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Sydney Roberts: New ASUC president shares her goals, inspirations

From a young age, I participated in the Los Angeles Women’s March and read Audre Lorde religiously. The summer before my senior year I took part in Girls State, a week-long immersive summer program that teaches 500 young women from different corners of the nation how to govern imitation cities and states.

Published

3 years ago

October 3, 2023

Oakland Post

In high school, before she became involved in student government, Roberts played varsity volleyball and soccer. “It was through my teamwork on the court and field that I learned how to be an effective leader,” she said. Brandon Sánchez Mejia/UC Berkeley

Her first goal is to increase students’ sense of belonging on campus, especially for those who are underrepresented.

By Gretchen Kell
UC Berkeley News

I’m from Long Beach, California, an incredibly diverse and urban coastal city. It is truly a melting pot of cultures, with a large and vibrant settlement of Filipinx and Hispanic people. My friends throughout middle and high school came from these backgrounds, among others. They taught me how beautiful of an experience it is to foster close relationships with people from different backgrounds.

I grew up in a household with my single mom and twin sister. My father joined the Marines right after high school and now works for the U.S. Postal Service. My mother went to college and nursing school and is a public health nurse for the city of Long Beach, specifically working with houseless senior citizens. She is a strong feminist who always encouraged us to pursue higher education and instilled in us that education is key to personal development and professional opportunity.

Growing up in a female-led household also taught me the value of independence. My mother sacrificed a lot to ensure my sister and I had myriad opportunities. Her selflessness shaped my idea of leadership. She went above and beyond to give others more and create joy.

In the Long Beach Unified School District, I found my passion for research. Although underfunded, like most public systems, I was able to take an AP seminar and AP research capstone. I focused my research on racial profiling after 9/11 and the different opinions about patriotism among baby boomers, millennials and Generation X.

The murder of George Floyd at the end of my senior year was a real turning point for me. People’s reaction to the Black Lives Matter Movement that resurfaced during the summer of 2020 changed my perception of politics and society. I was consumed by grief, but soon turned my emotions into political passion. I wanted to revolutionize how people learned about injustice. I used my social media presence to educate people on the prevalence of anti-Blackness and how to have tough conversations with family members with different ideologies.

I visited UC Berkeley the summer before my senior year of high school. It was my dream school. I was in awe of Cal’s history and culture. Learning that members of the Black Panther Party spoke here, and that the Free Speech Movement ignited here, inspired me. I wanted to be surrounded by changemakers and in a city with a strong culture.

I was on campus to attend the Berkeley Summer Experience, a weekend-long program that paired low-income or underrepresented students with admissions counselors to receive advice on their UC college applications. Although my test scores and leadership roles made me a competitive applicant, I was a student from an underfunded public high school and a family with only one college graduate. I attribute that program to why I was accepted to Cal.

I began attending Berkeley in the fall of 2020. My first year at Berkeley was characterized by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a struggle to find community, but the ASUC and my sorority, Alpha Phi, aided my endeavor to make personal relationships.

In the ASUC, I served as chief of staff to Chaka Tellem, student body president for an unprecedented two terms. We created an environmental justice education program, sending students to local middle and elementary schools to teach younger generations about sustainability.

We negotiated the biggest discount with Princeton Review for students to receive 20% off all pre-professional test prep review materials. We designed a mentorship program for first-generation, low-income and underrepresented students with the Cal Alumni Association thats fully funded and staffed and has hundreds of participants.

I became chapter president of Alpha Phi in 2021. I aimed to increase involvement, diversify membership and foster belonging. Knowing what it was like to be a Black woman in a predominately white space made me determined to implement initiatives that would transform our chapter into a more inclusive space.

We celebrated culturally significant holidays like Juneteenth, Latinx Heritage Month, Diwali and more. I started an international night, where members decorated a part of our chapter room with items or foods special to their heritage. I also made financial and housing decisions that enabled flexibility for members in need.

This year, I’m a senior, graduating in the spring of 2024, and I feel very honored to be in the role of ASUC president. The presidential race was heavily contested, with five candidates. I ran on platforms of multiculturalism, environmentalism, career readiness, student wellness and campus climate.

My first goal as president is to increase students’ sense of belonging on campus, especially students who have historically felt excluded from higher education. Black students on this campus need more Black students, faculty, and staff.

It’s extremely hard to be the one or one of few Black people in your class, to have no professors who look like you or understand your background, or to know that there are few people within university administrative roles who share the experiences of the Black community.

I took a public policy course during my sophomore year where a small cohort of students went to the Alameda Probation Office to interview formerly incarcerated individuals and probation officers to research re-entry resources.

