Oakland
Opinion: The End of DACA Could Mean Death for Immigrants Like Me
By Edrees Saied, DACA recipient
As a foreign-born citizen, I am devastated with the Trump administration’s decision to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). Over 800,000 young undocumented immigrants could be deported.
Through DACA, recipients were allowed to attend school and work legally in this country. They have worked hard, paid taxes, provided for their families and strengthened our communities. These are people who have or will develop the next life-changing idea for our society.
With the phasing out of DACA, young people will be forced to return to a country they may not even remember or know. Many DREAMers come from countries that have had their governments overthrown by terrorists and corrupt organizations. Trump could send many to countries flooded with poverty and death.
I was born in Sanaa, Yemen, so I know how scary it is to face the possibility of returning to a country that has nothing but chaos and instability waiting for you. While I am not a DACA recipient, I understand how DREAMers feel. My life would be significantly changed for the worst if I were forced to return there because it has an environment where dreams are thrown out the window by constant war and an unstable economy.
In the United States, I have been able to receive a quality education and take advantage of advanced technology and infrastructure which unfortunately is not available in my home county of Yemen.
Here, I am able to exercise my passions and goals and am surrounded by inspirations. I will also bring pride to my family by being the first to attend and complete college.
Aside from the fact that I cannot live up to my real potential in Yemen, we must brave the risk of actually being killed even if my family lives in a considerably safe area.
Although this may not be the case for everyone, corruption and violence are what I face in the wake of rescinding DACA, and this is the reality for hundreds of thousands of DREAMers.
Edrees Saied was born in Sanaa, Yemen. Saied currently attends Oakland Technical High School and plans to go to and finish college.
Activism
Oakland’s ‘Green the Church,’ Others, Host a Climate Revival
On April 20, Oakland’s Green The Church California (GTC) and the Center For Food, Faith and Justice will celebrate Earth Day and present a Climate Revival event titled “Growing Healthy Communities From Soil To The Soul” at McGee Avenue Baptist Church at 1640 Stuart St, Berkeley, CA. The day will include inspiring talks, interactive workshops, networking opportunities, and a special panel on Food Sovereignty and Global Food Resilience.
Growing Healthy Communities from Soil to the Soul in Berkeley
By Y’Anad Burrell
On April 20, Oakland’s Green The Church California (GTC) and the Center For Food, Faith and Justice will celebrate Earth Day and present a Climate Revival event titled “Growing Healthy Communities From Soil To The Soul” at McGee Avenue Baptist Church at 1640 Stuart St, Berkeley, CA,
The day will include inspiring talks, interactive workshops, networking opportunities, and a special panel on Food Sovereignty and Global Food Resilience.
The keynote speaker is Rev. Danté R. Quick, PhD, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, N.J. Quick is well known in the Bay Area, having served for more than 10 years as pastor of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Vallejo, CA.
Green The Church, founded in 2010 by Rev. Dr. Ambrose Carroll, Sr., and headquartered in Oakland, helps galvanize Black churches and their local communities and leaders to address issues critical to populations historically disengaged from conversations around pollution and health, climate change, and sustainability and energy efficiency.
The organization collaborates with major environmental, sustainability, food security, faith, and community-based non-profit organizations, and is committed to “creation justice”—care and justice for God’s people and the planet—and building the Beloved Community.
Environmental justice has long been a pressing concern for communities of color who bear the brunt of pollution and ecological degradation. Climate change exacerbates these issues, disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities. Recognizing this urgency, Black churches across the country are taking action.
With deep roots in the African American community and its commitment to social justice, the Black Church has become an essential advocate for sustainable practices and policies.
Over the past 14 years, in a powerful collaboration with significant environmental, sustainability, food security, faith, and community-based non-profit organizations, GTC has created a cadre of Black churches engaging in the environmental justice, climate, and sustainability movement.
GTC presently works with more than 1,000 pastors and congregations across the U.S., and groups in the Bahamas, Ghana, Nigeria, and the UK, showing that we can make a difference together.
The partnership between environmental justice advocates and the Black Church extends beyond individual congregations. Green The Church provides resources and support for faith communities seeking to address climate change and promote environmental justice.
Through collaboration, initiatives such as energy efficiency programs, solar installations, and environmental education have been implemented in Black churches nationwide. These efforts reduce the carbon footprint and save money on energy bills, benefiting the congregations and their communities.
The involvement of the Black Church in the fight against climate change is not just a participation, it’s a powerful message that galvanizes action across communities.
By integrating environmental justice into their ministry, Black churches are demonstrating that addressing climate change is not only a matter of science but also of social and moral responsibility, inspiring change at a grassroots level.
For more information, go to: www.greenthechurch.org.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
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Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
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.
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