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Questions Answered About the COVID-19 Vaccine

As a primary care doctor at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, I get a lot of questions about the vaccines. Many people are confused because they are the first of their kind. I also understand our community’s history of being mistreated by the medical profession, and our ongoing health disparities can make it hard to trust the health care system.

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Dr. Nailah Thompson receiving her COVID-19 vaccination

My 67-year-old mom recently called to let me know she’d gotten her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. She said it went well, but she was surprised she was the only Black or Brown person she noticed getting the vaccine.

My mom isn’t the only one concerned about this. We know that Black and Brown communities are getting the virus more and are dying at higher rates than white communities, but fewer of us are getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

As a primary care doctor at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, I get a lot of questions about the vaccines. Many people are confused because they are the first of their kind. I also understand our community’s history of being mistreated by the medical profession, and our ongoing health disparities can make it hard to trust the health care system.

Below are some answers to questions that come up often with my patients, family and friends.

The vaccines were developed quickly. Are they safe?

Yes, they are safe. The vaccines were developed quickly because the new mRNA technology we hear so much about was already in the works, and because the federal government provided significant financial and other support to vaccine developers. A safety board approved every study, and the FDA carefully reviewed the data from every phase of every vaccine trial. I looked carefully at the science and the data and based on that — I decided it was safe to get vaccinated.

Does it alter your DNA?

It does not. The COVID-19 vaccine is a new type of vaccine that uses mRNA not DNA. mRNA teaches our cells to make specific proteins that stimulate our immune system to create antibodies to a virus. This keeps us from getting sick. mRNA does not interact with or alter DNA. In fact, cells break down and get rid of mRNA after it does its job.

Does it contain the COVID-19 virus?

No. The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain the virus and will not give you COVID-19.

Were communities of color part of the vaccine clinical trials?

Yes. Vaccine trial participants were from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, 10% African American/Black and 13-20 % Latinx. They also included a significant number of people greater than 55 years old.

What about side effects?

You may have mild to moderate side effects in the first 24 to 36 hours, and that’s normal. It’s a sign your body is building immunity against the virus. Some common side effects are fever, fatigue, headache, chills, muscle and joint pain. An extremely small number of people who have a prior history of allergies to vaccines have had an allergic reaction, which is why you will be monitored for 15 to 30 minutes after getting the vaccine. If you do have vaccine allergies, you should discuss the vaccine with your doctor.

Whether or not you decide to get vaccinated is an important personal decision. I decided to get the vaccine because I believe it’s our best tool to end the pandemic and the suffering it’s caused in our communities.

There have been challenges with getting enough vaccine supply, and Kaiser Permanente, like other health care systems, is working to get more. We’re also working to ensure we’re giving the vaccine equitably, making sure people who are at highest risk of getting infected, or dying from COVID-19, get vaccinated first.

Dr. Nailah Thompson is an internist with The Permanente Medical Group at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine myths and facts at the CDC website.

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 15 – 21, 2023

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 15 – 21, 2023

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 15 - 21, 2023

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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Arts and Culture

‘Put Ur Play On’ Productions Showcases Local Talent at Laney College

On Saturday, Feb. 26 at the Laney College Odell Johnson Theater, the Third Annual Black Centric Showcase celebrated Black History Month. The show depicted eras of Black history, while featuring talent showcases of monologues, skits, dance, rap and singing expressing the past, present and future.

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Actors in stage production “Unapologetically Black: Here to Facilitate Harm Reduction Services for Those in Need, Inc.” (l-r): Toni Rochelle, David Cesari, Ziare Whitelow, Christina Gluszaczak, Harley Ford, Cody Johnson, Shayna Howlett, Tyler Mae and Anthony Dixon. Photo by Carla Thomas.
Actors in stage production “Unapologetically Black: Here to Facilitate Harm Reduction Services for Those in Need, Inc.” (l-r): Toni Rochelle, David Cesari, Ziare Whitelow, Christina Gluszaczak, Harley Ford, Cody Johnson, Shayna Howlett, Tyler Mae and Anthony Dixon. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

On Saturday, Feb. 26 at the Laney College Odell Johnson Theater, the Third Annual Black Centric Showcase celebrated Black History Month. The show depicted eras of Black history, while featuring talent showcases of monologues, skits, dance, rap and singing expressing the past, present and future.

“The showcase was designed to feature talented members of the community performing all eras of Black history: Where we are from, where we have been, and where are we going,” said Saleemah Jones, production company founder-producer of “Put Ur Play On” with assistant director Angel Galloway.

Pamela Terry performed a monologue spun from August Wilson’s “Fences.” Terry responded to a casting call ad for the role. “Through my audition I learned about the production company, Saleemah Jones, and assistant director, Angel Galloway,” said Terry. “These two sisters are brilliant in their work to improve the quality of life in the community.” She said the experience was both inspiring and challenging.

