oakland to accelerate.

It is a shame that corporate greed is spoiling a wonderful history. We hope John Fisher and Dave Kaval wake up and see that their insulting behavior hurts Oakland’s Black community, baseball, and themselves.

In the coming weeks, this paper will continue to look at issues surrounding the A’s new stadium. Articles, opinions and commentaries will focus on Howard Terminal’s potential for gentrification of a historically Black neighborhood, disruption of industrial businesses, elimination of family sustaining wages, raiding of hundreds of millions of dollars of public funds that should be used for services like homelessness, housing for very low-income residents, public safety, street repairs, fire safety, how disrespecting black communities has led to significant erosion of Black support for baseball throughout the nation, and more. Please stay tuned and please raise your voice.

We want the A’s to build at the Coliseum. That would be great for the community, the team, and the relationship between A’s and Major League Baseball and Black people! If the A’s choose not to build at the Coliseum, perhaps they can sell the team to the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) or a similar qualified owner group that would be happy to build a state-of-the-art stadium, entertainment and housing at the Coliseum. AASEG wants a level field where everyone in East Oakland has a fair and equal chance to succeed.

We do, too!

Isabelle Price

Posts by Isabelle Price

Up Next

A Season Where Hispanic, Asian and A Little Black History Converge

Don't Miss

NAACP Leader George Holland Calls out KTVU over Somerville suspension

Isabelle Price

Click to comment

Activism

On the Frontlines of Hate: NAACP Links Victims to Critical Support

The NAACP CA/HI has a long and well-established record of supporting victims of discrimination and hate crimes — providing critical referrals and, when necessary, direct assistance through legal advocacy and other forms of support. Beyond responding to incidents, the organization continues to advocate on broader civil rights issues, including voting rights and legal protections. It has also worked to counter efforts at the state and federal levels that could weaken the voting power of communities of color.

Published

1 week ago

May 1, 2026

Oakland Post

NAACP members at a recent advocacy day in Sacramento urging lawmakers to protect voting rights. Photo courtesy of California Black Media.

By Joe Kocurek
California Black Media

The California/Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP (CA/HI NAACP) has expanded its efforts to respond to rising hate incidents and civil rights complaints across California, supported in part by funding from California’s Stop the Hate Program

Through that grant, NAACP CA/HI has strengthened its ability to connect individuals experiencing hate or discrimination with critical resources. This includes referring those who file complaints to the CA vs Hate hotline, a statewide, non-emergency hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal created to help counter a more than 50% increase in reported hate crimes in California between 2020 and 2024. The system helps ensure incidents are documented, and victims are guided toward appropriate support.

LaJuana Bivens says the work of NAACP is as urgent as ever. Photo by Regina Wilson, California Black Media.

LaJuana Bivens, who has served in a number of roles within the NAACP, said California has seen an increase in civil rights violations and hate-related incidents.

“We have 52 branches, and they are constantly receiving complaints,” she said. “So, without the Stop the Hate, we would not be able to refer those cases up to attorneys at the state level. A lot of the people would not have had an opportunity to be heard.”

Carmen-Nicole Cox helps survivors of hate with their legal options. Photo courtesy of Carmen-Nicole Cox.

Carmen-Nicole Cox, an attorney who works with NAACP CA/HI – as a part of California’s Stop the Hate Program – provides legal consultation to victims of hate incidents and discrimination through her legal practice, the Cox Firm for Law and Policy.

She said the complaints she receives span a wide range of issues.

“People are having home builders and landlords refusing to provide repairs, a student was denied promotion in an academic program, and targeted scrutiny at work,” she said. “It’s typically employment; it’s housing; it’s education.

“We’ll meet and they’ll share their experiences,” she said. “And then I make assessments about possible legal claims.”

According to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), nearly 1,200 reports of hate against minority groups were submitted in 2024 through the CA vs Hate hotline and online portal for non-emergency incidents.

While the California/Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP, which has tens of thousands of members, does not directly investigate hate incidents or crimes, it plays a key role in connecting victims to the state’s reporting systems and support services.

Beyond responding to incidents, the organization continues to advocate on broader civil rights issues, including voting rights and legal protections. It has also worked to counter efforts at the state and federal levels that could weaken the voting power of communities of color.

Bivens recently traveled to Sacramento to speak with state lawmakers about voting rights during an advocacy day event hosted by the organization.

“It’s just so hard for communities of color to be up to date because of all of the confusing information coming from the federal level,” she said. “I love our great state of California because here it is possible to vote by mail and to vote early.

“And I’m seeing that trying to be eroded. So, I’m here to urge continued support for vote by mail and early voting.”

When Texas moved to redraw congressional districts in ways critics said would dilute minority voting strength, NAACP CA/HI supported the passage of Proposition 50 in California. The organization also intervened in United States v. Shirley Weber, where federal officials sought access to unredacted California voter records, including Social Security numbers, raising concerns about misuse and voter intimidation.

Cultivating the advocacy and leaderships of young people is central to NAACP’s mission to fight racism and dismantle inequality. Photo courtesy of California Black Media.

A federal district court dismissed that case in January 2026.

The organization’s current work builds on a long history of civil rights advocacy. Today, Bivens says, the organization’s mission remains as urgent as ever.

“We are the oldest, boldest, most feared Civil Rights organization,” Bivens said. “What we do every day is fight for better housing, education, economic development and political inclusion. We take it on because there are just so many people who need that support.

“You would be amazed that our phones ring every single day.”

