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Oakland PAL Athletes Win at International Children’s Games in South Korea

By Magaly Muñoz Post Staff Kids with the Oakland PAL, or Oakland Police Activities League, brought home four medals in track & field at the International Children’s Games in South Korea this summer. The children’s games were created to foster friendship and understanding of Olympic ideals through the “encouragement of sports meets and competitions to […]
The post Oakland PAL Athletes Win at International Children’s Games in South Korea first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

October 4, 2023

Magaly Muñoz

By Magaly Muñoz
Post Staff

Kids with the Oakland PAL, or Oakland Police Activities League, brought home four medals in track & field at the International Children’s Games in South Korea this summer.

The children’s games were created to foster friendship and understanding of Olympic ideals through the “encouragement of sports meets and competitions to enable the children of different countries, with their different languages, origins and outlooks,” according to the International Children’s Games official website.

The girls team won silver in the 4×100 relay, the boys team won gold in the 100m and silver in the 400m, and gold in the 4×100 relay.

Margaret Dixon, a now-retired police officer with Oakland PD, coaches the PAL program’s track-and-field team and has been doing so for 38 years. She says the young athletes were full of excitement to meet new people in a completely different country.

“They were like Olympic stars,” Dixon said. “You know, people were really engaged and in tune to them.”

She added that the kids shared autographs, pins and jerseys with other athletes, really getting to mimic the experience of what the actual Olympics would feel and look like.

Coach Dixon said talent is not the only thing she evaluates when choosing who gets to go to these types of competitions. She looks to see who would be the most appreciative of the experience and who would fully immerse themselves in these environments.

“Yes, I want you to be athletically able to handle such competition. But I also want to know, can I travel with you out of the country?” Dixon said. “I look at the parents to see what kind of attitude they have. Because usually, you know, a good parent attitude will trickle down to a good kids’ attitude.”

She says that the kids that were ultimately selected were taken to language classes and restaurants before the trip to Korea so that they could get familiar with the culture and history before the competition.

Dixon also said so many people come together to support and educate these young athletes so that they are able to achieve what they work so hard for.

Janai Gillam, mother of Kaylen Gillam who was on the girls’ team, was one of the parents who got to watch her child bring home a medal. She said her daughter, 13 at the time of the competition, has been with the PAL program for almost seven years and she couldn’t be prouder of her and the rest of the kids.

“It just shows that hard work pays off and you can do anything you can when you put your mind to it,” Gillam said. “When I say those kids did it, they showed up and showed out for Oakland.”

She added that not only does the program help the kids stay active and healthy, but it also keeps them disciplined and helps them stay in line in their everyday lives. She says the program has positively impacted her daughter, who plans to stay with Oakland PAL while also running track in high school.

Coach Dixon shared the same sentiment that the program wasn’t all about running or athletics, it was also about providing them with the tools and opportunities to pursue this after high school. She said PAL gives out scholarships every year to students in the program because they know college is expensive and they want to give these kids a leg up that they normally might not have.

Phinehas Browne, one of the kids on the boys’ team who went to compete in South Korea, says track and field is exactly what he wants to pursue outside of PAL into high school, and hopefully, one day at the LA 2028 Summer Olympics.

“If I run a good enough time, I should be able to go there [the Olympics]. That’s my goal right now,” Browne, 15, said.

Browne was one of the boys who helped win the gold medal in the 4×100 relay and he personally brought home the silver medal in the 400m race. He says he puts in anywhere from four to seven hours into training, so he’s happy that his hard work was rewarded so well at the competition.

He shared that being part of Oakland PAL has helped him stay out of trouble and kept him involved with the community. He wants other kids his age to know that there are opportunities worldwide for them and that there are good things that come out of Oakland, not just whatever stereotypes the city has, and being able to compete internationally felt like the first step for others to see that.

“And now people know about Oakland, not just in the U.S., but across the world,” Browne said. “Being able to know that people know my face and know my name and they have a different outlook on Oakland than some others might have, it just feels good.”

The post Oakland PAL Athletes Win at International Children’s Games in South Korea first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.

