Bay Area

Town Parade Celebrates Oakland High and Oakland Tech Basketball Champions

Oakland’s pride was at an all-time high on Sunday afternoon as the basketball state champions of Oakland High and Oakland Tech paraded from Children’s Fairyland to downtown City Hall at Oscar Grant Plaza April 16. The parade celebrated the girls’ basketball team of Oakland Tech, winners of the state championship for 3 years in a row and Oakland High making history by taking the state championship for the first time.

Published

1 month ago

April 28, 2023

Oakland Post

The festivities unfolded in full force on the steps of Oakland City Hall as confetti blew through the air and photographers and videographers captured the excitement and happiness of the students. Special guest MC's featured Dr. Delores Thompson, a proud Oakland High graduate who said she also attended summer school at Oakland Tech, and Jonathan Piper II of King Makers of Oakland.

By Carla Thomas

On a double decker bus, team members danced and waved as they were transported through the city circling Lake Merritt. Onlookers honked and clapped in support as team cheerleaders waved pom poms. Once arriving at Oakland City Hall, the students were greeted with a decorated plaza of arching balloons of white, purple and gold for the Oakland Tech “Lady” Bulldogs and blue and white for the Oakland High Wildcats.

The festivities unfolded in full force on the steps of Oakland City Hall as confetti blew through the air and photographers and videographers captured the excitement and happiness of the students.

Special guest MC’s featured Dr. Delores Thompson, a proud Oakland High graduate who said she also attended summer school at Oakland Tech, and Jonathan Piper II of King Makers of Oakland.

Nancy Skinner said, “I’m especially proud of the Wildcats and Lady Bulldogs. “Will celebrate your success at the state Capitol.”

Mia Bonta led audience with a cheer: “Hold up wait a minute, let us put some O. High in it. Hold up wait a minute, let us put some Oakland Tech in it. Hold up wait a minute, let us put some Oakland in it.”

Oakland Unified School District Superintendent Kyla Johnson Trammell, a self-proclaimed ’80s baby from Oakland expressed her appreciation for the students.

“Congrats to the dynasty at Tech and a dynasty emerging at Oakland High,” said Trammell. “Our students are scholarly athletes and role models on the court and off.”

Oakland Unified School District Board of Education president Mike Hutchinson encouraged the winning team members to reflect and embrace their contributions to Oakland’s legacy. “Thanks for all your hard work,” he said.

Bart Board Director and Congressional seat candidate Lateefah Simon spoke of the state champions as “the best in the state. The very best in the Bay Area … I’m so proud, thankful and humbled to be in the presence of young geniuses and the best ballers in the state,” she said.

Representatives of Oakland City Council addressed the teams at the rally.

District 3 City Councilmember Carroll Fife said, “Today you are my heroes, and you are an example of what Oakland truly is. You are exactly what we all need more of in our city.”

District 4 City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran said, “We need to learn from you and the lessons of teamwork and resilience.”

District 7 Councilmember Treva Reid said she proudly represents deep East Oakland. “Thank you for putting some respect on Oakland, we got your back,” she said.

District 2 City Councilmember Nikki Fortunato-Bas all congratulated the teams. “When you fight and practice, you win,” she said.

District 1 City Councilmember Dan Kalb was proud that the Oakland Tech Bulldogs were in his district.

District 5 Councilmember Noel Gallo said his three daughters graduated from Oakland High and went on to Stanford University and UC Berkeley. “At one time Oakland was the 5th largest market for athletes in the U.S., so I know these teams will go on to do great things,” he said. “Congrats on your accomplishments.”

Medals & certificates of honor were presented to each team member by California Assemblymember Mia Bonta, California State Senator Nancy Skinner and Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. Each athlete posed for a group photo with the elected officials and were cheered on as they returned to their seat.

“You are special on and off the court, and we love you,” said Thao.

Thao also gave a special shout out to event organizer, Oakland Tech Parent Teacher Student Association Vice President Dunia Wilder and the “unsung heroes” behind the scenes. “Thank you, Dunia, Myra, Brooklyn, and Vice Mayor Kimberly, for making this event happen.”

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Activism

Community Opposes High Rise Development That Threatens Geoffrey’s Inner Circle

City Council chambers were full for the May 17 Planning Commission hearing, and almost all the 40 speakers who had signed up to make presentations talked about the importance of the Inner Circle as part of Oakland and Geoffrey Pete as a stalwart community and business leader who has served the city for decades.

Published

2 days ago

May 30, 2023

Oakland Post

Geoffrey Pete went to City Hall to appeal the city Planning Commission’s approval of the high-rise development that threatens the closure of his 44-year historic cultural mecca. Photo by Jonathan ‘Fitness’ Jones.

By Ken Epstein

An outpouring of community supporters – young, old, jazz lovers, environmentalists and committed Oakland partisans – spoke out at a recent Planning Commission hearing to support Geoffrey Pete and his cultural center – The Inner Circle – an historic Oakland landmark whose future is threatened by a proposed skyscraper that out-of-town-developer Tidewater Capital wants to build in the midst of the city’s Black Arts Movement and Business District (BAMBD).

The speakers argued passionately and persuasively, winning the sympathy of the commissioners, but were ultimately unsuccessful as the Commission unanimously approved the high-rise to be built either as a residential building or office tower on Franklin Street directly behind Geoffrey’s building.

Mr. Pete has said he would appeal the decision to the City Council. He has 10 days after the hearing to file an appeal on the office building. His appeal on the residential tower has already been submitted.

Mr. Pete said the Planning Department still has not published the boundaries of the BAMBD. “Tidewater’s applications and subsequent applications should not be approved until the Planning Department fully acknowledges the existence of the BAMBD,” he said.

