Activism

Oakland Youth Rally in Support of Roe v. Wade

“We are the next generation. Some of my friends are old enough to vote. We can’t do anything to change problems and issues that we don’t know anything about,” said Amara Hagwood, a 16-year-old activist, and junior at OSA who was one of the organizers of the protest. The protest was promoted on Instagram, with the flier being shared on countless students’ stories.

Published

2 years ago

May 29, 2022

Oakland Post

Oakland School of the Arts students march towards Oakland City Hall on May 9. Photo by Daisha Williams.

By Daisha Williams

In protest of the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade, students from Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) led a schoolwide march to Oakland City Hall on May 9.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, its effect will be tremendous. Eighteen states already have laws in place that say they will ban abortion if the 1973 ruling is overturned. According to the Guttmatcher Institute, 58% of people with uteruses of reproductive age will live in states that don’t support abortion.

Countrywide outrage has developed now that Roe v. Wade may get overturned. The youth at OSA are no exception.

OSA students showed their outrage during a lunchtime march. Students in grades six-12 marched down Telegraph Avenue from 19th street to Oakland City Hall with signs, chanting, “F— the court and the Legislature! Women are not incubators!” After reaching just outside City Hall, a few juniors and seniors gave speeches.

Tai-Ga Min, a senior and one of the speakers at the protest said, “I think, regardless of age, you have to be aware. There’s no time in your life where you should stop learning about rights or fighting for your own or other people’s rights. I think it’s definitely true that young women, trans people, [and] disabled people are most vulnerable to being harmed by this [the overturning of Roe v. Wade] so it’s important to know what your rights are and to fight for them.”

Abortion might not be banned nationwide but banning it in nearly 20 states will affect people all over the country. For example, when Texas issued a six-week ban on abortion last year, people travelled out of state to receive abortions. With more states banning abortions, there is potential for those states that do provide abortion services to be overwhelmed. Furthermore, people who live in states without abortion access and do not have the resources to travel out of state will be unable to get legal – and safe– abortions.

Women of color statistically experience higher poverty rates according to the Associated Press which means that women of color are likely to be most affected. Legal abortions will be virtually impossible for minors to access, especially if they come from poor families or are in the system.

The Roe v. Wade case started in 1969 when Norma McCorvey got pregnant and was unable to access abortion care because it was banned in the state of Texas where she resided. Her lawyers filed a lawsuit against her local district attorney, Henry Wade, claiming the abortion laws in Texas were unconstitutional.

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled in her favor. The Court located the point of “capability of meaningful life outside the mother’s womb,” about 24 weeks into a pregnancy. The case also deemed restrictions on abortions unconstitutional based on the 14th Amendment’s right to privacy.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

#5.25.22 The Headlines

Don't Miss

Community Fights to Keep Parker Elementary Open as ‘Liberated’ Community School

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.