The post Oakland PAL Athletes Win at International Children’s Games in South Korea first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Magaly Muñoz

A graduate of Sacramento State University, Magaly Muñoz’s journalism experience includes working for the State Hornet, the university’s student-run newspaper and conducting research and producing projects for “All Things Considered” at National Public Radio. She also was a community reporter for El Timpano, serving Latino and Mayan communities, and contributed to the Sacramento Observer, the area’s African American newspaper.

Muñoz is one of 40 early career journalists who are part of the California Local News Fellowship program, a state-funded initiative designed to strengthen local news reporting in California, with a focus on underserved communities.

The fellowship program places journalism fellows throughout the state in two-year, full-time reporting positions.

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Oakland PAL Athletes Win at International Children’s Games in South Korea

Magaly Muñoz

A graduate of Sacramento State University, Magaly Muñoz’s journalism experience includes working for the State Hornet, the university’s student-run newspaper and conducting research and producing projects for “All Things Considered” at National Public Radio. She also was a community reporter for El Timpano, serving Latino and Mayan communities, and contributed to the Sacramento Observer, the area’s African American newspaper. Muñoz is one of 40 early career journalists who are part of the California Local News Fellowship program, a state-funded initiative designed to strengthen local news reporting in California, with a focus on underserved communities. The fellowship program places journalism fellows throughout the state in two-year, full-time reporting positions.

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Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park

ATLANTA VOICE — A mural depicting late journalist Jovita Moore, painted on the exterior wall of a building now occupied by Bellwood Coffee in Grant Park, was painted over in April. Moore passed away in 2021 after decades of working in Atlanta television news. Bellwood Coffee owners stated in May they were unaware of Moore’s identity or significance to the community before painting over the mural.
The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

At the corner of Boulevard, SE. and Rosalia St., SE., directly across the street from an abandoned home and a Methodist Church, is Bellwood Coffee. One of hundreds of coffee shops in Atlanta, this place of business would not be worth a solitary discussion if not for the way its exterior walls are currently painted. There was once a mural depicting the late Jovita Moore, a beloved journalist who worked in Atlanta for decades. Moore, who passed away in 2021, mentored many of the people you see on television newscasts today. Though her legacy will never be forgotten, it was the mural of her image that was erased.

In April, members of the Grant Park community voiced their disgust at the mural, which graced a side wall of the building now occupied by Bellwood Coffee’s Grant Park location, before it was painted over. In its place are the words “Bellwood Coffee; Cocktails, Biscuits, Dry Goods, Air Conditioning. *Heat Too”. In May, the business owners responded to the community pushback on social media by acknowledging they did not know who Moore was before painting over her image. And later admitted that they did not attempt to find out what she meant to the community.

On May 21, the Bellwood Coffee Instagram account had a post about being “in close contact with Jovita’s family and are actively working on next steps in this process.” Two months later, the mural has not been replaced, repainted, or repositioned on the property. Nothing has been done. Black history is often erased, most recently by the current Presidential administration, but oftentimes on a smaller, quieter scale. The mural was originally painted by muralist Tommy Bronx, who had been in contact with the business owners about repainting it. As of July 6, Tommy Bronx had responded to a direct message via his Instagram account from The Atlanta Voice about any updates on his plans to repaint the mural.

“We’re currently working on it. You should see some movement in the weeks to come,” he wrote in a response.

On Monday, July 6, the business had several patrons inside and was running smoothly with three employees manning the counter. The Atlanta Voice dropped by Bellwood Coffee to get a look at the exterior wall where the mural once stood as a memorial to a journalist and mother who lost her life to brain cancer at the young age of 54. Moore’s image added some color to the block. The grey wall in its place does not.

A direct message was sent to the Bellwood Coffee Instagram account, and there hasn’t been a response as of 7 p.m. on Monday.

The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Voice.

The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD — A New York man faces felony hate crime charges for allegedly posting a threat against New York State Senator Lea Webb. James A. Crosby, 49, of Binghamton, was arrested by New York State Police after investigators determined he posted a threatening comment on a social media news post about a Juneteenth celebration.
The post ‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

A New York man is facing felony hate crime charges after allegedly posting that he’d be “proud to hang” New York State Senator Lea Webb from a tree in response to a news story about a Juneteenth celebration.

