Jessica Alvarenga

Free vision clinic helps youth access care

Having a school-based clinic means that with parents’ consent, clinic staff can see students for their appointment without a parent or guardian being present. This makes it possible for students to access care without an adult having to take time off of work.

Community invests in proposed West Oakland grocery store

Ahmadi said he had no choice but to fundraise from residents, rather than taking a more traditional path such as a loan from a bank. On paper, the project showed a high risk of failure “both because it’s a start-up and a low-margin business—also because of the perceptions of the challenges of the neighborhood,” said Ahmadi.