I also spent the summer before my junior year participating in the SURF SMART program as a research fellow for Caleb Dawson, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Education. A snippet of our research focus was understanding why Black students, faculty and staff pursue higher education or a career at Cal, and if they felt they had adequate support systems here.

Another goal as ASUC president is to increase pre-professional and academic opportunities on campus. I want all students to feel career-ready before graduation. A final goal is connecting students with the abundance of organizations and departments on campus that assist with their basic needs. Some of the biggest struggles facing students are financial stability, housing security and food security.

This past summer, I gained additional skills in politics working for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Wash., D.C., as a research intern in our Cal in the Capitol program. After graduation, I hope to work on a political campaign for the 2024 election or intern for a political consulting or research firm or committee. Later in life, I’m interested in returning to school for a master’s in public policy or/and a J.D.

The most popular question I get today is what my biggest goal is, now that I’m student body president. As a Black woman, I know this university wasn’t designed for me, and there are people in this world who don’t want me to succeed. So empowering others who look like me to take on positions of power and mentoring them in a meaningful and impactful way so they may go on to lead is my greatest hope.

Younger students, many other Black women, have come up to me and expressed how inspiring it is to see a Black woman at the forefront of this university. I tell them, “You’re next.”

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Democratic Clubs Interview Candidates for Oakland School Board

OAKLAND POST — For the first time, the interviews were jointly sponsored by the John George Democratic Club, Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, Oakland East Bay Democratic Club, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), Niagara Democratic Club, Block by Block Organizing Network and Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce.

Published

60 minutes ago

September 14, 2026

Post News Group

(L-R) Sylvia Williams, Mike Hutchinson, Kathryn Camp

By Ken Epstein

Local Democratic clubs and community organizations interviewed candidates running for Oakland school board in the November elections, including incumbents Jennifer Brouhard in District 2, Mike Hutchinson in District 4 and Valarie Bachelor in District 6.

For the first time, the interviews were jointly sponsored by the John George Democratic Club, Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, Oakland East Bay Democratic Club, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), Niagara Democratic Club, Block by Block Organizing Network and Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce.

The Democratic clubs interviewed only registered Democrats.

John George and Wellstone endorsed Brouhard and Bachelor. Neither endorsed Hutchinson.

In District 4, Wellstone ranked Sylvia Pfeiffer Williams first and Kathryn Camp second. John George ranked Camp first and Williams second.

Hutchinson, an Oakland native and Oakland public schools graduate, highlighted his record.

“I was in board leadership and chaired the Budget and Finance Committee,” he said. “We passed balanced budgets and paid off the state loan early, which allowed us to finally leave state receivership after 22 years.”

Hutchinson said the district faces a financial crisis requiring changes in board leadership and district policies.

“We need a different majority so we can get back on track, end school closures, and manage our resources better,” he said.

Williams taught adult education in Oakland for 18 years.

Williams said her philosophy “comes from the disability justice world, to center the needs of the most vulnerable. When we center the needs of the most vulnerable, we create environments, systems, and learning experiences in which everyone can thrive.”

Williams framed potential school closures as an equity issue.

“Are we thinking about closing schools up in the hills?” she asked. “Or are we thinking about closing schools where communities are in crisis right now?”

Camp, a Bay Area native and Oakland resident of 25 years, has a son in second grade.

“Our kids are only getting one shot at a great education, and I’m running to bring pragmatic, student-centered leadership that restores trust, builds responsibility, and delivers results for every child,” she said.

On her website, Camp pledged accountability and transparency. “As a proud OUSD parent, I know our schools need more than promises – they need fiscal responsibility, equity, and meaningful action guided by long-term strategy,” she said.

“That means protecting classrooms, supporting teachers, using resources wisely, and making decisions that reflect clear priorities and real accountability,” said Camp. “It also means bringing people together and providing the kind of steady leadership that can navigate complex systems, ask hard questions, and stay grounded in what matters most: student outcomes, thriving schools, and a district that works for the communities it serves.”

Wellstone’s Education Committee said it opposed Hutchinson because he frequently challenged the board majority and superintendent.

“He also claims that the teachers’ contract is illegal that a grand jury should be called. He is not endorsed by the teachers’ union; he has been disruptive and non-collaborative at meetings,” and he has been absent 26% of the time, the committee said.

“He claims that the teachers’ contract is illegal and that a grand jury should be called,” the committee said. “He takes individual credit for accomplishments, including paying the state loan, when in fact these changes came from the work of the entire board, or were the result of following through on policy.”

Next week: District 6 school board candidates.