James A. Crosby, 49, of Binghamton, was arrested June 23 by New York State Police after investigators determined he posted a threatening comment on a WBNG 12 News Facebook post. “I’d be proud to hang her from a tree,” Crosby wrote, according to WBNG.

Crosby was charged with making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, a class C felony, per the New York State Police. He is currently being held at Broome County Jail.

During the subsequent investigation, state police found Crosby was in illegal possession of firearms despite being prohibited from owning them due to a prior felony conviction. Investigators recovered a rifle, a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, and a firearm suppressor — all prohibited under New York state law, per the NYSP.

Crosby was charged with four additional counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, all class D felonies.

Webb, who represents New York’s 52nd Senate District, had been a featured speaker at a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony at Binghamton City Hall, where the celebration included prayers and the singing of the Black national anthem.

Police said Crosby’s comment was posted in response to a WBNG news story covering the event.

The day before his arrest, Crosby posted a Facebook apology claiming the comment “was not intended to be racial in any way” and was made in reference to what he described as a “criminal,” citing criticism of Webb over her use of nonprofit legal aid in a foreclosure case — a matter state watchdogs said created an appearance of a conflict of interest, per the Ithaca Voice. He was arrested the following day.

Webb issued a public statement June 25 condemning the threat.

“It was extremely disappointing and hurtful to see the now-deleted threat and attacks on my life in response to a story about Juneteenth, a national holiday that recognizes the ending of slavery in America,” she said. “Feedback and thoughts on policy are one thing, but to make a public call for lethal violence is absolutely unacceptable and dangerous. We must recognize our shared humanity and reject violence in all forms.”

She thanked Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and law enforcement for their “swift response.”

Following Crosby’s comments, social media users called for a boycott of his contracting business, Crosby Home Improvements.

The Binghamton City Democratic Committee also called for an investigation into the incident before his arrest.

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The post ‘Proud to hang her from a tree’: Man arrested for threatening Black Senator appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Daily World.

The post ‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations

NEW YORK CARIB NEWS — Outgoing CARICOM Chairman Terrance Drew called on regional leaders to build a stronger and more effective Caribbean Community that benefits future generations. Speaking at the 51st Regular Meeting, Drew urged modernization of governance structures and improved implementation of Community decisions to make CARICOM safer and more prosperous.
The post CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

Speaking Sunday at the opening of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Saint Lucia, Dr. Terrance Drew said the region must modernize its governance structures, improve the implementation of Community decisions, and ensure CARICOM becomes safer, more prosperous, and more relevant to the lives of its citizens.

The meeting, being held under the theme “CARICOM: From Resilience to Renewal in a Changing World,” coincides with the Community’s 53rd anniversary. During the ceremony, Dr. Drew formally handed over the rotating CARICOM chairmanship to Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre.

Reflecting on his six-month tenure as chairman, Drew praised fellow regional leaders for maintaining their commitment to democracy, good governance, unity, and the rule of law despite mounting global economic and geopolitical challenges.

“Throughout these challenges, CARICOM chose engagement over isolation. Together, we reaffirmed our commitment to a fair and rules-based international trading system and ensured that the interests of small developing states continued to be heard.”
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He highlighted progress made in strengthening the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, including deeper trade cooperation, expanded labour mobility, and efforts to lay the foundation for long-term economic growth. Drew also noted the Community’s growing partnerships beyond the Caribbean, particularly with the African Union, while stressing that every international partnership should advance the interests of all parties involved.

The outgoing chairman also expressed appreciation to Dr. Carla Barnett and the CARICOM Secretariat for their professionalism and unwavering support during his tenure.

“Whenever I called, you answered. Whenever support was required, you and your team responded with diligence, competence, and excellence.”

Dr. Drew urged the Secretariat to continue preserving its impartiality while faithfully implementing decisions made by Heads of Government, saying that balance has helped strengthen the regional integration movement.

The conference continues in Saint Lucia with regional leaders expected to deliberate on key issues including regional security, climate resilience, trade, economic integration, food security, Haiti, reparations, and strengthening the CSME.

Based on reporting by New York Carib News.

The post CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations appeared first on BlackPressUSA.