AKIL of Oakland performed his original song “Gave Us 28,” referring to the number of days in February for Black History Month. “I like to produce positive rap,” said AKIL. “They gave us 28 but every day we make history.”

Other performances featured an original skit on love by Lauren Black and Erynne-Dnae of Cotati, California, and a poem by Oakland middle-schooler Talia Rochelle entitled “Go to the Back, Rosa Parks.” “Rosa Parks is an important, strong, brave woman in Black history,” she said.

Paris Jackson Jr. performed an original dance.

Gary Moore of San Francisco performed a monologue from August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Shelly Broadnax performed an original poem entitled “MIBPOC,” about having to check the ‘other’ box when filling out surveys and applications.

IMAC FADICHI of Chicago performed an original rap, “The Good Show,” and Pierre Jones of Richmond performed an original monologue entitled, “Black Caesar.”

The second half of the show included the stage production “Unapologetically Black: Here to Facilitate Harm Reduction Services for Those in Need, Inc.,” written by Itoro Bassey, a Nigerian playwright.

“Itoro reached out to us, and we thought it was a great way to put this perspective on our platform to raise voices,” said Jones, play producer.

The production, satiric in nature, explored the seriousness of Black and white race relations including white privilege and white insensitivity toward African Americans in everyday situations.

In one scene a white male doctor talks to a Black female patient in a dismissive manner. At the height of their disagreement, the two actors are frozen in time. A third actor enters, “Dr. Find You an Ally,” performed by Anthony Dixon, who narrates the situation and offers to serve as a white ally for the Black woman for 24 hours at the price of $59.99.

The actors unfreeze and the Black woman joins the narrator, as he explains his services including a bootcamp provided to retrain white perpetrators and transform their behavior into one of respect, understanding and empathy toward Black people.

Actors in the production included Tyler Mae, David Cesari, Shayna Howlett, Toni Rochelle, Ziare Whitelow, Christina Gluszaczak, Harley Ford and Cody Johnson.

“It’s been great to combine a showcase featuring some of the best in Bay Area talent with a stage play production written by a Nigerian sister,” said Jones. “The month may have 28 days, but we are 365 days a year, 24-7 making history,” said Galloway.

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Business

OCCUR, S.F. Foundation Offer Funding Workshop for Faith-Based Groups Virtual Workshop on March 23, 2023

“Faiths and nonprofit leaders become frustrated when they submit good proposals, but still don’t get funded. But there’s a missing ingredient — knowing how to find funding partners that actually want to deliver that check so you can get the work done,” says Michelle Edmond, instructor of the upcoming OCCUR and The San Francisco Foundation FAITHS capacity building training, Getting Funded Part 2: The Path to Finding Your Best Funding Partners.

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Michelle Edmond is the founder and CEO of the Jamko Foundation
Michelle Edmond is the founder and CEO of the Jamko Foundation.

“Faiths and nonprofit leaders become frustrated when they submit good proposals, but still don’t get funded. But there’s a missing ingredient — knowing how to find funding partners that actually want to deliver that check so you can get the work done,” says Michelle Edmond, instructor of the upcoming OCCUR and The San Francisco Foundation FAITHS capacity building training, Getting Funded Part 2: The Path to Finding Your Best Funding Partners.

“That’s what they’ll learn in this session,” says Edmond. “In Getting Funded Part 1, leaders learned how to craft a strong master proposal, but that’s just half of the puzzle. Now let’s pursue the funding,” she says.

There are myriad funding sources available to faith-based and nonprofit organizations, but finding the right match is often confusing. Edmond, CEO and founder of the Jamko, brings a long, successful track record of mentoring and training nonprofit and faith-based organizations in research and other fund development techniques.

Participants will learn:

  • How to identify and apply to a variety of funders that are eager to fund impactful programs
  • Which foundations and corporations are good sources for funding for your work
  • How to self-screen to minimize rejections
  • How to get free access to online resources through public library system portals
  • Understanding how to advocate for your work
  • Confidence to navigate in an arena that is hidden from small nonprofits
  • Information that is available on a wide variety of websites and platforms

“We are excited to bring a master teacher of Michelle Edmond’s caliber to the program,” said Carmen Bogan, lead consultant for the San Francisco Foundation program called A Model Built on Faith. “We are also pleased to announce that organizations who attend both sessions are eligible to apply for a grant to receive proposal grant writing and grant research consulting support. After many years in this work, OCCUR is still in the trenches with our nonprofit and faiths organizations. We are committed to their success because their success changes lives. And it’s long past time for our community programs to be funded.”

This training is recommended for individuals new to funding research as well as those who want to polish their research skills and build confidence to navigate in this arena, which is swiftly changing.

Date: March 23, 2023

Time: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. PDT

Location: Virtual training, Zoom Meeting ID: 861 4945 3331

To Register for the Event: Visit AModelBuiltOnFaith.org

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