National

Racism at Core of Attack on Capitol and Black People, as Usual, Rise to the Occasion

That the Capitol Police were unprepared for what had been predicted would be an unruly, dangerous crowd, was the second sign of racism as Black news pundits and even some politicians, including President-elect Joe Biden, observed that security would have been much different if these had been, for instance, Black Lives Matter protesters.

Published

5 years ago

January 15, 2021

Kiki

The attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6 was practically a picture postcard of racism in America.

Firstly, it was prompted by the victory of Joe Biden over Pres. Donald Trump in November’s election, a victory that had significant support from Black and Brown voters.

In denial, Trump, with the help of right-wing media, claimed the election had been stolen and turned to the MAGA crowd and Republican politicians to ‘Stop the Steal.’

Wearing MAGA hats, carrying Confederate flags and armed with tactical gear and carrying military grade weapons, the crowd of mostly white Trump supporters marched to the Capitol at the president’s behest.

The attack left six people dead. The men and women of Congress, knowing they were targeted for injury and even death by a highly organized, tactical element of the rioters are left traumatized.

The third element of racism was in the actions and testimony of the Capitol’s Black police and staff said racism played.

Buzzfeed News interviewd two Black officers, one a veteran and one a newer recruit. They said it was “a trained group of militia terrorists who attacked us.”

One was beaten by a rioter carrying a Blue Lives Matter flag.

“I got called a n—- 15 times today,” the veteran officer shouted in the Rotunda at the day’s end. “Trump did this and we got all of these … people in our department that voted for him. How the …. can you support him?”

“I cried for about 15 minutes and I just let it out,” he said.

In a widely circulated video, it was a Black member of the Capitol Police officer whose heroism perhaps saved members of the Senate and staff from harm. Alone and outnumbered, the Capitol policeman is seen repeatedly shoving a trespasser in the chest, drawing him and his followers away from a doorway to the Senate chamber that was still insecure.

In all, before the six-hour siege was over, at least 14 police officers were assaulted.

That so many were injured, yet so few intruders were arrested and so few arrests were attempted was also a sign of racism as comparisons between the Capitol attack and one Black Lives Matter demonstration attest. Eventually, the Capitol Police got help from the National Guard.

Much has been made about the vulnerability of the members of Congress, but they were not the only ones trapped during the siege. Some members of Congress had their staff with them and then there were the people who maintain the building, many of who are people of color.

It was they, Black and Brown men and women joined late in the evening of the attack by a Korean Ameican congressman from New Jersey who cleaned up the mess made by a crown that was mostly white.

They picked up glass, empty bottles and broken furniture. They took away broken and damaged artifacts — for the Capitol is also a museum. They wiped away blood, urine and feces from floors, walls and statues.

Interviewed in the following days, some janitorial staff said they felt unsafe in a building that was supposed to have some of the best security in the world.

“It felt bad. It’s degrading,” said one custodial employee in his 30s, who works for the Architect of the Capitol’s Labor Division. “We’re all Black in this shop.”

Amid the debris, a piece of a tribute to the late John Lewis was found. It had been destroyed.

Buzzfeed, Business Insider and The Washington Post are the sources for this report.

Kiki

Posts by Kiki | Website

Related Topics:Congressman John Lewis (D-GA)Donald Trump MAGA President-elect Joe Biden

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Activism

Desmond Gumbs — Visionary Founder, Mentor, and Builder of Opportunity

Gumbs’ coaching and leadership journey spans from Bishop O’Dowd High School, Oakland High School, Stellar Prep High School. Over the decades, hundreds of his students have gone on to college, earning academic and athletic scholarships and developing life skills that extend well beyond sports.

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

NCAA football history was made this year when Head Coach from Mississippi Valley State, Terrell Buckley and Head Coach Desmond Gumbs both had starting kickers that were Women. This picture was taken after the game. Courtesy photo.

Special to the Post

For more than 25 years, Desmond Gumbs has been a cornerstone of Bay Area education and athletics — not simply as a coach, but as a mentor, founder, and architect of opportunity. While recent media narratives have focused narrowly on challenges, they fail to capture the far more important truth: Gumbs’ life’s work has been dedicated to building pathways to college, character, and long-term success for hundreds of young people.

A Career Defined by Impact

One of his most enduring contributions is his role as founder of Stellar Prep High School, a non-traditional, mission-driven institution created to serve students who needed additional structure, belief, and opportunity. Through Stellar Prep numerous students have advanced to college — many with scholarships — demonstrating Gumbs’ deep commitment to education as the foundation for athletic and personal success.

NCAA football history was made this year when Head Coach from
Mississippi Valley State, Terrell Buckley and Head Coach Desmond
Gumbs both had starting kickers that were women. This picture was
taken after the game.

