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Oakland’s Two Star Market to Host 20th Annual Thanksgiving Community Celebration Nov. 24

Farouq Alawdi, manager of Two Star, the former historic site of the Tepper Hotel and Beer Garden, said his staff and volunteers are ready to feed an anticipated 1,000+ guests during the afternoon celebration feast. “We are prepared to cook 100 turkeys, 500 pounds of grilled chicken, side dishes, and plenty of pies for dessert,” said Alawdi.

Published

1 year ago

November 20, 2022

Oakland Post

Clifford L. Williams

By Clifford L. Williams

Autumn is in the air, which means the holiday season is getting ready to set it off, and one of the biggest holidays is celebrating Thanksgiving.

Oakland’s Two Star Market, a family-owned, community-oriented convenience store, located at 2020 MacArthur Blvd. (off Fruitvale Avenue in the Dimond District), is gearing up once again to recognize the special holiday with its 20^th Annual Thanksgiving Community Celebration Thursday, November 24, between 1:00 p.m and 4:00 p.m.

To make this a successful event, Two Star is seeking at least 100 volunteers to help with serving the throngs of people expected to attend. Volunteers should bring their own aprons and oven mittens.”

Volunteers interesting in helping to feed residents should text Aleja Rambonga at 510-847-9398 or alejarambonga@gmail.com. Donations are welcomed by visiting www.2starmarket.com. For more information, call 510-531-3576.

Similar to last year, the annual Thanksgiving meal will be modified because of the lingering pandemic which has determined how large groups of people can gather and celebrate during festive times. Attendees are encouraged to wear a mask as well as social distancing. Masks will be provided upon request.

Already, the Market’s staff is stocking up for the big meal and making arrangements to reconfigure its parking lot to handle the nearly 800 guests who attended last year, and the many more who are expected to attend the free event this year.

Food will be served buffet-style to guests, and there will be limited seating outside throughout the day. Families with more than two members will be able to take additional dinners with them.

“All of the turkey dinners are provided by Two Star Market,” said Alawdi. “We’ve been serving these hot dinners for the past 19 years, feeding local residents, as well as people from other cities. It is our way of paying back to the community because without them, we wouldn’t be here. The community has helped to sustain our business since we first opened in 1983.”

“The dinners have become a tradition that began with my grandfather back home in Yemen. It was during the Holy Month of Ramadan where dinner is served for those in need. So, 19 years ago, my brother Adob, and our dad, decided to continue that tradition here in the United States. It was the best way to give back to the community.”

“When we first started here in Oakland, it was just for local residents, and over the years we’ve reached out to provide dinners to anyone who wanted a Thanksgiving meal. Past celebrations had guests coming from Richmond, Hayward and Fremont.”

Alawdi said “the only thing the public needs to bring is a good appetite and have fun while listening to live entertainment including DJ-provided Latin jazz, old-school and rap music.” Children attending the event will also enjoy playing in a jump house and other activities at the venue. An assortment of donated clothing and shoes will be available for attendees.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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April 26, 2024

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

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

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April 19, 2024

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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

1 week 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.”