Activism

Women’s Council of Associated Real Property Brokers’

This year commemorates the landmark enactment of the Fair Housing Act 54 years ago on April 11, 1968. WC of ARPB is the local chapter of the Women’s Council of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) and an affiliate of the Associated Real Property Brokers, the local chapter of NAREB, which is the country’s oldest, minority real estate trade association.

Published

2 years ago

April 19, 2022

Oakland Post

Attending the Prayer Breakfast on April 2, 2022, were: Back row: Cathy Adams, president of OAACC, Ria Cotton-Landry, immediate past president of Women’s Council of Associated Real Property Brokers, Tammy Willis, president of Women’s Council of Associated Real Property Brokers, Shonda Scott, CEO of 360 Total Concept, Councilmember Treva Reid, City of Oakland District 7. Front row: Imani Breaux-Smith, president of Associated Real Property Brokers, Councilmember Caroll Fife, City of Oakland District 3, Ray Carlisle Sr., CEO of NID Housing Counseling and Pastor Maria Reems, Center of Hope Community Church.

Host 100 at Prayer Breakfast to Kick-Off Realtist Week

The Women’s Council of Associated Real Property Brokers (WC of ARPB) held its Annual Prayer Breakfast to kick off Realtist Week, April 3-9, 2022, in observance of the trade association’s dedication to increasing Black wealth through homeownership.

Realtist Week activities in Oakland, CA, are grounded in NAREB’s intent to increase the economic futures of Black Americans, by building black wealth through homeownership. The week-long series of events is designed to reach Oakland’s Black residents where they live, work, and socialize.

In addition, Realtists expect to meet with policymakers and elected officials to ensure that affordable and sustainable homeownership is supported legislatively, through regulatory or other city planning means.

Homeownership for Black Americans has been on a steady decline since 2004 when it reached its peak of nearly 50%. As of the fourth quarter ending 2021 as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, the Black homeownership rate hovered nationally at 44.6% compared to the non-Hispanic white homeownership rate of just above 74.2%.

“Realtist Week events and activities raise awareness that Black homeownership not only strengthens the economic fabric of our city, but also increases the desirability of Oakland’s many neighborhoods,” said Cathy Adams, president of Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (OAACC).

It is appropriate that NAREB’s Realtist Week takes place during National Fair Housing Month which commemorates the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the federal legislation making it illegal to discriminate in housing based upon race, color, sex, national origin, religion, familial status, or disability.

WC of ARPB and ARPB scheduled a series of activities to heighten the community’s and policymakers’ awareness about the importance of affordable homeownership as the best and most effective wealth-building tool. Events and activities included were:

Annual Prayer Breakfast -Realtist Week Kickoff 4/2
Realtist Fitness Bootcamp Mon 4/4 9 at Tip Top Shape 472 9th Street Oakland
Virtual City of Oakland Mayoral Candidate Town Hall Tuesday 4/5
Brunch & Learn to discuss how Cryptocurrency and Blockchain affect the Real Estate Industry
TownCONNECT Homeowner & Homebuyer Expo Sat 4/9 at the Black Cultural Zone, 7101 Foothill Blvd Oakland FREE Event, Complimentary lunch, Live DJ, Kids Activities, Raffles & More

Formed in 1947, NAREB’s founding motto of Democracy in Housing continues to serve as its purpose and focus. NAREB’s 2 Million New Black Homeowners (2Mn5) program was initiated to reverse the wealth drain among Black Americans.

While the country continues to experience economic recovery that same recovery has bypassed most Black Americans. NAREB’s approach to increasing Black Wealth incorporates financial education, homeownership preparation and counseling, outreach to the faith-based community along with expanding Black consumers’ knowledge base about the importance of advocating for public policies that support and increase affordable and sustainable homeownership.

WC of ARPB and ARPB joins NAREB chapters nationwide participating in Realtist Week. For more detailed information about the association and Realtist Week, contact Tammy Willis, president of Women’s Council of ARPB, 510-460-0248 and twillisbroker@gmail.com

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

New Poll: Oakland Voters Overwhelmingly Want to Vote on Proposed Stadium Deal

Don't Miss

COMMENTARY: The World Needs More Voices of Peace and Love

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

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.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

7 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.