A Personal Testament to the Mission: Addison Gumbs

Perhaps no example better reflects Desmond Gumbs’ philosophy than the journey of his son, Addison Gumbs. Addison became an Army All-American, one of the highest honors in high school football — and notably, the last Army All-Americans produced by the Bay Area, alongside Najee Harris.

Both young men went on to compete at the highest levels of college football — Addison Gumbs at the University of Oklahoma, and Najee Harris at the University of Alabama — representing the Bay Area on a national level.

Building Lincoln University Athletics From the Ground Up

In 2021, Gumbs accepted one of the most difficult challenges in college athletics: launching an entire athletics department at Lincoln University in Oakland from scratch. With no established infrastructure, limited facilities, and eventually the loss of key financial aid resources, he nonetheless built opportunities where none existed.

Under his leadership, Lincoln University introduced:

Football
Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Men’s and Women’s Soccer

Operating as an independent program with no capital and no conference safety net, Gumbs was forced to innovate — finding ways to sustain teams, schedule competition, and keep student-athletes enrolled and progressing toward degrees. The work was never about comfort; it was about access.

Voices That Reflect His Impact

Desmond Gumbs’ philosophy has been consistently reflected in his own published words:

“if you have an idea, you’re 75% there the remaining 25% is actually doing it.”
“This generation doesn’t respect the title — they respect the person.”
“Greatness is a habit, not a moment.”

Former players and community members have echoed similar sentiments in public commentary, crediting Gumbs with teaching them leadership, accountability, confidence, and belief in themselves — lessons that outlast any single season.

Context Matters More Than Headlines

Recent articles critical of Lincoln University athletics focus on logistical and financial hardships while ignoring the reality of building a new program with limited resources in one of the most expensive regions in the country. Such narratives are ultimately harmful and incomplete, failing to recognize the courage it takes to create opportunity instead of walking away when conditions are difficult.

The real story is not about early struggles — it is about vision, resilience, and service.

A Legacy That Endures

From founding Stellar PREP High School, to sending hundreds of students to college, to producing elite athletes like Addison Gumbs, to launching Lincoln University athletics, Desmond Gumbs’ legacy is one of belief in young people and relentless commitment to opportunity.

His work cannot be reduced to headlines or records. It lives on in degrees earned, scholarships secured, leaders developed, and futures changed — across the Bay Area and beyond.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Families Across the U.S. Are Facing an ‘Affordability Crisis,’ Says United Way Bay Area

United Way’s Real Cost Measure data reveals that 27% of Bay Area households – more than 1 in 4 families – cannot afford essentials such as food, housing, childcare, transportation, and healthcare. A family of four needs $136,872 annually to cover these basic necessities, while two adults working full time at minimum wage earn only $69,326.

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

Affordable housing is the greatest concern for consumers, it’s followed by the cost of groceries. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

A national poll released this week by Marist shows that 61% of Americans say the economy is not working well for them, while 70% report that their local area is not affordable. This marks the highest share of respondents expressing concern since the question was first asked in 2011.

According to United Way Bay Area (UWBA), the data underscores a growing reality in the region: more than 600,000 Bay Area households are working hard yet still cannot afford their basic needs.

Nationally, the Marist Poll found that rising prices are the top economic concern for 45% of Americans, followed by housing costs at 18%. In the Bay Area, however, that equation is reversed. Housing costs are the dominant driver of the affordability crisis.

“The national numbers confirm what we’re seeing every day through our 211 helpline and in communities across the region,” said Keisha Browder, CEO of United Way Bay Area. “People are working hard, but their paychecks simply aren’t keeping pace with the cost of living. This isn’t about individual failure; it’s about policy choices that leave too many of our neighbors one missed paycheck away from crisis.”

The Bay Area’s affordability crisis is particularly defined by extreme housing costs:

Housing remains the No. 1 reason residents call UWBA’s 211 helpline, accounting for 49% of calls this year.
Nearly 4 in 10 Bay Area households (35%) spend at least 30% of their income on housing, a level widely considered financially dangerous.
Forty percent of households with children under age 6 fall below the Real Cost Measure.
The impact is disproportionate: 49% of Latino households and 41% of Black households struggle to meet basic needs, compared to 15% of white households.

At the national level, the issue of affordability has also become a political flashpoint. In late 2025, President Donald Trump has increasingly referred to “affordability” as a “Democrat hoax” or “con job.” While he previously described himself as the “affordability president,” his recent messaging frames the term as a political tactic used by Democrats to assign blame for high prices.

The president has defended his administration by pointing to predecessors and asserting that prices are declining. However, many Americans remain unconvinced. The Marist Poll shows that 57% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, while just 36% approve – his lowest approval rating on the issue across both terms in office.