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

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.

Published

3 years ago

October 4, 2023

Magaly Muñoz

The girls won silver medal for the 4x100 relay, the boys won gold in the 100m and 4x100 relay. Courtesy photo.

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.”

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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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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Bay Area

Oakland Mayor Pushes Charter Overhaul to Clarify Roles in City Government, Increase Accountability and Improve Service Delivery

Under the proposal, the mayor would serve as Oakland’s chief executive, overseeing city departments, implementing policy, proposing the annual budget, and managing day-to-day operations. The measure would also give the mayor veto power over legislation and the budget, though the City Council could override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

Published

5 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is backing a sweeping proposal to restructure Oakland’s government, arguing the changes would make City Hall more accountable and improve the delivery of basic services like public safety, homelessness response, and infrastructure repairs.

The charter reform measure, introduced April 7 and co-sponsored by Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins, would ask voters in November to approve a “strong mayor, strong council” system designed to create clearer lines of authority inside city government.

The City Council, meanwhile, would maintain legislative authority by adopting ordinances, approving budgets, conducting oversight hearings, and confirming key mayoral appointments. The proposal would also create an Independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to provide nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for councilmembers.

“I’ve spent months listening to Oaklanders across every neighborhood about what they expect from their city government,” Lee said. “The Charter Reform Working Group’s engagement made clear that residents want a system where there are no questions about who is responsible for delivering results on public safety, homelessness, infrastructure, and basic services.”

Jenkins said the proposal would strengthen both executive leadership and council oversight.

“I’ve long believed Oakland works best when residents have clear lines of accountability and a government structure that aligns responsibility with results,” Jenkins said.

The proposal follows recommendations from the Mayor’s Charter Reform Working Group, co-facilitated by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and SPUR.

Over five months, the group conducted more than 60 interviews, held 14 public meetings across Oakland, and engaged more than 750 residents while reviewing governance models used in other cities.

“The process of engaging residents across Oakland surfaced the governance clarity Oakland needs,” said Sujata Srivastava of SPUR. “The Charter Reform Working Group has produced a thoughtful set of recommendations that if adopted could strengthen accountability and improve service delivery across city government.”

Polling cited by the mayor’s office suggests voters may be open to the changes. A February 2026 poll by the East Bay Polling Institute found 64% of voters support adopting a strong-mayor system. Separate polling conducted by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and David Binder Research found support ranging from 61% to 63% among likely voters.

The measure is scheduled to be heard by the City Council Rules Committee on May 21. If approved by the council, it would appear on the November 2026 ballot, where Oakland voters would have the final say.

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Activism

The Ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Hold Day of Advocacy at the Capitol in Sacramento

A member of the “Divine Nine,” Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., was founded on Jan. 13, 1913, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The organization was established by 22 women who sought to shift the group’s focus from social activities to public service, academic excellence, and social activism.

Published

5 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro) presents a Senate resolution to the Delta Theta Sigma Sorority Farwest Region at the State Capitol on May 4. Photo courtesy of the Senate Rules Committee.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

On May 4, members of the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., convened at the California State Capitol for the organization’s 23rd annual Delta Days in Sacramento.

The two-day advocacy event brings together chapters from across California to engage directly in the legislative process, connect with lawmakers, and advocate for policies impacting Black communities.

Members of the sorority were honored on the Senate floor by Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro), who is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

Richardson welcomed the Farwest Region during the presentation of a Senate resolution recognizing outgoing Regional Director Kimberly Usher for her leadership and service.

“In addition to the Far West Region, we are led by a fearless leader, regional director Kimberly Usher. She has now served her full term of what’s allowed,” Richardson said. “We are going to be having our regional conference, but we wanted to give it to her here, officially recognizing her service.”

The resolution was co-authored by Richardson and fellow members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and Delta Sigma Theta, Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) and Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

Usher has served in the leadership role since 2022.

“We are founded on sisterhood that is deeply rooted in scholarship, service, and social action,” said Weber Pierson, a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

“Today, we continue a legacy of empowering communities and upholding the high cultural, intellectual, and moral standards established by our founders over a century ago,” she added.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

5 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.