Activism

OPINION: Why is it So Important to Give Back

I believe something is always better than nothing. Which is why I recruited other volunteers to help gather me gather Food, gift cards, clothing, toys and occasionally money to help meet the cost of living which has sky-rocketed, impacting the most vulnerable. What gave me pause however was the seeming lack of community partnerships.

Published

2 years ago

October 16, 2022

Oakland Post

By Richard Johnson

The Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back organization was my brainchild as I struggled in that dark cold dank cell at Pelican Bay State Prison reflecting on my life, wasting practically all of it, going against the grain so-to- speak. I concluded if given the opportunity to ever get out I would bring changes not only for myself but equally for the community that I so harmed.

At various periods while doing a 33 to life sentence for the possession of drugs, my hopes would flee bringing forth a sense of doom, drenched in gloom in that cesspool of misery and despair. However, what restored my faith, strength, resolve and desire was that I wanted to leave a legacy that my family could appreciate that truly reflected my true self; not the person that most knew as that being a criminal.

Even while being labeled by the penal system as being the worst of the worst, I wanted redemption. I knew that I must give back from my heart. I understood that time was running short and father time was not going to be favorable to me. So, I begin to write about my true self in a ledger that evolved into a life lesson book dedicated to my son and others of his creed. Kids that would undoubtedly be challenged by the same contradictions, hardships and feelings of being lost that I had experienced without the proper examples, mentors and guidance.

Father time eventually turned in a positive way. I was blessed by a turn of fate. I was given an unexpected early release to the community just as COVID emerged on the scene. Governor Newsom gave me a medical reprieve release. Of course, I had to finish out my term but on the streets. This came with a host of restrictions, safeguards, curfews, ankle monitors, UA testing, radius limitations and more. Once out, I had a list of to-dos first such as acquiring my driver’s license, social security card, ID, etc.

Ithen was faced with the necessity of seeking employment. Soon I found a job at the 5 Key’s organization. Immediately, I came home to a different world that I had left. A total culture shock! I could not imagine it being this bad. Homelessness, torn-up streets, violence untold, schools being shut-down, mismanagement run amuck. This is where I saw the opportunity to make a real difference by giving back turning a negative into a positive, giving birth to Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back. I was also giving an opportunity to continue as a columnist with the Oakland Post which had started while I was at San Quentin

I knew that others who also would be released from prison would see the need for change and to be in a position to just serve others by volunteering to make a difference. As I believed in my heart, I began to reach out to other members of the re-entry community by telling them through my Post columns “If you were once part of the problem, you can always be part of the needed solution.”

In short order, I began to do what I could for the community without resources, without any government grants, without foundation grants. At the beginning I only had the love and support of my family and a few coins in my pocket, but i decided to launch the Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back’s effort as a way to observe and celebrate the true spirit and meanings of Christmas, thanksgiving, Father’s & Mother’s Day, Juneteenth by collecting and giving what we had available to needy families and children.

I believe Something is always better than nothing. Which is why I recruited other volunteers to help gather me gather Food, gift cards, clothing, toys and occasionally money to help meet the cost of living which has sky-rocketed, impacting the most vulnerable. What gave me pause however was the seeming lack of community partnerships.

The lack of unity undermines the needed work to shift the pendulum forward. A solid fist is always much stronger than individual fingers. Unity is the key to success; we must not undermine one another or play politics with the lives that so desperately need our help. The resources are here. Proper distribution, cooperation and management has been what is lacking. Mistakes are inevitable; however, repeated mistakes aren’t. Setting the proper course is doable. Let’s man-up and woman-up for a serious change.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

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

Published

4 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.

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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

5 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.”

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Activism

WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

6 days 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.