Activism

Pioneering San Francisco Law Firm Turns 50

Since it first opened its doors in 1971, Public Advocates charted a unique course as an innovative, nonprofit law firm that didn’t just litigate in the courts but used a wide array of advocacy tools including administrative complaints, petitions, and community activism to advance the interests of its clients.

Published

2 years ago

February 3, 2022

Oakland Post

During this 50th Anniversary year, Public Advocates will commemorate the many people who have built its legacy over the years, and its legal and advocacy victories through a social media series and a dedicated website.

By Isabel Alegría

Public Advocates Inc., the first public interest law firm on the West Coast and among the first in the nation, launched its 50th Anniversary celebration on Tuesday to honor its legacy of five decades as a champion for the rights of low-income communities and people of color in California.

“Off the starting block, Public Advocates was squarely on the side of working people, people of color, women, seniors and children. It leverages the law and the power of community organizing to ensure the people’s interests have as much sway in courtrooms, the legislature and boardrooms as those of the rich and powerful,” said Guillermo Mayer, president & CEO of Public Advocates. “From integrating the SF police and fire departments, to championing renters’ rights in SOMA and Oakland and consumers’ rights in banking, insurance and telecommunications, to shaping the nation’s most equitable school funding formula, Public Advocates has been on the frontlines– not just to fight, but to win.”

And the wins have been significant. Among Public Advocates’ landmark victories is Serrano v. Priest, which eradicated the use of local property taxes in determining school funding levels which heavily favored districts with wealthy residents. Before the court’s decision in the 1970s, vast disparities between wealthy areas like Beverly Hills and poorer ones like Baldwin Hills resulted in affluent schools receiving more resources.

In another landmark education case, Williams v. California, the state reached a settlement with Public Advocates and co-counsel to provide the most basic necessities to public school children–textbooks, safe and sanitary campuses, qualified teachers, particularly for English learners, and a system to hold school districts accountable. Public Advocates continues to monitor the settlement.

Years later, Public Advocates built on both cases with its role in shaping the Local Control Funding Formula, a significant and historic shift toward a simpler, more rational and equitable school finance system that aims to improve outcomes by providing increased and improved services each year to meet the education needs of low-income students, English language learners and foster youth.

For decades, California’s public school administrators mis-assigned tens of thousands of Black students to classes for the “Educable Mentally Retarded,” based on faulty IQ tests. In a first-ever opinion, a court ruled in Larry P. v. Riles that the use of standard IQ tests to place Black students in such classes was racially biased and invalid. In 1986, Public Advocates successfully halted the use of I.Q. tests for placement of Black students in special education classes.

“Public Advocates’ visionary founders, Bob Gnaizda, Justice J. Anthony Klein, Sid Wolinsky, and Peter Sitkin started a law firm that would have a profound impact, bringing benefits to countless Californians, especially our youth,” said Bob Olson, chair of Public Advocates’ Board of Governors. “Their legacy lives on to this day, fueling the groundbreaking work of Public Advocates’ expert staff in education, housing, climate justice and transportation.”

An example is Public Advocates’ advocacy in 2014 to establish a revenue stream for local bus service by tagging a share of proceeds of the California Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to be directed to low-income communities. A few years later, Public Advocates built on the win to secure $400 million for transit operations in the gas tax bill SB 1, doubling the State Transit Assistance program.

Over the last decade, Public Advocates has redoubled its commitment to working in partnership with community-based organizations throughout California, a cornerstone of its legal and advocacy approach since Public Advocates’ earliest days. Currently, Public Advocates works in close partnership with groups such as Californians for Justice, PICO California, the ACLUs of Northern and Southern California, Urban Habitat, Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), the Partnership for the Future of Learning, Students Making a Change, Housing Now! and ACCE.

During the pandemic, Public Advocates mobilized its partnerships with key allies in education and housing advocacy as the threats of eviction loomed and economic insecurity increased among students and their families, who struggled with distance learning. Long-standing partners worked with Public Advocates to communicate the needs of affected communities to lawmakers. The effort yielded important wins, including an eviction moratorium and unprecedented new funding for schools.

And they took the needs of children seriously, too. In 1985, Gnaizda represented two 7-year-olds in California who sued Pacific Bell for failing to disclose to them that they would be charged $.50 every time they dialed a Santa Claus line.

During this 50th Anniversary year, Public Advocates will commemorate the many people who have built its legacy over the years, and its legal and advocacy victories through a social media series and a dedicated website. The celebration culminates in a gala planned for Oct. 20, 2022, at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco.

For more information, please visit our dedicated website, here.

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

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Oakland Ambassadors Strengthen Ties and Aid Efforts in Ghana

Oakland natives and esteemed members of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), Jonathan P. Jones and Dr. Maritony Efua Jones, recently embarked on a significant journey to Ghana as guests of the World Martial Authority Ghana. This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.