“This (proposed) building poses a grave danger to the historic (Inner Circle) building next to it, arguably Oakland’s most meaningful historic building,” Pete said.

“We’re here to advocate for what’s best for the African American district and community that has gotten no representation, no advocacy, as of yet,” he said. “The (commission) is guilty, the City of Oakland is guilty, and Tidewater is guilty.”

One of the first speakers was Gwendolyn Traylor, known as Lady SunRise, who directly addressed the developers.

“With all due to respect to your business, it’s not a need of this community. I would like to ask you to reconsider the location …What is being (promised) here does not add to the healing of this community,” she said.

Naomi Schiff of the Oakland Heritage Alliance emphasized that Geoffrey’s Inner Circle is a treasure of Oakland’s history.

“Our first concern is the integrity of the historic district, in particular the former Athenian-Nile Club, now Mr. Pete’s equally historic venue, which has been the location of a great number of important community events,” she said. “It would not be OK with us if the integrity of the building were damaged in any way, no matter how much insurance (the developer bought) because it is very difficult to repair a historic building once it’s damaged.”

The Inner Circle was previously owned and operated by the Athenian-Nile Club, one of the Bay Area’s largest all-white-male exclusive private membership club, where politicians and power brokers closed back-room deals over handshakes and three martini lunches.

Cephus “Uncle Bobby X” Johnson pointed out that commissioners and the city’s Planning Department have “acknowledged that you went through the entire design review process without even knowing that the Black Arts Movement and Business District existed.”

The district was created in 2016 by City Council resolution. “At the heart of the opposition to this building is the desire to further the legacy of local Black entertainment and entrepreneurship exemplified by businesses like Mr. Pete’s … a historical landmark and venue (that serves) thousands of people who listen to jazz and other entertainment and hold weddings, receptions, and memorial services,” said Uncle Bobby.

This development is taking place within a context in which the “Black population in Oakland has decreased rapidly … because of the city’s concentration on building houses that are not affordable for people who currently live in Oakland,” he said.

John Dalrymple of East Bay Residents for Responsible Development said, “This project will result in significant air quality, public health, noise, and traffic impacts. He said the city has not adequately studied the (unmitigated) impacts of this project on the Black Arts Movement and Business District.

“This project is an example of what developers are being allowed to do when they don’t have to follow the law, and they don’t have to be sensitive to our city’s culture and values,” he said. The commission should “send a signal today that we will no longer be a feeding ground for the rich.”

Prominent Oakland businessman Ray Bobbitt told commissioners, “Any decision that you make is a contribution to the systemic process that creates a disproportionate impact on Black people. Please do yourself a favor, (and) rethink this scenario. Give Mr. Pete, who is a leader in our community, an opportunity to set the framework before you make any decision.”

Though the City Council created the BAMBD, the 2016 resolution was never implemented. The district was created to “highlight, celebrate, preserve and support the contributions of Oakland’s Black artists and business owners and the corridor as a place central historically and currently to Oakland’s Black artists and Black-owned businesses.”

The district was intended to promote Black arts, political movements, enterprises, and culture in the area, and to bring in resources through grants and other funding.

Activism

Community Meeting on Crime and Violence

Join Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb to discuss the uptick in crime and violence in District 1 and across Oakland. Representatives from the Oakland Police Department will be in attendance. This event will be held in-person and online.

Published

2 days ago

May 29, 2023

Oakland Post

Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb

Tuesday, May 30, 2023
6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Oakland Technical H.S. Auditorium
300-340 42^nd St.
Oakland, CA 94611

For more information, contact District 1 Chief of Staff Seth Steward: ssteward@oaklandca.gov, 510-238-7013.

Bay Area

UniverSoul Circus Opens in Richmond

Described by show organizers as a highly interactive combination of circus arts and theatre that spans musical genres, UniverSoul Circus will feature flipping motorcycles, stilt dancers, Fire Limbo Benders, ancestral carnival characters, clowns, flamboyantly costumed dancers and more “in a celebration of energy.”

Published

2 days ago

May 29, 2023

Oakland Post

Clowns who perform with UniverSoul Circus. Photo courtesy UniverSoul Circus.

By Kathy Chouteau | The Richmond Standard

UniverSoul Circus kicked off its Bay Area run under the Big Top at Hilltop Mall last week with the performances continuing during various times through Sun., June 19.

The UniverSoul Circus is a single ring circus, established in 1994 by Cedric Walker and Calvin “Casual Cal” Dupree, an African American man who had a vision of creating a circus with a large percentage of people of color performing. He began searching for people from all around the world with incredible talents. Richmond police Chief Bisa French and City Manager Shasa Curl were set to be guest ringmasters for the opening night show.

“Get ready to be amazed and frightened at the terrifying, gravity- defying acrobats on the Wheel of Death or the bold, breathtaking daredevils on the High Wire,” said UniverSoul Circus in a statement about the show.

This season’s theme is, ‘We All Belong,’ according Walker, the circus founder and CEO. “We all belong to one human race. Everyone is coming together, different cultures, different people, a new transcultural fusion, a new generation inclusive and together in a UniverSoul Experience!”

Venue:
Hilltop Mall
2200 Hilltop Mall Rd, Richmond, CA 94806

Showtimes:
Thurs-Fri: 7:00 p.m.
Sat: 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
Sun: 11:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

Box Office Hours:
Tues: 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Wed-Fri: 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sat: 9:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Sun: 9:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Mon: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Memorial Day)

Tickets range from $27.50 to $60 depending on your seat and you can purchase them on Ticketmaster. Visit www.universoulcircus.com for more info.