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Nuna Phillips-McKee Celebrates 100 Years: ‘A Century of Faith, Family and God’s Amazing Grace!’

OAKLAND POST — Nuna’s life has been one of Christian service. A longtime member of Wings of Love Maranatha Ministries, now Incredible Church, she serves as director of Community Services and is actively involved in the church’s Food Ministries.

Published

1 hour ago

September 14, 2026

Post News Group

Nuna Phillips-McGee, far right, will be celebrating her 100th birthday with sisters (l. to. r.) Donna Hayes, Ida Williams, Sandra Phillips and Enis Harrison. Photo by Carol Dossman.

By Special to The Post

Nuna Phillips-McKee will reach an extraordinary milestone on Sept. 24 —her 100th

birthday, marking a century filled with faith, family, service, laughter and the amazing grace of God.

Born Sept. 14, 1926, in Oakland, Nuna has witnessed a world of change during her lifetime, yet the values that have guided her remain constant: a deep faith in God, devotion to family, a strong work ethic and a heart for serving others.

She enjoyed a distinguished career as a civil servant for more than 40 years, demonstrating the dedication, dependability and strength that have characterized so much of her life.

Nuna’s life has been one of Christian service. A longtime member of Wings of Love Maranatha Ministries, now Incredible Church, she serves as director of Community Services and is actively involved in the church’s Food Ministries.

Through the years, she has continued to help meet the needs of others—not merely with food, but with kindness, compassion and a genuine desire to serve. Her ministry reflects a simple principle by which she lives: when God blesses you, you bless others.

Nuna is the proud mother of one son, whose memory she carries in her heart, and the beloved grandmother of three grandchildren, as well as six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

At 100, she has the rare blessing of seeing several generations of her family carrying forward a legacy that began long ago.

She remains the loving, intelligent, witty, and, when the occasion calls for it, delightfully sassy Nuna that her family and friends know so well. Her contagious laugh, quick wit and youthful spirit have endeared her to generations of relatives, church members and friends.

Nuna was born into the large and loving Phillips family of seven sisters and one brother, with bonds that formed in childhood and have remained precious throughout the decades. Their shared love, faith, and family traditions have continued to be a source of joy, strength and countless treasured memories.

As family and friends gather for this special occasion, they will celebrate far more than a number. They will celebrate 100 years of prayers prayed and answered; 100 years of lessons learned and wisdom shared; 100 years of family, faith, laughter and love; 100 years of serving God and serving others.

Most of all, they will celebrate a life that stands as a testimony to God’s faithfulness through every season.

Nuna’s century-long journey can be summed up in the words chosen to commemorate this remarkable occasion: “100 years of God’s amazing grace.”

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D.A. Ursula Jones Dickson: Terminix to Pay $3.15 Million Over Illegal Disposal of Pesticides, Customer Records

OAKLAND POST — District attorney investigators examining Terminix facilities throughout California between 2021 and 2024 found hundreds of pesticides and other hazardous-waste items that had allegedly been disposed of unlawfully, according to Jones Dickson’s office.

Published

1 hour ago

September 14, 2026

Post News Group

Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson. File photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced a $3.15 million settlement with Terminix International Inc. and Rentokil North America Inc. over allegations that the pest control companies illegally disposed of pesticides and hazardous waste and mishandled confidential customer records.

The settlement was reached by Jones Dickson, 28 other California district attorneys and the Los Angeles city attorney. The companies are collectively identified as Terminix in the settlement.

District attorney investigators examining Terminix facilities throughout California between 2021 and 2024 found hundreds of pesticides and other hazardous-waste items that had allegedly been disposed of unlawfully, according to Jones Dickson’s office.

The investigation also found instances in which Terminix allegedly failed to properly manage and dispose of private customer records, violating California laws intended to protect confidential consumer information.

Terminix cooperated with prosecutors after being notified of the alleged violations, the district attorney’s office said. As part of the settlement, the company agreed to strengthen its policies and procedures governing the handling and disposal of pesticides, hazardous materials and customer records.

The new requirements are intended to prevent prohibited waste from being placed in ordinary trash receptacles or sent to facilities not authorized to receive it. Terminix must also improve safeguards for confidential customer information before records are discarded.

Terminix operates five Alameda County locations under the Terminix and Western Exterminator Company names. The facilities are located in Hayward, Pleasanton and Union City.

Alameda County will receive $160,000 from the statewide settlement for civil penalties and reimbursement of investigative costs.

The agreement resolves the prosecutors’ claims against the companies and requires Terminix to maintain stronger waste-management and privacy protections at its California operations.

Jones Dickson announced the settlement Sept. 4.