Published

4 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Elder Jorg Klebingat, Flint Mensah, Richard Burton, H.E. Dr. Maritony Jones, Amb. Jonathan Jones, Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, Elder Alfred Kyungu. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.

Upon their arrival at Katota Airport in Accra, Ghana, the Joneses were warmly received by His Royal Majesty Okatakyie Asafo Boakye III, the distinguished king of Sanzule Kingdom in the Eastern Nzema, and Etse Nyamedi of World Martial Authority, Ghana.

Nyamedi accompanied the Joneses to the city of Mepe, which had recently experienced flooding, to assess damages and engage with local leaders, elders, and youth regarding the city’s urgent needs after major floods last fall.

Key concerns and priorities identified by the community include comprehensive flood mitigation measures, agricultural support, housing initiatives, educational enhancements, improved healthcare access, and the development of communal recreational spaces.

The Joneses were also graciously invited to meet with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at their headquarters in Accra. This meeting provided insights into ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ghana and explored avenues for collaboration to further assist Ghanaian communities.

The LDS leaders shared their prompt response to the recent flood, demonstrating their commitment to humanitarian aid by dispatching substantial supplies including medical provisions, sanitation items, blankets, and food to assist flood victims just four days after the disaster.

Additionally, Boakye extended a special invitation to the Joneses to his palace, where they were pleasantly surprised with a heartfelt recognition ceremony. Maritony Jones was honored as the Queen Mother of the Sanzule Kingdom in acknowledgment of her dedicated work, while Jonathan Jones was lauded and welcomed as the ambassador of the Sanzule Kingdom, symbolizing a meaningful homecoming to their ancestral land.

The visit not only strengthens ties between Oakland and Ghana but also underscores the collaborative spirit and commitment to meaningful progress and humanitarian endeavors shared by all involved parties.

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Activism

Calif. Anti-Sex Trafficking Advocates Discuss Competing Bills, Strategies

Advocates from across California are challenging state officials and community leaders to support legislation that provides resources and services for survivors and victims of human trafficking, as well as assistance as they transition back into civil society.  Some of those advocates are also calling for more effective state policy to curtail trafficking, a crime that has an outsized impact on Black children, particularly girls.

Published

5 days ago

May 3, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Some of those advocates are also calling for more effective state policy to curtail trafficking, a crime that has an outsized impact on Black children, particularly girls.

According to the FBI, a report covering a two-year period found Black children accounted for 57% of all juvenile arrests for prostitution. In addition, 40% of sex trafficking victims were Black and 60% of those victims had been enrolled in the foster care system.

“It is time to hold the perpetrators who take advantage of our children accountable,” said the Rev. Shane Harris, a San Diego-based activist, former foster youth and founder of the Peoples Association of Justice Advocates, (PAJA), a national civil rights organization and policy think tank.

“It is time to send a thorough message that if you seek to buy a child for sex, you will pay the highest criminal penalties in this state,” added Harris who was speaking at a rally at the State Capitol earlier this month. Harris was speaking in support of Senate Bill 1414, authored by Sen. Shannon Grove (D-Bakersfield), which calls for people who buy sex from minors to be punished with a felony. The punishment includes a two-year prison sentence and a $25,000 fine.

Harris said the PAJA is the only civil rights organization in the state that supports SB 1414.

Harris urged other Black-led groups who favor anti-trafficking legislation more focused on criminal justice reforms (as opposed to stiffer penalties), to “join the movement.”

Many of those civil rights groups fear that SB 1414 could lead to the incarceration of more Black youth.

Those sentiments were echoed in a panel discussion organized by Black women advocates on April 26 to examine the cause and effects of human trafficking in California’s Black communities. The virtual event was hosted by the Forgotten Children, Inc, a faith-based nonprofit that advocates for survivors and victims of human trafficking through anti-trafficking campaigns and initiatives.

Panelists shared the psychological impact of sexual exploitation on youth and children in the long term.

Author and educator Dr. Stephany Powell shared statistics and information revealing that African American women and girls are the most trafficked nationwide.

Powell, who serves as the senior advisor on law enforcement and policy at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation said that national data indicates that sex trade survivors are disproportionately women of color. She stated that male survivors often go unnoticed because boys rarely report trafficked crimes.

Powell said that decriminalizing prostitution in California could increase human trafficking. She argued that Senate Bill 357, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), which was signed into law in 2022 and legalized loitering for prostitution, caused a surge in street-level prostitution.

Panelist and psychologist Dr. Gloria Morrow shared opposing views on decriminalizing prostitution. She said that decriminalizing prostitution could help survivors gain access to state resources and support.

Despite opposing views, Powell and Morrow agree that the Black community needs resources and educational programs to address human trafficking.