Get Support After Hate:

California vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hotline and online portal offering confidential support for hate crimes and incidents. Victims and witnesses can get help anonymously by calling 833-8-NO-HATE (833-866-4283), Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. PT, or online at any time. Anonymous. Confidential. No Police. No ICE.

This story was produced in partnership with CA vs Hate. Join them for the first-ever CA Civil Rights Summit on May 11. More information at www.cavshate.org/summit.

https://youtu.be/_k7UVhI-sN8

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Up to the Job: How San Francisco’s PRC Is Providing Work Opportunities That Turn Into Lasting Stability

Each year, PRC serves more than 5,000 clients through a wide range of programs. These include housing navigation, legal advocacy to ensure access to health and public benefits, supportive housing, job and life-skills training, and residential treatment programs.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 26, 2026

Oakland Post

Black Leadership Council (BLC) Advocacy Day in Sacramento. BLC works to advance meaningful change through policy engagement to unlock the full potential of Black and low-income communities. Photo courtesy of PRC.

By Joe Kocurek, California Black Media

Seville Christian arrived in San Francisco in the 1990s from Kansas City, Mo., a transgender woman coming from a time and place still hostile to who she was.

San Francisco offered a deeper LGBTQ+ history and a more visible community of people like her, but even in a city known for acceptance, building a stable life from scratch was no small task.

After arriving in the city, she turned to Positive Resource Center (PRC) looking for work — and for a foothold — in a new place.

“PRC gave me my first job,” Christian said. “A simple gig — passing out magazines at the San Francisco Pride Parade.”

That first opportunity marked the beginning of a decades-long relationship with PRC, one that has seen Christian grow from client to valued employee, and eventually to policy fellow.

“Today, I’ve been with PRC for 27 years, going on 28,” she said.

Seville Christian’s decades-long relationship with PRC includes as a client, fellow and beloved employee. Photo courtesy of PRC.

Helping people access employment and build sustainable careers has been a cornerstone of PRC’s mission since its inception nearly four decades ago. In its most recent annual impact report, PRC served 443 clients through workforce development services, including career counseling, educational programs, hands-on training, and job search assistance. The average wage earned by PRC clients is $26.48 per hour — approximately 38% above San Francisco’s minimum wage.

To advance this work, organizations like PRC have benefited from funding through California’s Stop the Hate Program, which provides direct support to community-based organizations leading anti-hate initiatives.

Christian’s path was not without challenges. During some rocky years, she experienced periods of housing instability and struggled with addiction. Through PRC, she enrolled in a life-skills program that emphasized using her own lived experience as a means of helping others. The program helped set her on a path toward completing an associate’s degree and ultimately launching a career in case management.

“Today, whether someone is new to the city or has lived here their whole life, I know how to help them navigate to where they need to be,” Christian said.

Members of PRC’s Black Leadership Council meet with a lawmaker in Sacramento. Photo courtesy of PRC.

While PRC was founded to serve people living with HIV, its mission has expanded over the decades to meet the needs of people with disabilities, individuals experiencing homelessness, and those facing mental health and substance use challenges.

According to PRC’s Chief of Public Policy and Public Affairs, Tasha Henneman, some of the organization’s earliest programs remain as vital today as they were at the start.

“Our emergency financial assistance program helped more than 1,200 people this year pay rent, cover medical bills, and keep the lights on,” Henneman said. “And over 1,400 people reached out for legal advocacy, resulting in more than $2.5 million in retroactive benefits unlocked.”

Beyond direct services, PRC is deeply committed to community empowerment and policy change. Programs such as the Black Leadership Council support community leaders in advocating for systemic reform, while the Black Trans Initiative focuses on addressing the unique challenges faced by Black transgender individuals.

A recent study from the Williams Institute highlighted findings that 71% of transgender homicide victims in the U.S. between 2010 and 2021 were Black and that nearly a third of the transgender homicides during that period were confirmed or suspected hate crimes.

PRC’s direct and indirect services can be a lifeline for people experiencing hate and are an example of the resources people can get connected with through the state’s CA vs Hate hotline.

PRC is now also producing a film project that centers the lived experiences of Black trans clients, including individuals like Christian.

PRC welcomed guests to their annual Open House in April, an evening dedicated to connection, reflection, and learning more about the programs and people working every day to support San Franciscans experiencing housing instability, unemployment, and behavioral health challenges. Photo courtesy of PRC.

“Our film highlights the health journeys and lived experiences of some of PRC’s Black trans clients,” Henneman said. “Our goal is to give voice, visibility, and agency to the participants — and to bring their stories, both harrowing and inspirational, to policymakers and the broader public.”

The film, expected to be released later this year, is directed by Yule Caise, with assistant director Zarina Codes, a Black transgender San Francisco resident.

Today, Christian continues her relationship with PRC as an ambassador, reflecting on a journey that began with a single job opportunity and grew into a lifelong commitment to service.

“Sometimes I’ll be riding the bus or standing in a grocery store, and someone will come up to me from a women’s shelter,” she said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, Miss Seville, I just want to thank you. You really helped me with what I was dealing with.’”

She paused, smiling.

“And in those moments,” Christian said, “I think to myself, “Well!.”

A single word that sums up pride in a journey to find the best in herself.

Get Support After Hate:

This story was produced in partnership with CA vs Hate. Join them for the first-ever CA Civil Rights Summit on May 11, 2026. More information at www.cavshate.org/summit.